Is the newest member of the C-suite for corporations destined to be CCO, Chief Customer Officer? Adding a CCO to the executive suite follows the advent of CMOs (Chief Marketing Officers) about 10 years ago. CMOs give marketers a louder voice in organizations, but they are often under immense pressure to deliver results. The average tenure of a CMO is just under two years. Much like the high paid coach whose team struggles to win, CMOs are an easy target for replacement if market performance is not up to expectations.
So, will a similar fate befall CCOs? Or, will their role as chief advocate and voice for customers make them too valuable to replace? Skeptics might wonder why CCOs are needed at all; businesses have survived to this point without the position. The answer to why CCOs are needed could be that customers have a more powerful voice than ever before. They communicate on blogs, social networks, and post videos for all to see. This power can be destructive if consumers are using their empowered voices to criticize a company or promote one of its competitors. Engaging customers and proactively monitoring their needs, opinions, and attitudes is a must in today’s environment.
C-level positions tend to focus on functional areas in an organization. Why not have a C-level person who focuses on one of a company’s most important assets: its relationships with customers.
Link: 1 to 1 Weekly – “The Chief Customer Officer: A Potential Powerhouse?”
