Sitting between “Discover” and “Purchase,” this stage is where we guide the customer’s decision—offering personalized recommendations, comparisons, and next-best actions to build confidence.
What is “Advise Me”?
This term is “the effort it takes a customer to get their issue resolved when they face a problem.”
What is Customer Effort?
Being transferred to multiple departments is a hallmark of this kind of environment.
What is a High‑Effort Environment?
This technique focuses on what you can do rather than what you can’t.
What is Positive Language?
Direct statements like “I need you to…,” decisive actions, and minimal small talk signal this communicator.
What is a Direct Communicator?
This stage equips customers with intuitive self-service, in-product guidance, and permissions so they can achieve outcomes without opening a ticket.
What is “Empower Me”?
This kind of effort refers to the actions a customer must take to resolve their issue.
What is Actual Effort?
Repeated outreach and having to restate their issue are signs the customer is in this kind of environment.
What is a High‑Effort Environment?
Presenting multiple viable options—framing one to help the customer feel better about the choice—describes this technique.
What is Positioning Options?
Process and clarifying questions with detailed analysis point to this communicator.
What is a Data‑Driven Communicator?
This stage activates when something goes wrong or a customer is stuck—prioritizing fast, empathetic resolution across phone, chat, and email.
What is “Help Me”?
This kind of effort reflects how hard it felt for the customer to get help.
What is Perceived Effort?
Simple and easy processes are a signature of this kind of environment.
What is a Low‑Effort Environment?
This technique digs deeper to prevent future contacts and help customers get more from Microsoft products.
What is Thinking Ahead?
“I’m worried that…” and empathy‑first statements indicate this communicator.
What is an Emotion‑Driven Communicator?
This part of the CXF is met when we all commit to: advise me, empower me, and help me.
What is "Enabling Our People"?
Providing a simpler, easier process can reduce this type of effort.
What is Perceived Effort?
Keeping customers informed and anticipating needs are examples of building this environment.
What is a Low‑Effort Environment?
Stating the customer’s concern in your own words and checking “Did I get that right?” is this technique.
What is paraphrasing?
Personal questions, storytelling, and playful banter suggest this communicator.
What is a Social Communicator?
This is designed to help reduce customer effort and improve customer's experience.
What is "Customer Experience Framework"?
On the customer support path, effort doesn’t always start here when a customer contacts us.
What is zero?
Delivering a low‑effort experience helps Microsoft build this with customers.
What is a loyal customer base or Loyalty?
Asked to uncover root cause, this type of question digs beneath the surface—often starting broad, then narrowing to specifics.
What is a probing question?
Non‑technical descriptions, slower pace, and “I’m supposed to do what again?” mark this communicator.
What is a Less Technical Communicator?