Category: Podcasts

Leveraging a Career in Sales and Marketing for CX Innovation

This week, we welcome Stacy Sherman to the Digitally Irresistible podcast. Stacy is an award-winning keynote speaker, author, advisor, and host of the “Doing CX Right” podcast. 

Stacy began her career in sales and marketing and has held multiple leadership roles at major companies over the past 25 years. Her approach to “doing CX right” is based on real-world experiences as a strategist and practitioner of customer service experiences. Her HEART & SCIENCE^™ framework for CX enables companies to accelerate loyalty and revenue through empowered workforces.

On this episode, we discuss how Stacy’s innovative framework maps out irresistible customer journeys by transforming the relationship between brands, their internal teams, and their customers.

How an Interest in Consumer Behavior Paved the Way for an Award-Winning Approach to CX

Stacy’s journey to CX expertise began in a high school advertising class. Fascinated by the topic of subliminal advertising, she knew she wanted to launch a career in sales and marketing to understand the underlying psychology of consumer behavior. She held several roles in sales and marketing long before customer experience became a buzzword. Early on, she developed her approach to an experience-based customer journey based on her own real-world experiences with customer behavior and brand engagement.

While working on e-commerce optimization and marketing for a telecommunications company, Stacy was given the opportunity to explore and implement voice of the customer and other CX best practices. She built her understanding from scratch, drawing on her years of experience as an employee, a manager, and a customer to identify gaps in those relationships to improve the customer journey.

This resulted in a two-pillar approach to CX that Stacy calls her HEART & SCIENCE^™ Framework. Each pillar forms an acronym representing best practices to revolutionize the customer journey from the inside out. It incorporates empathy and psychology as well as data and scientific methodology that equips brands to drive customer engagement, boost loyalty, and empower their employees to be customer centric.

Connecting Heart and Science to Create Incredible Customer Journeys

Stacy’s wealth of experience taught her the interconnectedness of the customer experience and the employee experience. Effective CX is cultivated by rallying internal employees and frontline customer service agents around a united purpose. Her framework emphasizes company-wide collaboration fueled by the common goal of providing positive customer experiences.

The HEART Approach

Stacy’s initial fascination with the psychology of consumer behavior is represented in the first pillar of her framework, HEART, which describes best practices for both experience-based management and experience-based customer service. For Stacy, this is about going beyond profitability to bring the heart into business. Here’s how her HEART acronym breaks down:

• Honest and authentic communication. Employees and customers value transparency, honesty, and authenticity in brand messaging and internal operations.

• Empower to deliver excellence. Set your teams up for success by equipping them with the resources they need to provide exceptional CX.

• Appreciate and design for DEI. Apply diversity, equity, and inclusion practices to all aspects of the CX space.

• Relationship building. Commit to a relationship approach that emphasizes the value of each individual in the customer journey—from the customers themselves to sales teams, customer service representatives, and employees in other departments.

• Tailor and personalize. Invest in messaging and experiences that are personal to each customer and meet their needs efficiently and effectively.  

The SCIENCE Approach

The second pillar, SCIENCE, brings data and scientific methodology into the equation. Stacy explains that internal and external operations must be supported by measurable results to drive customer engagement with truly effective CX. Here’s the breakdown of the SCIENCE acronym: 

• Segment and measure by persona. To create a customer journey, you have to know who will take that journey. Identifying detailed customer personas guides relevant brand messaging and customer support. 

• Collect feedback. It’s critical to develop effective means of gathering and analyzing feedback from customers and team members on a consistent basis.

• Implement tech for analysis and prioritization. Acquire interaction analytics and machine learning technology that meets your brand’s needs for gathering and analyzing data. This process needs to be ongoing to implement necessary changes based on the feedback received.

• Evidence to get buy-in. Gather results that speak to executive decision-makers to ensure that priorities are aligned from the top down. 

• Numeric and qualitative. Present both quantitative and qualitative data to build a multi-level foundation for your brand’s CX effectiveness. 

• Collaborate and break siloes. Seamless customer journeys require effective interdepartmental collaboration with informed and prepared teams. This includes eliminating siloes between teams as well as siloes between information sources.

• Experiment. Stacy follows the acronym TAAR: test, analyze, adjust, and repeat regularly to provide customer experiences that evolve along with their needs.

Communication and Collaboration Form the Cornerstones of CX Success

Together, HEART and SCIENCE mesh for active journey mapping that takes the entire customer journey into account. It creates an environment where everyone at the company—from frontline sales agents to back office employees—can experience the domino effect of how each role affects another and contributes to the overall customer experience.

This cross-functional collaboration goes beyond employees by creating processes for brands to engage directly with their customers. Stacy’s framework emphasizes the importance of receiving feedback directly from customers. While advice from sales teams about customers is valuable, receiving direct input from customers about what they need to be and remain loyal customers is critical for sustained CX. Encouraging open communication is at the heart (and science) of Stacy’s innovative CX framework.

HEART and SCIENCE^™ in Action

Stacy’s HEART & SCIENCE^™ Framework guided CX excellence at a major international engineering company. Employees at this company initially showed some resistance to embracing a customer-centric model. Stacy developed a team to implement the CX initiative and ultimately helped them learn how this approach would drive benefits for employees and customers alike.

Over time, Stacy’s team’s diligent work helped the company grow its potential to embrace CX as a core priority. She implemented her framework with programs, activities, celebrations, and media that built momentum for CX. Now the company shows up for customers every day with empathy and more transparency. By embracing authentic engagement, the customer feedback the engineering company receives goes beyond measures like net promoter scores (NPS) and identifies specific customer needs as well.

Stacy’s HEART & SCIENCE^™ framework has encouraged a cultural revolution that prioritizes CX and invests in the tools needed to create an irresistible customer journey. Her fusion of empathy-based heart principles and quantitative science strategies results in a comprehensive framework that empowers and improves the employee experience, boosts customer engagement to drive loyalty, and provides quantitative returns for brands—creating smiles for teams and customers alike.

What Stacy Does for Fun

Stacy is a talented backgammon player and used to travel internationally to compete in tournaments as a child. More recently, she has learned to play pickleball and says that the social outlet it provides has been a game-changer in her life.

To learn more about Stacy, visit her on LinkedIn and her website at doingcxright.com.

Building a Strong Foundation for Customer Experience in the Construction Industry 

This week, we welcome Brian DiSabatino to the Digitally Irresistible podcast. Brian is a fourth-generation owner and CEO of EDiS Company, a family-run construction company that has served regional communities in Delaware and beyond for over 100 years.  

Born and raised in the construction industry, Brian knows firsthand that its hyper-competitive nature has created a perception among customers that each company is an interchangeable commodity. Brian became motivated to differentiate EDiS from other construction companies through a unique value proposition that emphasizes customer experience. Brian and his team studied brands and leaders in other industries with good customer experience models and asked themselves, “If these companies were in the construction industry, how would they do it?” This exercise reaffirmed their commitment to implement practices that reflect EDiS’s core values and provide an experience that exceeds expectations throughout the customer journey. 

On this episode, we discuss how, under Brian’s leadership, EDiS developed a four-pillar approach to customer experience based on alignment, authenticity, accountability, and action. Through this innovative approach, EDiS has differentiated itself from others in a competitive industry in their region and set a high standard for the customers they serve. 

Taking a Page From Other Industries to Build Customer Loyalty That Spans Generations 

At his grandfather’s funeral, Brian spoke with a gentleman who had worked with Brian’s family beginning at a young age. He described how the company’s workers devoted themselves to building and renovating schools, cathedrals, community centers, office buildings, and other projects that went beyond mere structures. Many became landmarks that changed their communities for the better. Reflecting on EDiS’ history in the community launched Brian’s journey to reinforce a strong connection between construction and community building. 

Since 1987, Brian has defined his role as a fourth-generation owner by considering strategies to rebuild these connections in an industry that has lacked a reputation for good customer experience. EDiS has inherited customers through connections Brian’s great-great-grandfather began making 115 years ago, so he asked himself the question: “What creates a level of customer loyalty that spans over a century?” 

To answer this, Brian looked beyond construction to other industries and brands that prioritize the customer experience. He found admirable examples in hospitality, retail, and other industries that provided inspiration to emulate when developing a customer experience strategy specific to the construction industry. The result? A four-pillar approach to customer experience that focuses on the customer’s journey with a deeper understanding of their wants and needs, combined with an ongoing commitment to community support. This shift in strategy has positioned EDiS to begin a new chapter in its century-plus contribution to construction in the region that it serves.

A 4-Pillar Approach to Customer Experience 

Brian’s research and networking efforts led to his four-pillar approach to design, develop, and manage construction projects. As the CEO, Brian’s journey has made him reflect on building what matters, a core value of EDiS. This approach reaffirms the age-old values of community and quality the company stands for while also meeting the expectations of modern-day customers accustomed to great experiences from other brands, which has raised the bar for EDiS.  

1. Alignment 

The first pillar is about setting the intention to meet your customers’ needs. Meeting the core expectations of a customer, such as good food at a restaurant, is table stakes. For a truly exceptional customer experience, companies need to understand their customers’ wants and needs in more detail and go above and beyond to provide a personalized experience that exceeds their expectations. Dialing into the customer’s needs and aligning your service accordingly can create extraordinary results that build loyalty through small acts such as seating a couple on a first date in a quiet corner or providing a candle in the dessert on someone’s birthday.  

2. Authenticity 

The second pillar is about delivering on the high standards set for meeting customer needs. After you understand your customer, you need to provide service that exceeds their expectations throughout every step of the customer journey. This includes the “back of the house” moving parts that will indirectly influence your customer’s experience. 

3. Accountability 

The third pillar is about articulating these expectations to your team. In the construction industry, there is a stereotype of a superintendent yelling at their staff that a project isn’t moving fast enough. A more effective way to keep teams accountable is to maintain mechanisms for feedback that celebrate positive performance and boost employee engagement. Encouraging excellent communication through people, processes, and technology is critical for effective feedback loops that provide accountability.  

4. Action 

The fourth pillar is about pulling everything together and walking the walk. In addition to going to seminars and reading books for inspiration, you have to hire people, develop processes, and gather data to deliver exceptional customer experiences. When receiving both positive and constructive feedback, the company needs to be open to acting on potential solutions. 

Breaking the Mold for Customer Expectations in the Construction Industry 

It’s no secret that the construction industry isn’t always recognized for high-quality customer experience. Brian’s decision to make customer experience a core business model isn’t just nostalgia; it’s a savvy strategy that has opened doors to technological innovations, employee satisfaction, and customer loyalty that have improved outcomes at every level of the business. 

New Processes for Delivering Exceptional Service Improve Outcomes for the Whole Community 

Since implementing the four-pillar approach, EDiS has utilized a branded process to gather intelligence and context on each customer such as: 

• Has the customer ever had a project go wrong? 
• Does the customer have any budget concerns aside from the stated budget? 
• How does the customer define success? 
• What players or stakeholders are involved in this project? 
• Who are our customer’s customers, and what’s important to them? 

For example, when building a school, any number of factors can delay the project. No matter what, school still opens in August. Parents, teachers, and students all rely on EDiS to complete construction (or renovation) on time on a building that is essential to the community. This process identifies crucial factors that bring the company into alignment, allow them to deliver, hold them accountable, and equip them to take action. 

Empowering an Exceptional Employee Experience 

EDiS’ four-pillars for exceptional CX have revolutionized their team’s approach to going to work every day. Their strategy is built on collaboration, so all processes are team oriented and emphasize effective communication. Their work culture stands out in the industry through positive reinforcement and a growth mindset. Everyone in the company complements each other’s strengths and brings something to the table for one another. Just like their customers, potential hires and tenured employees appreciate knowing that the company they work for can align with their values and deliver an authentic experience. 

Sharpening the Company’s Competitive Edge in the Construction Industry Through Tech-Enabled Teams 

Listening to customer concerns created positive ripple effects across the quality of service EDiS offers. In one example, EDiS customers voiced that high contingency spending was a top concern in their decision to select a construction company. EDiS invested in developing a digital modeling program to reduce potential contingencies by harnessing technology to diagnose the building’s design before breaking any ground.

By actively listening to customers, EDiS made their construction projects safer and reduced contingency costs that could have lengthened the project timeline and created uncertainty further down the road. Investing in technology has allowed them to provide the best results for their customers and communities.  

In the next 10 years, Brian foresees the continued evolution of technology in the construction industry. The digital transformation has already changed the customer psyche across all industries, so it’s critical to capture that curve. Employees who work in construction will increasingly need to be familiar with technological advances. By embracing technology and empowering teams to deploy it effectively, EDiS can differentiate themselves from the competition and provide a better experience for their employees and customers alike.  

A Customer-Centric Culture Drives Growth While Aligning With Core Values 

Throughout his leadership journey, Brian’s vision for EDiS has been to build what matters. In the construction world, this means providing a service that is safe, efficient, and timely. At EDiS, it means going beyond service to create an experience that shows customers they are valued and creates smiles throughout the entire customer journey. Brian’s investments in technology support his four-pillar approach to align with customer needs, ensure authenticity, hold his company accountable, and take decisive action toward implementing and improving processes.  

Brian’s customer-centric focus differentiates his company from others in the industry and inspires his customers to choose EDiS over competitors. Valuing the human element of the industry has also improved the employee experience, encouraging workers to value communication and collaboration to provide a differentiated experience. Brian’s innovations have created opportunities for the company to thrive in a future defined by technology, efficiency, and community connection that enables continued growth while staying true to the values his family began building over 100 years ago. 

What Brian Does for Fun 

As Brian’s last name, DiSabatino, suggests, a love of cooking and eating Italian food is in his blood. His favorite pastimes include spending time with his three children and enjoying the meditative benefits of fly fishing on the upper Delaware River. 

To learn more about Brian, visit him on LinkedIn and his website at www.ediscompany.com. 

The Power of Connection: How Networking, Advocacy, and Community Drive Professional Growth for Women in the Customer Contact Industry 

This week, we welcome Sandy Ko to the Digitally Irresistible podcast. Sandy is the founder and principal of CCWomen, a networking and advocacy community for women in the contact center industry.  

After joining the contact center industry, Sandy recognized a need for women to find networking, mentorship, and leadership connections among other professional women with similar experiences. In 2018, Sandy founded CCWomen within her customer contact parent company, Customer Management Practice (CMP), to create a space for women to discuss their careers, share information and opportunities, celebrate each other’s successes, inspire professional and personal growth, build relationships, and create meaningful change for diversity and inclusion. 

On this episode, we discuss how Sandy’s commitment to connection, networking, and leadership helps women in the contact center industry achieve their professional goals within a thriving community of like-minded people. 

How One Woman’s Search for Belonging Built Bridges Across an Industry 

Sandy is living proof of the strength in embracing change when building a meaningful, successful career. She changed careers from music education to event planning before finding her passion in the customer contact industry. Integral to Sandy’s success in this industry was her approach to authenticity and connection that began in her childhood. At a young age, Sandy moved to the United States with her family. Facing a new culture with unfamiliar customs, Sandy’s family found a sense of belonging with the Korean American community that helped them integrate into the broader culture through shared experiences and support.  

As an adult on her career journey, Sandy found the same need for connection in her professional life. Joining the customer contact industry gave Sandy the opportunity to go to a conference where she met other professional women who were ambitious, strong, and inspirational. That’s when it clicked: the key to a career path that inspires authenticity and success is community. The same sense of belonging her family found within the Korean American community could provide a model for networking, mentorship, and community for women in Sandy’s chosen field. 

Sandy reached out to some of these women to meet over 7 a.m. mimosas on the last day of the conference. This informal meeting ignited the spark that led to the launch of CCWomen. In the five years since these encounters, CCWomen has grown into a thriving community of women who are redefining the customer contact industry. The growth of CCWomen demonstrates how providing venues for professional networking and community-building inspires excellence, creates a culture of authentic connection, and drives industry-level innovations. 

Paving the Path to Empowerment for Women in the Contact Center Industry 

To make her vision for CCWomen a reality, Sandy leveraged her background in event planning and love of organizing. Her goal was to develop events that would serve as a platform for community building, support, and empowerment for women. In addition to in-person events, Sandy recognized an opportunity to create digital connections through content generation, social media, and more to build CCWomen into an authoritative hub of resources for the industry. 

Tri-Annual CCWomen Summits  

Each year, there are three CCWomen Summits that women and allies can attend. Sandy invites industry experts, emerging leaders, life coaches, and other speakers to engage attendees on a wide range of subjects. These speaking engagements, masterclasses, and discussion panels provide a space for women in the industry to have open conversations in a professional and supportive environment.  

These events provide a wealth of information and networking opportunities that help attendees grow and succeed as professionals in the customer contact industry. Topics and conversations also go beyond work. Real community means providing support for other needs such as maintaining a work-life balance and encouraging self-care alongside professional growth.  

Also critical to CCWomen’s messaging is a commitment to diversity, equity, access, and inclusion. In addition to advocating for women, the CCWomen Summits provide a platform for advocates to promote awareness and action for disability rights, religious inclusion, and more. Their efforts have pushed meaningful progress for diversity, equity, and inclusion across the industry.  

Providing Strategic Toolkits Through Content and Resources in the Digital Sphere 

Beyond their events, CCWomen builds a sense of community online and through social media. Sandy worked to create a CCWomen website to serve as a central hub for resources, tools, and content for women in the customer contact industry. CCWomen’s content—from articles to podcasts to social media engagement—broaches topics like work-life balance, leadership skills, salary negotiations, and more. Sandy’s goal is to build strategic toolkits of information and resources that members can use to define their own goals and set boundaries to grow both personally and professionally.  

Education, Conversation, and Storytelling All Contribute to the Success and Support of CCWomen’s Community 

Together, these events and resources have succeeded in building a community of women and allies who invest in each other’s success in real, meaningful ways. Sandy encourages the members of CCWomen to embrace networking and build connections. Everyone needs support and community to thrive personally and professionally. Sharing these conversations and stories provides encouragement and also has the potential to build lifelong friendships. 

The CCWomen Hall of Fame 

CCWomen also strives to celebrate the success of individuals within their community. The CCWomen Hall of Fame is a yearly event that acknowledges the achievements of established and up-and-coming women making a significant impact in the customer contact industry. By sharing the success of these women, other members of the community can find inspiration and networking opportunities for their own success.  

The Four Pillars of a CCWomen Hall of Fame Inductee 

There are four pillars that describe the qualities and achievements every CCWomen Hall of Fame Inductee possesses: 

1. Build the Stage – Empowering other women and providing them opportunities to shine through coaching, mentorship, and sponsorship.  
2. Crystal Clear – Valuing transparency by having the courage to conduct research, talk about tough topics, set high standards, maintain boundaries, and keep commitments. 
3. Skin in the Game – Leading with action to create communities and inspire engagement in a way that prioritizes compassion, connection, and a shared sense of humanity and community. 
4. Ready for Change – Moving the bar for all underrepresented women and allies in measurable and enduring ways that break barriers and promote diversity, equity, access, and inclusion.  

From Morning Mimosas to Moving Mountains in the Contact Center Industry, CCWomen Continues to Grow 

CCWomen membership is always growing. Sandy’s goal is to continue inspiring women to find support in the space CCWomen provides and embody their mission and purpose. Sandy sees unlimited potential for CCWomen to invite allies to join in her efforts and expand outside the United States to further enrich and diversify their community.  

Sandy’s efforts have grown CCWomen from an informal gathering over mimosas to a series of impactful events held over the course of each year. This community of empowered, industry-shaping professional women provides proof of what can be accomplished when they come together to invest in each other’s success, share experiences and insight, and inspire a culture of growth and connection. CCWomen’s efforts enable professional growth while also meeting the need for community and promoting advocacy efforts that embody community values and create smiles within and beyond the contact center industry.

What Sandy Does for Fun 

Though her parents were avid golf fans, Sandy only recently decided to pick up her mom’s clubs and begin her journey to becoming a golf master. She loves the satisfaction of improving at a difficult sport and enjoys networking on the greens with friends and colleagues.  

To learn more about Sandy, visit her on LinkedIn and the CCWomen website. For more information about upcoming CCWomen events, visit their events page.

A Unique Employee Compensation Plan Boosts Customer Satisfaction and Re-Defines the Moving Industry 

This week, we welcome Ron Holt to the Digitally Irresistible podcast. Ron is the CEO of Pink Zebra Moving and a serial entrepreneur with specialties in startups, franchise development, management, and leadership.   

Over nearly two decades, Ron built his first startup, a cleaning service called Two Maids and a Mop, into a nationwide multimillion-dollar franchise. He developed a unique employee compensation model based on customer ratings that incentivizes high-quality customer service. Ron’s innovative leadership strategies emphasize treating employees with empathy and prioritizing a positive customer experience. Ron’s current startup, Pink Zebra Moving, is using the same business model to redefine customer expectations about the moving experience.  

On this episode, we discuss how Ron’s determination to deliver excellent customer service with a focus on fun is disrupting the moving industry and driving positive outcomes for his brand, employees, and customers alike.  

An Entrepreneur on a Mission to Provide Positive Moving Experiences and Overhaul an Industry 

Ron’s entrepreneurial mission began 20 years ago when he left his job in corporate America to pursue an entrepreneurial career path. He selected the home services industry and saved money until he could open his own cleaning business, which he named Two Maids and a Mop. The company achieved impressive growth through nationwide franchising success, but rather than sit back and enjoy his accomplishments, Ron decided to do it all over again. He sold Two Maids and a Mop and started a new kind of moving company, which he named Pink Zebra Moving.   

Like many things in life, Ron’s idea to start a moving company originated from a personal experience. His mother-in-law hired a moving company and encountered obstacles in nearly every step of the process. Ron recognized an opportunity to consider his mother-in-law’s experience through the lens of an entrepreneur and start a company that would prioritize customer satisfaction in the moving industry. His goal was to disrupt the moving industry through a CX business model. 

Ron envisioned Pink Zebra Moving to be a moving company like no other, committed to providing customers with service that is not only effective but also fun. His unique, relationship-centric business model—already a proven success with his first startup—is setting the stage for Pink Zebra Moving to overhaul an entire industry through positive CX, highly motivated employees, and fun experiences that create smiles.   

Connecting Customer and Employee Experience to Create a One-of-a-Kind Moving Company 

Before starting Pink Zebra Moving, Ron realized that his mother-in-law’s experience was not unique. All across the U.S., moving companies were consistently missing opportunities to deliver positive CX. With true entrepreneurial spirit, Ron accepted the challenge and decided to revolutionize an industry to create positive employee and customer experiences. 

To successfully manage his customers’ experience, Ron first had to understand and empathize with what the process entails. He put himself in the shoes of a customer needing to hire a moving service and identified areas where he could replace friction points with positive experiences and improve the overall quality of the service. Next, Ron strategized to solidify the approach his employees would use to provide a uniquely positive moving experience.  

Ron realized he needed to do two things: build a relationship with each customer to personalize their experience and bring a sense of fun to the moving process. By prioritizing CX from the moment the customer books the moving service to following up before the move date, Ron makes customers feel valued before the move even begins. With this in mind, Ron devised several revolutionary methods for customer engagement and positive CX to take place before, during, and after the moving process.  

Before the Move 

Most customers book a moving service several weeks ahead of the move. Ron realized this was an opportunity to positively engage with customers right out of the gate through texts, videos, and other communications with a strategic focus on fun and quality service. One example of customer communication is a video that shows the moving employees working out in a gym, symbolizing how the movers train for the upcoming move. Ron admits it seems a little silly. He also believes this type of communication is vital for establishing a relationship with the new customer and setting the stage early on to be more than just another commodity in the mind of the customer. 

In addition to the fun material, Ron also sends out practical tips that help the customer make decisions about their moving experience. These materials educate customers and manage expectations about what the moving process will entail, which helps bring customer and company goals into alignment.  

As an extra special touch to boost the customer experience, Pink Zebra Moving delivers a free meal to the customer the night before the move. Ron recognizes that the simple act of providing a meal is vital to achieving the kind of customer-brand relationship that allows his company to stand out through memorable customer service.  

During the Move 

Normally, having a team of strangers in your home for several hours to move all your belongings is an awkward experience for everyone involved. Ron developed a moving day procedure that breaks the ice through fun employee engagement and setting up speakers throughout the home to set a positive mood with “Happy Playlists.” This family friendly, fun-focused strategy makes people want to smile and creates conversations that would not occur otherwise.  

Ron knows that customers expect the moving company to do the work they were hired to do, so his process delivers quality and efficiency while creating a unique and positive experience for the customer. By leaving room for fun, Pink Zebra Moving’s moving day method improves customer satisfaction (CSAT) even further.  

After the Move 

Ron’s pièce de résistance is to leave customers a “Surprise Box” that they will discover when they unpack at their new home. It looks like their other boxes and contains things such as candy, trinkets, and a personalized item that employees select based on details gleaned over the course of the customer’s relationship with the company.  

The last “personal touch” from the company also has a practical side. The day after the move, the branch manager sends a personalized video message to the customer, using their first name. This gives customers a sense of calm and confidence that even if something isn’t perfect, the company is available to ensure they have the best experience every step of the way. This demonstrates to the customer that the company will hold itself accountable to high standards for CX to earn the customer’s loyalty for the next time they need to hire a moving service.  

Incentivized, Purpose-Driven Employees Are the Movers and Shakers Who Make This Innovative Vision a Reality 

Ron’s innovative ideas are successful because he invests in the employees who deliver his vision with every customer interaction. He believes in meeting his employees’ needs for work that pays well while also imparting a higher sense of respect, value, and purpose. Ron strives to create a positive and successful employee experience in two primary ways:

1. Pay-for-Performance Worker Compensation Plan 

Ron’s compensation plan empowers employees to earn wages well above the market standard by going above and beyond in their performance to provide exceptional customer service. Customers rate their level of satisfaction with the service, providing employees with motivation and feedback to align their personal and professional priorities with the company’s CX goals.  

2. Inspiring Purpose by Personally Investing in Employee Potential 

Ron believes investing in the personal and professional goals of his employees is the best way to inspire loyalty and exceptional performance. He takes time to ask each employee what their dreams are. Working together toward a future goal deepens the connection with the employee. By identifying a purpose, employees are inspired to achieve that goal, and it gives them a reason to work hard and perform well.  

In one example, Ron shared his experience as an entrepreneur to help an employee fulfill their dream of starting their own moving company. Ron’s personal investment in this employee led to high performance and ratings during their time with the company and fostered a connection that lasted beyond the employer-employee relationship. Employees appreciate when a company is sincere about investing in their success, and real-world outcomes like this are critical to cultivating a positive, effective employee experience. 

From Disruptive to Transformative: How Fun and Positive CX Can Pioneer Industry-Wide Changes and Turn the Moving Experience Around 

Ron’s goal for Pink Zebra Moving is to create a moving experience that customers look forward to by increasing the quality of the service and adding positive experiences throughout the moving process. Ron believes that returning to good, old-fashioned customer service is the key to making customers and employees smile—changing the moving industry for the better. His purpose as an entrepreneur is to create a new category of “happy movers” across the U.S. through positive, fun CX strategies that increase CSAT and inspire loyalty. 

What Ron Does for Fun 

Given Ron’s determination to make work fun, it’s no surprise that he knows how to have fun outside of work, too! With a lifelong interest in baseball, he spends much of his free time cheering on his daughter at her softball games and his son at his baseball games. When not on the playing field or in the stands, he and his family also enjoy spending warm weather days soaking up the sun on a boat.  

To learn more about Ron, connect with him on LinkedIn and on his website at pinkzebramoving.com. Discover franchising opportunities with Pink Zebra Moving here.

Creating a Thriving Culture Shift for iQor Employees Through Organizational Development

This week we welcome Mark Monaghan to the Digitally Irresistible podcast. Mark is vice president of organizational development at iQor, driving the transformation of leadership development programs for iQor’s 40,000 amazing employees spanning 10 countries. 

Mark’s rich background in human resources and training and development has fueled his passion for leading iQor’s organizational development initiatives. His work focuses on building programs that positively impact the lives of iQorians through leadership coaching and career advancement. 

On this episode, we discuss how Mark’s organizational development approach to employee career pathing enables iQorians to “Be More with iQor” and creates value for the clients who trust iQor to help achieve their goals. 

Transforming Employee Growth Through Organizational Development 

Mark’s journey to a career in organizational development was shaped by the valuable skills and experiences he gained along the way. He earned his undergraduate degree in telecommunications and film production. By his late twenties, Mark became managing partner with a national restaurant chain. Though he enjoyed the work, he wanted something he could really put his heart into. After reassessing his passions and priorities, he decided to earn master’s degrees and certifications in human resources.  

He worked in HR for over a decade before accepting a corporate training position with iQor. The chance to develop people in positive ways made him fall in love with the world of training and development. His contributions helped expand iQor’s focus on training and onboarding to address broader organizational development.  

Mark has been at the forefront of iQor’s shift to organizational development, providing leadership and proven strategies to support employees at every level of the company. His organizational development programs have won awards and created smiles for iQorians and clients alike. The efforts of Mark and his team embody iQor’s commitment to building rewarding employee experiences that support career growth and drive excellent CX. 

Career Pathing Is the Way Forward for Maximizing Employee Potential 

iQor has historically emphasized onboarding and training for new agents and supervisors. While this remains an important focus for iQor, providing developmental opportunities at all leadership levels is also imperative. In 2022, iQor brought in new senior leadership to focus on training, allowing Mark to focus on organizational development.  

Mark is instrumental in building leadership programs and coaching workshops that focus on all employees, from agents to all levels of managers. He built career pathing into these levels, providing a leadership pipeline to maximize iQor’s investment in its employees, resulting in new avenues for growth.  

iQor’s sQholar Program Enables Agent Leadership 

Frontline customer service agents and supervisors comprise the majority of iQor’s global workforce. In 2017, Mark helped launch iQor’s sQholar Program to enable the advancement of agents into leadership roles.  

An assessment of the existing training identified opportunities to improve its effectiveness. The sQholar Program was designed to drive specific KPIs along with other behaviors through a comprehensive coaching workshop.  

Mark and his team reduced a six-month-long training program to four months while also improving outcomes across multiple metrics. Frontline agents with the initiative to progress to the next stage of leadership are equipped to provide quality service and excellent CX, aligning employee career pathing with the growth expectations of iQor’s clients. 

The Award-Winning iLead Next Level Career Coaching Program Drives Leadership Potential 

The next level of iQor’s organizational development strategy is the iLead Program to provide career pathing into higher levels of leadership. The program applies iQor’s Leadership Competency Model, which describes the four levels of employee career pathing: 

1. Leading Oneself – Agents beginning their leadership journey. 
2. Leading a Team – Frontline supervisors. 
3. Leading a Department – Manager of managers. 
4. Leading a Vision – Executives who drive strategy and results. 

Each step aligns with Lominger Competencies that ensure an employee’s position is about more than just a title. The program uses a mentor/mentee style dialogue to assess these competencies and encourage the relationships at the heart of iQor’s leadership structure. 

In March 2023, iQor was awarded a Bronze Stevie® Award in the Customer Service Training or Coaching Program of the Year for iLead. Mark expressed pride in his team and the program for achieving this in the first year and a half of a global rollout. For Mark, this indicates that people recognize the difference iLead makes in the lives of iQor employees and the unlimited potential it has for improving output at every level. 

3 Values of Effective Leadership 

iQor’s training programs and coaching workshops provide many metrics for assessing and enabling leadership success guided by these three key values: 

1. Accountability 

It’s important for leaders to hold themselves accountable, asking themselves “did I set up this person to fail or to succeed?” This models the ability to provide honest self-assessments and remain solution oriented. Accountability is critical for maintaining the relationships at the core of advancing employees into new leadership roles. 

2. Resiliency 

Mark says that in order to guide employees, leaders must have the capacity to withstand and recover quickly from obstacles. This true grit factor is especially critical in the BPO industry, which requires leaders who can thrive in a world of advancing technology, shifting client needs, and dynamic client priorities. 

3. Servant-Leadership Mindset

Effective leaders lead by example. An empathetic approach provides a respectful, safe atmosphere that allows employees to grow through recognition and appreciation. This culture of support and trust empowers employees who are intrinsically motivated to be the best they can be by developing their leadership potential. 

Culture of Learning is Key for Organizational Development Teams 

Underlying these three values of effective leadership is a culture that facilitates active learning. iQor’s active learning strategy involves fundamentally reimagining the classroom for career learning through the application of research-driven adult learning principles and incorporates our expertise in work-at-home (WAH) and virtual learning processes. 

iQor has embraced methods and technology proven to increase employee engagement and provide effective learning and coaching. These methods emphasize collaboration, engagement, and active dialogue between coaches and employees. When learning strategies embody these priorities, employees are happier, more productive, and better suited to invest in their own development with iQor. 

Organizational Development Creates Teams That Consistently Exceed Client Expectations 

The sQholar and iLead Programs have been enormously beneficial for iQor’s employees and, consequently, for iQor’s brand partners. These programs empower Mark to share measurable results with clients pertaining to the effectiveness of iQor’s teams and training platforms. 

Career pathing aligns iQor’s internal messaging with client priorities by ensuring that employees at every level are driven to create smiles for themselves, their teams, their customers, and the brands they serve. 

What Mark Does for Fun 

When not building leadership programs from the ground up, Mark enjoys taking his vintage Corvette for a spin around his family’s home base in Charleston, South Carolina—a hobby that he and his son enjoy together. He is also a science fiction fan with a large collection of sci-fi memorabilia! 

To learn more about Mark, connect with him on LinkedIn. 

The Psychology of Customer Engagement: How Loyal Customers Accelerate Growth and Provide a Competitive Advantage  

This week we welcome Jermaine Edwards to the Digitally Irresistible podcast. Jermaine is a leading customer growth expert, advisor, international speaker, and award-winning author.  

With more than 20 years of sales and leadership experience, Jermaine specializes in working with brands to build customer loyalty. Since 2016, his clients have delivered more than $250 million in value to their customers. His revolutionary customer loyalty strategies improve retention, fuel revenue, and provide a competitive advantage in tough market conditions.  

On this episode, we discuss how Jermaine’s secrets of unshakeable loyalty use proven psychological principles to engage customer loyalty and accelerate brand growth.  

Advising Brands in Customer-Oriented Strategies for Success 

A self-described Jamaican farm boy who grew up in London and studied in Germany, Jermaine became a customer-growth enthusiast because of great mentors he had early on in his career. 

Of all the businesses he worked with, Jermaine noticed that the most successful were customer oriented. This inspired him to develop a path for customer growth that small and midsize enterprises (SMEs) could apply to gain a needed advantage in tough climates.  

Jermaine is now an established leader in customer loyalty. His business advises both SMEs and top global industry leaders to adopt a customer-centric approach to growth. His secrets of unshakeable loyalty transform the way CX leaders partner with their teams and communities to achieve success. 

Unlocking the Secrets of Unshakeable Customer Loyalty 

Conversations about customer loyalty usually center around three different types: rational, emotional, and behavioral. These individual strains are all important concerns for engaging with customers, but for truly impressive results, the discussion has to go further.  

Jermaine’s model for unshakeable loyalty goes above and beyond by tapping into known and observable qualities that brands and CX leaders can utilize in their customer base. By creating a relationship between the customer and the brand that is as important to the customer as the product or service being provided, unshakeable loyalty offers a uniquely successful strategy for increasing customer retention and revenue. 

Principles of Psychology Can Improve Customer Retention 

The current global marketplace often prioritizes quantitative factors such as sales or cutting-edge developments in technology, but the benefits of a value-based, emotional connection with customers are important as well. Shared conversation and values with customers leads to a much more distinct, powerful, and cohesive loyalty. 

There are three factors in creating this connection.  

1. Psychology. Or, in other words, what we believe, understand, and value about how we connect with others.
2. Proximity. Proximity isn’t just about physical closeness but social closeness: it’s our sense of what groups we belong to and how meaningful they are.
3. Power. Power refers to the influence we have with others and the leverage we have to engage in deeper, richer conversations.  

While all are relevant, psychology is the linchpin that holds everything together. Customers are people. Their needs and habits can, to a degree, be predicted, allowing CX leaders to unlock shared values and connections to improve customer engagement and cultivate loyalty. 

The Endowed Progress Effect Motivates Customers to Engage and Achieve Brand Goals 

An effective strategy for unlocking this psychological connection is called the Endowed Progress Effect. This effect describes how people provided with artificial advancement toward a goal feel invested in reaching that goal. Rather than just educating a client or pushing for product engagement, this technique helps customers feel intrinsically motivated to achieve a goal set by the brand. 

Jermaine says the key is to tap into customer beliefs and values. Customers are more willing to engage when a brand has demonstrated that they understand and share their values. With this alignment, CX leaders can direct customers toward a goal. The Endowed Progress Effect is successful with customers by enabling brands to map out what motivates customers’ affinity with the brand. Brands can identify the values that underlie these motivations and synthesize this information into goals that align the brand with customer values. 

Telling the Brand’s Story Through Shared Customer Values and Experiences 

To establish this human connection, it helps to think of strategy in terms of three types of stories. This framing allows for a more organic, flexible approach that is necessary for a customer-centric foundation.  

Story 1: Relationship Between Customer and Company 
The first story is about the relationship between the customer and the company. This precedes the product or service and is all about identifying the values and needs of the customer base. Brands must initiate a dialogue with their customers that extends beyond a sales pitch – a real conversation with real connection gives customers the freedom to express the values they expect the brands they support to share.  

Story 2: Relationship Between Customer and Product or Service 
The second story is about the relationship between the customer and the product or service. When the customer is grounded in supporting the brand’s values, the intrinsic motivation to support what the brand offers is already there. It is still up to CX leaders to maintain an active dialogue throughout this stage (here is where the Endowed Progress Effect comes in). Active participation focused on an end goal incentivizes customers to maintain their relationship with the brand in tangible ways. 

Story 3: Shared Experience and Value Between Customer and Brand 
The third story is mostly unseen: it’s about the shared experience and value created between the brand and the customer. This can be defined in many ways, from customer retention rates to revenue generation. This part of the story is where unshakeable loyalty manifests, creating new potential for brand growth and success. 

Embracing the Human Connection in Customer-Brand Relationships Produces Powerful, Measurable Results 

Many brands are already expanding their growth potential by tapping into the secrets of unshakeable loyalty. This strategy enabled a well-known shoe brand to reach a 93% return rate for customers. The customers return to buy shoes because they believe their support of the product and brand makes a difference. When customers can connect a brand to their personal values, it creates a sense of pride that incentivizes them to maintain a loyal relationship with the brand.  

While products and services evolve and become obsolete, customers will always be relevant. Understanding and utilizing principles of psychology equips brands to engage with their customer base in powerful ways that produce results. The shared values, stories, and emotions at the heart of every customer-brand relationship are what make unshakeable loyalty such a critical component of any brand’s success. 

What Jermaine Does for Fun 

A former cello player himself, Jermaine enjoys listening to orchestra music and attending the theater. This love of music, particularly string instruments, is shared by his daughter, who has played violin with the London Symphony Youth Orchestra.  

To learn more about Jermaine, visit him on LinkedIn, Twitter, and his website at www.jermainedwards.com.

Promoting CX Excellence Through Strategic Leadership 

On this week’s episode of the Digitally Irresistible Podcast, we welcome Adam Toporek. Adam is a third-generation entrepreneur, consultant, and highly sought-after CX keynote speaker. 

Recognized as one of the top thought leaders in customer experience, Adam is a strategic analyst and consultant with appearances on top media outlets such as “Forbes,” “Entrepreneur,” “AMA,” and more. His innovative strategies guide brands to adapt their CX leadership to drive quality customer service in the digital age. 

On this episode, we discuss Adam’s 3E Leadership Framework that equips CX leaders to guide high-performing customer service teams to maximize positive CX outcomes that optimize digital and human customer interactions.  

A Customer-Centric Culture is Key for Employee Engagement and Customer Satisfaction 

Customer experience is in Adam’s blood. His grandfather, father, and mother were all business owners who raised him with a customer-centric focus before it became a catchphrase. His family background taught him the importance of customer experience from a young age.  

As a teenager packing boxes in his family’s warehouse, Adam remembers “just throwing stuff” in the boxes. His father guided him to realize that the customer’s first impression of the order began when they opened the box. He taught Adam how to pack the box neatly and ultimately set the foundation for a customer-centric focus that would direct the course of Adam’s career. 

Adam went on to earn his MBA and develop his own entrepreneurial experience with a customer experience mindset. His expertise led him to recognize the need for brands to develop CX leadership strategies to improve customer service. Adam is now a trusted CX expert, keynote speaker, consultant, and author helping brands cultivate high-performing customer teams through improved education and increased engagement. His book, “Be Your Customer’s Hero,” serves as a playbook for customer service success. 

The 3E Leadership Framework Equips Customer Service Teams for CX Success 

Amid all the attention given to digital CX strategies, Adam advises CX leaders to recognize the importance of their teams. The digital transformation of customer service is crucial, but brands are still run first and foremost by human beings. Quality customer service teams are more important now than ever before in ensuring positive CX. For customer service teams to succeed, leadership must support them in strategic ways. 

Adam has developed a three-part framework for leadership that focuses on key areas of frontline employee support that simultaneously improves the employee experience as well as the customer experience. With this 3E Leadership Framework, Adam outlines a strategic path for leaders to model and equip their employees with a customer-centric focus, resulting in increased employee engagement and improved customer retention.  

1. Embody 

CX leaders must embody a customer-centric culture for their teams. Many brands talk the talk with missions and values that focus on the customer. More importantly, their leaders must walk the talk to ensure the CX culture they espouse aligns with their actual organizational priorities, actions, and practices. Team meetings, quarterly reviews, and most of all, incentives will always communicate a brand’s true priorities to employees regardless of the messaging. For employees to embody a customer-centric culture, incentives must be grounded in CX practices and not just sales.  

Ensuring that the messaging aligns with the culture is an ongoing process. When leadership embodies this in both messaging and culture, employees are inspired to adopt the same customer-centric focus.

2. Educate 

Once frontline employees integrate a customer-centric approach, leadership must educate them on how to implement it. Training in operational and technical skills is a necessary starting point. Leadership must also educate their customer service teams on the “soft skills” at the heart of customer service-client interactions.  

Frontline employees need to feel equipped to handle difficult situations while still prioritizing positive outcomes. When customer concerns become too complex for digital tools to handle, a team’s ability to efficiently handle “human moments” makes all the difference in ensuring a positive customer experience. Increased confidence in this area will boost employee engagement and improve the quality and efficiency of the customer service provided. 

Adam says the key is to accommodate rather than resist difficult customer interactions. In his book “Be Your Customer’s Hero,” Adam describes a technique called “Let Customers Punch Themselves Out” as a de-escalation strategy. Though it sounds counterintuitive, this technique encourages a positive outcome by allowing frustrated customers to express themselves without interference or excuses from customer service agents. This lets the customer feel heard and makes it more likely that they will re-engage and allow a customer service agent to enact the best solution in that moment.  

3. Empower 

Employees must be empowered with the tools necessary to efficiently and effectively resolve customer concerns. The digital transformation of customer service has led customers to expect hassle-free resolutions to their issues in real time. If a customer is referred to human support after a digital channel couldn’t resolve their issue, it’s imperative that the human agent solve the issue without additional steps for the customer. When frontline employees are empowered to resolve issues without delays, both they and the customers win.  

Employee empowerment is a win-win-win scenario: customers win by avoiding hassles; employees win by having the tools to resolve the situation; and management wins by avoiding costly and prolonged customer service concerns.  

While leaders may feel that empowering employees can be risky, Adam advises that the risk is worth the reward. As long as the empowerment is appropriate for the context, the additional latitude to prevent hassles such as extra steps or delays is necessary for meeting customer expectations. Leaders who prioritize CX will find that empowering their teams is a necessary step for providing excellent customer service. 

Culture Work Is the Way Forward for CX Success in the Hybrid Digital-Human World of Customer Service 

The current state of customer service is a hybrid digital-human experience. Though the human element may be declining, this only increases the importance of human customer interactions. When a digital interaction can’t meet customer needs, human support must provide satisfactory service. As a result, customer service is increasingly becoming a highly skilled profession. Brands must be willing to invest in their team’s success. 

Each step of the 3E Leadership Framework establishes the foundation for the next. When leadership embodies a customer-centric culture, employees follow suit. Leaders can educate their teams with the service skills needed to resolve complex customer interactions. This team empowerment ensures that employees have the latitude to provide hassle-free, real-time solutions.  

Leaders who recognize and embrace the importance of a customer-centric culture will find that investing in their teams is a savvy way forward for providing positive CX that will create smiles for leadership, employees, and customers alike.

What Adam Does for Fun 

An artist at heart, Adam enjoys writing fiction and playing music in his free time. 

To learn more about Adam, visit him on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and his website at customersthatstick.com.

Turning Customers Into Lifelong Advocates 

This week we welcome Brittany Hodak to the Digitally Irresistible podcast. Brittany is an entrepreneur, author, customer experience keynote speaker, and author of over 350 thought-leadership articles for a variety of national media, including regular columns for Forbes, Adweek, and Success. 

Brittany has spent her entire career studying the psychology of superfandom, while working on fan strategy and product campaigns for some of the world’s most iconic brands and global superstars, including Walmart, Disney, Amazon, Luke Bryan, Katie Perry, the Boston Red Sox, and many more.   

Now, she’s distilled everything she’s learned in practice and poured it into her book, “Creating Superfans.” In the book, Brittany shares her SUPER model framework for fan engagement with memorable case studies from businesses of all sizes.

From Bumblebee to Super CX Expert 

From childhood, Brittany Hodak (then Brittany Jones) always wanted to work in the entertainment industry. At 16 she landed what she thought was the coolest job in the world when she became the mascot for a radio station. Dressed as a bumblebee, Brittany attended every car dealership opening, state fair, and Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting.  

When the movie Bridget Jones’s Diary was coming out, the station manager thought it would be cool to publish a Brittany Jones’s Diary on the station’s website but didn’t know what it should cover. Brittany suggested that she interview every band that came to town, to attract more traffic to the website. So, as a 17-year-old in the small town of Roland, Oklahoma, Brittany’s job was to hang out with rock stars and brag about it on the internet. Turned out to be a cool job, after all. 

Throughout college and working at record labels, entertainment agencies, and music magazines, Brittany’s obsession with the idea of fandom remained her driving force. She needed to know what made some bands go viral while other bands just went away. Why do some people love some things and not others? 

After working with more brands and larger agencies, Brittany went back to school and earned a master’s degree in consumer behavior and marketing.  

Then came her aha! moment:  

All of the markers she’d recognized in fans of bands applied to consumers in every category. She realized that if she could take everything she’d learned in music and teach it to people at brands, she could help them build superfans like the rock bands she witnessed. And that’s what she’s done ever since, working with brands and organizations that aspire to become iconic brands in their category. 

Marketers and CX professionals will find Brittany’s SUPER model framework to be a game-changer: simple to learn, deploy, and measure.  

The SUPER Model Framework 

Brittany says that to win, you must create superfans. 

In an economy where technology makes it so easy for any startup brand to disrupt a category, your brand is the only thing you have to futureproof your business. Your brand depends on superfans—the loyal, enthusiastic customers who keep coming back and advocate to their friends on your behalf—and the SUPER brand experiences that turn your customers into superfans.

For Brittany, it’s all about “curating the journey for people to be delighted with their experience.”

For Brittany, it’s all about “curating the journey for people to be delighted with their experience.” 

S-U-P-E-R is an acronym, designed to be super simple to remember and teach your team how to use. Here’s what it stands for. 

S: Story 

What’s your story? Why do you exist? How do you make your prospects’ and customers’ lives better? Why are you a better choice than your competitors? 

The answers to these questions are your superpower, and you must make them clear to your prospects and customers. Everyone on your team must be well-versed and aligned with your story. You must intentionally design every experience you create for customers and prospects so it’s true to your story. 

U: Understand Your Customer’s Story 

Actively listen, not just to show authority, but with empathy.  

Really understand the challenges the customer is trying to overcome—the transformation they’re looking for—so you can determine if your miracle product or miracle service is the one that’s going to offer that transformation. 

You’ve got to know your customer’s needs, both inside and outside their relationship with your brand, because the full picture is relevant to what you do.  

Superfans are created at the intersection of your story and every customer’s story, where yours and theirs overlap. That’s where the magic starts to happen. 

P: Personalize 

Having yours and your customers’ stories in hand is a good start. From there, you need to personalize customers’ experiences. 

Customers’ expectations have never been higher. When buyers consider your brand, they don’t just scrutinize it in the context of competitors in your sector, but of every brand they interact with, regardless of category. 

In your communications with customers, demonstrate that you understand them, know their needs, and how you’ll take care of them. Let them know they’re not just a number. 

E: Exceed Expectations 

There are three types of customer interactions. At the end of every interaction, your customer is going to leave feeling better, worse, or exactly the same. Either you’ve improved their day or added friction or chaos to their day. Or, it’s like a nothingburger. They just check it off their list and move on with the rest of their lives. 

With intentional experience design, you architect experiences you want your customers to have before, during, and after the interaction. With a little bit of creativity, empathy, and curiosity, you can turn otherwise forgettable moments into something worth talking about, something that makes customers smile, something they’ll remember, and something they’re likely to repeat. 

When you succeed in making something special of an otherwise forgettable moment, you exceed expectations. That’s likely to lead customers to come back, and to tell someone about their experience. 

R: Repeat 

Exceeding expectations isn’t a “set it and forget it” kind of thing. It’s a day-in, day-out commitment to customer centricity and customer obsession—going deep, wanting to create those remarkable experiences, wanting to differentiate yourself. 

As Elizabeth Arden said, “Repetition makes reputation and reputation makes customers.” 

You’ve got to give your customers a differentiated experience over and over and over again to earn a reputation that’s going to bring your customers back, that’s going to create super fans.

Brittany’s CX Expectations 

Brittany’s CX forecast is that customer expectations will continue to go through the roof. People will continue to want more and more, in terms of both technology and innovation; in terms of the speed and the immediacy that we demand, and also in terms of the creativity and personalization. 

Customers may experience something in one category and expect a similar experience from brands in other categories. We have expectations and we say, “If it works over there, it should work over here.” 

What Brittany Does for Fun 

Brittany and her husband love to travel and go on adventures with their two young children. Whether they’re going to Disney World, the local zoo, or the science center, Brittany says her favorite thing is to rediscover the world through the eyes of her kiddos. They give her insight into the future customer that’s going to demand even more, leading her to ask questions like, “Why don’t they have an automatic door,” or, “Why doesn’t this restaurant have an app?” 

To learn more about Brittany and the SUPER model framework, connect with her on LinkedIn or visit her website.

Equip Frontline Employees to Provide an Excellent Customer Experience 

On this week’s episode of the Digitally Irresistible Podcast, we welcome Lori Brown. Lori is a seasoned customer experience executive with more than 25 years of experience in the BPO industry. She is a respected thought leader, CX consultant, and keynote speaker. 

Lori helps brands develop and evolve their CX strategy, enabling them to meet the rapidly changing demands of their customers. She embraces innovative technology that enables CX leaders to develop frontline employees into effective representatives of a brand, creating smiles for the customers they serve. 

On this episode, we discuss what it takes to equip frontline employees to succeed in delivering a great customer experience. 

Frontline Employees Are the Lifeblood of CX 

Good customer service has been a passion for Lori since her early days working in retail—selling wool coats in Florida. She worked her way through college managing a retail store. One night as she was closing up at 9 p.m., a customer crawled under the security gate and said she really needed to buy something for an important meeting the next day. Lori explained that the store was closed and she turned the customer away. 

The next day, when she got to work there was a stern voice message for her from the regional manager. He explained that Lori needed to immediately apologize to the customer she turned away, send her a dozen roses, and let her know that she was welcome in the store any time. Lori learned that without customers, the store is simply an empty box. To this day, Lori embraces the lesson that customers are always No. 1. Frontline employees have a duty to make them feel welcome each time they interact with the brand. 

Lori’s experience in retail ultimately led her to the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry where she was able to leverage her background in retail customer service. More than 20 years later, Lori still has a strong passion for the industry, customer service, and the frontline employees that make an excellent customer experience possible. 

5 Key Elements Frontline Employees Need to Deliver a Great Customer Experience 

By listening and creating an environment that empowers frontline employees, CX leaders can address the changing demands of customers and keep frontline employees motivated to deliver great CX. Frontline employees know what customers want and technology can provide real-time insight into what they’re hearing to help them deliver the best customer experience possible. 

Lori has identified five interconnected elements to help create an employee experience that results in excellent outcomes for the customer. 

1. Data 

Data has played an important part in Lori’s BPO experience over the past 20+ years, and for the last 12, she’s noticed a greater focus on speech analytics and interaction analytics that provide insights to better understand customer behavior as well as how frontline employees support them. 

This goes beyond surveying customers and simply capturing data. Data-driven decisions include capturing, understanding, and then acting upon and continually measuring data. Data empowers educated decisions because you can’t run a business on assumptions. 

2. Environment 

The start of COVID necessitated that BPOs quickly and securely transition from work-in-office to work-at-home environments in order to maintain seamless customer service. Within days, BPOs addressed opportunities to provide reliable work-at-home environments and now, several years later, companies need to think about the hybrid contact center environment that exists today and how they can optimize it for their frontline employees. 

BPOs need to ensure they have consistently high levels of employee engagement for agents working at home, as they would in the office. They need to creatively implement ways to provide a supportive environment and a customer service culture with flexible work environments. It is essential to cultivate an environment where employees can freely share ideas and engage in peer discussions to emulate best practices of the work-in-office environment.  

Happy employees with high levels of employee satisfaction provide great customer service. Frontline employees should feel valued and cared for in any work environment. 

3. Technology 

Investing in technology to enable a collaborative environment as discussed above is one way to help employees feel valued. Another way to harness technology is through coaching tools that share best practices with agents, tell them how many times they’ve used a best practice, and how many more they need to use in order to meet their metrics. 

Technology such as this helps frontline employees feel valued when they know the company is committed to their growth and success. Coaching tools, data analytics, and other technologies equip agents to better serve customers with more complex issues which sets them up for success. Such tools can also enable supervisors and leadership to provide more effective coaching and feedback to frontline employees, resulting in happier employees and happier customers. 

4. Policies 

Policies set the direction for a business. If the goal is to be a customer-centric organization, the policies and procedures should drive customer-centricity. It’s important to consider the full downstream effect when creating policies to make sure they align with the original intent along every step of the customer journey to provide the best customer experience possible. 

Lori shares a personal example of this from a recent trip to bring home a new puppy during the busy holiday travel season a week before Christmas. She tried to check in for her flight from home in Ft. Lauderdale and couldn’t. She called the customer service line and the agent stated that the airline’s pet policy required customers to check in at the airport when they have a pet ticket. Lori explained that she would only have the pet with her on the return flight home and she didn’t want to get to the airport three hours early at Christmas time just to tell them she didn’t have the pet with her on the outbound flight. But the agent made it clear that the policy stood and there was nothing the agent could do to change it for her. This is an example of an unanticipated scenario where a policy didn’t serve the customer well.  

5. Empowerment 

In this example, the frontline agent Lori was speaking with could have been empowered to provide a great customer experience by enabling Lori to check in—recognizing that she didn’t have the puppy yet. But instead, the agent was required to uphold the policy. Although the airline had invested in hiring the right people, training them, and providing technology to deliver a great customer experience, the agent was not empowered to bypass the policy, resulting in a frustrating experience for the customer. 

There are times when it’s necessary to uphold policies due to regulatory and compliance mandates, even when it impacts the customer experience. In other instances, the frontline agent could be empowered to improve the customer experience in the moment. 

Lori points out that policies should maintain a focus on customer-centricity and agents should be empowered to intervene on the customer’s behalf, with proper guidelines, to ensure a great customer experience. 

Integrating the 5 Key Elements Throughout the Employee Experience 

Data from interaction analytics can empower employees by providing tools to understand customer interactions and to support the employee experience. This fosters trust and feedback from frontline employees, making it possible for them to create an excellent customer experience. By acting on data, creating an environment and culture conducive to great customer service, utilizing technology, assessing the impact of policies throughout the customer journey, and empowering employees to deliver rewarding customer experiences, brands can ensure employees feel valued and customers keep coming back. 

What Lori Does for Fun 

Living on Ft. Lauderdale beach, fun is always just footsteps away for Lori. When she’s not at the beach, she’s still enjoying the fresh air and sunshine practicing her newly discovered golf skills on the course and at the driving range.  

To learn more about Lori, visit her on LinkedIn and her website at lbrowncxconsulting.com.

Make Customers Swoon and Create Zealous Advocates for Your Brand 

This week, we welcome Dr. Chip Bell to the Digitally Irresistible Podcast. Chip is a world-renowned authority on customer loyalty and service innovation, ranked by Global Gurus for the past eight years as one of the top 10 keynote speakers on customer experience. 

Chip is a decorated U.S. Army veteran and has written more than 700 columns for business journals, magazines, and top blogs. He has appeared on CNN, CNBC, CBS, Fox Business, and ABC among others. His work has been featured in “Fortune,” “Businessweek,” “Forbes,” “The Wall Street Journal,” and the list goes on. 

He has authored 24 books on customer loyalty and service, many of which are award-winning bestsellers. 

On this episode, we discuss nine principles to improve customer loyalty through service innovation that Chip explains in his 23^rd book, “Kaleidoscope: Delivering Innovative Service That Sparkles.” 

A Passion for Writing and Service 

Chip’s interest in writing began in the 11^th grade when we earned an A on a creative essay he wrote about a coat hanger. This unlocked the door to creativity for Chip and later gave a voice to his passion for excellent customer service. 

Since starting his company in 1980, he has had a blast making a positive difference in the lives of others and helping companies develop customer-centric strategies. 

9 Steps to Improve Customer Loyalty Through Service Innovation 

In his book, “Kaleidoscope: Delivering Innovative Service That Sparkles,” Chip differentiates between good customer service that leaves customers satisfied and innovative service that makes customers swoon and become zealous advocates for a company. 

For Chip, a kaleidoscope is a metaphor for the key principles that remain constant when creating profoundly remarkable customer experiences that are unique to each organization. 

To create the types of compelling experiences that keep customers coming back, Chip says businesses must go beyond value added and develop value unique—innovative ways to create experiences customers can’t wait to tell others about. 

1. Enchantment: Create Magical Experiences That Customers Talk About 

Enchantment is an unexpected and unique aspect of the experience beyond what the customer can imagine. 

Chip’s wife experienced enchantment after trading in her old car for a new one. When she turned on the radio for the first time, she discovered the service tech had programmed the radio stations from her old car. Now, more than the car, she talks about the radio—the enchanting experience that went beyond her expectations. 

2. Mercy: Treat Customers With Respect and Assume Innocence 

Mercy is how we treat customers when things go wrong, when they’re upset, and when they’re angry. 

Chip experienced mercy when he was driving down a rural road one Sunday morning. He was the only car on the road and didn’t notice when the speed limit changed from 65 mph to 45 mph because the road conditions hadn’t changed. A highway patrol officer stopped Chip, and the first thing he asked was if there was an emergency. The officer assumed innocence and showed mercy. Chip got a ticket, but what stood out to him was how incredible the experience was. So much so that he wrote a letter of commendation to the highway patrol unit because of the way the officer handled the situation with mercy. 

3. Grace: Show Unconditional Acceptance and Care 

Grace is all about unconditional acceptance, assuming the best in others. Grace is also about dramatic listening to build connections—interacting with customers in ways that demonstrate they are important and valued. 

Chip notes an example he saw in an upscale retail store. A few teenagers walked in with ear pods and baggy pants and the clerk welcomed the teenagers and thanked them for coming in—treating all customers equally with grace. The kids were taken aback, and one said they had to buy something. That grace and unconditional acceptance created a positive encounter because of how the customers were treated. 

4. Trust: Demonstrate Trust in Customers and Empower Employees to Make Smart Decisions 

Trust is an essential part of how we treat customers and how we empower frontline employees. When leaders trust employees to make smart decisions on behalf of their organization, it creates better employee and customer experiences. 

An example of trust—from the employee and customer perspectives—was when Chip’s wife stopped by the local grocery store during a jog. She picked up a few items and when she arrived at the check-out, she realized she had forgotten her credit card (she usually carried it and her driver’s license when she went running). Instead of turning her away, the cashier told her not to worry about it. She knew Chip’s wife as a regular customer and simply wrote down the amount owed, put it in the drawer, and told her she could pay the bill the next time she came in. 

5. Generosity: Give Something Extra to Demonstrate a Gifting Attitude 

Generosity is the giving of something extra. It’s the baker’s dozen spirit of abundance integrated throughout the customer journey.  

One example Chip shares is of a heating, air conditioning, and plumbing company that looks for ways to bring something extra when they make a house call. They may bring a balloon, greeting card, flower, or another small unique token that shows they care. 

6. Ease: Take the Effort Out of the Customer Experience 

Ease is how we remove emotional effort from the customer experience. 

Harvard Business School marketing professor Ted Levitt used to talk about how people buy a quarter-inch drill bit, not because they want the drill bit itself, but because they want a quarter-inch hole. They’d probably like to snap their fingers and have the hole, but instead, they must go to the hardware store, find the drill bit, pay the clerk, go home, attach the drill bit to the drill, and finally make the hole. Customers would love to skip this entire process, so we need to make it as comfortable as we can for them. 

Chip says this applies to all processes, from filling out forms to waiting on hold for an agent, our goal should be to create an experience that the customer finds emotionally effortless—remove anxiety, worry, and angst from their experience. 

7. Truth: Be Completely Honest and Open With Customers 

Great relationships are founded in absolute trust, so we must trust and be completely open and transparent with our customers. 

When people take the stand in court, they promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. The statement is broken into three parts to emphasize the importance of telling the entire truth, without omitting details or including white lies. 

Chip shares an example of when he was on a flight and the pilot announced they landed on time. Chip looked at his watch and the flight was 14 minutes later than planned. The pilot viewed this as an on-time arrival because the FAA permits a 15-minute window for flights to be considered on time. Truth is being completely open and honest with customers.

8. Alliance: Create a Partnership With Customers and Seek Their Help and Feedback 

Alliance is about a partnership. It’s about co-creating an experience with a customer that they feel a part of. This can include inviting them to provide feedback or any other action that helps customers feel like they are co-owners of the experience. 

By creating experiences with customers that make them feel like trusted partners, we should also treat frontline associates the same. Creating a culture of respect, alliance, and partnership produces more rewarding employee and customer experiences. 

9. Passion: Exude Passion in All Interactions With Customers 

Passion in a customer relationship means every moment will be the best it can be. 

During keynotes, Marketing Hall of Famer Seth Godin sometimes asks the audience to hold up their hands as high as they can. He then asks them to hold their hands a little higher. Invariably, people can always go a little higher, so Seth asks why hold back? 

Sometimes we’re too reserved to do our very best the first time around. With profoundly remarkable and innovative customer relationships we must deliver excitement and positive energy. When we have passion, our customers know we’re doing the best we can to serve them. 

CX Leadership That Prompts Innovation 

CX leaders can inspire innovative services by treating employees like valued customers their bottom line depends on. It’s essential to trust employees and empower them with training, support, and all the tools they need to make smart decisions on behalf of the organization to best serve customers. 

The Ritz-Carlton famously empowers employees with the authority to spend up to $2,000 to satisfy a guest’s need before bringing it to management’s attention. That authority is grounded in trust that serves employees and customers well. 

What Chip Does for Fun 

Chip travels for work and for fun. He and his wife love visiting museums in any city they visit. Next on the list is the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. He’s on the board of the Georgia Writers Museum and is also an avid fly fisher. Always learning, Chip is taking up Tenkara, the Japanese method of fly fishing. 

To learn more about Chip, find him on LinkedIn and his website at www.chipbell.com.