DateTime Object ( [date] => 2019-11-19 19:16:26.274883 [timezone_type] => 3 [timezone] => UTC )

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Jeannie teaches you how to start considering siloes in a different light and not in the usual way we do all the time. So, tune in to this Jeannie-centric episode of Crack the Customer Code and learn how you can bust those siloes and become the next disruptor in your industry!

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Guy Marion has a unique position to give us an inside scope of the retention and subscription industry. He talks a lot about how it works and what leaders can do to improve their retention. Companies are much better off today by having a net retention that shows their customers will pay more in a year from now than disappear a year from now.

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Thinking about thinking matters! It's not a weird concept, and it's not a tautology, it's a valid concept which we seem to have forgotten entirely. The world of today is so hectic and distracting that it's no wonder most of us rarely just sit down to think. You can sit to think about what you've done and eventually gain a new look on it, a unique perspective that can help you do it better the next time around.

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Artificial intelligence (AI) is a big part of our world today, and it’s affecting customer experience as well. That’s why we are here today with our guest Antony Brydon to talk about how it affects customer experience, how it’s changing the current game, and how it’s giving us a glimpse into the changes yet to come.

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The freelancer or contractor economy has risen with great might and has started to influence the overall customer experience in different ways. From the way it limits the delivery of excellent customer experience, to how it creates new and vital opportunities. In essence, there are both good and bad sides to this change. However, one thing remains the same: The customers don't care about who's doing the actual work for you – they only care about the outcome for them. And they are right to think like that!

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Surveys – we all get them. Companies send about a quarter of a trillion of them yearly, which is too much, as we can all agree. With such overwhelming numbers and the fact that most of them are generic, there is this survey fatigue going on. Customers rarely respond to surveys, and if they do, it’s usually because they are either delighted with the service or because they are extremely unhappy with it.

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Today's episode of Crack the Customer Code is a short one. Adam is flying solo at the moment, but he has a lot to say about being customer-centric. Adam shares the three main tactics that you should use more in your company to become more customer-centric.

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If you’re not growing, you’re stagnating and on the decline. We are talking about business growth today. 85% of small businesses will hit a growth stall at some point in their business, and a very small percentage of those will recover. Tiffani discusses the importance of knowing and recognizing the growth decline indicators before you hit a stall, so that you can come out the other side.

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Companies need to realize that it's counterproductive for them to have a lack of collaboration between the technology teams and the other departments. It's essential to start collaborating to provide the best service for the customers. Join us in today's episode of Crack the Customer Code where Jeannie and Adam will discuss how all of this can work.

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Our guest today is Stan Phelps, a long time friend, who is once again joining us on the show. We are going to continue our talk about the goldfish series. Today, it's time for the Pink Goldfish, his latest book. But what is the pink goldfish? 

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Is the customer journey dead? According to an article in CMS Wire titled The Customer Journey is Over, it is. However, is that truly the case? Is the customer journey surely over, or is the article just an inflated with a catchy title? Or maybe it's something completely different...

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On this episode we talk with Bill Guertin, a man known in the sports industry as the '800-pound gorilla of sales performance'. He has experience with more than 100 pro teams across North America and Mexico and has written two successful books about sales, service, and marketing. Bill is here to talk to us about the importance of fan experience and how it's more similar to overall customer experience than you might think.

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In this episode, listen as Jeannie explains why you need to change your attitude and focus on what the customer wants, not what you think they want.

Your customers are often satisfied with your service. Sometimes they are even genuinely loving it. However, that only happens because you've fulfilled their need. You've given them the service they expected to get from you. They love that, but never forget that they are not as focused on your brand as you are.

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What is the difference between a superfan and a promoter? Promoters promote you, but what does a superfan do? Superfans will make sure you continue to be in the market and will help you stay in the market. Superfans have to be nurtured. Companies must develop a close relationship with its superfans.

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Do organizations overuse acronyms when talking to customers? Using acronyms internally is okay, but what happens when they escape and suddenly, customers use them? We discuss how organizations confuse customers and how organizations can improve customer conversation.

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Culture is the main topic of this episode, and we are here with our longtime friend and fellow podcaster – Julie Ann Sullivan. 

She focuses on innovative culture, and she has a unique perspective on business culture due to her diverse background. Julie shares about her new book, which has a fascinating and unique case study approach. She will tell us what led her to it and the single most surprising thing she discovered while making it.

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Sometimes we all need to have some fun! Welcome to our third Bourbon Summit! For those not aware, it’s when we simply sit down, take a glass of our favorite bourbon, and relax. We don't know where the conversation will go, but that's precisely where the fun lies! 

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“Timing is everything.” That’s an integral part of the change, the shift in business we talk about in this episode. You need to know when to shift your business if a market change is coming. You need to go along with the flow of the change, or you’ll be left behind. 

Allen Adamson is an expert in all disciplines of branding, and he’s had a vast plethora of projects and experiences behind him to back up his teachings. He’s here to talk to us what you need to do to stay ahead of significant changes and shift accordingly. 

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In this episode of Crack the Customer Code, Jeannie delivers some great insight and advice about improving customer experience. Every company has an established process when it comes to dealing with customers. When it comes to changing that process, the answer is too often “It’s always been done this way”. This phrase is the killer of innovation. How can we avoid it? Who cares if it’s always been done this way?

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Array ( [id] => f00aefde-a1ae-11e9-8574-0be78ecf1ea7 [createdAt] => 2019-07-08T14:33:53.501-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-07-10T16:20:50.555-04:00 [title] => 377: Karen Jaw-Madson, Design of Work Experience [pubdate] => 2019-07-09T07:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/f00aefde-a1ae-11e9-8574-0be78ecf1ea7/image/uploads_2F1562610715754-4ws76u3wji7-ecb1b9064ff350ddf1a3ca62ff622083_2Fcts_CTCC_cover-art_377.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => 377 [subtitle] => [summary] =>

What we’ve noticed is that people rarely give credit to culture and place it in the category of work experience. Why is that the case? To answer the question, we brought a highly qualified guest – Karen Jaw-Madson –  an organizational expert from Silicon Valley. She has implemented numerous organizational initiatives around the globe through her organization Co-Design of Work Experience.

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Array ( [id] => 7552c5d4-9c1b-11e9-9087-1b8988eaa4e5 [createdAt] => 2019-07-01T12:15:35.777-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-07-01T12:16:07.120-04:00 [title] => 376: 5 Steps To Close The Loop With Customers [pubdate] => 2019-07-02T07:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/7552c5d4-9c1b-11e9-9087-1b8988eaa4e5/image/uploads_2F1561997693125-8hzyfld2efg-8eae7e9caa78553ecfa5223c86c32594_2Fcts_CTCC_cover-art_376.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => 376 [subtitle] => [summary] =>

In this solo episode of Crack the Customer Code, Adam will talk to you about Closing the Loop with Customers, an essential part of offering the best customer experience – something you most certainly want to have with your customers. It goes for any industry or organization, so make sure you follow the steps.

Talking about the steps, closing the loop involves five, and each deserves deep consideration if you want to do it right. It doesn’t matter how the interaction went with the customer, good or bad, active or passive – closing the loop is always desirable, and you’ll see why. You’ll learn that even with great customer interactions, you’ll still want to close the loop and reinforce those feelings – all to get more engagements, and more referrals.

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Array ( [id] => 1c963142-936a-11e9-b58c-eb93d0b5a49a [createdAt] => 2019-06-20T10:45:56.659-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-06-20T10:47:17.225-04:00 [title] => 375: Leena Rinne, A Fellow Code Cracker [pubdate] => 2019-06-25T07:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/1c963142-936a-11e9-b58c-eb93d0b5a49a/image/uploads_2F1561041914085-iw68uilx0e9-841a33129f740719c66dca1ecd21941d_2Fcts_CTCC_cover-art_375.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => 375 [subtitle] => [summary] =>

Leena talks us through a fantastic approach; "always treat your employees the way you would want them to treat your very best customer." If we think about our best customers and the way we would want our employees to engage with those best customers, then just evaluate if this is how we are treating our own employees? Consider if we need to make any shifts to treat our employees the way we would want them to treat our best customers. Then we start to create a culture where people are really focused on the behaviors that build loyalty, and they in turn feel loyalty themselves. 

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In this interesting episode, Adam and Jeannie share their differing opinions on whether phone conversations or chat platforms such as Twitter provide the best customer service. On one side it is considered that Twitter conversations are well thought out and more personalized than reading a script on a direct call. Whereas on the 'for phone calls' side, it's argued that we can create better connection with tone of voice and other factors.

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There is a difference between customer experience, which is what’s happening today, and loyalty experience, which asks what’s going to happen tomorrow. The real challenge is to bring loyalty programs into the modern marketing age.

Are customers looking for more points or more experience? Make sure you’re giving them what they want to keep them with your brand because more points doesn’t always mean more loyalty.

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What do diaper brands and Reebok have in common? Better loyalty rewards. Explore a more experience-based rewards system and experience better relationships with your customers, when you get to know them a little more. Here’s another insightful episode of Crack the Customer Code with the wonder twins of Customer Service.

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Louis Carter, CEO and president of Best Practice Institute, a benchmark research consortium association and management consulting firm that helps organizations and C-Suite Senior executives achieve their market strategy through talent and change management joins our dynamic duo to talk about the importance of being emotionally connected.

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Adam and Jeannie share experiences of their service from Delta Airlines, in which they received cards that give customers the opportunity to recognize an employee for a great job. This is a great way for customers to really think about the service being provided and be acknowledged for it. Aside from the pat on the back that this gives the employee, they are also given rewards points, which are not only great incentives but also a motivation for other employees to follow suit.

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Jeff explains the differences between Human Centered Design and Design Thinking and how these are applied to solving business problems, to find out whether we are truly building something of value for them.

We learn how companies can convert insights gained from experiments into actionable data. Jeff believes that the most challenging part this process is taking the risk in making the change needed in implementing these learnings into new customer experiences. Applying these changes initially on a sample population, which reduces the risk, is the key to mitigating these changes.

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In this episode, Adam and Jeannie share their experiences to give a public service announcement that’s critical to both companies and customers. Adam shares his concern that all the good work we’re trying to do could be used as a front by scam artists. These scammers are using customer service to collect information to use for fraudulent activity. Customers of brands who have a good track record of customer service could be vulnerable because they could be thinking that it’s just part of their regular support. 

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Array ( [id] => f3e6a356-6a99-11e9-bed7-73b939502dd2 [createdAt] => 2019-04-29T12:15:06.587-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-29T12:16:27.882-04:00 [title] => 367: Lee Smith, Putting Fuel Behind Your Sales [pubdate] => 2019-04-30T07:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/f3e6a356-6a99-11e9-bed7-73b939502dd2/image/uploads_2F1556553869303-r56s4unem1j-8f56d437e81624fee788d3d3d5fe6c12_2Fcts_CTCC_cover-art_367.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => 367 [subtitle] => [summary] =>

Lee Smith stresses the importance putting sales first on your customer journey, saying that the successful and proper use of your product or service is the solution. This is where the salesperson comes in with the human element in giving customers that push. It doesn’t stop there though, getting the best representative means getting the right fit for your company, one who cares about the company, the product and the customers. As Lee puts it, “no one’s gonna listen unless they know that you care”.

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In this episode, Jeannie and Adam discuss how when we need a connection, we create that connection, even with a car that listens to you! These kinds of connections that people create are becoming more and more prevalent with the rise of technology. Jeannie cites examples of technology that allow us to interact with service providers through avatars, or other types of artificial intelligence. They become powerful tools for humanity to keep an eye on each other more and Jeannie adds that there could be ways we connect with screens in the future that we’re not anticipating today.

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Array ( [id] => a79520c6-62c0-11e9-9b30-8787f848fee9 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:31:59.614-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:18.088-04:00 [title] => 365: Lisa Ryan, Having An Attitude For Gratitude [pubdate] => 2019-04-16T06:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/a79520c6-62c0-11e9-9b30-8787f848fee9/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Today we focus on gratitude with special guest, Award Winning Speaker, Author, and Chief Appreciation Strategist of Grategy, LLC, Lisa Ryan. [summary] =>

Today we focus on gratitude with special guest, Award Winning Speaker, Author, and Chief Appreciation Strategist of Grategy, LLC, Lisa Ryan. Lisa explains how gratitude builds on the basic foundation of human connection through thankfulnes; letting people know that they matter, are seen, and are important to us, promotes loyalty, fulfilment and happiness, with people in the workplace.

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Array ( [id] => a7f0bdbe-62c0-11e9-9b30-af30ede0e91b [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:00.221-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:03:03.480-04:00 [title] => 364: Culture Lessons From The Podcast [pubdate] => 2019-04-09T06:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/a7f0bdbe-62c0-11e9-9b30-af30ede0e91b/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Listen as Jeannie shares some highlights from business owners who are really striving for the next level in leading customer culture. [summary] =>

Listen as Jeannie shares some highlights from business owners who are really striving for the next level in leading customer culture. Do you really understand the experience you're trying to deliver and are you building the right culture for that?

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Array ( [id] => a84a9028-62c0-11e9-9b30-db9eec32983c [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:00.810-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:02:02.478-04:00 [title] => 363: Technology Lessons from the Podcast [pubdate] => 2019-04-02T06:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/a84a9028-62c0-11e9-9b30-db9eec32983c/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => In this episode, Adam, recaps on some of the best snippets to come out of 70+ episodes discussing technology and its impact on experience and service; from your employee training to automation to the robots taking over, and more. [summary] =>

On this episode of Crack The Customer Code, we're going to try something a little bit different. We're going to go back and recap a little bit of what we've learned from our 360+ episodes.

We’ve previously discussed a lot about technology, where it’s headed and how it's going to impact us all in the customer experience and customer service spaces.

In this episode, Adam, recaps on some of the best snippets to come out of 70+ episodes discussing technology and its impact on experience and service; from your employee training to automation to the robots taking over, and more.

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Array ( [id] => a89123ee-62c0-11e9-9b30-a764fe5f8e62 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:01.273-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:04:57.123-04:00 [title] => 362: Bourbon Cast #2 [pubdate] => 2019-03-26T06:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/a89123ee-62c0-11e9-9b30-a764fe5f8e62/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => One of the comments that Adam and Jeannie receive the most about the podcast is that people like the banter, the personal stories and the fun! We thought the customer experience and customer service wisdom was the draw. Nope! It’s when Adam and... [summary] =>

One of the comments that Adam and Jeannie receive the most about the podcast is that people like the banter, the personal stories and the fun! We thought the customer experience and customer service wisdom was the draw. Nope! It’s when Adam and Jeannie mess around!

So they’ve decided that once a quarter, unless we get hate mail, they’re going to do a Bourbon Summit, in honor of the story that some of you may know, in which bourbon played a huge part in the birth of the podcast itself!

As well as discussing which bourbon they’re drinking, Adam and Jeannie also discuss the great way some companies make their customers feel special by offering them exclusive brand experiences.

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Array ( [id] => a8e85b1e-62c0-11e9-9b30-67b45034774d [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:01.844-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:16.015-04:00 [title] => 361: Ryan Minton, Thanks For Coming In Today [pubdate] => 2019-03-19T06:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/a8e85b1e-62c0-11e9-9b30-67b45034774d/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => This episode is all about showing up. We dive into a pretty interesting discussion about teamwork and leadership - and how that affects service. Listen as Ryan explains the inspiration behind his book title, Thanks For Coming In Today - and the reason... [summary] =>

This episode is all about showing up. We dive into a pretty interesting discussion about teamwork and leadership - and how that affects service. Listen as Ryan explains the inspiration behind his book title, Thanks For Coming In Today - and the reason why he still thanks employees for showing up every day.

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Array ( [id] => a934c36e-62c0-11e9-9b30-bf4bc529f390 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:02.346-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:03:15.141-04:00 [title] => 360: The Airport Customer Experience [pubdate] => 2019-03-12T06:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/a934c36e-62c0-11e9-9b30-bf4bc529f390/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Who owns what in an experience like travelling? The flying experience, TSA, the lines, the transportation within the terminal, the parking, etc? Adam and Jeannie talk about the forward-thinking Dallas Fort Worth airport, who actually have a customer... [summary] =>

Who owns what in an experience like travelling? The flying experience, TSA, the lines, the transportation within the terminal, the parking, etc? Adam and Jeannie talk about the forward-thinking Dallas Fort Worth airport, who actually have a customer service command center.

This is for people who are working in all different areas of the airport, they all work together in this hub to make sure that they're prepared for various passenger situations.

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Array ( [id] => a984c3b4-62c0-11e9-9b30-2bd08e829d09 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:02.870-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:00.268-04:00 [title] => 359: Steve Woodruff, What Makes You Distinct? [pubdate] => 2019-03-05T11:00:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/a984c3b4-62c0-11e9-9b30-2bd08e829d09/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Clarity is more important than we think. It’s an interesting topic because we don’t really talk about it because it has everything to do with the success of our business and our customers, so why don’t we talk about it more? We talk with Steve... [summary] =>

Clarity is more important than we think. It’s an interesting topic because we don’t really talk about it because it has everything to do with the success of our business and our customers, so why don’t we talk about it more? We talk with Steve Woodruff about really understanding who we are and what we deliver and how to articulate that so others can articulate that for us.

Steve comes at this topic through the lens of referrals. With the idea of having to be clear about yourself, your value, what you do and what you offer first, before others can be clear and refer you.

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Array ( [id] => a9ca1752-62c0-11e9-9b30-f324932d25f2 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:03.324-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:03:28.625-04:00 [title] => 358: Customer Service Blueprinting: Jeannie's New Course [pubdate] => 2019-02-26T10:00:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/a9ca1752-62c0-11e9-9b30-f324932d25f2/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam discuss how to use Customer Service Blueprinting to optimize all the working parts of your overall customer experience, and how Jeannie can train you on this amazing skill today! Fine-tune your customer experience delivery with... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam discuss how to use Customer Service Blueprinting to optimize all the working parts of your overall customer experience, and how Jeannie can train you on this amazing skill today!

Fine-tune your customer experience delivery with customer service blueprinting

We’ve talked a lot about customer journey mapping and other amazing tools on this show, so it’s time to talk about the next tool in your customer experience toolbox: Customer Service Blueprinting.

Taking stock of your behind-the-scenes operations as they relate to the experience delivered is a powerful way to understand not only what’s happening in your customer service, but how it happens, who is accountable, and what needs to happen for the experience to run like a well-oiled machine.

"Get that 3D perspective on what’s going on and how to deliver on it!” - Jeannie Walters

Customer Service Blueprinting is an amazing way to make these observations and inform critical improvements, so Jeannie has decided to create a LinkedIn Learning course to show you how it’s done. The latest in Jeannie’s ongoing series of customer experience courses, Customer Service Blueprinting outlines the process in easy steps, then leaves you with templates to help you hit the ground running!

What’s more, using your Service Blueprint together with Customer Journey Mapping (also a popular topic in Jeannie’s LinkedIn Learning series) adds some serious “ka-pow” for fine-tuning your overall customer experience.

Want to learn more about Customer Service Blueprinting, and what to expect in Jeannie’s courses? Then listen in and find out how to get started today!

Don't want to wait? Sign up for Jeannie's course now!

What is service blueprinting? from Customer Service Blueprinting by Jeannie Walters

Related Content

• Experience Investigators™ by 360Connext post, How to Create the Best Customer Experience Solutions
• Customers That Stick® post, Adam Toporek’s 3S Customer Service Process
• Episode 357: Thomas Hollmann, Customer Experience Education
• Episode 354: Are you neglecting key moments in the customer journey?
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

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Array ( [id] => aa2b7b78-62c0-11e9-9b30-ff5e0fa3edfd [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:03.962-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:20.930-04:00 [title] => 357: Thomas Hollmann, Customer Experience Education [pubdate] => 2019-02-19T11:00:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/aa2b7b78-62c0-11e9-9b30-ff5e0fa3edfd/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam welcome Dr. Thomas Hollmann of Arizona State University to tackle the customer experience education gap between academia and real-world business. Decoding Customer Experience Education for today’s business landscape Customer... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam welcome Dr. Thomas Hollmann of Arizona State University to tackle the customer experience education gap between academia and real-world business.

---

Decoding Customer Experience Education for today’s business landscape

Customer experience is now a critical focus in business today, so leaders have much to learn about. We learn from conferences, colleagues, webinars, blog posts, podcasts (a-hem!) and many other places. But what about academics? Most of us who have been in business for a number of years will tell you Customer Experience wasn’t much a part of our higher education, if at all.

So, as we now have both feet in the Age of the Customer, what has academics done to adapt to this profound shift in focus around what it takes to be successful? Sadly, not much. And customers are not going to wait for your customer experience education to catch up.

“Industry is struggling with and looking at totally different topics than the ones that we do when we go to academic conferences.” - Dr. Thomas Hollmann

But there’s hope – not just for today’s business leaders, but for the next generation of business students, and new recruits you are training today! Dr. Thomas Hollmann, Executive Director of the Center for Services Leadership at Arizona State University, is here not only to teach us how the education system is adapting to this great shift, but what leaders can do in the meantime and in the future.

In this enlightening interview, Dr. Hollmann:

• Brings us up to speed with the current state of customer experience education
• Identifies the gaps between traditional business education and customer-focused practices
• Outlines traditional business tools and disciplines you can use to fill these gaps
• Shares expert advice on how to approach customer experience education for the future

“Customer Success is very old. So why is it a new topic?”  -Dr. Thomas Hollmann

It may be a while before the academic industries embed customer experience disciplines into their curricula, so it’s critical to fill the gaps for yourself, your employees, and even your executive team. Listen in to learn how!

Here are some highlights from the interview:

• What is the role of higher education in the world of customer experience today, and more importantly, is customer experience represented well? [5:00]
• As customer expectations change around the ideal experience, so do those of students. How are educational organizations adapting and competing? [7:40]
• Who is teaching customer experience these days? Dr. Hollmann discusses different professional backgrounds and powerful tools for understanding customers. [9:56]
• What is a good service culture, and how do the best organizations achieve theirs? [12:50]
• Customer Success dovetails into service and customer experience in many industries, so how can organizations use it as a framework? [16:20]
• What do leaders need to do in the future to compete on Customer Experience? Dr. Hollmann answers this burning question then outlines a few tools and key questions to ask. [20:00]

---

About our guest

Dr. Thomas Hollmann is a Clinical Associate Professor of Marketing and the Executive Director of the Center for Services Leadership at Arizona State University. Thomas’ work experience spans four countries and over 10 years in Fortune 100 companies, including Black & Decker, Xerox, and as an executive at Sun Life Financial. His research interests include Services Science, with a focus on B2B, service analytics, and Relationship Marketing, with a particular interest in relationship outcomes.

His research has appeared in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, the Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing and several leading marketing and services conferences. He has received research grants and awards. Thomas has consulted with a range of Fortune 500 firms and he received awards for his teaching at Arizona State University and at NC State. Thomas earned a Ph.D. in Marketing from Arizona State University.

Connect with Dr. Hollmann

• LinkedIn
• ASU Center for Service Leadership

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, What Kind of Customer Experience Leader Do You Need to Be?
• Customers That Stick® post, How to Get Your Team to Deliver Consistent Customer Service
• Episode 298: Michel Falcon, Incredible Experience Tips
• Episode 175: (Tip) How Business Schools Can Add Customer Experience
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => aa74b8ba-62c0-11e9-9b30-47cd5d8e8820 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:04.442-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:03:46.278-04:00 [title] => 356: Will Chatbots Be Everywhere? [pubdate] => 2019-02-12T09:00:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/aa74b8ba-62c0-11e9-9b30-47cd5d8e8820/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie discuss the rapid evolution of chatbots across industries and how to make the best decisions around existing and emerging chatbot technology. Chatbots are the new black Chatbots are taking the world by storm! They’ve made their way... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie discuss the rapid evolution of chatbots across industries and how to make the best decisions around existing and emerging chatbot technology.

Chatbots are the new black

Chatbots are taking the world by storm! They’ve made their way into foodservice, retail, SaaS, and more. Typically, we catch on pretty fast when interacting with a chatbot. But with Artificial Intelligence making leaps and bounds every day, that could be changing soon!

“Our human assets are only as good as the intelligence and the information they have.” -Adam Toporek

And it won’t be long before these amazing new capabilities enter the main stream. In fact, kind of technology is becoming more accessible and affordable to smaller companies every day. So, what about your company?

To bot, or not to bot…that is the question!

“It’s not just the one job or the one role…How does this fit into the journey? And what does this mean? What human controls do we need to put in?” -Jeannie Walters

There’s no easy answer to this, but taking a look at how this technology is being used today and how new features and capabilities are rolling out will help you find your answer.

Jeannie and Adam have been watching these trends for you, so they’ve dedicated this episode to sharing some of the best and worst ways chatbots have been (and will be) used.

Here are a few things they cover:

• Chatbots have evolved quite a bit in recent years, but does your company need to take advantage?
• What are some new ways you may leverage chatbot technology in the future?
• And more importantly, how can you make your chatbots a seamless and satisfying part of the customer journey?

Listen in for chatbot do’s and do not’s from two of the most respected names in customer service and customer experience, right here on Crack the Customer Code!

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, 3 Ways the Best Brands Do Omnichannel Right
• Customers That Stick® post, Starting a Culture of Customer-Focused Innovation
• Episode 265: (Tip) Chatbots and Humans
• Episode 234: Tips for Customer Service Bots
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => aacfa3f6-62c0-11e9-9b30-dbba3c0e4bc6 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:05.038-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:20.694-04:00 [title] => 355: Lisa Ford, Customer Service Excellence [pubdate] => 2019-02-05T09:00:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/aacfa3f6-62c0-11e9-9b30-dbba3c0e4bc6/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => bonus [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie welcome renowned speaker and customer service video training pioneer Lisa Ford to discuss her time-tested approach to achieving customer service excellence. Unraveling the DNA of customer service excellence Great customer service is... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie welcome renowned speaker and customer service video training pioneer Lisa Ford to discuss her time-tested approach to achieving customer service excellence.

---

Unraveling the DNA of customer service excellence

Great customer service is pleasant, satisfying, and possibly best of all, easy. So easy, in fact, that it may seem simple from the outside. But from the inside, achieving that level of customer service excellence is anything but simple.

So, how do the companies known for great service do this? Moreover, how can you achieve customer service excellence for your organization?

“Your customer experience is truly a reflection of your culture." -Lisa Ford

Lisa Ford has helped some of the best companies in the world achieve outstanding customer service. In fact, she is a pioneer in the video customer service training industry, and she shared her time-tested approach to help you compete on customer service in today’s highly-competitive marketplace.

“When you ask where we’re hard to do business with, guess who has the answers? It’s the employees.” -Lisa Ford

While providing consistently great customer service is not a simple thing, following some simple rules will go a long way. Lisa has you covered!

Here are some highlights from the interview:

• Lisa says improving customer service means asking and answering tough questions, so she shares a few of her favorites to ask yourself and your team today. [3:10]
• Improving customer service means eliminating your weakest links, but what if they happen to be human beings? [8:40]
• Getting your team excited about improving customer service is one thing, but keeping the momentum going is another. Lisa explains some of the best ways to keep that iron hot! [10:30]
• Once you instill customer-focused principles in your team, how do you keep them engaged? [14:30]
• Lisa leaves you with some of her tips for achieving customer service excellence in your organization. [19:15]

---

About our guest

Lisa Ford is known for her work on customer issues. Her ideas help companies create customer-focused cultures and keeping customers loyal.

She is a speaker and author with over 20 years of experience presenting to businesses, associations and government. Lisa is the author of the videotape series How to Give Exceptional Customer Service, the #1 selling DVD series in the U.S. for over 3 years.

Lisa designs content personalized to the audience and issues they face. She has also customized numerous videos for clients to use in their ongoing education efforts. Lisa’s experience includes working with Pfizer, Viacom, Edward Jones, CSX, Kaiser Permanente, Morton’s of Chicago, FirstAmerican Title and American Veterinary Medical Association.

Connect with Lisa

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Website

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Is Your Mission Customer-Focused, or an Empty Promise?
• Customers That Stick® post, How to Get Your Team to Deliver Consistent Customer Service
• Episode 301: Will Experience Be Your Difference This Year?
• Episode 347: Jay Baer, Talk Triggers
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => ab1a9794-62c0-11e9-9b30-1f6a9bb9fee4 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:05.529-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:02:08.387-04:00 [title] => 354: Are you neglecting key moments in the customer journey? [pubdate] => 2019-01-29T10:00:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/ab1a9794-62c0-11e9-9b30-1f6a9bb9fee4/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie Walters CCXP explains how to find and leverage key moments that are typically overlooked, but have a great emotional impact on how customers perceive and remember the customer journey. Are you aware of the key moments in your customer... [summary] =>

Jeannie Walters CCXP explains how to find and leverage key moments that are typically overlooked, but have a great emotional impact on how customers perceive and remember the customer journey.

---

Are you aware of the key moments in your customer journey?

Are you focused on the customer journey? I mean REALLY focused? Most business leaders say they are, but few dive deep enough to uncover the commonly overlooked moments that can punctuate an otherwise great experience with negative emotions. On the other hand, these moments have the potential to delight customers and make a positive impression they’ll remember and talk about.

So when you think of customer experience on this scale, the customer journey is filled with these moments. How do you find them? How do you know if they matter? More importantly, how can you make them painless, then take the extra step to make them special?

“If your environment is off, so is your Customer Experience” -Jeannie Walters

Jeannie has been recognized as the authority on Micro Moments, and she’s got you covered! In fact, Jeannie’s signature keynote on this subject was delivered live at TEDx, and she wants to share some new insights with you!

This episode is loaded with powerful tips and examples of how these tiny moments can spell disaster for your customer journey, or create moments of delight with a few simple tweaks.

Customer emotions are fragile and fickle. But you have the power to fill the customer journey with positive emotions, every step of the way. Don’t blow it by focusing only on the big stuff.

“I want you to sweat the small stuff. I want you to start worrying about details.” -Jeannie Walters via TEDx

Share YOUR micro moments!

Have you identified any powerful Micro Moments in your customer journey, or as part of an experience you’ve had as a customer? Then share them with Jeannie! She loves hearing your stories and can’t get enough of ‘em!

Connect with Jeannie

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Website

Related Content

• 360Connext® post,Emotion IS The Experience: Microinteractions Infographic
• Customers That Stick® post, It’s Never too Late to Win with Customer Experience: The Comcast Turnaround
• Episode 344: Shaun Belding, The Journey to Wow
• Episode 333: Don’t Make Assumptions About Your Customer’s Journey
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => ab5efdb2-62c0-11e9-9b30-4f7e260fd09f [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:05.978-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:27.208-04:00 [title] => 353: Scott McKain, Make Your Organization Iconic [pubdate] => 2019-01-24T10:00:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/ab5efdb2-62c0-11e9-9b30-4f7e260fd09f/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => In this powerful interview, globally recognized author Scott McKain shares the secrets behind brands and leaders who go beyond differentiation to become iconic. Does your brand stand out in meaningful ways? Everyone knows iconic brands like Apple,... [summary] =>

In this powerful interview, globally recognized author Scott McKain shares the secrets behind brands and leaders who go beyond differentiation to become iconic.

---

Does your brand stand out in meaningful ways?

Everyone knows iconic brands like Apple, Amazon, and Porsche. They stand out in ways that not only differentiate them from competitors, but make them iconic. But these brands only represent a fraction of those who struggle to make their mark. Is your brand one of them?

“Sometimes we need something to shake us up to move us to where we need to be.” -Scott McKain

Being different is one thing, but differentiating in ways that have powerful meaning to customers is another thing entirely. It’s not a simple thing that can happen by introducing some gimmick or flashy design. And it’s not something you can come up with by simply researching your competition. It is a delicate and often risky matter with lots of things to consider. In fact, it sends many brands in the wrong direction, and leaves others frozen in sameness.

“Familiarity breeds complacency.” -Scott McKain

Going beyond differentiation to make your brand iconic is a vexing initiative. But as we love to do on this show, we want to help you crack this code! So we brought in bestselling author Scott McKain to help you understand what really has to come together before transcending that barrier in ways that make your brand a name everyone knows and trusts.

“We have to find the strategies that fight these destroyers of differentiation.” -Scott McKain

Sharing incredible highlights and spoilers from his new book, Scott uncovers how the most iconic brands bring together all the delicate pieces that matter most to customers to stand out in ways that are simple but powerful. Learn how your culture, your storytelling, and your perspective on the true customer experience can dovetail with the concept of differentiation in ways that get your brand noticed, remembered, and even celebrated!

Here are some highlights from the interview:

• What are the biggest “destroyers of distinction?” [5:00]
• Scott shares two factors that blind leaders to these challenges, then we discuss great examples of how iconic brands get past them. [9:15]
• Creating a bold distinction is risky. So, what are some ways to overcome these fears and build confidence, and what should you look out for? [14:20]
• Spoiler alert! Scott shares generous descriptions of the four cornerstones of distinction from his book. [17:25]
• How do iconic brands work on being iconic to multiple customer archetypes, and more importantly, staying iconic for repeat business and referrals? [23:38]

---

About our guest

Scott McKain is a globally recognized authority on how iconic organizations and professionals create the distinction required to attract and retain customers and employees — and stand out in a hyper-competitive marketplace.

His latest book, “ICONIC: How Organizations and Leaders Attain, Sustain, and Regain the Highest Level of Distinction” was recently released to rave reviews.

Scott’s expertise has been quoted multiple times in USA Today, the New York Times, Wall St. Journal, and International Herald-Tribune.

Arnold Schwarzenegger booked him for a presentation at the White House with the President in the audience, and Scott played the villain in a movie named by esteemed critic Roger Ebert as one of the “fifty greatest movies in the history of cinema,”.

With a client list that represents the world’s most distinctive companies – like Apple, SAP, Merrill Lynch, BMW, Cisco, CDW, Fidelity, John Deere and literally hundreds more – Scott McKain was honored with induction along with Zig Ziglar, Seth Godin, Dale Carnegie and just twenty more in the “Sales and Marketing Hall of Fame.” And of course he is also a member of “Professional Speakers Hall of Fame.”

Scott is broadly recognized as one of the most iconic platform presenters in the world — moving his hometown of Crothersville, Indiana to recently announce they are renaming the community’s main street as “Scott McKain Way.”

Connect with Scott

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Website
• Special offers and more about Scott’s latest book!

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Is Your Mission Customer-Focused, or an Empty Promise?
• Customers That Stick® post, How to Get Your Team to Deliver Consistent Customer Service
• Episode 301: Will Experience Be Your Difference This Year?
• Episode 347: Jay Baer, Talk Triggers
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => aba4969c-62c0-11e9-9b30-53c6b021906b [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:06.434-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:04:13.672-04:00 [title] => 352: Keeping Knowledge When Superstars Leave [pubdate] => 2019-01-15T09:00:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/aba4969c-62c0-11e9-9b30-53c6b021906b/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie discuss how to prevent valuable knowledge from leaving your company along with superstar employees who are ready to move on. Employee turnover is at an all-time high, so there’s lots of advice out there (and in previous episodes of... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie discuss how to prevent valuable knowledge from leaving your company along with superstar employees who are ready to move on.

---

Employee turnover is at an all-time high, so there’s lots of advice out there (and in previous episodes of Crack the Customer Code!) about how to keep employees happy and motivated. But whether you like it or not, some of your best people will still leave you.

It’s frustrating and sometimes heartbreaking when your superstars resign, but the financial cost of employee turnover can be staggering. In fact, when an employee leaves, the turnover costs can be between 150% and 250% of their annual salary. Wow.  But here’s the thing: A good part of those costs go into training replacements, and it can be a long, slow, expensive crawl to stardom.

“What are some of the ways you can stop that knowledge, experience and talent from walking out with your superstars?” -Jeannie Walters

But you can cut these costs considerably simply by retaining the knowledge those employees would otherwise take with them. After all, a good deal of what you’ve invested revolves around gaining the knowledge to become a superstar in the first place!

So, what can you do to retain that valuable knowledge and pass it on to the next generation of superstars? It takes more effort than simply having a team that’s willing to help and train others. Retaining that knowledge has to be intentional, not incidental.

“The knowledge in their head is a business resource…The skillset goes with them. The knowledge can stay behind.” -Adam Toporek

In this episode, we’re diving deep into some of the best ways to keep that valuable knowledge in the house. Jeannie and Adam have lots of tips not only to help you engage those superstars to start sharing their secrets, but to determine who those superstars are.

You can’t always keep your best people from leaving, but you can prevent them from taking their secret sauce with them. Listen in to learn how!

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Are You Making the Most of your Customer Service Superstars?
• Customers That Stick® post, Creating a Customer Service Culture with Jeff Toister
• Episode 267: 3 Questions for Employees
• Episode 176: (Tip) Hiring a Customer-Centric Employee
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

[audioFile] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/aba4969c-62c0-11e9-9b30-53c6b021906b/stripped_649449d98573c854d3852ed7f2d23f4e.mp3 [downloadUrl] => http://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSN3090078039.mp3 [size] => 14599314 [duration] => 912.46 [uid] => CSN3090078039 [originalUrl] => http://traffic.libsyn.com/crackthecustomercode/ctcc_352_final_a.mp3?dest-id=215469 [bitrate] => 128 [samplerate] => 44100 [channelMode] => stereo [vbr] => [audioFileProcessing] => [podcastId] => a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc [preCount] => 0 [postCount] => 0 [insertionPoints] => Array ( ) [id3File] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/aba4969c-62c0-11e9-9b30-53c6b021906b/id3/09c1cb7242f4d72d47cb888dbd5e5771.mp3 [id3FileProcessing] => [id3FileSize] => 75030 [parentId] => [guid] => a6c1f9d015454094ba57d5a668803624 [pubdateTimezone] => [originalFilename] => [preOffset] => 0.0 [postOffset] => 0.0 [spotifyIdentifier] => [expectedAdhash] => [audioFileUpdatedAt] => [draft] => [externalId] => [customFields] => )

Array ( [id] => abfd643e-62c0-11e9-9b30-33e9ceee0743 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:07.017-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:20.773-04:00 [title] => 351: Mark Sanborn, Extraordinary Leadership [pubdate] => 2019-01-08T00:00:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/abfd643e-62c0-11e9-9b30-33e9ceee0743/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Renowned speaker and author Mark Sanborn shares his leadership wisdom to inspire every employee to deliver extraordinary customer experiences, every time. Leadership is not just for leaders...or followers! Leadership has always been a tricky subject,... [summary] =>

Renowned speaker and author Mark Sanborn shares his leadership wisdom to inspire every employee to deliver extraordinary customer experiences, every time.

---

Leadership is not just for leaders...or followers!

Leadership has always been a tricky subject, but being a customer-centric leader today is not for the weak of heart. Just knowing what needs to be done and telling your people to do it is far from enough. In fact, leading this way leads to disengaged employees, high turnover, and ultimately, poor customer experiences.

“Indifference is the number one killer of relationships.” -Mark Sanborn

Great customer experiences come from a team that not only knows what to do and how, but why. They know it’s not about what happens in the customer journey, but how the customer feels about it. And they need to be empowered to take the lead on behalf of customers positive emotions highlight the experience, no matter what. This is how extraordinary customer experiences are created from ordinary roles!

“You don’t manage Customer Service. You lead it.” -Mark Sanborn

That’s why we’re proud to welcome renowned speaker and bestselling author Mark Sanborn to the show! Mark has written several books about leadership, and he is here to help you connect the dots between leadership and outstanding customer experiences. He outlines what makes a great leader, and how extraordinary leadership inspires employees to own their piece of the customer experience, instead of just going through the motions associated with their job titles.

Here are some highlights from the interview:

• Can’t people just show up and do their jobs without making waves? Mark explains why these “neutral” employees lead to poor outcomes, along with some tips to help you turn that around. [4:00]
• How can leaders stop leaning on their titles and focus more on creating relationships that inspire true commitment to the customer experience? [7:22]
• Who is Fred, and how does he turn an ordinary job into an extraordinary experience for customers? More importantly, how can anyone do the same? [9:50]
• While intentions are good, the customer experience can still suffer. Mark outlines three things leaders and their teams must excel at to close these gaps. [16:10]
• Mark has another book coming soon! So what is it about? We finish up this interview with key takeaways and some information to help you get your copy. [19:00]

---

About our guest

Mark is the president of Sanborn & Associates, Inc., an idea lab for leadership development. 

He has written or co-authored 8 books and is the author of more than two dozen videos and audio training programs on leadership, change, teamwork and customer service. He has presented over 2400 speeches and seminars in every state and a dozen countries.

Mark holds the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) from the National Speakers Association and is a member of the Speaker Hall of Fame (CPAE).

Mark’s book, The Fred Factor: How Passion in Your Work and Life Can Turn the Ordinary Into the Extraordinary is an international bestseller and was on the New York Times, Business Week and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists.  

Mark is a past president of the National Speakers Association and winner of The Cavett, the highest honor bestowed by that organization.

Connect with Mark

• Twitter
• Website

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, How to Create the Most Spectacular Customer Service Disasters
• Customers That Stick® post, How to Get Your Team to Deliver Consistent Customer Service
• Episode 342: Ruben Ocampo, Service Design
• Episode 328: Customer Service Phrases that Are a Problem
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => ac457260-62c0-11e9-9b30-135b2738dea4 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:07.488-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:04:07.177-04:00 [title] => 350: New Year's Resolutions [pubdate] => 2019-01-04T10:00:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/ac457260-62c0-11e9-9b30-135b2738dea4/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie kick off 2019 with some of the best resolutions you can make to continuously improve customer experience and customer service all year long. Are you ready to kick off a customer-focused new year? We made it to 2019. Yippee! We had a... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie kick off 2019 with some of the best resolutions you can make to continuously improve customer experience and customer service all year long.

---

Are you ready to kick off a customer-focused new year?

We made it to 2019. Yippee! We had a long, much-needed break, but we’re so glad to be back. And what better way is there to start the new year than to make meaningful resolutions?

Perhaps you’ve already made your resolutions about eating healthier and actually using that gym membership, but we’re here to talk about improving your customer experience as part of your strategy for business success.

“Our resolutions are all about customer experience and customer service.” -Adam Toporek

So what should you resolve to do for your customers in 2019? Adam Toporek and Jeannie Walters are two of the most recognized and respected names in customer experience and customer service, and they’re here to help you hit the ground running. Not only have they shared some of the most important resolutions you can make on behalf of your customers, but they had a lot of fun doing it!

“Resolutions should be about ACTION.” -Jeannie Walters

Resolutions may tend to fade over time, but we’ve got a few you need to keep top-of-mind throughout the year. Here’s to an exciting year of focusing on customers for greater business success!

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, What You Need to Know to Reduce Customer Effort in 2019
• Customers That Stick® post, The Fusion of Brand and Culture with Denise Lee Yohn
• Episode 214: Who Drives Customer Experience?
• Episode 300: Celebrating 300 Episodes (with live guitar)
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => ac9df19c-62c0-11e9-9b30-5789b3efb4d7 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:08.069-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:04:58.210-04:00 [title] => 349: Mark Colgate, The Science of Service [pubdate] => 2018-12-19T10:00:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/ac9df19c-62c0-11e9-9b30-5789b3efb4d7/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam uncover the science behind consistently great customer service with Mark Colgate, author of The Science of Service. Get customer service down to a science The problem with customer service is not making it great, but making it... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam uncover the science behind consistently great customer service with Mark Colgate, author of The Science of Service.

---

Get customer service down to a science

The problem with customer service is not making it great, but making it consistently great. It is impossible to make people do, think and feel the same things. What is great for one customer may be terrible for the next, or simply may not work out the same way in every situation. So how can we know our service is always great for every customer? And more importantly, how do we hold employees accountable for this?

“You can't tell someone they are accountable. They will reject that." -Mark Colgate

However impossible this may sound, Mark Colgate, Ph.D has it down to a science! In fact, his latest book is all about how you can take a scientific approach to delivering consistently great customer service.

“There’s a really clear science to service.” -Mark Colgate

This episode is chock-full of actionable highlights from Mark’s book, the Science of Service. Not only does he share some of his best tips and examples, but he gives you what you need to develop a framework for consistent service you can use today!

“You can even take the science of service and build a community around great customer service.” -Mark Colgate

Here’s an overview of what you’ll learn:

• Not only is consistency important in customer service, but Mark explains why it is the most important. [3:23]
• Mark shares his F.A.M.E model so you can dig in and develop your framework. [6:53]
• One big key to consistent service is giving customers cognitive control. Here’s how that works. [9:35]
• What does this look like in action? Mark shares a first-hand case study and tips for rallying employees. [14:30]

Are you ready to get consistently great customer service down to a science for your organization? Then put on your lab coat and listen in!

---

About our guest

Mark Colgate is a Professor of Service Excellence at the University of Victoria, Gustavson School of Business. His teaching roles have taken him all over the world, including regular assignments at the China European Business School in Shanghai, the U.K., Ireland and New Zealand. An expert in customer service excellence, Mark has consulted for many service organizations including the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, TELUS, Whistler Blackcomb, Kiwi Experience, Sony, Toyota and many areas of the BC and UK government.

Connect with Mark

• Twitter
• Website

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, How to Create the Most Spectacular Customer Service Disasters
• Customers That Stick® post, How to Get Your Team to Deliver Consistent Customer Service
• Episode 342: Ruben Ocampo, Service Design
• Episode 328: Customer Service Phrases that Are a Problem
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => ace77146-62c0-11e9-9b30-db309f1f77ba [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:08.550-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:04:37.421-04:00 [title] => 348: Predictions for 2019 [pubdate] => 2018-11-28T09:00:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/ace77146-62c0-11e9-9b30-db309f1f77ba/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam dust off the crystal ball and have some fun bringing you their expert customer experience predictions for 2019. What are our top predictions for 2019? It’s that time of year again, when we look back at the year behind us and... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam dust off the crystal ball and have some fun bringing you their expert customer experience predictions for 2019.

---

What are our top predictions for 2019?

It’s that time of year again, when we look back at the year behind us and speculate about what’s to come. It’s been an amazing year for trends in business technology, organizational leadership, and customer expectations, so where are we headed based on these? 

Here’s a peek at what we’re talking about:

1. Artificial experiences get real

Artificial Intelligence has made leaps and bounds in 2018, but we’re not quite ready to let the machines take the wheel in most cases. Is that about to change? We see some exciting things about to happen!

2. Whose role is it anyway?

More companies have created executive roles focused on customers, and for the most part, we think that’s a good thing. On the other hand, some have not done a great job at defining those roles. How can leaders avoid creating more of the interdepartmental friction and other side effects of expanding the C-Suite?

3. Is the retail apocalypse still happening?

With the exodus of Toys R Us and many other age-old brands, the death of retail has been a hot topic this year, leaving many retailers scrambling for ways to hang onto their customers. Will the older retailers learn their lessons and adapt to the new retail landscape, or will they succumb to the underdogs founded around more experience-focused practices?

4. Going old-school

2018 has seen a resurgence of retro apparel, decor and even food...and the hipsters have been doing that since before it was cool, amiright!? We don’t think they’re going to stop there. In fact, they’re about to amp up their fascination with embracing the old as new and begin demanding retro experiences. Can you and your staff handle it?

5. Bleep, bloop, beep!

Customer Experience Maturity has been all abuzz in 2018 as well. But with the flurry of new tech and mind blowing ways to analyze data, we’re challenging what “maturity” really means here in terms of WHY all this fancy tech is being used. 2019 will be a wake-up call of sorts when it comes to leveraging this tech, but it requires a shift in perspective.

We had a lot of fun recording this episode, so we hope you’ll have as much fun listening! And here’s a bonus prediction for today: You will download this episode, then rate and review Crack the Customer Code today. (Can’t blame me for trying, right?) Listen in!

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, What You Need to Know to Reduce Customer Effort in 2019
• Customers That Stick® post, The Fusion of Brand and Culture with Denise Lee Yohn
• Episode 214: Who Drives Customer Experience?
• Episode 300: Celebrating 300 Episodes (with live guitar)
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Jay Baer enlightens us with his powerful and proven approach to strategically creating, controlling and measuring word of mouth with key takeaways from his new book, Talk Triggers.

---

Create amazing word of mouth ON PURPOSE with Talk Triggers

When it comes to marketing, nothing is more cost-effective than word of mouth. However, we tend to think of word of mouth as organic. We assume it’s something we can’t predict, measure, and control. Maybe you get lucky, and maybe you don't. But what if you could get customers talking on purpose, in ways that are predictable and quantifiable?

"Word of mouth influences between 50 and 90 percent of all purchases.” -Jay Baer

Together with co-author Daniel Lemin, today’s guest Jay Baer has written the book on strategically creating and controlling word of mouth for your brand. It’s called Talk Triggers, and not only do we love this book, but we had the privilege of interviewing Jay to bring you some of the biggest takeaways!

In this interview, Jay explains not just why you need to strategically create Talk Triggers, but HOW to work then into your operations and customer experience strategy. Through tireless research, inspiring case studies, and good old-fashioned experience with his own client success stories at Convince and Convert, Jay Baer has created a formula for making word of mouth intentional, scalable and measurable.

“A Talk Trigger really is a customer experience…it’s a CX dimension.” -Jay Baer

Don’t wait for word-of-mouth to just happen or make assumptions about what your customers will want to share with their friends.  With Jay’s approach to creating Talk Triggers, you will abandon the notion that word of mouth is something you cannot control, and consequently, build insane loyalty with a marketing machine fueled by your best customers.

“A Talk Trigger allows you to do word of mouth on purpose."  -Jay Baer

Interview Highlights

• The problem of WOM: What makes something a Talk Trigger? [4:29]
• What are the five different types of word of mouth, and more importantly, are some more important than others? [6:17]
• Talk Triggers can be a powerful part of CX strategy, but How do you operationalize this concept? [9:42]
• Jay shares his six-step process for developing, testing, and believe it or not, measuring the success of Talk Triggers! [12:06]
• Some Talk Triggers may have a short shelf life, but how can we get ahead of this? [15:00]
• We talk a lot about adding surprise and delight as Talk Triggers, but what about innovations and new features? [21:43]

---

About our guest

Jay Baer helps businesses clone their customers. He has created five multi-million dollar companies, and is a 7th-generation entrepreneur.

He is the President of Convince & Convert, a consulting firm that helps the world's most iconic brands like The United Nations, Nike, 3M, and Oracle use technology to win new customers, and keep the customers they've already earned.

A New York Times best-selling author of five books, Jay is the host of the award-winning Social Pros podcast. He's also an avid tequila collector, and a certified barbecue judge.

Connect with Jay

• Twitter
• Talk Triggers website
• Amazing bonus content including worksheets, infographics, and more free resources!
• Join the Talk Triggers Facebook group

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Wired Together: Building Customer Loyalty And Word of Mouth
• Customers That Stick® post, 3 Examples of How to Easily WOW Customers
• Episode Search jay baer 096: Jay Baer, Hug Your Haters
• Episode 152: Daniel Lemin, Manipurated
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => ad7324b6-62c0-11e9-9b30-d37a479399af [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:09.464-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:04:36.636-04:00 [title] => 346: Smaller Bathrooms and Premium Seating: Talking Airline Customer Experience [pubdate] => 2018-11-14T10:00:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/ad7324b6-62c0-11e9-9b30-d37a479399af/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam riff not only on the current state of airline customer experience, but how some airlines are working (or not working) to consider the experience as part of their value proposition. Let's talk about the airline customer... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam riff not only on the current state of airline customer experience, but how some airlines are working (or not working) to consider the experience as part of their value proposition.

---

Let's talk about the airline customer experience 

Our hosts spend LOTS of time on airplanes, so they can’t help but keep an eye on the industry and make observations about the experiences delivered.

But even if you don’t travel as much as Adam and Jeannie, the travel industry is loaded with examples of how customer experience is becoming very much a part of the value proposition. 

In this episode, we discuss several of the changes that are happening in the airline industry today, along with some changes many of us are crying for. 

• While pricing is often relative to experience, that’s not always the case!
• Could the restrooms get even smaller? Why, yes they can! In fact, it is happening. But why?
• If there’s one thing about the airline customer experience that could give Jeannie PTSD, it’s this…
• Customer Experience vs. Employee Experience: Airline employees described their company in 3 words, but the answers are shocking! 
• Are "average" pricing and experiences disappearing along with the middle class?
• Why do Jeannie and Adam favor certain airlines over others? They often agree to disagree, and their reasons may surprise you!
• In an industry so huge, what's considered "great service" is often subjective. What are airlines doing about this? 

Not only will this episode help you make better choices if you're a road warrior like Adam and Jeannie, but it's filled with tips you can apply to customer experience transformation efforts in your organization. Listen for more!

“When does the product become so much about ‘how am I treated as a customer?’” @jeanniecw Tweet this!

“Part of how we experience customer service as customers is just what we do...” @adamtoporek Tweet this!

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, How Micromapping Can Save Your Business
• Customers That Stick® post, How to Get Your Team to Deliver Consistent Customer Service
• Episode 226: Let’s Talk About Airline Customer Service
• Episode 129: TSA Customer Service
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => adcd284e-62c0-11e9-9b30-171592cc32ce [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:10.054-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:02:36.577-04:00 [title] => 345: Understanding the Peak-End Rule [pubdate] => 2018-11-06T09:00:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/adcd284e-62c0-11e9-9b30-171592cc32ce/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam Toporek explains how the Peak-End Rule can make or break a customer experience in surprising ways, and how leveraging it helps you leave a more favorable impression on your customers...on purpose! Ruling customer emotions with the Peak-End Rule... [summary] =>

Adam Toporek explains how the Peak-End Rule can make or break a customer experience in surprising ways, and how leveraging it helps you leave a more favorable impression on your customers...on purpose! Ruling customer emotions with the Peak-End Rule One thing we’ve covered a lot on this show is how to “wow” your customers. But we often forget that an overall wonderful experience can be filled with terrible moment-to-moment experiences, and vice-versa. So what are your customers really feeling after the experience you’ve invested so much in? Does all the surprise and delight you add to your customer experience add up to something your customers will really look back on favorably? It seems pretty simple, but it’s a vexing paradox even the best business leaders struggle to get a grip on! “Our memory of the experiences is not the average of how we felt throughout the experiences.” - Adam Toporek This is why business leaders need not only to understand the Peak-End Rule, but to bake it into our customer experience strategies. What do you want customers to remember you for, and are you really approaching this the right way? What are the emotional high and low points in your customer experience, and more importantly, which will customers remember you for? In our last episode, bestselling author Shaun Belding explained there’s more than one kind of “Wow” in customer experiences. So understanding the Peak-End rule goes a long way in helping you make the difference between inspiring customers to say “Wow, let’s do that again!” vs “Wow, that stunk to high heaven!”   Listen in for Adam's expert tips to take charge of these critical emotional tipping points. Related Content 360Connext® post, How to Drive Business Results With The Peak-End Rule Customers That Stick® post, Exceeding Customer Expectations Is Nice but Not Necessary Episode 344: Shaun Belding, The Journey to Wow Episode 321: Jesse Cole, Revolutionizing the Ballpark Experience We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts   Sponsor message Give your team the customer service training they deserve Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.   Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.  

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Array ( [id] => ae2e2388-62c0-11e9-9b30-3bdbacb2ef31 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:10.690-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:20.960-04:00 [title] => 344: Shaun Belding, The Journey to Wow [pubdate] => 2018-10-30T11:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/ae2e2388-62c0-11e9-9b30-3bdbacb2ef31/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie unlock your potential to create and deliver ever-improving customer experiences with Shaun Belding, CEO of The Belding Group and author of The Journey to Wow. Are you on your Journey to Wow? Leaders everywhere say they want to... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie unlock your potential to create and deliver ever-improving customer experiences with Shaun Belding, CEO of The Belding Group and author of The Journey to Wow.

---

Are you on your Journey to Wow?

Leaders everywhere say they want to “wow” their customers. So they create new processes and experiences that look great from within the walls of their organizations. Then they find out customers are saying “wow, that was… awful!” But who hasn’t said that more than once? We all know there are two kinds of “wow,” so why do we forget about this when creating customer experiences?

“Customer Experience has a payoff. You have to believe that.” -Shaun Belding

Shaun Belding, CEO of the Belding Group, understands how easy it is to miss the mark when creating memorable customer experiences. In fact, his latest book is all about how to create these “wow” experiences without losing sight of customer emotions and what “wow” really means to them.

It starts with defining what “wow” really means within the context of your customer experiences, and how that fits into your culture and processes. Then you must realize there’s no end-game where the experience is great, and anticipate the next improvement.

"Just because you were great yesterday doesn't mean you're going to be great today." -Shaun Belding

In this interview, Shaun breaks down his approach not only to defining the different kinds of “wow” in your experience, but how to put that into a context that’s actually useful, then discover where you need to focus. So we hope listen in then say “Wow, I am so glad I listened to this episode!”

“You can’t ask the front lines to be relentless if the CEO isn’t driving it.” -Shaun Belding

Interview Highlights

• What inspired Shaun to write The Journey to Wow in a parable format? [3:00]
• What’s at stake when leaders seek to create “wow” experiences, and more importantly, how can Shaun’s approach fix that? [6:15]
• Complacency is a huge enemy of great customer experiences, so how can we get ahead of it? [16:00]

---

About our guest

Shaun Belding has been in the customer experience space for 27 years.  (Pretty amazing, since he claims to be only 32 years old…) He is CEO of the Belding Group of companies - an award-winning global customer experience consulting and customer service training company.  He is a bestselling author of six books, published internationally in 12 languages, including the just-released The Journey to WOW.

Connect with Shaun

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Buy Shaun’s book: The Journey to Wow

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Related Content

• 360Connext® post, How to Avoid Hidden Disasters in Customer Experience Design
• Customers That Stick® post, 3 Examples of How to Easily WOW Customers
• Episode 098: Brian Solis, Where Business Meets Design
• Episode 329: Be a Customer Experience Change Agent
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => ae87205a-62c0-11e9-9b30-ebaa718c83af [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:11.273-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:04:29.766-04:00 [title] => 343: Are Subscription Boxes Filled with Data Gold? [pubdate] => 2018-10-23T09:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/ae87205a-62c0-11e9-9b30-ebaa718c83af/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam discuss the past, present and future of custom subscription boxes and their growing role in the data revolution. Subscription boxes enter the data revolution In the past few years, we have seen explosive growth in data collection... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam discuss the past, present and future of custom subscription boxes and their growing role in the data revolution. Subscription boxes enter the data revolution In the past few years, we have seen explosive growth in data collection methods. As a result, marketers get a better ROI on their campaigns while delivering more personalized products, services, and experiences. And now we’ve seen a growing trend in subscription boxes, where consumers offer much richer information from the start. Services like BirchBox, StitchFix, BarkBox, Blue Apron, and many others, offer custom-tailored boxes based not only on their initial preferences, but their behavior of returning merchandise, upgrading and downgrading service levels, and more. “The data that you CAN get is so much richer…” -Jeannie Walters But now these services are beginning to use Artificial Intelligence to analyze this data, and really leveraging the power of smart algorithms. This serves not only to reduce the costs of keeping stylists and consultants on the ready, but to create richer customer profiles and inform new ways of segmenting. The robots are collecting and acting on information about size, weight, dietary preferences, styling preferences, and many more things marketers wouldn’t have dreamed of having access to in the past. So, this all sounds great, doesn’t it? It’s a win/win where organizations have increasingly powerful data at hand and consumers save precious time knowing someone (or something) is making good choices for them, possibly better than the choices they’d make on their own. “Organizations are using every action we take as a data point to understand us.”  -Adam Toporek However, you might guess that we’ve been wondering if this is sustainable, and we certainly are! What happens when algorithms start sending things they think customers should like, but don’t? Then what happens when customers “settle” for those choices simply to receive incentives for future purchases? In the search for perfect data, marketers and their robots continually open the door for new imperfect forms of targeting, and consequently, imperfect customer experiences. So this growing trend of subscription boxes coupled with the use of AI is rife with potential for disaster! In this episode, we dive into this trend from the customer’s perspective, look back at how it all got started, where it is today, and what it may mean for the future of marketing and big data. Our robots say you need to listen in! Related Content 360Connext® post, What’s Missing from your Data Insights? Customers That Stick® post, What Great Brands Do Episode 335: Do You have a Purchase or Usage Brand? Episode 311: Which Retail Touchpoints Matter Most We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts   Sponsor message Give your team the customer service training they deserve Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.   Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.  

[audioFile] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/ae87205a-62c0-11e9-9b30-ebaa718c83af/stripped_f37599dc1375015b59df3fcf419cd8ec.mp3 [downloadUrl] => http://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSN9316457224.mp3 [size] => 16245237 [duration] => 1015.33 [uid] => CSN9316457224 [originalUrl] => http://traffic.libsyn.com/crackthecustomercode/ctcc_343_final_a.mp3?dest-id=215469 [bitrate] => 128 [samplerate] => 44100 [channelMode] => stereo [vbr] => [audioFileProcessing] => [podcastId] => a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc [preCount] => 0 [postCount] => 0 [insertionPoints] => Array ( ) [id3File] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/ae87205a-62c0-11e9-9b30-ebaa718c83af/id3/c1151bb34e7b048cb10faaf096718926.mp3 [id3FileProcessing] => [id3FileSize] => 76220 [parentId] => [guid] => 0693e7f70fd24f70b5eaf4d2aad1a794 [pubdateTimezone] => [originalFilename] => [preOffset] => 0.0 [postOffset] => 0.0 [spotifyIdentifier] => [expectedAdhash] => [audioFileUpdatedAt] => [draft] => [externalId] => [customFields] => )

Array ( [id] => aecfc3c8-62c0-11e9-9b30-63d714fd663d [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:11.750-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:18.386-04:00 [title] => 342: Ruben Ocampo, Service Design [pubdate] => 2018-10-16T09:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/aecfc3c8-62c0-11e9-9b30-63d714fd663d/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Forward-thinking designer and strategic facilitator Ruben Ocampo joins us not only to set the record straight about what design thinking really is, but to share his unique, human-centric approach to service design. Do you see service design through a... [summary] =>

Forward-thinking designer and strategic facilitator Ruben Ocampo joins us not only to set the record straight about what design thinking really is, but to share his unique, human-centric approach to service design.

---

Do you see service design through a human lens?

In this ever-changing world of products and services, we have a major problem with problem-solving.

Too often, we approach service design as a means to our own ends. Then, in our efforts to adopt a better approach, we adopt terms like “design thinking” that tend to lose their true meaning through all the buzz.

Many companies interpret design thinking as a better kind of brainstorming session, which is only a small part of it. While great ideas may be born this way, they often only live on paper. As a result, companies waste millions launching innovations that don’t solve the problems they intended to solve. In fact, sometimes new problems are created in the process!

“Even if we don’t have the title of designer, we’re designing solutions for someone." -Ruben Ocampo

But Ruben Ocampo is here to help us understand a more human-centric (and efficient!) approach to service design. He outlines the three major ways of solving problems, how they limit our options, and some keys to keeping our capabilities and limitations in perspective.

“It’s all about building empathy through observation." -Ruben Ocampo

Service design is not just about innovating around customers to solve problems, or even to deliver better service. Rather, it's about creating experiences that influence customer behavior and evoke positive emotions. So seeing experiences through a human lens is critical! This can be a bigger challenge for organizations that have been operating the same way forever. But Ruben has tackled this not only with businesses, but with cities and government agencies too!

Listen in to learn Ruben’s approach to human-centric design, so you can attack service issues head on and move forward with a service design that delights customers and sets your brand apart from the competition.

Interview Highlights

• What inspired Ruben to focus on design thinking, and why did he develop his unique approach? [2:57]
• There’s a lot of miscommunication around what “design thinking” and “service design” really are, so Ruben explains how understanding what these things mean helps customers and companies alike. [4:48]
• It’s one thing to solve existing problems, but how does design thinking help businesses prepare for solutions to problems that don’t even exist yet? [8:58]
• Surely there are constraints to apply to human-centric design, but when should they considered? [12:30]
• Ruben talks about his work in human-centric design with city innovations in Chicago and Bogota. [15:43]

---

About our guest

Ruben Ocampo is a designer and strategic facilitator who helps leaders imagine and enact visionary change by engaging them in a purposeful and meaningful dialogue with customers, workforce, and other stakeholders in the value chain. Having received Master degrees in both business administration and human-centered design, Ruben’s unique approach combines different ways of creating and interpreting shared meaning.

Ruben has worked across several sectors, including government, manufacturing, hospitality, health, and financial services. He teaches master's-level courses in management and design and has spoken at design conferences and seminars in the US and abroad.

Connect with Ruben

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Conic website
• trans:form:ed website

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Related Content

• 360Connext® post, How to Avoid Hidden Disasters in Customer Experience Design
• Customers That Stick® post, 3 Examples of How to Easily WOW Customers
• Episode 098: Brian Solis, Where Business Meets Design
• Episode 329: Be a Customer Experience Change Agent
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => af1ddfc2-62c0-11e9-9b30-7faaab67e606 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:12.263-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:04:26.826-04:00 [title] => 341: Is Word of Mouse Getting Less Important? [pubdate] => 2018-10-09T09:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/af1ddfc2-62c0-11e9-9b30-7faaab67e606/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie discuss the apparent decline in trust of Word of Mouse and how businesses and consumers are navigating the misinformation associated with online reviews. Navigating the new Word of Mouse Positive word of mouth can be very powerful... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie discuss the apparent decline in trust of Word of Mouse and how businesses and consumers are navigating the misinformation associated with online reviews. Navigating the new Word of Mouse Positive word of mouth can be very powerful in driving sales and forging loyalty. But because marketers know this, review sites and forums are becoming rife with fake reviews. For example, it’s been said recently that up to one-third of reviews on TripAdvisor are fake. “People are more and more suspect of fake reviews.” -Adam Toporek However, it’s not just TripAdvisor we’re talking about here. There’s a huge market for fake reviews, and some marketers have started using “review farms” and other clever (or not-so-clever) ways to sneak them into giants like Amazon. As a result, customers are trusting word of mouse, or online reviews, less and less. “They are gaming the system to the detriment of those of us who do trust reviews…” -Jeannie Walters So, is word of mouse as a means to influence customers on the decline? Yes and no… As businesses find more ways to exploit customers’ dependence on online reviews, customers are becoming more savvy in determining which reviews to trust. In fact, they’re finding ways to share more trustworthy information on platforms where the businesses in question have less control. In today’s episode, Jeannie and Adam explore what is driving this shift and what it means for your business. How can you approach reviews in the age of fake word of mouse? Will your genuinely fantastic online reviews get lost in the din? Listen in and put your money where your mouse is! Related Content 360Connext® post, 3 Ways to Survive Dangerously Casual Customer Reviews Customers That Stick® post, When Sales Does Service on Social with Phil Gerbyshak Episode 183: Online Reviews More Important Than Ever Episode 152: Daniel Lemin, Manipurated We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts   Sponsor message Give your team the customer service training they deserve Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.   Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.  

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Array ( [id] => af623c44-62c0-11e9-9b30-afaad5a2352f [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:12.710-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:04:52.774-04:00 [title] => 340: Marti Konstant, the Agile Careerist [pubdate] => 2018-10-02T09:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/af623c44-62c0-11e9-9b30-afaad5a2352f/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Bestselling author and career futurist Marti Konstant joins us to discuss how an agile career can create a brighter future for you, your colleagues, and your organization. Why career agility is a priority With customer expectations changing... [summary] =>

Bestselling author and career futurist Marti Konstant joins us to discuss how an agile career can create a brighter future for you, your colleagues, and your organization.

---

Why career agility is a priority

With customer expectations changing constantly, agility is important in today’s marketplace. But how agile is your business, really, if your career is not? How ready are you to take the next step in your project, in your organization, or ultimately, in your career?

“… develop talent value for yourself that wouldn’t exist…” -Marti Konstant

Marti Konstant created the Career Agility Model not only to help professionals keep one foot stepping towards tomorrow’s success, but to help them bring more value to their organizations today. Having an agile career, as Marti explains, makes you more successful in projects, careers, and personal branding.

But it’s not about learning to do anything and everything at once. In fact, focusing on one great thing can be your ticket to leveraging your other strengths in the future.

“Become known for one thing, people will engage you on those other skillsets.” -Marti Konstant

So as many of our listeners are interested in building their personal brands while being superstars to their own teams, we’re delighted to have this amazing discussion about how both you and your organization can benefit from career agility.

Agility is needed on all fronts to succeed in an ever-changing marketplace, and true career agility starts with the amazing insights and actions Marti reveals in this interview. To find out how to use the Career Agility Model, create an Idea Zone to stay on the ready, assemble and leverage your own Feedback Squad, and more, listen in!

Interview Highlights

• What does it mean to have career agility? [2:20]
• It seems career agility makes it easier to jump ship, so why is it beneficial to organizations and employers? [4:25]
• What is an “Idea Zone,” and more importantly, how can you create your own? [6:00]
• How can a feedback squad help optimize your personal branding? [9:12]
• If I haven’t found my “true north” yet, then how can I approach career agility? [12:07]
• How can you focus on being known for one great thing but still be agile and ready for what’s next? [14:35]

---

About our guest

Marti Konstant is a workplace futurist, career growth analyst, author, speaker, and founder of the Agile Careerist Project™. Her career path includes: artist, designer, brand developer, entrepreneur, technology marketing executive, and investor. Marti delivers keynotes, workshops and training, where future of work and career agility are central themes.

Her book, Activate Your Agile Career: How Responding to Change Will Inspire Your Life’s Work, was listed as #1 New Release and Best Seller on Amazon. She earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Connect with Marti

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• AgileCareer.com
  • Free Career Agility Guide
  • Newsletter

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Related Content

• 360Connext® post, How to Focus Learning Paths on Greater CX Success
• Customers That Stick® post, Keep Stepping to Succeed with Joy Marsden
• Episode 136: Jane Anderson, Customer Service for Personal Brands
• Episode 114: Ron Tite, Branding and Creativity Expert
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

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Array ( [id] => afb1d36c-62c0-11e9-9b30-43fdb0890ea9 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:13.231-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:03:15.708-04:00 [title] => 339: Customer Journey Mapping is Not One Size Fits All [pubdate] => 2018-09-25T10:30:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/afb1d36c-62c0-11e9-9b30-43fdb0890ea9/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie Walters CCXP gives you the 101 on customer journey mapping so you can stop stalling and start making a difference today. Customer Journey Mapping: What’s holding you back? When the subject of customer journey mapping comes up, we often... [summary] =>

Jeannie Walters CCXP gives you the 101 on customer journey mapping so you can stop stalling and start making a difference today.

---

Customer Journey Mapping: What’s holding you back?

When the subject of customer journey mapping comes up, we often think of gorgeous, robust maps that take forever to complete. Then we think of how much work that must be, how enormous our customer journey is, and ultimately, how we don’t have the time or money for all that.

But that’s why many business leaders miss out on the amazing “A-Ha!” moments and opportunities to add delight that only come from a customer journey mapping project. It’s too easy to get hung up on the deliverable itself, when it’s actually the project, the “doing” of customer journey mapping, that makes the magic happen.

 “Doing a journey map for journey mapping’s sake…Congratulations, you have a poster, and customers still hate you.” – Jeannie Walters

What’s more, customer journey mapping is typically seen as a huge project that takes forever. “How can we map the entire customer journey? It’s enormous! And we have so. Many. Customer Segments…”

Stop right there. You don’t have to map the entire journey of every customer. You don’t have to consider every customer at once and create a giant monster that eats up all your time and money. And more importantly, you don’t have to worry about making it pretty.

 “The magic of journey mapping is in the process.” – Jeannie Walters

In this episode, Jeannie gives you the 101 on journey mapping so you can get started right away, no matter who your customers are or what your situation is.

Customer journey mapping doesn’t have to be huge and expensive to spark action that makes a real difference, so don't let the beautiful maps you see online dictate what your map should be like. Listen in to learn more about Jeannie’s fully-adaptable “can-do” approach!

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Using Customer Journey Maps: Dirty Secrets and Wasted Opportunities
• Customers That Stick® post, Remove the Weak Links in Your Customer Experience: Part 1
• Episode 163: When to Update Customer Journey Maps
• Episode 287: The Multi-Device Customer Journey
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => aff83f14-62c0-11e9-9b30-c71266c71b6c [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:13.694-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:18.251-04:00 [title] => 338: Danny Schuman, The Worst Business Model [pubdate] => 2018-09-18T11:30:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/aff83f14-62c0-11e9-9b30-c71266c71b6c/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie discuss how to overcome the pitfalls and challenges of developing a business model around entrepreneurship with Danny Schuman, author of “The Worst Business Model” and founder of Twist. Do entrepreneurs need to have a business... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie discuss how to overcome the pitfalls and challenges of developing a business model around entrepreneurship with Danny Schuman, author of “The Worst Business Model” and founder of Twist.

---

Do entrepreneurs need to have a business model?

As entrepreneurs, solopreneurs and small business owners, we tend to follow our passions and go with our guts on everything. But sooner or later, we must develop a business model or scaling becomes difficult… or even impossible!

“Sometimes it’s hard to get out of our own way.” -Danny Schuman

It’s tough to develop standards and policies when thus far, we’ve surrounded ourselves with great people, done whatever we do best, and it’s all been working out. While it can feel like we don’t need a business model, serving more clients and maintaining solid relationships with them becomes incredibly difficult.

But how can we develop guidelines and rules without losing touch with the passion that brought us here in the first place?

As an entrepreneur who beat the odds, Danny Schuman has been asked this question many times, so it inspired him to write a book! In fact, he dug in and interviewed hundreds of entrepreneurs to find the best ways to develop a business model while staying engaged with customers and offering the best possible experiences.

“We often do things that work but we don’t really notice them…” -Danny Schuman

In this episode, we learn some great ways to stay positive, stay focused, put a method behind our madness, and more importantly, leverage what’s been working for us in ways that are scalable.

Interview Highlights

• Danny’s book is called “The Worst Business Model in the World,” but why do people need to know about that? [2:51]
• What does UDOT stand for, and more importantly, how does it help entrepreneurs when things go wrong? [6:00]
• Why dedicate a chapter to hugging clients, and how does it relate to customer experience? [10:14]
• What does it mean to be unapologetically loyal? [12:59]
• If it’s really the worst business model, then why on earth do we all do this to ourselves? [16:27]

---

About our guest

Danny Schuman is a writer, marketer, and entrepreneur who has spent his career creating ideas to solve challenges. He founded marketing consultancy Twist in January 2009, working with big and small brands to develop successful brand strategy, focus their message, and bring that message to the right people with great marketing materials.

Before founding Twist, Danny wrote and creative directed marketing campaigns that helped build iconic brands like Quaker Oatmeal, Coors Light, and Gatorade. He and Michael Jordan started working on Gatorade on the same day. Michael called Danny “Peanut Butter Jelly Boy,” but that’s a story for another time. His #1 best-selling book The Worst Business Model in the World: A New Kind of Guide for a New Kind of Entrepreneur is available on Amazon!

Connect with Danny

• Hey UDOTS on Twitter
• Hey UDOTS on Facebook
• Website – Twist Your Thinking
• Get Danny’s Book

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, 5 Tips for Entrepreneurs: Prioritize or Lose Your Mojo!
• Customers That Stick® post, Keep Stepping to Succeed with Joy Marsden
• Episode 321: Jesse Cole, Revolutionizing the Ballpark Experience
• Episode 324: A Good Product Is Not Enough
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => b03f3a2c-62c0-11e9-9b30-e38c70285a7f [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:14.158-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:04:39.470-04:00 [title] => 337: Is Chat Better than Phone for Customer Service? [pubdate] => 2018-09-11T09:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b03f3a2c-62c0-11e9-9b30-e38c70285a7f/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie explore the decline of people using the phone for customer service and how to know if chat is better for you and your customers. Why is chat better than phone for some customers? We all know calling a company for customer service is... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie explore the decline of people using the phone for customer service and how to know if chat is better for you and your customers.

---

Why is chat better than phone for some customers?

We all know calling a company for customer service is typically time-consuming and frustrating. So with text-based service options like chat becoming more available, many of us are opting not to pick up the phone.

“We all have been trained to not pick up the phone…” -Jeannie Walters

But is this really better? While chat offers convenience and a better sense of control for the customer, phone conversations capture more of the emotion and urgency of the situation. So even though we save on resources by sending customers through this channel, we miss out on valuable insights that can only be communicated through the spoken word.

Perhaps we should not be looking at this as one channel being better than the other. Instead, maybe we should be thinking about what actually serves the customer in the moment. For instance, is chat only preferred because the customer gave up while waiting for a service agent on the phone?

“That’s not a problem of the channel. That’s a problem of the execution.” -Adam Toporek

This is a hot issue to which there’s no one right answer. In fact, the Washington Post recently published an article encouraging customer NOT to call for customer service. While this idea may sound great for companies hoping to save on resources, it signals a public perception of failure around phone support.

So what can you do about this, and what does it mean for customer service in your company? More importantly, what does it mean for the way customers perceive your brand and how you collect those insights? We talk about this and a lot more on the podcast. Listen in!

Related Content

• Washington Post Article, Want better customer service? Don’t call. Text.
• 360Connext® post, 3 Ways the Best Brands Do Omnichannel Right
• Customers That Stick® post, Remove the Weak Links in Your Customer Experience: Part 1
• Episode 336: Joshua March, Social Media Messaging
• Episode 235: Customer Experience Touchpoint Tips
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Joshua March, bestselling author and Founder of Conversiocial, shares how social media messaging helps create better customer experiences while cutting customer service costs.

---

Customer service efficiency through social media messaging

Besides the fact that customers want help via social media messaging, it’s cheaper, faster and more efficient that traditional channels. But most companies have yet to adopt it as a core channel for customer service and communication in general.

“If you’re taking a day to respond, then people will just end up phoning” @joshuamarch

These channels aren’t going away, friends. In fact, 8 billion business-to-consumer messages are sent via Facebook messenger monthly, and this number has grown 4 times past 12 months.

So we invited Joshua March, Founder of Conversocial, to discuss the benefits and challenges of adopting social media messaging as a primary method of communication, both internally and with customers.

“You really need to be treating messaging as a semi-real-time channel.” @joshuamarch

Josh not only explains why social messaging is important and here to stay, but he shares great examples of companies using social media messaging in ways that provide faster, more efficient customer service while saving big money on communications. For example, one company has moved up to 60% of their customer service communications to social messaging.

You can do this too! You can handle customer service more efficiently and consistently via social media messaging than any other. As a result, you will save money, bolster public perception, CSAT, NPS and more. Listen in!

Interview Highlights

• If apps have made so many things easier, then why is customer service is still not where it needs to be? [4:50]
• What is a "conversational relationship," and more importantly, how can brands create and maintain that type of relationship? [9:05]
• Messaging is all over the place these days, so what kinds of apps should we be focusing on for today’s customers? [11:32]
• What are the short-term and long-term pros and cons of making messaging a core method of business communication? [13:15]
• Having a quick customer service response time has helped many brands with public perception, so Joshua shared his favorite examples of brands who have done this well. [16:31]

---

About our guest

Joshua March founded Conversocial in 2009 based on his vision that online communication and customer service were undergoing fundamental shifts, requiring businesses to invest in new processes and technologies to manage the rapidly shifting social landscape.

A leading proponent of social media, Joshua previously founded leading social application company iPlatform, one of the world's first Facebook Preferred Developers, which was acquired in 2012.  Having started his career in London, Joshua is now based in New York where he leads the US operations of Conversocial, as well as global strategy. And he is now the author of the new book Message Me, a book on the future of customer service.

Connect with Joshua

• Twitter
• Conversocial Website
• Joshua’s book, Message Me, on Amazon

---

Related Content

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• Episode 150: Phil Gerbyshak, Social Connections
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

[audioFile] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/b08f0426-62c0-11e9-9b30-df97b7010392/stripped_9afcca30a70d1b1b91bfb72f0680e63c.mp3 [downloadUrl] => http://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSN1490898546.mp3 [size] => 23966615 [duration] => 1497.91 [uid] => CSN1490898546 [originalUrl] => http://traffic.libsyn.com/crackthecustomercode/ctcc_336_final_a.mp3?dest-id=215469 [bitrate] => 128 [samplerate] => 44100 [channelMode] => stereo [vbr] => [audioFileProcessing] => [podcastId] => a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc [preCount] => 0 [postCount] => 0 [insertionPoints] => Array ( ) [id3File] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/b08f0426-62c0-11e9-9b30-df97b7010392/id3/e7fe26c9197ebc1201fb8b5004b1d084.mp3 [id3FileProcessing] => [id3FileSize] => 76290 [parentId] => [guid] => ad583bafae044c1cba99238d57b13555 [pubdateTimezone] => [originalFilename] => [preOffset] => 0.0 [postOffset] => 0.0 [spotifyIdentifier] => [expectedAdhash] => [audioFileUpdatedAt] => [draft] => [externalId] => [customFields] => )

Array ( [id] => b0e50efc-62c0-11e9-9b30-777e432dbcb7 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:15.245-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:04:41.295-04:00 [title] => 335: Do You have a Purchase or Usage Brand? [pubdate] => 2018-08-28T09:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b0e50efc-62c0-11e9-9b30-777e432dbcb7/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => bonus [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie discuss the core distinctions between a purchase brand and a usage brand and how that translates to better customer experiences, and ultimately, greater long-term success. Your customer’s journey is not what you think it is It’s... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie discuss the core distinctions between a purchase brand and a usage brand and how that translates to better customer experiences, and ultimately, greater long-term success.

---

Your customer’s journey is not what you think it is

It’s one thing to sell a product or service then call it a success and move on to the next customer... But it’s another thing to continue building a mutually rewarding relationship with that first customer. As it turns out, engaging, educating and celebrating existing customers leads to increased loyalty and positive word-of-mouth.

“How can we make sure that that usage part is amazing?” - Jeannie Walters

Simply put, to create a brand that inspires loyalty and advocacy, you need to focus on creating an experience that lives beyond the sales phase to inform and encourage the way customers use your product or service. Top brands like Sephora and AirBNB create lasting relationships around usage instead of pouring all that money and energy into traditional marketing, and the results have been incredible!

But don’t take my word for it! In this episode, Adam and Jeannie share great examples and comparisons to show you why these two concepts really can’t coexist. You’ll learn about brands that are focused on purchase, brands that focus on usage, and even some brands that have had great success making a switch.

“Any company can do this if they shift their focus.” -Adam Toporek

So which kind of brand are you, the kind that focuses on promotion, or the kind that focuses on advocacy? If you’re thinking you can do both, according to a recent article in the Harvard Business Review that inspired this episode, you must choose! But don’t worry, Adam and Jeannie are here to help you make that distinction and decide if you’re on the right path. Listen in!

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Using Customer Journey Maps: Dirty Secrets and Wasted Opportunities
• Customers That Stick® post, Remove the Weak Links in Your Customer Experience: Part 1
• Episode 289: Transitions and Gaps in CX
• Episode 235: Customer Experience Touchpoint Tips
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => b128d934-62c0-11e9-9b30-4bbbebd979c7 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:15.689-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:35.414-04:00 [title] => 334: Melissa Agnes, Preparing for Crisis [pubdate] => 2018-08-21T09:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b128d934-62c0-11e9-9b30-4bbbebd979c7/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam interview author and speaker Melissa Agnes about how preparing beyond traditional crisis management can make your brand invincible. Will Crisis Management save your brand? Most brands have a Crisis Management plan, typically as a... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam interview author and speaker Melissa Agnes about how preparing beyond traditional crisis management can make your brand invincible.

---

Will Crisis Management save your brand?

Most brands have a Crisis Management plan, typically as a large volume to refer to for guidance when a situation arises. Unfortunately, these plans rarely pull through during a real crisis. And what’s more, they serve only as reactive tools. So, what good is that when bad PR has already gone viral or your partners are backing out of a deal to prevent risking their own reputation?

“If you think about crisis management when a crisis strikes, you are behind. You’re doomed, really.” -Melissa Agnes

Speaker and author Melissa Agnes is here to tell us there’s a better way to approach crisis situations. In fact, she knows how your brand can become invincible by getting ahead of these situations, instead of just reacting to them!

“When you have those unbreakable relationship, you also gain the benefit of the doubt” -Melissa Agnes

In this episode, find out how you can create a culture that is prepared to:

• Detect risk
• Assess the impact
• Manage in a way that strengthens relationships
• Come out of any crisis stronger than before!

Whether you’re a small retailer, a B2B company, or an entrepreneur, your next crisis is around the corner. Listen in to make your brand invincible!

Interview Highlights

• Melissa’s book is about Building an Invincible Brand, so how is that different from Crisis Management? [4:20]
• If a crisis is not the same as an issue, then how can we differentiate the two to respond appropriately?  [7:37]
• Where do customer experience and crisis management intersect, and more importantly, how do culture and training fit into creating an Invincible Brand? [14:14]
• B2B issues rarely go viral, but they can still become crises! So how can we prepare for a crisis with a partner or B2B relationship? [19:35]
• Melissa’s book outlines a formula for managing a crisis around controversy, but she decided to share it with our listeners! [24:45]
• What about those “grey” situations where it’s not totally clear a crisis is developing, but one may be possible? [27:26]

---

About our guest

Author of Crisis Ready: Building an Invincible Brand in an Uncertain World, Melissa Agnes is a leading authority on crisis preparedness, reputation management, and brand protection.  Agnes is a coveted speaker, commentator, and advisor to some of today's leading organizations faced with the greatest risks.

As a strategic advisor and keynote speaker, Melissa Agnes has worked with NATO, Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense, financial firms, technology companies, healthcare organizations, cities and municipalities, law enforcement agencies, global non-profits, and many others.

Agnes is the editor of the Crisis ReadyBlog, a contributor to Forbes, and a go-to source for the press, with recent coverage including the Wall Street Journal, VIBE Magazine, USA Today, and many others.

Connect with Melissa

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Website

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, 5 Leadership Biases that Hinder Success in Business
• Customers That Stick® post, How to Treat Customers: With Respect
• Episode 309: Common Leadership Biases in Your Way of Success
• Episode 204: (Tip) Customer Service Leadership
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => b17b1a00-62c0-11e9-9b30-574b0f46bc3f [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:16.228-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:04:04.992-04:00 [title] => 333: Don't Make Assumptions About Your Customer's Journey [pubdate] => 2018-08-14T09:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b17b1a00-62c0-11e9-9b30-574b0f46bc3f/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Live from the National Speakers Association’s Influence 2018 conference, Adam and Jeannie take the mic (and camera!) to make 2 strong cases for mapping your customer’s journey more thoroughly. Your customer’s journey is not what you think it... [summary] =>

Live from the National Speakers Association’s Influence 2018 conference, Adam and Jeannie take the mic (and camera!) to make 2 strong cases for mapping your customer’s journey more thoroughly.

---

Your customer’s journey is not what you think it is

Too often, brands elect not to map the entire customer journey because they think they know all about what happens. Unfortunately, this sense of understanding is typically based on assumptions around the ideal journey, not the actual experience. As a result, customers experience unnecessary friction, frustration, and broken promises.

“If someone makes me a promise…then I should be able to rely on that.” -Jeannie Walters

We have 2 cases in point:

While in Dallas, TX for the National Speakers Association (NSA) Influence 2018 conference, Adam and Jeannie noticed a few hiccups in their own journeys as customers. So they put on their customer experience hats to show you what can go wrong when your customer journey is viewed only from the inside out.

“We’re using this as a teachable moment.” -Adam Toporek

But it’s not just about the journey they have as your customer. As you’ll learn in this episode, considering where your customer was before they reached your brand and how they reached you can reveal critical distinctions!

Many brands still don’t take this step towards greater understanding. Therefore, we urge you to listen in (or watch!) this episode, where Adam and Jeannie analyze these experiences from the customer’s perspective.

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Using Customer Journey Maps: Dirty Secrets and Wasted Opportunities
• Customers That Stick® post, Remove the Weak Links in Your Customer Experience: Part 1
• Episode 289: Transitions and Gaps in CX
• Episode 235: Customer Experience Touchpoint Tips
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => b1c42650-62c0-11e9-9b30-c3f8fedc9245 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:16.707-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:34.467-04:00 [title] => 332: Alan Schaefer: Banding Together [pubdate] => 2018-08-07T09:30:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b1c42650-62c0-11e9-9b30-c3f8fedc9245/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie discuss an innovative approach to resolving collaboration issues and working together harmoniously with Alan Schaefer, CEO and Founder of Banding People Together. Take collaboration to the next level, then ROCK it! If you work... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie discuss an innovative approach to resolving collaboration issues and working together harmoniously with Alan Schaefer, CEO and Founder of Banding People Together.

---

Take collaboration to the next level, then ROCK it!

If you work as part of a collaborative team, then you know collaboration can be rough. But don’t beat yourself up! Even when there’s a solid process, collaborating effectively is rarely an effort that just falls into place.

“There are no collaborative rules of the road” - Alan Schaefer

It’s easy to think putting more heads together means cranking out better results more efficiently. But having faced incredible collaborative challenges as a band member, Alan Schaefer understands why collaboration poses additional challenges and causes friction among team members.

So Alan decided to change this for organizational teams. He has developed his own methodology to not only help them collaborate better, but to do so in a way that’s repeatable. And you’re not going to believe how he achieves this!

“It’s really bridging that gap between people that are ‘heart-wired’ and ‘hard-wired’" - Alan Schaefer

Through collaborative songwriting exercises, Alan helped large organizations strengthen corporate teambuilding, gain a better sense of self-awareness, and direct different types of thinkers towards collaborative roles where their contributions are most effective.

Using Alan’s own Collaborative Harmony Index, organizations assess their strengths and weaknesses, then learn how to work together better. They discover how to be more efficient, productive, and most of all, be a part of a culture that creates better customer experiences.

“To get to that external engaged customer state you’ve got to do the work inside first.” - Alan SAchaefer

We’re talking about ways everyone can work towards rapid alignment between leadership, goals and team-members here, but in ways you've never heard of. But the best part is that you don’t have to record a hit single to put Alan’s amazing insights to work for you today. So if you want to create a healthier, more effective approach towards collaboration, this episode will be music to your ears!

Interview Highlights

• Alan explains the challenges of collaborating in a band, then how he applied that to helping big brands increase performance. [4:55]
• Songwriting is a powerful tool for helping teams collaborate, but how does it work? [7:05]
• If Alan’s methodology helps teams work better internally, then can it be applied to working better with customers too? [11:26]
• There’s always an overzealous participant in any group, so how does Alan keep them in check? [14:55]
• What is the Collaborative Harmony Index Diagnostic, and more importantly, how can listeners use it? [16:16]
• Alan recommends a songwriting skill we can all apply to increase success not only of collaborative efforts, but our own sense of harmony. [20:00]

---

About our guest

Alan Schaefer is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Banding People Together, a super group of behaviorists, strategists and rock stars who teach people how to be their best selves when working with others.  He created Banding’s True Collaboration® framework and methodology which includes a behavioral instrument called The Collaborative Harmony Index.  He has been described as “a maestro of human capital excellence” and brings his unique perspective as a successful entrepreneur, author, recording artist, songwriter and consultant to his current work.  A few of Banding’s global clients include NASA, Netflix, Cisco, ADP, Hilton, ESPN and Verizon.

Connect with Alan

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Website
• Take the Collaborative Harmony Index Assessment!

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, 5 Leadership Biases that Hinder Success in Business
• Customers That Stick® post, How to Treat Customers: With Respect
• Episode 309: Common Leadership Biases in Your Way of Success
• Episode 204: (Tip) Customer Service Leadership
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => b20c7964-62c0-11e9-9b30-abc8a2fa4991 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:17.181-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:03:48.960-04:00 [title] => 331: There’s No One Way to Do Customer Experience [pubdate] => 2018-07-31T09:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b20c7964-62c0-11e9-9b30-abc8a2fa4991/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam report live from the National Speakers Association’s Influence 2018 conference to discuss what it means to do customer experience right. What’s the best way to “do” customer experience? We get this question a lot! In fact,... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam report live from the National Speakers Association’s Influence 2018 conference to discuss what it means to do customer experience right.

---

What’s the best way to “do” customer experience?

We get this question a lot! In fact, our hosts recently attended the National Speakers Association (NSA) Influence 2018 conference in Dallas, TX, and several of the amazing speakers approached them to ask this same question.

“When we introduce this idea of #CX, people ask ‘what does that mean?’ or ‘how do you start?’” -Jeannie Walters

Being away from their studios, Adam and Jeannie decided to answer this popular question on camera for attendees then bring those tips home for you! There are a lot of strong opinions out there, but before you take one of them as gospel, please listen in and decide for yourself.

“Every organization has a different DNA and a different cultural code you need to crack.” -Adam Toporek

So, what is the best way to “do” customer experience, and more importantly, where should you start? Can you be the next Zappos, and is that even something you should be trying to do? Find out in this special “live, not live” video edition of Crack the Customer Code!

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Why Your Customer-Centric “Breakthrough” Is Not Working
• Customers That Stick® post, What Great Brands Do
• Episode 253: (Tip) Situational Awareness in Customer Service
• Episode 298: Michel Falcon, Incredible Experience Tips
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => b2668972-62c0-11e9-9b30-43160ee96f5b [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:17.771-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:32.622-04:00 [title] => 330: Jess Pettitt, Good Enough NOW [pubdate] => 2018-07-24T13:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b2668972-62c0-11e9-9b30-43160ee96f5b/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Author and renowned speaker Jess Pettitt flips diversity training on its head to help us check our biases and stereotypes to not only reduce friction, but to leverage them for better experiences and greater business outcomes. Turning diversity... [summary] =>

Author and renowned speaker Jess Pettitt flips diversity training on its head to help us check our biases and stereotypes to not only reduce friction, but to leverage them for better experiences and greater business outcomes.

---

Turning diversity training upside-down with Jess Pettitt

When the idea of “diversity training” comes up, we often think it’s about making people feel more comfortable at work, and ultimately, avoiding situations that cause trouble. But today’s guest is here to explain that we have it all wrong.

“People have been to so many bad diversity trainings they're also burned out.” -Jess Pettitt

Training to operate in a diverse environment shouldn’t just be about “getting along” and avoiding friction. In fact, when diversity is approached properly, we create situations that are conducive to creativity, innovation, and meaningful relationships.

“If you can’t try, you can’t be creative, you can’t innovate…” -Jess Pettitt

In this interview, Jess outlines the pitfalls in diversity training and how we can all approach diversity in a healthier, more holistic manner. More importantly, we discuss many ways this approach creates amazing opportunities to learn, grow, and better understand the connections that lead to success.

A few things you can expect from this episode:

• Grasping a modern but healthier understanding of diversity
• Taking control of your biases and dealing with the biases others may act on
• How stereotypes can be understood more respectfully then leveraged to deliver better customer experiences
• Lots of laughs!

“Professional devastation will lead to great innovation.” -Jess Pettitt

Are you ready to own your biases and stereotypes for a more productive workplace culture? Then it's time embrace diversity as a tool for success instead of treating it like another set of challenges to overcome. 

Interview Highlights

• Jess has worked to flip the way diversity is approached, so what does that mean, and how can we better define it? [3:00]
• Jess shares her views on the impact unconscious biases and more importantly, the antidote! [6:24]
• What can you do to strengthen your awareness of your own positive and negative biases to deliver better experiences? [11:13]
• Jess has been playfully referred to as “the white guy whisperer,” but all joking aside, what does that mean, and how can stereotyping be a good thing? [13:23]
• Jess tells the amazing and humorous story about connections botched by biases and how they inspired her to write her book. [18:45]
• What does Jess want YOU take away from this episode, and moreover, her book title, “Good Enough NOW?” (Spoiler: It can change the world!) [20:43]

---

About our guest

Jessica Pettitt, M.Ed., CSP, pulls together her stand up comedy years with 15+ years of diversity trainings in a wide range of organizations to serve groups to move from abstract fears to actionable habits that lead teams to want to work together. With a sense of belonging and understanding, colleagues take more risks with their ideation, converse precious resources through collaboration, and maintain real connections with clients over time. She is the author of Good Enough Now, How Doing the Best We Can With What We Have is Better Than Nothing.

Connect with Jess

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Website
• Jess has freebies for you, because you’re AWESOME!

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, 5 Leadership Biases that Hinder Success in Business
• Customers That Stick® post, How to Treat Customers: With Respect
• Episode 309: Common Leadership Biases in Your Way of Success
• Episode 204: (Tip) Customer Service Leadership
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => b2b6b776-62c0-11e9-9b30-6ffda2779451 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:18.297-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:04:36.178-04:00 [title] => 329: Be a Customer Experience Change Agent [pubdate] => 2018-07-17T09:30:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b2b6b776-62c0-11e9-9b30-6ffda2779451/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie shares the best ways to become a powerful force for positive change in your organization as an in-house customer experience change agent. Who is the customer experience change agent for your organization? Organizational change is not easy,... [summary] =>

Jeannie shares the best ways to become a powerful force for positive change in your organization as an in-house customer experience change agent.

---

Who is the customer experience change agent for your organization?

Organizational change is not easy, especially when it involves becoming customer-centric. While leaders mean well by making this the focus of a town hall meeting or a banner on the wall, business as usual takes precedence and these great ideas fade into the background.

“Half the time we do not do it…. simply because we have too much to do.” -Jeannie Walters

Finding different ways to make the announcement is not enough. In fact, when organizations try this over and over, teams stop taking it seriously and therefore, stop trying. Your next round of “let’s become more customer-centric” may do more harm than good!

You need a customer experience change agent. You need a superstar who will advocate for customers in meetings. More importantly, you need someone who will evangelize for customer-focused practices through challenging times. And since you care enough to listen to this podcast, there’s a good chance that someone is you!

“YOU have to be the change that you want to see.” -Jeannie Walters

But you’re just one person. What can you do on your own to get the ball rolling? Jeannie is here to get you started with three big themes:

1. Go big!
2. Find quick CX wins
3. Gather your champions

“If you are the customer experience superhero I know you are, it’s time to own it.” -Jeannie Walters

It’s a tall order, but you can do it! You’re the force your organization needs for positive change, but you need to roll up your sleeves and own it. Listen in to learn how!

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, 4 Ways to Change Organizational Perspective on Customer Experience
• Customers That Stick® post, Remove the Weak Links in Your Customer Experience: Part 1
• Episode 144: Eddie Turner, Facilitating Change
• Episode 319: Jeanne Bliss, Is Your CX Mom-worthy?
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => b316a23a-62c0-11e9-9b30-8f80e3257326 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:18.925-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:20.649-04:00 [title] => 328: Customer Service Phrases that Are a Problem [pubdate] => 2018-07-10T07:30:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b316a23a-62c0-11e9-9b30-8f80e3257326/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie offer customer-centric alternatives to common customer service phrases that seem innocent but tend to trigger negative emotions. Are these customer service phrases causing unnecessary friction? Communication can be difficult,... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie offer customer-centric alternatives to common customer service phrases that seem innocent but tend to trigger negative emotions.

---

Are these customer service phrases causing unnecessary friction?

Communication can be difficult, especially in customer service situations. But we know this, so we try hard to maintain a positive tone for customers. However, there are many words and phrases we hear in customer service situations that may not always be interpreted the way we expect.

“Some of these phrases really are hot buttons for people!” -Adam Toporek

When you stop to think about them, some of these words and phrases are annoying, nonsensical, vague, patronizing, judgmental, or simply just poor choices of words. However, many of them have become so ingrained in our culture, we often take for granted that they’ve lost their literal meanings.

As a result, what you're trying to communicate can be completely different than how it makes your customer feel, creating unnecessarily negative emotional responses. So it’s important to identify these poor phrases and eliminate them from your service vocabulary.

“...these things are really ingrained and we don’t even realize we’re doing them.” -Jeannie Walters

In this episode, Jeannie and Adam identify a few of common “rogue” customer service phrases that seem deceptively positive. More importantly, they have tips to help you change your behavior and leave customers feeling as good about the interaction as you intend. 

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Do Your Communication Tactics Undermine Your Intentions?
• Customers That Stick® post, 3 Psychological Triggers to Prevent in Telephone Customer Service
• Episode 217: Jill Schiefelbein, Dynamic Communication
• Episode 278: Stacey Hanke, Communicate with Influence
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

[audioFile] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/b316a23a-62c0-11e9-9b30-8f80e3257326/stripped_6405f9ecf9f9bdd008545745d500a78e.mp3 [downloadUrl] => http://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSN1593563672.mp3 [size] => 14200163 [duration] => 887.51 [uid] => CSN1593563672 [originalUrl] => http://traffic.libsyn.com/crackthecustomercode/ctcc_328_Final_a.mp3?dest-id=215469 [bitrate] => 128 [samplerate] => 44100 [channelMode] => stereo [vbr] => [audioFileProcessing] => [podcastId] => a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc [preCount] => 0 [postCount] => 0 [insertionPoints] => Array ( ) [id3File] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/b316a23a-62c0-11e9-9b30-8f80e3257326/id3/cbc512c8d0ab7d1e3467964347d67418.mp3 [id3FileProcessing] => [id3FileSize] => 74396 [parentId] => [guid] => 5cb04ca8b83a4eedb0643458a7684f18 [pubdateTimezone] => [originalFilename] => [preOffset] => 0.0 [postOffset] => 0.0 [spotifyIdentifier] => [expectedAdhash] => [audioFileUpdatedAt] => [draft] => [externalId] => [customFields] => )

Array ( [id] => b353a766-62c0-11e9-9b30-d361e309935e [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:19.326-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:36.449-04:00 [title] => 327: Jeff Toister, Service Culture [pubdate] => 2018-07-03T08:30:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b353a766-62c0-11e9-9b30-d361e309935e/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Bestselling author and global speaker Jeff Toister returns to the show with amazing tips and actions for creating and executing on your vision for an outstanding service culture. What’s your vision for a solid customer service culture? If you want... [summary] =>

Bestselling author and global speaker Jeff Toister returns to the show with amazing tips and actions for creating and executing on your vision for an outstanding service culture.

---

What’s your vision for a solid customer service culture?

If you want to deliver outstanding customer service that inspires loyalty and positive word-of-mouth, then you need a customer-focused service culture. But while many leaders think they provide excellent service, they have an unrealistic vision of what that means. As a result, business strategies continue to cause conflicts that make maintaining a customer-focused culture an uphill battle.

“It’s a journey that takes long-term commitment.” -Jeff Toister

That’s why we’re delighted to have Jeff Toister on the show! In fact, Jeff joined us in the early days of Crack the Customer Code for a great discussion around the root causes of customer service failures. But now he’s back to help us create and execute a vision for customer service excellence.

“You can’t just declare ‘from now on we’re going to move from a toxic culture to a service culture…’” - Jeff Toister

Jeff has helped many leaders create realistic, scalable service visions, so the wisdom he brings to this episode is priceless. Not only does he share where many great leaders go wrong, but through great examples and actions you can take today, he shows us some simple ways to get on the right track.

Good things come in threes!

Here are some of the core disciplines and exercises Jeff gives you in this episode:

• 3 characteristics of a good service vision
• 3 rules for leaders to shape a customer-focused service culture
• A 3-question assessment for your service training

Jeff explains all of these in detail, so you’ll know exactly what to do next. And as a bonus, he tells you where to find additional free resources to power up your transformation.

Are you ready to create a service vision that motivates employees, delights customers and brings measurable results? Then listen in!

Interview Highlights

• There are many parts to a good service vision, but what are the 3 most important characteristics? [4:10]
• Why is it so important to balance aspiration with reality in your service vision? [9:10]
• There’s a popular belief that culture is built from the bottom up. However, Jeff has a different take on this. [13:20]
• Training plays a huge role, so Jeff shares how you can assess how well employees are aligned with your service vision. [17:00]
• Want to do better at creating a service vision? Then Jeff has vital tips and a free resource to get you started! [21:40]

---

About our guest

Jeff is the best selling author of The Service Culture Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Your Employees Obsessed with Customer Service. More than 140,000 people on six continents have taken one of his video-based training courses on LinkedIn Learning (a.k.a. Lynda.com).

Jeff was named one of the Top 30 customer service professionals in the world by Global Gurus. He was also named one of the Top 50 Thought Leaders to Follow on Twitter by the International Customer Management Institute and Feedspot has named his Inside Customer Service blog one of the Top 50 customer service blogs on the planet.

Jeff brings an adult learning background to his customer service work and holds a Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP) certification from the Association for Talent Development.

Connect with Jeff

• Twitter
• Sign up for Jeff’s Customer Service Tips of the Week
• Download Jeff’s Service Culture Handbook Toolkit

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, How to Unlock Your Outstanding Service Culture for Good
• Customers That Stick® post, Creating a Customer Service Culture with Jeff Toister
• Episode 014:  Handling Pressure, Jeff Toister, and The Customer as Hero
• Episode 222: (Tip) Instilling Culture Throughout the Organization
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => b3986b4e-62c0-11e9-9b30-67ebca403743 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:19.774-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:22.315-04:00 [title] => 326: Succeeding with Difficult Customers [pubdate] => 2018-06-26T08:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b3986b4e-62c0-11e9-9b30-67ebca403743/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie share tips and insights around succeeding with, rather than just dealing with, difficult customers. Plus, we’re introducing Adam’s new course to help you become a pro at this!   If you're dealing with difficult customers,... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie share tips and insights around succeeding with, rather than just dealing with, difficult customers. Plus, we’re introducing Adam’s new course to help you become a pro at this!  

---

If you're dealing with difficult customers, that's your first mistake.

Dealing with difficult customers properly has always been one of the biggest challenges customer service teams face. In fact, it’s a sensitive issue that vexes leaders and employees throughout many organizations.

 “This is the area that I see everyone struggle with, from the front lines to the c-suite…” -AdamToporek

But what if dealing with difficult customers wasn’t an issue? Wouldn’t it be great if everyone in your organization understood the neuroscience and biology behind what makes them difficult in the first place? Then the emphasis could be on succeeding with them, instead of just reacting and neutralizing their pain (and yours!)

 “Biologically, we are not designed for reactive service.” -Adam Toporek

That’s why we’re delighted to introduce Adam’s upcoming course, “How to Deal with Difficult Customers.” Adam has dug deep into the neuroscience and biology behind customer emotions, so he can teach you and your team to rock these negative situations. More importantly, you’ll gain such a great understanding of what makes a difficult customer difficult, your team can focus more on proactively ushering difficult (or would-be difficult) customers into a mutually-successful experience.

“It’s important to think of yourself in the customer role…” -Jeannie Walters

So in this episode, Adam and Jeannie decided to give you a sneak peek under the hood and highlight what Adam’s course is all about! They’ve shared great tips and insights you can use today, plus exclusive details about the course and what’s inside.

Are you ready to stop “dealing with” difficult customers and create a strategy that helps differentiate your brand and retain more customers? Then you’ll want to listen to this episode, and take advantage of the early sign-up discount!

You’re entitled to 50% off!

That’s right, if you sign up early to get notified when Adam’s course launches, you’ll pay only half, and there’s no immediate obligation. So why wait?

Sign up and claim your discount now!

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, How to Focus Learning Paths on Greater CX Success
• Adam's Book, Be Your Customer's Hero
• Episode 285: When to Disclose Bad News to Customers?
• Episode 253: (Tip) Situational Awareness in Customer Service
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => b3df0a4a-62c0-11e9-9b30-c388279fdc05 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:20.238-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:30.858-04:00 [title] => 325: Kelsey Brown, Fighting for Transparent Pricing [pubdate] => 2018-06-19T07:30:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b3df0a4a-62c0-11e9-9b30-c388279fdc05/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam discuss how lack of transparent pricing harms your business and what you can do to stop feeding into the “norm” of hidden fees without jeopardizing your sales. Better customer experiences through transparent pricing Have you ever... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam discuss how lack of transparent pricing harms your business and what you can do to stop feeding into the “norm” of hidden fees without jeopardizing your sales.

---

Better customer experiences through transparent pricing

Have you ever paid way more than you expected at the end of an online purchase? Or perhaps you’ve received an invoice with vague or unexplained fees that blew your budget to shreds. Doesn’t this drive you bananas? Well, we’ve got news for you: Your customers don’t feel any better about it than you do.

“They keep it from you because it makes it look like they have the lowest price available…” -Kelsey Brown

While we all know hidden fees make for a terrible (and costly!) experience, misleading practices around pricing are everywhere. In fact, customers resent these sales tactics, and they’ve had enough. 

“What most people want in most areas of their life is to be told the truth.” -Kelsey Brown

So we’re delighted to bring Kelsey Brown to the mic! The Outreach Manager for People for Honest Pricing, Kelsey says hidden fees and dishonest pricing doesn’t just hurt customers. In fact, these widespread practices lead to high churn rates, abandoned shopping carts, and eventually, a poor brand image. What’s more, the companies that suffer the most are the ones who’ve found ways to justify their lack of transparency and claim their hidden fees aren’t hidden at all.

Kelsey is here to share ways to eliminate hidden pricing from your customer experience and build a better business around honesty.  But you must understand what hidden pricing really is, and why it exists in the first place. We cover all of this and more in the interview!

“Create a conversation about these hidden fees that isn’t taking place right now.” -Kelsey Brown

Bonus:

We know you’ve been duped by dishonest pricing before, so what can you do as a consumer to fight back? Kelsey shares 4 easy ways to let companies know this is not OK and help pave the way for a more transparent future.

Listen in!

Interview Highlights

• Most organizations would claim they have no hidden fees, so what’s the definition of hidden fees? And why are they so nefarious? [3:15]
• What is the basis for hidden fees? Moreover, why do companies get away with this? [5:10]
• Changing how we do business is one thing, but how can we fight back as consumers? 
• Sometimes we need to change or add fees in a short time. What are some best practices for that? [14:15]
• I’d like to be more honest about pricing, so how can I start an evaluation process? [15:45]

---

About our guest

Before joining People for Honest Pricing, Kelsey was a marketing professional at a software company creating content for their online presence. Armed with a degree in journalism and several years of digital marketing experience, she made an industry switch from software to the world of e-commerce where she now leads the public relations and outreach strategy for a promotional products company.

Kelsey met the Co-Founders of People for Honest Pricing after beginning her new role and quickly realized they shared a mutual frustration regarding hidden fees. It didn’t take much time for her to be brought on board as the Outreach Manager for People for Honest Pricing where she is now spreading the word about their cause.

The goal of People for Honest Pricing is to start a conversation about pricing transparency when it comes to shopping online. Business owners may also apply for their free certification program where a team of volunteers evaluates their pricing strategy, and upon approval, supplies the applicant with a free badge to display on their website. By displaying this certification badge on their website, business owners are showing their customers that they’re more than just a number.

Connect with Kelsey

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Honest Pricing Certification
• Duped by hidden fees? Share your story!

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Customer Happiness Lessons for Any Company, Courtesy of Zappos
• Customers That Stick® post, What Great Brands Do
• Episode 317: Anne Bahr Thompson, Do Good
• Episode 127: Is Transparency Effective?
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message:

Start creating a successful CX strategy

Are you ready to build a customer experience strategy on a solid foundation for the long term? We’re shattering the top 5 CX strategy myths in our latest evergreen webinar.

You will learn:

• How to avoid the 5 so-called “Customer Experience Strategies” that aren’t strategies at all
• What drives a winning customer experience strategy and examples of companies that “get it”
• How to create a foundation for a customer experience strategy that works for the long term

Join Jeannie at a time that works for you for some serious mythbusting and a head start on creating a customer experience strategy that works! 

Sign Me Up!

 

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => b4359b26-62c0-11e9-9b30-c32938d5c81d [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:20.806-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:19.231-04:00 [title] => 324: A Good Product Is Not Enough [pubdate] => 2018-06-12T07:30:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b4359b26-62c0-11e9-9b30-c32938d5c81d/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam tells a customer experience horror story about a good product surrounded by a nightmarish customer journey. The scary part is that your brand could be doing this to customers! Your good product won’t save the day Your product is an absolute... [summary] =>

Adam tells a customer experience horror story about a good product surrounded by a nightmarish customer journey. The scary part is that your brand could be doing this to customers!

---

Your good product won’t save the day

Your product is an absolute dream. Bravo! But what about the experience around it? Is your really good product or service good enough to forge loyalty on its own? Unfortunately, this is rarely the case.

Perhaps in the old days of having limited choices, a new choice that saves a few dollars or a few minutes would have had customers sold for life. But nowadays, customers typically have lots of choices. As a result, they’re demanding better experiences from the brands that deliver these products and services.

“Nowadays, a great product simply isn’t enough.” - Adam Toporek

But don’t take my word for it! Adam has a special story to share with you, and you’re not going to believe the horrible experience surrounding the great product that was delivered. In fact, this experience left him wishing he had spent the extra time and money doing things the “old way.”

As you push for innovation, higher quality or filling unmet needs, what about the other needs customers have? More importantly, are you creating experiences that negate the convenience or the “ooh-aah” factor you’ve set out to cash in on?

Listen to Adam’s story and tips to prevent you from creating experiences that make customers want to sleep with the lights on.

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, It’s Time to Be Honest About the People in Your Experience
• Customers That Stick® post, Creating a Customer Service Culture with Jeff Toister
• Episode 086: Dr. Adrienne Boissy, The Patient Experience
• Episode 319: Jeanne Bliss, Is Your CX Mom-worthy?
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

[audioFile] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/b4359b26-62c0-11e9-9b30-c32938d5c81d/stripped_308542edcdf4ff3b7e2b2dec700e97cb.mp3 [downloadUrl] => http://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSN9793535260.mp3 [size] => 9715043 [duration] => 607.19 [uid] => CSN9793535260 [originalUrl] => http://traffic.libsyn.com/crackthecustomercode/ctcc_324_final_a.mp3?dest-id=215469 [bitrate] => 128 [samplerate] => 44100 [channelMode] => stereo [vbr] => [audioFileProcessing] => [podcastId] => a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc [preCount] => 0 [postCount] => 0 [insertionPoints] => Array ( ) [id3File] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/b4359b26-62c0-11e9-9b30-c32938d5c81d/id3/7268d6a628b4863edfaff42884de7834.mp3 [id3FileProcessing] => [id3FileSize] => 74184 [parentId] => [guid] => 338c34f7c330416da98c15997cffa070 [pubdateTimezone] => [originalFilename] => [preOffset] => 0.0 [postOffset] => 0.0 [spotifyIdentifier] => [expectedAdhash] => [audioFileUpdatedAt] => [draft] => [externalId] => [customFields] => )

Array ( [id] => b47f7048-62c0-11e9-9b30-9320a30f7227 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:21.290-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:37.833-04:00 [title] => 323: Neen James, Attention Pays [pubdate] => 2018-06-05T07:30:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b47f7048-62c0-11e9-9b30-9320a30f7227/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam interview Neen James, global speaker and bestselling author, to expose the difference between intentional and transactional attentions, and how that difference is vital to your success. Are you paying attention where it really... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam interview Neen James, global speaker and bestselling author, to expose the difference between intentional and transactional attentions, and how that difference is vital to your success.

---

Are you paying attention where it really counts?

Tracking attention is big business these days. In fact, companies are investing a lot into learning how customers scan web pages, walk through stores, and more.

 But what is your attention worth? Moreover, what is your attention worth to customers? We like to think we give our customers the attention they need and deserve, but are we really giving them the attention that makes them want to come back and bring friends?

“Many businesses are getting left behind because they're not realizing the value of attention.” -Neen James

It’s not quite as simple as making sure the customer journey is smooth and enjoyable, so Author and Speaker Neen James is here to help us understand the difference between transactional attention and intentional attention. And more importantly, she shares the many ways it pays to give meaningful human attention to those you interact with.

“..the customer feels like THE most important person we’ve talked to all day.” - Neen James

But we also need to consider how much we’re asking people to pay attention to. Sadly, we have websites chock-full of calls to action, stores loaded with deals and “outgoing” sales people, and when we connect one-to-one, we want to tell them everything. And in this digital age, it’s getting harder to see and hear meaningful messages above the din.

Are we creating environments where customers CAN pay attention?” - Neen James

And this isn’t just about business! In fact, Neen goes on to explain that we’re at a time when paying intentional attention is critical to our social well-being, our goals in the community, and the state of our global environment.

“This conversation is vital right now.” - Neen James

Using great examples and the best highlights from her book, Neen shared invaluable insights into how to use our energy more wisely when engaging on all fronts – for a better business, a better staff, a better life, and a better world. So we really hope you’ll listen in (and pay attention!)

Interview Highlights

• What is the commercialization of attention, and more importantly, what does it mean when Neen says “Attention Pays?” [3:27]
• How can we design employees’ attention and focus into the customer journey? [8:47]
• Being attentive is very nice, but what does it mean for business results? [11:00]
• We ask people to do things for us, but how can we make sure they’re still in the moment with us, so attention continues to pay? [16:58]

---

About our guest

Neen James is the author of Folding Time™ and Attention Pays™. In 2017, she was named one of the Top 30 Leadership Speakers by Global Guru because of her work with companies like Viacom, Comcast, and Abbot Pharmaceuticals among others.

Neen has boundless energy, is quick-witted and always offers powerful strategies for paying attention to what matters so you can get more done and create more significant moments at work, and home.

Neen is the kind of speaker that engages, educates, entertains, and delivers the real-world solutions that apply in your organization, your home, and your community. She also provides one-on-one consulting in a variety of leadership topics and loves serving her audiences.

Connect with Neen

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Website
• Buy the book: Attention Pays

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Bad Feedback Is the Best Feedback. Are You Listening For It?
• Customers That Stick® post, Be Attentive, but Don’t Hover Over Customers
• Episode 263: Merit Gest, Sales Engagement
• Episode 168: Nate Brown, Service Center Engagement
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts!

---

Sponsor message:

Start creating a successful CX strategy

Are you ready to build a customer experience strategy on a solid foundation for the long term? We’re shattering the top 5 CX strategy myths in our latest evergreen webinar.

You will learn:

• How to avoid the 5 so-called “Customer Experience Strategies” that aren’t strategies at all
• What drives a winning customer experience strategy and examples of companies that “get it”
• How to create a foundation for a customer experience strategy that works for the long term

Join Jeannie at a time that works for you for some serious mythbusting and a head start on creating a customer experience strategy that works! 

Sign Me Up!

 

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

[audioFile] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/b47f7048-62c0-11e9-9b30-9320a30f7227/stripped_80806f21a8062bab48179406afb357c1.mp3 [downloadUrl] => http://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSN3536631650.mp3 [size] => 23607588 [duration] => 1475.47 [uid] => CSN3536631650 [originalUrl] => http://traffic.libsyn.com/crackthecustomercode/ctcc_323_final_a.mp3?dest-id=215469 [bitrate] => 128 [samplerate] => 44100 [channelMode] => stereo [vbr] => [audioFileProcessing] => [podcastId] => a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc [preCount] => 0 [postCount] => 0 [insertionPoints] => Array ( ) [id3File] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/b47f7048-62c0-11e9-9b30-9320a30f7227/id3/556bcbd6fc0c9e40684c3f998ffe7831.mp3 [id3FileProcessing] => [id3FileSize] => 80646 [parentId] => [guid] => 3e0d5af5218048789b2efa61370e23da [pubdateTimezone] => [originalFilename] => [preOffset] => 0.0 [postOffset] => 0.0 [spotifyIdentifier] => [expectedAdhash] => [audioFileUpdatedAt] => [draft] => [externalId] => [customFields] => )

Array ( [id] => b4c2f034-62c0-11e9-9b30-b3a5018600d4 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:21.732-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:29.154-04:00 [title] => 322: Rise of the Service Machines [pubdate] => 2018-05-29T08:30:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b4c2f034-62c0-11e9-9b30-b3a5018600d4/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie discuss facts and insights around emerging customer service tech in the retail and foodservice industries. The service machines are coming to get us! They really are! But maybe it’s not such a bad thing if those machines coming to... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie discuss facts and insights around emerging customer service tech in the retail and foodservice industries.

---

The service machines are coming to get us!

They really are! But maybe it’s not such a bad thing if those machines coming to get us really, well, “get us.”

Jeannie and Adam have recently found facts and evidence that new service tech is about to take us by storm. In fact, devices like self-service touchscreen ordering kiosks are popping up all over the place, and that’s just the beginning.  

“We’re creating our own disruption…” -Adam Toporek

Brands like McDonald’s and Wendy’s are making huge investments in this kind of tech, along with many others. As a result, many worries are coming to the surface.

For example, a large portion of the American workforce is worried big companies will eliminate their jobs. Then smaller brands are worried they won’t be able to keep up with the latest technology or rising labor costs. In addition, consumers are worried the less tech-savvy among them will slow the lines down. The list of concerns goes on and on…

But don’t panic!

Adam and Jeannie see lots of good things coming from this service revolution, and many of them are centered around delivering a better customer experience. For example, Jeannie is among those who felt more confident placing and reviewing her own order at a McDonald’s. Moreover, real-life human interaction was not eliminated, but redirected towards being more attentive to guests. (We’d call that a win, wouldn’t you?)

“Automation isn’t something to be afraid of...” -Jeannie Walters

So what will happen when this tech not only becomes common in your industry, but expected by your customers? Will the workforce shrink, or will it simply be redirected? And what if your small business can’t invest in this technology? Will you be able to compete?

We cover these questions and more in this episode, and the answers may surprise you! In fact, this revolution can mean good things for all of us if we look ahead and make the right choices. So here’s a good choice to get you started:

Listen to this episode today!

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Is Your Customer Experience Technology Helpful or Creepy?
• Customers That Stick® post, 5 Millennial Traits to Improve Customer Service
• Episode 316: Can Toys R Us Survive?
• Episode 311: Which Retail Touchpoints Matter Most
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

[audioFile] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/b4c2f034-62c0-11e9-9b30-b3a5018600d4/stripped_30f794c00208d81208e1be3d55a8c1df.mp3 [downloadUrl] => http://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSN9310814733.mp3 [size] => 16758491 [duration] => 1047.41 [uid] => CSN9310814733 [originalUrl] => http://traffic.libsyn.com/crackthecustomercode/ctcc_322_final_a.mp3?dest-id=215469 [bitrate] => 128 [samplerate] => 44100 [channelMode] => stereo [vbr] => [audioFileProcessing] => [podcastId] => a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc [preCount] => 0 [postCount] => 0 [insertionPoints] => Array ( ) [id3File] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/b4c2f034-62c0-11e9-9b30-b3a5018600d4/id3/865bebda70a67c5361a439d270d086bd.mp3 [id3FileProcessing] => [id3FileSize] => 75436 [parentId] => [guid] => ccf028fc84a44a00abf03c877ac25758 [pubdateTimezone] => [originalFilename] => [preOffset] => 0.0 [postOffset] => 0.0 [spotifyIdentifier] => [expectedAdhash] => [audioFileUpdatedAt] => [draft] => [externalId] => [customFields] => )

Array ( [id] => b50c648a-62c0-11e9-9b30-1347aee9243e [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:22.214-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:43.002-04:00 [title] => 321: Jesse Cole, Revolutionizing the Ballpark Experience [pubdate] => 2018-05-22T09:30:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b50c648a-62c0-11e9-9b30-1347aee9243e/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam interview Savannah Bananas owner Jesse Cole, whose transformation of the ballpark experience has turned an underdog sports team into a booming business. What can you learn from this amazing ballpark experience? Have you ever felt... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam interview Savannah Bananas owner Jesse Cole, whose transformation of the ballpark experience has turned an underdog sports team into a booming business.

---

What can you learn from this amazing ballpark experience?

Have you ever felt like the underdog in your industry, having a smaller brand that barely gets noticed?  Then we have an inspiring interview that proves you can still be the underdog while building a loyal following of customers and fans. In fact, our guest is living testimony that HUGE things do come out of small packages.

Meet Jesse Cole, owner of the Savannah Bananas. What, you’ve never heard of them? Well, most people haven’t… but that’s not stopping them from breaking records with ticket and merchandise sales! The Savannah Bananas often sell out tickets to their seasonal games and have a fan base that’s engaged year-round.

So how do they do it?

“Baseball is long, slow and boring…but can we be the BEST experience for the fans?” –Jesse Cole

Jesse has found amazing ways to build a culture around a “fans-first” mentality that lives in every corner of the organization. As a result, the team has found clever ways to neutralize the pain points typically associated with baseball. But it gets better… Those previously dull or frustrating moments are now filled with moments of delight, bringing a unique, entertaining and endearing experience to every moment of every game.

Tied together with a culture of outstanding customer service and innovative ways to proactively engage fans, the internal experience of the Savannah Bananas is just as outstanding (and outrageous!) as the fan experience. In fact, due to Jesse’s innovative approach at hiring, training, and compensating them, employees are just as loyal as the fans!

“In 3 years, since we started the Savannah Bananas, we’ve had zero turnover.” –Jesse Cole

Would you like to build a culture and experience that turns your small business into a huge success? Then you need to listen to some of the crazy but powerful ways Jesse has knocked small business success and fandom way out of the park.

Interview Highlights

• Jesse went from living on an air bed to owning a multi-million-dollar team in one year! So, how did this happen? [4:20]
• Jesse explains how a “low-level” college summer baseball team like the Savannah Bananas can outsell higher-profile events. [7:20]
• How does Jesse execute on the “love your customers more than you love your product” mentality? Moreover, how has he “cracked the customer code!?” [10:20]
• How does Jesse find and train the right people to build a culture that turns up the volume on emotional connections? [13:27]
• Savannah Bananas employees rock the “fans first” mentality, but what about the players? [17:40]
• So, which came first – the Savannah Bananas name, or Jesse’s yellow tuxedo? [19:27]
• What’s the #1 thing any business can learn from Jesse and the Savannah Bananas? [21:25]

---

About our guest

Jesse is the Owner of Fans First Entertainment, who owns and operates the Savannah Bananas and the Gastonia Grizzlies. Cole and his teams have been featured on MSNBC, CNN, and multiple times on ESPN. Cole is an in-demand speaker and author of “Find Your Yellow Tux- How to Be Successful by Standing Out” released in January 2018.

The Savannah Bananas have sold out 32 straight games, broke the league attendance record, Savannah attendance record and have a waiting list in the thousands for tickets for the 2018 season. The Bananas have won Organization of the Year back to back years, Entrepreneur of the Year and were CPL Champions in their first year.

Cole believes to be successful you need to Stand Out and Be Different.

He writes a blog, hosts a podcast and releases daily videos on FindYourYellowTux.com. He is passionate about creating attention, loving your customers more than your product and loving your employees more than your customers. Cole’s mantra is “Whatever’s normal, do the exact opposite.”

Connect with Jesse

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Podcast & Blog
• Get the book!

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Sports Lessons – How to Turn Customers into Fans
• Customers That Stick® post, 3 Examples of How to Easily WOW Customers
• Episode Episode 028: Holacracy, Arizona Diamondbacks CEO Derrick Hall, and Fine Print
• Episode 071: The Fan Experience Goes Digital
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message:

Start creating a successful CX strategy

Are you ready to build a customer experience strategy on a solid foundation for the long term? We’re shattering the top 5 CX strategy myths in our latest evergreen webinar.

You will learn:

• How to avoid the 5 so-called “Customer Experience Strategies” that aren’t strategies at all
• What drives a winning customer experience strategy and examples of companies that “get it”
• How to create a foundation for a customer experience strategy that works for the long term

Join Jeannie at a time that works for you for some serious mythbusting and a head start on creating a customer experience strategy that works! 

Sign Me Up!

 

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => b562feda-62c0-11e9-9b30-336007302a29 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:22.781-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:27.920-04:00 [title] => 320: The STORY of Retail Experience [pubdate] => 2018-05-16T09:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b562feda-62c0-11e9-9b30-336007302a29/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam explore the innovative retail experience created by STORY and how you can surprise your own customers with unexpected value in the real-life shopping experience. Is your retail experience a welcome surprise? As we’ve mentioned... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam explore the innovative retail experience created by STORY and how you can surprise your own customers with unexpected value in the real-life shopping experience.

---

Is your retail experience a welcome surprise?

As we’ve mentioned before in this show, retail as we once knew it is in peril. Shoppers enjoy 2-day shipping and the ability to browse a colossal selection from wherever they are, so it’s no surprise retailers like Kmart and Toys R Us are nearing the end of their days.  

But what is a surprise is that brick-and-mortar retail is not truly dead for innovative companies that find ways to add extra value for those who are still willing to gas up and make the trip.

“Retail is not necessarily completely dying…”-Adam Toporek

This kind of shopping is full of surprises like “Oh, my…These lines are long” or “Oh, snap! This is the last one and it’s broken!” But what if we add surprises that really make customers WANT to come see us in person?

That’s what brands like STORY are doing, and the results have been incredible. So incredible, in fact, that asked their Founder Rachel Schectman was asked to help bring these surprises to the shopping experience at Macy’s. They know that to secure a future in IRL shopping, the physical retail experience has to offer something you just can’t get online.

But this kind of evolution is not easy! What would it mean for your store’s footprint, and how will that affect things like rent, building and fire codes, or zoning laws? More importantly, how will the new experiences fit in with the digital experiences you offer? Then how will people even know these exciting changes are happening?

“This is what’s so challenging for these older legacy brands in retail…” -Jeannie Walters

 Do you like surprises? More importantly, what kind of surprises will make your customers want to come back and bring their friends? Join us today as Jeannie and Adam explore bold opportunities to create a surprising retail experience your customers will want to get dressed and hit the pavement for.

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, 3 Ways to Let Customers Guide Your Greatest Innovation
• Customers That Stick® post, 3 Examples of How to Easily WOW Customers
• Episode Search toys 316: Can Toys R Us Survive?
• Episode 311: Which Retail Touchpoints Matter Most
• What is STORY?
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

 

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => b5b7fcd2-62c0-11e9-9b30-37d14f86ffd1 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:23.338-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:42.966-04:00 [title] => 319: Jeanne Bliss, Is Your CX Mom-worthy? [pubdate] => 2018-05-08T10:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b5b7fcd2-62c0-11e9-9b30-37d14f86ffd1/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam interview 35-year customer experience pro Jeanne Bliss about her new book “Would You Do That To Your Mother? The ‘Make Mom Proud’ Standard For How To Treat Your Customers.” Does the way you do business make mom proud? If it... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam interview 35-year customer experience pro Jeanne Bliss about her new book “Would You Do That To Your Mother? The ‘Make Mom Proud’ Standard For How To Treat Your Customers.”

---

Does the way you do business make mom proud?

If it doesn’t, then 35-year customer experience pioneer Jeanne Bliss, (or as co-host Jeannie Walters calls her, “the Fairy Godmother of Customer Experience,”) says you have a lot to think about!

“There are still things we do that make customers nuts.” -@JeanneBliss

As Jeanne explains in this fun and enlightening interview, we’ve come so far with customer experience, having added many new practices and technologies, we’ve actually lost our way. So she wrote a book to use as a guide for getting back to the heart of the matter by doing things your mother would be proud of. It makes a lot of sense!

We’re giving you exclusive highlights from Jeanne’s book, which is not only a fun, enlightening read, but a set of tools you can keep and share. She covers surprisingly simple ways to understand the customer experience, bring clarity, drive conversations in your organization, and more importantly, take action!

"Trust the front line to extend grace. Let policy and the golden rule collide." -Jeanne Bliss

Each chapter of Would You Do That To Your Mother includes 4 key elements that serve as a toolkit to help you better focus on the customer and simplify your efforts, then put that insight to work in the real world.

Here’s a quick peek at what each chapter includes:

• Comic – Here’s what’s happening to the customer…so, do we get it!?
• Case study – Here’s what other brands have done, and more importantly, how to make it operational.
• Mom lens – How would your mom view this situation, and what would she have you do?
• Summary and quiz – Let’s make sure you get it! Take the quiz, then evaluate your understanding on a five-point scale.

“Have you embedded this value and behavior of honor and time and your customer’s life into your operation?” -Jeanne Bliss

We can’t possibly cover everything from this amazing book, but we certainly tried with this interview! Packed with case studies, expert tips, and lots of fun extras, this episode is one to keep in your back pocket, take notes on, and share with colleagues.

Wouldn’t it be great to know everything you do in business would make your mom proud? Then for the last time, get your feet off the coffee table and listen in! 

Interview Highlights

• Why did Jeanne write this book, and more importantly, why should we be making our moms proud? [3:08]
• “Removing the bar of soap moments from our customers’ lives” is an edgy chapter title, and there are more like this! So why did Jeanne theme the book this way? [5:05]
• What would make mom proud in business, and especially in customer experience? Jeanne shares favorite examples [8:00]
• If they’re equally important, then how do you balance empowerment with customer-centric guidelines? Jeanne defines some guide rails for you! [12:04]
• Jeanne rolled many great comics and visualizations into her book, so how can we use these as tools along with the book? [18:20]

---

About our guest

Jeanne Bliss pioneered the role of the Chief Customer Officer, holding the first ever CCO role for over 20 years at Lands’ End, Microsoft, Coldwell Banker and Allstate Corporations. Reporting to each company’s CEO, she moved the customer to the strategic agenda, creating transformational changes to each brands’ customer experience. She has driven achievement of 95 percent loyalty rates, improving customer experiences across 50,000-person organizations. She is now the President of CustomerBliss, where she guides the C-Suite and Chief Customer Officers around the world on earning business growth by improving customers’ lives. Her clients include: AAA, Johnson & Johnson, Brooks Brothers, Bombardier Aerospace, and Kaiser Permanente. She is a sought after speaker and thought-leader, the author of three best-selling books, and co-founder of the Customer Experience Professionals Association.

Connect with Jeanne

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Website (Don’t miss the special offers!)

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Related Content

• 360Connext® post, The 5 Customer Leadership Competencies Every CCO Must Embrace
• Customers That Stick® post, 3 Examples of How to Easily WOW Customers
• Episode Episode 031: Customer Experience Managers, Jeanne Bliss, and Netflix
• Episode 086: Dr. Adrienne Boissy, The Patient Experience
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message:

Start creating a successful CX strategy

Are you ready to build a customer experience strategy on a solid foundation for the long term? We’re shattering the top 5 CX strategy myths in our latest evergreen webinar.

You will learn:

• How to avoid the 5 so-called “Customer Experience Strategies” that aren’t strategies at all
• What drives a winning customer experience strategy and examples of companies that “get it”
• How to create a foundation for a customer experience strategy that works for the long term

Join Jeannie at a time that works for you for some serious mythbusting and a head start on creating a customer experience strategy that works! 

Sign Me Up!

 

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => b60db082-62c0-11e9-9b30-df520e23edb7 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:23.898-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:21.362-04:00 [title] => 318: How Important Is the CX of Former Customers? [pubdate] => 2018-05-02T08:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b60db082-62c0-11e9-9b30-df520e23edb7/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie Walters CCXP shares expert tips for engaging former customers and insights on how to treat those who are leaving you. How can your brand flourish by focusing on these parts of the journey? Do you choose to have former customers, or lifetime... [summary] =>

Jeannie Walters CCXP shares expert tips for engaging former customers and insights on how to treat those who are leaving you. How can your brand flourish by focusing on these parts of the journey?

---

Do you choose to have former customers, or lifetime friends?

We’ve mentioned before on this show that the true customer journey extends well beyond the actual time they spend as customers, from the time they realize they need your product or service to when they leave you and beyond.

So, have you ever considered the experience of former customers? It’s more important than you think!

“We need to rethink not only what it means to lose a customer, but how to win them back.” -Jeannie Walters CCXP

Too often, brands think of former customers as “lost prospects” they’ll never hear from again. But even when they know there’s a chance to win them back, marketing campaigns are sent offering special deals but don’t properly acknowledge the existing relationship.

Simply put, treating former customers like strangers and enticing them with new customer rewards when they know the reality of an ongoing relationship with you is no way to win them back.

“At any phase throughout the journey, a customer can leave you.” -Jeannie Walters CCXP

In fact, those who’ve left for neutral reasons, such as simply no longer needing your product or service, will now have a negative impression they’ll share with friends. After all, how does it make you feel when someone you’ve given your money to acts like you’ve never met before?

If you want to create positive word of mouth for your brand while keeping the door open for former customers, you must think beyond the numbers you see now and consider how what you do today paves the way for the future. That said, you need to think about how you’ll create the ideal experience for your former customers and think of this phase as a vital part of their journey.

"The numbers respond in a positive way when you treat those exiting in a positive way as well.” -Jeannie Walters

But how can you do that?

We’ve got you covered!

In this episode, Jeannie Walters CCXP explores what typically goes wrong when brands try to hang onto exiting customers or win them back. But Jeannie isn’t just here to tell you what you’re doing wrong! She has expert tips to help you develop a better strategy for engaging former customers in ways that inspire them to act as loyalists and advocates – even if they never come back.

Jeannie has 3 important questions to ask yourself. And if you answer them honestly, then you’ll have a much clearer picture of the ideal former customer journey and how to maintain valuable relationships that lead to referrals, return customers, and a more positive brand image overall. Listen in to get started!

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, 5 Ways to Engage and Understand At-Risk Customers
• Customers That Stick® post, How to Calculate Customer Retention Rate
• Episode 115: Do Loyalty Programs Still Work?
• Episode 167: Signs You’re Losing a Customer
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

 

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Jeannie and Adam discuss the concept of social responsibility with Anne Bahr Thompson, author of Do Good: Embracing Brand Citizenship to Fuel Both Purpose and Profit.

---

Customers today expect a lot more from brands, but it’s not just about transparency and great service. Brands are now expected to be socially responsible when it comes to social, political and moral issues.

But being socially responsible is much more complicated and sensitive than you may think. Although it’s great for a brand to say they support a certain cause or take a stance on a political issue, customers can easily access information that contradicts what the brand has said publicly.

“In a social world, declaring your position really places you in control of your own reputation.” -Anne Bahr Thompson

It’s easy to alienate customers by taking a stand, but when we don’t, customers will do their homework to find out what’s going behind the scenes then fill in the blanks for themselves. In fact, they will even judge your brand based on things like who your suppliers are and how they stand on a certain issue.

“Trust is really hard to gain today because people are really savvy.” -Anne Bahr Thompson

But it’s not all about avoiding bad publicity, or even creating any publicity, for that matter. Taking a stand and developing a sense of social responsibility leads to stronger company culture, happier, more productive employees, and better profits overall.

“Building a corporate culture that’s about trust will actually make you more profitable in the long term, no matter what you’re doing.” -Anne Bahr Thompson

So how does your company view corporate citizenship?

Perhaps you’d like to take a stand but aren’t sure how to align it with your strategy for success. Or maybe your customers are asking questions you’re afraid to answer. Whatever the case is, customers want to do business with brands that do good, and they want proof.

Whatever you’re doing, don’t miss this interview with Anne Bahr Thompson, author of Do Good: Embracing Brand Citizenship to Fuel Both Purpose and Profit.  Listen in to learn how your brand can strike the right balance.

Interview Highlights

• Doing good is a simple idea, but why is it more complicated for brands? [2:47]
• Social responsibility builds trust, so we asked Anne to outline the 5 steps to building trust and identify which are the most important. [6:45]
• It’s easy for brands to go too far (or not far enough) politically, but some strike just the right balance. How do they do it? [9:40]
• Brands are now in positions where they’re forced to take a stand, but what about those who just want to stick to business? [16:30]

---

About our guest

Named Trust Across America 2018 Top Thought Leader in Trust, Anne Bahr Thompson has been inspiring business leaders to use their brands as a motivating force for change for many years. With more than 25 years of experience as a global brand strategist, Anne is the author of DO GOOD, which explains her pioneering model of Brand Citizenship® – and the cultural dynamics that led to the creation of the model. A former executive director of strategy and planning and the head of consulting at Interbrand, the world’s leading brand consultancy, Anne is the founder of Onesixtyfourth, a boutique consultancy that helps companies align purpose and profit by integrating cultural shifts and a social conscience into brand development.

Connect with Anne

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Website
• Learn more about Anne’s book and how to order

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, How are Marketing and PR Setting Your Customer’s Expectations?
• Customers That Stick® post, 3 Examples of How to Easily WOW Customers
• Episode 083: Cause Marketing Done Well
• Episode 118: David Williams, Make-A-Wish
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message:

Start creating a successful CX strategy

Are you ready to build a customer experience strategy on a solid foundation for the long term? We’re shattering the top 5 CX strategy myths in our latest evergreen webinar.

You will learn:

• How to avoid the 5 so-called “Customer Experience Strategies” that aren’t strategies at all
• What drives a winning customer experience strategy and examples of companies that “get it”
• How to create a foundation for a customer experience strategy that works for the long term

Join Jeannie at a time that works for you for some serious mythbusting and a head start on creating a customer experience strategy that works! 

Sign Me Up!

 

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Adam and Jeannie discuss the looming demise of Toys R Us and how a focus on customer experience innovation could make all the difference.

---

Toys R Us succumbs to innovative retail experiences

Whether you were a child, glaring in wonder at the aisles and aisles of toys, or an adult achieving hero status by scoring the hottest toy at a discount on Black Friday, who doesn’t have fond memories about Toys R Us?

Unfortunately, memories may soon be all that’s left, as Toys R Us is on the brink of closing their 735 stores and putting 30,000 people out of work. It’s sad news for pretty much everyone, but where the customer experience is concerned, this sadness points to nostalgia more than anything else.

“They didn’t really innovate…until it was almost too late” -Jeannie Walters

With Amazon selling at a loss and other online retailers stepping up their game with shipping, who wants to fight the crowds these days, only to find out the item they needed happens to be out of stock?

While some may say the demise of Toys R Us was inevitable and bound to happen someday, we’re not so sure we agree. Many retailers have managed to adapt to the digital age by offering experiences you simply can’t get online. Furthermore, others who invested early in their digital experiences and have seen phenomenal returns.

“The second thing Amazon went into after books was toys." -Adam Toporek

So why are things playing out so differently for Toys R Us? Surely the retail giant could have seen this coming and invested in modernizing the experiences they offer.

In this episode, we’re taking a closer look at Toys R Us and their place in the retail landscape. What could they have done differently, and is there a chance they can still survive? More importantly, what lessons can we learn from this as retailers and business leaders in general?

There’s more to this story than you think, so we’re giving you a bit of history and sharing expert insights to help you not become the next Toys R Us. Spoiler: It’s all about the experience, folks!

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, 3 Ways to Let Customers Guide Your Greatest Innovation
• Customers That Stick® post, Will You Compete on Customer Experience in 2018?
• Episode Episode 006: Mobile Customer Experience, Tabitha Dunn, and Sephora’s Mobile Integration
• Episode 311: Which Retail Touchpoints Matter Most
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

 

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => b6e5a6e0-62c0-11e9-9b30-3bf038f4f597 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:25.314-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:52.642-04:00 [title] => 315: Joey Coleman, Never Lose a Customer [pubdate] => 2018-04-10T08:30:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b6e5a6e0-62c0-11e9-9b30-3bf038f4f597/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam interview award winning speaker and author Joey Coleman to discuss how the first 100 days is critical to increase customer retention and ultimately, lifetime profit. The untold truth about customer retention You may know that just a... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam interview award winning speaker and author Joey Coleman to discuss how the first 100 days is critical to increase customer retention and ultimately, lifetime profit.

---

The untold truth about customer retention

You may know that just a 5% increase in customer retention leads to a 25% - 100% increase in profits, but did you know the first 100 days of a customer’s lifecycle is when the magic really happens? Unfortunately, this first 100 days is typically filled with paperwork, payments, and other boring, company-focused “onboarding” experiences.

“It’s the most important time period of the entire relationship.” –Joey Coleman

If this phase in the customer lifecycle is so critical, then there’s got to be a better way. And there is! In fact, we know there are at least 46. Meet Joey Coleman, whose latest book is packed with 46 case studies and loads of research about companies who have turned onboarding (yawn) into a customer-centric “welcoming” experience, leading to amazing, measurable results.

“If we can get them to day 101, in the typical business, they’ll stay for 5 years.” –Joey Coleman

In this episode, Joey shares highlights from his most memorable case studies, so you can get a better idea of how to make the first 100 days more memorable for your customers. From web development firms to pop singers, anyone can turn this typically boring phase into an invaluable opportunity to build solid relationships, create loyal fans, and inspire advocates.

“I get it…you want me to feel. But how do I explain that to our #CFO when we need a check?” –Joey Coleman

What’s the first 100 days of your customer’s lifecycle like? Onboarding customers is expensive, so why not get more measurable ROI from the resources you put into it? Listen in for great tips, exciting stories, and compelling facts to get you started.

Interview Highlights

• Why is the first 100 days of a customer relationship so important? [3: 00]
• Onboarding is typically a dull process, but Joey turns it into an “invitation.” [5:35]
• How do you make those first 100 days more meaningful? [8:30]
• Joey shares some of his favorite case studies, including Taylor Swift! [14:50]
• But what’s the real ROI of enhancing the first 100 days? [21:00]

---

About our guest

Joey Coleman helps companies keep their customers. An award-winning speaker, he works with organizations around the world ranging from small startups to major brands such as Deloitte, Hyatt Hotels, Zappos, and Whirlpool. His First 100 Days® methodology fuels the remarkable experiences his clients deliver and dramatically improves their profits.

In his upcoming book, Never Lose a Customer Again, (scheduled for publication April 2018) he shares strategies and tactics for turning one-time purchasers into lifelong customers. When not speaking to audiences around the globe, Joey enjoys spending time with his amazing wife and two young sons in the mountains of Colorado.

Connect with Joey

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Website
• Download 3 free chapters of Joey’s Book, Never Lose a Customer Again

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, 3 Rules for Investing in Good Relationships with Customers
• Customers That Stick® post, 3 Examples of How to Easily WOW Customers
• Episode 263: Merit Gest, Sales Engagement
• Episode 286: Anthony Iannarino, Commitments Are for Closers
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message:

Start creating a successful CX strategy

Are you ready to build a customer experience strategy on a solid foundation for the long term? We’re shattering the top 5 CX strategy myths in our latest evergreen webinar.

You will learn:

• How to avoid the 5 so-called “Customer Experience Strategies” that aren’t strategies at all
• What drives a winning customer experience strategy and examples of companies that “get it”
• How to create a foundation for a customer experience strategy that works for the long term

Join Jeannie at a time that works for you for some serious mythbusting and a head start on creating a customer experience strategy that works! 

Sign Me Up!

 

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => b734543e-62c0-11e9-9b30-57f91dd168bc [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:25.830-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:21.122-04:00 [title] => 314: The Power of Empowerment: What I Wish I Knew [pubdate] => 2018-04-03T08:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b734543e-62c0-11e9-9b30-57f91dd168bc/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam Toporek reveals how lack of employee empowerment creates unnecessary challenges for growing businesses and shares how you can empower your staff to deliver better experiences. Empowerment is power! When you were starting out as a business... [summary] =>

Adam Toporek reveals how lack of employee empowerment creates unnecessary challenges for growing businesses and shares how you can empower your staff to deliver better experiences.

---

Empowerment is power!

When you were starting out as a business leader, what would have given you more power to succeed? What do you wish you had known then?

Adam was recently asked a similar question in an interview, and it has inspired him to share some tips about employee empowerment. You see, Adam started his business in the era of “command and control,” long before employee empowerment became the buzzworthy concept it is today.

But while there’s something to be said for running a tight ship, this level of control led to unnecessary friction both in the employee and customer experiences.

“We’re causing bad employee AND customer experiences, and for what!?” -Adam Toporek

Don’t get me wrong… Rules and processes exist for good reasons! But when customers and employees fret and squabble over trivial things for the sake of staying in compliance, businesses suffer from diminished value on both fronts.

So how did Adam turn this around? Listen in to hear how Adam knew it was time for a change, and what he did to fix it.

What about you?

What do you wish you knew when starting out as a business leader? Adam and Jeannie would both love to hear about it.  Your input can help start some great conversations and could even be the focus of an upcoming show, so tell us now!

• Tweet to Adam Toporek - @adamtoporek
• Tweet to Jeannie Walters - @jeanniecw
• Email us - thecustomercode@gmail.com

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Are Your Employees Engaged to Tell You the Truth?
• Customers That Stick® post, Why Self-Confidence Matters in Customer Service
• Episode 39: Does Employee Empowerment Work?
• Episode 233: (Tip) Beware of Organizational Conformity
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts 

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => b779864e-62c0-11e9-9b30-ef73132bc1e8 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:26.284-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:41.882-04:00 [title] => 313: Is AmazonGo the Future? [pubdate] => 2018-03-27T08:30:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b779864e-62c0-11e9-9b30-ef73132bc1e8/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie discuss the innovative approach of AmazonGo and how it may foreverchange the retail customer experience. Will AmazonGo change retail forever? Have you heard of AmazonGo? It’s an amazing new prototype store for Amazon shoppers in... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie discuss the innovative approach of AmazonGo and how it may foreverchange the retail customer experience.

---

Will AmazonGo change retail forever?

Have you heard of AmazonGo? It’s an amazing new prototype store for Amazon shoppers in Seattle, Washington. But being an Amazon store is not the what makes it different. Through an intricate system of cameras, a rotating stock and a special footprint, AmazonGo shoppers can pick up what they want and leave without going through a checkout.

“If you don't have to stand in a line at #AmazonGo...it's a win.” -Adam Toporek

It’s not just about being cashier-less. If fact, everything a shopper picks up (and puts back) at the AmazonGo store is tracked in real-time through a mobile app and charged to their Amazon account accordingly.

But don’t let the absence of cashiers fool you. Eliminating the need to fill this role means AmazonGo employees are present where customers need them the most.

This technology could signify an amazing leap in the retail customer experience! However, this will also pose a huge hurdle for retailers trying to compete. If customers come to demand this kind of shopping experience, colossal challenges and investments lie ahead for retailers everywhere.

"AmazonGo is a step beyond just being cashier-less…” -Jeannie Walters

Keep in mind that this is only a prototype, and the store in Seattle is the only one of its kind. In fact, Amazon has made no comments about what it plans to do with this technology in the future, so we have some time to explore this idea and what it means for our own businesses.

Today, Adam and Jeannie are exploring the advantages and drawbacks of the AmazonGo system, both to retailers and to customers. Can this technology scale, and if so, how soon? What challenges does it pose to the store owner, and in what ways will it change the shopping experience? We explore all of this and more, including some possible non-retail applications. Listen in!

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Mobile Innovation Is Not About Your Phone!
• Customers That Stick® post, Self Service Should Never Mean Solo Service
• Episode 305: Supporting Your Team in the Retail Apocalypse
• Episode 311: Which Retail Touchpoints Matter Most
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

 

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

[audioFile] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/b779864e-62c0-11e9-9b30-ef73132bc1e8/stripped_c7ac547f67602577346899fb62adcbce.mp3 [downloadUrl] => http://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSN1331955052.mp3 [size] => 20997015 [duration] => 1312.31 [uid] => CSN1331955052 [originalUrl] => http://traffic.libsyn.com/crackthecustomercode/ctcc_313_Final_a.mp3?dest-id=215469 [bitrate] => 128 [samplerate] => 44100 [channelMode] => stereo [vbr] => [audioFileProcessing] => [podcastId] => a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc [preCount] => 0 [postCount] => 0 [insertionPoints] => Array ( ) [id3File] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/b779864e-62c0-11e9-9b30-ef73132bc1e8/id3/e4de589888f6704aeaf47adb16c16bf7.mp3 [id3FileProcessing] => [id3FileSize] => 75220 [parentId] => [guid] => af8efbec59ae962bb41aa5f18b3ab12c [pubdateTimezone] => [originalFilename] => [preOffset] => 0.0 [postOffset] => 0.0 [spotifyIdentifier] => [expectedAdhash] => [audioFileUpdatedAt] => [draft] => [externalId] => [customFields] => )

Array ( [id] => b7b78480-62c0-11e9-9b30-bbb7e2f15bdf [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:26.691-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:58.026-04:00 [title] => 312: John Garrett, The Personal Side of Business [pubdate] => 2018-03-21T09:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b7b78480-62c0-11e9-9b30-bbb7e2f15bdf/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam discuss the Green Apple concept and how personal interests make us better professionals with Green Apple podcast host and CPA turned comedian, John Garrett. John Garrett, the Green Apple concept, and… Furbies!? Okay, maybe Furbies... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam discuss the Green Apple concept and how personal interests make us better professionals with Green Apple podcast host and CPA turned comedian, John Garrett.

---

John Garrett, the Green Apple concept, and… Furbies!?

Okay, maybe Furbies don’t have a whole lot to do with this podcast, but they make some of us happier and more interesting, and that’s the point!

We’re often told to keep personal interests out of the workplace. In fact, this idea is so ingrained into our culture that most of us don’t even need to be told. So as we strive for success, we focus more and more on our jobs and less on the things that make us happy as people.

“You weren’t this shell of yourself when you were 20-22 years old. What happened!?” -John Garrett

While this may demonstrate a dedication to our jobs and our professions, letting go of our hobbies and interests, or just leaving them out of our professional lives, actually works against us. That’s why we’re delighted to welcome fellow podcaster, Recovering CPA and comedian John Garrett to the show.

“It’s a shame that #professionalism doesn’t let us bring all our skillsets to the office.” -John Garrett

John explains how staying in touch with the things we feel passionate about personally not only makes us happier people but makes us better professionals too!

In this enlightening and fun episode, we dig into the Green Apple concept and why keeping a sense of self is important both inside and outside of the workplace. Filled with anecdotes and a bit of neuroscience, John brings real-world inspiration to this interview, so you and your team can be happier and more successful all around.

“Their expertise is not just their college degree and their certifications.” -John Garrett

Listen in to learn about the Green Apple concept, and you’ll leave with great ideas about how to reconnect with and celebrate the things that make you and your team interesting.

Don’t leave out this vital ingredient for being more successful at work, leaving a lasting impression, creating better relationships, and just living better all around.

Interview Highlights

• What is the Green Apple concept, and why is it important? [3:25]
• How do personal interests impact the employee and customer experiences? [6:00]
• How does professionalism work against us over time? Better yet, how can we do better? [9:00]
• John shares expert advice for leaders to help employees leverage their individuality to avoid burnout at work. [15:00]
• Most cultures don’t actively support sharing of personal interests, so what should you do? [21:00]
• Bonus: How can a Furby collection save your company $150K? [22:30]

---

About our guest

John Garrett, “The Recovering CPA,” is on a mission to help firms develop a culture where professionalism doesn’t suffocate your personality. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame with an accounting degree before starting at PwC and earning his CPA. He then became a professionally-touring comedian, has a comedy album on SiriusXM, is an Emmy-nominated writer, hosts The Green Apple Podcast and most importantly, really enjoys ice cream and college football, especially at the same time. He also has a book coming out in the fall of 2018.

Connect with John

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Green Apple Podcast
• Website

 

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Related Content

• 360Connext® post, What’s Your Culture Code?
• Customers That Stick® post, Why Self-Confidence Matters in Customer Service
• Episode 304: Arnie Malham, Innovating Culture
• Episode 223: Mo Gawdat, Engineering Happiness
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message:

Start creating a successful CX strategy

Are you ready to build a customer experience strategy on a solid foundation for the long term? We’re shattering the top 5 CX strategy myths in our latest evergreen webinar.

You will learn:

• How to avoid the 5 so-called “Customer Experience Strategies” that aren’t strategies at all
• What drives a winning customer experience strategy and examples of companies that “get it”
• How to create a foundation for a customer experience strategy that works for the long term

Join Jeannie at a time that works for you for some serious mythbusting and a head start on creating a customer experience strategy that works! 

Sign Me Up!

 

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

[audioFile] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/b7b78480-62c0-11e9-9b30-bbb7e2f15bdf/stripped_166c04aa3240badd8d54dd7eae288904.mp3 [downloadUrl] => http://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSN3546096115.mp3 [size] => 28285805 [duration] => 1767.86 [uid] => CSN3546096115 [originalUrl] => http://traffic.libsyn.com/crackthecustomercode/ctcc_312_final_a.mp3?dest-id=215469 [bitrate] => 128 [samplerate] => 44100 [channelMode] => stereo [vbr] => [audioFileProcessing] => [podcastId] => a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc [preCount] => 0 [postCount] => 0 [insertionPoints] => Array ( ) [id3File] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/b7b78480-62c0-11e9-9b30-bbb7e2f15bdf/id3/ba93cd44bdd99c6509f9d49fe2d8b34a.mp3 [id3FileProcessing] => [id3FileSize] => 80170 [parentId] => [guid] => dfd08aeaf7bcacf14f8aed426962fd59 [pubdateTimezone] => [originalFilename] => [preOffset] => 0.0 [postOffset] => 0.0 [spotifyIdentifier] => [expectedAdhash] => [audioFileUpdatedAt] => [draft] => [externalId] => [customFields] => )

Array ( [id] => b80cf014-62c0-11e9-9b30-b371660469cf [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:27.249-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:29.776-04:00 [title] => 311: Which Retail Touchpoints Matter Most [pubdate] => 2018-03-13T08:30:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b80cf014-62c0-11e9-9b30-b371660469cf/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam Toporek shares research and expert insights for discovering which retail touchpoints are most important to your customers. How to prioritize your retail touchpoints In retail, we’re told that every touchpoint matters. And although that may be... [summary] =>

Adam Toporek shares research and expert insights for discovering which retail touchpoints are most important to your customers.

---

How to prioritize your retail touchpoints

In retail, we’re told that every touchpoint matters. And although that may be true, it’s not very helpful when you need prioritize and make a difference your customers will applaud today. In that case, you need to discover which retail touchpoints matter the most.

“We simply are always in triage." - Adam Toporek

But that’s a tall order when you consider how all customers are different. What’s more, the most profitable of your customers may have different priorities than the majority. So, how do you look for touchpoints that bring you the most ROI?

These decisions will never be easy to make, but you’ve got some help! Today, Adam has some surprising data to share about retail customers and which touchpoints they say matter most to them. As it turns out, they don’t care as much about some of the touchpoints you might rank high on the list! Some healthy food for your retail thoughts!

“While every touchpoint matters, some touchpoints matter more than others.” -Adam Toporek

However, Adam points out that what customers say they want may not speak for how they respond to improvements they didn’t ask for. So balancing these ingredients is tricky work! The right mix of improvements may lead to a measurable uptick in customer satisfaction, while the wrong mix could just blow up in your face.

So step into Adam’s lab and discover the right concoction for your retail customers. (No safety glasses needed!)

Related Content

• Synchronicity Financial's Retail Customer Experience report
• 360Connext® post, How to Create Your Punch List for Quick CX Wins
• Customers That Stick® post, 3 Examples of How to Easily WOW Customers
• Episode 305: Supporting Your Team in the Retail Apocalypse
• Episode 235: Customer Experience Touchpoint Tips
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

 

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

[audioFile] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/b80cf014-62c0-11e9-9b30-b371660469cf/stripped_373f7736a852a3bfe586ee4ab529cac0.mp3 [downloadUrl] => http://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSN4283743270.mp3 [size] => 8612884 [duration] => 538.31 [uid] => CSN4283743270 [originalUrl] => http://traffic.libsyn.com/crackthecustomercode/ctcc_311_final_a.mp3?dest-id=215469 [bitrate] => 128 [samplerate] => 44100 [channelMode] => stereo [vbr] => [audioFileProcessing] => [podcastId] => a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc [preCount] => 0 [postCount] => 0 [insertionPoints] => Array ( ) [id3File] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/b80cf014-62c0-11e9-9b30-b371660469cf/id3/d8da9d5724a3e2b618068a03ef2cb0db.mp3 [id3FileProcessing] => [id3FileSize] => 75678 [parentId] => [guid] => 2be9e942f08a1f56c6e85c0c34552714 [pubdateTimezone] => [originalFilename] => [preOffset] => 0.0 [postOffset] => 0.0 [spotifyIdentifier] => [expectedAdhash] => [audioFileUpdatedAt] => [draft] => [externalId] => [customFields] => )

Array ( [id] => b8634234-62c0-11e9-9b30-bfb027f360cc [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:27.814-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:04.642-04:00 [title] => 310: Clint Schaff, The L.A. Times Experience [pubdate] => 2018-03-06T08:30:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b8634234-62c0-11e9-9b30-bfb027f360cc/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam discuss the shifting landscape of storytelling in journalism with L.A. Times VP of Strategy and Development Clint Schaff. The L.A. Times and the shifting landscape of storytelling in journalism Today’s consumer demands high quality... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam discuss the shifting landscape of storytelling in journalism with L.A. Times VP of Strategy and Development Clint Schaff.

---

The L.A. Times and the shifting landscape of storytelling in journalism

Today’s consumer demands high quality content, delivered where they want it, when they want it, and with context that suits their personality. As a result, brands are constantly pushing to tell their stories in different ways on many platforms.

With the rise of social media, blogging, artificial intelligence, storytelling in journalism has taken on staggering complexity in terms of serving different kinds of consumers. Gone are the days when the newest stories were only delivered via newspaper or TV. Consumers get their news through text messages, social media, blogs, YouTube videos, and more. What’s more, they are now able to engage with the stories – sharing their own opinions and sparking debates amongst themselves.

“If Mark Twain were born today, he may not be an author. He’d probably have a YouTube channel…” –Clint Schaff

So how can your brand approach storytelling for the changing masses? What’s the experience you’re trying to deliver, and what channels should you use?

We thought it would be great to take some lessons from a brand that’s in the business of storytelling! So we’re thrilled to bring you Clint Schaff, VP of Strategy and Development at the L.A. Times.

“People expect more of the news media.” –Clint Schaff

In this interview, Clint shares the many ways the L.A. Times navigates the changing landscape of journalism to deliver news on many platforms to different kinds of audiences. They’ve found amazing ways to inform and engage people around stories they may have already heard. In fact, they give readers a chance to share their own take on the stories that continue to develop while having their voices be heard.

“If we’re covering things in a way that is not viewed as fair…it will be known.” –Clint Schaff

It’s an amazing time for journalism, no doubt! But it’s also an amazing time for YOU – whether you’re a writer or a brand telling stories to engage customers. Whatever industry you’re in, telling your story in ways different people will identify with is incredibly powerful in the digital age. Listen in for tips from a leader in the storytelling business.

Interview Highlights

• How is the L.A. Times adapting to the changing media landscape and serving customers in new ways? [5:15]
• Some people want hard news while others want sensational and entertaining news. So how does the L.A. Times address balance these two very different audiences? [11:40]
• What do we need to change to tell better stories for today’s ever-diversifying audiences? [13:50]
• Clint gives us a peek at what’s new for the 2018 Festival of Books, the world’s largest literary event. [17:00]
• If the L.A. Times does so much aggregating to tell more meaningful stories, then how do they cut through the noise? [24:35]

---

About our guest

Clint Schaff is an executive, educator and entrepreneur that builds community through marketing communications and advertising content. In 2016, Clint joined the Los Angeles Times as its VP of Strategy and Development, and is developing innovative content platforms and utilities in areas including premium branded entertainment.  Prior to that, he had built and led agency teams for The Wonderful Company, GroupM, Golin, Edelman and Vision7. His work at Edelman with Activision's Call of Duty won a Grand Effie, a Gold Effie and a Gold Sabre.  Early in his career, Clint took on leadership roles within labor unions and for political campaigns, and served as a White House intern. Clint also serves as an adjunct professor at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.  

Connect with Clint

• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Twitter

 

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Related Content

• 360Connext® post, 3 Tips to Make You Overcome Fear of Disruption
• Customers That Stick® post, What Great Brands Do
• Episode 306: Eric Porres, Personalized Video Experience
• Episode 140: Bryan Kramer, The Art of Shareology
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message:

Start creating a successful CX strategy

Are you ready to build a customer experience strategy on a solid foundation for the long term? We’re shattering the top 5 CX strategy myths in our latest evergreen webinar.

You will learn:

• How to avoid the 5 so-called “Customer Experience Strategies” that aren’t strategies at all
• What drives a winning customer experience strategy and examples of companies that “get it”
• How to create a foundation for a customer experience strategy that works for the long term

Join Jeannie at a time that works for you for some serious mythbusting and a head start on creating a customer experience strategy that works! 

Sign Me Up!

 

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

[audioFile] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/b8634234-62c0-11e9-9b30-bfb027f360cc/stripped_731076c44a50fe97cc81ca9e6117e9a2.mp3 [downloadUrl] => http://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSN9561279954.mp3 [size] => 30272365 [duration] => 1892.02 [uid] => CSN9561279954 [originalUrl] => http://traffic.libsyn.com/crackthecustomercode/ctcc_310_final_a.mp3?dest-id=215469 [bitrate] => 128 [samplerate] => 44100 [channelMode] => stereo [vbr] => [audioFileProcessing] => [podcastId] => a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc [preCount] => 0 [postCount] => 0 [insertionPoints] => Array ( ) [id3File] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/b8634234-62c0-11e9-9b30-bfb027f360cc/id3/a9722a686c077bdf9336244b1dec6987.mp3 [id3FileProcessing] => [id3FileSize] => 80800 [parentId] => [guid] => 3ea9af09b5fa2728bb00171d3d6e24b0 [pubdateTimezone] => [originalFilename] => [preOffset] => 0.0 [postOffset] => 0.0 [spotifyIdentifier] => [expectedAdhash] => [audioFileUpdatedAt] => [draft] => [externalId] => [customFields] => )

Array ( [id] => b8b8a828-62c0-11e9-9b30-6bfb293f5f56 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:28.339-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:33.111-04:00 [title] => 309: Common Leadership Biases in Your Way of Success [pubdate] => 2018-02-28T08:30:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b8b8a828-62c0-11e9-9b30-6bfb293f5f56/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie Walters CCXP shares tips to help you recognize and overcome some of the most common and counterproductive leadership biases. Check your leadership biases! As humans we all have biases. Things like where we’re from, what we’ve been through... [summary] =>

Jeannie Walters CCXP shares tips to help you recognize and overcome some of the most common and counterproductive leadership biases.

---

Check your leadership biases!

As humans we all have biases. Things like where we’re from, what we’ve been through and what has worked (or not worked) in the past all shape the lens through which we view the world. But when these biases affect the way we lead customer service teams and customer experience initiatives, employees suffer, and customers suffer along with them!

“It’s too easy to lean on the success of the past.” -@jeanniecw

In business, leadership biases have a negative impact on every layer of your organization. In fact, they create an illusion of well-being in every aspect of your business – from your internal culture to your content marketing strategy, and everything in between – sometimes even when the experiences delivered are clearly defunct!

“If we’re creating something beautiful, it has to serve the customer.” -@jeanniecw

In this episode, Jeannie explains why none of us is immune to biases and how they create friction in business. However, there are ways to recognize these biases and attack them head on! While Jeannie admits she’s been guilty of most of these biases, she’s also found amazing ways to address them.

“Employees are giving 110% and yet…our competitor cuts into a share of our market.” -@jeanniecw

Are your biases keeping you from seeing things for what they really are? More importantly, are leadership biases hampering the culture and overall success of your organization? Listen in to hear about the most common leadership biases and how to overcome them.

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Destructive Leadership Practices: Is Your CEO in Denial?
• Customers That Stick® post, How Employee Empowerment Really Works
• Episode 254: Rocky Romanella, Tighten the Lug Nuts
• Episode 204: (Tip) Customer Service Leadership
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

 

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

[audioFile] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/b8b8a828-62c0-11e9-9b30-6bfb293f5f56/stripped_a172facd2f2d706ed39e67d015b389e9.mp3 [downloadUrl] => http://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSN2909543104.mp3 [size] => 10205727 [duration] => 637.86 [uid] => CSN2909543104 [originalUrl] => http://traffic.libsyn.com/crackthecustomercode/ctcc_309_Final_a.mp3?dest-id=215469 [bitrate] => 128 [samplerate] => 44100 [channelMode] => stereo [vbr] => [audioFileProcessing] => [podcastId] => a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc [preCount] => 0 [postCount] => 0 [insertionPoints] => Array ( ) [id3File] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/b8b8a828-62c0-11e9-9b30-6bfb293f5f56/id3/7ac36a460747b54d4c883b0ed178aa88.mp3 [id3FileProcessing] => [id3FileSize] => 74888 [parentId] => [guid] => 3b1f8fe6947e672a2058dd68ca07c185 [pubdateTimezone] => [originalFilename] => [preOffset] => 0.0 [postOffset] => 0.0 [spotifyIdentifier] => [expectedAdhash] => [audioFileUpdatedAt] => [draft] => [externalId] => [customFields] => )

Array ( [id] => b90153b6-62c0-11e9-9b30-0fbd3891c4c8 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:28.851-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:56.418-04:00 [title] => 308: Jacob Morgan, The Future of Work [pubdate] => 2018-02-21T08:30:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b90153b6-62c0-11e9-9b30-0fbd3891c4c8/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie explore the Future of Work with Futurist, Keynote Speaker, & Best-Selling Author Jacob Morgan. What is the Future of Your Work? The what, when, why and how behind work itself used to be dictated by business owners, but this... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie explore the Future of Work with Futurist, Keynote Speaker, & Best-Selling Author Jacob Morgan.

---

What is the Future of Your Work?

The what, when, why and how behind work itself used to be dictated by business owners, but this is changing quickly! In fact, developments in technology, social media and generational values are creating new behaviors every day that will indeed affect the way we and our employees work in the future. Are you in control? More importantly, what should you still be in control of?

“…a lot of this power is shifting to employees.” -Jacob Morgan

Tied directly to the customer experience, providing a frictionless and rewarding employee experience is now more important than ever. We’ve discovered that employees communicate differently than before – sometimes in ways we used to prohibit within the workplace.

“I’m a big believer in as much flexibility as you can give employees.”  -Jacob Morgan

So with all these new behaviors and more on the way, how should we perceive and prepare for the Future of Work, not just in our industries, but in our own workplaces? And how can we maintain a healthy level of control while letting employees work in the ways they feel most productive?

“What should work be, and how do we build what we want it to be?” -Jacob Morgan

Futurist, Keynote Speaker, & Best-Selling Author Jacob Morgan is here to answer some of these questions for us, then help us answer the rest of them for ourselves. Gleaning from insights Jacob uncovered while doing research for his latest book, we discuss the current state of work and how it has evolved, then take a fascinating trip into the future!

So why not jump into our time machine (aka press the play button) and discover how to future-proof the work environment you create?

Interview Highlights

• Jacob discusses the Future of Work in most of what he does, so why is this topic so important? [3:30]
• Jacob talks about 5 work trends that influence the future, but there’s one we’re really intrigued by! [4:45]
• How are new behaviors affecting the way we look for jobs or hire new employees? [6:25]
• If employee experience slips, then so does customer experience. What are the cues leaders should look out for? [9:00]
• Open office floorplans have become popular, but what is the right environment for your organization? (This is kind of a trick question!) [14:00]
• We know there’s great value to employee empowerment, so how will we define empowerment in the future? [19:10]

---

About our guest

Jacob Morgan is a three time best-selling author, keynote speaker and futurist who explores the future of work and employee experience. His latest book is The Employee Experience Advantage, which came out in March of this year. Jacob is the creator of The Future of Work University and The Future IF Community.

Connect with Jacob

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• The Future If - Facebook Group
• Explore Jacob's books on Amazon

 

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, What’s Your Culture Code?
• Customers That Stick® post, Communication: The Most Important Skill in Customer Service
• Episode 160: Blake Morgan, More is More
• Episode 304: Arnie Malham, Innovating Culture
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message:

Start creating a successful CX strategy

Are you ready to build a customer experience strategy on a solid foundation for the long term? We’re shattering the top 5 CX strategy myths in our latest evergreen webinar.

You will learn:

• How to avoid the 5 so-called “Customer Experience Strategies” that aren’t strategies at all
• What drives a winning customer experience strategy and examples of companies that “get it”
• How to create a foundation for a customer experience strategy that works for the long term

Join Jeannie at a time that works for you for some serious mythbusting and a head start on creating a customer experience strategy that works! 

Sign Me Up!

 

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

[audioFile] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/b90153b6-62c0-11e9-9b30-0fbd3891c4c8/stripped_bfab35849999b7ef9a5a51ae35898f4b.mp3 [downloadUrl] => http://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSN4849288362.mp3 [size] => 26481057 [duration] => 1655.07 [uid] => CSN4849288362 [originalUrl] => http://traffic.libsyn.com/crackthecustomercode/ctcc_308_final_a.mp3?dest-id=215469 [bitrate] => 128 [samplerate] => 44100 [channelMode] => stereo [vbr] => [audioFileProcessing] => [podcastId] => a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc [preCount] => 0 [postCount] => 0 [insertionPoints] => Array ( ) [id3File] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/b90153b6-62c0-11e9-9b30-0fbd3891c4c8/id3/29f3c9d47ebaa422e1ab64c4072b93e6.mp3 [id3FileProcessing] => [id3FileSize] => 79230 [parentId] => [guid] => 65c6dbde99c1c0a5d9c6201d756c45ac [pubdateTimezone] => [originalFilename] => [preOffset] => 0.0 [postOffset] => 0.0 [spotifyIdentifier] => [expectedAdhash] => [audioFileUpdatedAt] => [draft] => [externalId] => [customFields] => )

Array ( [id] => b944a6a2-62c0-11e9-9b30-37a652f82280 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:29.291-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:34.276-04:00 [title] => 307: It’s Not My Job, Adam [pubdate] => 2018-02-13T08:30:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b944a6a2-62c0-11e9-9b30-37a652f82280/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Something important needs to be done and employees say, “It’s not my job!” This happens a lot! In this episode, Jeannie and Adam explore why this happens and how to fix it. “It’s not my job!” Chances are, you’ve heard this refrain from... [summary] =>

Something important needs to be done and employees say, “It’s not my job!” This happens a lot! In this episode, Jeannie and Adam explore why this happens and how to fix it.

---

“It’s not my job!”

Chances are, you’ve heard this refrain from employees when asked to step outside the confines of their job description. And while responsibility creep and role creep are very real issues employees may need to watch out for, it becomes a problem when your team isn’t willing to pitch in for the greater good.

This becomes an even bigger problem during times of change. When leaders need their teams to pull together for the sake of creating better experiences, then receive nothing but pushback or even outright refusal to cooperate, the notion of positive change can seem like a pipe dream. After all, it’s not written into their job descriptions! As a leader, what can you do!?

“You have to be the most #customer-centric person in the building.” -Adam Toporek

It’s great to have superstars who love to jump in and help with whatever needs to be done. But in our experiences, those superstars are typically few and far between. But what if everyone on your team could be a superstar? What if they all saw the value of jumping in to work for a greater good?

“If your mission isn’t aligned with #custexp ...people are not going to work towards that.” -Jeannie Walters

Today, we’re looking at the cultural, organizational and emotional triggers behind “not-my-job-itis.” More importantly, we’re exploring some of the best ways to build a culture that instills a sense of ownership that makes your superstars, well, super!

Creating better experiences should be everyone’s job. Listen in to make that happen in your organization.

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, How to Unlock Your Outstanding Service Culture for Good
• Customers That Stick® post, Amazing Customer Service with Shep Hyken
• Episode 304: Arnie Malham, Innovating Culture
• Episode 073: Hacking Your Workplace Culture
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

[audioFile] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/b944a6a2-62c0-11e9-9b30-37a652f82280/stripped_89d60f38c786c10c71496d1b4845b2fd.mp3 [downloadUrl] => http://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSN6125696825.mp3 [size] => 11901387 [duration] => 743.84 [uid] => CSN6125696825 [originalUrl] => http://traffic.libsyn.com/crackthecustomercode/ctcc_307_final_a.mp3?dest-id=215469 [bitrate] => 128 [samplerate] => 44100 [channelMode] => stereo [vbr] => [audioFileProcessing] => [podcastId] => a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc [preCount] => 0 [postCount] => 0 [insertionPoints] => Array ( ) [id3File] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/b944a6a2-62c0-11e9-9b30-37a652f82280/id3/dd732e8fa8c7a324698d97578466cc4c.mp3 [id3FileProcessing] => [id3FileSize] => 74602 [parentId] => [guid] => 0845709c271e15307852a2a50a76d701 [pubdateTimezone] => [originalFilename] => [preOffset] => 0.0 [postOffset] => 0.0 [spotifyIdentifier] => [expectedAdhash] => [audioFileUpdatedAt] => [draft] => [externalId] => [customFields] => )

Array ( [id] => b987268a-62c0-11e9-9b30-cb38552116cf [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:29.726-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:59.842-04:00 [title] => 306: Eric Porres, Personalized Video Experience [pubdate] => 2018-02-06T08:00:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b987268a-62c0-11e9-9b30-cb38552116cf/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie interview Eric Porres to discuss the new age of personalized video and how personal data is rolled in to drive serious engagement. What IS a personalized video experience? What is video anymore? Video used to be a “one-to-many”... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie interview Eric Porres to discuss the new age of personalized video and how personal data is rolled in to drive serious engagement.

---

What IS a personalized video experience?

What is video anymore? Video used to be a “one-to-many” medium for communication, but brands have discovered the power of creating personalized “one-to-one” video. I know, you may be thinking of a video you’ve received from a brand where your name was plopped in at the beginning or end… But what we’re talking about here is quite different.

“There’s a distinct difference between #personalization and BEING personal.” -Eric Porres

As marketers, many of us have accustomed to using merge tags and placeholders to personalize content and communications. But as Eric Porres explains, this is not true personalization. In fact, recent advances in video technology allow us to create “smart videos,” where rich customer data can easily be used to create content that drives the customer’s next best action.

As we can see from some of the cases Eric tells us about, smart videos have amazing power to drive engagement, loyalty, and more. And forget about keeping it short and sweet! While it may be true that customers have a short attention span when it comes to content consumption, the average customer engages with smart videos for a whopping 108 seconds, and some are even longer.

“A smart video is as long as it needs to be to help customers drive that next best action.” -Eric Porres

So, how are you using customer data, and how does it affect the way you engage via video? Eric has amazing insights on how you can bring more personal data into videos that drive action. Want to learn how it’s done? Listen in!

Interview Highlights

• How important is personalized customer experience in today’s world? [2:50]
• What is a “smart video?” [ 7:30]
• Providing data-based content is one thing, but how does storytelling fit in? [9:15]
• How can general data among all customers help inform content for specific customers? [15:15]
• What does Eric see in the future for personalized experiences, especially where they intersect with tech? [19:00]

---

About our guest

Eric Porres, is chief marketing officer of SundaySky. Previously, Eric was the CMO for Sailthru, a provider of personalization software, and CMO for Rocket Fuel, where he helped scale revenue and complete an IPO. Eric was a founding partner of Underscore Marketing, and built the organization into a recognized Inc. 5000 company. He also founded Pericles Consulting, a political marketing firm. Eric has held management positions at AOL Time Warner, Agency.com, Lotame and LiveTechnology. He is an active angel investor and adviser to several startup companies, and graduated from Duke University.

Connect with Eric

• Website
• Twitter

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, 5 Mobile Personalization Tweaks to Keep Customers On Track
• Customers That Stick® post, Communication: The Most Important Skill in Customer Service
• Episode 172: (Tip) Personalizing the Customer Experience
• Episode 147: Private Social Media for Customer Service
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message:

Start creating a successful CX strategy

Are you ready to build a customer experience strategy on a solid foundation for the long term? We’re shattering the top 5 CX strategy myths in our latest evergreen webinar.

You will learn:

• How to avoid the 5 so-called “Customer Experience Strategies” that aren’t strategies at all
• What drives a winning customer experience strategy and examples of companies that “get it”
• How to create a foundation for a customer experience strategy that works for the long term

Join Jeannie at a time that works for you for some serious mythbusting and a head start on creating a customer experience strategy that works! 

Sign Me Up!

 

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => b9cd22ac-62c0-11e9-9b30-0790d4c0052d [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:30.183-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:39.079-04:00 [title] => 305: Supporting Your Team in the Retail Apocalypse [pubdate] => 2018-01-30T08:00:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/b9cd22ac-62c0-11e9-9b30-0790d4c0052d/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam discuss ways to inform your team and keep them motivated through the retail apocalypse. Retail apocalypse: Who thinks the end is nigh? Rumor has it we’re in the Retail Apocalypse…have you heard of this? With increased competition... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam discuss ways to inform your team and keep them motivated through the retail apocalypse.

---

Retail apocalypse: Who thinks the end is nigh?

Rumor has it we’re in the Retail Apocalypse…have you heard of this? With increased competition and ever-increasing customer expectations, the evidence is all around us. The internet is all abuzz with what this means for businesses on the macro level, but what about the actual people in your organization?

Your employees see the evidence too. Stress is at an all-time high for many retailers, and that stress trickles down into your staff. So, are you addressing this?

“Nobody wants to tell their staff the ship is sinking, because then it will just sink faster.” -Adam Toporek

Although it’s hard to talk to employees about hard times, it’s much worse to leave them to their own securities. They’re not blind to plummeting stocks, negative sentiment in reviews... not to mention those customers who bring these things up to them!

“If people do not have information, they will fill in the blanks with the most negative scenario…” -Jeannie Walters

While they plug away at their jobs, employees who once felt secure are now asking questions in their heads, like “How long will this last?” “Will I still have a job tomorrow?” If you’re not talking to them about this, then there’s a good chance they’re planning their escape.

So, what can you do about this? How do you support your team and tell them the truth without creating a panic? Adam and Jeannie have some great tips for not only starting these tough conversations, but for keeping your team motivated and sending them home feeling good about what they’ve done.

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, 3 Destructive Consistency Issues You Need to Overcome Now
• Customers That Stick® post, Is Your Customer Service Consistent?
• Episode 286: Anthony Iannarino, Commitments Are for Closers
• Episode 219: (Tip) Consistency Across Multiple Brands
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => ba140d84-62c0-11e9-9b30-f7165f328cee [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:30.651-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:59.936-04:00 [title] => 304: Arnie Malham, Innovating Culture [pubdate] => 2018-01-23T08:00:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/ba140d84-62c0-11e9-9b30-f7165f328cee/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie interview Arnie Malham to uncover his secrets to innovating culture for a better overall customer experience. Innovating culture for better experiences all around When starting a new company, we have a vision of how we want to be... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie interview Arnie Malham to uncover his secrets to innovating culture for a better overall customer experience.

---

Innovating culture for better experiences all around

When starting a new company, we have a vision of how we want to be different – to have a great culture and a memorable experience. It’s easy to believe that if we hire the right people and train them well, then everything will fall into place.

“I’m going to have a company where people are proud to put us on their resume.” -Arnie Malham

But what happens when business gets challenging and stressful? What is your default mode of culture, and how does it affect your business? Without actively creating a culture that benefits everyone, what we thought was a solid culture succumbs to stress. Teams lose touch with the “why” and relationships suffer for the sake of getting things done.

That’s why we’re thrilled to bring Arnie Malham to the show. Through painful trial and error, Arnie had discovered a highly innovative approach to creating and maintaining a healthy, more profitable culture.

“Bad cultures get what they deserve which is typically not a long business model.” -Arnie Malham

Arnie explains how he’s leveraged transparency and engagement for a culture that not only creates a happier, more productive workplace, but reaches out to employees’ families and captures the hearts of clients.

Wouldn’t it be amazing if the spouses of your employees sent you thank you notes for sending their loved ones home happy and full of energy? How about creating cultural milestones that not only impress clients, but demonstrate your devotion to delivering a great experience?

Arnie has shared lots of tips and secrets with us! And the best part is that these strategies can be used in any industry. Listen in!

Interview Highlights

• What got Arnie focused on culture? [4:25]
• Why did Arnie start paying his team to read books, then eventually, create BetterBookClub.com? [7:05]
• How is Arnie recognizing employees and helping them recognize each other? [14:10]
• If Arnie is so big on recognition, then what’s with the “no birthday cake rule?” [16:42]
• Arnie takes cultural transparency to the next level – not just with the team, but with clients! [21:00]

---

About our guest

Without a clue as to how to run a company, Arnie Malham repeatedly “got it wrong” when it came to hiring, firing, and everything else related to building a business. Malham then stumbled upon a bold, culture-first approach that gave his fledgling company the momentum it needed to become a success.

By putting culture first, cj Advertising grew to become the largest full-service brand-building agency in the country, exclusively for law firms. Malham has since leveraged his cutting-edge culture to launch two other successful businesses, Legal Intake Professionals and BetterBookClub.com.

Connect with Arnie

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Website

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Common Mistakes in Organizational Culture
• Customers That Stick® post, Creating a Customer Service Culture with Jeff Toister
• Episode 180: John DiJulius, The Customer Service Revolution
• Episode 222: (Tip) Instilling Culture Throughout the Organization
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message:

Start creating a successful CX strategy

Are you ready to build a customer experience strategy on a solid foundation for the long term? We’re shattering the top 5 CX strategy myths in our latest evergreen webinar.

You will learn:

• How to avoid the 5 so-called “Customer Experience Strategies” that aren’t strategies at all
• What drives a winning customer experience strategy and examples of companies that “get it”
• How to create a foundation for a customer experience strategy that works for the long term

Join Jeannie at a time that works for you for some serious mythbusting and a head start on creating a customer experience strategy that works! 

Sign Me Up!

 

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => ba573c8a-62c0-11e9-9b30-d767183c9d42 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:31.092-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:30.459-04:00 [title] => 303: How to Build Brand Trust in 2018 [pubdate] => 2018-01-16T08:00:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/ba573c8a-62c0-11e9-9b30-d767183c9d42/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie shares expert tips for building brand trust through truly consistent customer experiences. Consistency and brand trust Brand trust is one of the cornerstones of customer satisfaction and loyalty. However, trust is hard to earn and easy to... [summary] =>

Jeannie shares expert tips for building brand trust through truly consistent customer experiences.

---

Consistency and brand trust

Brand trust is one of the cornerstones of customer satisfaction and loyalty. However, trust is hard to earn and easy to destroy. And you may know customers can trust you, but do they know? So, it’s imperative to think of ways to deliver an experience that earns trust for the long term.

There are many building blocks to trust, but today we’re focusing on one of the most important ones: Consistency. But truly consistent customer experiences go well beyond consistently creating delight at a given touchpoint. In fact, those touchpoints need to be consistent with one another.

“Consistency means living that promise on every channel, every time.” –Jeannie Walters

Does your great shopping experience lead to a checkout that’s from another planet? Or does your personalized service end with a bill that’s anything but?

“When it’s time to hand over the money, the experience can be a total let-down” –Jeannie Walters

These are some of the things you should be looking at. But on this scale, it’s easy to overlook inconsistencies that loom within your customer journey. Can you find them?

Join us today as Jeannie Walters outlines a few great ways to check your own customer journey for this kind of inconsistency. Is your experience truly reflecting brand trust to your customers? Listen in and find out!

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, 3 Destructive Consistency Issues You Need to Overcome Now
• Customers That Stick® post, Is Your Customer Service Consistent?
• Episode 286: Anthony Iannarino, Commitments Are for Closers
• Episode 219: (Tip) Consistency Across Multiple Brands
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

[audioFile] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/ba573c8a-62c0-11e9-9b30-d767183c9d42/stripped_deabc079d9ecf5e81a0b76e566f5df27.mp3 [downloadUrl] => http://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSN5099118733.mp3 [size] => 5560111 [duration] => 347.51 [uid] => CSN5099118733 [originalUrl] => http://traffic.libsyn.com/crackthecustomercode/ctcc_303_final_a.mp3?dest-id=215469 [bitrate] => 128 [samplerate] => 44100 [channelMode] => stereo [vbr] => [audioFileProcessing] => [podcastId] => a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc [preCount] => 0 [postCount] => 0 [insertionPoints] => Array ( ) [id3File] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/ba573c8a-62c0-11e9-9b30-d767183c9d42/id3/995e89e6225faba0348b34b82339c186.mp3 [id3FileProcessing] => [id3FileSize] => 74122 [parentId] => [guid] => 041e39e9d222d3675f3c98b220f7ca55 [pubdateTimezone] => [originalFilename] => [preOffset] => 0.0 [postOffset] => 0.0 [spotifyIdentifier] => [expectedAdhash] => [audioFileUpdatedAt] => [draft] => [externalId] => [customFields] => )

Array ( [id] => ba9adf4e-62c0-11e9-9b30-13bc24748f9a [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:31.534-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:04.722-04:00 [title] => 302: Tom Karinshak, Comcast Customer Service [pubdate] => 2018-01-09T08:00:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/ba9adf4e-62c0-11e9-9b30-13bc24748f9a/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam discuss the incredible transformation and enhancement of Comcast customer service with Tom Karinshak, Comcast's Executive Vice President of Customer Service. Comcast customer service and game-changing innovation When we ask people... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam discuss the incredible transformation and enhancement of Comcast customer service with Tom Karinshak, Comcast's Executive Vice President of Customer Service.

---

Comcast customer service and game-changing innovation

When we ask people about their worst customer service experiences, cable and communications providers often top the list. And years ago, Comcast may have been the first company to come to mind.

But this is changing fast! Customers now demand better experiences from all the companies they do business with, so they no longer grin and bear it with cable companies. They’re fed up with the typical experiences, so they’ve taken to social media and other feedback platforms, and Comcast has indeed been listening!

Since Tom Karinshak became Executive Vice President of Customer Service for Comcast Cable, the company has made incredible strides in improving and enhancing not just the customer experience, but the employee experience as well.

“I'm a firm believer that you can’t have a great customer experience without a great employee experience” -Tom Karinshak, Executive VP of Customer Service at Comcast

There are many factors at play behind Comcast’s success in improving the customer experience, but you'd be surprised at how far-reaching their efforts are. In fact, they've changed the game with strategic partnerships, feedback mechanisms, software and apps, and both internal and external communications. What’s more, they’re redefining what omnichannel customer support really means.

“How do we simplify it for the customers? Meet them where they want to be met.” -Tom Karinshak, Executive VP of Customer Service at Comcast

Comcast continues to smash the mold for cable customer experiences, and they’ve already made amazing improvements nobody expected.  We’re lucky to have Tom join us today and discuss some of the ways Comcast has transformed their experience. But it's not just about cable! We uncover many ways any company can get started creating a competitive customer experience in their industry. Listen in!

Interview Highlights

• What CX goals did Tom take on first with Comcast, and how did he view those challenges? [3:35]
• Products can be very complex, so how can we go about simplifying the touchpoints connected to them? [6:44]
• How does Comcast communicate to embed CX enhancements, especially across different parts of the organization? [11:10]
• We’ve heard of Net Promoter Score, but how does Comcast focus on the Net Promoter SYSTEM?” [13:40]
• What is it like to roll out CX enhancements in a large company like Comcast? [17:00]
• What is the first step any company can take to start rolling out customer experience enhancements? [24:30]

---

About our guest

Tom Karinshak serves as Executive Vice President, Customer Service for Comcast Cable. In this role, he and his team work to ensure Comcast is delivering an excellent customer service experience. Tom oversees call center operations including phone, chat and social media agents, in addition to other key touch points and service channels with their customers.

Before joining Comcast in November 2010, Tom served as Managing Director and Customer Experience Director for Barclay’s Bank of Delaware, where he designed and built a top talent customer experience, marketing, and operations organization. Prior to Barclays, Tom was at AOL where he held a variety of senior leadership roles across marketing and operations.

Tom has 20 years of leadership experience with multi-service providers and leading consumer brands. He also served on active duty with the U.S. Army for six years as a Combat Engineer Captain. He holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point and an M.S. in Engineering Management from the Missouri University of Science and Technology.

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Customer Service & CX Leaders Make the Best Magic TOGETHER
• Customers That Stick® post, Creating a Customer Service Culture with Jeff Toister
• Episode 301: Will Experience Be Your Difference This Year?
• Episode 298: Michel Falcon, Incredible Experience Tips
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message:

Start creating a successful CX strategy

Are you ready to build a customer experience strategy on a solid foundation for the long term? We’re shattering the top 5 CX strategy myths in our latest evergreen webinar.

You will learn:

• How to avoid the 5 so-called “Customer Experience Strategies” that aren’t strategies at all
• What drives a winning customer experience strategy and examples of companies that “get it”
• How to create a foundation for a customer experience strategy that works for the long term

Join Jeannie at a time that works for you for some serious mythbusting and a head start on creating a customer experience strategy that works! 

Sign Me Up!

 

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Adam shares expert advice for making customer experience your competitive advantage in 2018.

---

Customer experience is THE competitive advantage

Welcome to 2018! To start off the new year, we’d like you to think about customer experience as your competitive advantage. Because unless you plan to compete on price, providing a customer experience that is both frictionless and memorable is the best way to differentiate your brand this year.

But many brands fall into a trap when trying to differentiate on experience! While they create perks and gimmicks to entice customers, competitors are drilling down into the customer journeys to focus on the moments that matter most to their customers.

What you do to differentiate doesn’t have to make a big splash. In fact, many of the experience initiatives brands make a huge deal out of chalk up to little more than clever marketing campaigns. And while they may generate in influx in sales, things taper off when customers realize these changes are only skin deep.

“When you think about competing on customer experience, don’t just think about your experience as a whole…” -Adam Toporek

So what do you say? Competition is fierce in 2018, and while many companies offer a similar product or service, your customers are looking for their ideal experience. To kick off the new year, Adam is sharing tips and ideas to help you examine your customer journey for critical touchpoints with the potential to create a competitive advantage in your industry. Listen in!

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, 5 Top CX Trends For Survival in the Age of the Customer
• Customers That Stick® post, Will You Compete on Customer Experience in 2018?
• Episode 298: Michel Falcon, Incredible Experience Tips
• Episode 282: Stephen Shapiro, Innovating Customer Experience
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

[audioFile] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/bae34c02-62c0-11e9-9b30-b77b005e5439/stripped_c7151126eddab827c78b1d4a3a943613.mp3 [downloadUrl] => http://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSN2068458026.mp3 [size] => 5295124 [duration] => 330.95 [uid] => CSN2068458026 [originalUrl] => http://traffic.libsyn.com/crackthecustomercode/ctcc_301_final_a.mp3?dest-id=215469 [bitrate] => 128 [samplerate] => 44100 [channelMode] => stereo [vbr] => [audioFileProcessing] => [podcastId] => a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc [preCount] => 0 [postCount] => 0 [insertionPoints] => Array ( ) [id3File] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/bae34c02-62c0-11e9-9b30-b77b005e5439/id3/f457b1f7f8678426af4a6e6eece6d948.mp3 [id3FileProcessing] => [id3FileSize] => 74162 [parentId] => [guid] => c5ff1ff13cd6934bc542ee0a6456a944 [pubdateTimezone] => [originalFilename] => [preOffset] => 0.0 [postOffset] => 0.0 [spotifyIdentifier] => [expectedAdhash] => [audioFileUpdatedAt] => [draft] => [externalId] => [customFields] => )

Array ( [id] => bb3204f0-62c0-11e9-9b30-538b2bfdd7d3 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:32.526-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:45.766-04:00 [title] => 300: Celebrating 300 Episodes (with live guitar) [pubdate] => 2017-12-12T08:00:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/bb3204f0-62c0-11e9-9b30-538b2bfdd7d3/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam celebrate 300 episodes by sharing outrageous predictions for the distant future of customer experience and customer service. 300 episodes and counting…Celebrate with us! When we started this podcast back in 2015, the idea of having... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam celebrate 300 episodes by sharing outrageous predictions for the distant future of customer experience and customer service.

---

300 episodes and counting…Celebrate with us!

When we started this podcast back in 2015, the idea of having even 100 episodes seemed so far away. But sine then, we’ve celebrated 100, 200, and now (drumroll, please) 300 episodes!

This reminds us of how not so long ago, customer experience was something most leaders had never heard of, and excellent customer service just meant being speedy and polite. But now customer experience is a must-have focus in business, and excellent customer service is experience-driven and baked into the DNA of our favorite companies.

“We learn from our guests, we learn from our listeners, and we learn from each other.” -Adam Toporek

So we’re taking this opportunity to think ahead. Like, way ahead! What will customer experiences be like 1oo years from now? And how will leaders design and deliver those future experiences? We’re looking at things that may seem impossible today, but given the rapid pace at which business technology and customer-focused practices have grown, don’t seem so far-fetched after all!

“We’re talking about #custexp in the same way that back in the 90’s we talked about the internet.” -Jeannie Walters

We’re so glad you’re able to join us for this celebration! Listen in for fun predictions, and a surprise addition from one of our multitalented hosts.

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, The Best CX Leaders ROCK at These 3 Things
• Customers That Stick® post, A Guide to Customer Service Higher Education
• Episode 100: Customer Service 100 Years Ago
• Our Special 200th Episode - This is a MUST-LISTEN if you haven't yet!
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Start creating a successful CX strategy

Are you ready to build a customer experience strategy on a solid foundation for the long term? We’re shattering the top 5 CX strategy myths in our latest evergreen webinar.

You will learn:

• How to avoid the 5 so-called “Customer Experience Strategies” that aren’t strategies at all
• What drives a winning customer experience strategy and examples of companies that “get it”
• How to create a foundation for a customer experience strategy that works for the long term

Join Jeannie at a time that works for you for some serious mythbusting and a head start on creating a customer experience strategy that works! 

Sign Me Up!

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

[audioFile] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/bb3204f0-62c0-11e9-9b30-538b2bfdd7d3/stripped_242f3c6bcdcf7fac88b3c6d3bf00196c.mp3 [downloadUrl] => http://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSN7178036540.mp3 [size] => 19523709 [duration] => 1220.23 [uid] => CSN7178036540 [originalUrl] => http://traffic.libsyn.com/crackthecustomercode/ctcc_300_final_a.mp3?dest-id=215469 [bitrate] => 128 [samplerate] => 44100 [channelMode] => stereo [vbr] => [audioFileProcessing] => [podcastId] => a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc [preCount] => 0 [postCount] => 0 [insertionPoints] => Array ( ) [id3File] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/bb3204f0-62c0-11e9-9b30-538b2bfdd7d3/id3/7867c8c03dca10a5dbac8ee23129858c.mp3 [id3FileProcessing] => [id3FileSize] => 74708 [parentId] => [guid] => da93af24f1f94c23690113e4a3d3e61f [pubdateTimezone] => [originalFilename] => [preOffset] => 0.0 [postOffset] => 0.0 [spotifyIdentifier] => [expectedAdhash] => [audioFileUpdatedAt] => [draft] => [externalId] => [customFields] => )

Array ( [id] => bb74a904-62c0-11e9-9b30-273ebf978d56 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:32.962-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:40.783-04:00 [title] => 299: Operationalizing New Channels [pubdate] => 2017-12-07T08:00:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/bb74a904-62c0-11e9-9b30-273ebf978d56/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie share tips for making new channels a seamless part of the overall customer experience from the inside out. Working new channels into your DNA Customers are engaging with brands on more channels that ever before. It’s staggering how... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie share tips for making new channels a seamless part of the overall customer experience from the inside out.

Working new channels into your DNA

Customers are engaging with brands on more channels that ever before. It’s staggering how quickly a new channel can change the way customers buy, engage, and just live their lives. As a result, smart leaders put a lot into developing those channels quickly to have a presence wherever heir customers are. But in the age of smart watches and virtual assistants, it's a tall order! And who knows what’s next!?

 “2 years ago, we were not talking to devices in our living room…” -Jeannie Walters

Just providing and managing new channels for your customers is only part of the work.  

What about the internal aspect? When new channels put a strain on internal processes and resources, or just aren’t considered, the experiences delivered through them tend to fall short or fail altogether. Even big companies who invest heavily in diversifying their multichannel experience leave customers scratching their heads or just plain angry.

“If you own it, then can you operationalize it?” -Adam Toporek

New channels are being rolled out at a rapid pace! Are you prepared to integrate them into the experiences you deliver? More importantly, how can you ensure these new channels will thrive within the ecosystem created by your internal processes?

Listen in for tips you can use today!

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Your Process Flows Don’t Know Jack!
• Episode 287: The Multi-Device Customer Journey
• Episode 277: 5 Digital Experience Offenses
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message:

Start creating a successful CX strategy

Are you ready to build a customer experience strategy on a solid foundation for the long term? We’re shattering the top 5 CX strategy myths in our latest evergreen webinar.

You will learn:

• How to avoid the 5 so-called “Customer Experience Strategies” that aren’t strategies at all
• What drives a winning customer experience strategy and examples of companies that “get it”
• How to create a foundation for a customer experience strategy that works for the long term

Join Jeannie at a time that works for you for some serious mythbusting and a head start on creating a customer experience strategy that works! 

Sign Me Up!

 

---

 

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

[audioFile] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/bb74a904-62c0-11e9-9b30-273ebf978d56/stripped_0086b1937adc12e060047a2706743343.mp3 [downloadUrl] => http://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSN5251617013.mp3 [size] => 13278563 [duration] => 829.91 [uid] => CSN5251617013 [originalUrl] => http://traffic.libsyn.com/crackthecustomercode/ctcc_299_final_a.mp3?dest-id=215469 [bitrate] => 128 [samplerate] => 44100 [channelMode] => stereo [vbr] => [audioFileProcessing] => [podcastId] => a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc [preCount] => 0 [postCount] => 0 [insertionPoints] => Array ( ) [id3File] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/bb74a904-62c0-11e9-9b30-273ebf978d56/id3/d32ea68f0e262904301a2ab862fb2d93.mp3 [id3FileProcessing] => [id3FileSize] => 74860 [parentId] => [guid] => 5e0db181491736b5afd8e8cf25b08497 [pubdateTimezone] => [originalFilename] => [preOffset] => 0.0 [postOffset] => 0.0 [spotifyIdentifier] => [expectedAdhash] => [audioFileUpdatedAt] => [draft] => [externalId] => [customFields] => )

Array ( [id] => bbc9946e-62c0-11e9-9b30-93a7e18cfbf5 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:33.518-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:05.553-04:00 [title] => 298: Michel Falcon, Incredible Experience Tips [pubdate] => 2017-12-05T08:00:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/bbc9946e-62c0-11e9-9b30-93a7e18cfbf5/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie interview Michel Falcon to explore employee and customer engagement strategies that lead to amazing experiences that scale. Leveraging culture for amazing experiences If you want to deliver outstanding experiences, then you must have... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie interview Michel Falcon to explore employee and customer engagement strategies that lead to amazing experiences that scale.

---

Leveraging culture for amazing experiences

If you want to deliver outstanding experiences, then you must have an amazing culture to match.

Today’s guest, Michel Falcon, is an expert at creating employee engagement strategies that lead to amazing customer experiences, and he has some great tips to share with you today!

First off, Michel explains that proper engagement starts with recruiting. In fact, it should start before you even consider hiring! As part of a special process Michel shares with our listeners, you can cut significant overhead by frontloading much of the work and starting off right.

“We need a certain type of individual who has a customer-centric DNA” -Michel Falcon

But it’s not just about hiring the right people and training them right. You need a solid ongoing engagement strategy. Michel shares some innovative ways he gets new hires engaged right from the start and keeps them engaged for the long term.

So, how does all of this relate to the customer experience? Michel’s strategies for hiring and engagement is only part of what we cover here. We hear amazing stories and tried-and-true experience strategies that can only work if your culture and hiring process are aligned with the ideal experience.

“If you aren’t ready to compete on customer experience, don’t even show up…” –Michel Falcon

Packed with scalable tips for hiring, training, designing experiences, and keeping engagement high on all fronts, this is a must-listen episode for leaders in any industry. You won’t believe some of Michel’s strategies actually work, but the results have been amazing. So, what are you waiting for? Listen in!

Interview Highlights

• Michel outlines his innovative process for hiring the right people. What are some key questions? [3:30]
• What is the $2o indulgence question, and why is it such a powerful tool – not just for recruiting, but ongoing engagement? [7:20]
• Confession: Michel “stole” this strategy from John DiJulius…because it’s awesome! [12:30]
• Michel has a special budget for “micro experiences,” but what are they, and how does his Experience Coordinator manage them? [16:35]
• How does Michel use video as a customer experience tool? [22:00]

---

About our guest

Michel Falcon is an entrepreneur, advisor and international keynote speaker who leverages customer experience and employee engagement strategies to grow businesses. He has been hired by multi-million and billion-dollar companies across dozens of industries to improve their customer experience and employee engagement and has traveled to countries like Canada, USA, Israel, Austria, Australia, Nigeria, Germany.

Michel has worked with and spoken to companies like McDonalds, Verizon Wireless, BlueCross BlueShield, Alfa Romeo, Electronic Arts and many others. As an entrepreneur, Michel is a partner in a hospitality company based in Toronto, Ontario that owns and operates restaurants that earns more than $10,000,000 in yearly revenue and has over 100 employees.

Connect with Michel

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Website

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, The Best CX Leaders ROCK at These 3 Things
• Customers That Stick® post, Introducing a New Guide to Customer Service Higher Education
• Episode 180: John DiJulius, The Customer Service Revolution
• Episode 176: (Tip) Hiring a Customer-Centric Employee
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message:

Start creating a successful CX strategy

Are you ready to build a customer experience strategy on a solid foundation for the long term? We’re shattering the top 5 CX strategy myths in our latest evergreen webinar.

You will learn:

• How to avoid the 5 so-called “Customer Experience Strategies” that aren’t strategies at all
• What drives a winning customer experience strategy and examples of companies that “get it”
• How to create a foundation for a customer experience strategy that works for the long term

Join Jeannie at a time that works for you for some serious mythbusting and a head start on creating a customer experience strategy that works! 

Sign Me Up!

 

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

[audioFile] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/bbc9946e-62c0-11e9-9b30-93a7e18cfbf5/stripped_b05188f2e3261d7ce55b2b805fad36fc.mp3 [downloadUrl] => http://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSN6576231353.mp3 [size] => 27860323 [duration] => 1741.27 [uid] => CSN6576231353 [originalUrl] => http://traffic.libsyn.com/crackthecustomercode/ctcc_298_final_a.mp3?dest-id=215469 [bitrate] => 128 [samplerate] => 44100 [channelMode] => stereo [vbr] => [audioFileProcessing] => [podcastId] => a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc [preCount] => 0 [postCount] => 0 [insertionPoints] => Array ( ) [id3File] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/bbc9946e-62c0-11e9-9b30-93a7e18cfbf5/id3/c5cfbc0f7e62ed27544717e5d4f09d34.mp3 [id3FileProcessing] => [id3FileSize] => 80058 [parentId] => [guid] => d86e3facf430ed099ed33fdb86520ca5 [pubdateTimezone] => [originalFilename] => [preOffset] => 0.0 [postOffset] => 0.0 [spotifyIdentifier] => [expectedAdhash] => [audioFileUpdatedAt] => [draft] => [externalId] => [customFields] => )

Array ( [id] => bc23387a-62c0-11e9-9b30-0396f8b05ee7 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:34.105-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:41.738-04:00 [title] => 297: How to Balance Promises with Performance [pubdate] => 2017-11-30T08:00:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/bc23387a-62c0-11e9-9b30-0396f8b05ee7/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => bonus [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie discuss how to balance your performance and resources with the promises you make to customers. Is your brand making meaningful promises? Broken promises chalk up to bad customer experiences. As a result, many brands set low... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie discuss how to balance your performance and resources with the promises you make to customers.

---

Is your brand making meaningful promises?

Broken promises chalk up to bad customer experiences. As a result, many brands set low expectations regarding call time, hours of operation, and many other things. On the flip side, brands need to differentiate themselves by making bold promises. And yet many create customer service nightmares and harm their brand image by making promises they can’t always keep.

“If you don’t deliver, that’s a bad #custexp…” -Jeannie Walters

Balancing resources with performance and tying these things to a promise that is both realistic and meaningful to customers is a tall order for most businesses. How can you strike a balance that keeps customers happy while keeping your resources in check?

There’s no easy answer, and it’s different for everyone. For some, this may mean making big changes or additional investments. But for others, a few simple tweaks can make a world of difference!

“There’s 2 sets of expectations…” -Adam Toporek

Today, Adam and Jeannie are diving into ways you can set more reasonable expectations with customers, regardless of what resources you have. So before you decide you’re doing the best you can without turning things upside-down or pushing the limits of your budget, we have some great tips you can use today. Listen in!

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Customer Service & CX Leaders Make the Best Magic TOGETHER
• Customers That Stick® post, 5 Millennial Traits to Improve Customer Service
• CustomerThink post: AIMIA, Aeroplan, Air Canada and the meaning of loyalty
• Episode 266: Chip Bell, Innovating Service
• Episode 209: (Tip) Do You Have the Resources for Service?
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

[audioFile] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/bc23387a-62c0-11e9-9b30-0396f8b05ee7/stripped_cb78f025bc2b19bccb2f665764054e0c.mp3 [downloadUrl] => http://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSN1419749333.mp3 [size] => 11727516 [duration] => 732.97 [uid] => CSN1419749333 [originalUrl] => http://traffic.libsyn.com/crackthecustomercode/ctcc_297_final_a.mp3?dest-id=215469 [bitrate] => 128 [samplerate] => 44100 [channelMode] => stereo [vbr] => [audioFileProcessing] => [podcastId] => a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc [preCount] => 0 [postCount] => 0 [insertionPoints] => Array ( ) [id3File] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/bc23387a-62c0-11e9-9b30-0396f8b05ee7/id3/8c3f43943baf423924ff245c86bda5af.mp3 [id3FileProcessing] => [id3FileSize] => 74474 [parentId] => [guid] => 37eb1b6b59154a9c208beed34be0110f [pubdateTimezone] => [originalFilename] => [preOffset] => 0.0 [postOffset] => 0.0 [spotifyIdentifier] => [expectedAdhash] => [audioFileUpdatedAt] => [draft] => [externalId] => [customFields] => )

Array ( [id] => bc711392-62c0-11e9-9b30-ef3c689b8f36 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:34.617-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:06.463-04:00 [title] => 296: Jeffrey Shaw, The Lingo of Customers [pubdate] => 2017-11-28T08:00:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/bc711392-62c0-11e9-9b30-ef3c689b8f36/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie discover how to attract your ideal customers with Jeffrey Shaw, author of LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer’s Secret Language. Jeffrey Shaw and the power of the customer lingo As an entrepreneur or growing business, it’s... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie discover how to attract your ideal customers with Jeffrey Shaw, author of LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer’s Secret Language.

---

Jeffrey Shaw and the power of the customer lingo

As an entrepreneur or growing business, it’s critical to differentiate yourself and get noticed. But too often, brands get noticed by the wrong prospect. And to make matters worse, it’s very difficult to turn down the “wrong” customers. So, how can you attract the “right” customers while diversifying your clientele?

“You don’t have to say ‘no’ if only the right customers are showing up.” --Jeffrey Shaw

There are many ways to do this, but too often, it amounts to wasted time and resources going above and beyond to appeal to less-than-ideal customers. have you considered the language you use as a driving force?

“The people they jumped through hoops for and went crazy over tend to be the least profitable.” -Jeffrey Shaw

Today’s guest, Jeffrey Shaw, has unlocked the power of the customer lingo. Through experience, he has discovered that by narrowing down the language we use, you can not only make better connections, but also expand your audience.

“Once you own that space, you realize you actually expand your audience.” -Jeffrey Shaw

A big part of this is about turning inward to better understand your own language and differentiator. Jeffrey shares some great ways to discover and develop your own customer lingo. Through powerful anecdotes and inspiring stories, he tells us how this concept can make a huge difference.

So, how about attracting more of the “right” customers, expanding your audience, and creating better experiences for everyone through a better understanding of your own unique customer lingo? Listen in and you can start today!

Interview highlights

• Before committing to a client, what’s Jeffrey’s strategy for gauging if they’re a good fit? [3:00]
• How can we start aligning our company’s identity with the language of our customers? [5:00]
• Jeffrey tells us his own story of Cracking the Customer Code - aka -  discovering the power of customer lingo! [8:12]
• What's Jeffrey's unique approach to the 80/20 rule, and more importantly, why we must do better? [9:45]
• Jeffrey shares a prime example of a brand getting on the customers’ wavelength. [13:30]
• "What is the “New Niche?” Moreover, why is Jeffrey standing on his head!? [15:00]
• We’re in what’s widely known as “the age of specialization.” So How does Jeffrey’s concept of customer lingo fit in with what? [20:30]

---

About our guest

Having a keen eye isn’t just for what one sees, but also for what one senses. Jeffrey Shaw, the LINGO guy, has been the go-to portrait photographer for an exclusive clientele for 30+ years. His portraits have appeared on The Oprah Show, CBS News, in “O” Magazine, People Magazine and New York Family Magazine. Jeffrey is also the host of the popular business podcast Creative Warriors and a featured speaker on The Moth.

Now Jeffrey uses his honed intuition to see and sense to help businesses stand out, attract their ideal customers, and create brand loyalty that supersedes price. His book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer’s Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible helps business owners and entrepreneurs understand their ideal customers on a deeper level, increasing engagement and profits.

Connect with Jeffrey

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Jeffrey’s website
• Creative Warriors podcast
• Check out the free download just for CTCC listeners!

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Do Your Communication Tactics Undermine Your Intentions?
• Customers That Stick® post, 10 Lessons from 200 Customer Service Podcast Episodes
• Episode 266: Chip Bell, Innovating Service
• Episode 86: Anthony Iannarino, Commitments Are for Closers
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => bcbb9b38-62c0-11e9-9b30-17ce6d12128a [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:35.105-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:43.732-04:00 [title] => 295: A Leader's Guide to the Holidays [pubdate] => 2017-11-23T10:14:20.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/bcbb9b38-62c0-11e9-9b30-17ce6d12128a/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam share tips and ideas to make the holidays more meaningful and less stressful for customers and employees alike. A quick leadership guide for the holidays The holidays are not only about spreading extra cheer, but also about giving... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam share tips and ideas to make the holidays more meaningful and less stressful for customers and employees alike.

A quick leadership guide for the holidays

The holidays are not only about spreading extra cheer, but also about giving thanks. It's one thing to say "thank you" to customers and employees, but showing them you appreciate them is another. 

Does your gratitude shine through in the way you do business?

This time of year is more stressful for just about everyone. So what can you do to make sure your gratitude is felt throughout the holiday season? Adam and Jeannie have some great ideas to share!

Special segment

We really appreciate the feedback we receive from listeners to help us keep improving the show. In fact, we have a special shout out for one of you, plus a special message for all of you. Thank you for listening, and Happy Thanksgiving!

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, The Best CX Leaders ROCK at These 3 Things
• Customers That Stick® post, A Guide to Customer Service Higher Education
• Episode 175: (Tip) How Business Schools Can Add Customer Experience
• Episode 235: Customer Experience Touchpoint Tips
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message:

Start creating a successful CX strategy

Are you ready to build a customer experience strategy on a solid foundation for the long term? We’re shattering the top 5 CX strategy myths in our latest evergreen webinar.

You will learn:

• How to avoid the 5 so-called “Customer Experience Strategies” that aren’t strategies at all
• What drives a winning customer experience strategy and examples of companies that “get it”
• How to create a foundation for a customer experience strategy that works for the long term

Join Jeannie at a time that works for you for some serious mythbusting and a head start on creating a customer experience strategy that works! 

Sign Me Up!

 

---

 

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => bd1512d0-62c0-11e9-9b30-e71a49223e98 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:35.692-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:01.671-04:00 [title] => 294: Katy Lynch, The Codeverse Experience [pubdate] => 2017-11-22T08:00:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/bd1512d0-62c0-11e9-9b30-e71a49223e98/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie discuss an innovative approach to the education experience with Katy Lynch, Co-founder and CMO at Codeverse. Codeverse and innovations in education Educating the next generation on coding the things that keep our lives going is... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie discuss an innovative approach to the education experience with Katy Lynch, Co-founder and CMO at Codeverse.

---

Codeverse and innovations in education

Educating the next generation on coding the things that keep our lives going is critical. But traditional schools don’t provide an environment where kids can excel at coding while keeping parents up to speed with what’s happening and why. Moreover, there are a lot of myths about what an education in coding is really about, and who it’s for!

“I can’t think of a more exciting time to be in the coding industry than now.” -Katy Lynch

Katy Lynch set out to create a highly engaging environment where young children can dive into the world of coding. Through tireless research, interviews, and LOTS of testing, Katy discovered what does and does not work. As a result, Codeverse was founded and built around a highly innovative learning experience.

“A high-quality education, just like a high-quality product, speaks for itself.” -Katy Lynch

At Codeverse, students use a proprietary SaaS platform called KidScript™ to communicate, control the environment, and more.  In fact, they get to interact with cool things like robotic arms and laser cutters! So not only do they learn how to code, they also see the real-world impact of their work. But this is just one of the fascinating ways Codeverse offers an enhanced learning experience.

Katy and the folks at Codeverse understand that education is about more than what happens in the classroom. Besides the coding itself, Codeverse is also grooming students to become thought leaders on technology and coding. What’s more, they help students and their families develop healthy relationships with technology and prepare for the future.

“They ask us questions BEYOND the Codeverse experience.” -Katy Lynch

Katy brought lots of great insights to this interview for leaders in any industry. We discuss amazing ways to gather feedback, consider different layers of customers, and innovate the experience for everyone involved. Listen in!

Interview Highlights

• Kids don’t usually pay tuition, so how do you balance CX for students with those paying? [4:05]
• Codeverse takes a different approach at STEM, so how did Katy explore what would and wouldn’t work before launch? [5:40]
• Why create a physical environment for digital training? [10:20]
• As a leader, how does Katy understand when things aren’t working as expected or need tweaks? [12:24]
• Katy explains many ways Codeverse helps students beyond the curriculum, including an exciting program to groom kids for thought leadership. [13:37]

---

About our guest

Katy Lynch is the Co-founder and CMO at ">Codeverse, the world's first full interactive coding school and educational tech platform for kids that was founded on the mission to teach one billion children to code.

Prior to Codeverse, Katy was the CEO of Techweek, the nation's largest traveling technology festival, as well as the President and Co-founder of SocialKaty, a full service social media marketing agency. In 2014, SocialKaty was acquired by award-winning digital agency, Manifest.

Katy has appeared on FOX, NBC, Inc, Huffington Post, and Today.com, amongst others.

Connect with Katy

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Codeverse Website
• Katy's Website

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, The Best CX Leaders ROCK at These 3 Things
• Customers That Stick® post, Introducing a New Guide to Customer Service Higher Education
• Episode 175: (Tip) How Business Schools Can Add Customer Experience
• Episode 291: LinkedIn Learning for Customer-Focused Leaders
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message:

Start creating a successful CX strategy

Are you ready to build a customer experience strategy on a solid foundation for the long term? We’re shattering the top 5 CX strategy myths in our latest evergreen webinar.

You will learn:

• How to avoid the 5 so-called “Customer Experience Strategies” that aren’t strategies at all
• What drives a winning customer experience strategy and examples of companies that “get it”
• How to create a foundation for a customer experience strategy that works for the long term

Join Jeannie at a time that works for you for some serious mythbusting and a head start on creating a customer experience strategy that works! 

Sign Me Up!

 

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Adam and Jeannie share updated insights on what and how millennials buy and what that could mean for your industry in the future.

---

Are millennial trends destroying your industry?

We discuss millennials quite often on this podcast because new trends are developing so fast! This time, we have fascinating (and scary?) new insights because they’re reaching a new phase of adulthood. As it turns out, millennials are different in more ways than we ever imagined. And it’s not just about skinny jeans and fad diets.

For instance, millennials are not buying much beer. (What!? That’s blasphemy!) Another example is how millennials are waiting longer to get married and not buying starter homes. But these are just a couple of the trends that have hit the news lately. Millennials are making new waves in every industry at a rapid pace, and executives are crying out in their wake!

So, what does that mean for your industry? Will your offering become a fading memory while millennials push forward and shape their world? Well, that’s up to you!

“We really have to think about that ecosystem in the experience of millennials.” -Jeannie Walters

While many companies are suffering, others are using these trends to innovate and create experiences that not only resonate better with millennials, but make things better for everyone else. That means if you pay attention and think ahead, you can have your kale and eat it too.

“Sometimes the answer is not right in front of you….” -Adam Toporek

Today, we’re discussing what adulthood means for millennials as consumers, and how these trends beg a shift in our priorities and the experiences we deliver. With great examples from forward-thinking companies, Adam and Jeannie have great ideas about how to adapt and move forward in this multi-generational business landscape.

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Obsessing over CX for Millennials Ruins It for Everyone!
• Customers That Stick® post, 5 Millennial Traits to Improve Customer Service
• Episode 220: Future Customer or Present Customer?
• Episode 142: Anna Liotta, Unlocking Generational Codes
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Adam and Jeannie interview Mark Podolsky about keeping customers happy while maintaining a passive income.

---

Can happy customers and passive income coexist?

Earning a passive income is a dream most of us have, but so few of us can do this in a sustainable way. How can you automate most of your workflow while still delivering a great customer experience?

Today’s guest not only survived, but triumphed over the real estate crash of 2008. Instead of closing shop like so many others, he used the changing landscape as an opportunity to break the mold and connect with customers in better ways.

“I’ve automated as much as I can, but then I’ve given that personal touch.” - Mark Podolsky

A recognized thought leader in maintaining passive incomes, Mark shares some great tips for entrepreneurs and leaders who want to earn a passive income while focusing more on what matters most to them in life.

Find out how Mark balances automation with personalization and how they tie to his bold philosophy of “Happy Customers Guaranteed.” Plus, he clues us in on some of the best automation tools he uses to help personalize the experience, outlines some of the vital traits of successful leaders, and ties them together with inspiring stories. Listen in!

Interview highlights

• Mark gives us some background, then explains how he guarantees happy customers. [3:13]
• Why is Mark known as The Land Geek? [7:08]
• What has changed since the real estate crash of 2008, and more importantly, how did Mark survive it? [9:20]
• How does Mark balance automation with personalization for better overall customer experiences? [15:00]
• Mark shares some of the common threads among the many successful leaders and entrepreneurs he’s interviewed on his own podcast. [19:00]

---

About our guest

Mark J. Podolsky (AKA The Land Geek) is widely considered the Country’s most trusted and foremost authority on buying and selling raw, undeveloped land within the United States.

He has been actively investing in Real Estate and Raw Land since 2001 and has completed over 5,000 unique transactions. Mark’s company, Frontier Equity Properties, LLC, is an A+ rated BBB real estate company.

Mark has achieved this level of success largely due to his core business philosophy – “Happy Customers Guaranteed.”

Mark is the host of one of the top rated podcasts in the Investing Category on iTunes aptly titled The Best Passive Income Model and The Art of Passive Income. He is also the host of the Land Geek Podcast- Work Smart. Earn More. Learn How.

Connect with Mark

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• TheLandGeek.com

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Do Your Communication Tactics Undermine Your Intentions?
• Customers That Stick® post, 10 Lessons from 200 Customer Service Podcast Episodes
• Episode 266: Chip Bell, Innovating Service
• Episode 86: Anthony Iannarino, Commitments Are for Closers
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => bde6e5e4-62c0-11e9-9b30-bb957d85be52 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:37.066-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:57.194-04:00 [title] => 291: LinkedIn Learning for Customer-Focused Leaders [pubdate] => 2017-11-09T08:00:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/bde6e5e4-62c0-11e9-9b30-bb957d85be52/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam discuss the content and creation process behind Jeannie’s new customer experience course on LinkedIn Learning. LinkedIn is not just for networking, and Jeannie’s wisdom is not just for podcasts! We have a special announcement for... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam discuss the content and creation process behind Jeannie’s new customer experience course on LinkedIn Learning.

LinkedIn is not just for networking, and Jeannie’s wisdom is not just for podcasts!

We have a special announcement for you!  

Have you ever heard of LinkedIn Learning? Formerly Lynda.com, LinkedIn Learning offers video courses to sharpen a vast range of business skills and learn new ones. In fact, LinkedIn Learning is adding new content every day from industry experts sharing the latest tips and insights – some of which are too new to learn in school. So it’s a great way to stay on the cutting edge, no matter what your brain is thirsty for.

But it gets better! Our co-host Jeannie Walters has a new LinkedIn Learning course, called Creating a Positive Customer Experience. She has worked tirelessly over several months to develop this course, which includes tips and exercises for journey mapping, setting the right expectations with marketing, building trust, retooling your sales process, and more.

But before I give it all away here, Jeannie has more details about the course and the creation process in this episode. Plus, she shares fun stories about her adventures in creating the course, recording in a LinkedIn learning’s high-tech studio, and some surprising details about how it’s all done. Listen in!

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, The Best CX Leaders ROCK at These 3 Things
• Customers That Stick® post, A Guide to Customer Service Higher Education
• Episode 175: (Tip) How Business Schools Can Add Customer Experience
• Episode 235: Customer Experience Touchpoint Tips
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message:

Check out the intro for Jeannie's new LinkedIn Learning course!

Welcome from Creating a Positive Customer Experience by Jeannie Walters

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => be32e3d6-62c0-11e9-9b30-2307a514aaf3 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:37.566-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:07.449-04:00 [title] => 290: Ian Golding, Operationalizing Customer Experience [pubdate] => 2017-11-07T08:30:00.000-05:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/be32e3d6-62c0-11e9-9b30-2307a514aaf3/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie interview global customer experience professional Ian Golding to conquer the challenges of operationalizing customer experience. Turning CX wisdom into action with Ian Golding Leaders all over the world are making the connection... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie interview global customer experience professional Ian Golding to conquer the challenges of operationalizing customer experience.

---

Turning CX wisdom into action with Ian Golding

Leaders all over the world are making the connection between customer experience and business success. While that’s a good thing, just talking the talk is not enough! If you read the right blogs and know the right people, all the wisdom and best practices are there for the taking. But few know how to put all that wisdom to work.

“Too few organizations are aligning customer perception with operational performance.” -Ian Golding

So what’s missing? How can leaders embed customer-centric thinking into business processes, ultimately turning that enthusiasm into action?

Today’s guest is a world-renowned customer experience professional, and he’s here to share some of his best ideas for operationalizing customer experience.

Drawing from his experience working with CX professionals all over the world, Ian gives us a snapshot of the global CX landscape. What are the common threads among successful leaders worldwide, and where do we need to improve the most?

“The main attribute of all, beyond even the skills and competencies, is courage.” -Ian Golding

Ian is a phenomenal customer experience professional with a unique perspective, and we’re lucky to have him join us today!  Listen in to learn the hard truths about customer experience leadership, how we use data, why we still execute poorly, and more.

Interview Highlights

• We must “operationalize” customer experience to make a real difference, but what does that mean and how can you get started? [3:30]
• What’s globally common about the approach to CX, and what’s different? [6:30]
• What are the most important attributes of customer experience professionals? [10:50]
• Ian comically says customer-centric leaders need 3 bones in their body, so what are they? [13:50]
• How is data used in CX for developing countries, and are they as obsessed with it as we are in the US? [15:45]

---

About our guest

A highly influential freelance CX consultant, Ian Golding advises leading companies on CX strategy, measurement, improvement and employee advocacy techniques and solutions. Ian has worked globally across multiple industries including retail, financial services, logistics, manufacturing, telecoms and pharmaceuticals deploying CX tools and methodologies. An internationally renowned speaker and blogger on the subject of CX, Ian was also the first to become a CCXP (Certified Customer Experience Professional) Authorised Resource & Training Provider.

Connect with Ian

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Website

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Which Comes First? Customer Experience or Sales?
• Customers That Stick® post, The Best CX Leaders ROCK at These 3 Things
• Episode 282: Stephen Shapiro, Innovating Customer Experience
• Episode 255: (Tip) Your Org Chart vs. Your Customers
• Ian's post, Customer Experience 2017 Reality Check – Evolution or Revolution?
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message:

Start creating a successful CX strategy

Are you ready to build a customer experience strategy on a solid foundation for the long term? We’re shattering the top 5 CX strategy myths in our latest evergreen webinar.

You will learn:

• How to avoid the 5 so-called “Customer Experience Strategies” that aren’t strategies at all
• What drives a winning customer experience strategy and examples of companies that “get it”
• How to create a foundation for a customer experience strategy that works for the long term

Join Jeannie at a time that works for you for some serious mythbusting and a head start on creating a customer experience strategy that works! 

Sign Me Up!

 

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => be795442-62c0-11e9-9b30-b370acf8a00e [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:38.026-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:41.679-04:00 [title] => 289: Transitions and Gaps in CX [pubdate] => 2017-11-02T09:19:51.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/be795442-62c0-11e9-9b30-b370acf8a00e/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie exposes unexpected gaps in CX created by transition processes and procedures within the customer journey. Are you creating unnecessary gaps in CX? Who has not had a great experience do a complete 180 somewhere along the way? This often... [summary] =>

Jeannie exposes unexpected gaps in CX created by transition processes and procedures within the customer journey.

---

Are you creating unnecessary gaps in CX?

Who has not had a great experience do a complete 180 somewhere along the way? This often happens during transitions in the customer journey. In fact, experience gaps in these transitions are often invisible from within the organization. Do you know where they are?

A great overall experience means not only delivering excellence during every phase in the customer journey, but also zeroing in on the transitions. But don’t make the mistake of thinking you have them all tightened up! This is where gaps in CX are often only visible from the customer’s perspective.

“I bet there’s a #CX transition YOU control that you can fix quickly!” -Jeannie Walters

Whether transitioning from freemium to premium or sales to usage, happy prospects find themselves scratching their heads and having second thoughts at critical moments. That said, it’s important to understand what’s really happening to them at these turning points!

What typically goes wrong, and more importantly, how you find and close these gaps?

Don’t make happy prospects lose their enthusiasm over something that can easily be avoided. Jeannie has some classic examples of transitions that cause gaps in CX, so you can find and start fixing them today. Listen in! 

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Your Process Flows Don’t Know Jack!
• Customers That Stick® post, Turn Your Customer Experience Inside Out
• Episode 255: (Tip) Your Org Chart vs. Your Customers
• Episode 120: Jim Kalbach, Experience Mapping Expert
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

[audioFile] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/be795442-62c0-11e9-9b30-b370acf8a00e/stripped_f9621b56cae210637e7ce0e61740e9a4.mp3 [downloadUrl] => http://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSN2968775001.mp3 [size] => 4610507 [duration] => 288.16 [uid] => CSN2968775001 [originalUrl] => http://traffic.libsyn.com/crackthecustomercode/ctcc_289_Final_a.mp3?dest-id=215469 [bitrate] => 128 [samplerate] => 44100 [channelMode] => stereo [vbr] => [audioFileProcessing] => [podcastId] => a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc [preCount] => 0 [postCount] => 0 [insertionPoints] => Array ( ) [id3File] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/be795442-62c0-11e9-9b30-b370acf8a00e/id3/7bdbfab498117ea139506c9ecb85d2d2.mp3 [id3FileProcessing] => [id3FileSize] => 73940 [parentId] => [guid] => 56e4ae5edae549778a9af9fed202045f [pubdateTimezone] => [originalFilename] => [preOffset] => 0.0 [postOffset] => 0.0 [spotifyIdentifier] => [expectedAdhash] => [audioFileUpdatedAt] => [draft] => [externalId] => [customFields] => )

Array ( [id] => bebd4288-62c0-11e9-9b30-0f422f33b582 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:38.471-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:08.526-04:00 [title] => 288: Amy Climer, Fostering Creativity [pubdate] => 2017-10-31T08:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/bebd4288-62c0-11e9-9b30-0f422f33b582/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie interview creativity and innovation expert Amy Climer, Ph.D. to discover how to foster creativity in your team. Creativity is not just for “creatives” Creativity is a necessary trait for teams from the c-suite on out to customer... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie interview creativity and innovation expert Amy Climer, Ph.D. to discover how to foster creativity in your team.

---

Creativity is not just for “creatives”

Creativity is a necessary trait for teams from the c-suite on out to customer service. Much of what we do in business requires creativity- from innovation to general problem-solving. But many of us don’t think of it this way!

When we’re not prepared for the creative process in these situations, we get bad ideas, push-back from some team members, and the silent treatment from others.

So, how can we put a process around creativity?

Today’s guest, Amy Climer Ph.D., is here to help us develop a solid creative process for our teams, no matter what they do!  You’ll learn about creative techniques, tools, and ways to foster creativity in many kinds of environments.

Amy outlines amazingly simple ways to create strong team dynamics, encourage honesty, build trust, and ultimately, create the best ideas possible. Learn to manage conflict, give your team purpose, measure your success, and more!

Interview highlights

• What are the three elements teams need to be innovative and creative together, according to Amy’s Deliberate Creative Team model?  [3:30]
• Amy explores a few unusual examples of creative thinking in high-stakes situations. [7:30]
• What are the challenges and opportunities of a diverse creative team? [12:10]
• How can you measure your team’s creative power and more importantly, foster greater creativity in your culture? [14:00]
• What is the creative problem process, and how can you get started today? [19:00]

---

About our guest

Dr. Amy Climer teaches teams to be creative and innovative. She is a speaker, trainer, and coach in creativity, innovation, and team development. Through her company Climer Consulting she teaches research-based practices, tools, and techniques teams can use to innovate on demand.

Amy has a Ph.D. in Leadership and Change from Antioch University and a Master’s degree in Outdoor Education from the University of New Hampshire. She is trained or certified in Creative Problem Solving, Immunity to Change, and the FourSight Thinking System. She developed the Deliberate Creative™ Teams Scale to help teams understand how to increase their creativity.

Amy is the host of The Deliberate Creative™, a podcast and blog designed to teach others how to facilitate innovation in teams. In 2016, she won the Karl Rhonke Creativity Award from the Association for Experiential Education. Learn more about Amy and her work at climerconsulting.com.

Connect with Amy

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Website

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, 5 Silent Issues that Destroy Customer-Focused Innovation
• Customers That Stick® post, Innovation Is No Longer Optional
• Episode 266: Chip Bell, Innovating Service
• Episode 114: Ron Tite, Branding and Creativity Expert
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => bf08d234-62c0-11e9-9b30-7f9c64052579 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:38.967-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:44.810-04:00 [title] => 287: The Multi-Device Customer Journey [pubdate] => 2017-10-26T08:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/bf08d234-62c0-11e9-9b30-7f9c64052579/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam discuss today’s multi-device customer journey and share tips and ideas for optimizing your omnichannel experience. What’s your multi-device customer journey really like? Offering a multi-channel customer experience is nothing new.... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam discuss today’s multi-device customer journey and share tips and ideas for optimizing your omnichannel experience.

What’s your multi-device customer journey really like?

Offering a multi-channel customer experience is nothing new. In fact, it’s now expected. So we test our websites on iPhones, Android tablets, and different operating systems. We develop what we think is the best experience for PC users, for Mac users, etc. Then, when we determine the experiences are optimal for each of those channels or devices, we cut the ribbon and call it a win.

However, today’s tech-savvy customers continue to drop out of the journey. Freemium customers never upgrade. Paid customers don’t renew. Customers who once reported being satisfied jump ship. So what is going on here?

“It’s not really about ONE mobile journey.” -Jeannie Walters

Too often, journey mapping becomes an exercise in channels, not the entire experience. Today’s tech-savvy customers use multiple channels to get things done. So what happens when a customer starts a project on a Mac and returns to tie up a loose end via the Android app? While those two channels are optimized on their own, hidden gaps often lie between them that cause unexpected challenges or derail the journey entirely.

“By the time you figure out yesterday’s problem it is YESTERDAYS problem.” -Adam Toporek

Today, we take a closer look at how customers move from one device to another, and what happens to the experience when they get there. Are your amazing device-specific experiences still amazing to customers who depend on more than one to get things done? Listen in for ways to find out and hear some of the best ways to close these gaps.

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Mobile Innovation Is Not About Your Phone!
• Customers That Stick® post, Interview: GetApp’s Top 25 Customer Service Apps
• Episode 277: 5 Digital Experience Offenses
• Episode 264: (Tip) Mobile Potential
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message:

Develop your customer experience mission

Do you know how to deliver the superior customer experience you visualize? We can help your team become a force for positive change, starting with a customer-centric mission. The Customer Experience Investigators™ at 360Connext specialize in helping companies across industries and around the globe. Developing and internalizing unique and scalable customer-focused missions has been crucial to their success.

Want to compete with the other 89% of companies staying afloat by providing better experiences? You need a compass for making astounding changes in the customer experience while breaking down the silos that are holding you back. We offer evaluations, workshops, and roadmaps to keep your wheels firmly planted on the road to a customer-centric future. Join us on our mission To Create Fewer Ruined Days for Customers™ today. Visit us at 360Connext.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

[audioFile] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/bf08d234-62c0-11e9-9b30-7f9c64052579/stripped_874dc6996e5cc43a77b1c2b30c5fb31a.mp3 [downloadUrl] => http://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSN8216299563.mp3 [size] => 9270334 [duration] => 579.4 [uid] => CSN8216299563 [originalUrl] => http://traffic.libsyn.com/crackthecustomercode/ctcc_287_final_a.mp3?dest-id=215469 [bitrate] => 128 [samplerate] => 44100 [channelMode] => stereo [vbr] => [audioFileProcessing] => [podcastId] => a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc [preCount] => 0 [postCount] => 0 [insertionPoints] => Array ( ) [id3File] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/bf08d234-62c0-11e9-9b30-7f9c64052579/id3/fdeb0677b275994674badf7806bc04b2.mp3 [id3FileProcessing] => [id3FileSize] => 76394 [parentId] => [guid] => 11fcefd26ac73b6c16f87054f82729c8 [pubdateTimezone] => [originalFilename] => [preOffset] => 0.0 [postOffset] => 0.0 [spotifyIdentifier] => [expectedAdhash] => [audioFileUpdatedAt] => [draft] => [externalId] => [customFields] => )

Array ( [id] => bf4fe656-62c0-11e9-9b30-3381ad4596e6 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:39.433-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:40.132-04:00 [title] => 286: Anthony Iannarino, Commitments Are for Closers [pubdate] => 2017-10-24T08:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/bf4fe656-62c0-11e9-9b30-3381ad4596e6/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie interview bestselling author and leading sales expert Anthony Iannarino. Closing in on meaningful relationships with Anthony Iannarino Automation is great, but it makes creating lasting relationships with sales prospects much harder.... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie interview bestselling author and leading sales expert Anthony Iannarino.

---

Closing in on meaningful relationships with Anthony Iannarino

Automation is great, but it makes creating lasting relationships with sales prospects much harder. What’s more, dated sales tactics drive what we don't automate. So that personal attention we’re giving often chalks up to wasted energy where both salespeople and customers are concerned.

While automation and dated closing tactics may lead to better sales for the short-term, they lack the Customers today are smarter, busier, and demand more meaningful engagement from the companies they do business with.

“You only need 2 things to be a trusted advisor: You need trust, and you need advice.” -Anthony Iannarino

Not only to close more sales, but to create better long-term value from clients and prospects, we need to become “trusted advisors” to our customers, not just salespeople. So in this ever-connected, fast-moving world, that means finding the right balance between technology and one-on-one engagement. It’s not an easy thing to do!

“The end close where I ask you for your business is either the easiest thing to do in the world or the most difficult.” -Anthony Iannarino

We’re lucky to have leading sales expert Anthony Iannarino to help us sort these things out! In fact, we found that most of us could benefit from a better approach.

In this episode, Anthony shares his world-class sales experience and tips from his bestselling books. He shares his very best advice on building trust, using automation, researching prospects, amazing closing techniques, and more!

Interview Highlights

• What piqued Anthony’s interest in helping others produce better sales results? [4:40]
• Anthony outlines modern challenges in becoming a trusted advisor to customers, rather than just a salesperson. [7:10]
• Researching sales prospects online helps start relationships on a more meaningful level, but Anthony has an interesting take on this. [9:20]
• Anthony shares tips for balancing automation with human interaction, and how to anticipate when a distinction is necessary. [14:00]
• Anthony shares highlights from his book The Lost Art of Closing to help us understand better closing techniques. [17:20]
• How can we counsel salespeople to not only make reasonable, meaningful promises, but always deliver on them? [21:40]
• Many sales professionals believe in the concept of “under-promising and over-delivering,” but Anthony has a better idea... [26:10]

---

About our guest

Anthony Iannarino is an international speaker, bestselling author of two books, and a sales leader.

Anthony is the Managing Director of B2B Sales Coach & Consultancy, a coaching and consulting firm he started in 2007. Anthony has worked for—and spoken to—global giants like Accenture, Abbot Laboratories, IDEXX, NetJets, Novo Nordisk, BAE Systems, Toro, TransUnion, Wells Fargo, General Electric, RR Donnelly, Wells Fargo, and CH Robinson.

Anthony graduated from Capital University with a summa cum laude dual major in Political Science and English Literature. He then attended Capital University Law School on the Dean’s Academic Scholarship. He also attended Harvard Business School, completing their Owner President Manager Executive Education program.

Anthony is internationally recognized as a thought leader in sales and leadership, with his award winning The Sales Blog being read by 65,000 people each month. His Sunday Newsletter reaches 80,000 people each week.

Anthony has been named one the 50 most influential people in sales by Top Sales World. He was also named one of the 25 most influential people in sales and marketing by Open View Partners.

In addition to writing daily at The Sales Blog since 2010 and posting a daily vlog on YouTube, Anthony is also a contributing editor at SUCCESS Magazine and ThinkSales Magazine. He also writes an occasional column for Selling Power Magazine and Forbes Magazine.

Anthony’s first book, The Only Sales Guide You’ll Ever Need, released in October, 2016 is a national bestseller. His second book, The Lost Art of Closing: Winning the Ten Commitments That Drive Sales was released on August 8th and immediately shot up to number 1 in new releases in sales and selling. Anthony’s books have already been translated into two forms of Chinese, Italian, Polish, Arabic, and Indonesian.

Connect with Anthony

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Website

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Which Comes First? Customer Experience or Sales?
• Customers That Stick® post, 5 Lessons Salespeople Can Teach Customer Service Professionals
• Episode 263: Merit Gest, Sales Engagement
• Episode 104: Pat Helmers, Sales Babble Podcast
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message:

Start creating a successful CX strategy

Are you ready to build a customer experience strategy on a solid foundation for the long term? We’re shattering the top 5 CX strategy myths in our latest evergreen webinar.

You will learn:

• How to avoid the 5 so-called “Customer Experience Strategies” that aren’t strategies at all
• What drives a winning customer experience strategy and examples of companies that “get it”
• How to create a foundation for a customer experience strategy that works for the long term

Join Jeannie at a time that works for you for some serious mythbusting and a head start on creating a customer experience strategy that works! 

Sign Me Up!

 

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => bf96bcfc-62c0-11e9-9b30-ab693fb10332 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:39.897-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:55.212-04:00 [title] => 285: When to Disclose Bad News to Customers? [pubdate] => 2017-10-19T08:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/bf96bcfc-62c0-11e9-9b30-ab693fb10332/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie discuss the Equifax data breach and how to decide when it’s right to disclose issues to customers. To disclose, or not to disclose? Not everything you need to tell customers is good news! Are you prepared to deliver the bad news... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie discuss the Equifax data breach and how to decide when it’s right to disclose issues to customers.

---

To disclose, or not to disclose?

Not everything you need to tell customers is good news! Are you prepared to deliver the bad news when the time is right? Take the recent Equifax data breach, where it was months before customers became aware of the problem. As you may know, the news caused quite a panic! Why did Equifax withhold the information for so long, and why did they release it when they did?

“How will you deal with this proactively moving forward?” -Jeannie Walters

Delivering bad news is often a case of weighing your company’s best interests against your customers. So when you have bad news to disclose, are you protecting your customers, or covering your own butt?

“Maybe it’s better to control the crisis a little bit for the customer’s sake.” -Adam Toporek

Disclosure and transparency are not just buzz words! In fact, customers are demanding these virtues by name.

If you haven’t had to deliver bad news to your customers, your time is going to come. How can you minimize damage to your brand’s reputation? Adam and Jeannie are here to help you make this call. Listen in!

Content

• 360Connext® post, No Longer a Buzzword: Customers Redefine Transparency
• Customers That Stick® post, Turn Your Customer Experience Inside Out
• Episode 127: Is Transparency Effective?
• Episode 067: Customer Security – It’s More Than Digital
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Jeannie and Adam smash the myths about customer support software and remote collaboration with HelpScout CEO and Co-founder Nick Francis.

---

How HelpScout customer support makes a difference

We’ve come a long way with the ways we offer customer support, but are we shooting ourselves in the foot with the tech we use? More specifically, with the rise of help desk software, customer support has grown cold and sterile - lacking the emotion and the personal touches we get from 1:1 communication. This is bad news for those of us who need to maintain meaning customer relationships. (Hello, everyone!?)

“Moving from email to a “help desk” was actually a big deterioration of the customer experience.” -Nick Francis

That’s why we’re delighted to welcome HelpScout CEO and Co-founder Nick Francis to the show. Because as a small business owner, Nick always saw help desk software as too robotic to meet his own standards for engaging customers in need. Therefore, he founded HelpScout to continue using his more human approach...but with tools to help deliver that quality, personalization and speed on a larger scale.

“I always saw customer support as a way to differentiate myself…" -Nick Francis

What’s more, how we measure success in our customer support efforts makes a huge difference too! Nick helps us understand how HelpShout balances and monitors both qualitative and quantitative metrics for a snapshot of real-time performance as well as long-term success. 

In this episode, we discuss not only what’s missing from most help desk software, but how to create a support team that delivers consistently. With Nick’s help, we’re smashing the myths about customer support, remote collaboration and more. 

Interview highlights

• HelpScout brands itself as a more human and personalized help desk platform. Why  is there need for this approach? [3:40]
• Nick shares expert recommendations for those hiring customer support staff. [5:50]
• How does HelpScout measure customer support beyond numeric metrics? [8:50]
• What is the  “happiness score, and how does HelpScout track it? [13:15]
• Remote support pros have highest salaries... What does it say about the preconceived notions many leaders have about hiring and collaboration? [14:20]

---

About our guest

Nick Francis is Co-founder and CEO of Help Scout, where he is on a mission to make every customer service interaction a more human one.

His two passions — technology and entrepreneurship — led him to start a web consultancy soon after college. For several years, he learned how to craft user experiences with his partners, Denny Swindle and Jared McDaniel.

In 2010, the trio founded Help Scout and left their hometown of Nashville to join the TechStars accelerator program in Boston. That program, along with the Boston startup ecosystem, helped transform Help Scout into something real — a successful, remote company now serving more than 8,000 customer support teams around the globe.

Nick lives and breathes product design, customer experience, and building a thoughtful, thriving company. He feels lucky to wake up every day and work alongside people who challenge him to grow and do great work.

Connect with Nick

• Twitter
• HelpScout.com
• Email nick@helpscout.com
• Free resources at HelpU

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, 5 Ways One-on-One Customer Communication Builds Loyalty
• Customers That Stick® post, 3 Areas to Focus your Customer Experience in 2017
• Episode 279: Is Efficient Customer Service Best?
• Episode 117: CXPA Live, The Voice of the Customer
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => c02902a6-62c0-11e9-9b30-c3ba43436bfe [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:40.854-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:51.559-04:00 [title] => 283: Pay Attention to Customers [pubdate] => 2017-10-12T08:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c02902a6-62c0-11e9-9b30-c3ba43436bfe/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam explores real-life situations that exemplify commonly wasted retail opportunities in brick-and-mortar customer service. Are wasted retail opportunities looming in your store? While online retailers like Amazon continue to grow, those who maintain... [summary] =>

Adam explores real-life situations that exemplify commonly wasted retail opportunities in brick-and-mortar customer service.

Are wasted retail opportunities looming in your store?

While online retailers like Amazon continue to grow, those who maintain physical locations have a tall order! They need to give customers a real reason to visit, instead of shopping a competitor online. Many customers still prefer to speak to a sales associate, examine the merchandise, and browse the aisles.

Real-life visitors give retailers an amazing opportunity - not just to upsell, but to offer experiences customers simply cannot have digitally. But many are wasting these opportunities! Flailing processes and inattentive staff don’t balance the equation when customers can shop nearby competition from their smartphones in the meantime.

“Many retail workers are adept at studiously avoiding eye contact…” -Adam Toporek

Sadly, these situations are quite common! Customers using in-store pickup or seeking knowledge from a professional are mission out on the benefits of leaving their comfy chairs to seek these real-life experiences. Meanwhile, retailers are losing sales and earning bad customer service reputations.

Today, Adam shares real-life stories of brick-and-mortar shopping experiences gone awry, along with great tips for making these experiences worth the extra effort from customers. Don’t lose another customer to unprepared or misguided staff and disconnected processes!

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, How to Unlock Your Outstanding Service Culture for Good
• Customers That Stick® post, Communication: The Most Important Skill in Customer Service
• Episode 254: Rocky Romanella, Tighten the Lug Nuts
• Episode 249: How Customer Service Training Goes Wrong
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message:

Develop your customer experience mission

Do you know how to deliver the superior customer experience you visualize? We can help your team become a force for positive change, starting with a customer-centric mission. The Customer Experience Investigators™ at 360Connext specialize in helping companies across industries and around the globe. Developing and internalizing unique and scalable customer-focused missions has been crucial to their success.

Want to compete with the other 89% of companies staying afloat by providing better experiences? You need a compass for making astounding changes in the customer experience while breaking down the silos that are holding you back. We offer evaluations, workshops, and roadmaps to keep your wheels firmly planted on the road to a customer-centric future. Join us on our mission To Create Fewer Ruined Days for Customers™ today. Visit us at 360Connext.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => c06c35d0-62c0-11e9-9b30-d388f7e6b33f [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:41.294-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:26.289-04:00 [title] => 282: Stephen Shapiro, Innovating Customer Experience [pubdate] => 2017-10-11T08:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c06c35d0-62c0-11e9-9b30-d388f7e6b33f/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie interview Master of Innovation Stephen Shapiro for a better approach to innovating customer experience and more. A better approach at innovating customer experience Customer needs and expectations change, so it stands to reason that... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie interview Master of Innovation Stephen Shapiro for a better approach to innovating customer experience and more.

---

A better approach at innovating customer experience

Customer needs and expectations change, so it stands to reason that we must continue innovating customer experience. However, too many companies have the wrong idea about what innovation is and how to get game-changing ideas!

“People have a confused notion of what innovation is…” -Stephen Shapiro

The best innovations solve a problem, and we get there by asking the right questions. But it’s not just what you ask but how. Stephen shows us some simple but critical ways to reframe the questions we ask – not only to drive more innovative thinking, but to get more positive results.

Even the most successful companies can miss the mark when the next big innovation is needed. Stephen explains what they typically do wrong, and more importantly, how to not follow in their footsteps.

“Their past success led to their future failure.” -Stephen Shapiro

We love to talk innovation here, so we’re very proud to have the Master of Innovation on our show today! Tying together many of the themes we’ve touched on in previous episodes and more, Stephen connects the dots between innovation, culture, the rehiring process, and how we communicate.

Adam and Jeannie took notes themselves, so you won’t want to miss this amazing interview. Listen in!

Interview Highlights

• How can leaders frame questions differently to get more innovative responses, and what is the “one-word switch?” [2:30]
• AS Stephen explains, asking for ideas is weak! So how can leaders inspire their teams to solve problems more efficiently? [10:30]
• Many companies aim to “innovate everywhere” while those with hyper-focused innovation efforts get greater value! Stephen explains. [13:25]
• Stephen breaks down the three main types of company activity and how to prime them for innovation. [15:00]
• How does Stephen convince leaders to give up a little control and innovate to differentiate? [16:35]
• What are some keys to staffing for innovation, and what are the best traits to look for? [17:45]
• What exactly is innovation? Many companies get this wrong on a fundamental level! [20:40]
• Stephen outlines the three main mistakes companies make when approaching the idea of innovation. [22:00]
• Stephen tells us what it’s like to offer his expertise in a business-focused reality TV show. [23:30]

---

About our guest

For over 20 years, Stephen Shapiro has presented his provocative strategies on innovation to audiences in 50 countries. During his 15-year tenure with the consulting firm Accenture, he led a 20,000-person innovation practice. He is the author of five books, including “Best Practices Are Stupid," which was named the best innovation book of 2011. His Personality Poker® system has been used around the world to create high-performing innovation teams. In 2015 he was inducted into the Speaker Hall of Fame.

Connect with Stephen

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Website
• Play Personality Poker!
• Girl Starter (reality TV show)

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, 3 Ways to Let Customers Guide Your Greatest Innovation
• Customers That Stick® post, Innovation Is No Longer Optional
• Episode 133: Tesla and the Infrastructure of Innovation
• Episode 101: How the Innovation Process Fails Us
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message:

Start creating a successful CX strategy

Are you ready to build a customer experience strategy on a solid foundation for the long term? We’re shattering the top 5 CX strategy myths in our latest evergreen webinar.

You will learn:

• How to avoid the 5 so-called “Customer Experience Strategies” that aren’t strategies at all
• What drives a winning customer experience strategy and examples of companies that “get it”
• How to create a foundation for a customer experience strategy that works for the long term

Join Jeannie at a time that works for you for some serious mythbusting and a head start on creating a customer experience strategy that works! 

Sign Me Up!

 

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => c0b621e0-62c0-11e9-9b30-2b21dbf1556e [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:41.772-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:58.681-04:00 [title] => 281: CX Clichés and Overused Examples [pubdate] => 2017-10-05T08:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c0b621e0-62c0-11e9-9b30-2b21dbf1556e/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam break down some common CX clichés and unoriginal thoughts that stifle truly customer-centric thinking and doing. Are CX clichés hampering your progress? For those situations when you couldn’t have said it better yourself, we have... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam break down some common CX clichés and unoriginal thoughts that stifle truly customer-centric thinking and doing.

---

Are CX clichés hampering your progress?

For those situations when you couldn’t have said it better yourself, we have clichés. And while they sometimes represent "a fundamental truth” as Adam says, but sometimes these clichés are used as an excuse not to think deeply say what really matters. Sadly, in the customer experience space, we hear a lot of them.

“It can become a form of generalization that doesn’t apply, that actually can mislead you…” -Adam Toporek

Many of these unoriginal thoughts have invaded the customer experience space, and it’s preventing some of us from facing critical truths in how to interpret and approach customer experiences.

It’s not just about words! In fact, core customer experience practices and popular examples of the companies that implement them have been grossly misrepresented or used to death. While these examples roll nicely off the tongue, they often fail to represent what’s possible in most businesses. And sometimes, we have trouble verifying the information that’s been copied, pasted, and presented over and over.

“You need to back it up with actual process…accountability…metrics…” -Jeannie Walters

Today, Adam and Jeannie are breaking down some of the worst clichés, overused examples and platitudes commonly used in the context of customer experience. So how can you stop meaningless generalizations from glazing over what’s really important? Listen in to find out! (I get to keep saying that, because it never loses its meaning here!)

Content

• 360Connext® post, Challenges of Understanding the Customer Journey End-to-End
• Customers That Stick® post, Turn Your Customer Experience Inside Out
• Episode 264: (Tip) Mobile Potential
• Episode 227: (Tip) Majoring In the CX Minors
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => c0fc5a0c-62c0-11e9-9b30-a710148c2d31 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:42.241-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:10.204-04:00 [title] => 280: Lesley Lykins, CX Day [pubdate] => 2017-10-02T22:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c0fc5a0c-62c0-11e9-9b30-a710148c2d31/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => In this special edition CX Day episode, Adam and Jeannie interview Lesley Lykins, Executive Director of the Customer Experience Professionals Association. Happy CX Day! Customer experience has come a long way, and the whole world is celebrating on... [summary] =>

In this special edition CX Day episode, Adam and Jeannie interview Lesley Lykins, Executive Director of the Customer Experience Professionals Association.

---

Happy CX Day!

Customer experience has come a long way, and the whole world is celebrating on this 5th annual CX Day.

Celebrating along with us today is Lesley Lykins, Director of the Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA.) Lesley in particular is very excited to celebrate CX Day this year, and we’re delighted to have her on the show!

First, Lesley talks about how widespread the global CX Day celebration is, giving us a little history and a rundown of the many ways to celebrate. A lot goes into it!

“It feels like a New Year’s celebration for customer experience!” -Lesley Lykins

But we’re not just talking about events here. Why celebrate?

Lesley tells us how much customer experience has grown and spread throughout the world, as companies continue to create more and more customer-focused roles. She shares some amazing stories of what it’s like for a company to be on the road to CX maturity and succeed.

Expert Tip:

“You can’t just throw out a journey map and think that all of a sudden overnight you’re going to change your company’s culture.” - Lesley Lykins

For those of us who work in customer experience, it has been an amazing journey. Years ago, it was something nobody heard of. And now, we live in an age when we can call it a true discipline. With more than 600 Certified Customer Experience Professionals (CCXPs)  and growing, Lesley is proud to be a part of what makes this possible.

What does it take to be a CCXP? Lesley outlines the 6 core competencies for being certified. It’s serious business, but you can do it!

We’re delighted to celebrate success in business through creating better experiences. And thanks to Lesley and the CXPA, we have much more to celebrate about and so many great people to celebrate with. Listen in and celebrate along with us!

Interview highlights

• What is CX Day, and why do we have it? [2:25]
• Lesley shares exciting examples of how organizations are transforming their experiences, and as a result, achieving CX maturity. [4:30]
• Turning CX into a discipline: What are the 6 Competencies of a CCXP? [9:30]
• How will CX grow in the coming years, and how will CX professionals need to adapt? [14:00]
• How can we keep Customer Experience from losing its meaning among tangential business practices? [16:15]

---

About our guest

Lesley has been with CXPA for the past six years and has been instrumental in building both the community and member programming available to CX Professionals. Prior to joining CXPA, she served as an officer in the U.S. Navy doing a variety of things from driving warships to standing up the Navy’s social media.  She remains in the Navy Reserve. She and her husband live in Ohio with their four children. Lesley will be the first to tell you there is no better community in the world than that of CX professionals – people naturally inclined to help others in a positive and practical way.

Connect with Lesley

• Website: Cxday.org
• Email: info@cxpa.org

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Related Content

• 360Connext® post, 5 Top CX Trends For Survival in the Age of the Customer
• Customers That Stick® post, 3 Areas to Focus your Customer Experience in 2017
• Episode 274: Nienke Bloem, Gamifying Customer Experience
• Episode 117: CXPA Live, The Voice of the Customer
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => c150fa3a-62c0-11e9-9b30-6fea9fcc45df [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:42.795-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:00.628-04:00 [title] => 279: Is Efficient Customer Service Best? [pubdate] => 2017-09-28T08:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c150fa3a-62c0-11e9-9b30-6fea9fcc45df/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam question the meaning of efficiency and uncover hidden and unnecessary challenges to providing efficient customer service. The hidden challenges of efficient customer service When we think of efficient customer service, the emphasis is... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam question the meaning of efficiency and uncover hidden and unnecessary challenges to providing efficient customer service.

The hidden challenges of efficient customer service

When we think of efficient customer service, the emphasis is typically on what’s happening at the front lines. Then we look at things like “time on call” and other specific metrics to gauge efficiency.

However, there are many other factors that play into front-line efficiency, and how they affect the actual experience is not always straightforward. So what we see as efficient from our perspective may not be delivering the experiences that are needed most from customers in the moment.

“What is the relative output to the inputs you put in?” -Adam Toporek

In this episode, Adam and Jeannie explore the concept of efficiency and how it is perceived through different lenses. From internal processes to equipment and software put in place with the purpose of making things efficient, they uncover hidden challenges that inadvertently create terrible customer experiences or lousy customer service.

“No matter how much you smile…it’s hard to overcome these inefficiencies.” -Jeannie Walters

Is your customer service as efficient as you think? You may already know it needs some work… but before you blame your staff, listen in for clues to help you get to the heart of the problem.

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, How to Unlock Your Outstanding Service Culture for Good
• Customers That Stick® post, Communication: The Most Important Skill in Customer Service
• Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive
• Episode 249: How Customer Service Training Goes Wrong
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message:

Develop your customer experience mission

Do you know how to deliver the superior customer experience you visualize? We can help your team become a force for positive change, starting with a customer-centric mission. The Customer Experience Investigators™ at 360Connext specialize in helping companies across industries and around the globe. Developing and internalizing unique and scalable customer-focused missions has been crucial to their success.

Want to compete with the other 89% of companies staying afloat by providing better experiences? You need a compass for making astounding changes in the customer experience while breaking down the silos that are holding you back. We offer evaluations, workshops, and roadmaps to keep your wheels firmly planted on the road to a customer-centric future. Join us on our mission To Create Fewer Ruined Days for Customers™ today. Visit us at 360Connext.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => c197f070-62c0-11e9-9b30-6f99d8c6d4b2 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:43.261-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:39.340-04:00 [title] => 278: Stacey Hanke, Communicate with Influence [pubdate] => 2017-09-26T10:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c197f070-62c0-11e9-9b30-6f99d8c6d4b2/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie interview Stacey Hanke, influence expert and author of Influence Redefined…Be the Leader You Were Meant to Be. Is your influence as strong as you think? The ability to influence others is critical to the success of any business or... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie interview Stacey Hanke, influence expert and author of Influence Redefined…Be the Leader You Were Meant to Be.

---

Is your influence as strong as you think?

The ability to influence others is critical to the success of any business or entrepreneur, and there’s a lot of content out there about becoming an influencer. However, many leaders don’t truly understand the chemistry that turns communication into true influence.

We often equate our titles, as well as proven success in our fields with influence… but this is where we go wrong. And we often think social networking and technology can fill in the gaps, but unfortunately, depending on these things too much actually widens them!

“Sometimes, the technical gadget is not going to be the best medium.” -Stacey Hanke

Today’s guest, communications and influence expert Stacey Henke, says influence is not something you can turn on and off like the gadgets we now use to get our messages across! She’s worked with thousands of leaders to help them walk the talk of being true influencers.  

“When I talk about influence, I mean it’s Monday to Monday.” -Stacey Hanke

In this episode, we discover not just what it takes to be an influencer today, but how to keep our one-on-one communication skills sharp while relying on tech more and more for communication.

Stacey shares lots of great tips and inspiring stories to help you make your message stand out above the noise. Listen in!

Interview Highlights

• Stacey talks about her background in communications, and what changes she’s passionate about making for organizations. [3:25]
• How has influence changed in recent years, and what old practices still work? [5:55]
• Stacey shares great advice for balancing technology with face-to-face communication, and how that relates to generational gaps. [9:20]
• What cultural impact will the decline of face-to-face communication skills have on the future? [14:30]
• Do you take way too long to write emails? Well, you’re not alone! Stacey has tips for putting better messages together. [16:46]
• Stacey calls out some of the big lies leaders tell themselves about their own influence. [19:45]
• How can you tell when you’re communicating with someone who will never be receptive? [21:35]
• Stacey shares tips for accepting feedback that’s hard to hear, but necessary to consider. [22:50]
• How does weak communication hold back an otherwise strong business? [24:35]

---

About our guest

Stacey Hanke is author of the book; Influence Redefined…Be the Leader You Were Meant to Be, Monday to Monday®. She is also co-author of the book; Yes You Can! Everything You Need From A To Z To Influence Others To Take Action. 

She has trained and presented to thousands to rid business leaders of bad body language habits and to choose words wisely in the financial industry to the healthcare industry to government and everyone in between. The Stacey Hanke, Inc. client list is vast from Coca-Cola, FedEx, Kohl’s, United States Army, Navy and Air Force, Nationwide, Pfizer, GE, and General Mills. Her team works with Directors up to the C-Suite. She has inspired thousands as a featured guest on media outlets including; The New York Times, Forbes, Entrepreneur, SmartMoney magazine, and even the Lifetime Network! She is a Certified Speaking Professional—a valuable accreditation earned by less than 10% of speakers worldwide.

Connect with Stacey

• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Website

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, How to Start Improving CX in the Real World
• Customers That Stick® post, Turn Your Customer Experience Inside Out
• Episode 075: Can You Gamify Customer Experience?
• Episode 094: Joseph Michelli, Becoming Customer-Obsessed
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message:

Start creating a successful CX strategy

Are you ready to build a customer experience strategy on a solid foundation for the long term? We’re shattering the top 5 CX strategy myths in our latest evergreen webinar.

You will learn:

• How to avoid the 5 so-called “Customer Experience Strategies” that aren’t strategies at all
• What drives a winning customer experience strategy and examples of companies that “get it”
• How to create a foundation for a customer experience strategy that works for the long term

Join Jeannie at a time that works for you for some serious mythbusting and a head start on creating a customer experience strategy that works! 

Sign Me Up!

 

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => c1e29684-62c0-11e9-9b30-7f9b145418f4 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:43.750-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:47.171-04:00 [title] => 277: 5 Digital Experience Offenses [pubdate] => 2017-09-21T08:30:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c1e29684-62c0-11e9-9b30-7f9b145418f4/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie shares her expertise in digital experience evaluation with 5 sales-killing offenses even the best of us should look out for and tips to make good on them. Digital experience offenses are still everywhere! Are you guilty? Umm… probably.... [summary] =>

Jeannie shares her expertise in digital experience evaluation with 5 sales-killing offenses even the best of us should look out for and tips to make good on them.

---

Digital experience offenses are still everywhere! Are you guilty?

Umm… probably. It’s easy to say what you don’t like about another company’s digital experience, but what about your own? Because you know where everything is and how it’s all supposed to work, finding pain points in your own digital experience is not as straightforward as you may think.

So when customers are so close to making a purchase, your polished-up website or mobile app may be letting them down in those critical moments. Those would-be customers are dropping out over things that cause confusion, frustration, mistrust…even to the point of publicly hating on your brand!

Jeannie Walters has been conducting qualitative analyses on digital experiences since before they really became a “thing,” and now, she sees digital experiences make and break once-successful brands every day.

Jeannie's top 5 offenses are causing widespread cart abandonment and tossing qualified leads right out of sales funnels everywhere. However, you can find those pain points and turn them into opportunities.

Customers want to buy from you, but your digital experience may be giving up on them! Listen in for tips to save them from giving up on you.

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Challenges of Understanding the Customer Journey End-to-End
• Customers That Stick® post, Turn Your Customer Experience Inside Out
• Episode 264: (Tip) Mobile Potential
• Episode 227: (Tip) Majoring In the CX Minors
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

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Array ( [id] => c231d9ec-62c0-11e9-9b30-93c60e878664 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:44.269-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:30.911-04:00 [title] => 276: Nora Burns, HR Undercover [pubdate] => 2017-09-20T17:30:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c231d9ec-62c0-11e9-9b30-93c60e878664/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam explore hiring and new employee processes from the candidate's perspective with Undercover Candidate™ Nora Burns.  HR Undercover A good team is critical to the success of any business, so why is it so hard to attract and keep... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam explore hiring and new employee processes from the candidate's perspective with Undercover Candidate™ Nora Burns. 

---

HR Undercover

A good team is critical to the success of any business, so why is it so hard to attract and keep good talent? It seems most organizational leaders think their hiring processes are solid - while most job candidates have horror stories about their experience. 

You’ve heard the horror stories from friends and colleagues... In fact, you probably have horror stories of your own. So what's really happening during your own hiring and new employee experience processes? And more importantly, how does it affect your ability to hire right for the experiences you want to deliver? Because how you hire, not just whom you hire, can have a big impact on your brand.

“You’ve not only lost me as potential talent, but you’ve also lost me as a consumer…” -Nora Burns

That's what today’s guest Nora Burns wanted to find out, so she invested years in finding out! Nora is with us to day to share some of her insights from 200+ job interviews as The Undercover Candidate™, and 15 months working on the front lines of 5 Fortune 500 companies as The Undercover Employee™. 

Nora shares unbelievable stories about how easy it was to land interviews and even job offers based on fictitious qualifications! What’s more, you’ll be shocked to hear how very common inefficiencies, inconsistencies, and wasted opportunities loom around the typical hiring process.

“I was offered jobs you should NEVER EVER offer me…” -Nora Burns

So what are we doing wrong, and how can we do better? How can we stop shooting ourselves in the foot with inadequate (and sometimes destructive!) hiring processes? Nora has collected amazing insights and tips for you in based on real-world experiences. She’s so good at going undercover, we had to verify that we have the REAL Nora Burns!

Expert tip:

“Your employment brand is your bread and butter when it comes to recruiting and retention. If you’re destroying that little by little, nick by nick, you’re going to be in a world of hurt.” -Nora Burns

Interview highlights:

• How did Nora come up with the idea of going undercover as job candidates? [2:30]
• What are the most common issues with how organizations handle the hiring process, and how can they do better? [6:50]
• Nora and our hosts discuss different ways internal processes and timelines disrupt access to great talent. [10:20]
• Interviewers are NOT paying attention. You won’t believe these inconsistencies that were overlooked! [14:00]
• Nora went undercover as a hired employee, and you won’t believe how these employers handled it! [16:55]
• What can we all do to improve the hiring process, and how can we hire best to serve our customers? [20:35]

 

---

About our guest

Since stepping into the world of human resources more than two decades ago, Nora A Burns, SPHR has interviewed and on-boarded thousands of candidates and new hires for positions ranging from file clerk to executive vice president. Along the way, she decided to study and evaluate the hiring process from a different perspective, by participating in job interviews across the country. She did this not in her usual role of interviewer or hiring consultant, but as a candidate for administrative, supervisory and managerial roles.

As The Undercover Candidate™, Nora has participated in over a hundred interviews to gain insight into the hiring process from the candidate’s perspective. Professional curiosity then took her a step further as she recognizes that effective hiring is only the first step toward building a great workforce, Phase two of her research involved spending a year working “undercover” for a variety of large, well-known organizations as a customer-facing employee in entry-level positions. 

Nora shares insights learned through speaking engagements while continuing to experience and oversee interviews and on-boarding processes of client organizations who looks to HR-Undercover, LLC to “mystery shop” their employee experience. Nora is passionate about helping associations and corporations hire and develop top talent to advance their overall mission and strategy. Her engaging, no-nonsense style and sense of humor has captivated retreat, workshop and conference audiences across North America. She tailors every keynote, workshop and session to her client’s specific needs. 

A strong believer in community involvement, Nora is an active volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and The Gathering Place.  Originally from the Midwest, she lives in Denver, CO with her exceptionally cute labradoodle, Bella.

Connect with Nora

• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Website

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, 3 Ways to Add Magic to your Customer Service Training
• Customers That Stick® post, The Importance of Onboarding Employees
• Episode 176: (Tip) Hiring a Customer-Centric Employee
• Episode 249: How Customer Service Training Goes Wrong
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => c2902812-62c0-11e9-9b30-8bb110a63bbf [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:44.886-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:05:49.635-04:00 [title] => 275: (Tip) Go Negative with Your Training [pubdate] => 2017-09-14T08:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c2902812-62c0-11e9-9b30-8bb110a63bbf/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Should you avoid all negativity in customer service training? Adam shares research data, case studies, and expert advice Do you avoid negativity in customer service training? Pop psychology says negativity in customer service training could be harmful... [summary] =>

Should you avoid all negativity in customer service training? Adam shares research data, case studies, and expert advice

Do you avoid negativity in customer service training?

Pop psychology says negativity in customer service training could be harmful and should be avoided. The idea is that focusing on negative situations begets more negative outcomes.

However, real customer service situations don’t always go well. In fact, it’s safe to assume that even with the best teams, something will eventually go wrong or just be poorly executed. We all have bad days!

Real life customer service is NOT all unicorns and rainbows.” -Adam Toporek

So how can you address the negative possibilities and still have positive overall outcomes with your training initiatives? It’s not an easy question to answer, but Adam has you covered! He has surprising facts, valuable case study insights, and expert advice to share with you.

Listen in for tips to help you strike the right balance!

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, How to Unlock Your Outstanding Service Culture for Good
• Customers That Stick® post, Communication: The Most Important Skill in Customer Service
• Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive
• Episode 249: How Customer Service Training Goes Wrong
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message:

Develop your customer experience mission

Do you know how to deliver the superior customer experience you visualize? We can help your team become a force for positive change, starting with a customer-centric mission. The Customer Experience Investigators™ at 360Connext specialize in helping companies across industries and around the globe. Developing and internalizing unique and scalable customer-focused missions has been crucial to their success.

Want to compete with the other 89% of companies staying afloat by providing better experiences? You need a compass for making astounding changes in the customer experience while breaking down the silos that are holding you back. We offer evaluations, workshops, and roadmaps to keep your wheels firmly planted on the road to a customer-centric future. Join us on our mission To Create Fewer Ruined Days for Customers™ today. Visit us at 360Connext.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

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Jeannie and Adam interview Nienka Bloem, Certified Customer Experience Professional and creator of the Customer Experience Game.

---

Are you learning the customer experience game?

Learning about customer experience is becoming a must for business leaders worldwide, but many still don’t really know what that means. For instance, what if you live in a place where customer experience is just taking off? What are your options? It turns out, in some cases, there aren’t many!

“The momentum is here in Europe, where everybody’s talking about customer experience…” -Nienke Bloem

So today’s guest, Certified Customer Experience Professional Nienka Bloem, created the Customer Experience Game to help bring this wisdom to continental Europe and beyond. In a time when those who wanted to learn about CX had to attend boring conference sessions in hopes of taking away some CX wisdom, Nienka changed the game- both literally and figuratively!

“Listen, analyze, report, and act!” -Nienke Bloem

A pioneer in customer-centric practices in Europe, Nienka shares her amazing story of implementing CX strategies to quickly transform an organization with a poor NPS.

More importantly, we learn the inspiration behind the Customer Experience Game, how it works, and how it has helped leaders worldwide develop their own CX aptitude.

Don’t miss this fun and inspiring interview, which happens to be our first officially international episode!

Interview Highlights

• How did Nienka fall into customer experience in the early days in Europe, and what was it like? [2:30]
• What is Nienka’s Customer Experience Game, and how does she use it? [8:20]
• Nienka outlines her 3 pillars of CX strategy, and how they relate to certain topics leaders need to learn more about. [10:15]
• Who are Nienka’s heroes symbolizing 2 ways of looking at customer experience, and the change process? (And which way should you choose?) [12:40]

---

About our guest

Nienke Bloem MBA CCXP is often called the Customer Experience Guru. She is a keynote speaker and inspires audiences with best practices and proven methodologies. Besides a public speaker, she is a trusted advisor for boards and guides organizations in their leadership journey. With her 20 years’ experience in strategic change management positions within telecom, Customer Experience, financial and IT businesses, she knows how large corporate organizations work.

She is a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP) and an Authorized Resource and Training Provider of the CXPA. She also founded the Customer Experience Game which is an engaging and fun way to experience CX.

Connect with Nienka

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• TheCustomerExperienceGame.com

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, How to Start Improving CX in the Real World
• Customers That Stick® post, Turn Your Customer Experience Inside Out
• Episode 075: Can You Gamify Customer Experience?
• Episode 094: Joseph Michelli, Becoming Customer-Obsessed
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message:

Start creating a successful CX strategy

Are you ready to build a customer experience strategy on a solid foundation for the long term? We’re shattering the top 5 CX strategy myths in our latest evergreen webinar.

You will learn:

• How to avoid the 5 so-called “Customer Experience Strategies” that aren’t strategies at all
• What drives a winning customer experience strategy and examples of companies that “get it”
• How to create a foundation for a customer experience strategy that works for the long term

Join Jeannie at a time that works for you for some serious mythbusting and a head start on creating a customer experience strategy that works! 

Sign Me Up!

 

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

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Adam and Jeannie share tips for defining, finding and optimizing every moment of truth within your customer journey.

---

What exactly is a moment of truth?

While every touchpoint in your customer journey deserves attention, some are more critical than others. In short, a moment of truth is a critical touchpoint that can drive your customer to the next level, or chase them away.

“Not every piece of the customer experience is AS important…” -Adam Toporek

And you may think you already know where these moments of truth are, but that’s how many leaders go wrong! It’s too easy to focus on things that seem pivotal from the inside while moments that have a greater effect on the outcome are glossed over.

 “Some moments in the customer journey will drive loyalty more than others…” -Jeannie Walters

In this episode, Adam and Jeannie help you understand where the REAL moments of truth are in your customer journey. Want to eliminate pain points that derail customers from their path to conversion, loyalty or advocacy? Listen in for tips you can use today!

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Challenges of Understanding the Customer Journey End-to-End
• Customers That Stick® post, Turn Your Customer Experience Inside Out
• Episode 163: When to Update Customer Journey Maps
• Episode 248: (Tip) 3 Moments of Truth
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

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Array ( [id] => c367c56a-62c0-11e9-9b30-5fbb35183a06 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:46.301-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:27.167-04:00 [title] => 272: Kristina Quinones, MeetEdgar Customer Service [pubdate] => 2017-09-05T08:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c367c56a-62c0-11e9-9b30-5fbb35183a06/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam interview Kristina Quinones, head of customer experience at MeetEdgar, about amazing growth through a unique approach at customer service. Explosive growth and the MeetEdgar customer service approach Thanks to its unique approach at... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam interview Kristina Quinones, head of customer experience at MeetEdgar, about amazing growth through a unique approach at customer service.

Explosive growth and the MeetEdgar customer service approach

Thanks to its unique approach at customer service, MeetEdgar has grown from 2 to 30 employees in three years. So we're proud to interview their head of customer experience, Kristina Quinones. Kristina shares how to use the same approach at your business!

The customer service team at MeetEdgar has struck a magical balance between customer service and customer experience. Not only do they deliver the best service possible, but they go beyond when customers need a little extra help. So what is their secret?

“There are situations where we should be doing more…mostly because we can.” -Kristina Quiones

It’s not just about solving problems, answering questions, or eliminating friction. But rather, it’s about making that interaction a highlight in the customer’s day.

“…be the bright spot in a customer’s day” -Kristina Quiones

However,  it’s trickier to create a great service experience that scales. So MeetEdgar has established a culture where everyone is heard and included. This helps keep known issues out in the open, consequently creating opportunities to improve and innovate.

“We do want people on the team to step on each other’s toes…” -Kristina Quiones

So how can you create a customer service approach that not only solves issues, but makes customers’ days? Listen in to learn how MeetEdgar’s customer service approach makes amazing growth almost inevitable!

Interview highlights

• We hear “customer service is everyone’s job” a lot, so why is this not the case at MeetEdgar? [2:25]
• What about Kristina’s background has inspired her great passion for customer experience? [5:45]
• Kristina shares a common situation where everyone (even you!) can go above and beyond to make a customer’s day. [9:10]
• What cultural role does transparency play at MeetEdgar, and more importantly, how does that affect customer experience? [12:00]
• What’s one lesson any organization can learn from MeetEdgar’s approach at customer service? [16:10]

---

About our guest

Kristina Quinones leads the Customer Experience team at MeetEdgar, a social media management tool that keeps your updates from going to waste. She lives in the Hudson Valley with her husband and their three sons.

Her favorite thing about working at MeetEdgar: The level of ownership and autonomy every single team member is entrusted with. The team is designed with people who can get stuff done and work well with others. So Kristina is always 100% impressed with how well our team operates!

Connect with Kristina

• Twitter
• MeetEdgar.com

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, 3 Ways to Add Magic to your Customer Service Training
• Customers That Stick® post, The Importance of Onboarding Employees
• Episode 176: (Tip) Hiring a Customer-Centric Employee
• Episode 249: How Customer Service Training Goes Wrong
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => c3abafaa-62c0-11e9-9b30-a3a45fb5efd9 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:46.746-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:14.169-04:00 [title] => 271: Take It To the Top – Tesla’s New Strategy [pubdate] => 2017-08-31T09:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c3abafaa-62c0-11e9-9b30-a3a45fb5efd9/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam discuss the pros and cons of Tesla’s new strategy for escalating customer service issues. Escalating customer service: Can Tesla’s new strategy work for you? Customers demanding that a service issue or complaint be escalated is... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam discuss the pros and cons of Tesla’s new strategy for escalating customer service issues.

Escalating customer service: Can Tesla’s new strategy work for you?

Customers demanding that a service issue or complaint be escalated is often the worst nightmare both for front-line staff and their leaders. While service agents aren’t anxious to admit they couldn’t make the customer happy on their own, team leads and are typically not happy or prepared to take those calls!

Now imagine if those calls went straight to the c-suite…

“… things get escalated so that you don’t have that level of frustration again.” -Jeannie Walters

Tesla has announced a new program where their automotive customers can bypass the front line and take their issues straight to an executive. While this sounds like a great move for customers, the prospect of willfully escalating customer service raises a lot of questions about accountability, perception, and allocation of resources.

Could your organization benefit from a program like this? If so, then how would you know and how could you make it work?

“Sometimes serving one customer makes you serve 20 other ones badly…” -Adam Toporek

Adam and Jeannie have a lot to say about this, but they don’t agree on everything! In this short but powerful episode, they address the pros and cons of escalation, what messages it sends to customers and staff, and many other things to consider. You don’t want to miss this one!

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, How to Unlock Your Outstanding Service Culture for Good
• Customers That Stick® post, Communication: The Most Important Skill in Customer Service
• Episode 133: Tesla and the Infrastructure of Innovation
• Episode 266: Chip Bell, Innovating Service
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message:

Develop your customer experience mission

Do you know how to deliver the superior customer experience you visualize? We can help your team become a force for positive change, starting with a customer-centric mission. The Customer Experience Investigators™ at 360Connext specialize in helping companies across industries and around the globe. Developing and internalizing unique and scalable customer-focused missions has been crucial to their success.

Want to compete with the other 89% of companies staying afloat by providing better experiences? You need a compass for making astounding changes in the customer experience while breaking down the silos that are holding you back. We offer evaluations, workshops, and roadmaps to keep your wheels firmly planted on the road to a customer-centric future. Join us on our mission To Create Fewer Ruined Days for Customers™ today. Visit us at 360Connext.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => c3f425b4-62c0-11e9-9b30-dfcf89478345 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:47.215-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:33.557-04:00 [title] => 270: John-Paul Narowski, KarmaCRM [pubdate] => 2017-08-29T07:30:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c3f425b4-62c0-11e9-9b30-dfcf89478345/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie interview karmaCRM founder John-Paul Narowski about smarter ways to manage and nurture customer relationships. Enhancing customer relationships with tech If you’ve user Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software before, then... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie interview karmaCRM founder John-Paul Narowski about smarter ways to manage and nurture customer relationships.

---

Enhancing customer relationships with tech

If you’ve user Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software before, then you may know these systems tend to be either lacking the features you need or overcomplicated with features you don’t. Either way, leaders find themselves investing in tools they’re not using to their best potential.

“We paid for these tools and I see him putting a sticky note on his monitor…” -JP Narowski

Today’s guest, John-Paul (JP) Narowski found himself in a similar situation with his own company, so he set out to create his own CRM tools. Bearing all the common challenges and pitfalls in mind, JP created karmaCRM for a customer-centric approach at managing relationships.

But it’s not just about which tools you use. It’s about how you use them, and whether or not you’re committed.

“If you had the right commitment…you would make that system work.” -JP Narowski

In this episode, JP helps us understand how to better approach CRM as a means to build and nurture relationships, to stay committed to the system, and to integrate it into a customer-focused culture.

Are you new to CRM, or just tired of investing in tools that don’t really help the way you expected? Listen in to learn how to make CRM work for you, once and for all!

Interview Highlights

• What inspired John-Paul to create karmaCRM? [2:40]
• How does John-Paul go about putting the “R” back in CRM, and what does that mean to him? [5:20]
• How can startups and entrepreneurs approach customer service when they’re not sure who their customers are? [10:15]
• What can leaders do to overcome lack of commitment to using CRM and related tools? [13:30]
• John-Paul sums up how CRM will evolve to better assist businesses and leaders in the future. [17:30]

---

About our guest

John-Paul Narowski has been bootstrapping businesses since he was 16. His years of startup experience have made him into a full-stack developer, globalization junkie, and serial entrepreneur. Devoted to passionate entrepreneurship and growing businesses for the common good, JP founded karmaCRM, a simple web-based CRM built with small businesses in mind.

Connect with John-Paul

• Linkedin
• Twitter
• karmaCRM

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Which Comes First? Customer Experience or Sales?
• Customers That Stick® post, Interview: GetApp’s Top 25 Customer Service Apps
• Episode 237: Peter Friedman, Customer Service Messaging Apps
• Episode 246: Chase Clemons, Basecamp’s Customer Service Ethic
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message:

Start creating a successful CX strategy

Are you ready to build a customer experience strategy on a solid foundation for the long term? We’re shattering the top 5 CX strategy myths in our latest evergreen webinar.

You will learn:

• How to avoid the 5 so-called “Customer Experience Strategies” that aren’t strategies at all
• What drives a winning customer experience strategy and examples of companies that “get it”
• How to create a foundation for a customer experience strategy that works for the long term

Join Jeannie at a time that works for you for some serious mythbusting and a head start on creating a customer experience strategy that works! 

Sign Me Up!

 

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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Array ( [id] => c448af3a-62c0-11e9-9b30-4fbbabb04e6c [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:47.774-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:00.420-04:00 [title] => 269: We’re Listening [pubdate] => 2017-08-24T08:30:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c448af3a-62c0-11e9-9b30-4fbbabb04e6c/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie announce exciting changes to our show inspired by feedback from our our fans, friends and listeners. We’re listening to you too! We’d like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for listening, but we want you to know we’re... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie announce exciting changes to our show inspired by feedback from our our fans, friends and listeners.

---

We’re listening to you too!

We’d like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for listening, but we want you to know we’re listening too! We thrive on your feedback to continue making Crack the Customer Code better and better, and we get many great ideas from you.

As a result, we’ve seen some common themes in what our listeners think would improve the show. 

Today we’re announcing another change that we think you’re going to love! We’ve been working on ways to deliver more of what you like the most while making it easier to keep up with us.

Listen in to find out what Adam and Jeannie have planned!

This is YOUR show.

We're so grateful for the valuable feedback, comments and suggestions from our communities. We're always looking for new topics, exciting guests, and suggestions for improving the show.

Have comments, suggestions or questions? What are you waiting for? Get in touch with us!

• Email: thecustomercode@gmail.com
• Phone: (470)223-CODE
• Tweet to Jeannie Walters
• Tweet to Adam Toporek

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

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Array ( [id] => c48d2c5a-62c0-11e9-9b30-8b12a887a867 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:48.223-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:19.892-04:00 [title] => 268: Microchipping Employees [pubdate] => 2017-08-21T07:30:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c48d2c5a-62c0-11e9-9b30-8b12a887a867/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam discuss microchipping employees with RFID devices and how this tech may affect culture and the customer experience. Microchipping employees RFID tags are everywhere, from the microchips that help deter theft in retail settings to... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam discuss microchipping employees with RFID devices and how this tech may affect culture and the customer experience.

---

Microchipping employees

RFID tags are everywhere, from the microchips that help deter theft in retail settings to those that help us locate lost pets. But employers are taking this technology to another level by microchipping employees. And although it’s a voluntary procedure (for now?) many employees are opting in for the conveniences that come with having this tiny bundle of circuits injected beneath the skin.

“We exchange convenience for privacy all the time…” -Adam Toporek

And as this tech continues to develop, we are faced with the possibility of requiring customers to allow microchipping as a condition of doing business. This raises many questions…

While Adam and Jeannie see very much potential for RFID technology, they also have big concerns about how this may affect the customer experience as well as company culture.

“It’s not just with them in the office!” -Jeannie Walters

What do you need to know about RFID technology as an employer, and what questions should you ask yourself before exploring the options that are available today? More importantly, what does an RFID-enabled workplace mean for the future?

Take off your tin foil hat for 15 minutes and listen in!

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Is Your Customer Experience Technology Helpful or Creepy?
• Customers That Stick® post, 6 Steps for Rolling Out New Technology to Frontline Staff
• Episode 067: Customer Security – It’s More Than Digital
• Episode 089: Will Companies Demand Your Phone Records?
• Three Square Market
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

[audioFile] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/c48d2c5a-62c0-11e9-9b30-8b12a887a867/stripped_4a86d3b6833216ab63ca2b66b8ee01f6.mp3 [downloadUrl] => http://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSN1341238841.mp3 [size] => 13964016 [duration] => 872.75 [uid] => CSN1341238841 [originalUrl] => http://traffic.libsyn.com/crackthecustomercode/ctcc_268_final_a.mp3?dest-id=215469 [bitrate] => 128 [samplerate] => 44100 [channelMode] => stereo [vbr] => [audioFileProcessing] => [podcastId] => a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc [preCount] => 0 [postCount] => 0 [insertionPoints] => Array ( ) [id3File] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/c48d2c5a-62c0-11e9-9b30-8b12a887a867/id3/0300dbcffb86c80db1db25f1598ba65e.mp3 [id3FileProcessing] => [id3FileSize] => 74280 [parentId] => [guid] => 425ba4ce61778cb03c4c5a095878ba00 [pubdateTimezone] => [originalFilename] => [preOffset] => 0.0 [postOffset] => 0.0 [spotifyIdentifier] => [expectedAdhash] => [audioFileUpdatedAt] => [draft] => [externalId] => [customFields] => )

Array ( [id] => c4d3b56c-62c0-11e9-9b30-1b76df978892 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:48.687-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:03.225-04:00 [title] => 267: 3 Questions for Employees [pubdate] => 2017-08-17T07:30:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c4d3b56c-62c0-11e9-9b30-1b76df978892/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie shares 3 powerful questions to assess and improve employee engagement for better business outcomes. How engaged are your employees? Employee engagement has a direct impact on critical business outcomes. Poorly engaged or actively disengaged... [summary] =>

Jeannie shares 3 powerful questions to assess and improve employee engagement for better business outcomes.

---

How engaged are your employees?

Employee engagement has a direct impact on critical business outcomes. Poorly engaged or actively disengaged employees lead to high employee turnover, subpar service, and terrible customer experiences.

On the other hand, highly engaged employees have an amazingly positive impact on workplace culture, better-informed business decisions, and customer satisfaction. What’s more, they are emotionally invested in delivering great customer experiences and reporting back to leaders when those experiences fall short.

“Strengthen your focus on the customer experience through your employee experience.” -Jeannie Walters

But busy leaders often fail to detect an employee engagement problem before it spirals out of control. While subtle warning signs loom deep within the workplace, it’s easy to blame a dip in sales, renewals and conversions on more superficial things.

So, what can you do to find out how engaged your employees really are?

Correcting poor engagement can be a lot of work! However, there are some simple ways to find out if you have a problem and get clues on where to focus your attention first.

Today, Jeannie is sharing 3 simple questions you can ask employees to better understand their engagement level.  Engage your employees to connect with your company and customers on a higher level! Listen in to find out how, then start asking!

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Are Your Employees Engaged to Tell You the Truth?
• Customers That Stick® post, An Interview with Kate Nasser: Better #PeopleSkills
• Episode 093: Why Employee Engagement Matters
• Episode 168: Nate Brown, Service Center Engagement
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Start creating a successful CX strategy

Are you ready to build a customer experience strategy on a solid foundation for the long term? We’re shattering the top 5 CX strategy myths in our upcoming webinar.

You will learn:

• How to avoid the 5 so-called “Customer Experience Strategies” that aren’t strategies at all
• What drives a winning customer experience strategy and examples of companies that “get it”
• How to create a foundation for a customer experience strategy that works for the long term

Join Jeannie August 22nd at 11:00 am Central for some serious mythbusting, live Q&A, and a head start on creating a customer experience strategy that works! 

If you can't make it on August 22nd, don't worry! You'll miss the live Q&A, but you'll still have access to the recording 24 hours after the live presentation. 

Sign Me Up!

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

[audioFile] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/c4d3b56c-62c0-11e9-9b30-1b76df978892/stripped_dd2586aa7de666eb061c0296e24a5b4b.mp3 [downloadUrl] => http://traffic.megaphone.fm/CSN2117184210.mp3 [size] => 4079699 [duration] => 254.98 [uid] => CSN2117184210 [originalUrl] => http://traffic.libsyn.com/crackthecustomercode/ctcc_267_final_a.mp3?dest-id=215469 [bitrate] => 128 [samplerate] => 44100 [channelMode] => stereo [vbr] => [audioFileProcessing] => [podcastId] => a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc [preCount] => 0 [postCount] => 0 [insertionPoints] => Array ( ) [id3File] => https://megaphone-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/a4e3e470-62c0-11e9-85cc-27b2e26e48fc/episodes/c4d3b56c-62c0-11e9-9b30-1b76df978892/id3/97bcb1ebb2e1a9318aca0bd0a4aae8b9.mp3 [id3FileProcessing] => [id3FileSize] => 75112 [parentId] => [guid] => f48bab5028475639cfb576d8c1b8a65e [pubdateTimezone] => [originalFilename] => [preOffset] => 0.0 [postOffset] => 0.0 [spotifyIdentifier] => [expectedAdhash] => [audioFileUpdatedAt] => [draft] => [externalId] => [customFields] => )

Array ( [id] => c5200eda-62c0-11e9-9b30-2bdc2a372d13 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:49.186-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:50.657-04:00 [title] => 266: Chip Bell, Innovating Service [pubdate] => 2017-08-15T08:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c5200eda-62c0-11e9-9b30-2bdc2a372d13/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie interview bestselling author Chip Bell to discover how the best brands are innovating service to create value-unique experiences. Winning customers' hearts with value-unique experiences We all want customers talking about their... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie interview bestselling author Chip Bell to discover how the best brands are innovating service to create value-unique experiences.

---

Winning customers' hearts with value-unique experiences

We all want customers talking about their experience with our brand, but providing great service isn’t enough. And though we hear a lot about the power of adding value, it's easy to weigh the experience down or simply waste money on freebies.

You need to add emotional value through unique experiences.

“People don’t go out and talk about good service anymore. it’s got to be unique!” -Chip Bell

So what can you do? Fortunately, we had the privilege of interviewing one of the most prolific customer-focused authors to date! And he's here to explain how your brand can be the next one people are talking about.

Chip Bell coined the term “value-unique,” which describes service experiences that provide more emotional value. Through amazing examples and heart-warming stories, he explains how the best companies create experiences that leave lasting impressions customers want to talk about.

And it all comes back to culture! It takes a creative culture to deliver value-unique experiences. Moreover, delivering value-unique experiences also creates a more valuable connection among employees.

“Empowerment doesn’t mean unlimited license. It means responsible freedom.” -Chip Bell

So how can you create a culture around adding emotional value to the service experience? And how can you begin innovating your service to create these value-unique experiences? Chip has some great tips and examples we can all relate to and learn from.

It was a great pleasure and privilege having Chip on the show, so listen in!

Interview Highlights

• Why is innovation crucial for customer service and customer experience, and why don’t most organizations understand this? [2:54]
• Chip explains how we lose our emotional connection with customers efforts to provide more consistent experiences. [9:25]
• Chip shares amazing examples of how Hotel Monaco wins by creating unique experiences vs. adding value. [11:15]
• How does creating value-unique experiences relate to workplace culture? [17:00]
• What can you do to start down the path of innovating service to create more unique experiences? [20:25]

---

About our guest

Chip R. Bell is a renowned keynote speaker and author of several best-selling books including…

• Take Their Breath Away
• Managing Knock Your Socks off Service
• The 9½ Principles of Innovative Service, and
• Sprinkles: Creating Awesome Experiences through Innovative Service.

His newest book is the bestselling Kaleidoscope:  Delivering Innovative Service That Sparkles released in February, 2017.

Dr. Bell has appeared live on CNBC, Bloomberg TV, CNN, ABC, CBS, NPR Marketplace and his work has been featured in Fortune, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, USA Today, Businessweek, Entrepreneur Magazine, CEO Magazine, Money Magazine, and Fast Company. 

Connect with Chip

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Facebook
• YouTube
• ChipBell.com

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, 3 Ways to Lead Your Team to Customer Experience Victory
• Customers That Stick® post, How Employee Empowerment Really Works
• Episode 246: Chase Clemons, Basecamp’s Customer Service Ethic
• Episode 242: Jason Forrest, The Power of Customer Certainty
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message:

Start creating a successful CX strategy

Are you ready to build a customer experience strategy on a solid foundation for the long term? We’re shattering the top 5 CX strategy myths in our upcoming webinar.

You will learn:

• How to avoid the 5 so-called “Customer Experience Strategies” that aren’t strategies at all
• What drives a winning customer experience strategy and examples of companies that “get it”
• How to create a foundation for a customer experience strategy that works for the long term

Join Jeannie August 22nd at 11:00 am Central for some serious mythbusting, live Q&A, and a head start on creating a customer experience strategy that works! 

If you can't make it on August 22nd, don't worry! You'll miss the live Q&A, but you'll still have access to the recording 24 hours after the live presentation. 

Sign Me Up!

 

---

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

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Array ( [id] => c56ba408-62c0-11e9-9b30-cbea9986bc4a [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:49.681-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:08.985-04:00 [title] => 265: (Tip) Chatbots and Humans [pubdate] => 2017-08-14T05:30:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c56ba408-62c0-11e9-9b30-cbea9986bc4a/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam share research and expert tips for getting chatbots and humans to work together in harmony. Are chatbots and humans working well together? Chatbots are here to stay, and new research says we love them! However, we have a long way to... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam share research and expert tips for getting chatbots and humans to work together in harmony.

---

Are chatbots and humans working well together?

Chatbots are here to stay, and new research says we love them! However, we have a long way to go before they can fully operate on their own. For instance, bots are great for answering simple questions, but real humans do need to step in to answer the tough ones.

“Not all chatbots are created equal not are all humans.” -Adam Toporek

Even the best chatbots can create experiences that frustrate customers, and eventually, chase them away – especially when real human contact is not within reach. So how can we use chat bots in ways customers will always appreciate? More importantly, how can we use them to reduce effort where it counts without alienating customers?

“AI and bots have the potential to make things better for your customers…” --Jeannie Walters

Inspired by new research, Adam and Jeannie are sharing expert tips for fine-tuning your chatbot to deliver excellent service when it can, and keeping it human when they can’t. What should you rely on chatbots for, and what situations are better left to humans from the start? Listen in for tips you can use today!

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, #SXSW: Emerging AI with a Focus on Greater Experiences
• Customers That Stick® post, 3 Questions to Ask Before Launching Live Chat for Customer Service
• Episode 234: Tips for Customer Service Bots
• Episode 174: Robert Scoble, Augmented Reality and the Fourth Transformation
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Start creating a successful CX strategy

Are you ready to build a customer experience strategy on a solid foundation for the long term? We’re shattering the top 5 CX strategy myths in our upcoming webinar.

You will learn:

• How to avoid the 5 so-called “Customer Experience Strategies” that aren’t strategies at all
• What drives a winning customer experience strategy and examples of companies that “get it”
• How to create a foundation for a customer experience strategy that works for the long term

Join Jeannie August 22nd at 11:00 am Central for some serious mythbusting, live Q&A, and a head start on creating a customer experience strategy that works! 

If you can't make it on August 22nd, don't worry! You'll miss the live Q&A, but you'll still have access to the recording 24 hours after the live presentation. 

Sign Me Up!

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

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Array ( [id] => c5b15ea8-62c0-11e9-9b30-cb8e7799fbf4 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:50.138-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:11.719-04:00 [title] => 264: (Tip) Mobile Potential [pubdate] => 2017-08-10T08:30:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c5b15ea8-62c0-11e9-9b30-cb8e7799fbf4/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie share tips to unlock your full mobile potential and deliver what customers need most in the moment. What’s your mobile potential? We talk about mobile a lot on this show, but that’s because capabilities and expectations are... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie share tips to unlock your full mobile potential and deliver what customers need most in the moment.

---

What’s your mobile potential?

We talk about mobile a lot on this show, but that’s because capabilities and expectations are always changing! Are you keeping up? Because there are many ways to leverage mobile technology to make it easier to do business with you.

“Ask yourself, ‘What does a customer really want via mobile?’” -Jeannie Walters

There are many ways mobile can be used to create a more rewarding, seamless and effortless customer experience, and we bet there are some you haven’t thought of! So we’re sharing some tips and ideas to help you create the best mobile experience possible.

“What people are really looking for is fast information in most cases…” -Adam Toporek

Is your mobile experience living up to its full potential? More importantly, are you sure you’re delivering the mobile experience your customers need most? Listen in to find out and learn some tips you can use today!

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Mobile Innovation Is Not About Your Phone!
• Customers That Stick® post, Interview: GetApp’s Top 25 Customer Service Apps
• Episode 262: Ecommerce Still Not Getting It Right
• Episode 237: Peter Friedman, Customer Service Messaging Apps
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

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Array ( [id] => c600e414-62c0-11e9-9b30-d3650c396b2f [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:50.661-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:38.060-04:00 [title] => 263: Merit Gest, Sales Engagement [pubdate] => 2017-08-08T06:30:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c600e414-62c0-11e9-9b30-d3650c396b2f/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie interview Merit Gest to discuss powerful sales engagement and onboarding strategies for customer-focused sales teams. Onboarding for outstanding sales engagement Sales is often treated as separate from the customer experience.... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie interview Merit Gest to discuss powerful sales engagement and onboarding strategies for customer-focused sales teams.

Onboarding for outstanding sales engagement

Sales is often treated as separate from the customer experience. Consequently, sales staff is often not trained to deliver a customer-focused experience from start to finish. Even when customer experience principles are included, typical sales training falls short on empowering sales professionals to deliver great experiences throughout the entire customer journey.

“Onboarding continues…through the entire sales cycle…” -Merit Gest

Merit Gest joins us today to help onboard and train sales staff the right way. She explains that the onboarding process should continue through the entire sales cycle, not just through the initial closing. Therefore, training a customer-focused sales team requires much more time and attention than most of us may think.

First of all, it’s critical to let trainees know they’re being welcomed into a customer-focused team. Next, they need to stay motivated through a long and sometimes frustrating onboarding process.

“People are going to need to have some wins along the way.” -Merit Gest

Above all, sales teams need to have the emotional intelligence to understand the experiences they are delivering from the customer’s perspective. Furthermore, the individuals in that team need to know they will have the support they need to keep at it.

“Whether or not you say, ‘We’re about team,” it should be obvious.” -Merit Gest

Does this sound overwhelming? You’re in luck, because Merit is here to help you develop an onboarding and training process that is both highly engaging and rewarding for your sales team and yourself! As a result, you'll build a sales team that delivers amazing experiences throughout the entire sales cycle. Listen in to amp up your sales engagement today!

Interview highlights

• How can a better sales process set the stage for a better overall customer experience? [2:20]
• Merit outlines the tiered onboarding structure she recommends to clients. [5:02]
• How can we motivate sales staff through a long onboarding process? Merit shares 3 actions to keep them focused and efficient. [8:30]
• What are the most important things professionals should keep in mind as the sales landscape changes and evolves? [13:30]

---

About our guest

Merit Gest has more than 20 years of experience working with companies to grow revenue, increase profitability and reduce turnover. She is President and Founder of Merit-based Consulting; a Denver based firm specializing in getting top performers in the door and ramped up fast.   Merit is one of a small handful of specialists in the world certified in both Emotional Intelligence and Cultural Transformation, giving her a unique perspective for hiring, onboarding and retaining top talent.  An active member of The National Speakers Association and now a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) and author of Myth Shift: Challenging The Truths That Sabotage Success, Merit engages audiences with content, connection and comedy by day as a popular keynote speaker and by night as a stand-up comedian.

Connect with Merit

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• MeritGest.com
• MeritBasedOnboarding.com

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, 3 Ways to Add Magic to your Customer Service Training
• Customers That Stick® post, The Importance of Onboarding Employees
• Episode 176: (Tip) Hiring a Customer-Centric Employee
• Episode 249: How Customer Service Training Goes Wrong
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

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Array ( [id] => c64488ea-62c0-11e9-9b30-47a2c3fda792 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:51.103-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:12.997-04:00 [title] => 262: Ecommerce Still Not Getting It Right [pubdate] => 2017-08-07T06:30:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c64488ea-62c0-11e9-9b30-47a2c3fda792/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam and Jeannie explore recent research about prevailing ecommerce experience pet peeves and offer creative solutions. How does your ecommerce experience stack up? Ecommerce experiences have come a long way since the 90’s, but recent research... [summary] =>

Adam and Jeannie explore recent research about prevailing ecommerce experience pet peeves and offer creative solutions.

---

How does your ecommerce experience stack up?

Ecommerce experiences have come a long way since the 90’s, but recent research shows that we still have a long way to go. Customers are still having problems with navigation, personalization, functionality, and just plain poor user experiences.

“It’s still not really about the customer at the end of the day…” -Jeannie Walters 

After great leaps in technology and design, would you believe some of the same pet peeves have prevailed through the years, or even decades? Why are customers still being blamed for “user errors” or just not getting things done?

And these problems are not exclusive to retail. Qualified customers everywhere are shopping elsewhere for software, insurance, telecom services and more due to age-old experience gaps.

We can do better!

Today, Adam and Jeannie explore some of the top prevailing ecommerce pet peeves and what how to fix them. What drives you away from ecommerce sites? What about your customers?

“Embody these principles as much as possible even if you cannot change them.” - Adam Toporek

Listen in to say goodbye to the most common ecommerce experience nightmares!  

Related Content

• Infographic: The Biggest Pet Peeves of Ecommerce Websites
• 360Connext® post, 5 Reasons your Website Users are SO Frustrated
• Customers That Stick® post, Omnichannel Customer Service with the Human Touch
• Episode 046: Tom Schwab on Inbound Marketing
• Episode 130: Chloë Thomas, Customer Manipulation
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

 

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

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Array ( [id] => c68ba1ee-62c0-11e9-9b30-9fa022f6cd7e [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:51.569-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:05.010-04:00 [title] => 261: Thoughts on First Contact Resolution [pubdate] => 2017-08-03T05:30:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c68ba1ee-62c0-11e9-9b30-9fa022f6cd7e/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Adam shares surprising statistics about first contact resolution, why it’s important, and tips for putting this knowledge to better use. First Contact Resolution (FCR) is not always customer-centric How many steps must a customer take before... [summary] =>

Adam shares surprising statistics about first contact resolution, why it’s important, and tips for putting this knowledge to better use.

---

First Contact Resolution (FCR) is not always customer-centric

How many steps must a customer take before resolving an issue? More importantly, how does the customer feel about the experience of making contact? Because speediness for speed’s sake tends to harm the way customers perceive the experience.

First Contact Resolution (FCR) is a common metric in call centers. Resolving customer issues quickly is very important! However, a narrow focus on FCR can misrepresent the experience the customer is having and lead to undesired results.

“How can an issue be resolved, but not REALLY be resolved?” -Adam Toporek

It’s common to think a service interaction has been a success if the issue was resolved at the first contact. Consequently, the experience around that first point of contact tends to suffer in favor of boosting FCR.

Above all, customers need service that is not only fast, but leaves them feeling confident and satisfied. How can you balance customer effort with overall experience at the first point of contact?

Today, Adam shares compelling statistics around FCR, why it’s important and what you can do to help your staff better understand this metric. Listen in for tips you can use today!

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Your Data Is Only as Good as Your Perspective
• Customers That Stick® post, 3 Areas to Focus your Customer Experience in 2017
• Episode 119: CXPA Live, Predictive Analytics
• Episode 208: Can You Predict Customer Behavior?
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Free Webinar On Demand

Jeannie is a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP) who has held highly engaging Customer Experience Mission workshops for larger audiences, and customized ones for clients with outstanding results. Sign up to learn how to start your own Customer Experience Mission for free!

• Make your mission statement meaningful both to customers and employees
• Ensure customer-facing employees meet and exceed expectations
• Turn ordinary processes into a conduit for your mission
• Steps for creating a mission your team will be proud to get behind

Visit CXWebinar.com to sign up for free and check out more free webinars.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

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Array ( [id] => c6d1bf44-62c0-11e9-9b30-f726de647b2a [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:52.028-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:48.751-04:00 [title] => 260: Julie Ann Sullivan, Employee Attitudes [pubdate] => 2017-08-01T06:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c6d1bf44-62c0-11e9-9b30-f726de647b2a/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam interview podcaster and employee attitudes expert Julie Ann Sullivan live from the NSA Influence 2017 conference. Employee attitudes vs overall success While you may have a solid business strategy and great employees, you may still... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam interview podcaster and employee attitudes expert Julie Ann Sullivan live from the NSA Influence 2017 conference.

---

Employee attitudes vs overall success

While you may have a solid business strategy and great employees, you may still struggle with engaging your workforce to deliver the best experiences possible. Do your employees WANT to come to work? Even more important: Is their attitude conducive to a healthy and engaging culture? Because policies and and skill sets aside,  a healthy attitude is critical to success in business.

“What’s happening with the attitude of their workforce bleeds into everything else.” -Julie Ann Sullivan

Julie Ann Sullivan helps business leaders understand the best ways to truly engage their people. As a result, customer satisfaction and loyalty improve along with workplace morale and better communication.

In this interview, we discuss the keys to proper employee engagement, and how they affect the experiences delivered. Julie Ann shares some of the creative ways her clients have turned their cultures around to communicate better, motivate their employees, and consequently, improve business outcomes.

“It’s really education first, then figuring out where the gaps are.” -Julie Ann Sullivan

So how does Julie Ann educate business leaders, and see them through to creating an environment where employees not only believe in what they do, but become advocates for the company?

We have a lot of great tips and examples you can follow in this fun episode, so listen in!

Interview Highlights

• Julie Ann explains not only what she does for companies that need to be educated on employee engagement, but why. [2:20]
• What does that education process look like? Julie Ann shares real stories about different scenarios. [3:55]
• Julie Ann, Adam and Jeannie discuss ways to create environments where employees feel safe to share their most honest feedback. [9:20]
• What stops companies from creating more engaging environments and moving forward with a better culture? [12:55]

---

About our guest

Julie Ann Sullivan works with organizations that want to create a workplace environment where people are productive, engaged and appreciated. Julie Ann is a professional speaker, trainer and Inspired Leadership Coach.  

As the Founder of Learning Never Ends, her purpose is to create a more positive culture, one person at a time.  She has a diverse educational background which includes a BA in Psychology and an MBA in Accounting.   

Julie Ann was a CPA and spent decades involved in the financial industry and the corporate world.  

As a Professional Speaker, she has spoken for companies and organizations such as, McDonald's USA, the City of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University, Howard Hanna Financial Services and Bayer US. In addition, she's currently a podcast host of Mere Mortals Unite and Businesses that Care.

Connect with Julie Ann

• Twitter
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Website
• Podcast

---

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Are Your Employees Engaged to Tell You the Truth?
• Customers That Stick® post, How Employee Empowerment Really Works
• Episode 252: Alison Herzog, Dell Customer Experience
• Episode 073: Hacking Your Workplace Culture
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message:

Free Webinar On Demand

Jeannie is a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP) who has held highly engaging Customer Experience Mission workshops for larger audiences, and customized ones for clients with outstanding results. Sign up to learn how to start your own Customer Experience Mission, for free!

• Make your mission statement meaningful, both to customers and employees
• Ensure customer-facing employeesnot only meet, but exceed expectations
• Turn ordinary processes into a conduit for your mission, and positive change
• Steps for creating a mission your team will be proud to get behind

Visit CXWebinar.com to sign up for free, and check out more free webinars!
 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

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Array ( [id] => c722dd66-62c0-11e9-9b30-6342dc2d99e3 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:52.560-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:20.785-04:00 [title] => 259: Predicting Behavior and Risk [pubdate] => 2017-07-31T09:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c722dd66-62c0-11e9-9b30-6342dc2d99e3/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam discuss creative ways predicting behavior and risk without investing in advanced technology. Predicting behavior is not a new thing Predictive analytics is amazing as it sounds, and the technology is improving rapidly. Machines can... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam discuss creative ways predicting behavior and risk without investing in advanced technology.

---

Predicting behavior is not a new thing

Predictive analytics is amazing as it sounds, and the technology is improving rapidly. Machines can now analyze data to predict customer behavior, calculate risks, identify who is likely to upgrade or buy more… The list goes on.

But what if you don’t have the budget and resources to take advantage of this amazing technology?

“You can find behaviors in your customer data without a fancy computer or predictive analytics.” -Adam Toporek

Business leaders have been predicting behavior and risk for many years, without the aid of advanced technology. In fact, you may already have what you need.

How a suggestion or question is framed can tell you a lot about what someone is considering.” -Jeannie Walters

Today, Jeannie and Adam are sharing some old-school ways to gain the insights many now believe to be out of reach without a supercomputer and outrageously expensive software. You’ll have to roll up your sleeves a little, but you’ll be surprised how much actionable data is already there. Listen in to start predicting the future today!

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, Your Data Is Only as Good as Your Perspective
• Customers That Stick® post, 3 Areas to Focus your Customer Experience in 2017
• Episode 119: CXPA Live, Predictive Analytics
• Episode 208: Can You Predict Customer Behavior?
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Free Webinar On Demand

Jeannie is a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP) who has held highly engaging Customer Experience Mission workshops for larger audiences, and customized ones for clients with outstanding results. Sign up to learn how to start your own Customer Experience Mission for free!

• Make your mission statement meaningful both to customers and employees
• Ensure customer-facing employees meet and exceed expectations
• Turn ordinary processes into a conduit for your mission
• Steps for creating a mission your team will be proud to get behind

Visit CXWebinar.com to sign up for free and check out more free webinars.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

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Array ( [id] => c76b4c0e-62c0-11e9-9b30-135b782eacf8 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:53.035-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:14.984-04:00 [title] => 258: (Tip) Making Sure Your Team Knows Their Goals [pubdate] => 2017-07-27T08:30:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c76b4c0e-62c0-11e9-9b30-135b782eacf8/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] =>  Adam and Jeannie share tips for helping employees understand, align, and stay motivated to achieve goals. You’re setting goals, but are they setting in? Everyone sets goals to drive their business forward… But teams, departments, and the... [summary] =>

 Adam and Jeannie share tips for helping employees understand, align, and stay motivated to achieve goals.

---

You’re setting goals, but are they setting in?

Everyone sets goals to drive their business forward… But teams, departments, and the individuals within them have goals of their own. Keeping all those smaller goals in tune with the greater mission of an organization is challenging!

“We are what we focus on.” -Adam Toporek

It’s critical to make sure employees understand what their mission is and what their specific goals have to do with company-wide goals. They need to stay connected not only to the actions that lead to success, but to the why.

“It’s not about just watching the numbers go up.” -Jeannie Walters

Today, Adam and Jeannie are sharing expert tips on articulating goals, aligning them with the company mission, and keeping employees emotionally invested in achieving them.

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, 5 Killer Mid-Year Review Questions You Need to Ask Now
• Customers That Stick® post, 5 Qualities of Great Customer Service Managers
• Episode 254: Rocky Romanella, Tighten the Lug Nuts
• Episode 236: (Tip) Customer Experience Sprints
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

 

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

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Array ( [id] => c7b288c6-62c0-11e9-9b30-a309332e03d5 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:53.501-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:35.880-04:00 [title] => 257: Pat Iyer, Legal Nurse Podcast [pubdate] => 2017-07-25T10:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c7b288c6-62c0-11e9-9b30-a309332e03d5/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam interview author and medical liability expert Pat Iyer live from the NSA Influence 2017 conference. Nurse your business to health! Stakes can be high in any business... but imagine if you had legal and medical issues thrown in the... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam interview author and medical liability expert Pat Iyer live from the NSA Influence 2017 conference.

Nurse your business to health!

Stakes can be high in any business... but imagine if you had legal and medical issues thrown in the mix! Today’s guest achieved amazing results turning the experience around in the high-stakes medical liability industry.

Dealing with lawyers, patients, and issues that require legal intervention, it’s no doubt medical liability is a touchy subject! But Pat Iyer built a million-dollar business by offering experiences that stand out in her industry.

“Everything in our business had to be done well and with excellence.” -Pat Iyer

Make no mistake- Your customers are touchy too! Are you prepared for those moments when things don’t go as planned, expectations are unclear, or tension is expected? Pat shares amazing insights into growing a business with a customer-focused approach – no matter what industry you are in.

Listen in for great advice on creating better experiences in high-stakes situations, and smoothing things over when tension is at an all-time high.

Interview highlights

• Pat talks about how she increased sales and loyalty by offering a unique experience in her high-stakes business. [1:20]
• How can we defuse tense situations like those which arise around legal and billing issues? [4:45]
• Pat shares tips for forming your business objective around creating standout experiences. [7:55]
• What are some great ways to prepare for and recover from hiccups in a high-stakes experience? [10:00]

---

About our guest

Pat Iyer MSN RN LNCC is a medical liability expert, professional speaker, author and coach. She works with healthcare providers who want to reduce risks and improve patient safety.

LNCC is the certification granted by the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants and is the only legal nurse consulting certification which meets the standards of the American Board of Nursing Specialties. It is awarded to experienced legal nurse consultants who meet a practice requirement and pass a rigorous exam.

In 1989, Pat established Med League Support Services, an independent legal nurse consulting firm. As a result of reviewing thousands of medical records and talking with attorneys about thousands of cases, she developed deep expertise in the concepts of medical liability and patient safety: from the labor and delivery site to the nursing home, from the emergency department to the ICU, from the outpatient surgery center to the dialysis center, and everywhere in between.

She served on the Board of Directors of the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants including one year as national president. She sold Med League in 2015 and now devotes her time to coaching, writing and professional speaking.

Pat is the author or editor of over 800 books, chapters, case studies, articles or online courses. Her publications have been read by thousands of people and translated into Japanese, Spanish, and the Indonesian language. Pat presents onsite programs, virtual presentations, and podcasts. She is the moderator of podcasts for the Physician-Patient Alliance for Health and Safety.

Connect with Pat

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Website

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Related Content

• 360Connext® post, 3 Ways to Boost Your Customer Service Listening
• Customers That Stick® post, The Importance of Listening in Customer Service
• Episode 245: Vicky Smitley, Business Plans and CX
• Episode 211: Marcus Sheridan, They Ask, You Answer
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message

Give your team the customer service training they deserve

Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com, that is customerheroworkshop.com.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

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Array ( [id] => c7f597c4-62c0-11e9-9b30-c3b02e348e0b [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:53.941-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:23.693-04:00 [title] => 256: How Not to Hire Idiots When You're Desperate [pubdate] => 2017-07-24T07:27:34.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c7f597c4-62c0-11e9-9b30-c3b02e348e0b/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam know how difficult it is to hire right. Often, organizations feel tremendous pressure to fill open roles, and too often, these rushed hires are poor hires. In this episode, Jeannie and Adam share tips for hiring well you're under... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam know how difficult it is to hire right. Often, organizations feel tremendous pressure to fill open roles, and too often, these rushed hires are poor hires.

In this episode, Jeannie and Adam share tips for hiring well you're under the gun.

One way to maintain hiring standards when you don't have time is to compress the hiring process. Make sure to not short the process by eliminating steps but to find a way to execute the full hiring process in a shortened window.

Check out the full episode for Adam and Jeannie's other tips on hiring well when you're desperate.

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Array ( [id] => c846769e-62c0-11e9-9b30-9f5dcdb77695 [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:54.470-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:06:10.765-04:00 [title] => 255: (Tip) Your Org Chart vs. Your Customers [pubdate] => 2017-07-20T09:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c846769e-62c0-11e9-9b30-9f5dcdb77695/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie shares 3 tips to prevent organizational structure from negatively affecting the customer experience. How organizational structure creates bad experiences A solid organizational structure is essential to delivering great customer experiences,... [summary] =>

Jeannie shares 3 tips to prevent organizational structure from negatively affecting the customer experience.

---

How organizational structure creates bad experiences

A solid organizational structure is essential to delivering great customer experiences, creating new ones, or solving issues. But too often, we send customers on a journey through our internal org charts instead of a direct path to success – especially when there’s an issue.

While it is important to establish accountability, customers don’t care who in your organization is responsible for solving an issue, so long as the experience is quick and painless for them. And yet, customers often find themselves at the mercy of internal processes when trying to get things done.

“If there’s a customer champion in any organization, it should be in leadership.” -Jeannie Walters

What is meant to keep things organized on the inside can easily spell disaster on the outside- while customer experiences suffer, customer satisfaction drops, and loyalty disappears.

Where does your org chart create nightmares for customers? Jeannie has some expert tips to help you tighten things up and keep them on a rewarding journey. Listen in!

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, 3 Destructive Consistency Issues You Need to Overcome Now
• Customers That Stick® post, 3 Areas to Focus your Customer Experience in 2017
• Episode 39: Does Employee Empowerment Work?
• Episode 249: How Customer Service Training Goes Wrong
• We're on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

Free Webinar On Demand

Jeannie is a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP) who has held highly engaging Customer Experience Mission workshops for larger audiences, and customized ones for clients with outstanding results. Sign up to learn how to start your own Customer Experience Mission for free!

• Make your mission statement meaningful both to customers and employees
• Ensure customer-facing employees meet and exceed expectations
• Turn ordinary processes into a conduit for your mission
• Steps for creating a mission your team will be proud to get behind

Visit CXWebinar.com to sign up for free and check out more free webinars.

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

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Array ( [id] => c8a03fe4-62c0-11e9-9b30-d3ad5b9b480b [createdAt] => 2019-04-19T12:32:55.058-04:00 [updatedAt] => 2019-04-19T13:07:07.854-04:00 [title] => 254: Rocky Romanella, Tighten the Lug Nuts [pubdate] => 2017-07-18T09:00:00.000-04:00 [author] => [imageFile] => https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c8a03fe4-62c0-11e9-9b30-d3ad5b9b480b/image/cts_CTCC_cover-art_2017-main_FINAL.jpg?ixlib=rails-2.1.2 [explicit] => [episodeType] => full [seasonNumber] => [episodeNumber] => [subtitle] => Jeannie and Adam interview Rocky Romanella, author of Tighten the Lug Nuts:The Principles of Balanced Leadership. Achieving balanced leadership Leadership in business means gearing not only yourself, but those around you for success. Too often,... [summary] =>

Jeannie and Adam interview Rocky Romanella, author of Tighten the Lug Nuts:The Principles of Balanced Leadership.

---

Achieving balanced leadership

Leadership in business means gearing not only yourself, but those around you for success. Too often, overwhelmed leaders become more focused on the goals of their business than the people and things that make success possible.

How can you achieve consistency in the way you lead, motivate or mentor your people? How do you balance your goals with keeping those around you in a state where they feel valued?

“They want to follow you because you’re that leader with consistency.” -Rocky Romanella

Today’s guest, Rocky Romanella, literally wrote the book on achieving balanced leadership. Through amazing examples and highlights from his book, Rocky shares key some principles of balanced leadership with our listeners. (Spoiler: Leadership skills are not just for managers, politicians, or others we typically consider leaders!)

“Each of us touches an influence in other lives.” -Rocky Romanella 

In this interview, we learn how leadership skills touch those who follow, and core principles to instill in them for an overall successful team.

“You have to believe in your people until they’re ready to believe in themselves.” -Rocky Romanella

Rocky brought some great energy into this interview, and he’s excited to share with you the secrets behind his own success as a leader. Want to sharpen your own leadership skills while inspiring team members, colleagues and partners? Join us!

Interview Highlights

• What's the concept behind “Tighten the Lug Nuts,” and why are leadership principles important to everyone? [2:30]
• Hear the simple, universal wisdom that got Rocky on the right path to leadership at UPS.  [6:35]
• Rocky shares key questions for overwhelmed listeners to achieve laser focus on customer needs.  [9:50]
• How do leaders avoid creating situations where the “highs are too high” or the “lows are too low?” 14:45]
• Rocky shares examples of how empowered employees can achieve balance and “tighten their own lug nuts.” [17:45]

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About our guest

Rocky Romanella, an experienced executive, CEO and Director, keynote speaker, trainer and adviser is founder and principal of 3SIXTY Management Services, LLC. He most recently served as Chief Executive Officer and Director for UniTek Global Services, after retiring from a 36-year career with UPS, the largest shipment and logistics company in the world.

Rocky successfully launched one of the largest rebranding initiatives in franchising history, The UPS Store, which revolutionized the $9 billion retail shipping and business services market. In addition to leading the global strategy of all U.S. and international retail channels, he was an integral part of the integration of many acquisitions, which became UPS Supply Chain Solutions with responsibilities in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Latin America and South America and led UPS’s entry into the healthcare industry as part of their supply chain logistics strategy.

Connect with Rocky

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Website

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Related Content

• Rocky's book, Tighten the Lug Nuts: The Principles of Balanced Leadership on Amazon
• 360Connext® post, Destructive Leadership Practices: Is Your CEO in Denial?
• Customers That Stick® post, How Employee Empowerment Really Works
• Episode 204: (Tip) Customer Service Leadership
• Episode 087: The Next Generation of Customer Experience Leaders
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

---

Sponsor message:

Free Webinar On Demand

Jeannie is a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP) who has held highly engaging Customer Experience Mission workshops for larger audiences, and customized ones for clients with outstanding results. Sign up to learn how to start your own Customer Experience Mission, for free!

• Make your mission statement meaningful, both to customers and employees
• Ensure customer-facing employeesnot only meet, but exceed expectations
• Turn ordinary processes into a conduit for your mission, and positive change
• Steps for creating a mission your team will be proud to get behind

Visit CXWebinar.com to sign up for free, and check out more free webinars!
 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

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