CX Ninjas

In CX, words matter. But WHEN you say them might matter even more. 💡 This HBR article caught our attention [Link in comments 👇]. It shows that the timing of language in customer conversations can impact satisfaction and sales more than we realise. Here's the key insight: It's not about being warm OR competent – it's about being BOTH at the right time! At #CXNinjas, we like to think of a customer conversation like a martial arts sequence (of course, we would 😅!): 💚 Opening stance: Balanced and welcoming 💚 Core technique: Precise and powerful 💚 Closing form: Graceful and connecting. Why does this rhythm matter? Research shows that starting and ending with warmth — words like “pleasure,” “care,” or “hope” — boosts satisfaction and builds trust. Competence-focused language, like “solve” or “verify,” shines when used in the middle, where the real work happens. But here’s the challenge we see in partner enablement: Many sales teams rush straight into solution mode, missing crucial trust-building moments. "How can I help you today?" might seem professional, but “What’s been the most helpful feature for you so far — and what’s still on your wishlist?” creates a stronger foundation for meaningful dialogue. Here's how we help partners master the rhythm of these conversations: ✅ Map conversation flows before product demos. ✅ Practice transitioning between warm and technical language. ✅ Record and analyse real customer interactions. ✅ Build confidence through role-play scenarios. ✅ Create playbooks that focus on timing, not just scripts. The middle is where technical expertise shines. But we've found that partners who bookmark their product knowledge with genuine human connection consistently outperform those who don’t. Warmth + Competence = CX mastery. Share if you agree! 🫱 🫲 __ We’re the #CXNinjas – the driving force behind world-class #PartnerEnablement. We help #CX and #AI tech vendors transform their partners into the CX Ninjas they were born to be. Let's team up and create amazing #CustomerExperiences together!

In CX, like everywhere else, the problem isn't lack of data – it's lack of insight. 💡 This realisation hits hard when looking at Forrester's 2025 CX Budget Planning Guide [link in comments👇]. Everyone's talking about data and tech investments, but there's this fascinating blind spot: Only 42% of CX teams have solid qualitative research skills. Let that sink in for a moment… In our daily work with partners, we see this play out all the time. Teams have mountains of data but struggle to turn it into meaningful insights that actually drive change. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: 1️⃣ Understanding customer mental models is becoming crucial. Yet, most organisations struggle to uncover what truly drives customer decisions. 2️⃣ Data storytelling remains a rare skill – only 14% of CX leaders list it as a current team competency. 3️⃣ There's a growing gap between collecting data and actually using it for practical purposes. Now, this creates some interesting dynamics in the partner ecosystem for the coming year(s): ✅ The ability to translate data into actionable insights will be gold. ✅ Success requires going beyond surface-level analytics. ✅ Partners who can tell compelling customer stories will stand out. ✅ Qualitative research skills are becoming a key differentiator. Truth is, understanding customers isn't just about having the right tools or the biggest datasets. Sometimes, the most valuable insights come from knowing how to ask the right questions and truly listen to the answers. Looking ahead to 2025, the winners won't necessarily be the ones with the most sophisticated tech stack – although that’s important, too! They'll be the ones who can blend quantitative data with qualitative insights to get what customers really need (ideally, before the customers themselves know it) and then communicate the value of the solution in a way they understand. That’s why storytelling is such an important skill in partner training. The clues are all there in the data, but it takes practical experience and interpersonal sensitivity to piece them together into a story that moves people to action. And that's exactly where many partner programmes are going wrong. They focus solely on product features and technical specifications when they should also be teaching partners how to become customer-insight Ninjas. ⭐️ ✨ Think about it: In a world drowning in data, the real differentiator is the ability to make sense of it all. To take all those numbers, charts, and feedback forms and turn them into something that actually helps businesses serve their customers better. So, fellow CX professionals, shouldn’t we ask ourselves: Are we overvaluing quantitative data at the expense of qualitative, empathic understanding? What's your take on this “insight gap?” Let us know in the comments! #PartnerEnablement #CXTraining #CX2025 #CXTrends #CustomerExperience #CXNinjas

Ever wonder why some partners excel at selling while others struggle with the exact same product? 🤔 The answer lies in 2025's biggest CX trend: hyper-personalisation at scale. McKinsey & Company found that 71% of consumers now expect personalised experiences, and 76% get frustrated when they don't get them. But here's the twist – it's not just about personalising customer experiences anymore. It's about personalising how we enable our partners to deliver those experiences. Just think about it: Every partner has unique strengths. 🔎 Every market has specific needs. 🔎 Every solution requires different expertise. 🔎 The old one-size-fits-all enablement approach simply doesn’t work anymore. With CX quality hitting an all-time low in 2024 (Forrester), partners who master personalised customer journeys will thrive, but only if we first personalise how we train and support them. Five key shifts we're seeing: ✅ Customised learning paths replacing vast knowledge bases, with content tailored to each partner's specific capabilities and market focus ✅ Real-world simulation training replacing basic certification, ensuring partners can handle actual customer scenarios, not just pass theoretical tests ✅ Continuous, context-aware support replacing one-off sessions, with ongoing guidance that evolves as partners grow ✅ Vertical and horizontal differentiation in training, helping partners stand out in their specific markets instead of competing on the same generic terms ✅ AI-powered tools creating adaptive experiences to combine human expertise with technological innovation for better knowledge retention. The future belongs to those who can scale personalisation without losing the human touch. Because at the end of the day, great CX isn't about technology – it's about people helping people. Here's a thought experiment: If you could rebuild your partner enablement programme from scratch for 2025, what would you do differently? Would you focus on AI-driven personalisation? More human touch points? Or perhaps a hybrid approach? Share your vision – let's explore what the future of partner enablement could look like! 💭 #CustomerExperience #PartnerEnablement #CX2025 #BusinessGrowth #CXInsights #CXNinjas

We started 2024 with a simple question: Why are so many partners struggling to deliver results? The answer: It wasn’t a lack of information – it was a lack of the *right* support. Throughout the year, we noticed some clear trends: Training only works when it’s practical, personalised, and continuous. Too many enablement programmes still miss the mark because they overlook what partners actually need. Here’s what really stood out to us this year: 💡𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡, 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐧. Huge knowledge bases and dense training materials buried partners in information they couldn’t use. But when we broke training into guided, bite-sized steps, things finally clicked. 💡 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧. When training materials were fragmented or out of date, partners struggled. Refreshing and streamlining resources made a world of difference – suddenly, partners could find what they needed quickly and confidently. 💡𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐤𝐞𝐲. New partners needed foundational skills, while high-potential ones needed advanced support. When training matched where they were, everyone thrived. 💡𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐲. “Getting certified” didn’t mean partners were ready for real deployments. What’s needed are simulations, real-world scenarios, ongoing support, and a whole lot of trial and error before they hit the mark. 💡 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. Overly technical, jargon-filled content slowed adoption. But when we made learning clear, practical, and focused on specific use cases, engagement improved – and so did retention. 💡 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. Partners who learned to connect your product to customer pain points – and tell that story clearly – won more deals and delivered more impact. 💡𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤. The end of deployment often decided whether customers trusted the partner – or not. Partners who focused on clear follow-ups and action plans left customers confident and ready for the next step. 💡 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬. The best enablement practices came from listening to partners. Open feedback loops and mutual understanding aligned vendor goals with real partner needs. 2024 was a year of clarity: Training only matters when partners leave confident enough to face the real-world messiness of deployments. It’s where preparation turns into performance – or falls apart. Which enablement trends have you spotted this year? And what’s next for 2025? Let’s swap insights! 🔄 😀 __ We’re the #CXNinjas – the driving force behind world-class #PartnerEnablement. We help #CX and #AI tech vendors transform their partners into the CX Ninjas they were born to be. Let's team up and create amazing #CustomerExperiences together!

When your partners finish a deployment, do customers feel supported – or forgotten? What’s the last thing they remember about the interaction?  If you haven’t asked yourself those questions, you might really want to give it some thought… because endings stick! 😀 Here’s what we mean by that: In CX, the “final moments” – the end of the customer journey – matter the most. And there’s a simple reason for that. Research shows that our memories are shaped by two things: the peak (a standout moment) and the end, but it’s the end that colours our perception of everything that came before. Let’s say a partner deploys a CX solution brilliantly but rushes through the final stages. Maybe the handover felt incomplete, or a question went unanswered. That’s the moment the customer remembers. These seemingly small hand-offs are Moments of Truth – interactions that shape loyalty and trust. Positive moments turn customers into brand advocates. Negative ones can undo months of effort. But what do partners need to do to get it right?  Well, at the very least: 💚 Adopt a transitional mindset. Treat the end of the journey as the start of the customer’s next experience. If they feel understood, confident, and valued, they’ll come back – or spread the word. 💚 Confirm next steps, responsibilities, and (where applicable) key contacts so customers leave feeling supported. 💚 Share tailored resources – like relevant FAQs, a checklist, or a quick guide – to give the customer a true sense of readiness. 💚 Shift from “done” to “ongoing.” Don’t let the relationship feel transactional. Reinforce that the deployment is a foundation, and everyone’s invested in the outcome. We work with partners to identify these critical points, prepare for them, and handle them with confidence and care. Because, ultimately, customers should always remember those endings for the right reasons: as proof they made the right choice! Need help turning small moments in the customer journey into big wins? Ping us. #CustomerJourney #CXTraining #PartnerEnablement #CXInsights #CXNinjas

Most customer frustrations happen where you can’t see them. Between silos. Think about this: a customer finishes onboarding, then gets handed off to a support team. Or a sales promise moves into delivery. Those transitions are fragile. And for customers, they’re absolutely critical. 𝑴𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒓𝒖𝒕𝒉 often hide in these hand-offs. We call this the “make-or-break interactions” where customers decide if they trust you – or not. And it’s here that dropped balls, vague communication, or misaligned expectations can turn a positive experience into frustration. Partners we work with don’t just need product knowledge. They need to recognise when they’re in a moment of truth – and be ready for it. Whether they’re explaining a new feature or closing the loop on support, those seconds can define whether a customer leaves as a fan or a critic. But how does that translate to CX training? ✅ 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬. Map where customers are most likely to experience frustration. For example, does support always stumble during handovers from sales? Focus training there. ✅ 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 “𝐩𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬.” Teach partners to slow down and ask, “Is this clear for the customer?” Simple clarifications often prevent misunderstandings from snowballing. ✅ 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰, 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥. Use real customer stories where Moments of Truth were mishandled and show the consequences – not as blame but as lessons to avoid repeating. ✅ 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐡𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬. A confident “I’ve got this for you” or “Here’s what happens next” at the right time builds trust instantly. ✅ 𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬. Mistakes happen. Partners should learn how to turn small slip-ups into moments that actually strengthen customer trust. So, here’s something to think about: Where do customers typically drop off in your product journey? What are you doing to prevent it?  And even more importantly, are your partners prepared for those invisible moments that matter most? __ We’re the #CXNinjas – the driving force behind world-class #PartnerEnablement. We help #CX and #AI tech vendors transform their partners into the CX Ninjas they were born to be. Let's team up and create amazing #CustomerExperiences together!

Your product has a UVP for a reason – it’s the promise your product delivers on. But here’s the catch… 👇 If your partners don’t understand that value, they can’t communicate it. But what does this really mean? Positioning expert April Dunford defines a UVP as a clear statement that describes the benefit of your offer, how you solve your customer's needs, and what distinguishes you from the competition. But we believe your value proposition should be more than a statement, particularly when it comes to partner enablement. It’s the story that connects the dots between features and the problems they solve. Without that story, partners end up stuck on technical details, losing the customer’s attention and, too often, the deal. When training shifts focus to the UVP, it’s no longer just about what the product *does*. It’s about how the product *helps*. That shift enables partners to reshape the customer experience by: 💚 Turning technical conversations into meaningful ones 💚 Addressing pain points in relatable ways 💚 Delivering clarity where customers feel overwhelmed 💚 Building stronger connections through shared understanding 💚 Helping customers see their own success in your solution. A product is just a product until someone sees the value in it. Enablement means showing your partners how to sell the whole story, from the tool to the transformation. __ We’re the #CXNinjas – the driving force behind world-class #PartnerEnablement. We help #CX and #AI tech vendors transform their partners into the CX Ninjas they were born to be. Let's team up and create amazing #CustomerExperiences together!

🤔 Pop quiz: What's the biggest hurdle for Partner Sales Managers right now? a) Tech overload?  b) Helping partners hit targets? c) Getting everyone on the same page?  If you guessed "c,” we think you might be right! Aligning teams is a *major* challenge we see all the time in our work with CX and AI vendors. It’s understandable: marketing is off doing their thing, sales is focused on their numbers, and enablement is stuck in the middle.  But where does this leave the partner? It definitely creates a lot of mixed messages, and that’s a real problem for all sides.  Worse still, partners may feel abandoned. For instance, they might go to marketing for a sales deck, only to hear, “That’s not our responsibility – ask sales.” Miscommunication like this undermines the partnership and slows down deals. So, how do we fix it? Here are the strategies we’ve found most helpful: ✅ Start with shared goals. If marketing, sales, and product teams aren’t on the same page about what “partner success” actually means in terms of measurable outcomes like revenue targets or customer retention, you’ll always be fighting an uphill battle. Aligning on outcomes is the best way to make sure everyone is pulling in the same direction – and partners notice the difference. ✅ Bring everyone into the room. When launching a new product feature or solution, invite sales, marketing, and product teams to collaborate on partner training. Partners need a unified message that clearly explains not just *what* the product does but *how* it addresses customer pain points and boosts sales performance. ✅ Cut the chaos. Centralise your resources by creating a single source of truth for enablement content – like a Knowledge Hub or Centre of Excellence, as we call it – so partners have easy access to the latest messaging, product guides, and sales tools. ✅ Think "horses for courses.”  Not all partners are created equal. Some might be focused on specific verticals, while others might have different levels of technical expertise. Make sure your enablement programmes are tailored to their unique needs. ✅ Keep the conversation going. Regularly bring teams together to discuss challenges and share wins. Partners benefit when everyone’s input is reflected in their enablement journey. It makes ongoing support so much more powerful. –– Got alignment tips of your own? Share them in the comments! 👇 #PartnerEnablement #PartnerTraining #StrategicPartnerships #ChannelPartners #CXTraining #CXNinjas

When it comes to partner training, there’s a common misconception: 👇 If you just check all the boxes, you’ve done enough. But here’s the thing – partners need more than a cookie-cutter programme or quick-start certification to apply what they’ve learned to actual sales conversations and implementation scenarios. So, how do we bridge that gap? Our Global Training Operations Manager, Tessa Connolly, puts it this way: ❝ It’s about architecting a solution that fits the partner’s world. Too often, companies are so busy working *in* their business that they forget to work *on* it. That’s where training tends to fall flat. It just doesn’t reflect real-world needs. ❞ This isn’t just theory. We see it a lot in our work with CX and AI vendors: Partners thrive when training goes beyond basic certifications. It needs to tackle their unique challenges, like staying up-to-date with the latest product releases, navigating complex sales cycles, and differentiating your product from the competition. Otherwise, enablement wouldn’t be partner-centric! 😅 So, how can you tell if your programme is up to the task? Ask yourself, does it: ❓Address your partners’ specific workflows? ❓Teach practical, immediately applicable skills? ❓Help them solve customer problems without needing constant support? ❓Adapt to their goals and challenges, or just tick boxes? ❓Offer ongoing expertise and guidance to help them tackle any challenge? Partners don’t need *more* training – they need *better* training. A programme that helps them step out of their day-to-day grind and think strategically about your vision as well as their own. That’s the difference between training and transformation. __ Seen any truly innovative enablement practices lately? Share the inspiration! ✨ #PartnerEnablement #PartnerTraining #CXTraining #CustomerExperience #CXInsights #CXNinjas

Tiny details can make or break a customer interaction, but there's a hidden power in those micro-moments...  Think of your partner on a call with a potential customer. They're following the script, hitting all the key points, but something feels off. The customer seems hesitant. Disengaged. What's going on? 🤔 In our experience, it's usually the small stuff that matters. The tone of voice, the specific words they choose, how they react to questions – these can make all the difference. And when you think about it, that’s just common sense!  Customers are real people with real emotions. We should never reduce them to numbers or leads. Ignoring the humanity in CX can lead to inconsistent partner performance, lengthy sales cycles, and lower product adoption rates.  Instead of just following a rigid script, encourage your partners to be present and adaptable. Help them to pay attention to subtle cues. You might be surprised at the impact those small adjustments can have.  That's why our partner enablement programmes always focus on the following SOFT SKILLS – in addition to the usual product knowledge and sales tactics, of course: 💚 Really listening to customers. We help partners go beyond just hearing and actually understand the needs behind the words. 💚 Making it personal. It's about ditching the robotic scripts and treating each customer as an individual. 💚 Being upfront and honest. This builds trust with customers, which is essential for any long-term relationship. 💚 Building confidence. We make sure partners have the knowledge to answer any question that comes their way so they can confidently position themselves as the expert.  💚 Showing they care. Acknowledging customer emotions and concerns helps them demonstrate empathy in every interaction. 💚 Finishing strong. A positive last impression is crucial to closing a deal and should leave the customer impressed with the service they received. 💚 Turning customers into fans. Happy customers become advocates who spread the good word about your brand. Every micro-moment is a chance to turn a routine interaction into a memorable experience. So, let’s sweat the small stuff! __ We’re the #CXNinjas – the driving force behind world-class #PartnerEnablement. We help #CX and #AI tech vendors transform their partners into the CX Ninjas they were born to be. Let's team up and create amazing #CustomerExperiences together!