Episodes
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I first met Tom DeVries when he was giving a keynote at the 2024 CXM 360 Conference at Michigan State University. Tom took an unorthodox approach to the keynote by not talking for the first 5 minutes. What? Yup! He used non-verbals, videos, and audio cues to engage the audience.
Tom has built a successful design firm and has shifted his focus in the last 12 years to include customer experience. He is an expert in human-centered design and has worked with some of the biggest brands in the US.
He shares some invaluable wisdom in this episode including:
CX Metrics vs. Genuine Improvement:
Tom criticizes organizations for focusing too much on CX metrics rather than genuine improvements.
Operational Changes for Better CX:
He suggests that organizations should initiate changes at the operational level before implementing measurement systems.
Transformative Change in CX:
Tom speaks about the need for transformative change in CX.
Adaptability in CX Roles:
Tom notes the importance of learning how to learn and adapting quickly in the current business environment. How can CX leaders foster a culture of adaptability within their teams?
Case Studies and Pilot Programs:
Tom emphasizes using case studies and pilot programs to demonstrate CX improvements. He discusses some key elements that should be included in a case study to make it impactful
Brand Behavior and Customer Perception:
The episode discusses how a brand is defined by its behavior and how it is perceived through customer experiences.
The episode touches on the idea that brands today compete for relationships rather than transactions. How can businesses effectively build and maintain strong relationships with their customers?
Shifting from Mechanical to Ecosystem Thinking:
He urges businesses to shift from mechanical to ecosystem thinking. In what ways can adopting an ecosystem mindset benefit an organization in today’s fast-paced environment?
Storytelling in Brand Strategy:
The role of storytelling in brand strategy is highlighted in the episode.
The episode is loaded with useful insights; some of which challenge traditional CX approaches.
Meet Tom:
Tom DeVries is a creative, straight-shooting strategist with a reputation for crafting industry-leading products,
brands, and experiences. By fusing business, technology, and humanity, he creates solutions that hit hard, turn
heads, and boost bottom lines. As the founder of ThoughtFull, an award-winning design firm, and Crucx, the world’s simplest customer
experience operating system, Tom drives growth by liberating organizations and their customers from the ordinary. -
One of the most challenging jobs is to change a culture that achieved success with legacy thinking. It all starts with trust, especially if you are a CX leader. Stuart Gilchriest is a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP) who has worked in CX for 10+ years across multiple industries .
After starting his career in the hospitality industry in his native England, he transitioned into Customer Experience roles in the travel industry and became a respected voice on VOC program management, CX Strategy and Experience Design. He is most proud of helping Hertz achieve their only JD Power Customer Satisfaction wins in the past 20 years, in 2019 and 2020.
Stuart shares some practical applications in this episode including:
Community Support: Stuart emphasizes the importance of reaching out to communities for support when facing challenges.
The Forgetting Curve: Stuart discusses the "forgetting curve" by Ebbinghaus and the importance of reinforcing information through repetition. How can this concept be applied effectively within an organization to improve stakeholder engagement and information retention?
The Role of Repetition in CX: How do you ensure that key information and messages are consistently reinforced with your stakeholders to foster deeper relationships and ensure effective communication?
Change Management and ADKAR: The episode touches on change management models like ADKAR.
Building Trust: Stuart speaks about building and maintaining trust through practices like listening tours and the "emotional bank account" concept.
CX Roadmap: Stuart emphasizes the importance of a CX roadmap that addresses both short-term and long-term goals while aligning with stakeholder metrics.
This episode is packed with gems
Meet Stuart:
Stuart Gilchriest, a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP) has worked in CX for 10+ years across multiple industries including hospitality, education, travel, vehicle rental (Hertz), and HR technology (UKG). He is currently Director of Sales Experience at Mercury Insurance, a mid-sized P+C insurance carrier based in Los Angeles, CA. He is passionate about the CX discipline and helping turn customer and agent insights into financial and operational success for Mercury.
After starting his career in the hospitality industry in his native England, he transitioned into Customer Experience roles in the travel industry and became a respected voice on VOC program management, CX Strategy and Experience Design. He is most proud of helping Hertz achieve their only JD Power Customer Satisfaction wins in the past 20 years, in 2019 and 2020.
Stuart holds a BA in Economics from the University of Nottingham in the UK, an MBA from Hult International Business School in Boston, MA, and a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP) designation. He currently lives in Naples, FL with his wife Mayra, son Nicolas (21), daughter Mariana (5) and dog Chewy. He is a sport fanatic and has watched live sports on 5 continents (and counting), is an avid traveler (Colombia is a favorite destination), and is currently working on perfecting his homemade Indian curry recipes (the spicier the better!). -
Missing episodes?
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This week on The Delighted Customers Podcast, I’m thrilled to welcome Jeff Dickshinski, a Senior Product Designer and Design Lead at Microsoft. With a career spanning digital product development, creative management, and UX design for public-sector and Fortune 100 companies, Jeff brings a wealth of knowledge to the table.
At Microsoft, he leads the creation of mission-critical products for U.S. government and enterprise customers, leveraging human-centered design and UX research.
In this episode, we examine the shift from engineering-focused solutions to user experience-driven design. Here are four key takeaways:
👉 Embracing User Experience Design: Learn how to foster a cultural shift from engineering-centric to customer-centric solutions, including strategies for educating teams and securing leadership buy-in.
👉 Microsoft’s UX Journey: Gain insights into Microsoft’s UX maturity levels, diverse design groups, and the integration of UX into product development.
👉 Tools and Methodologies: Discover the “jobs to be done” framework and traditional personas, emphasizing the importance of understanding customer goals and emotions.
👉 Building a User-Centric Culture: Explore the value of cross-functional collaboration in creating a culture that drives better product outcomes.
Whether you’re a designer, developer, team leader, or CX professional, this episode is packed with actionable strategies to elevate your UX game.
Meet Jeff
Jeff Dickshinski is an award-winning product design professional with extensive experience in
digital product development, creative management, and visual design, for public-sector and
Fortune 100 companies. Currently, Jeff is a Senior Product Designer and Design Lead at Microsoft,
where he creates mission-critical products for U.S. government customers and internal enterprise-
level products, leveraging human-centered design, UX research, and ideation for innovative, end-
to-end experiences.
Prior to joining Microsoft, Jeff led the UX design consulting practice at LMI. He has also worked at
Marriott International and IBM. He holds a BA in psychology, from the University of Maryland at
College Park. -
Tanya Thomas is a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP) and VP of Client Experience Management and UX Design at Experian Health. She's brings years of experience in the CX world at one of the largest organizations in the world, Experian. Known as one of the big three credit bureaus, Experian Health is a major player in the healthcare market.
In this episode Tanya shares some great gems including:
Customer Intelligence and Market Trends: Tanya emphasized the importance of gathering deep customer intelligence beyond just basic operational feedback. By understanding user behaviors within software tools, monitoring market and industry trends, and exploring customer pain points, organizations can better anticipate and meet evolving customer expectations. This intelligence is crucial for staying ahead in the market and continually disrupting sectors like healthcare, where incremental improvements can significantly enhance user experience.
Mobilizing Action with Customer Insights: Tanya underscored the necessity of converting customer insights into actionable plans. It’s not enough to gather data; organizations must ensure it permeates throughout the company and drives accountability. One effective approach she highlighted was prioritizing key pain points and integrating them into the strategic priorities discussed by the executive leadership team. This ensures that actions are taken on feedback, and systematic improvements are made to enhance customer experiences.
Collaborative Leadership and Influencing Change: Tanya discussed the importance of partnership and collaborative leadership in driving CX initiatives. Instead of trying to be the hero, it's more effective to be the guide. She shared how cultivating relationships with key stakeholders, including finance teams and executive leaders, and deeply understanding the business can help in getting buy-in for CX initiatives. By using data to support the narrative and speaking the language of business success, CX leaders can influence positive change and ensure that improvements are not only implemented but also aligned with the broader organizational goals.
Meet Tanya:
She is a strategic experience management leader driving customer focus and impactful change for over 15 years in roles spanning the retail and entertainment industry, financial services, and healthcare. She aspires to ignite those around her with a sense of purpose and to be an example of authenticity and integrity.
She has had a natural inclination toward creating seamless and delightful experiences, as well as an entrepreneurial spirit, for as long as she can remember. She would be the kid that wanted to pass out fresh fruit at garage sales or bring her own creative activities and supplies to babysitting gigs to ensure repeat business.
When she was old enough for "real jobs," she set her sights on companies like Nordstrom and Disney, which further fueled her relentless dedication to the customer and her curiosity for what makes some brand experiences stand apart from the rest. Along the way, she picked up an obsession with optimizing technology to increase efficiency, and she is addicted to the rush of collaborative problem-solving. Her greatest joy, however, comes from inspiring and motivating others toward their best work and being a force of positive momentum in everything she does. -
Michael shares his impressive career journey that spans over 20 years in customer-facing roles, from the banking sector to an energy startup, and his impactful time as the SVP of Customer Experience at Figs, a notable direct-to-consumer e-commerce company specializing in medical apparel.
Michael shares the impressive story behind Figs—a company founded by two women who revolutionized the medical apparel industry and took the business public on the NYSE, all while growing to a $500 million enterprise paralleling athleisure brands like Lululemon.
We discuss the necessity for CX to be a unique differentiator in competitive markets, emphasizing the value of a superior customer experience in driving retention, referrals, and overall business growth. The discussion also touches on strategic planning for 2025, with a focus on justifying investments in technology and human resources in CX.
Michael offers practical advice on managing customer expectations, delivering consistent service, and creating memorable interactions through low-cost "surprise and delight" programs. He also dives into the challenges of subscription-based models and stresses the importance of educational opportunities for customer retention.
Listeners will also appreciate Michael’s personal anecdotes and wisdom, including financial strategies and life perspectives.
Tune in to this episode for a blend of professional expertise, actionable insights, and personal reflections that can help elevate your approach to customer experience and business growth.
Meet Michael:
Michael is a customer experience executive who cares deeply about wowing customers, exceeding goals, and developing future leaders. He is the Founder of Bair Consulting. He helps e-commerce and SaaS founders build customer experiences they are proud of and their customers love. Before starting his consultancy, he worked at diverse organizations from startups to Fortune 50 companies, including B2B SaaS, B2C subscription, and DTC e-commerce. He has been a senior leader on 3 exits including a 2021 IPO. He has managed customer success, inside sales, customer support/service, and quality assurance teams. He has built teams from scratch to 100-plus people. He loves leading organizations with a customer-centric mentality and has been consistently recognized as a leader of people, culture, and values. -
Meet Alek
Alek Catlett is a manager in EY's AI & Data consulting practice, where he has worked for the past 4 years. Alek helps his clients solve complex problems where the customer and data meet. Prior to EY, Alek spent 6 years at Tailored Brands, parent company to Men's Wearhouse, Jos. A. Bank, and Moores. Alek is also a graduate of the first Masters of Science in Customer Experience Management in North America from Michigan State University. -
Tom Shimko, a seasoned expert in customer experience (CX) and marketing, to discuss the ROI of CX. Tom highlights the necessity of treating CX as a strategic imperative rather than a mere nicety. He unpacks the IDIC framework by Peppers and Rogers, emphasizing identification, differentiation, interaction, and customization as key steps.
Tom shares insightful case studies, including work with 1800 Flowers, AIG, and Prudential, demonstrating how targeted CX improvements can significantly enhance customer value and reduce attrition. He underscores the importance of aligning CX initiatives with senior leadership’s goals and understanding customer needs at every lifecycle stage to justify continued investment in CX efforts.
What are some misconceptions about proving the value of customer experience?
Addressing misconceptions helps CX leaders understand the critical elements that often go overlooked or misunderstood. Tom highlights the importance of measurable metrics in customer experience, which are essential for justifying investments and making informed decisions. It also helps shift the view of customer experience from being a "nice to have" to a strategic necessity.
How does the IDIC framework relate to the customer lifecycle?
Tom discusses the IDIC framework, which includes Identification, Differentiation, Interaction, and Customization. Understanding this framework allows businesses to segment their customers effectively, address their needs more precisely, and measure the impact of their strategies. By relating it to the customer lifecycle, Tom shows how this framework can be applied in real-world scenarios to enhance customer relationships and drive business growth.
Can you walk through some use cases from your experience to give leaders a blueprint for how they might identify opportunities to calculate the ROI of CX?
Real-world examples and use cases provide practical insights and a blueprint for CX leaders. Tom's examples from 1-800-Flowers, AIG, and Prudential show how specific strategies can have a significant impact on business metrics like customer retention, revenue, and cancellation rates. These use cases offer actionable steps for leaders to follow and adapt to their unique contexts.
Meet Tom!
Tom Shimko brings a background of 20+ years of experience leading marketing, customer experience, and strategic planning in both senior management and consulting roles.
These have included building and leading the consulting division as a Senior Managing Partner at Peppers & Rogers Group, Director of International Marketing at Prudential, Head of Marketing Intelligence and Customer Experience at GE Capital, SVP, Customer Retention and Loyalty at AIG, and as the Chief Marketing Officer at Pitney Bowes, Danbury Health Systems, and the DMA.
His consulting clients cross B2B, B2C and Nonprofit sectors, and include organizations such as Acxiom, Oracle, 1800Flowers, Space.com, Jaguar, Wolters Kluwer, Rodale Publishing, the American Cancer Society, and the Young President’s Organization.
Tom currently leads Shimko1to1.com, where he helps organizations to increase customer acquisition, improve retention, and grow customer value, by focusing on customer needs, potential value, and by improving the customer experience.
Known for driving transformative growth, Tom excels in crafting innovative customer-centric strategies and leveraging data-driven insights, with a focus on action, impact and results. -
On the latest episode of The Delighted Customers Podcast, Roxie Strohmenger, CCXP, an acclaimed CX strategist and Board Chair-Elect of CXPA, shares valuable insights on the power of data in customer experience. Roxie has shaped industry standards, from co-defining Forrester's CX Index to leading award-winning CX initiatives at UKG, and is now a principal strategist at Heart of the Customer.
In this episode, Roxie introduces the “web of data,” a groundbreaking concept for accessing and integrating diverse data sources to accelerate decision-making. She explains how CX leaders can leverage this approach to give executives real-time, actionable insights supporting strategic business goals.
Roxie also examines the repercussions of limited data access, which often results in CX being seen as a cost center rather than a strategic partner. She offers practical strategies for CX professionals to foster collaboration with IT and data teams and overcome technical and regulatory barriers to streamline data integration.
Finally, Roxie highlights the importance of aligning CX metrics with key operational and financial metrics. This alignment helps CX professionals communicate their value effectively to executives, fostering buy-in and elevating CX as a strategic asset.
Listen in to discover actionable strategies to navigate data challenges and make a compelling case for CX at the executive level!
Meet Roxie
Roxie Strohmenger is an innovative, determined, and passionate award-winning CX Change Maker who believes great things don't happen in your comfort zone. With over 20+ years of experience, Roxie has a passion for designing and executing innovative CX transformation initiatives that are linked to operational metrics and financials to create differentiated, high-quality emotion-focused experiences that create, sustain, and expand customer loyalty. Roxie is currently a Principal Strategist at Heart of the Customer partnering with CX Leaders to deliver solid ROI and also serves as the Vice Chair on the board of directors for the Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA). Her expertise has also been featured in podcasts, webinars, and in the book, “Do B2B Better: Drive Growth through Game-Changing Customer Experience." -
Seth is a legendary thinker and marketer known for challenging conventional wisdom. In this episode, he dives into his latest book, This is Strategy, offering fresh perspectives on how to craft and execute a powerful strategy in today’s fast-changing world.
Beyond just strategy, Seth explores the crucial connection between strategy and customer experience (CX), helping listeners understand why aligning these two elements is key to driving sustainable business growth. Whether you're a business leader, CX professional, or strategist, this episode offers actionable insights you can put into practice immediately.
Meet Seth!
Seth Godin is an author, entrepreneur and most of all, A teacher
Seth is an entrepreneur, best-selling author, and speaker. In addition to launching one of the most popular blogs in the world, he has written 21 best-selling books, including The Dip, Linchpin, Purple Cow, Tribes, and What To Do When It's Your Turn (And It's Always Your Turn). His book, This is Marketing, was an instant bestseller in countries around the world. His latest books are The Song of Significance and The Practice, and creatives everywhere have made it a bestseller.
Though renowned for his writing and speaking, Seth also founded two companies, Squidoo and Yoyodyne (acquired by Yahoo!).
By focusing on everything from effective marketing and leadership, to the spread of ideas and changing everything, Seth has been able to motivate and inspire countless people around the world.
In 2013, Seth was one of just three professionals inducted into the Direct Marketing Hall of Fame. In an astonishing turn of events, in May 2018, he was inducted into the Marketing Hall of Fame as well. He might be the only person in both. -
Raj Sivasubramanian has served as a CX leader in great brands like AirBnB, eBay, Verint, and Bain and now leads the journey management practice at QuestionPro. He's a Professor of Practice at Michigan State University in the CXM Masters of Science Degree program. He’s worked with some of the most successful brands and joined us to share insights about how great companies differentiate on customer experience.
In this episode:
What do we do about the metric trap?
This question is essential because many organizations fall into the trap of over-focusing on metrics like NPS (Net Promoter Score) and CSAT (Customer Satisfaction) without necessarily improving the customer experience. Raj provides strategies and insights to avoid this trap, which can help organizations focus on actionable insights rather than just numbers.
How does operational data play into customer sentiment data?
Understanding how to integrate operational data with customer sentiment data is crucial for gaining a holistic view of the customer experience. Raj's explanation helps organizations realize that customer feedback alone isn't enough; it should be supplemented with operational metrics to drive meaningful actions that improve the customer experience.
What approach works best for making organizational change happen from a CX leader's standpoint?
This question is critical for anyone trying to drive customer-centric changes within their organization. Raj discusses different strategies like looking for quick wins, connecting insights to key corporate initiatives, and the importance of having allies. His advice provides a roadmap for CX leaders to effectively influence and implement changes that can significantly enhance customer experiences.
Join us for an engaging conversation as Raj shares practical tips and actionable insights. -
Customer Experience Management takes on an entirely different context when you or a loved one gets a cancer diagnosis. As you'll hear from my guest on this episode, the healthcare system is broken in many ways. UNC is starting with a better way to listen.
Loretta Muss, coordinator of the Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) at the North Carolina Basnight Cancer Hospital, recently retired after advocating for patients, families, hospital staff and administration for the past 14 years.
Muss started in her role with the PFAC in 2009 with the hope of strengthening the relationship between patients, caregivers and their cancer care teams.
On this episode of The Delighted Customers Podcast, Loretta talks about some of the realities stressing our healthcare system and the impact on patients. She shares the immensely successful PFAC she launched for UNC's Cancer Hospital and we talk about how the model can be used to help businesses inside and outside of healthcare.
Here are three pivotal questions she answered, which we believe can reshape how we view healthcare:
How can caregivers' inclusion in advisory councils transform patient care?
Caregivers play a crucial role in the patient journey, often providing the most consistent care. Understanding their perspectives can lead to more holistic and effective healthcare solutions.
What strategies can be employed to prevent burnout among healthcare providers while maintaining high standards of compassionate care?
Burnout is a critical issue affecting healthcare providers worldwide. Addressing it is essential to ensure that providers can continue delivering the high-quality, compassionate care that patients need.
In what ways can personalized patient interactions improve overall healthcare outcomes?
Personalization in healthcare can bridge the gap between clinical efficiency and patient satisfaction. Exploring this can lead to better health outcomes and a more humane healthcare experience.
Curious about Loretta's insightful answers? Tune in to our latest podcast episode and discover how these questions and their answers can drive significant improvements in the healthcare sector. -
Cyndi Lyon is the VP of Customer Experience and Strategy at Otava. She's a Certified Customer Experience Professional and earned her Master of Science in Customer Experience Management from Michigan State University. In this episode, she broke down some of the key barriers that get in the way of building a successful customer experience management practice and offered some actionable ways to overcome them.
In this episode Cyndi answered these questions and more:
Do You Have a Clear Vision and Plan for Your Organization? Cyndi underscores the importance of having a clear roadmap for your organization’s future. It’s not just about the big picture—breaking it down into manageable, actionable steps that employees and stakeholders can understand and support is crucial for long-term success.
Are You Iterating and Celebrating Small Wins? Cyndi believes that even the best plans will fall short without iteration. Starting small and making adjustments along the way allows for steady progress. By breaking long-term strategies into smaller, achievable milestones, you not only keep teams engaged but also create momentum by celebrating each victory.
Is Your Approach Employee- and Data-Centric? Cyndi highlights the power of linking CX metrics to business data and effectively communicating these insights to stakeholders. She emphasizes the importance of understanding who owns the data and engaging champions within the organization to propel the CX strategy forward.
Meet Cyndi!
CYNDI LYON, CCXP
With nearly 30 years of industry experience, Cyndi Lyon is a trailblazer in the realm of customer
experience (CX). As the Vice President of Customer Experience Strategy at OTAVA, she is
leading a transformative shift towards a customer-centric model, ensuring that the customer is
always at the heart of every strategy through relentless focus on continuous improvement and
operational excellence.
Cyndi's dedication to CX is unparalleled. Recently, she earned her Master’s in Customer
Experience Management from Michigan State University, marking her as a pioneer in this
evolving field. Her expertise spans creating exceptional customer experiences, operationalizing
CX strategies, drive continuous improvement and fostering a customer-centric culture that
permeates every aspect of business operations. For Cyndi, the cornerstone of every successful
business is a deep understanding and genuine appreciation of the customer.
Cyndi's career spans product management, technology operations, professional services,
marketing, and more. This breadth of experience fuels her passion for delivering top-notch
customer experiences. Her drive for enriching product and service delivery is realized through
innovation, collaboration, process improvement, and organizational development.
Since joining OTAVA in 2018, Cyndi has built a legacy of success, leading the company’s
product, marketing, and business strategy, and heading the operations team to streamline
processes and systems. Her ability to build and inspire teams, coupled with her strategic
foresight, has been instrumental in OTAVA’s growth and customer satisfaction.
Outside of her professional life, Cyndi is a proud wife and mother of two teenage daughters. She
holds the prestigious CCXP certification and enjoys regularly participating in half marathons and
spending quality time with her family in Ann Arbor, Michigan. -
One of the major problems that data visualization solves is the need for quick and clear communication of complex insights, particularly to time-constrained executives.
It’s about storytelling with data…but how?
With her extensive expertise in data analytics and digital transformation, Katie Manty, a professor at Michigan State University’s Customer Experience Management Master’s program and a leader at Omnicom Health Group, offers unparalleled insights into this crucial aspect of business strategy.
In this episode of "Delighted Customers Podcast," Katie shares compelling strategies and best practices for utilizing data visualization to enhance customer experience and drive executive buy-in.
Key Takeaways:
1. Customer Experience Improvements:
- Pain Points in Banking: Katie highlighted how customers in banking and investment sectors often struggle with mobile check deposits and managing dormant 401(k) accounts. The complexity and inaccessibility of instructions lead to dissatisfaction. She shares best practices on how to solve for that.
2. Data Storytelling:
- Katie's personal advice: Focusing on data storytelling and understanding audience incentives can significantly improve your professional influence. She walks through several illustrations of how to effectively tell stories with data.
3. Effective Data Visualization:
- Importance for Executives: Visualizing data is essential for conveying insights quickly and clearly to senior leadership, facilitating swift decision-making. Katie shares common missteps and how to overcome them.
Meet Katie:
Katie has a passion for building highly-prized customer experiences. Throughout her marketing technology enablement career, she gathers multiple perspectives, analyzes data sets, forges a business vision and puts the initial concept into production using a test and learn mindset for continuous improvement of the product or process. Katie has been with Omnicom Health Group for three years as a leader in digital transformation and data analytics capabilities in the health care sector primarily supporting biotech and pharmaceutical marketing teams.
Katie services clients with Omnichannel marketing solutions based on a framework and capabilities that she derived from years of marketing and data strategy experience. She is a Thought Leader enabling colleagues to upskill and speak marketing acumen underscored by data, data visualization and technology integration concepts. She shares a regular Data Coffee Talk with colleagues on all topics data in marketing including how AI is changing the advertising business.
She began her career at Ernst & Young leading application development, business analysis, roadmap visioning and emerging technology teams. Katie earned an MS degree from MIT in the Management of Technology. Her undergraduate degree is from Smith College with a BA in Computer Science and Economics double major.
Katie is an active alum with both of her alma maters. She spends her free time soaking up the sun as an avid beachgoer, consuming fiction and shuttling her teenage daughter to activities.
Additionally, Katie is a Faculty Instructor for MSU’s MS in CXM degree. She teaches Data Analysis, Data Integration and Data Visualization as part of the program. -
A 34-year-old man fighting for his life in the intensive care unit is on an artificial respirator for over a month. Could it be that his chance of getting off the respirator is not how much his nurses know, but rather how much they care?
A 75-year-old woman is heroically saved by a major trauma center, only to be discharged and fatally struck by a car while walking home from the hospital. Could a lack of compassion from the hospital staff have been a factor in her death?
Compelling new research shows that health care is in the midst of a compassion crisis. But the pivotal question is this: Does compassion really matter?
In Compassionomics: The Revolutionary Scientific Evidence That Caring Makes a Difference, physician scientists Stephen Trzeciak and Anthony Mazzarelli uncover the eye-opening data that compassion could be a wonder drug for the 21st century.
This episode is packed with practical insights and ROI evidence for customer experience investment.
Join me and my guest, Dr. Stephen Trzeciak, author, Ted Talk speaker, and, oh yeah, Chief of Medicine at Cooper University Healthcare.
In this episode:
Evidence-Based Compassion: Compassion in healthcare isn’t just a moral imperative; it has measurable, impactful benefits. Studies show that even a 40-second compassionate intervention can significantly reduce patient anxiety.
ROI of Compassion: Compassionate care doesn't just improve patient trust and outcomes; it also positively affects hospital revenue, reduces staff turnover, and enhances overall service quality. Compassionate hospitals achieve better patient loyalty and team cohesion.
Combatting Burnout: Dr. Trzeciak highlights the inverse correlation between compassion and burnout. Genuine, compassionate relationships are key to fostering resilience and well-being among healthcare providers, ultimately improving team retention and reducing costs related to high turnover.
Meet Dr. T
Stephen Trzeciak, MD, MPH is a physician scientist, the Edward D. Viner Endowed
Chief of Medicine at Cooper University Health Care, and Professor and Chair of
Medicine at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University in Camden, New Jersey. Dr.
Trzeciak is a practicing intensivist (specialist in intensive care medicine), and a clinical
researcher with more than 100 publications in the scientific literature. His scientific
program has been supported by research grants from the National Institutes of Health
and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, with Dr. Trzeciak serving as
Principal Investigator. Dr. Trzeciak is the co-author of two books, Compassionomics:
The Revolutionary Scientific Evidence that Caring Makes a Difference (2019), and
Wonder Drug: 7 Scientifically Proven Ways That Serving Others Is the Best Medicine
for Yourself (2022). Broadly, Dr. Trzeciak’s mission is to raise compassion globally,
through science. -
Karl Sharicz is back with his follow-up to CX-PRO, featuring advanced insights from a global lineup of 16 CX thought leaders. (Yes, I’m thrilled to be one of them!) This book highlights the power of collaboration in the CX community, bringing together practitioners, consultants, and educators. It emphasizes human-centered design, a commitment to quality, and the lasting impact of genuine human connections. The book celebrates employee-driven insights as key drivers of innovation and dives into the diverse career paths that fuel the CX ecosystem.
In this episode:
Why this book offers CX leaders a fresh perspective on customer experience management
How the contributing authors were selected
A closer look at standout chapters with exclusive excerpts
A teaser on my chapter about change leadership
This book is an essential resource for CX leaders and anyone passionate about advancing their understanding of customer experience management.
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Show Notes:
Meet Karl
Karl brings over thirty years of skills and experiences gained in high-tech research and manufacturing B2B environments along with proven business acumen. Throughout his career, he has served in a broad range of roles within marketing, sales, training, and training management—developing internal and external customer relationship skills and building a decided customer-centric focus along the way. As the Founder and CEO of HorizonCX, Karl offers professional services to organizations in two general categories.
Small to medium-sized businesses aiming to begin the Customer Experience journey
Large enterprises on the Customer Experience journey aiming to bring it to the next higher level
In his former corporate role within Tyco SimplexGrinnell, a leading fire and life-safety provider doing business throughout North America, Karl served as Customer Experience Lead where and his team focused on driving those elements of the customer relationship and experience that increased customer satisfaction, reduced customer churn, and increased customer lifetime value.
Karl is steeped in the Customer Experience Management discipline, including developing customer-centric cultures; determining the voice of the customer and deriving insights and understanding; fostering organizational adoption and accountability; creating customer experience strategies, designing approaches that will achieve customer experience excellence, and setting up metrics and measurement systems that help drive organizational return on investment.
Books: CX-PRO - Beyond the Basics: Advanced Insights for Customer Experience Professionals Paperback – September 10, 2024
by Karl Sharicz (Editor)
https://www.amazon.com/CX-PRO-Advanced-Insights-Experience-Professionals/dp/B0DD9L8BKC -
Jon Picoult, bestselling author and CX thought leader was my first guest in 2022 when The Delighted Customers Podcast launched. He was gracious enough to come back for episode 100 to talk about his His landmark study on the ROI of customer experience is one of the most widely cited pieces of research in the industry.
Jon sheds light on the groundbreaking CX ROI study he initiated, which highlights the tangible and economic benefits of a great customer experience. We'll explore the challenges CX leaders face, particularly in getting executive buy-in, and how Jon's research demonstrates the outperformance of top-rated CX companies versus their lagging counterparts, even amid the pandemic's impact.
If you’re a CX practitioner, you should have this study in your toolkit and understand the trends over the 16 years of research. Spoiler alert - CX leaders outperformed laggards by 5.4x over 16 years!
In this episode:
What’s the purpose and methodology of the CX ROI study?
What makes it different from other studies?
How can CX leaders use it to make the business case for CX?
What are the DO’s and DON’T of applying the findings?
How should business leaders approach the use of AI when it comes to CX strategies
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Show Notes:
Meet Jon
Jon’s insights have been featured by dozens of media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, Fortune and Forbes. His landmark study on the ROI of customer experience is one of the most widely cited pieces of research in the industry, referenced by firms such as McKinsey, Deloitte, Accenture, Forrester, SAP, and Oracle.
Jon is also the author of the Amazon bestseller, “From Impressed to Obsessed: 12 Principles for Turning Customers and Employees into Lifelong Fans,” which was featured in The Wall Street Journal as a top reading pick, and has also earned praise from business luminaries such as Horst Schulze (co-founder of Ritz-Carlton Hotels), Hubert Joly (former CEO of Best Buy), and Marshall Goldsmith (world-renowned executive coach).
Prior to establishing Watermark, Jon held senior executive roles at Fortune 100 firms – leading service, operations, distribution, technology, sales and marketing. Early in his career, at the age of 29, Jon earned the distinction of becoming the youngest executive officer in the over 150-year history of a leading global financial services company.
Jon received his bachelor’s degree in cognitive science from Princeton University and his M.B.A. in general management from Duke University.
Watermark’s Customer Experience ROI Study: www.watermarkconsult.net/cx-roi
Watermark’s Website: www.watermarkconsult.net
Jon Picoult’s Speaker Website: www.jonpicoult.com
Books: https://www.amazon.com/Impressed-Obsessed-Principles-Customers-Employees/dp/126425878X -
In the episode, Guy Shalom, the CEO of Glassix, shared the personal story behind the company's inception. Glassix began as a solution to a personal challenge: both of his parents have the same disability, which made effective communication challenging.
This experience inspired Guy to develop a solution that could improve communication not only for his parents but also for customers facing similar difficulties. Over time, this idea expanded and evolved, ultimately becoming Glassix—a company dedicated to improving the customer experience through advanced digital channels and messaging platforms. This journey from a personal challenge to a broader mission encapsulates the company's commitment to making customer interactions more seamless and accessible.
Guy was joined by his Head of Product, Yoad Rashti and his CTO, Boaz Katan as I stretched my podcasting limits with three guests at one time!
🔹 AI-Driven Efficiency and Personalization: Glassix is revolutionizing how businesses interact with customers through AI-driven features like conversation summaries, chatbot AI answers, and mood interpretation. These advancements allow for real-time personalized responses, significantly improving both customer satisfaction and agent efficiency.
🔹 Cross-Channel Communication: With integration capabilities across multiple platforms like WhatsApp, web chat, Facebook, and Apple, Glassix provides a seamless communication experience. This multi-channel approach ensures that customers can reach out through their preferred platform, making interactions smoother and more effective.
🔹 Customization and Security: Glassix's platform is not just powerful but also customizable and secure. Offering flexibility for various industries and compliance with standards like PCI DSS, the platform ensures that user data is protected while allowing teams to tailor solutions to their specific needs.
Catch the full episode for an in-depth discussion on how AI is shaping the future of customer experience and how you can leverage these innovations to boost your business! 🎙️
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Show Notes
Guy Shalom
CEO & Co-founder, Glassix
Guy Shalom is the CEO and Co-founder of Glassix, a leading software company revolutionizing
customer service with its omnichannel interactive communication platform. Under Guy's
visionary leadership, Glassix has become a pivotal player in the SaaS industry, providing
leading-edge digital solutions tailored to the needs of modern contact centers.
Yoad Rashty
CTO& Co-founder, Glassix
Yoad Rashty is the Chief Technology Officer at Glassix, where his expertise in driving
technological innovation and his deep understanding of customer experience technologies empower leading companies to deliver exceptional customer experiences. With a robust background in software engineering and a keen focus on integrating leading-edge artificial intelligence technologies, Yoad leads his teams in developing advanced, scalable, and a secure platform that enhances customer interactions for businesses globally.
Boaz Katan
Head of Product at Glassix
Boaz Katan leads the development of an advanced omnichannel messaging platform designed to enhance customer experiences. With over 10 years of experience as a product designer in both startups and large corporations like NICE and NetApp, Boaz has a proven track record of designing complex B2B systems.
Contact Info:
For guest contact information, I recommend checking out the multiple platforms mentioned in the episode. You can reach out to the business through their:
- Website
- Web chat
- Facebook page
- WhatsApp account
- Apple account
If you prefer more direct contact information, you might want to visit the Glassix website or their social media pages for further details.
www.glassix.com -
Trust in CX: Lessons from the Executive Assistant to Ronald Reagan
In the latest episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, Peggy Grande shares her fascinating journey from a regular middle-class family to becoming the executive assistant to President Ronald Reagan. From her unlikely selection to be the executive assistant for Ronald Reagan to her touching farewell to the 40th President of the United States, her stories provide invaluable lessons in building trust, particularly through the lens of the trust equation.
Here are some key takeaways:
Credibility: Peggy’s story emphasizes the importance of intuitive confidence and competence. She recalls, "I was young, yet I had to present myself as a voice of authority, even when I wasn't always completely confident in myself." This highlights that beyond technical skills, credibility is built by speaking confidently and being willing to take on tasks and make decisions quickly.
Reliability: Peggy demonstrated the immense value of dependability by always being present and prepared. She mentions, "I made it a habit to arrive at the office every day about a half hour before the office officially opened." Showing up consistently and anticipating needs is a cornerstone of reliability.
Intimacy: Building a safe space for confidential discussions and knowing when to offer empathy is essential. Peggy recounts a touching instance during Reagan's Alzheimer's battle, noting how she had to step in discreetly to help him finish a familiar story. This exemplifies psychological safety and the delicate balance of being supportive without undermining.
Self-Orientation: Selflessness in serving another's best interests can build profound trust. Peggy showcases this by emphasizing personalization in her tasks, such as learning Reagan's preferences and structuring his day accordingly. Her focus on others' needs over her own effectively strengthened her relationships and trustworthiness.
Show Notes:
Meet Peggy
Peggy Grande was Executive Assistant to President Ronald Reaganfrom 1989 – 1999, after he left the White House. She is author of the book, “The President Will See You Now: My Stories and Lessonsfrom Ronald Reagan’s Final Years.” She served as a Presidential appointee during the Trump Administration and considers it thehonor of a lifetime to have worked for two Presidents of the United States in both support and strategic roles.
Peggy is an international keynote speaker, TV and radio commentator, and widely published opinion writer in the US, UK,
Australia, and the Middle East. She was Chair of World for Brexit and was national spokesperson for a California ballot initiative. She
serves on the Board of Pepperdine University’s School of Public Policy and the Board of the Center for American Ideas.
Peggy is a graduate of Pepperdine University, mother of four grown children, and has two granddaughters.
LInkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenpeterson/
Website: https://www.questionpro.com/us/?
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The Delighted Customers Podcast is sponsored by Better Help -
Ken Peterson is the President of QuestionPro’s Customer Experience Division and joined me for an enlightening conversation about the intersection of AI and CX. QuestionPro’s Voice of the Customer platform already incorporates AI in its range of products from basic surveys to complex research, customer experience and employee engagement.
GenAI promises to change customer experience but what are the smartest strategies to create a win for the customer, a win for employees, while delivering on business outcomes?
Ken, a self-admitted geek and mathematician, shares his vision for the future and shared insights on practical applications.
In this episode of The Delighted Customers Podcast, Ken answers these questions and much more:
How can companies be proactive in addressing customer feedback to prevent passive customers from looking for alternatives?
What are some examples of AI tools, like those used by companies such as Target, that empower employees to assist customers more effectively?
In what ways can AI contribute to customer retention, share of wallet, and add-on sales, as well as improve employee satisfaction?
Why is it important for content to be curated and actionable when incorporating AI into customer experience, and how can companies ensure that employees are properly trained to use it?
Tune in to discover how integrating AI thoughtfully can revolutionize your customer service strategies.
Episode Notes:
Meet Ken
Ken Peterson has over two decades of experience in the marketing research, retail, technology, hospitality and transportation industries with a recent focus on Big Data Business Insights, and SaaS deployments. This ties in with his long history of P&L responsibility and detailed understanding of improving business operations. He has had the privilege of helping clients in retail, hospitality, technology, travel, sports and media better understand how to make use of the vast quantities of data that is now available, but often underutilized and misinterpreted. He enjoys delivering relevant insights, fact-based execution and bottom-line results.
LInkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenpeterson/
Website: https://www.questionpro.com/us/? -
Imagine that you’ve been asked to lead a credit union in the middle of a worldwide pandemic. With a rich background in financial and nonprofit marketing, Kristen Heisey has been steering Everence Federal Credit Union towards new heights for the past two years. Under her leadership, the credit union has not only navigated through post-COVID challenges but has also embraced a vision of sustainability and relevance in a competitive market, putting CX at the heart of the change.
Kristen instituted innovative programs like Connect 30, Branch Reimagined, Reach 2030, and Innovation Teams, to achieve breakthrough growth and impact Everence’s culture.
Here are three thought-provoking questions that Kristin's experiences and insights might inspire:
🔹 How can organizations go beyond traditional CX metrics like NPS and CSAT to deepen relationships with their customers?
🔹 What strategies can leaders employ to integrate empathy and genuine care into their customer experience, rather than just pushing products?
🔹 In what ways can financial institutions leverage unique offerings, such as charitable credit cards, to differentiate themselves in the market?
Tune in for a conversation filled with actionable strategies and inspirational leadership perspectives!
Show Notes:
Contact info: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenheisey/
website : https://www.everence.com/ - Show more
