By: Dr. Connor Robertson

Most businesses focus on paid ads, SEO, funnels, outreach, and branding. However, many overlook one of the most impactful growth levers hiding in plain sight: the way your customers feel after making a purchase. In 2025, customer experience (CX) is evolving beyond a mere support function; it’s becoming a vital part of your marketing strategy. It can drive referrals, contribute to retention, improve lifetime value, and shape the stories people share about your business. I have worked with companies across real estate, private equity, and marketing services to implement systems that help turn clients into advocates. The outcomes tend to include lower customer acquisition costs (CAC), higher margins, faster word-of-mouth, and a brand reputation that goes beyond what ads can achieve. As Dr. Connor Robertson, this post serves as my guide to understanding why customer experience is often overlooked but essential in your growth strategy.

What Is Customer Experience (CX)?

Customer experience refers to the complete set of interactions a customer has with your business, from the first touchpoint to long after the transaction is completed.

It encompasses:

• Your onboarding process

• How you communicate updates

• The usability of your product or service

• The tone of your support team

• Your billing and offboarding practices

• The overall feeling they get every time they interact with you

A well-designed CX doesn’t just help retain customers. It makes them feel proud to work with you. And in a market full of similar offers, it’s the emotional connection that tends to stand out.

The Data Doesn’t Lie

• 86% of buyers are willing to pay more for a better experience (PwC)

• 65% of customers have switched brands after a poor experience (Zendesk)

• 72% of customers will share a positive experience with six or more people (Salesforce)

• 88% of buyers trust recommendations from people they know more than any ad (Nielsen)

In essence, experience can be a form of marketing.

When your competitors are spending heavily on cold leads, you can grow through the warmth of customer experience.

The Hidden ROI of Customer Experience

A great CX system can deliver several key benefits:

• Referral Flywheel: Happy customers tend to bring others. They post. They share. They tag. They introduce.

• Retention and LTV Growth: It’s often cheaper to keep a customer than to acquire a new one. A positive experience can help extend customer engagement.

• Conversion Lift: Positive testimonials and word-of-mouth can make future sales easier. Buyers are often predisposed to trust your brand.

• Recruitment Magnetism: Companies that treat their customers well are often perceived to treat their teams well. CX can contribute to your employer branding.

• Exit Value: In private equity, companies with strong CX and retention tend to fetch higher multiples. Your reputation becomes a valuable asset.

Where Many Businesses Get CX Wrong

• Treating Support as an Afterthought: Reactive email tickets often feel transactional. Proactive support fosters stronger relationships.

• Overpromising, Under-Delivering: Nothing undermines trust like unmet expectations. Aim to overdeliver whenever possible.

• Inconsistent Communication: Silence often creates stress. Keeping your customers informed, even if it’s just a “we’re still working” update, can help.

• Lack of Onboarding Structure: Many customers churn in the first 7–14 days. Your onboarding process should help establish momentum and clarity.

• No System for Feedback: If you’re not actively seeking feedback, you might be missing valuable insights.

Dr. Connor Robertson’s 6-Part CX Framework

I use this framework with every business I advise, from $500k/year consulting firms to $20M real estate platforms.

Welcome With Clarity

• Immediate confirmation after purchase or commitment
• Access to onboarding or kick-off materials
• Personalized “what to expect” video from the founder
• Timeline of deliverables or milestones

Goal: Help reduce any potential buyer’s remorse right away.

Communicate With Rhythm

• Weekly or biweekly updates (even if nothing has changed)
• Set check-in calls at key intervals
• Transparent communication about delays, changes, or risks
• Use a consistent tone: calm, proactive, professional

Consistency creates safety, and safety fosters loyalty.

Deliver With Excellence

• Focus on your core deliverable
• Avoid scope creep
• Automate where possible, but personalize key moments
• Create “wow” moments where customers least expect it (e.g., handwritten thank-yous, early delivery, thoughtful follow-up)

At www.drconnorrobertson.com, we take great care with every deliverable. A dip in quality can undermine months of goodwill.

Gather and Act on Feedback

• Send NPS surveys (Net Promoter Score) at 30, 90, and 180 days
• Ask, “What’s one thing we could improve?”
• Turn feedback into action and let the customer know you’ve made changes based on their input
• Build a testimonial system by requesting reviews at peak moments of customer satisfaction

This approach helps transform customers into collaborators.

Celebrate Results and Milestones

• Highlight customer wins on social media
• Send surprise gifts at project completion
• Include clients in case studies or podcast episodes
• Make them feel like the hero, not just the buyer

In real estate or private equity, celebrate milestones like successful closings or performance benchmarks. In marketing, celebrate ROI, campaign performance, and business growth.

Re-Engage and Expand

• Offer clear next steps: renewal, upsell, or referral programs
• Create “customer-only” perks (exclusive content, invites, previews)
• Re-onboard for new services with the same CX standards
• Ask for introductions only once the value has been proven

A satisfied client is your best salesperson. Treat them as such.

Final Thoughts from Dr. Connor Robertson

Your customer experience is your brand. And your brand is your marketing. Marketing, in turn, is the system that helps scale your business.

If you want to:

• Increase revenue without increasing your ad spend

• Drive consistent inbound referrals

• Extend customer lifetime value

• Build a reputation that attracts, retains, and multiplies…

Then consider treating CX not just as a support function but as a core business strategy.

The most successful companies in real estate, private equity, and B2B services aren’t just better at selling—they’re better at serving. And the companies that succeed in 2025 will be those that have customers talking about them without prompting.

To explore how to integrate CX across your organization, visit www.drconnorrobertson.com. 

Let’s turn your clients into your growth engine.

Disclaimer: The strategies and insights shared in this article are based on the personal experiences and professional advice of Dr. Connor Robertson. Results may vary depending on factors such as industry, business model, or market conditions. The suggestions provided are for informational purposes only and are not intended as a one-size-fits-all solution. Businesses should assess their specific needs and consult with relevant experts before implementing any significant changes to their customer experience strategy.