What Is a CXO?

Key takeaways

A chief experience officer (CXO) is a C-suite executive responsible for creating and managing customer experience strategies to build brand loyalty. Here are some important things to know:

• The CXO is a relatively new role, with 50 percent of current CXOs being the first one in their organization [1].

• The responsibilities of a CXO include designing a customer experience strategy, tracking metrics, developing a customer journey map, and building a team.

• You can enhance the customer experience by identifying and meeting expectations, personalizing the customer journey, and offering various touchpoints, including a website, app, and social media channels.

Learn more about the CXO role, including what the job entails, how to become one, and what you can expect to earn. If you’re ready to begin your path to a CXO position, consider enrolling in the Google Digital Marketing and E-commerce Professional Certificate. You’ll have the chance to learn how to attract and engage customers using social media channels in as little as six months. Upon completion, you’ll have earned a career credential that you can showcase to potential employers. 

What is a CXO?

A CXO, or chief experience officer, is an executive who oversees an organization’s customer experience strategy, ensuring that the business uses a customer-centric approach. Working alongside other C-suite executives, the CXO typically oversees a customer experience or success team, mapping the customer journey using data analytics and developing strategies to improve the customer’s experience and, in turn, enhance their loyalty. Ultimately, as a CXO, your role is to represent your customers, identifying their needs and wants, designing programs that provide a superior customer experience, and motivating employees organization-wide to provide customers with the experience they desire. Also, you might like to know that CXO is a relatively new role, with 50 percent of current CXOs being the first one in their organization [1].

What is the role of a CXO?

As a CXO, you represent your customers in the C-suite, ensuring executives understand your customers’ perspectives and needs. Devising an impactful customer experience strategy requires a variety of tasks and company-wide collaboration, including:

• Designing a customer experience strategy: According to a 2024 Deloitte survey of CXOs, their primary responsibility is developing the organization’s customer experience strategy, requiring 20 percent of their time [2]. This far-reaching strategy may identify ways to maximize customer convenience, offer incentives, and efficiently manage customer complaints.

• Tracking metrics: CXOs collect data from key performance indicators (KPIs) to better understand their customers and aid in their strategic development. For example, an online retailer may prompt customers to complete a satisfaction survey after a purchase. Their responses offer valuable insights into their experience, including what the company is doing well and how they can improve.

• Developing a customer journey map: As a CXO, you may develop a customer journey map that highlights the various ways a customer interacts with your organization, from browsing your website to contacting customer service about an order. Mapping these opportunities for engagement ensures that your team can offer a positive experience with every interaction.

• Building and overseeing a team: Customer experience requires more than an executive overseeing the company’s strategy. As a CXO, you’ll develop a customer experience team, often consisting of developers, data analysts, and social media managers, to help implement and refine your strategy.

• Assessing employee experiences: As a CXO, you’ll also monitor and evaluate employee experiences to ensure satisfaction. Conducting exit interviews or interviewing new employees about the hiring process can provide valuable insight into how employees view the company.

What is the difference between CEO and CXO?

Both a CEO, or chief executive officer, and a CXO are vital members of an organization’s executive team, but a CEO is the highest-ranking official at the company. CEOs make top-level decisions to guide the company’s strategy, organization, and culture, compared to CXOs who focus on customer experience strategy and decision-making. Often, CXOs report to CEOs. 

Core qualifications and skills for CXOs

CXOs are visionary thinkers who have experience leading teams, working in customer experience, and collaborating across an organization. As a CXO, you may possess the following key skills:

• Communication: To engage with various teams to convey your customer experience strategy 

• Collaboration: To partner with other C-suite executives and develop shared objectives and goals

• Creativity: To devise effective strategies that solve your customers’ biggest problems

• Analytical: To evaluate customer satisfaction data and assess competitors’ strengths and weaknesses related to their customer experience 

• Strategic thinking: To translate customer experience metrics into an effective strategy

CXO salary insights and market trends

According to October 2025 Glassdoor data, the median total pay for a CXO is $411,000 [3]. This figure includes both base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation. Additionally, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics expects job growth rates for top executives to remain steady between 2024 and 2034, growing at a rate of 4 percent annually, which is about as fast as average [4].

Customer experience is more important than ever. In fact, 86 percent of customer service leaders reported that their biggest priority was improving the customer experience [5], and CXOs play a pivotal role in achieving that goal.

CXO vs. other C-suite titles

The CEO serves as the top executive in the C-suite, overseeing the CXO and other positions, including:

• Chief financial officer (CFO): Responsible for managing the company’s finances, including portfolio management, business funding, and investments

• Chief information officer (CIO): Responsible for overseeing the company’s information technology (IT)

• Chief operating officer (COO): Responsible for supporting the CEO in various and far-reaching business operations

• Chief marketing officer (CMO): Responsible for developing the company’s marketing strategy

• Chief technology officer (CTO): Responsible for managing the company’s technology and research and development

How to become a CXO

A path to the C-suite requires obtaining the necessary education, gaining success in customer experience roles, and developing leadership skills. Networking can also play a key role in landing a job as a CXO. Consider these steps as you build the skills and experience needed to work as a CXO.

1. Earn your degree.

A bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, public relations, or a related field can prepare you for a career as a CXO. From there, you may consider earning a graduate degree, such as a Master of Business Administration (MBA) or a master’s degree in marketing or communications, which equips you with skills to excel in chief officer positions, such as CXO.

Read more: What Is an MBA? Your Guide to the Degree, Coursework, and Jobs

2. Develop your marketing skills.

Understanding marketing strategies is key when working as a CXO, and you can hone your skills long before you work in the C-suite. Entry-level marketing positions can be a solid first step toward becoming a CXO, allowing you to discover the various channels, from traditional print advertisements to social media, you can use to engage customers. Working as a marketing assistant or social media manager may provide you with key skills that will benefit you throughout your career.

3. Work in customer experience.

Transitioning into a customer experience role as your career progresses prepares you for a CXO role. Early-career roles, such as customer experience specialist, allow you to engage directly with your customers, analyze their behavior, and contribute to the organization’s CX strategy. 

4. Obtain leadership positions.

Strong leadership skills are essential in the C-suite, so you’ll need to have management experience before applying for CXO positions. Several leadership opportunities exist on a customer experience team, including mid-level positions like customer success manager and senior-level roles like director of customer experience. In these roles, you’ll have the opportunity to manage cross-functional teams and take the lead on implementing CX strategies—skills that are vital as a CXO.

5. Network within your industry.

Networking with other CX professionals can help you secure a job as a CXO. Consider a mentorship with a current CXO so that you can learn more about the role to determine if it’s right for you. You can also join a professional organization, such as the Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA), to connect with other CX professionals in the industry.

CXO career path

Before applying for CXO opportunities, you can expect to have worked at least 10 years in customer experience, marketing, or related fields. Consider these entry-, mid-, and senior-level positions that will make you a competitive candidate for a CXO role:

• Entry-level jobs: Customer experience associate, marketing assistant, social media coordinator

• Mid-level jobs: Social media manager, customer success manager, marketing manager

• Senior-level jobs: Director of customer experience, senior customer experience manager, vice president of customer experience

By following this career trajectory, you’ll have the chance to develop the skills and leadership experience necessary to excel as a CXO.

Stay updated on the customer experience industry

Explore top career trends and tips by subscribing to Career Chat, our weekly LinkedIn newsletter. You can also check out the following free resources for your customer experience career:

• Broaden your knowledge: Data Analysis Terms and Definitions

•  Hear from a pro: Career Advice: How to Become a Marketing Manager at Coursera

• Watch on YouTube: Career Spotlight: Customer Service Representative

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