Customer Management (or "CX") and its Relationships to Education, Management Theory, and Technology

Survey Background

This survey is part of joint research by analyst Aarron Spinley and the Enterprise Martech think tank.

***

The rise of technology has acted as a major disruptor to society, and therefore to the way that consumers interact with brands. Customer service has been forever altered, fuelled by evolving consumerism and the explosion of potential channels and touchpoints, all placing an increasing demand on governance and management expertise well beyond historical norms.

As part of wider work, this short survey seeks the perceptions of those responsible for, or who participate in, customer management. Specifically, we are looking at a) the availability of critical education in terms of formal management discipline; b) the availability of ongoing critical knowledge, evidence, and management theory; and c) how the industry sees its relationship with technology in that context.

Thank you in advance for sharing your views.
1.What level of position do you have in your business?(Required.)
2.What best describes your role? (tick all that apply)
3.Your Region is....
4.Your role in the industry is...
5.As a vocation, customer management does not enjoy the educational infrastructure of established professions. For instance, it is not possible to be degree qualified in the field. Where do you believe the industry provides the best formal training for customer management?
6.Do you believe the presence of a dedicated Bachelors Degree in Customer Management, would advance the industry and those within it, in the same way, that formal education does in professional fields (marketing management, legal accounting, design, et al)?
7.Do you believe the presence of a Graduate Diploma in Customer Management, for those that have completed other business studies would advance the industry and those within it, in the same way, that formal education does in professional fields (marketing management, legal accounting, design, et al)?
8.As it stands, what would you regard as likely to be the most trustworthy sources of critical knowledge for customer management theory, governance, and business process models? (SELECT A MAXIMUM OF 2)
9.How would you rate the industry’s access to independent* scientific or otherwise evidence-based customer management theory and management practices? (TICK ALL THAT APPLY)

*"Independent" excludes consultant offerings, vendors, or vendor-funded groups.
10.If you answered that there are recognised bodies or institutions, can you name them?
11.In your view, how would you describe the overall technology vendor landscape across all the categories that serve customer management?
12.To what extent do you think the industry can rely on the product / business outcome claims of the vendors across all of the categories that serve customer management?
13.How much do you look to your vendors for overall management theory?