The CX Imperative: Five Strategic Practices for Renewal of the Customer-Centered Enterprise

“In The CX Imperative, Fithian and Rosenberg identify THE problem that ails corporate America–the Great Distancing from customers–and offer the right solution: customer centricity and experience.”

–B. Joseph Pine II, coauthor of The Experience Economy and cofounder of Strategic Horizons

“The principles in The CX Imperative aren’t just theories. I’ve seen them in action. Having applied these practices, I can attest to the power of the authors’ approach in breaking down silos, aligning teams, and making CX a true competitive advantage. Now, they’re sharing that expertise with the broader community, offering a blueprint for leaders ready to take CX to the next level.”

–Janet Sparkman, former CXO, Optum

“With the evolution of the B2B buying experience becoming more digital, group-led, and personalized, centering around the customer experience is critical. In The CX Imperative, Fithian and Rosenberg offer a much-needed roadmap to help companies adopt a pervasive CX mindset that avoids the Great Distancing and, instead, drives improved customer and corporate value.”

–Etosha Thurman, CMO, SAP Intelligent Spend & Business Network

“Many organizations don’t realize how far they’ve strayed from their customers–until it’s too late. The CX Imperative is a wake-up call, providing a sharp, well-structured approach to bridging that gap and making customer connection a business-wide priority. Fithian and Rosenberg show how to make CX work at scale.”

–Jeanne Bliss, pioneering chief customer officer, bestselling author, and founder of Customer Bliss

“For CX to truly matter, it can’t live on the sidelines–it must be embedded into the DNA of the organization. The CX Imperative delivers a sharp, structured approach to making that a reality.”

–Vinny Rinaldi, vice president, media & marketing technology, The Hershey Company

“This is a must-read book for practitioners who are tasked with making CX front and center for businesses. With an approach that encourages both data-driven insights and a deep dive into actual customer experiences and the culture that drives them, The CX Imperative lays out an impressive blueprint for any twenty-first-century brand that wants to return to putting customers first.”

–P. V. Kannan, CEO, [24]7.ai, and author of The Age of Intent

Mark Fithian and Jeff Rosenberg are the cofounders of WideOpen, a Strategic CX consulting company.

Mark’s customer strategy expertise and methodologies were developed through over thirty years of work across multiple industries, collaborating with leading brands such as Providence, SAP, PayPal, Optum, IBM, BMW, the American Cancer Society, and Microsoft. Before cofounding WideOpen, Mark held key roles in both client-side and agency-side positions, as well as in strategic consultancies.

Jeff has spent more than thirty years working across strategy, operations, and customer experience disciplines, consulting for leading companies such as SAP, Verizon, Hershey, Optum, BMW, ADT, and Motorola. Prior to cofounding WideOpen, Jeff served in leadership and practitioner roles in consulting, agency, and corporate organizations.