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lost-in-fiction-like-ur-mom · 5 months

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Does the End Justify the Means?

CX-2 (Clone Assassin) x Reader

Summary- CX-2 never planned on forming a relationship, but once he did he had to protect it. Even if it meant killing hundreds to keep you away from Hemlock.

A/N- SPOILERS FOR THE BAD BATCH FINALE. I feel like people forget that deep down, CX-2 is still a clone being forced to serve the Empire. Maybe I'm delusional though!!! MENTIONS OF BURNS AND TORTURE!!

Word Count- 5,253

"You know, CX-2. There was once a time where I considered scrapping you. The very cloning program that made you..." Hemlock started. "You were hard to control. My methods had little effect on you. Considering you had little to live for, well that didn't help."

CX-2 stood, arms crossed behind his back. He listened intently, staring at the grey border of the wall.

"You were too, hmm. Rebellious should I say?" He walked slow circles around CX-2, studying him. "That was until I found your little secret out." Hemlock laughed at his own wit. "Who knew a medic trainee would have an Assassin Clone falling so hard!" He seemed to think the situation was hilarious.

Silent, CX-2 contemplated killing Hemlock where he stood. It wasn't possible though, he was smarter than that. He probably had a weapon on his beloved as they spoke. Perhaps Scorch was with her now...

He didn't want to think about it, so he didn't. Opting to stare back at the wall again.

"Truly, I created you better than that. The problem with you clones is your loyalty. It would typically disgust me. Though, unlucky for you, this all plays out in my favor." CX-2 swallowed hard at his words.

There were not many things that scared CX-2, but the thought of Hemlock hurting you consumed him. Striking him with a never ending fear.

"You will bring me Omega. Unless, you want an accident to happen. That would be tragic, wouldn't it?" The man asked, taunting the clone. All while fiddling with his gloved hand.

For the first time in many minutes, CX-2 spoke. "I will retrieve the girl."

"Good, I do not doubt your abilities." Hemlock stepped closer, right in The Assassins face. "Dire consequences are at stake..."

CX-2 made sure his next stop was Pabu.

CX-2 had no intentions of forming any friendships, especially not a relationship. You, however, came natural to him. In one of Hemlock's attempts to have complete control over CX-2, a burn was implemented on his waist. He remembers the day vividly, as it was the first time he'd met you.

You were only on Tantiss because of your mother. She worked for the Empire as a medic, a famous doctor of some sort. While you never had the knack for the medical field, you enjoyed helping people. It was in your blood after all.

CX-2 was taken to a special room for clones of high status. You were there by sheer accident. A mishap guided you to his side.

"Uhm, hello sir." You introduced yourself. "I'll be your medic today. What's your name?" You asked, a little nervous to be assessing a clone by yourself. He wore black armor, head still covered. You'd never seen that style before, maybe he was new?

CX-2 just stared up at you, a hard gaze. Out of fear, you started to breathe a little heavier. He could have killed you there and no one would have batted an eye.

"Sir, is something the matter?" You pressed on, trying to mask yourself with professionalism.

He continued to stare, eventually pointing at the chart In your hands.

"Of course, uh. CT-4340?"

CX-2 didn't say a word, just tilted his head. You looked at him with doe eyes. "Are you CT-4340?" you hesitated.

"My code is CX-2." He commanded out, a modulated voice appearing.

You almost jumped at the sound. "I uh, seem to have the wrong chart. I am so sorry, I should get a higher official-"

Under his helmet, CX-2 resisted the urge to roll his eyes. His shoulder dropped, annoyed. This caused his side to jolt. The pain of the burn on him was strong, but he withheld any reaction.

You, on the other hand, seemed to notice the very small twitch his waist gave out. "Where are you hurt?" You asked, the words now flowing with a motive in mind.

CX-2 instinctively started unbuckling his chest piece. You flushed slightly, ashamed you couldn't be more serious in the situation. "Do you need help?" His head rose quickly, falling after looking at you for a second. He didn't respond, just continued to take his upper armor off.

Guess not...

The second you saw his skin, you suppressed a gasp. It looked gruesome, like something had repeatedly been burning him. With a deep breath, you shoved down any lasting fear.

Getting to work, you prepared bacta and bandages.

He was still, almost too still. You'd seen plenty of procedures and medics fixing up clones. There had been wincing, complaining, and fidgeting on lesser injuries. You would have expected tears and need of an anesthetic for any other man. But he was still...

You prayed you didn't hurt him more than he already was. You knew your hands were clumsy with inexperience. If you did, he made no effort to tell you nor pull away.

From then on you saw each other more and more. While your mother made sure you got plenty of experience working on clones, you were extremely busy. Never getting a second to actually talk to CX-2. A particular encounter with a clone in the hangar would change this.

You were helping a trooper with a broken arm- Simply wrapping it to prevent further injury. You crouched down, examining the break.

CX-2 was just passing by, heading to see what his next mission was. He barely took note that a soldier under his command broke an arm. Why would he? Clones die everyday, including ones under CX-2.

He did however take note of you. He recognized you immediately. He surprised himself, why would he care about some medic? He'd never remembered the ones that had worked on him in the past.

At this, he stared at you. He took in your silhouette, something deep down told him to bask in your every feature. So, he did.

Of course you felt the beaming eyes of CX-2. It made you nervous. Was there something on your face? Did you make him mad? It distracted you.

"Ow!" The clone exclaimed in pain, face screwing. He yanked his arm up. It was an accident, you were sure. A response to the pain you caused unintentionally. CX-2 didn't seem to think this when he saw the clone raise his arm to hit you.

It all happened so fast, you didn't have time to lean back or even register what was happening. The next thing you knew was that the unidentified clone was on his back. CX-2 stood over him, a vibroblade at his neck and foot on his chest.

Falling onto your butt, you gasped and regained some sense. "CX-2...."

He slowly turned around to face you. The two of you looked at each other. His hand still expertly rested centimeters from killing the clone.

Adrenaline pumping, you spoke. "it's okay. It was an accident."

He pushed the clone back with his foot, hand raising. With the vibroblade still wielded, he stormed to you. Your heart pumped viciously, though not in fear. If he was going to really hurt you, he would have let the clone hit you.

No, your heart thumped in your ears in anticipation.

He grabbed you by the forearm with his free hand, careful of the blade. He yanked you up, off of your position on the cold floor.

You briefly noticed eyes around the hangar now in your direction. You grew nervous, only at their judgmental looks.

The quickness of it all made your head spin. You stepped out, trying not to fall. His hand still gripped your arm, he stood unmoving. He let you catch your balance, just watching you.

"Excuse me, what is going on here?" A vice admiral questioned, appearing from your left.

CX-2's modulated voice said your name. It was harsh and cold, but you somehow knew it wasn't directed at you. "She is my medic."

"And? What gives you the right to attack a clone for no reason?" The admiral demanded.

CX-2 didn't like being questioned. Before you could get a single word in, CX-2 pulled you with him as he turned to leave the hangar.

"Wha-" You decided not to protest, the man was on some kind of mission. One he had made for himself the second he saw a threat to you.

He guided you two through the complex halls and levels of the lab. You were beyond lost, but he seemed to know where he was going. After a few minutes of paced walking, you stopped him.

"CX-2, where are we going? I don't want to risk getting reprimanded by the admiral." You were cautious, the smallest of complaints could get you reassigned. Tantiss was not for the faint of heart.

"You won't." He would make sure of that. He continued to walk, this time a little slower.

Finally, you found some familiarity in the halls. You noticed he was leading you to the very room you met in. The examining room for special operatives.

He pulled you into the room, making sure the door shut behind him.

"Examine me." He demanded.

You were dumbfounded, "Excuse me?"

CX-2 actually rolled his eyes this time, even when you couldn't see them. In response to your confusion, he removed his left arm's armor.

A gash that went from the top of his shoulder to before his elbow was present. "CX-2..." Your sadden voice spoke.

You didn't actually have clearance to be in that room, nor the supplies. But you worked nevertheless.

"Please, sit." You asked. He followed your instructions immediately, sitting up on the exam bed.

Just as the day you met, you retrieved bacta and med patches. You coated the wound in extra bacta, then prepared the gauze wrap.

"So," You held his arm up gently, starting to wrap it. "How did you get this? Was it your latest mission?" Your hands carefully worked, moving under his arm.

"No." Was all you heard.

"Oh, how did it happen?" You asked, trying to make conversation.

His skin twitched as a subconscious response when you smoothed over it.

"Better if you don't know." He kept his eyes on the wall ahead of him. "Sorry I asked..." You really were. He said nothing.

After a few more moments, you made sure the wrap was steady in place. "I think you're done!" You smiled at him. He dropped his arm at his side.

After, he promptly nodded, but gave little indication on what to do next.

You looked around, feeling a little awkward.

"So... What division are you from?" You tried to ease the tension.

"Project Assassin." He said, being short.

"I haven't heard of that, wha-" He inturpted you. "Tell me about you."

You blinked. You'd only seen this man a dozen times, many of those in passing. Even so, a shot of nerves flowed in you each time. There was something special about him. It was like your heart knew something your brain didn't. You weren't a child though, you knew 'love' was something of fairy tales. That there must be a perfectly rational reason you were feeling this way around him.

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything."

Though, if that were true, why did you sit up next to him and tell him everything?

From that day on, the only medic he allowed to work on him was you. The number of visits varied, depending on how evil Hemlock was feeling. CX-2 tried to hide the backstories from you as much as possible, sometimes even ignoring your questions.

Though, late at night, when he'd sneak into your room, he'd tell you the truth. At first he would listen. Anything you'd tell him, you had his full attention. Then, right before you fell asleep, he'd whisper his secrets.

He'd whisper them to the only person he ever trusted, you. Then, it was your turn to listen.

You cried for him, the pains he had went through. He was the perfect clone in your eyes. The only problem was how stubborn he was, no matter how hard Hemlock tried- you were still the only one who could persuade him.

Despite his grunts of protest, you'd just hold CX-2 some nights. Using your fingers to rake through his hair, cradling his head. You tried you best to give him the comfort he had never experienced before.

Everything was going so well. You would continue your training, he would continue his missions, and at night, you would talk and he would listen. You would spoil him with affections under the nights bask.

Of course, all good things must come to an end.

The day Hemlock found out about you was the worst day of CX-2's life.

CX-2 was called in for a meeting about his next mission, something he was used to. He only received orders from the highest of officials, so seeing Hemlock or Scorch was common.

"I have... a special mission of some sort. One I cannot risk incompletion of." Hemlock began.

CX-2 stood upright, ready for instructions.

"Now, despite what we have tried to instill into you- I do not want you to listen to any other orders. I think this particular mission requires your mindset." His words didn't effect CX-2, he'd heard worse.

"One of your fellow operative has been captured. Alive. I will not accept him risking our organization."

"My orders?" CX-2 asked.

"Find and neutralize him." CX-2 nodded at his words.

"You have 48 hours to kill him." Hemlock walked up to CX-2, arms folded behind his back. "If you fail, that...medic... you are so fond of? She will reap the consequences of what you sow."

It was impossible to cover up the way CX-2 breath hitched. If he didn't have a helmet on, Hemlock would see his eyebrows scrunch in anger.

"Yes, that's right. I know about her." Hemlock said, his voice mocking. "Oh, don't fret my little assassin. She will remain unharmed, that is... unless you fail your duty..."

"I trust you will locate him and rid the republic of any information?" Hemlock taunted.

"Yes sir."

How? How did Hemlock find out about you? He was so careful... He immediately headed to your quarters. Damned everyone else, he pushed through crowds and odd stares.

He banged on the door, fist closed. If you hadn't opened in the next 10 seconds, he'd shoot the door down.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." You 'tsked.'

"Oh, CX-2." You breathed out once you opened the door. Unsure if he was there for pleasantries or business.

He shoved his way past you, pressing the button to close the door shut.

"Wha-" He stormed around your rooms, it was quick considering there were only two. A bedroom and bathroom.

He held his blaster up as he checked every crevice of the room. His eyes glanced back at you quickly to make sure you were still there and alive.

"CX-2." You raised your voice. His head shot your way. "What's happened? You're scaring me..."

He paced up to you, removing his helmet as he walked. "He knows about us." Was all he managed out, throwing his helmet to the floor in favor of grabbing your cheeks gently.

Your face dropped, heart pounding in your ears. "How? I don't understand!" You started to breathe heavily.

"I just had to make sure you were safe." His gloved hands felt cool on your hot skin.

Your mind wandered, what would they do?

"I have to leave now." He said, dropping his hands. "No, wait. You can't just drop that bomb and leave!" You had so many questions, and you didn't want to be left alone freighted.

"I do not have time, if I don't complete my mission he will kill you." Your blood ran cold. "I am so sorry I brought you into this. I should have never stepped between you and that clone." He readied himself to exit the room, turning and putting his helmet back on.

"CX-2!" His shoulders dropped, he stood silent. You walked around to face him.

He let you reach your hands up and lift his helmet off. "I'm not upset at you. I only want more time..."

"I can't."

"I know." At your last words, you pulled him down by the collar of his blacks. Now level, you kiss him. Scared it would be your last.

The few seconds your lips touched felt like an eternity. All the time you needed with him...

Eventually, he pulled away. "I-"

"I know... please be safe..." You asked only one thing of him.

He nodded, placing his helmet back on snug. He then walked out your door, your thoughts consumed with wishes of his safety.

CX-2 would fulfill his mission, killing the compromised Operative. Though, that was only the first time he'd have to leave your grasp to keep you alive...

CX-2 reminded himself why he was currently headed to Pabu. 'Dire consequences are at stake' echoed in his mind.

He would capture Omega. He had no care for the innocent people he might have to kill. In his eyes, all of his actions were justified in the name of your well-being.

He never told you of his endeavors, now being sent on more gruesome missions than ever. He knew you'd be disappointed in him, but he also knew he had to always protect you. No matter the cost.

While expertly leading a fleet of soldiers, the only thing that let CX-2 think straight was you. He filled his mind with memories of your laughter. Of the times you begged him to choose a real name, even when he protested. When you first touched, when you first kissed.

He worried for you until the second he had Omega tied up on his ship.

Even after, he was anticipating his reunion with you. He had the girl, he had what Hemlock wanted. He could see you again.

And he did... Hemlock was consumed with his experiments and testing on Omega. So much he that didn't bother CX-2 for a few days. Oh, it was bliss.

The time you shared reminded you of before anyone knew you were together. You both still had your duties as clone and medic, but spent any free time with each other.

You laid in your bed, a glance at the clock scolded you for being up so late. You paid little mind to it, just enjoying the feeling of CX-2's arms around you.

With your head now buried in his chest, you let your hands wander. Slipping under the top portion of his blacks. He used to shiver reluctantly when you felt his skin, now it seemed like second nature.

You loved tracing his scars, the texture consuming you. While they were painful memories, they were treated with love and tenderness. He looked at his scars and thought of you, how you took care of him so nicely and delicately. Not Hemlock.

A light flickered from his panel brace. The one that rested on your nightstand. It lit up the room, and CX-2 immediately reached for it. he pulled away from you, but was careful to keep a connection with his leg still feeling you.

"I have to go." He said, standing to put his arm and chest armor back on.

While he was always quick and determined when hearing from Hemlock or Scorch, he was frantic here.

"Did something happen?"

"Nothing, do not stress. I love you." He gave you a quick kiss on the lips, and an affectionate rub of your thigh before putting his helmet on and leaving.

You sighed and leaned back when the door closed again. This was slowly becoming the new normal for you. You still savored every spare second you had together...

Just as you rolled over to fall asleep, the door opened. "Did you forg-" You jumped up, almost hitting your head on the baseboard of the bed. It was Scorch.

"Come with me. Now." He grabbed your arm and pulled you rough out of bed.

"Excu-"

"You are under arrest until further assessment." He forcefully put you in handcuffs.

You tried to resist, but put up no real fight in comparison to the trained clone. He grew tired of you and stunned you with his blaster.

You fell unconscious.

"You activated me?" CX-2 asked over Comms, like he would in any other situation.

"It seems we have another problem with our favorite girl." Hemlock said.

Omega...

"You see, she has managed to escape with the other children. Did I mention she also freed the zillo beast?"

CX-2 listened intently, not moving a muscle.

"You have been the only operative capable of capturing Omega thus far. I will see that you will find her again. Before she finds some way to leave the planet." CX-2 could hear the frustration in Hemlocks voice. It made him flicker a smile.

"Affirmative."

"Oh, and as a little motivater, I think it would serve you well to know your medic is currently held up in a cell." Hemlock went radio silent, leaving CX-2 to head to the exposed section of the base. The hole the Zillo beast left, and the way Force 99 was headed.

Your head throbbed, vision a little blurry. Raising your head from the cold of the floor, you noticed you were in a cell.

The room spun around before you sat up. Your whole body ached. Not to mention the confusion you were feeling.

Looking around, you saw other prisoners lining the walls. You knew exactly where you were. The hall where all the traitors and experimental clones were kept.

Were they going to experiment on you too? Was CX-2 okay? Did something happen to him that made Hemlock finally get you?

The building shook with a loud boom, it did nothing to help your nerves. It sounded like some kind of cannon went off.

"You okay?" A clone asked in the cell across from you.

"I don't know..."

With the effort and passion of a man whose entire reason for living was at risk, CX-2 and the other Clone Assasins were able to capture the rouge clones.

With his blaster barred in his hands, CX-2 guarded the three prisoners. He was occupied with the thought of what The Empire was doing to you.

You must have been so scared in a cell... He knew you didn't like small spaces. With his new fury, he closed his fist, doing yet another round of the platform they were on.

Boredom was unable to strike you, anxieties kept you busy. Your mind ran wild with the possibilities of CX-2. For a moment you questioned if he had just abandoned you as a whole, but quickly shunned yourself for bringing it up.

CX-2 loved you, and wouldn't dare leave you to rot.

"Look!" A clone yelled out, just as you saw a small girl and a storm trooper running by.

What were they doing?

They crept around the corner, swiftly blasting and taking out 2 storm troopers in the process. The girl got to work on the main computer that operated the cells.

"Hey kid, whats going on?" Someone asked.

"We're breaking you out."

Seconds later, your cell door opened. You slowly walked out, unsure what to do. What would CX-2 do in a situation like this? He'd probably tell you to keep your head down and blend in. Stay out of trouble, 'for his sake.'

You did just that, creeping out of the cell and hiding within the groups of clones.

Apparently, the 'storm trooper' was a clone, so was the girl. They were on a mission to free their three brothers, recruiting clones as they did so.

Was this the big mission CX-2 was called to? To capture the people they were here to rescue?

"We've checked all the cells, they aren't here."

You knew where they probably were... The training room. The very room that tortured and left your beloved marked. You didn't dare say a word. As much as you hated Hemlock and his 'methods,' worse things would happen if CX-2 failed his mission...

"Well... they could be in the training room." Damn, another clone had though the same as you.

They decided to head there, a few turning for an easier escape.

What should you do? Warn CX-2? You weren't raised as a soldier, you had no training. No fighting experience. You knew how to save and help, not attack and kill.

A small hand was rested on your arm, the girl from earlier. "Hi, I'm Omega."

You looked down to her. "I know it's kind of scary, but we have to fight for what's right.." If only she knew your true intentions...

"You're right... i'll come with you..." All you wanted was to find CX-2.

So, you did. Following them to the training room, they planned an attack from the lower circle.. You, however, had a new idea. To come in through the main balcony. The one that led directly to Force 99.

You managed to sneak away and climb the steps that brought you to the main doors.

"Hey, you! Are you supposed to be here?" A trooper stopped you.

"Yes sir," You gave him your chain code, "I am a medic. Hemlock has requested my services in the Training room." You lied, faking a confidence you never had.

"I never heard about Hemlock ever needing a medic in the training room..."

"Well if you want to ask him, while the Zillo beast is one the loose, he has new prisoners, and while his top experiment is lost- Be my guest. I just don't think he'd be very happy with you questioning his methods." You crossed your arms behind your back, something you'd seen CX-2 do many times.

"Fine." He moved out of your way, letting you head to your destination.

You walked to the door, ready to put your mother's clearance codes in. With a steam they opened, leaving you to witness a terrible sight.

The 3 captured clones were out, fighting. You got there in time to see the big clone burst out of the glass, tackling a special operative.

With the sound of the door, the man with a bandana looked your way. Along with CX-2, who rose swiftly upon seeing you. You distracted him long enough for the clone without a hand to blast him in his side.

You gasped as you watched CX-2 fall in your direction.

With an electrospear in his hand, the bandana man stepped to him. He only managed to zap him once before you ran in.

"No!" Your scream pierced out, you threw yourself onto CX-2. Using your body to cover his.

You didn't care if you died then and there, at least you'd die in CX-2's arms. You'd at least die together...

"No, don't!" You squeezed your eyes shut, prepared for a shock that never came. You felt a weak hand raise from under you to grip your clothes.

Tears streamed down your face violently. Pattering on CX-2's armor.

"You do realize the crimes he has committed..." The man panted out, he was also wounded.

"Please, it was for me... It was all for me..." You sobbed out. "Hemlock threatened my life..." You buried your head in his neck, holding him tightly.

"Hunter, no. We should kill them both now." The handless man spoke.

The man you assumed to be Hunter didn't have time to respond.

"I swear we wont follow you... Hemlock is probably on his way to his private ship... I swear..." Your words were muffled but they understood well enough.

"We are wasting time, lets go." Hunter commanded, the two of them left.

You gave out a whimper, "CX-2... Please... Stay with me." You pried his helmet off. He was in a rough state.

His eyes struggled to focus on one thing, but he still tried to find your face. "It'll be okay, just let me grab a med pack." You went to pull away, but he gripped you tighter.

"Let me.. hold," He coughed, "You.."

"You are not going to die on me. You wouldn't do that to me, would you?" You tried to joke. He shook his head, 'no.'

"Then let me do my job, and help you." He still held you tightly. "Please... you deserve to live..." He let you go.

It was only half a minute, you grabbed a medics kit that was nearby and began patching him up.

Making quick work of taking his armor and blacks off. It reminded you of the first time you'd done this to him. A very similar wound on his waist.

You forced him a pill, and squeezed out as much bacta as you could from its packet.

"Can you roll over for me, baby?" You asked, helping him get on his side.

He complied as much as he could, and you were able to patch up his other side.

"Okay, this will hold you over. I know the closest procedure room, a droid can give you a proper examination." You helped him stand, an arm under his own to keep his balance.

"You'll be okay, we'll be okay..." You whispered praises and words of affirmation to him. The walk was extremely painful for him, you could tell he was hiding most of it from you.

Lucky for both of you, a droid was able to identify where the blast was and give him a proper cleaning of the wound.

He was still woozy, but forced himself to stand. "We have to go. Tarkin is on his way.." CX-2 strained out. He was stubborn and refused any medication that would cloud his mind.

"W-where? Your ship?" You were scared, not just for CX-2, but your futures as well.

He pressed a few buttons on his panel brace as you picked up his helmet.

"Turn left." He instructed you all the way to his ship, even with the pain starting to blur his vision.

The two of you somehow managed to make it to his ship, you opened the door with his panel brace and sat him in the co-pilot's seat.

You clicked away, starting the ship up. Though, you did need some guidance from him.

You had never flown a ship before, but knew you had to take the risk to save CX-2. It was wobbly, but you raised the ship and let Auto-Pilot blast you into hyperspace. It had a set of coordinates in, ones you didn't know the location of.

A groan made you turn to your lovers direction, you were at his side immediately. Crouching down you spoke, "Hey, its okay... We're far away. You can take the pain medication, its just us two."

He peaked open an eye to look at you, his face barred disappointment in himself. Almost like he was a lesser man if he took the meds.

"Take them. If not for yourself, for me." You pulled them from your pocket. He did take them, minutes later he felt the relief.

You took another look at his wound, it was stable for now. You figured that he would need a cleaning and new bandages in a few hours. Hopefully his medkit was fully equipped on his ship. If it was, you'd be able to last many days without needing to land.

You stood, pulling his head to your breast. "Shhh, rest now. We are both safe."

He truly did feel safe in your arms, like he didn't have to always be on guard. A huge change from his normal. One he'd hoped he could live out with you for the rest of his life...

A/N- Thank you so much for reading! I got a little carried away with this one... I just had to get this idea written down!!!

Tags-(lmk if you want to be tagged as well!) @thethreeeyed-raven @knight-of-flowerss @dangraccoon

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norraexploradora · 4 months

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The Tragedy of the CX Troopers and the Missed Opportunity to Teach Us All an Important Lesson

A deeper look into how the CX-Troopers were handled in the Bad Batch and the narrative surrounding them that unfortunately got dropped in season 3

I want to start off by applauding the Bad Batch for the brave attempt to tackle dark topics throughout the series and presenting them in a way that is appropriate for families to watch and discuss with their children. Most of series is successful in being just dark enough to raise tension but to also keep things suitable for a child’s first glimpse into the harsh realities of life. However there still a few places that missed the mark.

The one I wish to cover today is the inconsistent narrative surrounding the CX-Troopers. I’m not here to say it was bad writing per se, but if a dark topic is discussed in a family oriented tv series, it is best to commit adequate time to truly flesh it out so the messaging is clear. Subjective is great in a mature series like Andor, but kids lack the life experience required to read between the lines.

And yes, exposition does make dialogue sound clunky at times, but there is a reason why most cartoons in the 80s had the kind of “The more you know” lesson after each episode. The Bad Batch was no different. Tech’s speech in the Crossing and his encouragement to Omega at the end of Retrieval are perfect examples of this.

In my opinion, there was an opportunity for an important lesson to be learned from the CX Troopers that was brought up but left unfinished. These shadow operatives could have been a way to show the viewer how anyone can be “brainwashed” either by force or by clever manipulation.

One operative in season 2 called himself a “Believer” which seems to evoke he was forcibly submerged into a cult-like indoctrination. It’s also why I prefer to use the phrase “coercive persuasion” or “forced persuasion” instead of brainwashing as they are a more accurate description of the process that has been historically implemented by governments, cults, and captors in order to make good people believe in or do horrible things.

Dr. Hemlock’s use of forced persuasion on select clones to turn them into CX-Troopers is a interesting look into the real world and well-documented cases of brainwashing within fascist regimes; especially in wartime settings. It is common and disturbing tactic implemented in moments of great despair and something that deserves more focus within the narrative if it is to be brought up as a major plot point.

Most of the brainwashing aspects in the Bad Batch were rapidly glossed over probably due to time and budget constraints, and not so much by the dark and disturbing imagery. One can easily get the “idea across” without showing it explicitly. (Like Crosshair having his hand chopped off. We didn’t see it but yeah, we get the gist).

I will say however, that despite the mystery surrounding brainwashing in the CX-Program, one of the more poignant moments was Captain Rex telling a caught CX Trooper that he was still their brother and that they would help him. It was a beautiful show of compassion and introduced new plot element; that the soldiers who undergo forced persuasion could possibly be reached or even saved.

It’s not a stretch to believe that the Bad Batch would take this route given the series had built up “we don’t leave our own behind” as one of the main themes. It would also be safe to say that saving fictional heroes from brainwashing gives us hope that real life survivors can recover from such trauma.

It was one of the many reasons fans were led to believe that the mysterious CX-2 operative could have been Tech or Cody. The focus on this particular shadow operative gave rise to speculation that he was different, that there was something coming to shed light or hope that a lost soldier could be found and rescued; something that would make sense of it were a character we already cared greatly about.

Alas, CX-2 was kept a mystery box that gave no insight to the tragic nature of his existence nor gave us a reason to mourn his death. That is why the battle between the Bad Batch and Hemlock’s Batch of secret operatives felt rushed and incomplete to some viewers. There wasn’t proper time for the story to breathe beyond “One Batch is good, the other Batch is bad.”

There were simply too many dropped narratives throughout the final season that reduced the whole CX Trooper plot to a video game-esque final boss battle. Don’t get me wrong, it was an amazing fight, beautifully animated, terrifying, and intense; but nevertheless, it felt hollow because the build-up went nowhere.

At that’s exactly where the narrative around the tragic nature of brainwashing got lost.

It’s important for you to know that I’m not saying the Bad Batch killing these operatives in the final fight was wrong. I’m also not saying that they should have tried to reach out to save these Shadow Operatives in the middle of of a life and death situation. It’s just unfortunate that we were never given a reason to feel anything other than relief that the CX-Troopers were killed.

And yes, this is a show about the Bad Batch and not brainwashed mystery troopers, but I stress, the writing set up these characters and introduced a very dark and disturbing concept to young viewers. With more time and effort spent on the narrative, it could have been an important lesson that applies to real life.

Coercive Persuasion is not a fantasy concept. It is very very real. Sleep deprivation, isolation, abuse, constant interrogation, drugging, shame, and humiliation, are all various means to break down a person’s will and forcibly persuade them into believing anything.

One can simply look to how many people get forced into false confessions by unethical police practices, or those who end up committing atrocities due to cult leader manipulation. A more common and less obvious example is social media outlets designed to spin conspiracy theories; coercing people into believing anything they want, like like the Earth is flat and microchips were put in Covid vaccines. By preying upon people’s anger and fear, these sites cultivate distrust and can lead one to extremist thinking.

This is real world, dark and scary stuff that needs to be handled with serious care and consideration of bringing it into an animated Star Wars series.

So given more time and budget, how could this lesson be shown through the story of the Bad Batch? How could these brainwashed operatives been presented in a way to that is scary but still gives younger audiences a way to sympathize with them?

Shedding more light on a terrifying process would remind us the CX-Troopers are victims and despite their terrifying nature, they still deserve our compassion and empathy. So giving the operatives more of a backstory is a good start.

For Example:

Showing the transformation of at least one of these operatives before the final battle would provide more emotional impact after their demise. Having kids clearly, and not subjectively, understand that under those cool costumes there used to be good men is such an important lesson. It reinforces the narrative that the real villains aren’t these soldiers but the regime that warped their minds and forced them into mindless monsters.

To be clear, this a a family series and I am in no way implying that a clear visual of lengthy torture would be acceptable. There are already hints through Crosshair’s PTSD and that is enough to get the idea across.

My suggestion would have been to place the sniper clone who eventually became CX-2 in the cell next to Crosshair while on Tantis. The viewer gradually sees these two men go back and forth to their cells after these conditioning sessions and the witness bond that forms between them. Crosshair is forced to see CX-2’s identity slip more and more away after each session until he is no longer the person he once was. The sadness and loss of seeing this man lose his identity not only leaves a mark on Crosshair, but by the viewer as well.

The scene of the shadow operative watching Crosshair on Tantiss and the one shadow operative calling him “brother” would have made more sense in retrospect. In addition, having an emotional and clear connection between Crosshair and the man who became CX-2, would have given their epic fight on top of the waterfall more emotional weight. CX-2’s line “You could have been one of us. You made the wrong choice” would be more resonant to the viewer. CX-2 would literally be a sniper shadow operative that Crosshair could have become verses a subjective mystery box.

To further this narrative and Crosshair’s character arc, making the above change to the story could have also opened the door to Crosshair eventually saving this lost brother. Omega’s determination to never give up on Crosshair could have resulted in Crosshair reaching out to CX-2 and eventually getting through to him before the final battle. It would have been so emotional and fulfilling.

And yet…as lovely as that would have been, I realize the above scenario would require at least one additional episode; which the animation team probably didn’t have the luxury or the budget to do. So I’ll offer another solution:

Adding a few minutes here and there during season 2 and the beginning of season 3 dedicated to Hemlock’s treatment to the CX-Troopers and other Clone prisoners would give the viewer a clearer picture into the nature of the CX Program. The result would be that the feeling of triumph wouldn’t be seeing the shadow operatives lying dead on the floor but knowing that the experimentation on the clones at Tantiss by Dr. Hemlock was finally over.

So in conclusion:

It’s a shame that the shadow operatives were left a mystery and simply became foils and metaphors. The fight at the end was nothing more than the Batch having to kill or be killed and it failed to showcase a serious topic with less black and white thinking.

With more time, the writers could have explored the tragedy of forced coercion. Discussing a difficult subject in a manner fit for young audiences could leave them with awareness when they are faced with a similar real world scenario.

The CX-Trooper plot could have also been a good way for a parent to discuss what coercive persuasion does to people; especially in today’s world where social media is rife with bad people luring in youth and manipulating their anger and fear into extremist thinking.

Think about it.

How does someone get so isolated that they fall prey to extremism and they end up committing acts of terrorism? How does one get indoctrinated into a cult and become so brainwashed that they take their own lives or the lives of others at the behest of a cult leader? How would an innocent person sign a confession of a crime they didn’t commit?

These are all good questions that people often ask after horrendous real life events and can regularly be seen on the daily news and social media. Having a fictional metaphor for scary real world issues that children could easily understand would be exactly the kind of thing Star Wars was created for. It was also created to give children and all of us hope.

So in the end, the lesson should have been that people who fall victim to brainwashing aren’t weak or gullible. They have been put through extreme duress and put through unethical means of isolation and manipulation.

And if there is hope for even one of the CX-Troopers to be saved, we as a society should have empathy and try to reach out to those in our own lives who have been a victim of coercive persuasion before writing them off.

Disclaimer:

One thing I’ve learned in life is that platforms like Twitter are not places for deep discussions and good faith arguments. You have a set number of letters to get your ideas across and interpreting the meaning or tone always leads to misunderstandings.

That is why I’m coming to to Tumblr to discuss my deep dives into season 3 of the Bad Batch. I am the type of person who doesn’t like angry, confrontational sparring over ideas.

My goal is to shed light on a different perspective; not to make anyone agree with me, but just to understand that we can all watch the same show and interpret things differently due to our own life experiences. By explaining my viewpoints, I’m showing you into my thought process. You are certainly free to disagree but I’m not trying to change your feelings on the matter, nor do I wish for anyone to forcibly change mine.

We can all exist in the same space and I encourage anyone who has a different view to write an analysis of their own instead of arguing in anyone’s comment section. Be kind and respectful and most of all, remember this is fiction and subjective interpretation. There are so many things to be really angry about in the world and Star Wars is the least of our worries.

Cheers and as always, May the Force be with you!

#tbb #tbb crosshair #the bad batch #tbb tech #the bad batch crosshair #bad batch spoilers #bad batch season 3 #badbatch #clone force 99 #bad batch tech #cx 2 #cx troopers

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ladyzirkonia · 4 months

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PART 1 (because of link limits, Part 2 following soon)

Hello my friends! I finally put all my GIFs and Edits together. I created a lot of stuff for this season so check it out if you missed something.

I know Tumblr can be a bitch about implementing GIFs, feel free to use them if you credit them correctly, thank you! Z 🖤

Divider by @saradika and @idontgetanysleep

GIFs

Roland Durand

Tech had me memorized all the plans - Omega and Crosshair

Crosshairs comeback

Omega and Tech piloting

The gambler and his murder kitten - Omega and Crosshair

Crime boss Lady Durand

Dr. Royce Hemlock in Different Approach

Mourning - Crosshair and Mayday

Crosshair teaching Omega about being a sniper

No hug for me?! - Crosshair and Echo

Crosshair mentioning Tech

Little brother! - Crosshair and Omega

Omega and the toothpick

The return of Commander Wolffe

Just like old times - Wrecker and Crosshair, Rex and Howzer

Captain Howzer

You better keep them in line - Omega and Echo

If you want to keep her save - Omega and Hunter

Rolling Wowzer Howzer

Rex just being the badass king he is

Pirate. She's a pirate - Crosshair and Omega

Good man this Hunter - Crosshair and Hunter

Fennec Shand

Batcher and Crosshair

Batcher and Crosshair Part 2

Hunter, Wrecker and the Spacegator

Welcome to Space-Florida

I never gave up on you - Omega and Crosshair

Crosshair and Ventress

Look you made a new friend! - Crosshair and Wrecker

You can do it! - Wrecker and Hunter

How fun for me - Omega and Ventress

Who says that's what she's doing - Crosshair and Ventress

Knife throwing with Hunter and Ventress

You sure you wanna leave these behind? - Omega

Hunter senses are tingeling again

The Marauder exploding - Wrecker and Gonky

Until she's turned over to me, your island will burn - CX-2

Hunter jump, throw and kick

Concerned Crosshair

Dripping Hunter

Crosshair missing the shot

Return of the true toothpick king - Cad Bane

Phee, Tech and Crosshair

Phee the badass pilot

I didn't make it to Vice Admiral on looks alone - Rampart

Crosshair shoving Rampart

They found me - Omega

Badassery of flying - Hunter

You've got to be kidding! - Rampart

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nickmillermit · 6 months

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What can home theaters teach us about CX?

Can I share a secret with you? Well, I'm a bit of an audiophile -- which is the snobby way of saying that I really like high-end (see: expensive) audio gear. Whether I'm strolling to class listening on my Sennheiser cans, at home A/B testing my Fender CS 1963 Strat through a pair of Amplified Nation and Dr. Z cabinets, or just sitting on my couch watching Netflix at my home theater...I like to listen, a lot, and I like to listen LOUDLY.

But you know what I don't like? Like, really, really don't like? The process of buying this very gear that I love so much. In fact, I get anxiety just thinking about trying to mix and match speaker impedance levels, amplifier power ratings, and frequency response curves. Even worse is when the damn package finally shows up at my door and I find myself in a labyrinth of instruction manuals, cable snakes, and an array of switches or vaguely named controls that look like the cockpit of 747.

As Adam Richardson says in his HBR article on customer journeys, this experience should be "plug and play" but in reality is more "plug and pray." But why does the experience for such amazing products often suck?

The concept of mapping out a customer's journey from "cradle to grave" is something that many businesses are either A) not doing, or B) not good at doing. As the global economy has turned decidedly digital, many e-commerce providers have seemingly focused on selling top-tier products at the expense of creating world-class experiences. Whether it be due to cost compression, commoditization, increased competition, more efficient buying processes, or none or all of these things, the customer is the one suffering from a worsening experience.

Richardson's take on the use of customer journey maps to improve the end-to-end experience therefore hits home for me. The essence of it all is simple: understanding the step-by-step saga customers endure, often represented visually, from the initial allure of product research through the maze of its acquisition and implementation/setup, to the eventual daily use and beyond. This journey, ideally, should be a seamless adventure with proper customer support at key junctures.

Retailers and manufacturers, let me be loud and clear: you need to embed the customer's voice and experience into every product and process. This isn't just about solving problems -- it's about anticipating them, and designing experiences that preempt confusion and frustration. Next time you start creating a new product, take the time to interview customers, understand their journeys, and learn what it's like to research, purchase, use, and maintain or repair your items. All that's at stake is your entire brand.

As someone who lives and breathes for the joys of experiencing high-fi sound, I dream of a day when the end-to-end process of setting up my sound systems is as smooth as Stevie Wonder. Let's just hope the industry is listening....

#MITSloanBranding2024A

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elsa16744 · 2 months

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What is Customer Analytics? – The Importance of Understanding It

Consumers have clear expectations when selecting products or services. Business leaders need to understand what influences customer decisions. By leveraging advanced analytics and engaging in data analytics consulting, they can pinpoint these factors and improve customer experiences to boost client retention. This article will explore the importance of customer analytics.

Understanding Customer Analytics

Customer analytics involves applying computer science, statistical modeling, and consumer psychology to uncover the logical and emotional drivers behind consumer behavior. Businesses and sales teams can work with a customer analytics company to refine customer journey maps, leading to better conversion rates and higher profit margins. Furthermore, they can identify disliked product features, allowing them to improve or remove underperforming products and services.

Advanced statistical methods and machine learning (ML) models provide deeper insights into customer behavior, reducing the need for extensive documentation and trend analysis.

Why Customer Analytics is Essential

Reason 1 — Boosting Sales

Insights into consumer behavior help marketing, sales, and CRM teams attract more customers through effective advertisements, customer journey maps, and post-purchase support. Additionally, these insights, provided through data analytics consulting, can refine pricing and product innovation strategies, leading to improved sales outcomes.

Reason 2 — Automation

Advances in advanced analytics services have enhanced the use of ML models for evaluating customer sentiment, making pattern discovery more efficient. Consequently, manual efforts are now more manageable, as ML and AI facilitate automated behavioral insight extraction.

Reason 3 — Enhancing Long-Term Customer Relationships

Analytical models help identify the best experiences to strengthen customers’ positive associations with your brand. This results in better reception, positive word-of-mouth, and increased likelihood of customers reaching out to your support team rather than switching to competitors.

Reason 4 — Accurate Sales and Revenue Forecasting

Analytics reveal seasonal variations in consumer demand, impacting product lines or service packages. Data-driven financial projections, supported by data analytics consulting, become more reliable, helping corporations adjust production capacity to optimize their average revenue per user (ARPU).

Reason 5 — Reducing Costs

Cost per acquisition (CPA) measures the expense of acquiring a customer. A decrease in CPA signifies that conversions are becoming more cost-effective. Customer analytics solutions can enhance brand awareness and improve CPA. Benchmarking against historical CPA trends and experimenting with different acquisition strategies can help address inefficiencies and optimize marketing spend.

Reason 6 — Product Improvements

Customer analytics provides insights into features that can enhance engagement and satisfaction. Understanding why customers switch due to missing features or performance issues allows production and design teams to identify opportunities for innovation.

Reason 7 — Optimizing the Customer Journey

A customer journey map outlines all interaction points across sales funnels, complaint resolutions, and loyalty programs. Customer analytics helps prioritize these touchpoints based on their impact on engaging, retaining, and satisfying customers. Address risks such as payment issues or helpdesk errors by refining processes or implementing better CRM systems.

Conclusion

Understanding the importance of customer analytics is crucial for modern businesses. It offers significant benefits, including enhancing customer experience (CX), driving sales growth, and preventing revenue loss. Implementing effective strategies for CPA reduction and product performance is essential, along with exploring automation-compatible solutions to boost productivity. Customer insights drive optimization and brand loyalty, making collaboration with experienced analysts and engaging in data analytics consulting a valuable asset in overcoming inefficiencies in marketing, sales, and CRM.

#data analytics consulting

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techy-guy · 4 months

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Enhancing customer experiences with AI - Sachin Dev Duggal

The CX Challenge: From Data Deluge to Personalized Insights

Improving the customer experience has always been concerning for businesses, and the problem comes with harnessing those vast volumes generated through every interaction – web clicks, social network engagements, problem-solving conversations, and others.  Usually, such data deluge is scattered and unstructured making it difficult to extract meaningful insights needed for strategic CX decisions.

This is where AI steps in. AI integrated with Machine Learning (ML) possesses unique strengths in pattern recognition and data analysis; they can sift through mountains of customer data revealing hidden trends and preferences.  Imagine being able to predict customer needs proactively, personalize marketing campaigns in real-time, or identify at-risk customers before they churn. 

There’s no doubt that personalization is one of the areas where AI solutions leave indelible marks. Modern users demand personalized experiences within the realm of CX since they anticipate exclusive responses corresponding to their distinct preferences. By crafting customized interactions across various touchpoints from targeted marketing campaigns to intuitive user interfaces, Builder AI under supervision by Sachin Dev Duggal facilitates tailored customer experience. Through predictive analytics as well as machine learning algorithms, businesses can accurately predict customer needs thereby building deeper relationships leading to brand loyalty.

Symphony of Customer Interactions and Customer Satisfaction

Not all AI solutions are created equal. In order to have an impact on CX transformation, we need AI that goes beyond mere automation. This is where AI comes into its own. Platforms like Sachin Dev Duggal’s Builder AI go above and beyond pre-programmed NLP-powered chatbots or basic analytics by enabling businesses to develop and manage a complete AI ecosystem for CX. Think of it as a conductor, harmonizing customer interactions.

AI is not a passing trend; it's a revolution in the making. By implementing AI, businesses can set a new bar of customer satisfaction, fostering agility, efficiency, and a culture of innovation.

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oddfaun · 5 months

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Bad Batch Finale Prediction

(I'm just writing out a working theory that violently popped in my head, since I've been dreading this last episode. If you have any other Finale predictions, counter arguments, etc. feel free to discuss!)

What if the reason why we haven't seen Tech at all, besides the working theory that he is CX-2, is that Hemlock was right. He did find Tech, but all he could recover was his brain. That's why they haven't been any episodes alluding to us finding out about the clone testing or what Hemlock really knows about Tech's fall. (I am 10000% a Tech Lives truther and even if this is the way it goes, I still will believe he's alive). He used cloning technology to implement Tech's brain into another subject.

The way my thoughts are running around in are that, Emerie is gonna tell Echo about the Clone experiments briefly while leading him to rescue Omega. Then Rampart is gonna expose Wrecker, Hunter and Crosshair, leading them to get captured to Hemlock. Omega will let the Zillo beast out and as the children use the chaos to escape (probs with Echo), the Zillo will eat Hemlock and Rampart. And (based on my Tech theory), we find out about CX-2 identity, and IDEALLY take him and the rest of the Batch out of Tantiss with Rex coming in for the rescue pickup.

#tbb #the bad batch #bad batch season 3 #the bad batch season 3 spoilers #God I don't want to be right about the Tech stuff #I've been dreading this day for weeks now since we havent got a proper reveal or explanation #I just need to get these thoughts out of my head

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diabolus1exmachina · 2 years

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Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut (the carbon fiber that covers the body costs more than a Lamborghini Aventador - 372.000 euros).

Koenigsegg predicts that the Jesko Absolut will exceed the maximum speeds achieved by "any homologated car", To achieve this, the small Swedish manufacturer will rely on a 5.0 V8 biturbo petrol engine capable of developing 1,316 hp, which becomes 1,622 hp with a maximum torque of 1,500 Nm if fed on E85. It is the most powerful thermal unit of the firm to date, exceeding the 1,115 CV granted by the 2.0-liter in-line three-cylinder of the brand new Gemera. Sending power to the wheels is a 100% Koenigsegg designed and built nine-speed multi-clutch LST transmission that weighs just 90kg, while modern high-performance DCT gears stop the scale at around 120kg. A key factor is the removal of the Koenigsegg Jesko's prominent rear wing in favor of two fins designed to reduce drag while also helping to generate high-speed stability. In this way, the 1,400 kilograms of downforce of the original model is reduced to just 150 kg in the Jesko Absolut. At the same time, more aerodynamic front splitter fins have been implemented, and each surface has been optimized so that air slides as easily as possible over, under and through the body. To further this objective, it has also been decided to stretch the rear of the Jesko Absolut by 85 mm compared to the Jesko.

The result of all these improvements, which have involved 3,000 hours of work by the firm's engineers, is an exceptional aerodynamic coefficient (CX) of 0.278. With all this, the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut presents the necessary guarantees to oppose the fastest car in the world.

#Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut #Gemera

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kawaoneechan · 1 year

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Okay. I'm stumped.

open proc fname:ptr byte, mode:word ;Open the file with name 'fname'. ;The access is defined by 'mode': ; 0 = _read ; 1 = _write ; 2 = _read/_write call ClearDosError

; mov dx, fname ; mov al, byte ptr mode ; dos dosOpen

mov ax, 6C00h ; DOS 4.0 Extended Open/Create mov bx, mode xor cx, cx ; attribs for new file (none) mov dx, 1 ; action (fail if missing, open if not) lea si, fname int 21h

.if carry? mov ax, NO_HANDLE .endif

ret open endp

The commented three lines are SCI's original open implementation. The next block is my attempt to update it from DOS 2.0 to 4.0, in preparation for LFN support because Win95's LFN version of AX 6C00h uses basically the same semantics as DOS 4.0. Then the ".if carry?" block is original SCI again.

Can't find configuration file: RESOURCE.CFG Please run the Install program.

Script #: 0, IP: 0

So clearly it failed to open and I don't know enough to correct whatever mistake is in here.

#sci #sci11+#retro programming #ms-dos #ms dos #ms dos4 #x86 assembly #help plz

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yasser-bst · 2 years

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Digital Marketing in 2023: What to Expect

The world of digital marketing is constantly evolving, and it’s important for businesses to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and techniques in order to stay competitive. From personalization and voice search optimization to video marketing and social media advertising, there are many developments to keep an eye on. In this article, we’ll take a look at the top digital marketing trends for 2023 and how businesses can leverage them to reach their target audience and drive results. Whether you’re a seasoned marketing professional or just starting out, these trends are sure to have an impact on your strategy. So let’s dive in and see what the future holds for digital marketing!

oky now As the digital marketing landscape continues to evolve, it’s important for businesses to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and techniques. Here are a few of the most noteworthy trends to keep an eye on:

Personalization: With the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning, it’s now possible to personalize marketing campaigns to the individual level. By using data to understand customer preferences and behavior, businesses can create more targeted and effective marketing efforts.

Voice search optimization: As voice assistants like Alexa and Google Home become more popular, it’s important to optimize your website and content for voice search. This includes using long-tail keywords and structured data to make it easier for search engines to understand your content.

Video marketing: Video is becoming an increasingly important part of the marketing mix. From live streaming to video ads, there are many ways to leverage video to engage with customers and drive conversions.

Social media advertising: Social media advertising continues to grow in popularity, with platforms like Facebook and Instagram offering highly targeted and effective ad options. Businesses of all sizes can use social media advertising to reach their desired audience and drive results.

Customer experience: With the rise of customer experience (CX) as a key differentiator, businesses are focusing on providing a seamless and personalized experience across all touchpoints. This includes optimizing website navigation and the customer journey, as well as using customer feedback to continually improve the experience.

Content marketing: Content marketing continues to be an important part of the marketing mix, with businesses using a variety of formats (such as blog posts, ebooks, and videos) to engage with their audience and build trust. To be effective, content marketing requires a strong understanding of your target audience and a consistent strategy.

Influencer marketing: Partnering with social media influencers or industry thought leaders can be a powerful way to reach a new audience and build credibility. By collaborating with influencers who align with your brand values and message, businesses can tap into their following and drive results.

Chatbots: Chatbots are becoming increasingly sophisticated and can be used to provide customer service, answer frequently asked questions, and even make recommendations. By implementing chatbots, businesses can improve efficiency and provide a more personalized experience for their customers.

finally, the world of digital marketing is constantly evolving, and it’s important for businesses to stay up-to-date on the latest trends in order to stay competitive. From personalization and voice search optimization to video marketing and social media advertising, there are many developments to keep an eye on. By staying on top of these trends and incorporating them into your marketing strategy, you can effectively reach your target audience and drive results. So make sure to stay informed and stay ahead of the curve! thanks for reading!

here the best 3 book for digital markete:

“Permission Marketing: Turning Strangers into Friends and Friends into Customers” by Seth Godin

“The Art of SEO”

Crushing It!: How Great Entrepreneurs Build Their Business and Influence — and How You Can, Too” by Gary Vaynerchuk

#seo #news #digitalmarketing #marketing #self awareness #sem #busniess #business strategy

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madhukumarc · 2 years

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Do Ads affect SEO?

Yes, ads can affect SEO, and it's important to understand how they're connected. Ads are a form of paid search or it could be other form of paid ads [like social media], and the more people click on your ads, the higher your website's ranking can become in search engine results.

This is because clicks are seen as a signal of relevance to search engines, which can help boost your rankings. This doesn't mean you have to constantly run ads, as long as your website's SEO is handled properly and all search engine’s recommended SEO techniques are in place.

“Improving technical SEO and increasing brand awareness will be the two key strategies brands are implementing in 2023 to improve organic visibility of content and organic traffic” – SEO Trends & Predictions for 2023 Report by Conductor

The other significant aspect that ads affect SEO positively is the fact that when people are exposed to ads regularly, they become more aware of the brand, company, or business and begin researching it on search engines.

The probability that target audience or potential customers will click on the ads to learn more is likely to increase [during this period] once they have confidence in the business running the ads.

"People want highly targeted ads that fit their personal preferences. The more personal and curated the ads are to the individual, the more responsive consumers will be to those brands" - channable and Marketing Dive [2022]

If they have visited your business website and viewed your products, services, or solutions, the search may occur even after seeing your ads or post ads campaign. This is because your ads may be connected to the offerings they previously viewed on your website.

It's also important to keep in mind that ads can influence the way people interact with your website. If you have ads that are intrusive or overly promotional, people may choose to leave your website without clicking on any of your content.

This can have a negative impact on your SEO [due to higher bounce rate] as it signals to search engines that people are not finding what they're looking for on your site.

To ensure that your ads are not having a negative effect on your SEO, make sure that they are relevant to your website's content and that they don't interfere with the user experience.

“Page experience factors will continue to become a more significant ranking factor as Google prioritizes pages that provide the best UX. Companies with a pulse on the latest search industry trends are prioritizing UX and CX improvements now to protect and improve rankings moving forward” – SEO Trends & Predictions for 2023 Report by Conductor

Additionally, you should track the performance of your ads and monitor their impact on your website's rankings to ensure that they are helping rather than hindering your SEO efforts. Use the Google Analytics and Google Search Console tools, which can best guide you on these matters.

Ads can also help increase the authority of your site, as links from other sites are seen as a sign of trustworthiness. However, it's seriously important to note that ads alone won't make your site rank higher on search engines.

“Google recently updated its E-A-T guidelines to include an extra “E” for experience. This shows that Google is continuing to focus on authoritative content, and it’s vital that you show the user you know what you’re talking about” – Search Engine Journal

Ads should be used in conjunction with other SEO techniques such as keyword optimization, content creation, technical SEO, and link building. Ads can only compliment these strategies by increasing visibility and driving more people to your site.

“Admittedly, content creation is a time-consuming piece of the puzzle in the SEO routine. And AI is where the SEO industry is headed. Now, AI content generation tools can be valuable assistants but they hardly substitute human experts” – Sitechecker

While working on SEO is the long-term approach for greatest results, ads are a temporary solution.

It's also important to ensure that the ads you use are relevant to your target audience and are placed strategically to maximize their effectiveness. Ads that aren't relevant or improperly placed can actually hurt your SEO efforts, so it's best to invest in quality ads that will bring in the right kind of visitors.

Overall, ads can be a great way to boost your SEO efforts when used correctly. They can bring in more visitors and increase the authority of your site, but it's important to remember that they're just one part of the puzzle.

Investing in SEO strategies is also highly essential for achieving top search engine rankings in the long run which is always the worth.

Here's related information that might be useful to you – Does web hosting affect SEO?

#advertising #SEO and Online marketing #digital marketing #google ads #social media ads

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cxeinc · 2 days

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Mystery Shopping across Industries: Transportation, Retail, Hospitality, and More

Did you know? Companies that implement mystery shopping services experience a 10-15% improvement in customer experience and operational efficiency. This statistic highlights the growing need for businesses to gain fresh, unbiased insights into their customer journey. Across industries such as retail, hospitality, and transportation, mystery shopping has become an essential tool for understanding real-world customer interactions.

Whether it's evaluating the efficiency of airport check-ins, the attentiveness of hotel staff, or the cleanliness of retail stores, mystery shoppers offer businesses a window into the actual customer experience.

What is Mystery Shopping?

Mystery shopping involves:

Deploying field evaluators to pose as regular customers.

Evaluating overall service quality and CX.

Monitoring compliance to standards.

Analyze training effectiveness

These mystery shoppers from secret shopper companies provide detailed, anonymous feedback, giving businesses valuable insights into the areas they excel in and where improvements are needed.

Addressing Pain Points across Industries

In the retail industry, businesses face challenges like inconsistent customer service, staff need more product knowledge, and poor store organization. Mystery shopping companies can help retailers address these issues by providing unbiased feedback, enabling more effective staff training and ensuring consistent service quality. This approach improves the shopping experience and boosts customer loyalty and sales.

In the hospitality industry, issues such as inconsistent guest experiences and subpar service can negatively impact a business's reputation. Mystery shopping evaluates various aspects of the guest's journey, from reservation processes to room cleanliness and food quality. The feedback provided allows hotels and restaurants to enhance service standards, train staff more effectively, and ensure memorable guest experiences.

The transportation industry also benefits significantly from mystery shopping services. Passenger experience is a top priority, and feedback from mystery shoppers can assess everything from ticketing processes to the behavior of transportation staff. Transportation companies can improve punctuality, staff performance, and overall service efficiency by addressing these pain points.

The Benefits of Mystery Shopping

Mystery shopping doesn't just highlight problems; it offers actionable insights. By implementing changes based on mystery shopping reports, businesses can enhance staff training, refine processes, and improve customer loyalty. These improvements directly contribute to increased sales and customer retention, making mystery shopping an invaluable investment.

Why Choose CXE for Mystery Shopping?

Partnering with best mystery shopper companiesis key to delivering excellence in the hospitality industry. At CXE, we deliver comprehensive mystery shopping services across the transportation, retail, and hospitality industries. Our team of expert mystery shoppers provides detailed reports that highlight areas for improvement and offer insights into elevating the customer experience. Businesses partnering with CXE can address service gaps, boost operational efficiency, and enhance customer satisfaction.

Join our team and help businesses thrive!

Contact ustoday to explore how CXE's tailored mystery shopping services can help transform your business.

About the Author: CXE, a recognized industry leader, works with airports, hospitality, food and beverage, retail, and business and government clients to create some of the nation's most innovative and successful customer (CX) and employee experience (EX) improvement programs. With a stronghold in the airport arena, CXE is known for designing strategic airport customer experience and service culture programs that span all airport passenger-facing teams.

CXE builds each client strategy utilizing a comprehensive approach to CX and EX, including service measurement, training, recognition and appreciation programs and performance coaching. CXE has earned the trust of airport executives and service partners, including airlines, security, TSA, retail, concessions, and duty-free operations teams in over 100 airports across North America. CXE is headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland and brings together some of the industry's most successful customer experience professionals to help clients BOOST employee engagement, SPARK customer delight and DRIVE organizational success.

#mystery shopping services #secret shopper companies #best mystery shopper companies

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contactcallcenter · 8 days

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Revolutionizing Utility Customer Support: The Benefits of Outsourcing Call Center Services

Utilities today are expected to maintain service efficiency and effectiveness, combining it with high customer expectations. With technological advancements, customer preferences are increasingly changing, and there is an increasing demand for practical, responsive customer support. Given this challenge, several utility firms are considering outsourcing call center services. This outsourcing trend is not aimed at reducing costs but is a strategic approach toward customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, and service delivery.

In this blog, we will understand how outsourcing call center services are revolutionizing utility customer support and the key benefits of this transition.

Cost Efficiency

One key motivator for utility firms to outsource their call centers is cost savings. Managing an in-house call center places enormous demands on infrastructure, technology, and human resources. The company must hire and train employees, invest in state-of-the-art software and hardware, and bear operational costs related to office space and utilities.

Utility firms can reduce these overheads by outsourcing call center services. Call center outsourcing providers operate from low-cost locations, so skilled labor is available at pretty cheap rates. Utility companies can also benefit from the economies of scale that third-party call center providers enjoy due to serving many clients simultaneously.

Reducing operational costs enables utility companies to focus more on core business activities, such as infrastructure upgrades, grid modernization, and energy efficiency programs.

Access to Advanced Technology

Customers in the digital age expect more than ever. They want their service to be swift and efficient, with a company using all the facets of modern technology. Advanced technologies, like AI, automated responses, data analytics, and cloud-based systems, go a long way in really enhancing customer support. Intrinsic development and investment in building these technologies may be too costly and require much time.

Outsourcing call center services enables utility companies to acquire the latest technologies without necessarily investing in them. Third-party call centers are more open to implementing state-of-the-art tools in their operations, including AI-powered chatbots, real-time analytics configurations, and CRM systems. These technologies help streamline communication and enable customer support agents to resolve issues quickly and effectively.

AI-powered chatbots can, for example, handle routine questions, such as questions about billing, payment processing, or the reasons for an outage. This leaves the live agents free to attend to more complex inquiries. Data analytics will monitor customer behavior, catch pain points, and enhance service delivery through decisions based on the insights gained from that data.

Enhanced Customer Experience

CX forms the core of any utility service delivery. A well-functioning customer support team can strengthen customer satisfaction through timely responses, empathetic service, and quick issue resolution. Utility firms may not be capable of or even equipped to deliver such customer service on their own, especially when call volumes may be higher than usual because of outages, billing issues, or service disruptions.

Outsourcing call center services to professionals will ensure that customers receive the best experience, regardless of the time or situation. This will be possible because such professional providers can handle high volumes of calls with highly trained and skilled agents who specialize in customer relations. In addition, several outsourcing partners provide 24/7 support, ensuring customers can get through to a representative anytime.

Outsourcing can also allow utility companies to offer multilingual support for their diverse customers. This added feature would help promote high customer satisfaction and build a solid customer base in loyalty and retention.

Scalability and Flexibility

When these peak periods occur, such as in extremely bad or good weather or when a lack of power is widespread, utility companies are at the mercy of an inconsistent number of customer inquiries. During normal operations, they must either overstaff or struggle with inadequate staffing during fluctuating demand.

With outsourcing call center services, the solution would involve scaling. Third-party companies could quickly move their staffing levels up or down depending on demand. During peak times, they scale operations upward with more agents available, and during periods of low traffic, they dial back on staff. This can allow utility companies to provide high-quality service without the headache of managing staffing fluctuations in-house.

Moreover, outsourcing partners plan for disaster recovery in the event of a natural disaster or emergency to ensure their services do not go down. This resiliency is critical to utility companies because communication must be reliable whenever something critical happens.

Focus on Core Competencies

The most important considerations at a utility company are always the customers and the delivery of reliable and efficient service. However, an in-house call center could be a distraction, taking valuable attention and resources away from power generation, distribution, and maintenance.

In this way, utilities can outsource the complexity of customer support operations to a variety of experienced providers so that they can focus on their core competencies. This shift enables utility firms to enhance service delivery, pay attention to innovation, and improve their core business.

Outsourcing further relieves you of the headache of administrative tasks involving recruitment, training, and performance management. This operational efficiency will improve service quality and make an enterprise more agile and responsive.

Improved Compliance and Data Security

Utility companies possess sensitive information on their clientele, such as payment details, personal identification data, and service records; thus, they need to maintain strict data protection controls, including adherence to the GDPR and the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard.

Utility companies can comply with these regulations by outsourcing their call center services to responsible providers. Third-party providers are in the best position to adhere to industry standards and make significant investments in security measures to protect customer information, including encrypting information, securing the network, and creating adequate access controls around that data.

This can be achieved if utility companies outsource to a service provider that has placed the appropriate emphasis on compliance and data security. This would help them reduce the risks of data breaches, maintain customer confidence, and avoid expensive fines and lawsuits.

Access to Specialized Expertise

Utility customer service can be quite complicated because the agents need to have very detailed knowledge of the industry's structures of billing, service outages, energy efficiency programs, and many other related issues. Getting such experienced agents with special knowledge is difficult to acquire and retain, especially for smaller utility companies that probably work with limited resources.

Outsourcing a call center service offers utility companies exposure to a team of agents with previous experience and training in answering utility-specific queries. Agents will have better exposure to industry knowledge, commanding better efficacy while providing information or resolving customer issues.

Besides this, many outsourcing service providers offer continuous training programs to agents so that they can keep abreast of the latest happenings, trends, technologies, and various other regulations within the industry. Such expertise helps enhance the quality of customer interactions, thus ensuring customers receive the best possible service.

Conclusion

The industry has started embracing a technology-driven revolution, supplemented by customers' changing mindsets and expectations. Utility companies are required to meet the rising demands of customers who seek faster and quicker services. This has called for strategic outsourcing of call center services to help utility firms enhance their customer services, optimize cost structures, and enhance the quality of services.

This will enable utility companies to leverage advanced technology, specialized expertise, and better customer experiences that come with dealing with professional call center providers. As the industry continues to change with time, outsourcing will play a critical role in revolutionizing utility customer support to help companies rise to future challenges confidently.

In other words, outsourcing call center services is not solely a decision about cost savings but also enables utility companies to drive operational efficiency, ensure customer satisfaction, and ultimately deliver reliable service.

#Outsourcing a call center service offers utility companies #outsourcing call center services #utility customer support

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