Welcome to our blog. On here, you will find a collection of articles from the entire panel and some great syndicated articles as well.
Seems obvious, right? It’s hard to have customers if you don’t have sales. True. But what happens after the sale? What happens when you are trying to establish relationships with prospects but don’t know what will hurt the relationship later? Too often, organizations
In many ways, customer experience is still a new phenomenon. Ok that’s not really accurate, of course. Your customers have experiences with you, and judge their relationship with your brand based on how they feel about those experiences, whether you want them to or not. But the idea of
Customer Experience is making great inroads into business, both in the US and in Europe. The 2017 KPMG Nunwood Customer Experience Excellence Analysis benchmarks CX efforts on both sides of the Atlantic. This CX Resource also brings crystal clear insights useful to any serious customer
There’s a part of your customer journey that is most likely inconsistent. It’s those pesky people. Going from one hotel front desk to the next or calling different customer service reps can have very different outcomes. Sometimes calling the same customer service rep on a
In the last decade, many brands have used customer experience processes and perspectives to complete corporate turnarounds and experience make-overs. Some have seen their fortunes rise. Some have even stayed at elevated levels. They all use the six customer experience pillars. [SIDEBAR:
Nearly 70% of shoppers will revisit a clothing store because of personalization. This from Springboard Retail , a provider of point-of-sale (POS) software with enterprise-grade retail management features. You can read the entire study here. If you follow this survey’s implied
It’s all about your people. And it’s also about…your people. Several customer experience case studies confirmed this idea at Medallia’s Experience 2017 conference. They are valuable reminders of how customers are people, and they respond best to people
I’ve been so fortunate to work with some really great people. Many of these were clients who were charged with leading customer experience change within large companies. There are so many challenges in these positions. In most cases, it’s new philosophy, limited staff and authority,
Hall of Fame Class of 2012–Pizza Shuttle I’m pretty sure everyone loves pizza. There are just so many ways that you can enjoy it. A variety of crusts, toppings, sauces, and servings really can make just about anyone happy. Plus, because there are so many different places to get
Hall of Fame Class of 2012–Ikea I still remember the first time I walked into IKEA. Let’s just say that I once thought walking into Target was going to be a suck on my wallet. Of course, as anyone who has been to IKEA knows, there are ample opportunities to furnish your place for so
“Your call may be recorded for training and quality purposes.” We’ve all heard this before. Companies use call center recordings for training and compliance purposes. But imagine a solution that uses technology, data and analytics in real-time to automatically match customers
You might have noticed that I talk a lot about customer experience. Perhaps this is because of how important the experience of your customer is–but how little time companies seem to put into making customer experiences special. One thing I’ve noticed is that over the years,
These days, Amazon is practically a household name. Of course, they haven’t always been at the top of the game. In fact, it took a lot of hard work and customer care to get to where they are now. Among companies today, Amazon is arguably the leader in continuously raising the bar. In
Have you ever had to deal with a customer who was really angry? While most days aren’t perfect, if generally takes a lot for us to get red-in-the-face angry. Of course there are exceptions to this rule, and some people are just plain nasty. But most of us
Hall of Fame Class of 2012–Kiehl’s Try it before you can buy it. Those words are music to my ears. Whether I’m buying a new car, sampling a new flavor of ice cream, or searching for a new pair of shoes–I want to be able to try something before I make my purchase. In
There are so many marketing companies out there these days doing so many different things. From commanding the digital space to being more effective in branding, marketing companies certainly aren’t lacking in options for their specialty. But while the number of marketing companies
Some might argue technology is making us less human. Others would argue just the opposite. No matter which opinion you share, you can’t dispute the rising trend of personal data collection and its effect on behavior change. But while behavior change might not be your ultimate goal, it can
Hall of Fame Class of 2012–L.L. Bean In my experience (and probably yours) the word “no” when it comes to good customer service is unheard of. After all, “no” has a negative connotation in most cases. That’s why when, as a customer, I experience the word
Hall of Fame Class of 2012–Besito Dining out continues to be a bit of a luxury these days. Whether it’s fast food or a sit down restaurant, the fact is that not every household can afford the perk of eating outside their home. Perhaps that’s why when I go out to dine with my
It seems like a lot of people talk about data. It’s important to note that data plays a big role in today’s world. There is so much that can be learned from data, assuming you know where to look and how to analyze it. The good news is that even if you don’t know how […]
Service culture is the holy grail for many organizations. It’s the secret sauce of those companies we hold up as the role models of customer-centricity. Companies like Rackspace or Safelite are well-known disruptors in their industries simply because they focus like crazy
Hall of Fame Class of 2012–Mitchells As customers, we like to know that we’re appreciated. Perhaps that is why even the smallest gesture from a company we’ve done business with has a huge impact. Jack Mitchell is CEO of The Mitchells Family of Stores, and owns several high-end
Ever hear of a “stop doing” list? All the cool kids and productivity gurus have mentioned them. The idea is to create a not-to-do list so you are reminded of tasks you should delegate, ignore, or intentionally decide to cease. Thinking in these terms, here’s a quick list for 3
It’s not them, it’s you. Have you used voice search yet? The answer is probably yes if you’ve got an Amazon Echo or a smart phone. Have you used voice search in your business to improve your customer’s experience yet? The answer is probably no, but it shouldn’t be.
I’ll be honest. When we started recording episodes for our Crack the Customer Code podcast, I wasn’t sure if my co-host Adam Toporek and I would have enough to discuss. I mean, how much is there, really, to say about customer experience and customer service? And yet… Week
It’s been an eventful few days during my latest pilgrimage to the South By Southwest (SXSW) Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas. Yes, I’ve had my share of good barbecue, live music and a few margaritas. Copyright 2017 · 360Connext But I’ve also been soaking in
I get a lot of “what a cool job!” when I describe what I do. It sounds so glamorous. And everyone is a customer, so of course I hear about the worst customer service they ever had, or less frequently, the very best they’ve experienced. It is awesome. I love what I do. But as
This will be my tenth journey to Austin for the South By Southwest Interactive Conference (SXSW) in March. It’s a crazy few days of social media, digital marketing, internet rock stars and barbecue. Whether you’ve been many times like me or are just heading there
Consistently gathering customer feedback is a great way to see patterns around satisfaction, loyalty and other key performance indicators, but some of the most valuable information hides beyond typical survey results. There are important questions customers would love to answer for you, should
Customers hear from you regularly. Right? As you dwell on how often you actually connect with a customer (once a week? once every few months? never?) I want to remind you of one simple fact. Your customers, if they are truly customers, pay you regularly. They probably receive an invoice of some
This interview was conducted by John Mattone and first appeared February 7, 2017 on JohnMattone.com Mike Wittenstein advises leaders on how changes to their customer experiences can positively transform their brand narratives and their bottom lines. He is the managing partner at Storyminers, a
Most organizations used to lump customers into 2 simple categories: New customers and “the rest of them.” New customer acquisition is often used to gauge success – the more we gain, the better we’re doing! And what about “the rest of
This article appeared first January 10, 2017 at SharpenCX.com Customer experience expert Mike Wittenstein sheds light on enhanced customer expectations, AI innovation, and more. Big thanks to Mike Wittenstein for his willingness to speak with us and for his insightful
Kampyle, now part of Medallia, published this interview as a kick-off to their Emerging Trends in Customer Experience series in 2016. We’ve updated it for 2017 Can you tell us how you got into CX and why you find the space so interesting? In 1999, I was working as a thought leader
Many of you know that I started one of the world’s first digital agencies in 1992 with my business partner and creative director, Jackie Goldstein. We called it GALILEO. We picked the name not only because of Galileo’s prowess as an innovator (he brought the telescope, scientific
Amazon has formally introduced its new Amazon GO retail concept on the West Coast. Basically, you can shop without lines and without going through checkout. A combination of technologies (they say, the same ones used in self driving cars) are used to notice what you pick up and what you put in
We’ve been doing business the same way for so many decades; it’s hard to imagine other ways to achieve success. Work hard, make big profits, and always get better at what you do. These are the mantras we’ve all heard – and still share. Conversations about reimagining
Storyminers is quite proud to be included in Chattermill’s top 50 of their: The Top 100 Customer Experience Blogs You Need to Be Reading. We think it’s pretty cool because the selection is powered by Artificial Intelligence. It’s not about the most
Storyminers is quite proud to be included in Chattermill’s top 50 of their: The Top 100 Customer Experience Blogs You Need to Be Reading. We think it’s pretty cool because the selection is powered by Artificial Intelligence. It’s not about the most
It’s not easy trying to grow a business. You’re often left standing in the middle of a saturated market, scratching your head and wondering “what can we really do to separate ourselves?” Do you develop a new product, find a new market, or maybe pour money into
Sometimes, making customer experiences better can also make the world better. Here’s how one leading brand is trying. The subject line of an email this morning said “Discrimination and Belonging: What it Means to You”. I thought it was a political headline designed to sway my
Asking questions without limitations can lead to a better experience for your customers. The post Improve the Experience by Asking the Impossible Questions appeared first on Customer Experience Consulting.
We’re giving our brains a real workout when dealing with customers. We do our best to see the experience from the their perspective, to empathize with their issue and find the best solution, and simultaneously use processes and procedures to move the interaction to its
Processes involving humans (that is, ALL of them) require lots and lots of reminders, revisions and revamping. The post Document THIS! Betrayed by Customer Experience Documentation appeared first on Customer Experience Consulting.
Highly-engaged employees will deliver better experiences to your customers, leading to increased loyalty, more referrals, and more business overall. Yippee! However, employee engagement is emotional and often hinged on the very last experience an employee might have – with his or her
Your organization might be well-meaning but still ruining your customer’s day. The mission at 360Connext is simple, but we believe it’s important: We’re on a mission to create fewer ruined days for customers. I started using this as our mission when I created the company in
Employee experiences are just as important as customer experiences. In fact, if your employees aren’t ready to deliver the kind of experience your brand promises, your customers won’t get the kind of experience they desire. On the today show this morning, I was delighted by a new
Employee experiences are just as important as customer experiences. In fact, if your employees aren’t ready to deliver the kind of experience your brand promises, your customers won’t get the kind of experience they desire. On the today show this morning, I was delighted by a new
Customers are tracking brands and how they how they interact with customers. And they’re giving their friends all the dirt they find on your brand! They’re sharing information like who to contact to get things done, and when’s the best time to call and actually get an
Brands need to keep innovating. To stay ahead of the market, they need to offer the “what’s next” to stave off the competition. Innovation is about responding to the market, anticipating needs, and using a little magic to appeal to customers. I often wonder about the
Note: This article comes from the perspective of the author’s work in the science and the art of customer experience. Its implications may be more broadly received. At the beginning of their customer experience enhancement journeys, many organizations go after so-called low-hanging-fruit
Note: This article comes from the perspective of the author’s work in the science and the art of customer experience. Its implications may be more broadly received. At the beginning of their customer experience enhancement journeys, many organizations go after so-called low-hanging-fruit
Every once in a while, you come across a customer experience that just stands out for being so good. That happened to me as a consumer this summer and I wanted to share it with you. My 14-year-old daughter is in her first year of high school in an IB (international baccalaureate) program. Her
Every once in a while, you come across a customer experience that just stands out for being so good. That happened to me as a consumer this summer and I wanted to share it with you. My 14-year-old daughter is in her first year of high school in an IB (international baccalaureate) program. Her
There’s a joke about being at the top at any small business. The title of founder or president, in its deceptively simple way, covers a multitude of jobs. You can’t just run the business by doing the work, you have to run the business by stepping in as chief technology
What if the future of mobile has nothing to do with the phone in your hand? While “Mobile First” has been the mantra for at least the last few years for most smart companies, it’s really only taking off now. And now it’s almost too late. After attending several sessions,
Quality is an interesting word. We toss it around when discussing products, describing them as “high quality” or lacking it altogether. But what really is the meaning of quality? According to the dictionary, here is the definition. character with respect to fineness, or grade
A client was really excited to share something. “We have finally done all our process maps!” She was the newly appointed customer service director, and she had heard mapping was important. Several months later, and they had stacks of pages of process flows outlining what they
I heard this question while speaking to a group not too long ago. It’s a great – and surprisingly complex – inquiry. When I quizzed the group, here are a few ideas I heard: “The minute someone decides to buy, that’s when they become a customer.” “The
The following article was first released on June 8th at Clutch.com In today’s competitive marketplace, consumers have an increasing amount of choices- and they aren’t afraid to try them. There always seems to be a new product, service, or experience within reach of a
So content is king, right? Or is it context? What about the once and future king, conversion?? Content continues to be a driver for smart companies who want to attract the right prospects, market to those who want to buy and eventually convert those prospects to sales! Yee haw. Inbound sales
You only know what you know. That’s the insurmountable truth about each human’s perspective. Our lens is just that – ours. This is a particular challenge in customer experience. Think about it. Not only do you only know what you know – but your customers are each
One of the most rewarding parts of being a Customer Experience Investigator™ is when a client and I gather people from all departments of their organization to map the customer touchpoints. We call these CXI® Touchpoint Discovery Workshops because they are not only
She could’ve done a better job with Rule # 1 – Don’t Be Rude. The post Customer Experience Rule No. 1: Don’t Be Rude! appeared first on Customer Experience Consulting.
Should pricing be considered part of the customer experience? YES. The post How Does Pricing Affect Customer Experience? appeared first on Customer Experience Consulting.
I’d hope by this point anyone reading this blog understands that my passion for customer experience is a holistic one. I don’t believe one aspect or theory or channel is the “right” way. I believe it takes a measured, consistent examination of what is working and what
For well over 100 years, businesses leaders have made decisions based on what is right for the business. Business profitability first. Everything else second. Why not buy cheap chairs for the restaurant? Why not focus on the efficiency of the call center instead of delivering better customer
For well over 100 years, businesses leaders have made decisions based on what is right for the business. Business profitability first. Everything else second. Why not buy cheap chairs for the restaurant? Why not focus on the efficiency of the call center instead of delivering better customer
Customer feedback is customer experience gold. That’s why there are transaction surveys, experience surveys, customer interviews, customer focus groups (although you know I’m not a fan) and many, many formal ways to gather feedback and use it to improve the experience. But many
The following is a Best of 360Connext post Brains are fascinating. The very thing that allows me to write this blog is both an abstract idea to me and a very concrete part of my anatomy. They are simple muscles in one regard and totally complex, almost spiritual, machines in another. The
What do customers talk about after interacting with your company? Most likely, one of two things happens. They tell their friends all about the painful, frustrating experience of an interaction gone wrong. Or…they tell their friends how happy they were with the service of such an
For well over 100 years, businesses leaders have made decisions based on what is right for the business. Business profitability first. Everything else second. Why not buy cheap chairs for the restaurant? Why not focus on the efficiency of the call center instead of delivering better customer
For well over 100 years, businesses leaders have made decisions based on what is right for the business. Business profitability first. Everything else second. Why not buy cheap chairs for the restaurant? Why not focus on the efficiency of the call center instead of delivering better customer
I always feel a little bad when I inevitably silence the room with a simple question. The post THE Customer Experience Question That Silences The Room appeared first on Customer Experience Consulting.
How important is customer experience in your organization? Most executives now consider customer experience a priority, but so many of them are still not ready to get serious about it. You may be among those who don’t have the resources necessary to improve the big picture, but you still
What do you think when someone tells you about something that’s “gone viral?” Do you think it’s a funny video? A cringe-worthy comment? A parody of the latest topic in the zeitgeist? I don’t know about you, but I don’t think of customer experience as a
Do millennials really approach everything differently than generations before them? Or are the challenges of designing for them simply the same challenges as designing and delivering experiences for any group? Yes, millennials approach the world a little differently. But so does every
#of hours/year: this is when health happens. @markhymanmd #PESummit pic.twitter.com/ETpMikdraP — Jeannie Walters (@jeanniecw) May 16, 2016 Thoughts from the Cleveland Clinic Patient Empathy Summit (Part 2) In case you missed it, you may be interested in reading Part 1: The
Customers can’t always tell us what they want, even when we ask them to leave feedback. So is there another way to learn what they will want next, before they take their business elsewhere? Customer data, feedback and market research can still help guide your next
Thoughts from the Cleveland Clinic Patient Empathy Summit (Part 1) I had the immense honor of being a part of the Cleveland Clinic Patient Empathy Summit. This is the place where the idea of patient experience became a reality. These are the people who are making it happen. To say I was
[Originally published on APADMI Apr 20, 2016 – Advice & Guides, Blog as:] Integration of Mobile into Retailers Business Model Roundtable Apadmi have recently produced a whitepaper exploring the integration of mobile into a retailer’s business model and the benefits it can bring.
[Originally published on APADMI Apr 20, 2016 – Advice & Guides, Blog as:] Integration of Mobile into Retailers Business Model Roundtable Apadmi have recently produced a whitepaper exploring the integration of mobile into a retailer’s business model and the benefits it can bring.
[Originally published on APADMI Apr 20, 2016 – Advice & Guides, Blog as:] Integration of Mobile into Retailers Business Model Roundtable Apadmi have recently produced a whitepaper exploring the integration of mobile into a retailer’s business model and the benefits it can bring.
Loyalty is often the holy grail of customer experience. It’s seen as the end goal. The raison d’etre for many companies. After all, loyal customers mean more revenue, more repeat business, more referrals and just more more more! Yes, loyal customers mean more. But how do
One of my favorite things to do is to facilitate a co-creation session with a client and their customers. They always lead to incredible insights thanks to the honest feedback of those in the room. Recently, I facilitated a session with a B2B company that was losing a bit of ground to
[originally posted on the User Testing Blog 3/06/2016 by Spencer Lanoue] Investing in customer experience drives revenue growth and increases customer loyalty. According to Gartner, customer experience will be the main battleground for competing companies over the next two years. And
[originally posted on the User Testing Blog 3/06/2016 by Spencer Lanoue] Investing in customer experience drives revenue growth and increases customer loyalty. According to Gartner, customer experience will be the main battleground for competing companies over the next two years. And
[originally posted on the User Testing Blog 3/06/2016 by Spencer Lanoue] Investing in customer experience drives revenue growth and increases customer loyalty. According to Gartner, customer experience will be the main battleground for competing companies over the next two years. And
How much can you learn about the present and the future Customer Experience Design in 7 minutes? Find out by reading an interview I did with Marketforce 20/20, a European Union producer of customer experience conferences. In it, you’ll find practical info to help you with your own
How much can you learn about the present and the future Customer Experience Design in 7 minutes? Find out by reading an interview I did with Marketforce 20/20, a European Union producer of customer experience conferences. In it, you’ll find practical info to help you with your own
How much can you learn about the present and the future Customer Experience Design in 7 minutes? Find out by reading an interview I did with Marketforce 20/20, a European Union producer of customer experience conferences. In it, you’ll find practical info to help you with your own
I have a question for you today. Think about how much effort you exert every day. You have responsibilities. You work hard, you care about the results you get, and you are a leader in a professional sense. You also have the regular responsibilities of life. You have to eat, take care of
It’s become cliché to say it, but everyone does own the customer experience. If the custodian sweeping up doesn’t believe his role plays a part, then it’s easy to pull the thread and suddenly nobody thinks they own the experience overall. I ask this question a lot when
This Interview was conducted by ReachForce and first appeared March 9, 2016 Mike Wittenstein leads Storyminers, a pioneering customer experience design firm based in Atlanta. We recently checked in with them to discuss some of the challenges enterprises face in managing customer experience
This Interview was conducted by ReachForce and first appeared March 9, 2016 Mike Wittenstein leads Storyminers, a pioneering customer experience design firm based in Atlanta. We recently checked in with them to discuss some of the challenges enterprises face in managing customer
This Interview was conducted by ReachForce and first appeared March 9, 2016 Mike Wittenstein leads Storyminers, a pioneering customer experience design firm based in Atlanta. We recently checked in with them to discuss some of the challenges enterprises face in managing customer
This Interview was conducted by ReachForce and first appeared March 9, 2016 Mike Wittenstein leads Storyminers, a pioneering customer experience design firm based in Atlanta. We recently checked in with them to discuss some of the challenges enterprises face in managing customer
When it comes to customer experience, there is no shortage of advice. Maybe your boss read “that book” on how to map your customer’s journey. Or maybe you were tasked with being the “customer experience” guy and dove into the many blogs, books, and podcasts about
“Say please!” I say this to my children in a nearly constant refrain. Actually, now that they are pretty good about manners, I typically just give them a Mom glare and the polite words fall out of their mouths. But they have also learned that these words matter not because of the
The National CXPA Organization is working hard to put together another stellar Insight Exchange this year in the ATL. Those of us who live in the area have jumped into the mix and are adding some fun things to keep participants busy and help them see our wonderful city. Each
The National CXPA Organization is working hard to put together another stellar Insight Exchange this year in the ATL. Those of us who live in the area have jumped into the mix and are adding some fun things to keep participants busy and help them see our wonderful city. Each
The National CXPA Organization is working hard to put together another stellar Insight Exchange this year in the ATL. Those of us who live in the area have jumped into the mix and are adding some fun things to keep participants busy and help them see our wonderful city. Each
Co-creation sessions, customer journey workshops and customer-focused innovation summits can sound so sexy and intriguing. We envision a group working cohesively, rolling up their collective sleeves to create an improved customer-centric culture and earn long-term loyalty from customers.
Consumers have power. In the old-school approaches to business, companies thought they were essential if they sold goods and services people wanted. Nowadays, the abundance of competition means that no single company can afford to become complacent. For long-term success, they need
We live in a digital world, constantly connected, where information is always at our fingertips. With all this information, businesses have the tricky task of standing out from all the chatter and building strong relationships with their customers. Millennials are changing the way brands market
It was my 7th? 8th? year attending the South By Southwest Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas, and yet again, it didn’t disappoint. The old-timers will lament the days of easy navigation and fewer crowds, and I’m certainly one of them. But I also walk away with my wheels turning
Customer experience is the new black. If you haven’t already heard, experience is HOT. Every savvy marketer, designer, branding strategist, corporate leader, social media blogger and keynote speaker is now a customer experience expert. I say this not with total sarcasm (only a touch)
For most businesses, improving customer service is a constant aim, as it is one area where they can separate themselves from competitors. It is, therefore, little wonder that many company bosses invest heavily in their efforts to improve customer service training, in order to bring staff
Another “for the millennials” headline pops up every day. As millennials become a bigger part of the market, stepping into adulthood and the paychecks that come with it, companies are trying just about anything to attract this demographic. They are considered different. They
Don’t get me started. People just want to complain and complain and shout from their Facebook page. I say forget it! This was the start of a very bumpy ride with a cab driver recently. He saw me on my phone, asked me if I was one of those who “did Facebook.” I confirmed I […]
If your customers think you deliver an “average” service experience, there is NO shortcut to getting them to become emotionally engaged, loyal, zealots of your brand. Don’t get me wrong. A well-designed service improvement initiative MIGHT result in a temporary spike in
If you’re an experience designer (or want to become one), one of the most important tools you can develop for your work is empathy for others. Empathy creates more value for customers than knowing statistical analysis programs and is often more helpful in design than having NetPromoter® scores.
If you’re an experience designer (or want to become one), one of the most important tools you can develop for your work is empathy for others. Empathy creates more value for customers than knowing statistical analysis programs and is often more helpful in design than having
If you’re an experience designer (or want to become one), one of the most important tools you can develop for your work is empathy for others. Empathy creates more value for customers than knowing statistical analysis programs and is often more helpful in design than having
If you’re an experience designer (or want to become one), one of the most important tools you can develop for your work is empathy for others. Empathy creates more value for customers than knowing statistical analysis programs and is often more helpful in design than having
(image courtesy of info.comm-works.com) Last week’s blog covered the first of two themes that emerged for me at the National Retail Federation’s Big Show in New York. “Retailers are acting on the notion that customers’ needs are different than their own.” That blog painted a picture of how the
(image courtesy of info.comm-works.com) Last week’s blog covered the first of two themes that emerged for me at the National Retail Federation’s Big Show in New York. “Retailers are acting on the notion that customers’ needs are different than their own.” That blog
(image courtesy of info.comm-works.com) Last week’s blog covered the first of two themes that emerged for me at the National Retail Federation’s Big Show in New York. “Retailers are acting on the notion that customers’ needs are different than their own.” That blog
(image courtesy of info.comm-works.com) Last week’s blog covered the first of two themes that emerged for me at the National Retail Federation’s Big Show in New York. “Retailers are acting on the notion that customers’ needs are different than their own.” That blog
You know the feeling. You see a customer heading your way to complain. Or maybe they’ve already submitted feedback and checked the “please follow up” box on the form. Or maybe your employees have warned you about the person who has complained to them already and is bringing
The following post is an excerpt from the book, Blue Goldfish. It is the foreword written by Shep Hyken: The Big Data conversation in business today is hard to miss. You can’t go far without running into it. Big Data, as a definition, is a collection of data that’s difficult to
NRF’s Big Show (image courtesy of www.fierceretail.com) During the second week of January each year, The Jacob K. Javitz Center in New York is home to the National Retail Federation’s annual retail show. It’s called the BIG Show because, well, it’s big. Hundreds of vendors to the retail trade
NRF’s Big Show (image courtesy of www.fierceretail.com) During the second week of January each year, The Jacob K. Javitz Center in New York is home to the National Retail Federation’s annual retail show. It’s called the BIG Show because, well, it’s big. Hundreds of
NRF’s Big Show (image courtesy of www.fierceretail.com) During the second week of January each year, The Jacob K. Javitz Center in New York is home to the National Retail Federation’s annual retail show. It’s called the BIG Show because, well, it’s big. Hundreds of
NRF’s Big Show (image courtesy of www.fierceretail.com) During the second week of January each year, The Jacob K. Javitz Center in New York is home to the National Retail Federation’s annual retail show. It’s called the BIG Show because, well, it’s big. Hundreds of
Last week’s post predicted that customers won’t stand for technology that constantly sells to them. It predicted 2016 as the year predictive analytics and other ‘sensing’ technologies will be used to serve customers first. Chick-fil-A [private], now America’s favorite chain restaurant, is
At the end of last year, I was invited to share my customer experience predictions for 2016 with MarketForce, a sponsor-funded European Union event production company. The only guideline was to focus on what could/should happen in 2016. With the retail industry fresh on my mind as I prepared
Managing time and workload will be the biggest challenge that customer support professionals face in 2016. With the rise of multichannel support, there’s a risk that support professionals will burn out if they don’t take steps to manage their workload more effectively. A new study
Last week’s post predicted that customers won’t stand for technology that constantly sells to them. It predicted 2016 as the year predictive analytics and other ‘sensing’ technologies will be used to serve customers first. Chick-fil-A [private], now America’s
Last week’s post predicted that customers won’t stand for technology that constantly sells to them. It predicted 2016 as the year predictive analytics and other ‘sensing’ technologies will be used to serve customers first. Chick-fil-A [private], now America’s
What’s the inspiration behind the BLUE in Blue Goldfish? Here is an excerpt from the book Blue Goldfish: (BONUS: On 2/2 and 2/4, the Blue Goldfish eBook will be free for download on Amazon. Click here to get your copy) Blue Goldfish brings together two symbolic concepts to describe the
Employee engagement is a key driver in delivering great customer experiences. Without a dedicated and engaged workforce, customer complaints increase, loyalty decreases, and the company is less successful. And while it’s of course critically important to keep employees engaged and
This is a guest post from Dr. Joseph Michelli, the New York Times best-selling author. It features a story about Mercedes-Benz from his latest book, Driven to Delight: Delivering World-Class Customer Experience the Mercedes-Benz Way I’ve long been a believer that we should spend more time
We’ve all had those disagreements. One person says something along the lines of “It’s not what you said. It’s how you said it.” The other person stands his or her ground. “I did NOT say it like that. No way.” This is the human experience. We
Heads up …when it comes to customer service, certain (painful) truths are universal. Customer service is such an important part in keeping people coming back to your business, and the specifics of your product or service don’t really matter. Even as technology advances, some
At the end of last year, I was invited to share my customer experience predictions for 2016 with MarketForce, a sponsor-funded European Union event production company. The only guideline was to focus on what could/should happen in 2016. With the retail industry fresh on my mind as I prepared
The post Guest Blogger: Sarah Caulfield, 7 Things Your Customers Wish You Knew About Them appeared first on Customer Experience Consulting.
It’s important to have rules. There is no doubt about that. In any organization, we need processes and rules to help establish what the expectations are. But having a list of rules without connecting them to a WHY is a recipe for disaster. Give you people a mission with meaning. Companies
It seems to be human nature to focus on the unnecessary but more attractive/compelling/interesting/entertaining distractions instead of the stalwart/steady/reliable but boring items in our everyday lives. How many moments do we give to social media, Buzzfeed, Candy Crush, etc? We do this in
Customer service. It used to be a specific thing. It was the desk with the curvy cursive letters above it in the grocery store. Then it evolved into the toll-free number for issues with package delivery. Then it became the click-to-email link at the bottom of websites for technology. The
What a year! We’ve had an exciting year at 360Connext, and we’ve learned a lot. I hope you’ve had a chance to learn along with us! In case you’re just hearing about us, or you haven’t subscribed for updates, we’ve put together a heaping handful of our best
There’s a reason we all love The Onion, America’s finest parody news source. The Onion, with their satirical and sometimes silly headlines and articles, reflect back the world many of us are seeing. In 2015, The Onion showcased customer service (and lack thereof) many times. These 5
We’re moving into an age that is becoming more and more mobile. Every conference speaker I’ve seen for the past several years has discussed the importance of designing customer experiences around our obsession with mobile devices. Who doesn’t want to deliver a personalized
The holiday season will be over before you know it. Your customer pain points are showing! In the past several weeks, your customers have become more and more hurried and stressed as they try to find the perfect gifts. Has your retail experience been able to handle
It was a privilege to present at the recent Next Generation Patient Experience conference. I had never attended a conference solely focused on healthcare, so I learned a lot about what innovative healthcare systems are doing to improve the patient experience. There are definite best practices,
Have you ever thought about how cool it would be to have one of those dinner parties with people you admire? I believe many of us dream of getting folks around a table to share what inspires them, how they are successful, and what makes them tick. That’s essentially how I see the podcast
It’s the time of year we do our best to be grateful. In the United States, we typically do this in part with a turkey dinner and family time in honor of Thanksgiving. But how can we make customer appreciation a living part of the customer journey? Here are 5 easy ways to
1. Fall in love with the problem, not the solution. The mantra among leaders of the software company Intuit is to fall in love with the problem, not the solution. Suzanne Pellican, a Design Fellow at Intuit and opening keynote speaker at a conference called Delight, told the story of how 10
For those of us who are sports fans (cough cough, Go Cubs!) it’s sometimes weird to hear about our beloved teams as “products.” This term is thrown around a lot by team owners who fight with cities over stadiums and parking lots. In the last few months, I’ve had the
It’s not every day you solve a $50,000 problem. That’s what the customer service manager had just done. It was a billing issue that fooled the company’s CRM system into thinking a customer’s payment had been processed when it really hadn’t. Incredibly, the IT
All of our customers are users… That may be true, but is there another way to look at the experience? Our Chief Customer Experience Investigator™ Jeannie Walters was part of a panel discussion with a brilliant group of enlightened leaders at the WebVisions Chicago
I admit I was nervous. Growing up in the 1980’s and 90’s, the only association with the city of Medellin or the country of Colombia was hearing about the violence on the news. The violence is what made the news, of course, and it was primarily due to the drug trade. What
The Rory Vaden show is a weekly podcast that Rory hosts every Wednesday, which is regularly in the Top 25 of Business News Podcasts and has listeners from all around the world. The show shares “insights and inspiration for movers and shakers in the world of business”™. Each
Your customers are already evaluating the experience you are delivering. And they’re making decisions because of it. 89% of customers will decide based on customer experience in 2016. How can you create a better customer experience now to compete in this changing marketplace? 1.
The ideal customer journey is so tempting. It’s so magical to start designing the beautiful, happy day journey for our customers. On their best day, they fall in love with our products, they get excited at the unexpected moments of delight we offer, and they move on to become
My husband Jason and I recently took a short trip to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, a favorite childhood destination of mine, just to unwind after several chaotic weeks of packing and moving across the city. We were seriously beat, and looking for something much more low-key than our usual trip
Did you know that by 2016, 89% of companies will compete mainly by the customer experience they provide? Are you preparing your customer experience strategy for this? Your survey data and customer dashboards only tell part of the story. The last quarter of the year is the perfect time to
Did you know customer experience is the new: marketing customer advantage trend in business user interface answer ???? No. It’s not. It’s not any of these things, and yet I keep seeing blog posts and articles and podcasts and books that make these claims. It’s not new.
A common refrain in customer experience circles is that to deliver a winning experience, you first need to empower your employees. But does it work? And what does employee empowerment really mean? In an ideal world, employees are empowered to use their best judgment to resolve customer issues
A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of being invited to an event sponsored by Freshdesk as part of their Customer Happiness Tour. The intimate event was a chance to get to know customer experience leaders from brands in the Chicago area, as well as hear speakers from Zappos and Judson
During a recent trip to DC I had the opportunity to be a guest on the TV show, “We Mean Business.” The show just aired on Channel 16 on MMC-TV. Here is the conversation with Steve Dorfman from Driven to Excel: [embedded content] Here are some of things we talked about: G.L.U.E.
It was supposed to be a routine, but necessary, appointment… At my son’s physical, we noticed a weird thing and were referred to a dermatologist. (I’m happy to report there is nothing wrong.) But this is not the story of the actual medical diagnosis. This is the story of
I’m lucky to have some conversations with smart people all across my industry. Thanks to a gathering of some Chicago Customer Experience Professional Association members and guests recently, my brain swirled with what could be next for customer experience. I may actually have walked away
The following is a Best of 360Connext post. Do truly loyal customers actually exist? I argue the answer is no. Before you start quoting Steve Jobs and proclaiming your allegiance to the almighty Apple, please consider this: The fans of Netflix were die-hard, once
Jeffery Sears, CEO of PIRCH, interviewed by Mike Wittenstein of Storyminers I went to visit the new Atlanta PIRCH store in Buckhead, near Lenox Square just a few weeks ago and I was blown away by the experience. With 20 years of customer experience under my belt, it takes a lot to impress me.
This was a guest post I wrote on 360 Connext: Gartner released research that showed by 2016 that 89% of companies will compete mainly on the customer experience they provide. To demonstrate how the experience has grown in importance, that number was 34% back in 2011. The challenge for
http://mikewittenstein.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/pirch-interview_edited_2015.mp3Jeffery Sears, CEO of PIRCH, interviewed by Mike Wittenstein of Storyminers I went to visit the new Atlanta PIRCH store in Buckhead, near Lenox Square just a few weeks ago and I was blown away by the
The following is a Best of 360Connext post. Reviewing customers’ online experience is one of the most common ways we at 360Connext help our clients. We have a proprietary process and corresponding report which make sure all the main objective bases are covered – navigation,
This was a guest post I wrote on Convince and Convert: Dr. Harry Coover discovered the material Cyanoacrylate in 1942. He was searching for a substance to use on a clear gun sight for a rifle. Cyanoacrylate was unsuited and ill-equipped for the purpose. It literally stuck to everything it came
The following is a Best of 360Connext post. I’m always amazed when organizational leaders don’t recognize the significance of the small things. They say things like “one comment isn’t going to hurt us” or “anecdotes are mostly irrelevant.” Big data is
The following is a Best of 360Connext post. Humans like things that make sense. Math. Logic. GPS Directions. Customer journeys are often represented in the same way. The sales funnel is so simple, in theory. We put the many prospects in the top, they travel willingly and orderly through the
Here is the slideshare from my TEDx Douglasville talk entitled: “Rethinking Business With the Power of G.L.U.E.” According to Gartner, by 2016, 89% of businesses will compete mostly on customer experience. There is a need to create powerful unique experiences to drive
There is a booming industry around subscription services right now. Birchbox is possibly the best known and one of the most successful business models. But the list of subscription products is a long one now. You can order monthly boxes of video games, curated outfits, beer, razors, or anything
Starbucks wasn’t the first place to let customers buy something on-line and pick it up in-store. However, they’ve done a good job of integrating the new service into their operations. The details have been engineered into an amazingly simple experience that makes it easy on customers—and easy
Starbucks wasn’t the first place to let customers buy something on-line and pick it up in-store. However, they’ve done a good job of integrating the new service into their operations. The details have been engineered into an amazingly simple experience that makes it easy on
Customers don’t care who owns what part of their business, but organizations often do. This conflict leads to customer frustration and decreased loyalty. Think about it. Your org chart most likely is split into what the business sees as logical groups. Marketing might include web
What makes a B2B customer experience memorable? Do we really know? When shopping for outside services to help connect us to our customers, we see lots of language about ease of use, cost-effectiveness, and overall efficiency. There may be a case study and some hard data to go along with
Mapping the journey your customers take with you from their perspective can be a very powerful tool. In B2B experiences, journey maps can become very complicated, very quickly. Who is the customer, exactly? Are we mapping for the purchaser of our product or the person who decides the purchase
Guest post by Evan Carroll (co-author of the upcoming book Blue Goldfish) If you’ve looked for a video conferencing solution lately, chances are you’ve encountered Highfive, a new device that turns an ordinary television into a video conferencing system. One thing I love about
photo credit to Igor Bulgarin / Shutterstock.com Managing principal at Storyminers and experience design expert, Mike Wittenstein, shares his views on how marketing can take the lead on transformational change: Marketing leaders are perfectly positioned to orchestrate their company’s customer
As a full-time experience designer with 15 years of experience, it takes something pretty spectacular to turn my head. Eye-popping innovation for top-notch service Ebay’s new retail store (an effort with the until now on-line only Rebecca Minkoff store) didn’t just make me turn my head, it made
In honor of my keynote today in Toronto for Liberty Tax, I’m making all of my eBooks free today on June 25, 2015: http://bit.ly/purplegoldfishhttp://bit.ly/ greengoldfishebookhttp://bit.ly/goldengoldfish What is a Purple Goldfish? Here’s a quick three minute video on the
I had the pleasure of reading Jeanne Bliss’s new book, Chief Customer Officer 2.0, and can’t wait to tell you why you should read it! It’s more than a manifesto and detailed enough to be a handbook, so read on to see why you should pick it up ASAP! Pioneering the Role of CCO
[embedded content] Why Purple and Why a Goldfish? In this interview with the Alberta AMA, I discuss the thinking behind a Purple Goldfish. The little things you do in customer experience to exceed the expectations of your customer. Going above and beyond to drive
Social media as a customer service channel is now a given. Customers turn to this method when they are frustrated, and aren’t afraid to air their grievances publicly. 67% of consumers have used a company’s social media site for servicing, according to J.D. Power. Marketers and
Little things can truly make a big difference in the customer experience today. Customers expect organizations to understand their individual needs. Info-sense, a top trend in customer service, is the ability to utilize data to understand the individual needs of your customer and personalize
“It’s just so much!” It’s a refrain I hear and live every day. Executives tell me: There is usually so much we COULD do with customer experience. We want to provide more, better, faster…but in order to do that for our customers we have to change entire legacy
photo credit to Igor Bulgarin / Shutterstock.com Managing principal at Storyminers and experience design expert, Mike Wittenstein, shares his views on how marketing can take the lead on transformational change: Marketing leaders are perfectly positioned to orchestrate their
I had the unique opportunity to be part of a small crowd of business leaders invited to a special event hosted by American Express. American Express CEO Ken Chenault and Jack Ma, Founder of Alibaba, sat on a small stage and asked each other a few questions about small business, customer-first
Ever walk in on a couple who is in the middle of a fight? It’s human to want to back away slowly, hoping they don’t see you. It’s awkward and uncomfortable. We don’t like it. Organizational culture can reveal itself to customers in the same awkward and uncomfortable
Gartner released research that showed by 2016 that 89% of companies will compete mainly on the customer experience they provide. To demonstrate how the experience has grown in importance, that number was 34% back in 2011. The challenge for today’s business is how to differentiate the
Organizations long for brand advocates. Advocates love their products, provide valuable feedback, and want to spread the news about their favorite company to others! Yet many companies don’t really do much for or with the advocates they have. I myself have been invited into
I hosted a webinar last week about digital experience. We’ve developed a process here called Digital Micromapping. This is the next step after customer journey maps in some cases, the first case in others. In the webinar, we covered some of the typical issues we uncover during these
Ask any group of customers what they liked about any recent customer experience, and they typically mention the same thing. Although they aren’t things… It’s always about the people. Rachel McCarthy, Vice President of In-Flight Experience for Jet Blue, said during her talk at
As a full-time experience designer with 15 years of experience, it takes something pretty spectacular to turn my head. Eye-popping innovation for top-notch service Ebay’s new retail store (an effort with the until now on-line only Rebecca Minkoff store) didn’t just make me turn
What are your company’s core values? It seems like a simple question. And though most of us have a solid vision of what kind of experience we want to deliver, many of us would need to think about core values for a few minutes before answering. Here’s a tougher question: How would
My TEDxDouglasville is now live on the TED channel on YouTube. Here’s the video:[embedded content] The title is “Rethinking Business With the Power of G.L.U.E.” According to Gartner, by 2016, 89% of businesses will compete mostly on customer experience. That percentage was
Have you ever considered the many, many ways content impacts the customer experience? I have. I’ve dwelled on it. And then I read Ann Handley’s book Everybody Writes and realized she was on to this idea, too. The first person in the world to have the title Chief Content Officer, Ann
The following is a Best of 360Connext post. What is customer experience? According to Wikipedia, it’s this: Customer experience (CX) is the sum of all experiences a customer has with a supplier of goods and/or services, over the duration of
Understanding what your customers are doing when is such a sexy, intriguing topic. We all want to better comprehend why our customers behave the way they do and when they make certain choices. If we can understand that, then we can understand what and how and when to sell, communicate and
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