How to Break Down Silos in Customer Experience

One of the biggest challenges in customer experience (CX) initiatives isn't just getting buy-in—it's making sure communication flows seamlessly across different teams to drive meaningful progress. It's not enough to have passionate people involved; it's about aligning everyone around a shared purpose and ensuring that action follows. I see it all the time—CX councils or teams that meet to discuss customer feedback, but the conversation doesn't always translate into real change. It's critical to go beyond just reviewing the numbers. We need to collaborate, co-create, and drive real impact for our customers. So how do we ensure communication within cross-functional teams leads to action? ▶️Structure your meetings to drive progress. If you have cross-functional buy-in, it's essential to manage those meetings effectively. Make sure that everyone understands their role, the goals, and what success looks like. It's not enough to simply review metrics—what are the actions you'll take based on those insights? ▶️Unify efforts across the organization. In many organizations, different teams—like those working on journey mapping and those focused on customer insights—work in silos. We need to bring those efforts together around your customer experience mission, ensuring that all teams are aligned with a shared definition of success. ▶️Be proactive and resourceful. Don't wait for things to fall through the cracks. Be a resource to your team members, follow up, and offer support where needed. This could mean helping a colleague facilitate a journey mapping session or providing customer feedback to help illustrate a challenge. Communication is key, but proactive support is what drives progress forward. When working cross-functionally, the responsibility doesn't end with the meeting. We need to be deliberate about setting expectations, following up on actions, and ensuring everyone understands how their efforts contribute to the larger customer experience mission. Great communication can turn fragmented efforts into unified progress. Let's make sure we're not just talking about customer experience, but working together to make it happen. How do you ensure effective communication across teams in your organization? Drop your process below! #CustomerExperience #CX #CrossFunctionalTeams #Collaboration #Leadership #Communication #CXStrategy #CustomerJourney

Here's the truth: You don't need a $250K CDP to get a unified customer view. Your customer data is trapped in silo'd platforms...CRM, email, loyalty, reviews, ecom/oms. But none of them talk to each other. You understand the value of unifying and OWNING your customer data, but implementation feels impossible with your limited budget and tiny tech/data teams. Start here: 1.) Document what you already have. List every platform containing customer data. You'll feel better making this first little step. 2.) Pick which system will be your foundation. Often your CRM, but could be your email platform if it has better engagement data. Don't try connecting everything at once. 3.) Use ETL tools, not a full CDP. Tools like Fivetran or Funnel let you authenticate with just your admin credentials. They'll pull your data into a warehouse YOU own for $1-2K monthly. 4.) Own your data. That means storing data in your warehouse. Google Cloud or Snowflake are user-friendly options for under $1k/mo for most mid-market brands. No more data trapped in vendor platforms. 5.) Start basic, get wins. Daily batch syncs of core customer data will solve 80% of your problems. Setup simple pipelines or (eek) scheduled queries to bring data together. Most companies overcomplicate this. They try integrating 20+ data sources simultaneously or request hourly syncs they don't need. Start with 3-5 critical sources syncing daily. 6.) Get help if you need it. There are plenty of partners and data consultants that do this for a living. You'll pay consulting rates, but this can be up and running in weeks vs. lengthy 6/12/18mo CDP timelines. The ROI on the data... - Truly understand customer LTV and retention - Build segmented audiences that sync across channels - Make decisions without having to "trust your gut" I've seen mid-market brands who've abandoned $500K CDP implementations for this approach and gotten better results with 80% less frustration. CFO will be happier. Your marketing team will be happier. What customer data sits trapped in your platforms today? Ps... Yes, I'm aware CDPs do a lot more than 1P data merging. Yes, there tons of other data vendors besides those mentioned. Yes, I know the costs above are wildy vague (iT dEpEnDs). #cdp #customeranalytics #moderndatastack

Many solutions to solve the silo problem fail. Companies spend millions on collaboration tools, cross-functional teams, and leadership initiatives to break down silos—yet they persist. A recent Harvard Business Review article explains why. It is because silos aren’t a single problem with a one-size-fits-all solution. The article makes an important distinction: Not all silos are the same. There are three types, each requiring a different approach: 1. Systemic Silos – When departments focus on their own goals rather than the organization’s success. 2. Elitist Silos – When certain teams hoard knowledge, believing others won’t understand or add value. 3. Protectionist Silos – When teams withhold information out of fear, often to maintain control or job security. The real challenge, then, is misdiagnosis. Many companies and leaders throw generic solutions at silos without addressing their root cause. Here is what actually works: Align Goals – If misaligned incentives create silos, shared KPIs and mutual accountability are key. Improve Communication – If knowledge hoarding is the issue, cross-functional learning and embedded collaboration help bridge the gap. Foster Psychological Safety – If fear is driving resistance, leaders must build a culture where transparency is rewarded, not punished. I’ve seen this firsthand in my work. Silos don’t collapse on their own. They require clarity, curiosity, and deliberate action. When team members truly understand each other, momentum happens. #curiosity #collaboration #momentum #understanding #learning #leadership https://lnkd.in/e-nRD8Jv