Time is catching up on me, and soon I will be finishing up this internship. We are getting close to midsummer, and I think most of us are looking forward to that time off to recharge. As I am closing up on my projects at Symplify, I have gotten the chance to reflect on my time here.

As a newbie in this field, my experience at Symplify has taught me new things and at the same time been a validation for my knowledge. It is a great feeling to get that validation that your education is very much relevant, that your knowledge is valuable in a real setting and can be applied in these settings. Moreover, it’s gratifying to know that I have the ability and knowledge to resonate, question, and participate in discussions with legitimate arguments and thoughts.

As I have mentioned in previous blog posts, this internship has been very much driven by me, giving me the opportunity to discover for myself how smaller organisations operate and their process for developing their products. It is satisfying to know that I have been able to plant a seed within the organisation that working according to CX (Customer Experience) principles is important. These principles should be prioritised not just by those working in development, but across the entire organisation.

For an organisation in the early stages of increasing their initiatives to work according to CX principles, it can be challenging to know where to start. As discussed in previous blog posts, adopting CX principles (i.e., to go from product-oriented to become customer-oriented) and incorporating them into the processes is a significant effort that also involves changing the organisational culture. Changing the organisational culture is VERY difficult and takes time. Besides having leadership that advocates for CX, much of it comes down to the organisation’s ability to create processes that enable and free up time for CX to be properly integrated.

Reflecting on my journey, I realise the importance of these foundational steps. Leadership’s commitment to CX is a crucial prerequisite, but it’s equally important to have processes that support this shift. These processes must create an environment where CX can be let loose and flourish without becoming an additional burden. 

In conclusion, my time at Symplify has been a mix of learning and validation. I have seen firsthand how valuable my education is in the real world and how I can contribute to meaningful discussions and projects. As I prepare to move on, I am proud of the impact I’ve had and look forward to seeing how Symplify continues to grow with a strong emphasis on Customer Experience.