Why cx transformation fails and what forward-thinking companies are doing differently
What if your transformation team wasn’t built to optimize - but to disrupt?
That was the challenge we posed to a group of global CX leaders at a recent workshop I had the privilege of leading.
The company was undertaking an ambitious Customer Experience Transformation initiative—one that demanded more than new tech, new metrics, or new processes. It required a new mindset.
Over three days, we didn’t just talk about change. We worked through it. We modeled it. And we invited every leader in the room to step into it.
The stakes were clear
“What happens if we design the best CX model in the world… but fail to bring our people along?”
That question kicked off our session on the cost of NOT changing. We shared the cautionary tale of Firestone Tire & Rubber, a company that recognized the right technology but couldn’t shift its culture fast enough to keep up. The result? A slow decline ending in acquisition.
Change without adoption isn’t transformation. It’s failure in slow motion.
Change as a competitive advantage
We then flipped the script to show what’s possible when companies lead change, not just manage it. Think:
Microsoft, who rewrote their culture from “know-it-all” to “learn-it-all.”
Amazon, where customer obsession fuels constant reinvention.
Delta, who invested in people, tech, and process—before their competitors even caught on.
We helped leaders see that change leadership is not just a support function. It is a strategic enabler of growth.
CX transformation in manufacturing: 10+ real barriers
Manufacturing organizations often struggle with CX because the culture is rooted in operational excellence, not customer intimacy. We called this out. We named 10 unique challenges—from complex value chains and siloed data to capability gaps and disconnected KPIs—and we got real about how to tackle them.
One of the most powerful moments came when leaders placed stickers on the barriers they personally faced. And they identified three additional ones.
We weren’t just diagnosing issues—we were building ownership.
Culture by design, not by chance
Most organizations try to transform something they can’t even define. So we introduced a practical culture framework—the ABCs – from Fearless Culture Design founder Gustavo Razzetti:
Alignment: Clarity on what matters most
Belonging: A sense of connection and purpose
Collaboration: The engine that makes culture real
With this framework, leaders moved from abstract values to visible, actionable behaviors.
We introduced three powerful leadership roles essential to sustaining CX transformation:
Architects of an innovation culture – who reward curiosity over perfection
Connectors of insight and action – who empower CX influencers to lead from within
Champions of continuous evolution – who turn “change” into business as usual
This was more than inspiration. It was activation. And more stickies went on the Commitment Wall.
A movement, not a moment
We closed by launching a CX Change Influencer network and a global Community of Practice. These are the people who will carry the torch forward—embedding customer-centricity into decisions, rituals, and behaviors across the organization.
And the message we left them with?
“We don’t just want to transform CX—we want to transform how we lead change.”
Is your organization ready for a different kind of change management?
If your transformation requires more than a playbook—if it demands a shift in mindset, behavior, and belief—I’d love to help.
Let’s build your movement.
