From leading in high school to shaping CX in healthcare, Joan Mwanthi’s journey is a rich reminder that careers don’t start at the first job; they often begin long before, in moments of responsibility, resilience, and reflection.
We were reminded that customer experience is built through empathy, adaptability, and a relentless focus on people.
These are the 10 lessons from this incredible journey:
🌟 Everyone is the face of the brand. From the front desk to the doctor’s office, every interaction should echo the same promise. If one link in the chain is cold, the whole experience feels broken.
🌟Every concern deserves your best. In customer experience, challenges come in waves, some louder than others, but none less important. Staying calm, empathetic, and responsive, no matter the size of the issue, is how trust is built and maintained.
🌟The customer is the compass. True direction in service doesn’t come from assumption, it comes from listening to the customer’s feedback. This is how a business knows when to turn, pause, or press forward.
🌟Customer experience is everyone’s responsibility. Whether clinical or not, every team member contributes to how a brand is felt and remembered.
🌟 A career in CX often starts before the title. Leadership roles in school, no matter how small, can quietly prepare someone for a future of balancing empathy with expectations, the essence of customer service.
🌟 A great CX strategy starts with the team. Personalized training rooted in real challenges equips employees not just to perform tasks, but to own the experience, because empowered teams serve better.
🌟Complaints are signs of life. Silence is not always golden; feedback, especially the uncomfortable kind, keeps an organization honest and improving.
🌟 Consistency in empathy is non-negotiable. In a space where every interaction can carry emotion, it’s not enough to be warm once. CX calls for sustained compassion, especially when clinical and human expectations meet.
🌟 Internal and external customers both matter. Success doesn’t come from serving clients alone, but also from understanding and engaging the team behind the scenes.
🌟Technology supports, but human touch transforms. AI and automation solve bottlenecks, but it’s the human connection that builds trust, loyalty, and love for a brand.
