a Division of Gibraltar Industries

Tara King is Director of Customer Experience for Gibraltar Building Accessories Division, leading the development and implementation of companywide CX initiatives that improve overall customer satisfaction and brand loyalty. She developed and implemented methods to record, assess, and analyze customer feedback with a data driven CX strategy. Tara set up performance metrics for customer service representatives and developed CX training programs.

Tara has more than 20 years of experience in customer experience strategy and implementation, process improvement, training and development, and network transformation across diverse industries; including automotive, retail, and manufacturing.

Before joining Gibraltar Building Accessories Division, Tara held leadership roles at Volvo Cars USA in customer experience and sales & marketing.

Tara achieved a Management Certification from Yale School of Management. She also attended The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center and the Sotheby's Institute of Art as part of continuing education program in customer experience.

Tara volunteers with local charities within her community.

Following is the conversation we had with Tara.

 Guiding the journey towards exceptional customer experiences, through data and technology 

Could you provide an overview of your role and responsibilities within the company?

My role as the Director of Customer Experience involves strategic thinking, data-driven decision-making, collaboration, and a deep commitment to understanding and meeting customer needs. By focusing on delivering exceptional experiences, I contribute to building customer loyalty, brand differentiation, and overall business success.

What are some of the key challenges you face?

● Insufficient tools and technology

● Tools for getting data to set up KPIs

● Organizational silos

What would you say are some of the futuristic trends that will have an impact in the next 18-24 months?

● Increased AI adoption

● Leveraging voice and visual search

● Harnessing AR and VR technologies

● Self-service

What advice would you give to young professionals who are interested in pursuing a similar career, and what qualities do you think are essential for success in this field?

● CX professionals must look to understand customer problems and perspectives, so they need skills in communication, data collection, relationship building and empathy.  They must have excellent leadership and planning skills. When working in this kind of role, you use your skill set to develop better business practices that help customers. You also need experience working in a product marketing, customer service, or client experience (CX) capacity for an established brand. To become a CX professional, you should have a bachelor's degree in marketing, business administration, or a relevant field.

● Join professional CX networks

● Attend CX conferences to see the latest in technology and gain insights from other CX leaders

● Develop a clear CX strategy that includes data.  Data is key to supporting your CX strategy and getting leadership buy-in

● Understand your customer