💰 CX Operating Systems

Vital Growth Keys Missing

Lynn Hunsaker
January 17, 2026

Hi there,

Operating System is a software phrase for coordinating and executing tasks, applications, and peripherals (printers, etc.).

CX Management frameworks have adopted Operating System or Performance System phrasing for its symbolism to emphasize creating an integrated CX movement inside your enterprise.

CXM Frameworks are often shown as a a list of standards, table, pyramid, wheel with spokes, flywheel, infinity loop, or a set of stair steps, pillars, pie wedges, or overlapping circles.

Vital keys missing in nearly all CXM Systems / Frameworks:

Universal to employees’ and partners’ experience.
Encompassing the entire customer life cycle.
Respecting how an enterprise works.
Honoring customers as paying for your existence.
Clear starting point.
Clear sequence.
Inter-dependencies.
Synergies.
Financial outcomes.

I made this diagram after my first global CXM practices study that revealed extreme focus on building-blocks #1, 7, and 8. It’s the CXM System that trumps all others. It is the centerpiece of my CX+EX+PX Experts’ Strategy Masterclass:

IMAGE: CXM System That Trumps All CX Systems

Replace “Customer” with Employee or Partner for EX and PX.

1—Start

Start with identifying your true core-growth customers and why they prefer you.

Like the best starting point for EXM: high-potential employees’ preferences, right? Similar for CXM.

Similarly, to be favored by your boss, you’d start with what makes them tick, what turns them off, what they’re aiming for, right? Same for CXM.

After all, CX is customers’ experience, not your company’s. (Note: calling CX = CS = CXM is a mishmash: not your ideal framework.)

False ideal customers are the norm, since Business Development rarely checks in with Support to know what types of customers drive costs up! You’ll want your ideal CXM framework / performance system to correct this.

2—Sequence

Role of Senior Leaders in honoring or dishonoring #1 above.

Anything you try to do at touchpoints can be undermined by a Senior Leader’s decision, right?

Senior Leaders’ mindsets and habits [SunTrust example] shape your culture, and “culture eats strategy for breakfast”, right?

So, obviously, this step must be one of the first — but not the first.

See Top-Tier Leadership: Execs’ Guide to CX Value article for how to do this.

“Culture” as last step in a framework is a clear sign that the model/system reflects our profession’s mistakes — not success factors for you.

Influencing culture is the weakest skill set [influencing resources] among CX experts of all types. This is why they put it last or leave it out, or suggest tiptoeing or bulldozing your way with quick wins — our profession’s mistakes — not success for you.

3—Inter-dependencies

Under-scoping and under-focus on who’s doing what about CX gaps and value to customers.

Listen to a few Support calls and you’re reminded that CX gaps are caused by every area [examples] across your enterprise.

Empower each work group in your company to do their part for CX accountability and value. This must be in your ideal CXM System.

This is what HR requires: performance reviews by managers of all types, no exceptions. Same by IT for data privacy, and same by Finance for budget responsibility.

Hear Carolyn Muise (CCO-EMC, Dell, NCR) talk about this at the 15:20 minute-mark.

4—Synergies

Over-focus on specific tools/techniques.

Look at the brands with best reputation for CX excellence: they don’t talk about specific CXM or CS tools or techniques as their success story. They talk about mindsets and habits [examples: J&J, IBM, Toyota, JetBlue].

Hear Michelle Nwoga (CCO-UBA) talk about CX synergies at the 19 minute-mark.

All tools/techniques are optional, but using them wisely [VoC examples] is what we’re still learning as a profession, evolving.

5—Financial Outcomes

Almost-automatic ROI by deploying the System.

VoC metrics measure what customers already experienced (= lagging indicators), yet they’re the proper prioritization criteria for who should do what.

As you engage every work group in progress of CX Design and Improvement (block 5 below = leading indicators of what customers will soon experience), you’ll see exponential growth in the vital lagging indicators: more external engagement, retention, loyalty, market share, profit, and revenue.

See more about leading and lagging in my CX ROI Metrics Roadmap article.

After 30+ years studying CXM Frameworks and Systems, benchmarking global practices, teaching certification prep 10 years, writing 2000+ CXM articles — and most importantly, 15 of these years leading company-wide CX alignment with giant annual growth achieved — here’s what I’ve found to be ideal: