Two-minute bite-sized chunk provides the answer.
Category: #custexp
Podcast with Roland Naidoo | Live stream – rockstar.cx | Business Awards…
Live broadcast with James Dodkins Rockstar.cx
This was an interview across the continents
(I am currently in Colorado, James is in England)
https://www.facebook.com/JDODKINS/videos/1425739797553815/
Do get along to the link – James will be hosting CX Rockstars from all over the globe 🙂
Business Leader in South Africa provides his views on Customer Centricity
Roland Naidoo (ACX Master) is a highly respected senior executive in the global entertainments business. As part of a podcast hosted by Futurology…
https://itunes.apple.com/za/podcast/futurology/id1078860959?mt=2&i=1000397468049
You can reach Roland here to progress the discussion:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/roland-naidoo-b403a029/
Award won by yours truly!
I was deeply honoured by the PEX community at the annual conference in Florida last month and received the Global Community 2018 Award. Needless to say (but I will) this is as much down to you guys and your great transformational work, so I graciously excepted the Award on your behalf. Thank you so much :
See the snapshot here: https://buff.ly/2EEE9Im
Next time we will be reviewing highlights of the upcoming 2018 conferences…
Get the inside track with Customer Experience thinking and practice
The once favorite topic for improving business performance was Lean Six Sigma, however, the last two years have seen the ascendancy of Customer Experience (CX) as a focus for top teams. ‘Google trends’ is a good barometer of emerging interests and this graph demonstrates increasing interest in CX (blue) compared with LSS (red).
Curiously the largest interest in industrial age improvement techniques like Lean and Six Sigma is in non-English speaking countries, whereas Customer Experience is strongly represented in North America, UK, Australia and South Africa.
For those using the search term ‘Customer Experience,’ the associated topic list provides additional insight into searchers interests. The % trend reflects the growth year on year with ‘Omnichannel’ and ‘Digital data’ seeing explosive growth.
By way of additional information, a search with Epictions focused on Articles produces these top three pieces in the last three months on the theme of ‘Customer Experience – Omnichannel’.
1. The Future of Car Sales Is Omnichannel (Bain & Co)
http://www.bain.com/publications/articles/the-future-of-car-sales-is-omnichannel.aspx
2. Your Omnichannel Reading Challenge (Genesys)
http://blog.genesys.com/your-omnichannel-summer-reading-challenge
3. Omnichannel Study: Now’s Your Chance to Get Ahead of the Competition for the Holidays (Marketingprofs)
The ‘Reading Challenge’ provides an opportunity to dig deeper with some surprising reads available related to employee engagement and the very latest customer trends.
In the BP Group, we have codified the very best practices of CX leaders in and around Customer Experience into the CEMMethod™.
If you would like to find out more about how to access this learning please visit us at www.bpgroup.org or drop by at www.stevetowers.com
Data and information shared with thanks to Google and Epictions.
The Shocking Truth about Customer Experience
The single biggest piece of advice I give to senior executives setting out on the Customer Experience journey is to STOP. Yes seriously, the vast majority of CX efforts are completely misaligned.
CX Efforts Misaligned
Don’t get me wrong the intentions are good. Unfortunately, it goes something like this:
- Top Team are listening and decide they need to get with this customer centricity/Outside-In/working backwards thinking.
- Senior Management makes noises that the customer is THE thing the business must focus on.
- The Executive engage the marketing and sales guys to get with it and start pushing the message.
- Functional leaders hear the noise and bluster. They start using the language, whilst thinking this is just more fluff and nonsense. They make the right noises for now but keep their heads down, because they know this will go the same way as so many other ‘strategic initiatives’.
- Fundamentally functional heads carry on working with the out of date reward system that promotes sub-optimal industrial age thinking and practice.
- The Executive see the usual inertia, results not coming through, apathy and indifference and decide their business isn’t really an Amazon.
- Top Team then reverts to just getting better at what we are doing, then when someone in ‘our industry’ proves it we will follow.
- Functional leaders breathe a sigh of relief and invest even more in industrial age systems and training. The illusion of doing something, in this case, is actually worse than doing nothing.
- The businesses failure is noted by customers who move to those who do understand and deliver Customer Experience success.
- The company becomes another footnote in the history books. Talked about at business schools and picked apart because of the failure to get the new Outside-In customer-centric mindset.
Making Customer Experience Successful everywhere all the time
This isn’t rocket science (unless you are NASA of course). Understanding that the structures and ways of working from the industrial age were NEVER designed to be customer-centric. They were established to make things faster by optimizing production lines.
And oh, don’t think because you are not in manufacturing you are OK. It is likely your complete ways of working will be making everything look like production management systems, with talk of leaning out, waste reduction, standardization, efficiency, productivity. Sound familiar?
Understanding this Customer Experience misalignment is fundamental.
I encourage doing three things before re-joining the CX road-march:
- Understand how big the gap is between what you are doing and what Successful Customer Outcomes you need to be delivering.
- Audit the current key performance indicators.
Are they mostly about outputs?
Usually, the balance will be 80% output metrics (like calls answered, Average Handle Times, Abandoned Rates, Projects completed on time to budget etc.).
Meanwhile, the really important measures that tell you a Successful Customer Outcome is being achieved will only be a small proportion.
What you measure is what you get and no amount of Customer Experience drum banging will work unless those measures of Outcomes become the most important. - Create an awareness of what real CX success is all about.
This isn’t just the stories. It is about the actual things on the ground that need to change. The WHY and the HOW go hand in hand. Often times upskilling a group of key players at all levels to make them Ambassadors for the Customer achieves way more than massive corporate investment in branding and image.
In conclusion, Customer Experience cannot be treated just like another corporate initiative. To achieve success requires a significant shift in mindsets, and when that is achieved the realignment of the Enterprise to Outside-In can really begin.
Want more guidance and tips like this?
☑ More Articles like this one – visit my CX Obsession resources
☑ Upskilling and mentoring – Every level from the boardroom to the lunch room – BP Group
☑ In person and virtual training – The ACXM™ program
☑ Executive briefings and keynotes – How to get your hands on me and other CXperts (see what I did there?)
The 7 most popular Customer Experience Articles
Google tells us that Customer Experience is a significant and trending topic, the graph below ably demonstrates that point. (See google trends)
However, given all the noise what are THE most popular articles on the theme?
Here we present the seven most popular of the last couple of years.
Read and share
7th: Putting customer experience at the heart of next-generation operating models
McKinsey
This one for is McK’s second in the top seven this time…
“Digital is reshaping customer experience in almost every sector. Digital first attackers are entering markets with radically new offers, disrupting the ways that companies and customers interact and setting a high bar for simplicity, personalization, and interactivity.”
Jump to the Full Article here.
6th: Internet Of Things Will Revolutionize Retail
Louis Columbus
Teaching MBA courses in international business, global competitive strategies, international market research, and capstone courses in strategic planning and market research gives Louis the opportunity to research mega trends. Add to his portfolio writing for Forbes establishes his credentials in the space of customer transformation. In this article, he reflects on the coming ‘Internet of Things’ everywhere, and the impact on business and customers.
“87% of retailers will deploy mobile point-of-sale (MPOS) devices by 2021, enabling them to scan and accept credit or debit payments anywhere in the store…”
Jump to the Full Article here.
5th: The expanding role of design in creating an end-to-end customer experience
McKinsey
The second of McK’s into the top seven this time. Lines between products, services, and user environments are blurring. The ability to craft an integrated customer experience will open enormous opportunities to build new businesses.
“As digitization drives more and faster disruptions—and as customers increasingly desire the immediacy, personalization, and convenience of dealing with digital-marketing leaders—the business landscape is undergoing an upheaval.”
Jump to the Full Article here.
4th: The Employee Experience Is the Future Of Work
Jeanne Meister
Working at Future Workplace, (an HR Advisory and Research firm) Jeanne casts her glow over the changes to the employee role within business today. She is also the co-author of The Future Workplace Experience: 10 Rules For Mastering Disruption in Recruiting and Engaging Employees:
“Today, almost every company is undergoing a digital transformation. Cloud and mobile computing, artificial intelligence, and increasing automation have created the potential to transform nearly every aspect of a business.”
Jump to the Full Article here.
3rd: United Airlines Changes Its Policy On Displacing Customers
Richard Gonzales
Correspondent, San Francisco, National Desk NPR. With an eclectic style ranging across diverse topics such as medical marijuana, gay marriage, drive-by shootings, the U.S. Ninth Circuit, the California State Supreme Court and any other legal, political, or social development he understands CX first hand. Here we see a well-accounted discussion of, yes again, United Airline’s trials and tribulations.
“United Airlines crew members will no longer be able to bump a passenger who is already seated in one of the airline’s planes…”
Jump to the Full Article here.
2nd: How to Gamify your Customer Experience and Win…
Mike Dillard
Proudly proclaiming himself as a disrupter and innovator Mike’s perspective on Customer Experience is refreshing and unique in a world of sameness. He writes with an entertaining AND well thought out logic.
“I honestly can’t think of a more difficult industry to get into than candles. You have thousands of manufacturers who are all selling the same thing… A piece of wax with a string in the middle and the only way to differentiate yourself is by changing your label, along with the size, color, and smell of that wax.”
Jump to the Full Article here.
1st: Delivering exceptional customer experiences – an art and science
Luke Shave
Luke works on the Retail partner side of Microsoft and benefits from first-hand experience of the changes in and around Customer Experience.
“Interacting effectively with customers has traditionally been a form of art, especially in face-to-face settings. But now that customers are increasingly shopping on social media, mobile apps, and websites, a bit of science can help win their loyalty. How can retailers combine customer service expertize with advanced technology to create exceptional customer experiences?”
Jump to the Full Article here.
It will be interesting to note your favorite… more soon, meanwhile
Ciao, Steve
www.stevetowers.com
www.bpgroup.org (27 years young this year!)
The 5th DC session is now open for registration
Connecting with Customer Experience
Neat utility that can help with trending Customer Experience topics 🙂 #cx
South Africa pumps up the CEM Volume
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| Newly qualified CPP Champions in Johannesburg, April 2016 |
I can safely say that things are looking up in South Africa for the customer experience management community.
My tenth annual visit concluded today after a week which included a CPP Champion session (see the team photo), a stimulating Certified Process Professional sundowner (with a remarkable turnout of 40+) and then finally leaders of African enterprises met for breakfast to review latest happenings in CEM, BPM, and all things customer.
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| CPP Champions preparing their cases |
The breakfast session included a small deck on ‘control the customer interaction and you control everything’.
You can get that here.
You can get that here.
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| CEO IQ Business Adam Craker Chairs the Exec session |
If you are in Africa and would like to join the ranks of Certified Process Professionals then IQ Business are the BP Group partners on the ground. With a cadre of experienced coaches, you can become qualified as a CPP Master or indeed have your internal CEM programme reviewed and mentored.
More than 60 companies have done so since 2013.
More than 60 companies have done so since 2013.
South Africa CPP Masters: http://www.iqbusiness.co.za/events
Global CPP Masters:
bpgroup.org/book-class.html
bpgroup.org/book-class.html
My next African adventure is later in the year so if you are qualified as a CPP Master I look forward to you joining me for the next level highly acclaimed three-day CPP Champions.
All the Best,
Steve
Steve
Join us to learn the Secrets of Apples, Googles, Zara, Zappos and Emirates success
Certified Process Professional Masters Champions (CPP-Master) Program
An internationally recognized program with proven track record delivered by been there and done it coaches more than 150 times, in 57 cities with delegates from 108 countries.
The program, now in its tenth year, utilizes the BP Groups approaches and framework to help you and your organization win the triple crown – simultaneously reduce costs, grow revenues and enhance service.
Producing Immediate and sustainable business results across any industry and sector.
The program, now in its tenth year, utilizes the BP Groups approaches and framework to help you and your organization win the triple crown – simultaneously reduce costs, grow revenues and enhance service.
Producing Immediate and sustainable business results across any industry and sector.
Become a qualified CPP-Master and demonstrate your professionalism http://www.bpgroup.org/book-class.html
6 Tips for Understanding Customer Needs (with 4 min video and Guide)
Get your hands on SCO’s. What are they? How can they help?
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Need a handy Guide (13 pages)?
Download the SCO101 : http://bit.ly/SCO101
Certified Process Professional Masters (CPP-Master) Program
Orlando USA March 16-20, Denver USA March 23-27, Dubai UAE Apr 12-16http://www.bpgroup.org/book-class.html
An internationally recognized program with proven track record delivered by been there and done it coaches more than 130 times, in 52 cities with delegates from 105 countries.
The program, now in its tenth year, utilizes the BP Groups approaches and framework to help you and your organization win the triple crown – simultaneously reduce costs, grow revenues and enhance service.
Producing Immediate and sustainable business results across any industry and sector.
The program, now in its tenth year, utilizes the BP Groups approaches and framework to help you and your organization win the triple crown – simultaneously reduce costs, grow revenues and enhance service.
Producing Immediate and sustainable business results across any industry and sector.
Become a qualified CPP-Master and demonstrate your professionalismhttp://www.bpgroup.org/book-class.html
Customer Experience – do you get it?
Did you miss THE webinar discussion Customer Experience?
Fear not my astute colleague, follow the link(s) below and fill your boots.
Webinar Foundations of Customer Centricity (45 mins)
Certified Process Professional Masters (CPP-Master) Program
Fear not my astute colleague, follow the link(s) below and fill your boots.
Webinar Foundations of Customer Centricity (45 mins)**New Book** Foundations of Customer Centricity
Connect with Steve Towers http://twitter.com/stowers
Connect with James Dodkins http://twitter.com/jdodkins
Visit the site http://www.bpgroup.org
Certified Process Professional Masters (CPP-Master) Program
Orlando USA March 16-20, Denver USA March 23-27, Dubai UAE Apr 12-16http://www.bpgroup.org/book-class.html
An internationally recognized program with proven track record delivered by been there and done it coaches more than 130 times, in 52 cities with delegates from 105 countries.
The program, now in its tenth year, utilizes the BP Groups approaches and framework to help you and your organization win the triple crown – simultaneously reduce costs, grow revenues and enhance service.
Producing Immediate and sustainable business results across any industry and sector.
The program, now in its tenth year, utilizes the BP Groups approaches and framework to help you and your organization win the triple crown – simultaneously reduce costs, grow revenues and enhance service.
Producing Immediate and sustainable business results across any industry and sector.
Become a qualified CPP-Master and demonstrate your professionalismhttp://www.bpgroup.org/book-class.html