Insight
5 ways to secure c-suite buy-in for your customer experience project
March 12, 2025
James Carr
In today’s competitive business landscape, delivering an exceptional customer experience (CX) is no longer a luxury - it’s a necessity.
Organisations that prioritise CX outperform their competitors enjoy higher levels of customer loyalty, and see tangible growth in their bottom lines. However, despite the clear benefits, many marketing and digital leaders find it challenging to secure the necessary C-suite buy-in for their CX initiatives. The difficulty lies in translating the value of CX into language that resonates with senior executives, whose focus is often on short-term business objectives and ROI.
Sound like something you’re struggling with?
We provide five actionable strategies to help Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs), Chief Digital Officers (CDOs), and Creative Directors to drive change from the top. Drawing on our experience at EM Code, we’ll provide insights, examples, and practical steps to drive change from the top.
In typical EM Code fashion, we recommend grabbing a pack of sticky notes and a sharpie pen to make notes throughout the article.
Before we begin, write down your organisation’s top three strategic goals.
To gain executive support for your CX initiatives, it’s essential to firstly understand what these organisational overarching strategic goals are. C-suite executives are primarily concerned with business outcomes such as revenue growth, market share, and profitability. Therefore, aligning your CX projects with these goals is crucial.
Next, identify the key business drivers that matter most to your leadership team. For example, is your company focused on expanding its market presence? Position your CX initiative as a tool to improve customer acquisition and retention. Is cost reduction a priority? Highlight how enhancing the customer experience can lead to operational efficiencies and reduced churn. And so on!
To further secure buy-in, demonstrate how CX initiatives can directly contribute to business growth. Use examples or case studies from similar industries or your own experience to show how a well-executed CX strategy can lead to measurable outcomes.
For instance, at EM Code, we worked on one project which involved designing an Alexa Skill to amplify the Save The Children’s mission. A tight deadline and limited budget and resources meant that we had to be smart about what we built and how we built it. With a dispersed group of stakeholders, communication was key and so we got together with everyone involved to define a product canvas.
Being part of this project and prioritising CX meant that we were able to do something special with voice technology whilst also developing the brand’s unique identity and promoting the type of work the charity is involved in.
What metrics matter to you? Emphasise the return-on-investment (ROI) of your CX projects by quantifying the potential benefits in terms of customer lifetime value, increased sales, and improved brand loyalty, etc.
When presenting your CX initiative to the C-suite, it’s crucial to back up your proposal with data and analytics.
A Harvard Business Review survey of more than 360 executives revealed how leaders use analytics to power decision making and thrive, particularly since the COVID crisis. It’s important to clearly illustrate the potential impact on the business because executives have to take more risks now than ever in prioritising their cash flow.
Using your sticky notes, note down data points and examples of potential cost savings, revenue gains, and the competitive advantage your CX project can offer.
Consider using frameworks like customer journey maps and customer feedback analytics to gather the data you need. This data will not only help you build a compelling case but also provide a clear picture of how the project aligns with your business goals.
Every investment comes with risk, and CX projects are no exception.
You must acknowledge these risks upfront and offer strategies to mitigate them in order to be successful with your proposal. As soon as you acknowledge that they exist, it will put the executives’ minds at ease knowing that you’ve considered the options.
Common concerns might include the cost of implementation, the time required to see results, and the potential disruption to existing operations. Almost two thirds (65%) of executives told PwC as part of their Pulse Survey that they’re focused on developing or refining their trust strategy amongst stakeholders regarding company performance. Therefore, it’s crucial that your proposal is solid and aims to avoid conflict.
Address concerns by providing detailed plans on how risks will be managed. For example, you could outline phased implementation to minimise disruption or propose a pilot project to demonstrate quick wins before scaling up (proving the business case). Reassure your executives that you’ve considered all possible outcomes and are prepared to navigate any challenges that arise.
Using your sticky notes, create a "Benefits vs. Risks" board. On one side, list the benefits of your CX initiative; on the other, outline potential risks and mitigation strategies. Then draft key points focusing on quantifiable benefits and solutions to address concerns.
One of the key challenges in securing C-suite buy-in is effectively communicating the value of customer experience in terms that resonate with executives. Follow these steps to tailor your approach:
List the executives involved in your project and their roles.
Now create a communication matrix using sticky notes. For each stakeholder, outline:
1. Preferred communication methods (e.g., emails, shared articles, thought leadership content, books or in person meetings).
2. What convinces them (e.g., research studies, competitor activity, case studies). (research studies, competitor activity, insight, case studies).
3. Best times to connect and communicate with them (e.g., Tuesday mornings).
At the point you intend to communicate with these stakeholder avoid jargon and instead focus on how the project will impact the business. Discuss how improved customer experiences will lead to higher revenue, increased market share, or enhanced brand reputation (coming back to those goals you wrote down earlier).
For instance, instead of talking about ‘customer empathy mapping,’ discuss how understanding customer pain points can lead to more targeted marketing and increased sales.
Make the benefits clear and relatable to their concerns.
Gaining buy-in is just the first step; maintaining executive support throughout the project is equally as important.
Keep the C-suite informed about CX trends, developments and the progress of your project. Regular updates can sustain their interest and support, especially if you can demonstrate early successes or quick wins!
Consider scheduling quarterly meetings or reports that highlight key achievements, challenges, and next steps. This ongoing communication helps keep CX top of mind for executives and reinforces the value of their investment.
Internal champions at your organisation can play a pivotal role in securing and maintaining executive support for your CX initiatives.
These are individuals within your organisation who understand the value of CX and have the influence to advocate for it at the highest levels. Only 52% of employees say they trust their colleagues “to a great extent”. Executives were even less trusting. This is why it’s crucial that you leverage existing trusted relationships that the c-suite executives already have in order to gain buy-in and in-turn, increase your trust with that person.
Identify and note down who are these key stakeholders - whether they are senior managers, department heads, or even other C-suite members - who can help champion your cause. Empower them with the tools and information they need to effectively advocate for your CX project.
Create a "Champion Toolkit" board using sticky notes. On one side, list potential champions; on the other, write down the resources they need to advocate for your initiative (e.g., case studies, metrics).
Use sticky notes to plan meetings or conversations with champions. Write down key points to discuss and specific asks
Don’t be afraid to share your findings, data, and goals that we’ve already discussed above with these people when asking for help.
Success stories from previous CX projects can be powerful tools in gaining buy-in. Share these stories within your organisation to build credibility and demonstrate the tangible benefits of investing in customer experience.
EM Code worked with Peninsula on a project with the aim of supplementing their existing physical selling process with a new digital experience. One of the objections you may receive from an executive is ‘if it already works, why fix it?’. This project was a great example of why brands should prioritise digital transformation, and a successful story which demonstrated how prioritising CX resulted in a higher volume of qualified leads.
Always aim to highlight how past projects led to specific business outcomes, such as increased customer satisfaction or revenue growth. These examples can help convince sceptical executives of the value of your current CX initiatives.
A customer-centric culture is key to ensuring long-term support for CX initiatives. When the entire organisation is aligned around the importance of CX, it becomes easier to secure buy-in from the C-suite. Having a clearly defined vision that is shared by all stakeholders is key to establishing culture and success.
“Our new Renaissance New York Harlem recently opened and is the first full-service hotel built in Harlem in over a century and [Marriott] made the community the center of their opening. They hosted a day of listening with members of Harlem, gathering stories to understand how we might serve and uplift the neighborhood. Together, we are shaping a future where Renaissance New York Harlem is not just a hotel but a hub of creativity, collaboration, and community” - Peggy Roe, EVP & Chief Customer Officer - Marriott International.
This example shows how Marriott International prioritise peer support and emphasise their mission organisation-wide. To create this alignment, you need to engage departments across the company in the planning and execution of your projects. Make sure that everyone, from frontline employees to senior managers, understands how their roles impact the customer experience and how they can contribute to its improvement.
Leadership plays a crucial role in driving a customer-centric culture. When executives themselves demonstrate a commitment to CX, it sends a powerful message to the rest of the organisation.
Encourage C-suite members to take an active role in customer experience initiatives. This could involve encouraging them to participate in customer research sessions, attend CX strategy meetings / events, or publicly endorsing the importance of customer experience. Their involvement will significantly influence the rest of the organisation and reinforce the importance of your CX project.
Securing C-suite buy-in for customer experience projects can be challenging, but with the help of sticky notes and by aligning your initiatives with business objectives, building a compelling business case, and promoting a customer-centric culture, you can effectively engage senior executives and secure the necessary support.
At EM Code, we’ve helped many brands navigate this process and successfully implement their CX strategies.
If you’re looking to build a robust customer experience strategy with a CX agency that understands the challenges of securing executive buy-in, contact us and speak with a friendly member of our team who will gladly be able to answer your questions.
Code is a customer experience, digital innovation and AI agency.
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A collective of experts in multiple disciplines, we collaborate to distil the complex needs of organisations and end users to engineer solutions that make an impact.
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