CX50 2020: The UK’s top 50 customer experience professionals revealed

Customer experience (CX) might not have been the first item on many brands agendas in the past few months, as the world has grappled with the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic. But for consumers who have experienced probably the most unnerving and uncertain period in living memory, it is the only thing that has mattered when deciding on purchases to keep their cupboards stocked and their families cared for.

The brands that have survived and thrived, and will continue to do so in the coming months, are those that customers can rely on to give them what they want at exactly the time and place they need it. That, fundamentally, is the definition of good CX, and demonstrates why it’s still a crucial concern for businesses of all kinds.

It is against this unusual backdrop that Marketing Week announces the third annual CX50 list, in partnership with Zone and Cognizant. In naming the UK’s top 50 customer experience professionals for 2020, we’re recognising those who continue to put customers at the heart of business growth as they always have, but also those who have adapted to extraordinary circumstances – whether rapidly upscaling to meet increased demand, performing rescue acts for their businesses or simply keeping the wheels of commerce turning efficiently.

Methodology

As in previous years Marketing Week, Zone and its parent company Cognizant have used insights from our combined specialist knowledge and networks to identify a shortlist of leading companies and individual CX professionals. This year, responses to Covid-19 have inevitably formed a large part of our deliberations, but we’ve also recognised those that have been excelling CX over a number of years, even where they’re experiencing challenges in the current environment.

How customer experience is helping brands succeed on the acid test of Covid-19

We have then used our usual three criteria to reach the final 50 names: innovation (adopting new processes, technologies and ideas to deliver best-in-class CX); influence (successfully making the case for CX in their businesses and beyond); and impact (the tangible results of their efforts in terms of financial and brand measures, as well as evidence of business transformation). We assessed all individuals based on the totality of their achievements across these three metrics.

As always, to recognise the many facets of CX and its relevance across all business functions, we have sourced the names on our list from a range of industry sectors and looked far beyond the marketing sphere, to technologists, digital specialists, CEOs and company founders. Join us in celebrating their achievements.

The CX50 2020 list in full