At Cortico-X, We Are Experience Activists

At Cortico-X, we proudly identify ourselves as “experience activists.” This philosophy is central to our identity and guides everything we do. Being so core to our belief system, I wanted to explain what this term means to us and why it is crucial for the future of customer and employee experiences.

Defining Experience Activism

An experience activist is someone who passionately advocates for elevating everyday human experiences, believing that what’s best for people is ultimately best for organizations. This approach isn’t merely about providing good customer service or improving user interfaces—though these are important aspects. It’s about fundamentally rethinking how we interact with and value every individual within the larger system.

 

The Right to Experience

The core principle behind experience activism is the “right to experience.” This concept is rooted in the belief that everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity, regardless of their background, socioeconomic status, or other factors. At Cortico-X, we believe that systems designed with this principle in mind will:

  • Listen Actively: Truly understanding and addressing individual needs.
  • Respect Time: Ensuring processes are efficient and considerate of people’s time.
  • Adapt Individually: Providing personalized experiences that cater to unique circumstances.
  • Commit to Well-being: Prioritizing the health and happiness of individuals.


However, recent findings from the 2024 Forrester CX Index highlight a sobering reality. For the third consecutive year, the quality of customer experience (CX) has declined across the U.S., impacting over half of the 221 brands surveyed. This trend is alarming for businesses striving to meet ever-growing consumer expectations in a challenging economic climate.

An experience activist is someone who passionately advocates for elevating everyday human experiences, believing that what’s best for people is ultimately best for organizations.

From Personal Insight to Professional Mission

My journey toward becoming an experience activist began early in my career. I often felt frustrated when organizations failed to understand my needs as a customer. This personal dissatisfaction grew into a professional mission: to help businesses realize the value of good experience and to treat people better. This is what ultimately led me to take the leadership position at Cortico-X.

Experience Activism Unites The Cortico-X Family

Many professionals join us at Cortico-X because they see the potential to make a real difference. They come from prestigious positions, driven by the desire to focus solely on improving experiences. For instance, our team includes former chief experience officers from major corporations and leaders from consulting firms who have left their comfortable roles to join our cause. They are drawn to our laser focus on the customer and our commitment to making experience the central agenda.

Experience Activism in Action

Experience activists are change agents. We demand good experiences for ourselves and for humanity, believing that this is not just a professional obligation but a moral one. We see our role as bridging the gap between business goals and human needs, ensuring that the drive for profit does not overshadow the imperative to respect and uplift individuals.

Sustainable and Impactful Change

Our approach is sustainable; we aim to create lasting change without undermining the businesses we work with. From experience, we know that embedding human-centric values in business practices not only enhances customer satisfaction but also drives long-term profitability and sustainability.

Quantifying the Value of Experience Activism

Statistics show that focusing on customer experience significantly impacts business outcomes. Companies that succeed in delivering exceptional customer experiences report an 80% increase in revenue. Additionally, customer-centric companies report profits that are 60% higher than those that do not focus on customer experience, further highlighting the profitability of customer-centric strategies.

Additionally, businesses that improve their customer experience see a 42% increase in customer retention, a 33% improvement in customer satisfaction, and a 32% increase in cross-selling and upselling opportunities. These figures from various sources including Forbes and Salesforce emphasize the tangible benefits of being an experience activist, demonstrating how a focus on customer experience can drive revenue growth, enhance profitability, and meet consumer expectations.

Become an Experience Activist

At Cortico-X, we are dedicated to leading the way in experience activism, but we cannot do it alone. We invite you to join our mission. Be an experience activist in your company. Lead the way in championing exceptional customer experiences and help us realize the vision of a world where businesses thrive by putting people first.

Together, we can create lasting, impactful change that benefits both individuals and organizations. Join us in elevating everyday human experiences and driving sustainable growth. Let’s make a difference, one experience at a time.

Picture of Sujay Saha

Sujay Saha

is the Founder & President of Cortico-X. With over two decades of leadership experience, Sujay helps senior leaders across industries drive customer focus as a differentiator and growth engine.

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Industrial manufacturing company embarks on digital reinvention

Problem
A leading manufacturing company identified an opportunity to leverage the data collected by its products to provide new value to its customers. The company engaged Cortico-X to create a digital services strategy, define the operating model and identify emerging technologies to power the platform.
Solution
The manufacturing company’s new data platform will share insights with clients on potential issues that could disrupt business operations. For example, a client may receive an alert that a piece of equipment requires maintenance, providing time to fix the issue before the equipment breaks down. The platform will also integrate third-party data related to weather, shipping times and supply chain disruptions, helping clients to determine the optimal times to take equipment offline for maintenance.
Result
By prioritizing the business goals, Cortico-X identified several technologies and processes that will help the manufacturer evolve from a product-based company to a data service company, including generative AI design and chaos engineering. With its new data and services platform, the company will continue to grow its business in the digital era.

Industrial manufacturing company embarks on digital reinvention

Problem
A leading manufacturing company identified an opportunity to leverage the data collected by its products to provide new value to its customers. The company engaged Cortico-X to create a digital services strategy, define the operating model and identify emerging technologies to power the platform.
Solution
The manufacturing company’s new data platform will share insights with clients on potential issues that could disrupt business operations. For example, a client may receive an alert that a piece of equipment requires maintenance, providing time to fix the issue before the equipment breaks down. The platform will also integrate third-party data related to weather, shipping times and supply chain disruptions, helping clients to determine the optimal times to take equipment offline for maintenance.
Result
By prioritizing the business goals, Cortico-X identified several technologies and processes that will help the manufacturer evolve from a product-based company to a data service company, including generative AI design and chaos engineering. With its new data and services platform, the company will continue to grow its business in the digital era.

Sports league breaks down barriers between digital and physical experiences

Problem
A premier sports league sought to answer a big question: how do we attract the next generation of fans and engage them in the sport? To find the answer, the league turned to Cortico-X to create a new fan platform that would break down boundaries between physical and digital experiences. The league aimed to turn games into interactive experiences that bring together fans at home and in the stadium.
Solution
Through the new platform, fans will be able to play along with games as they happen. They will take the role of team coach in a simulation, seeing if they can beat the coach on the field by making different decisions, like swapping in new players. Powered by advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and digital twins, the platform will allow fans to engage with and compete against each other. Soft LED touchscreens and concave screens will bring the virtual game into the stadium, enhancing the immersive experience.
Result
The league anticipates that the new platform will help to engage younger fans and break down geographic barriers—while providing the tech foundation to be ready to jump into the metaverse.

Sports league breaks down barriers between digital and physical experiences

Problem
A premier sports league sought to answer a big question: how do we attract the next generation of fans and engage them in the sport? To find the answer, the league turned to Cortico-X to create a new fan platform that would break down boundaries between physical and digital experiences. The league aimed to turn games into interactive experiences that bring together fans at home and in the stadium.
Solution
Through the new platform, fans will be able to play along with games as they happen. They will take the role of team coach in a simulation, seeing if they can beat the coach on the field by making different decisions, like swapping in new players. Powered by advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and digital twins, the platform will allow fans to engage with and compete against each other. Soft LED touchscreens and concave screens will bring the virtual game into the stadium, enhancing the immersive experience.
Result
The league anticipates that the new platform will help to engage younger fans and break down geographic barriers—while providing the tech foundation to be ready to jump into the metaverse.

Health system leaders
walk a mile in employees’ shoes

Problem
A major health provider embarked on an ambitious journey to uplift the voice of their employees and embed the patient experience into its culture and operating model. In order to more meaningfully achieve their goals, leaders knew they needed to get closer to the frontline experience and more intimately understand the challenges faced by employees each day.
Solution
Acquis Cortico-X partnered with the company to develop an immersive experience in which leadership worked to strengthen the connection with the frontline. Through the program, referred to as “Walk a Mile in MY Shoes,” executives are paired with and actively shadow employees across various functions for one to two days, when they are trained in the respective functional work areas. Through the experiential learning experience, they witness first-hand the day-to-day duties, tasks and challenges encountered while working to deliver exceptional care to patients.
Result
With two pilots completed to date, Walk a Mile is resulting in renewed perspective and strengthened connections across the organization. Employees reported feeling valued and heard on a new level, while leaders found it refreshing to step away from their often 50,000-foot view to build a greater understanding of critical responsibilities and work processes that drive strategic endeavors. While the initiative primarily aims to build empathy, leaders also collaborate with the frontline to identify solutions that alleviate challenges, improve inefficiencies and support a positive working experience. The company is now scaling the program so that it is embedded in each of its seven markets. Ultimately, the organization hopes the deepened synergies between leaders and frontline employees will improve the patient experience in previously unimagined ways.

Health system leaders walk a mile
in employees’ shoes

Problem
A major health provider embarked on an ambitious journey to uplift the voice of their employees and embed the patient experience into its culture and operating model. In order to more meaningfully achieve their goals, leaders knew they needed to get closer to the frontline experience and more intimately understand the challenges faced by employees each day.
Solution
Acquis Cortico-X partnered with the company to develop an immersive experience in which leadership worked to strengthen the connection with the frontline. Through the program, referred to as “Walk a Mile in MY Shoes,” executives are paired with and actively shadow employees across various functions for one to two days, when they are trained in the respective functional work areas. Through the experiential learning experience, they witness first-hand the day-to-day duties, tasks and challenges encountered while working to deliver exceptional care to patients.
Result
With two pilots completed to date, Walk a Mile is resulting in renewed perspective and strengthened connections across the organization. Employees reported feeling valued and heard on a new level, while leaders found it refreshing to step away from their often 50,000-foot view to build a greater understanding of critical responsibilities and work processes that drive strategic endeavors. While the initiative primarily aims to build empathy, leaders also collaborate with the frontline to identify solutions that alleviate challenges, improve inefficiencies and support a positive working experience. The company is now scaling the program so that it is embedded in each of its seven markets. Ultimately, the organization hopes the deepened synergies between leaders and frontline employees will improve the patient experience in previously unimagined ways.

Major health provider
creates patient
listening platform

Problem
A major health provider was struggling with how to understand customer needs in real-time, not to mention act in the moment to remedy problems.
Solution
Acquis Cortico-X worked across the organization to stand up a new patient experience function. This started with embedding new ways of listening through digital touchpoints, call centers and in-person moments. We developed a way to centralize data collected through surveys, QR codes and behavioral analytics in a dashboard. The dashboard collates insights at both the individual and aggregate level, enabling employees to understand priority needs and opportunities.
Result
Thanks to the listening platform, employees can now respond to real-time needs with closed loop feedback and continuously improve the patient experience across all interactions. Leaders are now working to embed the patient experience into the organizational culture through new patient-focused programs and rituals.

Major health provider creates patient listening platform

Problem
A major health provider was struggling with how to understand customer needs in real-time, not to mention act in the moment to remedy problems.
Solution
Acquis Cortico-X worked across the organization to stand up a new patient experience function. This started with embedding new ways of listening through digital touchpoints, call centers and in-person moments. We developed a way to centralize data collected through surveys, QR codes and behavioral analytics in a dashboard. The dashboard collates insights at both the individual and aggregate level, enabling employees to understand priority needs and opportunities.
Result
Thanks to the listening platform, employees can now respond to real-time needs with closed loop feedback and continuously improve the patient experience across all interactions. Leaders are now working to embed the patient experience into the organizational culture through new patient-focused programs and rituals.

Pharmaceutical company identifies social media influencers with AI

Problem
A leading pharmaceutical company sought to develop a digital engagement model to reach key decision makers in its buyer group. The organization needed an efficient way to analyze social media data to identify relevant influencers and drive future investment in the program.
Solution
That’s where Acquis Cortico-X came in. We used algorithms based on AI and natural language processing to build a social media influencer list. The list prioritized influencers based on their relevance to the selected therapeutic area, reach and resonance with their audience.
Result
The data-driven analysis enabled the business to reprioritize its influencer relationships and establish new cost-effective partnerships with individuals who would have the biggest impact with target buyers.

Technology company
charts a roadmap to
maximize data value

Problem
A leading technology company was struggling with how to maximize the value of its data. They faced inefficiencies and a lack of a single source of the truth, which was leading to high attrition among frustrated data talent and decreased confidence in their enterprise reporting and analytics.
Solution
The company engaged Acquis Cortico-X to assess their data management capabilities and develop a future state data strategy using the EDM Council’s DCAM assessment framework. In addition to developing key recommendations across all aspects of data management, we developed an enterprise data office operating model and served as interim chief data officer to get the program running. This led to the development of a roadmap that will enable the company to manage its data as an asset.
Result
The data management program is now expected to enable synergies for upcoming mergers and acquisitions. Additionally, the data team has seen efficiency gains, lowered attrition and reduced compliance risk.

Pharmaceutical company identifies social media influencers with AI

Problem
A leading pharmaceutical company sought to develop a digital engagement model to reach key decision makers in its buyer group. The organization needed an efficient way to analyze social media data to identify relevant influencers and drive future investment in the program.
Solution
That’s where Acquis Cortico-X came in. We used algorithms based on AI and natural language processing to build a social media influencer list. The list prioritized influencers based on their relevance to the selected therapeutic area, reach and resonance with their audience.
Result
The data-driven analysis enabled the business to reprioritize its influencer relationships and establish new cost-effective partnerships with individuals who would have the biggest impact with target buyers.

Technology company
charts a roadmap to
maximize data value

Problem
A leading technology company was struggling with how to maximize the value of its data. They faced inefficiencies and a lack of a single source of the truth, which was leading to high attrition among frustrated data talent and decreased confidence in their enterprise reporting and analytics.
Solution
The company engaged Acquis Cortico-X to assess their data management capabilities and develop a future state data strategy using the EDM Council’s DCAM assessment framework. In addition to developing key recommendations across all aspects of data management, we developed an enterprise data office operating model and served as interim chief data officer to get the program running. This led to the development of a roadmap that will enable the company to manage its data as an asset.
Result
The data management program is now expected to enable synergies for upcoming mergers and acquisitions. Additionally, the data team has seen efficiency gains, lowered attrition and reduced compliance risk.

Regional bank charts a
path to growth through
customer experience

Problem
A regional bank knew its customer experience lagged behind industry benchmarks but struggled with how to rally its employees around its basic experience program.
Solution
Acquis Cortico-X partnered with the bank’s newly established head of customer and employee experience to chart a new path to experience-led growth. Using our proprietary experience maturity framework, we evaluated and assessed the existing experience program, capabilities, interaction and operating model.
Result
Through our analysis, we discovered the current experience program was uncovering valuable customer insights but lacked a process to drive change based on those learnings. Together, we developed an actionable roadmap and a business case for change. The bank is now moving forward with developing a continuous improvement model that will enhance the customer experience, setting the stage for growth.

Regional bank charts a path to growth through customer experience

Problem
A regional bank knew its customer experience lagged behind industry benchmarks but struggled with how to rally its employees around its basic experience program.
Solution
Acquis Cortico-X partnered with the bank’s newly established head of customer and employee experience to chart a new path to experience-led growth. Using our proprietary experience maturity framework, we evaluated and assessed the existing experience program, capabilities, interaction and operating model.
Result
Through our analysis, we discovered the current experience program was uncovering valuable customer insights but lacked a process to drive change based on those learnings. Together, we developed an actionable roadmap and a business case for change. The bank is now moving forward with developing a continuous improvement model that will enhance the customer experience, setting the stage for growth.