CX Leaders and American Politicians Are Facing the Same Problems. Their Target Audience Is The Solution

In the world of politics, “the customer is always right” takes on a much more urgent meaning than whether or not you got that extra Mac sauce you asked for on your McDonald's burger. When it comes to being represented by political leaders, many voters hope that campaign goals accurately and justly reflect their community or party’s needs and concerns. When that is not the case, we see party leaders and constituents bump heads, and political divisions deepen both behind and across party lines. In some of the worst cases of failed political discourse, some voters develop a disdain for the American Democratic system and become apathetic, if not disengaged, in politics altogether. 

The majority of American voters do agree that after the past decade of politics, an overhaul and reimagining of U.S. political functions are necessary, preferably in an orderly and less dystopian fashion. Regardless of where we may fall in (or outside of) the political spectrum, we can all agree on one thing as Americans: our voices, our needs and our experiences ought to matter to the people in power. At the intersection of the personal and the political, we find the desire for public servants to, well, serve us publicly. The only way that desire becomes a reality is if our public figures–locally and federally–share and act on our personal values as citizens.

In The Age Of Big Business, Does The Mission Statement Match The Politics? 

At times, our current political system can feel like we’re wrestling to get our order straight at the McDonald’s drive-thru. We think we’re getting what we asked for, and then it comes out all wrong. Modern day politics, like fast food, fashion, or entertainment, has itself become a multi-million dollar industry. In fact, it's a business, because at the end of the day money plays a huge role in what names end up at polling booths. A common complaint that many voters have about how modern U.S. politics operate is that nearly every single person running for office is guided by an unspoken agenda, pushed by donors and supporters who have their own interests and motives invested in political campaigns. 

American voters want to know now more than ever who is funding commercials, supplying cash to campaign routes, and endorsing candidates’ movements. “Politics are like a brand, “ Anne Flomenhaft, manager of political programs at the New York-based nonprofit New American Leaders, tells CCW Digital. “I think where this is most clear is in donor records. You can see why politicians make certain decisions based on who is donating to their campaign or helping their candidacy.”

Politics, just like everything else, is influenced by Big Business. It feels to Americans as if business ventures and investments are much more influential than themselves as the voting population. One political figure who has a critical viewpoint of this conflict of economic interest is New York State Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC). She’s been cited as saying, “We always try to tell people why they need to settle for less, instead of being able to harness the energy of our grass roots and take political risks in service of them, the same way that we take political risks in service of swing voters. We can do both.” She has also taken to frequent Instagram Live feeds on her personal account, expressing her disdain with the lack of accountability that politicians are exhibiting as a result of financial influence in politics. “If you’re going to ask your constituents for feedback on what they want, but then you don’t even use it, what’s the point of even asking?”, she asked in one video. (Ocasio-Cortez’ team declined a request from CCW Digital for comment on the topic at the time of publication due to the representative's scheduling demands for the month of September.)

Engaging With Your Audience Isn’t Just A Political Idea, It’s A Branding Idea

Soliciting performance assessments from constituents is a standard political practice across party lines. As it turns out, in the land of free speech valuing customer feedback is a universal ideal, regardless of who you vote for. By nature of the U.S. political system, having city council members, state representatives and senators means having an extension or stand-in for voting individuals and their concerns. However, in praxis and throughout American history, that has not always been the case. John Domville, a retired history teacher who has studied U.S. politics closely over his years as an educator, has taken particular note of this shift over time. “Who does an elected official represent?” he asks. “You say ideally, from the textbook structure of represented democracy, you're elected to represent the will of the people…The most local politician is the closest to their constituents. They know them, they’re friends with them.”

As a former member of his New York town’s council, Domville knows that notion personally. “You’re clearly more receptive and responsive to what their thoughts and desires are…The further away you get from that, who does a U.S. senator represent? All of the people of the United States, or all of the people from their particular state? Add then the layer of Big Business and monied interest and what it takes to get elected and stay in office. Clearly there’s a major discussion.” 

You Can’t Buy Loyalty, But You Can Earn It

Outside influences have an undeniable, if not necessary, hold on political functions. “I think it’s kind of a two headed snake in that you need the financial support and the backing that largely comes from those larger interests,” explains Domville. “Yet on Election Day you need the individual person walking into the ballot box pulling the lever next to your name to ultimately get elected,” he explains. “I cant get elected or stay in office if I don’t cater to that constituency, as opposed to the rank and file citizen type of person.”

John Quaglione, Republican district leader from the 46th assembly in New York City, believes that consistency, communication and empathizing with your constituency, much like forging a positive customer-agent relationship, is key to productive, balanced politics. “From my 18 plus years working in government, I can definitely tell you that the people of the community are so much more aware of and engaged with you as an official in a district than in your seat of power,” he tells CCW Digital. “The power of the constituency–you had to keep them happy. You have to serve their needs and be responsive, or you stand a chance that after a while, they say, ‘that guy’s useless.’” As a former candidate for New York City council and a long-time staff member for an elected official in Washington D.C. he has seen apathy and disconnect destroy political bonds and voter loyalty, especially in the age of the Internet. “You can go on sites and Facebook and they don’t have a town hall meeting listed, they don’t have any events, they have no community outreach,” he says of some elected officials. “It’s just an office phone number…maybe a bill that’s great for a press release. Nobody cares, the press doesn’t even care.” 

Letting potential voters know that their concerns are equally valued by politicians is the best way to set expectations and develop rapport–something Quaglione knows from personal experience. Throughout his political career, he has personally received, addressed, and followed up on too many voter concerns to count. “We would really put in a request, anyone that called, any request within reason,” he recalls. “Not only did we process complaints, but did the due diligence to make sure that people found out the results. That's how you get a loyal following from people.” Such dedication and transparency is so impactful, in fact, that citizens will even be willing to cross party lines in order to have their concerns met by a politician they trust to be responsive. “You have to make people see that you agree with what they think is important, and that it’s worthy of your attention.” 

Your Political Branding Predicts Your Constituents' Voting Power

When we as consumers choose to support, buy from, or steer clear of a given brand, it is because we know what to expect from the company in question. If we’re buying from Nike, we know we’re getting athletic wear and ads in our email inbox that combine social consciousness with personal wellness. If we’re buying a Coke, we know we’re getting a carbonated soft drink and buying into a broader notion of togetherness. If we shop at Whole Foods, we know our grocery bags are filled with organic produce that, while good, may be a bit pricey. 

What about politics? If we’re voting Republican or Democrat, what vision do we have of what we are endorsing? At times, who our party elects may represent even the antithesis of our personal values or voting concerns. Not only that, but they could represent a larger entity’s interest–real estate, manufacturing, textile industries–more than they represent the will of the American people. While in past iterations of American politics these agendas were less transparent, in today’s landscape it’s more transparent than ever that there are varied and at times conflicting interests at the ballot box. 

Elected officials are caught in the crossfire of whose interests, feedback, and feelings to consider. And as the political landscape of the U.S. continues to shift in the digital age, individual constituents are now more able to express their thoughts and feelings more frequently. Instead of being put on hold, or sending snail mail, voters can now post, tweet, tag, text, DM, and live stream their feedback instantly. 

The ability and drive to create and encourage a reciprocal feedback loop via social media is something that is not unique to AOC, or even Democrats, notes Flomenhaft of New American Leaders. “What Republicans do really well is activate their base because they know what issues to hit in their legislation, in their speeches,” she tells CCW Digital. “They really animate their base to go out and vote, go out and rally.”

The Customer Service Feedback Loop Has A Valuable Place At The Ballot Box

“Basically she [AOC] is saying elected officials should be asking for feedback that they’re going to be actional about, right? They shouldn't just ask and not act,” explains Folmenhaft. “I think that that is a symptom of someone who is the ideal public servant, of someone who is actually looking for feedback… I think very few politicians, and probably brands, really do that to an extent, of actually trying to alleviate the problems that people bring up. Oftentimes elected officials that want to maintain the status quo will really work to find little carve-outs of constituents who will be happy with a really easy fix, rather than going to the heart of an issue.”

We all know what the little customer service “carve-outs” look like: a 15% off your next purchase item, a note in your customer profile detailing the consumer concern you have, a comped round of drinks for slow service–but rarely, if ever, do those short term solutions solve the larger customer service problem we encounter. Despite the satisfaction we may face as customers, regardless of how often we hit 1 out of 5 on that customer feedback form, and even though nothing changes between the last time and this time, a majority of us still return to those same companies and brands. 

Although they consistently forget the extra Mac sauce at the drive-thru (or in my case never bring back the Snack Wrap), McDonald’s still serves over 700 million people a year. Do they serve customers well? Arguably not, but they serve customers enough to meet their most basic food cravings. For the most part, they can keep a steady stream of buyers even if they don’t take into account consumer concerns. But as of 2022, even those customers who opt for McDonald’s as their old reliable are finally moving away from the fast food chain due to rising menu prices and inflation. Once upon a time, McDonald’s was a special treat: a guilty pleasure go-to order, a way to celebrate a good report card, a 99 cent soft serve ice cream cone. Not only was it a special occasion delight, but it was even known for having the best and tastiest burgers in the fast food industry. Now the golden arches might be your pick for a quick, not-so-cheap bite while you’re stuck in traffic or too tired to cook, and it certainly won’t be your top choice for a burger when you can go to Shake Shack or Five Guys for both better quality and price. 

From a political perspective, legislative longevity is also heavily dependent upon individuals' ability–or willingness–to hang on and buy in. Some leaders may be able to coast by keeping constituents with bare minimum campaigning and quick fixes, but only for so long. As voters, we may be able to tolerate a campaign promise that doesn’t come to fruition, a policy shift that negates voter values and sentiments, or even donor funding that dictates an elected official’s next move. Although we are disappointed, we still vote along our party lines, donate to campaigns and canvas door-to-door until (or if) there is finally a straw heavy enough to break the camel’s back. Politicians have influence, power and trust–influence, power and trust that ideally has been bestowed upon them at the will of their community. Trust and all that comes with it dissipates with each missed opportunity to connect and become concerned with voter needs. The more an elected official dismisses their constituency, the more at risk they are of losing their voter base to someone else who could fulfill those needs in a more diligent, timely and sincere manner.

Improving Customer Experience Is Community Care, For Everyone 

In order for political campaigns to prove successful, they must not only ask for constituent feedback, but genuinely accept and work to adapt it into their campaign promises and legislation. Creating a team dedicated to collecting and organizing constituent feedback, in addition to feedback forms, email requests, and social media video calls, will help clarify confusion that politicians face when it comes to figuring out who they serve. Having such a team be public facing, and sending regular reports on how that feedback has been taken into account will help develop trust and confidence in officials from constituents. Transparency in business funding and sponsorship would assist in elevating voter concerns. 

Politics is a blurred place–part history, part business, part understanding, part empathy–and the more government institutions are able to embrace and work with the multifaceted nature of public service, the better off they will be as the individuals we elect and trust to create a more equitable society.

Photo by Tiffany Tertipes on Unsplash