Careers in customer experience: Jobs for graduates in CX are booming

5 min read

Let’s optimize the CX of this article with a burst of quick facts: 64% of consumers wish companies would respond faster to their changing needs. 72% of consumers say that external factors like climate change and inflation are impacting their lives more than ever before. 61% of consumers say their priorities are changing. The facts are fast, and they’re right in front of you. What does it mean? It means customer experience has to adapt fast. 

Traditional approaches and careers in customer experience 

What is customer experience (CX)? As per McKinsey & Company, it “encapsulates everything a business or an organization does to put customers first, managing their journeys and serving their needs.” 

The first use of “customer experience” was around 1918, according to the Oxford English Dictionary—a time when the nearest equivalent to a computer was Charles Babbage’s “analytical engine”, a giant mathematical instrument that more closely resembled a church organ than an iPad. Lewis Carbone later coined the term in 1994 in his “Engineering Customer Experiences” article, which is broadly seen as the beginning of the CX discipline.

Considering the huge digital advancements we’ve experienced in the last ten years alone, it’s clear that many of the traditional approaches and careers in customer experience no longer meet the full scope of modern CX. From 1990 to 2010, a shift in power meant that businesses were now catering to the demands of customers rather than the other way around. The internet allowed consumers to air grievances—many customer experience careers revolved around analyzing this data to hone their products. They didn’t, however, use this data to acquire customers.

Modern trends in customer experience 

A recent article by Accenture notes the “life-centric” model of customer experience, which is becoming the norm. With the rise of social media, advancements in real-time analytics, and the potential to target consumers with data-informed campaigns, the evolution of CX is centering on reactivity and adaptability. There is also a demand for a 360-degree vision of the entire customer journey, from brand awareness to becoming a returning user. 

Some modern trends in customer experience include: 

1. Sustainability

Just as sustainability has become more valued by businesses, customer-centric sustainability efforts also differentiate brands for younger consumers. Incorporating sustainable practices makes a company more attractive to Gen Z and Millennial customers by 27%. 

2. Omnichannel CX

There are various touchpoints before a customer enacts a meaningful interaction with a brand. Omnichannel CX strategy engages a customer based on various platforms to streamline this process. Adjusting your brand message based on the medium and clarifying your goals for each part of the journey is vital for enhancing a modern CX strategy. 

3. Personalized experiences with Gen AI

Customers need an emotional connection to brands, which doesn’t seem obviously connected with something as non-human as Gen AI. However, companies can leverage data applications by harnessing Gen AI for predictive analytics. Customer Relationship management (CRM) has been elevated by Artificial Intelligence, providing features like SMS stock alerts, personalized pop-ups and virtual cart recommendations. 

4. Data Privacy

While we’ve touched on the importance of customer data in CX and CRM, companies must provide assurance that information will be adequately protected. Around 50% of customers will happily share their data to personalize CX. However, to build brand loyalty, there must be clarity around how their data will be used—and protected from exploitation. 

Careers in customer experience 

There’s been an upsurge in careers in customer experience. This is no doubt due to the growing need for adaptable CX across various touchpoints in the customer journey. Professionals have the opportunity to work in a range of industries, including technology, marketing, healthcare, finance and more. 

What makes CX roles so interesting is their close ties to innovation. Both fields focus on creating value and differentiation in the marketplace. Many companies integrate CX strategies with innovation to develop new products and experiences that exceed customer demands. The need to integrate innovation with CX means a truly collaborative approach, whereby different departments interact to contribute their expertise to new ventures.

There are several CX and innovation consulting agencies focusing on specialized careers in customer experience. Frog, Accenture Song, IDEO, The Cocktail and IBM are just a few off them. Employees work as researchers, service designers andstrategists, among other roles. The goal is to give brands customer-centric strategies while implementing them across channels. 

In terms of the future of CX and innovation careers, these departments are slowly emerging in companies. CX departments focus on coordinating customer touchpoints at every level of operation, and innovation departments usually focus on developing new products, services or experiences for the business. This will ultimately improve business outcomes by prioritizing customer satisfaction with actionable strategies. 

Applying CX and innovation in other roles 

Customer Experience is a transversal skill that can be applied across many areas of business. Those who have studied CX can adapt to roles from marketing all the way to HR, creating a holistic approach that connects all departments and stakeholders. 

Well, in addition to the links with marketing, sales and customer service, CX can also influence operations departments. A customer-centric approach can be incorporated into supply-chain strategy to ensure customer satisfaction upon receiving products.

HR is also responsible for upskilling departments and establishing company culture, which in turn directly affects how employees engage with customers. Even financial departments can benefit from internal CX experts due to their insights on where best to invest to optimize CRM for monetary objectives. 

Why study our Master in Customer Experience & Innovation? 

At IE Business School, we’re specialists in marketing, communication and forming extraordinary industry leaders. For those in search of a master’s in entrepreneurship and innovation, we have the answer: our Master in Customer Experience & Innovation. 

This cutting-edge program empowers students to create impactful and human-centered designs across sectors. Courses focus on hands-on learning with deep dives into management, product and service design, user experience and more. We’re also proud to offer students the chance to achieve certifications from digital giants like Google and Salesforce, along with our specialized IE University Sustainability Certificate.

If you’re looking for customer experience jobs or want to contribute to innovative change across transversal roles, then this is the program for you. We’re collaborative, we’re rigorous, and we provide graduates with a lifetime network of friendships and professional contacts. Don’t wait—master customer experience in all its forms and take your career to the next level.