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Customer Service Week: More Than a Celebration—It’s a CX Strategy

As Customer Service Week kicks off, member utilities of the Chartwell Customer Experience Leadership Council are actively discussing how to celebrate and elevate the role of customer service across their organizations with a focus on employee experience.

In March of this year, during the Customer Experience Leadership Council Spring Meeting, members reviewed their employee experience.​ Members reported a confident sentiment in leadership and organizational alignment with customer experience strategy. ​92% of members said they would describe their C-Suite support for CX initiatives as somewhat high. ​

Source: March 2025 CX Council pre-meeting questionnaire, n=14 utilities

From internal recognition campaigns to professional development workshops, utilities are using this week to spotlight the frontline teams who shape the customer experience every day. These efforts reflect a growing understanding that great customer service is foundational to great CX—and that investing in employees is investing in the best possible outcomes.

During recent Council meetings, members emphasized the link between employee engagement and CX performance, referencing industry research from Gallup and Qualtrics on how empowered employees drive better customer results. Utilities shared strategies for measuring employee experience and aligning it with strategic goals, reinforcing that professional development and recognition are key levers for improving service quality.

Andrew Peacock, Manager, Customer Experience at Omaha Public Power District, shared their employee experience journey and highlighted the importance of CX education across the enterprise.  Educating employees about core customer journeys and the impact on metrics, but also giving them access to key points of information, has made a big impact on employees and customers. “Speaking of employee experience, so we had one Rep say this will be life-changing for us. I get a lot of these calls, and sometimes it’s difficult to track down the information.
Now I have a new process, a map, I have a customer contact in the system to know what’s going on when and where,” said Peacock.

This commitment to excellence was exemplified by Hawaiian Electric, whose Customer Service University initiative earned the Gold CX Award from Chartwell for its innovative and customer-centric approach to service delivery. Their success story is a reminder that when utilities prioritize both customers and employees, everyone wins.

Chartwell’s Customer Service Survey Benchmarks also provide valuable insights into how utilities are evolving their service models to meet rising expectations. These benchmarks help members identify gaps, set goals, and celebrate progress during moments like Customer Service Week.

As utilities continue to navigate digital transformation and operational challenges, Customer Service Week 2025 offers a timely opportunity to reflect, recognize, and recommit to the people and practices that make exceptional customer experiences possible.

To learn more about the CX Council, please contact Tim Herrick.

 

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