In December 2024, the Customer Experience World Games (CXWG) reached a new milestone: going LIVE in-person. A special day in Lithuania, involving Gitana Veličkaitė-Remeikienė, a CX consultant from Towards Customer, left us all incredibly excited about the future of the Games.
A Growing Movement
Since 2020, we’ve played the CXWG with nearly 1,000 volunteer players from the CX community, spanning over 50 countries. What began as a fun lockdown activity has blossomed, assisting almost 30 charities in improving their donor, beneficiary, and volunteer experiences. This success is a testament to the “improve outcomes of others” mantra that resonates deeply within the customer experience specialist.
Beyond Charity: Unexpected Rewards
While our goal is to help charities, we’ve also observed that players derive significant personal rewards. These include learning new techniques shared by fellow players, forging valuable professional connections, and even boosting their self-confidence when collaborating with industry leaders from around the globe. These benefits are not intentional; they simply emerge, making the CXWG a unique community dedicated to making a difference.
The Lithuanian Vision
We initially assumed the CXWG would always be played virtually, even as we partnered with organisations to host games in their local languages. However, everything shifted in the summer of 2024 when Gitana Veličkaitė-Remeikienė, a CX consultant from Towards Customer, requested a meeting. Gitana, a previous CXWG participant, understood the game’s potential to support charities.
We anticipated another virtual regional game, perhaps played in Lithuanian. However, Gitana surprised us with a bold ambition: to host a live, in-person game. My colleague Rodrigo Perea and I exchanged a knowing glance and smiled. The planning began immediately.
A core principle of the CXWG is that players and organisers incur no costs. Gitana explained how we could make this work within the framework of Towards Customer, a progressive CX membership organisation that regularly hosts community events.
Gitana introduced Sandra Matuleviciute-Bagdonaviciene to assist with the setup. Soon, we had a charity, forty players, several respected judges, and most importantly, Jaunimo Linija – a charity providing mental health support for teenagers – on board. While Jaunimo Linija has been operating for over 30 years, they were eager to explore how the CXWG could help them improve their donation page.
Bringing the Game to Life
On the afternoon of 4th December 2024, the excitement was palpable as players arrived. Gitana expressed her gratitude to the players for their confidence in Towards Customer. I then shared the history of the games and outlined the objectives for the day. Following this, three representatives from Jaunimo Linija shared the moving story of a teenager who had overcome suicidal tendencies with their support. This deeply resonated with everyone present. The charity then presented the challenge, which focused on three key areas within the donation journey that required improvement. Sandra concluded the introduction by explaining the game’s format and the two-hour time limit.
A unique touch was the distribution of sweets to each player as they arrived, encouraging them to connect and form new teams.
A Day of Collaboration and Creativity
The teams immediately sprang into action, demonstrating a remarkable level of energy and creativity. Some delved into the Jaunimo Linija website, simulating the donation journey, while others exchanged ideas and shared their expertise. This dynamic environment allowed me to observe the teams and interact with the judges.
We were honoured to have Dr Asta Kyguoliene, Head of Graduate Studies at Vytauto Didžiojo Universitetas, and Inga Petraviciene, Head of Customer Experience Management at Ignitis Lietuva, on the judging panel. Both brought a wealth of experience and a shared passion for leveraging CX to create social impact.
The two hours flew by. The five teams presented their innovative solutions to the group, the charity, and the judges, including Gitana and myself. The charity meticulously documented the valuable insights and practical solutions proposed by each team.
Judging the Entries
The judges, Dr Kyguoliene and Ms Petraviciene, evaluated the entries based on their alignment with the brief and their practical applicability for the charity. Interestingly, the charity and the judges independently selected the same winning team – the aptly named Gazeles (pictured below with the charity).
A Successful Conclusion
After the game, we spoke with several players who expressed enthusiasm for participating again. Jaunimo Linija also expressed their gratitude for the valuable insights and their interest in hosting another CXWG in 2025.
The hospitality of Towards Customer, the enthusiasm of the players, and the exceptional quality of the entries solidified our belief that the CXWG can continue to thrive and evolve. This live event in Lithuania served as a significant milestone, demonstrating the potential for future live games while preserving the integrity and spirit of the CXWG.
Finally, I extend my sincere gratitude to Gitana Veličkaitė-Remeikienė. Her vision and dedication made this event possible, and it will undoubtedly inspire many more to come. for your inspiration – because of you, this event happened and now many more will too.
