In the modern arena of customer experience, becoming a certified customer experience professional will score you some major points. It looks great on a resume and can teach you cutting-edge CX skills such as interpreting customer insights and social metrics, and how to develop new service initiatives.
If your resume needs a little more razzle dazzle, here are some of the best customer experience certification programs, including both general CX certification and customer experience management.
12 Best Customer Experience Certifications Programs
Whether you’re a CX newbie or a seasoned vet, here are some of the best training programs and professional courses to supercharge your skillset. Each offers unique ways to level up your applicable knowledge and many provide accreditations you can present to potential employers and clients. Some may require a CCXP exam, whereas others are more of a for-your-benefit-only seminar.
1. LinkedIn Learning
The career masterminds over at LinkedIn have an immense depth of knowledge and content around customer experience management and how to increase a company’s net promoter score. The best part: their courses are integrated with your personal LinkedIn profile, so potential employers can see what you’re working on and what you’ve already achieved. Complete any LinkedIn Learning course, and you’re getting instant value for your resume. Not to mention, they recently purchased all the content from Lynda Learning for a cool 1.5 billion, so their course library is way bigger now.
Who’s it best for? These online courses are great for the savvy LinkedIn networker. If you’re constantly polishing your LinkedIn profile, growing your audience, hustling for skill badges and endorsements, and posting industry-specific articles, then LinkedIn Learning is the obvious next step for your professional development goals.
Cost: These courses are included with the monthly LinkedIn membership fee, so if you’ve already got a premium account, you’re good to go! The cost is approximately $39.99 per month, but you can save up to 50% if you pay for the 12-month membership upfront.
Online or in-person? LinkedIn courses are delivered online using video recordings, assigned readings, and Q&As. Any certification you receive will be posted on your LinkedIn page upon completion and can be printed off. Hot tip: speed the videos up by 1.25X so you can get through them a little faster.
2. Go Skills
Go Skills provides online learning modules for a wide variety of subjects, and they’ve gone the extra mile in terms of researching and curating their content. With award-winning instructors and strategically designed courses that make learning as easy as possible, Go Skills has a lot going for it!
Who’s it best for? The Customer Service Training program at Go Skills is perfect for beginners looking to break into the CX industry. The course is broken down into 7 topics — the essentials of customer service — and each topic features 3–4 mini lessons. In total, it shouldn’t take more than 11 hours, so if you want to crush it over the weekend, you can start your job search on Monday!
Cost: A Go Skills membership is $29 per month, or $17 if you go for the yearly option. You’ll also gain access to all their other top-notch training programs, so feel free to take a gander at their course catalogue if you’re looking to broaden your horizons.
Online or in-person? Go Skills offers their program through premium video tutorials in bite-sized chunks, so they’re easy to digest. They even have mobile options, so you can study during your morning commute! You’ll also have access to unlimited tests and quizzes, so if you really want to be certain you know your stuff, you can take as much time as you need.
3. Udemy
Udemy is an online training provider with thousands of professional development programs from mega-hyped industry professionals. There’s no shortage of options — in total, there are 1,300 CX-centric courses that teach CX basics as well as advanced customer experience strategy. Their Customer Experience Certification Workshop is one of many high-quality options that will get your resume noticed.
Who’s it best for? With so many courses available, Udemy is truly a “something for everyone” option. The Customer Experience Certification Workshop is pretty beginner-friendl, and other courses, led by CX leaders in their respected fields, are more appropriate for advanced learners looking to dive deeper into CX insights and industry case studies.
Cost: The Customer Experience Certification Workshop is approximately $75, but keep your eyes peeled for flash sales and coupon codes! Some folks have snagged this program for as low as $18.99. Each course has its own price, so you can expect to pay anything from $15 to $200.
Online or in-person? Udemy delivers their courses online through a video format with corresponding assignments to ensure you’ve got a good grasp on the content.
4. Hubspot Academy
Hubspot Academy is a reliable training provider that stands out because it is 100% free-of-charge. That’s right, folks — you can score some shiny new CX credentials, even if your savings account contains nothing but a goose egg. It covers all sorts of topics including great customer experience marketing, sales strategies, and industry case studies. They offer single lessons for Customer Success and Account Health Checks and Managing Your Sales to Customer Success Handoff — both great places to start.
Who’s it best for? This course is targeted at sales reps and managers. Here, you’ll learn how to apply principles of customer experience to connect and explore sales leads.
Cost: Zero. Zip. Nada. Just make an account! No credit card required.
Online or in-person? Each course is exclusively available online, providing a number of self-led video seminars and quizzes to check your knowledge along the way. Each course or lesson comes with an estimated completion time, so you’ll know what you’re getting into.
5. Bonfire Training
This Customer Service Advantage course plunges deep into the soft skills your team needs to deliver a stellar customer service experience. It teaches the importance of empathy, resilience, asking questions, customer advocacy, adaptability, persuasion, and how to employ each of these things to your advantage as a CX professional. The training leans on the principles of DISC, a behavioral assessment tool used to improve teamwork and understand different communication styles.
Who’s it best for? This course is best for teams, as it is designed to be experienced together as a group (either on-site or remotely). It’s also a savvy option for those who value in-person, on-site instruction, so if you tend to doze off during video lectures, this program is definitely worth exploring.
Cost: The cost is flexible depending on the mode of delivery. Remote starts at $1,700 per session as there is no travel cost involved for the trainers. Online training varies by course, as it allows access to modules over a 60-day period. In-person training begins at $3,200 per day.
Online or in-person? There are multiple ways to take this course — online, in person, or via remote webinar in which you can participate together as a group. No matter how you access the course, once it is complete, your team will continue to have access to their trainer for ongoing questions.
6. Coursera
The Branding and Customer Experience course zeroes in on customer experience by teaching the importance of creating a system where someone feels good about your business each time they connect on their journey with the brand.
This certification course will cultivate brand loyalty and teach the student why, from a strategy perpective, CX is mondo important. Professionals can learn how to put customers at the center of the customer experience design and experience strategy. Company leaders can gain valuable knowledge in applying their core organizational beliefs to put the customer experience first.
Who’s it best for? This intermediate course is designed for managers, directors, or VPss who want to ensure their organization is at the forefront when it comes to beating the competition with out-of-this-world CX.
Cost: This course is included with a Courera Plus membership. It costs $59 per month, but it comes with a 7-day free trial, so if you can blast through it in a couple days, you can get your certification for free! n
Online or in-person? This online program delivers it's content through a series of video modules, reading materials, and quizzes. It’s self-directed, so you can learn at your own pace, and should take about 11–12 hours to complete.
7. CX University
This award-winning teaching platform offers a plethora of accredited CX courses to fulfill your academic needs. Become a certified customer experience rep, or gain college credits towards a Bachelor's degree or MBA at Moravian College! While some courses follow a standardize timeline like a typical university, others are available to complete at your own pace to master CX industry core competencies. Try their free net promoter score (NPS) eModule to get started in figuring out where you need to improve.
Who’s it best for? Honestly, who isn’t it good for? These courses are perfect for folks starting out in the CX field, those working towards a master’s, or anyone looking to continue their journey of professional development. It’s a solid choice for both individuals and teams looking to improve their CX work.
Cost: Courses are bundled and tiered, so costs vary from $50 up to $2400 depending on the focus. Each certification exam is charged separately at $69. There are often sales (and the occasional freebie), so it’s worth checking in periodically.
Online or in-person? These courses are available online, but some are within mandated time frames. There are some courses that can be done at the student's own speed, but others are delivered to groups and are timed so the class moves along together.
8. CXPA
The Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP) program was created by the best of the best in the CX field. You don’t have to be a CXPA member to buy in, but if you do decide to join, you can snag some sweet product discounts. Once you buy, you have access to the course content (videos and tests) for life. Beginners will appreciate their CX Foundations lecture, while more advanced professionals will want to tap into their Measurements, Metrics, and Business Value course.
Who’s it best for? The CXPA’s CCXP certification offers unique opportunities for CX professionals looking to network and get involved long-term with like-minded industry leaders. You can, of course, just buy the course and go. However, those interested in a CXPA membership will reap further benefits through volunteer opportunities, insights exchange events, and mentoring.
Cost: Pricing for the CCXP application, exam fee, and one year of individual membership is $720.
Online or in-person? Access your courses online through video recordings. They are flexible in timing, so you won’t have any issues fitting them into our busy schedule. Your certification exam can either take place at one of their monitored test facilities or remotely under the supervision of a remote proctor.
9. Forrester
The Forrester program comprises 5-7 competency-based units divided into levels for core and advanced knowledge. The central course takes 8 weeks to complete and is facilitated by a Forrester instructor (you’ll need this course to do further advanced CX coursework). The advanced courses are more flexible, letting users pick and choose how they want to learn. Students can expect to gain marketable skills in customer journey mapping and optimizing VoC programs.
Who’s it best for? The Core CX program is great for learners who need a bit more hand-holding when it comes to skill development. Their cohort-based session is facilitated over a strict 60 days, meaning external deadlines will motivate you to keep up.
Cost: Courses are priced individually beginning at $2350.
Online or in-person? Courses are offered online but have set schedules for start and end dates. Check out their website for current offerings and time frames.
10. CX Skills
This fundamental training course offers 18 hours of learning, facilitated by an experienced professional hired by the training provider. It teaches the 6 core CX management skills and ways of improving a net promoter score. On top of that, it goes over material in the CCXP exam as required by the Certified Customer Experience Professional Association.
Who’s it best for? This program is for CX leaders who want continuously updated, ultra-relevant skill development instead of pre-recorded video lectures that could be months if not years old. In-person, pre-set times mean you’re paying for adaptive training that can evolve and adapt to include current events, industry news, and exciting new case studies.
Cost: Price is set at $1897 AUD per person (a little over $1200 USD).
Online or in-person? Courses are offered online through the Zoom platform. They are at set times, so you need to register ahead of time to secure your spot.
11. Medallia
Medallia’s 2-level Customer Experience Certification program provides top-notch training, evaluates your current CX efforts, and helps you cultivate a culture of CX accountability within your organization. You’ll learn actionable insights, empowering you to create and achieve CX goals that align with your company’s core values.
Who’s it best for? This program is intended for business leaders, customer experience managers, and decision-makers who are thinking critically about their brand strategy and customer journey.
Cost: You’ll have to reach out to Medallia’s sales team to get a custom quote, but by the sounds of it, they’ve got flexible, scalable options and single metric pricing.
Online or in-person? There are quite a few options to choose from here! Go the online route for self-paced courses, attend a 1-day accelerated training workshop in a major city, or book a private workshop at your office so your entire leadership team can take part.
12. Customer Service Institute of America
This training course offers a comprehensive overview of all the CX basics. Upon completion, you’ll be a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCEP) — similar to CCXP, but with a different governing body. With just 8 modules and only 6.5 hours required for completion, it’s a convenient option if you’re short on time, but still want something tangible to showcase your knowledge to prospective employers. Members will be listed on the CSIA Certification Directory, and you’ll gain the rights to use their certification logo for a little extra street cred.
Who’s it best for? We recommend this program for CX newbies, but if you’re a manager, this can be a fantastic tool for onboarding new team members.
Cost: You’ll pay a flat rate of $247 for all the course materials and subsequent certification. Your certification is valid for 2 years, after which you’ll need to recertify for $67. Recertification will include some quizzes to ensure you’ve retained the required knowledge.
Online or in-person? You can easily complete this online course in one day. Programming includes a downloadable study guide, online quizzes and tests, and a personal action plan.
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These incredibly useful training provider resources offer courses for all levels of customer experience professionals in the CX field, along with training and testing for the CCXP exam.
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