The difference between UX vs. CX

User Experience vs. Customer Experience

User Experience (UX) and Customer Experience (CX) are defined differently yet in very similar realms. The confusion mainly comes from defining the consumer experience results and usability.

User Experience (UX) includes the user interaction from a product, measuring stickiness metrics through success rates, monthly users, bounce rates, and more, by following journey and completion tasks through touch points and clicks.

UX success aims to create a seamless experience for users to get from A to B, finding all the resources needed at an easy and fast rate.

On the other hand, Customer Experience (CX) includes the overall interactions the user experiences with brands measured by metrics ranging from promotions, culture influences, and loyalty.

CX success aims to create ease in relations with the organization and user, in which the user feels a positive and insightful experience through interactions.

Both are deployed in tech and marketing industries that aim to establish a successful brand in designing products and experiences. However, UX is simply a part of CX, but CX encompasses more and is very important.

Let’s dive deeper.

UX

User Experience

UX is tied to a specific item or product. In this case, the product may be software, website, or app, as it mainly focuses on the experience a customer or user will have as they interact with each website or software.

The design and interface matter and the main focus is on optimized navigation, simple usability, information architecture, and visual hierarchy. Each of these things usually creates the UX, and it will be either negative or positive for each user.

The user interface design entails designing a website or app that is easy, intuitive, enjoyable, and easy to use. The main focus is on solving a current problem in a user-friendly manner, and it is very important as it can affect any business. According to a 2016 study by Forrester, a well-designed user experience could boost your conversion rate by up to 400%

The UX is measured by using metrics that usually revolve around the usability and functionality of the software, app, or website.

Some examples include:

Abandonment Rate

The number of users that abandon a task before they complete it

Error Rate

The mistakes a user can make as they complete a task

Success Rate

The number of users that complete the goal within the website or attain a stage they need to reach

Clicks to completion

The number of clicks that a user will perform before they can wind up on a task

Task Time

The time a user takes when completing a task

UX History

The term “UX” gained traction in the early 90’s and has been in circulation slightly longer than customer experience. However, User Experience was first introduced by Don Norman, a now-retired Cognitive Science professor and researcher at the University of California San Diego’s Department of Psychology.

The field of designing interactive systems dates back much further, to the mid-1940s. Bell Labs, an early US scientific research and development company, was one of the first pioneers in this area. It was one of the companies of its kind to hire a dedicated psychologist to aid in designing their phone systems.

A few years later, in the 1950s, Bell Labs engaged in one of the first user experiences in design regarding the first touch-tone keypad. UXer’s swiftly yielded the most critical design element to the modern telephone. What’s most remarkable about this feat is that we still use this same touchpad technology today. Indeed, that speaks volumes for user experience design and its achievement.

Today, UX continually focuses on the product’s end-user, and it remains an ever-evolving process. These processes of analyzing the structural data shapes that drive the usability of a better outcome by sorting out content, efficiently allowing a user to find what is needed to operate first.

CX

Customer Experience

While UX highlights end-user interaction with a given product, CX implies a broader analysis of all the user interactions with the brand.

Consumer Experience mainly focuses on a client’s experience as they interact with a brand and not just the products being offered.

In short, when assessing CX, you’re looking for a measurement of your customer’s experience with the device overall. Then, you’re evaluating the likelihood of that person continuing to use that device over a long duration. Finally, you want to determine whether or not the end-user would recommend it to others.

CX might include:

• An end-user who found the general experience with the outcome and staff alike as professional and professional.
• A customer who feels positive about the overall experience with the outcome and company representatives.
• A user/customer who is willing to buy the outcome again and recommends it to family and friends.

An example includes the company Apple. With over 1 Billion devices sold, about 1/7 of the world’s population, they have mastered the Customer Experience from all ends of interactions with users.

Here are some facts about Apple:

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The CX expands into other interactions across different touchpoints, including social media channels, advertising, sales process, marketing materials, the actual website or software, and customer service & support.

The main focus is on how clients perceive your company and the quality of services being offered.

CX is measured using metrics, and the main concern is the “big picture.”

For Example:

NPS (Net Promoter Score)

How willing a client is to recommend your firm and the products being offered

Overall Satisfaction

Is the client satisfied with the interactions with your firm and the brands and services being offered?

Loyalty

This revolves around the client’s likelihood to continue using the model your brand offers, or they will opt for your competitor.

The Main Differences Between CX vs. UX

User Experience is interrelated and is a major part of consumer experience. Nonetheless, there are some differences that you need to consider.

CX professionals are focused on bolstering the company’s overall brand, working with several different departments. On the other hand, UX designers tend to be organized in smaller focus groups within the organization. Think of a CX professional is more of a marketing role than an engineering one. UXer’s likely spend most of the time designing the end-user devices almost exclusively.

The main differences can be broken down into key target audience, metrics, typical client base, and daily responsibilities.

1. Target Audience and Client Base

The “customer experience design” term is well-known and new in the service industry. The consumer experience designers usually work in hospitality organizations and retail firms. The user experiences typically work well for a client that needs digital products such as apps or websites, and they can be redesigned or created. The consumer experience target audience is people that have purchasing power. On the other hand, UX designers will pay more attention to the people using the product or service like software and other digital products like new or redesigned apps. In short, CXer’s are constantly focused on who is buying the brand, while UXer’s give the most attention to a device’s end-user.

2. Metrics

CX and UX also use metrics to measure performance differently. As a CX professional, the focus remains on customer feedback about the overall experience. The CX professionals will look at how a client will rate the entire experience with a brand while analyzing how many clients the firm has attracted or lost over a specific period. Some of the metrics used by CX designers include retention rate, churn rate, customer effort score, net promoter score, and customer lifetime score. The tests mainly focus on measuring the client satisfaction rate and customer loyalty. The UX designers will use metrics that will measure the usability of a product and how each user will rate their experience after their interaction with the specified model. The designers will look at the ratings in the app store while recording how each client describes the whole experience when they use the service or product offered by the brand.

3. Daily Responsibilities and Focus

UX designers will focus on the whole interaction with a particular model and single outcomes. UX designers are not saddled with the task of establishing design strategies for company employees. The CX designers spend most of their time analyzing the broader experience with your customer on the whole. As a CX, you’re more likely to focus on the executive experience of researching and purchasing materials in the design phase.

For instance, if the CEO of a company is acquiring a particular software for the staff to use and interact with daily, the consumer experience designer will consider the experience of the CEO while purchasing and researching the software. The UX will focus on how the staff will interact with the software.

Both UXer’s and CXer’s will be tasked with carrying out intense research. The UX designers should be more familiar with the individual personas, while the CX designers will survey a larger group. The primary goal of the CX designer is to boost the entire brand perception while improving customer loyalty. A designer will develop different ways to market and communicate better with the clients while enjoying the whole consumer experience.

The UX designer will focus on designing the product, and they will pay close attention to how each user will interact with the model while looking into how they can improve it based on the feedback from each user.

CX vs UX Together

They work in cohesion to ensure the most positive customer experience, both with the product itself and when interacting with the company. If, for instance, a user is not happy with the result or the outcome’s marketing campaign, they’re not likely to repeat another customer interaction. And the end of the day, UXer’s and CXer’s must come together to ensure the company’s success and grow the bottom line.

Final Thoughts

The UX has a strong influence on the entire customer experience. Both the usability experience and user experience play a major role in the success of the whole brand. Failure in either will lead to a bad consumer experience. Companies need to optimize the customer and usability experience to remain competitive as the customers and users need to be delighted across each touchpoint.

Brands have come to rely upon both UXer’s and CXer’s to help companies succeed in setting themselves apart from the rest of the field, ensuring the users and customers are satisfied, and providing your brand has gained a competitive edge. And your brand should too.