Tag Archive of: cx blogs

System

For a customer experience workshop I am conducting, I designed materials and had them printed. When I receive the envelope of printed materials, 75% of the order is missing.

Fortunately, I was well in time to order and didn't need the materials right away. I can't call during opening hours because I'm participating in the annual scavenger hunt that day. To complete the picture for the visual thinkers: I am disguised as a Dutch supporter, fully dressed in orange clothes.

So I send a message to this printing giant. I provide exactly the information I suspect the service person will need. The order number, that which did get delivered - my document named Handout, exactly as it says in the confirmation email - and that the other three items are missing.

Dressed entirely in orange, I walk around town in the meantime. I check my mail and read:


'Dear,

How unpleasant that things went wrong with the delivery of your order. So you have the handout, but the loose-leaf article and stickers are missing? Once we have this clear, we can provide an appropriate solution.

Sincerely,

Madelon'

Uhm, yes. This is a case of copy-paste without reading properly. Because I have already indicated that only the handout was provided. And apparently it is too much trouble to write to me with my name. Not recognized and certainly not acknowledged. I quickly reply back that this is indeed true. To get the following email back:

'Dear,

All good, I put it it in the system for you.'

Huh! And now? What a sloppy nothing email, even with a typo. She must have put it in the system, but what does that mean for me? For the entrepreneur who needs these materials to teach CX classes?

So this is where it often goes wrong. For Madelon it is probably obvious, but for me - the customer - it is now unclear. Is my order sent to the printer? Will I get my materials? And when? I send a short message via chat after this, to which a colleague kindly replies that the materials will be printed.

The scavenger hunt was top-notch. Just stripped of orange face paint, we sit enjoying afterward over Friday afternoon drinks. Then, at 6:41 PM, I receive the icing-on-the-cake-email.

'Dear Sir/Madam,

Unfortunately, due to heavy workload, we were unable to ship your order today.

By: System'

What?! This system is broken! Like so many systems. As a customer, it's killing me. It reminds me of a video from Little Britain: 'System says NO.'

It's done: customer says NO. I'm going to look for another printing company.

 

This blog was written for CustomerFirst and published on May 2, 2023

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A cup of coffee?

I almost always offer delivery drivers a cup of coffee. Or in the summer, I have a few cans of soda chilled. Or maybe they'd like to use the restroom?

Most of the time they decline, as they're busy, but sometimes there's a need and a bit of time. Like last Sunday during the delivery of my meal kit, when Tugrul fancied a cup of coffee.

We got chatting, and he told me this is his side job. He enjoys delivering these boxes, alongside being an entrepreneur with his own barbershop. Living on your own costs money. So he picks up extra shifts as a delivery driver for this meal kit service. What great energy and drive. It was really nice to hear his perspective on delivery and entrepreneurship. If you happen to be in Utrecht and want a haircut from this entrepreneur? You can always visit Ozky's Barber at Bartoklaan 17 in Utrecht.

He also asked me what was actually in those boxes. He'd never seen them before. Perhaps a small improvement point in the Employee Journey of this meal delivery service. But I solved that. I showed him the app; that you have a choice of 30 meals, we opened the box together, he looked at the contents, the recipes, and he gladly took the box back with him right away. Good for the environment!

What a pleasure to meet such cool delivery drivers, and it starts with us. The customer. Do you do this too? If I broaden it. Are you kind to the waitstaff in a restaurant? To flight attendants? Shop staff?

Back to the delivery drivers. They have it tough. Dealing with the strangest traffic situations, especially in Utrecht where I live. Imagine needing to use the restroom while you have so many packages in the back of your van....

So ask your delivery driver if they'd like a cup of coffee or tea. Just have a few take-away cups at home, so they can hop back on their van with a nice warm cuppa. Or when it's summer and warm, have a few cold cans ready. Offer that they can use the restroom if needed. And for the meal delivery drivers; have some cash ready. I know it can be done through the app, but I much prefer giving a few euros myself that I have ready in a jar. That way, I personally thank them. And everyone likes that. Tugrul certainly does.

 

This blog was written for CustomerFirst and published on April 4, 2023

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In love, engaged or is it complicated?

Yes! February, the month of love. Or to put it a little more precisely, the month when Valentine's Day takes place. That day when many people send a card. Buy a bar of chocolate that says "I love you" and then give it to a loved one. Or send someone a message. To our loved one, a friend, mother, neighbor or daughter.

Actually, the way does not matter much. Showing love can be done in many ways. Saying something sweet, sending something or doing something sweet. It works. It makes your own heart do a dance and therefore also that of the other person. Lovely, isn't it, a column about love. Unfortunately, the happy part ends here.

Because I want to switch to a different world. The one of love for the customer.

That's where my heart stops dancing. Unfortunately for many, that's also where the imagination stops. Because love for the customer. What does that look like? Should we call the customer and say we love her/him (I'll stick with her for now)? No, we are certainly not going to do that here in the Netherlands, that is too American for us. But that's not the point either.

The point is that we do want the customer to love us and gives a nine or ten in the survey. That she spends her money with us every year. Renews the contract tacitly. Buys more insurance policies. Silently accepts the price increase and please let's hope she doesn't call. That she doesn't disturb us in our work, but most of all makes her own way, digitally.

Love. That's exactly where things go wrong in organizations. We don't really love the customer. Of who she is. What she's about. We do want her to choose us. But also if she cannot choose as a customer (read citizen, participant or applicant), that she does not bother us too much.

That's what this is about. About whether you and your colleagues are in love, engaged, or married to the client. And whether you really feel anything about that. Or is it complicated after all? (Thanks Facebook, for allowing us to choose this wonderful addition within "types of relationships.") Because do we talk about the customer internally as if we love her? Or do we prefer to use her customer number anyway? Do we talk about customers in meetings, or do we still prefer to stick to the process?

Customer love is a topic that really should be talked about. Do you love your customer? Ask the question to yourself and your colleagues. I suggest you start having this conversation lovingly in your organization. I dare say Valentine's Day will then be a very different one next year.

 

This blog was written for CustomerFirst and published on March 7, 2023

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Why and how to engage your leaders

As a CX leader you are often not the person in charge. Ultimately, that is someone from the board or C-Suite. You have to take that into account in your stakeholder management. You do not only lead and advise your team, but you also have to guide top management on the route towards customer centricity. No one in this quest is more important than the other, but you have to define who the high priority stakeholders are at this moment with regards to your roadmap.

As a CX leader, you need to figure out who the key stakeholder is and make sure you bond and work together. The better you understand this leader, the better you can understand and respond to the needs of all stakeholders.

I will list the three best tips for properly involving the accountable leader with regards to the customer centric transformation (and yes, I will guide you how to engage all other leaders 😉).

Tip 1. Provide good and relevant information

Communication is key. Without proper communication it is impossible to build a good relationship with this key stakeholder. It is your job to provide your accountable leader with information that specifically meets her or his needs.

This information is aligned from the organization’s strategy. Make sure your information is data driven, accurate, quantitative, but also qualitative. Provide customer stories, storify data and give the customer a human face. Define how often the information is needed. Is it weekly or is monthly a better cadence?

This information helps her (or him) to made decisions, ask the right questions and have the honest conversation. Those leaders are busy and don't like surprises: the more you provide them with adequate information, the better.

If you proactively provide relevant information, you build your own credibility and help her/him lead with a true customer centric focus. Step in their shoes and understand what is important to them and how your CX program fits in their route. When you deliver to them, you build true understanding, create a bond, and gain credibility yourself.

Providing CX information is good but think carefully about what you provide and more important: why. We all know that question ‘can you make a report of it?', which of course you can do. But you determine what is in there! 

Tip 2 on how to engage your leader is all about being helpful

Let's start with guidelines for the right information:

  • Goal-oriented: think about why you are giving this report. Is it to raise awareness, bring about a change, provoke a decision, or something else? What is the goal to action you are going for?
  • Targeted: make sure your information is specific to your stakeholder and that she/he can use this in meetings, decisions, and strategic sessions
  • Appropriate in terms of form and content: how can this data be presented best? In a presentation, a spreadsheet, an action list, an infographic or maybe even a video? Try to build a cadence but also try to get your story across
  • Monitor for effectiveness: do you see a change in attitude? Has the communication been effective? If not, change it. 

Adjust your way of communicating or reporting, to make sure you get the call to action you want.

Be helpful. Recognize that your CX program is one of many programs (this is often true) and you need to help spend their time as effective as possible. This will help you build your credibility in case shit hits the fan.

Don't confuse being helpful with being submissive. No manager expects his team members to follow blindly. Your manager does expect you to think along and take responsibility and guide the customer centric transformation.

I know of at least one strategy that always works. The strategy of causing others to "stumble over the truth." This means that you're not going to say what customers say or what's hurtful to the organization. No, you let them discover it for themselves. Dan Heath himself explains how this works:

Tip 3 on how to engage your leader: be functionally disobedient

Leaders are normal people 😉. They may get to learn new things too (I hope everyday!)

Know that you don't have to do everything by the book.

I think there are two elements in being functionally disobedient:

1. What if you are asked to do things? If you director asks you to do something, that you know isn't the best for the organization, the team, the leaders and of course yourself; say so. Have the confidence to challenge decisions and come with other solutions. To continue the conversation, even if they think the conversation is over. Being able to say “No, this is the alternative” to your leader helps you build your credibility.

2. What if you see and hear decisions are being made, strategies being developed, products and processes being designed that are not good for the organization and the customer in the long run?! It is your job to represent the customer, so it is your job to have your voice being heard. Be aware that organizations encourage people to give feedback and be whistleblowers, but in practice not everybody is fond of the whistleblower. So be careful in your strategy. 

I for sure know one strategy that always works. The strategy of letting others ‘trip over the truth’. This means you are not going to say what customers are saying, or what is hurtful for the organization. No, you are going to let them find out themselves. Dan Heath explains how this works himself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ_N77OquQA 

Finally, the following aspects might help you to involve and engage your top managers:

  • Define the active role top management has throughout your CX program and keep them engaged; show that excellent leadership is important within CX and CX programs.
  • Have empathy for those at the top; remember they have limited information and many demands on them.
  • Know that they also have to advise, to the CEO and other stakeholders. So, give an example of the business impact (preferably the ROI) of good individual and organizational competencies of your CX program.
  • So, give an example of the business impact (preferably the ROI) of good individual and organizational competencies of your CX program.
  • Make it clear that the CX program or project is a means of achieving the organization's strategy and that the top managers are therefore the top project managers.
  • Know that they also need to advise, to the CEO and other stakeholders. So provide an example of the business impact (preferably the ROI) of good individual and organizational competencies of your CX program.
  • Get rid of the idea that risk is bad news.
  • Focus on the business impact and strategic benefits of the CX program – the bigger picture – and reduce the level of detail in communication.
  • Build a sponsor culture upwards and downwards: support each other.
  • Knowing your manager's motivations will help you manage expectations.
  • Share customer stories. Work on building credibility and trust.
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How can you add fun to change?

Customer centric change is a matter of having a long breath: changing behavior and engaging colleagues won't happen in just a month. It is a demanding process, both from you as the initiator, facilitator or leader, as well as from the people you want to engage in the change. Adding FUN to your CHANGE program is a brilliant idea, since it will boost morale and will be distinctive from other programs.

Here are my five tips on how to add more fun to your CX change program and achieve your goals at the same time:

  1. Create an overarching appealing storyline
    Too many CX strategies are linear, corporate schmorporate (sorry for my language). They don't give any excitement and fun and don't create any arousal while you share it. So, what about adding an appealing story line? Using sports, movie scripts, heroes, best practices and all kind of other stories. I still love Project #99 that Clint Payne CCXP started in 2016. He wanted to improve the current customer experience of Multichoice, a South African Telecom and Television provider and created an overarching storyline where he challenged the organization to fix 99 current customer and employee issues. Project #99 is a great tagline that gives context to the change.
  2. Set an appealing BHAG
    How about aiming for the moon when it comes to your CX or change program? How about truly going for an ambitious quantitative and qualitative goal. The example of Project #99, is already a perfect one - fixing 99 issues in one year. But I have more examples for you. What do you think of this one? In three years, you and your company are best in class in Customer Experience, your NPS is at a certain number (the quantitative part). And that the CEO of your company will share the story of how the organization changed in the last three years to a true customer centric company in the Financial Times or HBR? These kind of moonshots a.k.a. BHAGs (Big Hairy Audacious Goals) work. They add fun and excitement to change.
  3. Celebrate and celebrate milestones
    Too often we just keep going after we delivered a success. But how about turning your BHAG into a couple of milestones that can be celebrated? Or put the spotlight on those that did a fabulous job? Who showed customer centric leadership or is there a team that fixed a big customer issue? My suggestion is that you make sure you have a collection of fun gifts. How about branded t-shirts, water bottles, pens or tailored virtual backgrounds and give those recognition? Have those that did well have lunch with a senior leader. Take them on an inspiration trip, to another customer centric organization or to an amusement park.
  4. Create challenges and visualize them
    What happened in project #99 is that the CX team created challenges and that employees and leaders adopted those challenges. Working on short term projects (don't try to implement a CRM system with this one ????) that have high energy and are supported by senior leadership, they work magic. By making sure the change is pleasant (rather than painful, although it may feel painful at first), it creates a feeling of hope (rather than fear) and it creates a feeling of identity with others who are doing the same. Make sure you visualize the journey of the challenge, so others also understand what they are doing. Have those fun and vibrant visuals (like a logo of your team or project) all around the organization. Both offline and online. Yes, this might require some guerilla marketing actions and you might bump into some conflicts with the communication and facility departments of your organization. But remember: no guts, no glory!
  5. Use fun in your interventions
    Too many workshops are just functional: learning the new behavior by the customer manifesto and delivering on the new brand values. Workshops are important and it is up to you to add fun to them. Some examples.
    1. Create a CX quiz, where you quiz around NPS topics, add some fun CX facts (like from what date was the first complaint) and of course you have a winner.
    2. Play the CX game, this is a fun CX workshop (dressed up as a board game), where the questions and assignments are tailored to your organizations context. The feedback we always hear is: "this was FUN!"
    3. Add persona re-enactment to your customer journey workshop. Bring artifacts like scarves, sports gear, glasses, hats and whatever. Transform your participants of the workshop into customers. My experience is that participants will be a bit hesitant upon starting, but once they get going, everybody will have the most of fun!

You see, there's a lot of things you can do and organize in order to add FUN to CHANGE. And I strongly recommend you do so! Create big or small fun and know it will give you and your colleagues the energy you need to keep the change going. I am curious how you feel about these suggestions. And if you have any other suggestions, please let me know in the comments!

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Not recognized

We are at my favorite hotel. The receptionist is waiting for us with a big smile. 'Good afternoon and welcome to...' I tell her we have a room reserved in Bloem's name. She delves into her computer screen and looks up our reservation.

"May I see your ID?" she asks. This surprises me, because it's about the tenth time I've been here. Still, why the legitimacy every time? It must be policy. I don't feel like being difficult, so I take my driver's license out of my wallet.

In the meantime, I also grabbed my credit card. Because I was scammed online last year and so I have new credit card information. 'Can I have yours too?' she asks my husband. He looks at my credit card and she adds "I mean your ID." Huh?! Does the guest also have to provide identification? A small sigh escapes me.

"Then the room will cost X euros. To this we then add 50 euros per person, for if you go for breakfast, use the room service or bar, if you break something and other things. You will get this refunded if you don't use it. Agreed?" I roll my eyes at my husband. If we break something! I guess it's also policy and I know she's probably an intern. But this really does feel like the first time we've been here AND like we're going to get drunk, stoned and then trash the room. Just a little warning for us. Anyway, we are in Amsterdam...

Five minutes later, the procedure is complete. We get our room keys and she explains us how the elevator works. She also tells us that we have a beautiful room (yes I know, because I specifically asked for it). I briefly ask how things are going with the loyalty system because it went wrong last time. "Yes ma'am, that does go wrong sometimes, but you can fix that yourself afterwards." Still no sign of recognition that we are regular visitors. She wishes us a nice stay.

How can this be? Especially in this hotel where we come so often! Where, for the umpteenth time, they do not manage to recognize and greet us at the welcome as returning guests. As a loyal customer, this really makes you feel left out in the cold.

When we enter our hotel room, there is a little bear with a handwritten card on the bed. Written by the person with whom I booked the room. Now we do feel welcome. But if I were the director of this hotel, I would immediately do something about the check-in procedure.

 

This blog was written for CustomerFirst and published on February 7, 2023

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Out of sight

The newspaper got delivered later and later. As a morning person, I was fed up with that. Meanwhile, I saw the call for new deliverers. With a bonus of no less than 1,000 euros for those who want to get on their bikes early in the morning with my newspaper. The newspaper has too few delivery people and in my case that causes inconsistent delivery times.

Because of this irritation with the delivery time, I also asked myself some critical questions. I could no longer explain, why I took away a huge pile of old paper every week. You can read a newspaper digitally, can't you, just like that?

I switched to a digital subscription during the week with a paper newspaper on Saturday. That way I hit two targets with one shot: one less delivery address for the newspaper in the morning, and my choice also had an environmental impact: less tree felling and no more contribution to the paper shortage.

But here's the thing. Since I have this digital subscription, I hardly read the newspaper during the week. It's weird to read the news through a newspaper app on my screen. In fact, I was already doing that through nu.nl. Of course, that does miss the nuanced opinion. But then again, what do I miss about that?

The ritual of taking the newspaper out of the mailbox, having a cup of coffee and then reading the paper. Now that only happens on Saturdays. So when the newspaper is physically there.

What does this have to do with the fine field of customer experience? Everything. Because in that, too, sometimes you get to take people through a change. And what happens here with my newspaper app, is exactly what also happens with strategy plans. With customer promises. With work instructions. They are somewhere on the web. But where again? Employees have to find for themselves where the information is and what the content was again. It is not top of mind and it never will be this way. And then, as management, we find it strange that people don't know, understand or support the company's strategy.

Therefore - if you are going to change - think very carefully about your message, the timing and the means. Check regularly whether your message has made an impact. Don't refer to that message somewhere on the intranet. Or that one 15-minute presentation in the digital kickoff. Indeed: communication is a profession. Every change requires a solid introduction, repetition and a visible message. Otherwise, out of sight, perhaps out of mind. Or the heart won't even ever be found. Just like that newspaper app doesn't interest me. And we all know how that ends: goodbye newspaper.

 

This blog was written for CustomerFirst and published on November 1, 2020

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Set a BHAG

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The best version

It is still summer and I am in a vacation mood. So well, what to write about then? About sun, sea and beach? About ice cream, chips and the two dozen cucumbers we gnawed away on that beach?

I'll just leave out the staff shortage for now, because that's an unsociable topic. We know it by now. We have to wait longer for our coffee and our suitcases. Fewer trains are running and even in the call centers you are on hold a little longer. All this requires something new from us as customers. Patience.

Fortunately, we are totally prepared for that. Right? Because we got the vacation over with, went to that beach and went on endless walks. We watched the sunset from that mountain and rested up nicely. Ready for the last few months of 2022.

I do predict, in the coming time, we may luck out as customers. We get to practice patience and kindness. Something we may have lost in recent times. I would call for a loving approach to all staff serving customers. In restaurants, at the bakery, the butcher, in call centers, the delivery drivers, receptionists, stewards, cleaners and front desk staff. By now you understand.

Be prepared for the upside-down world. The wait staff is in power. Not us as customers, but them, on the other side of the bar. Because somewhere they disappeared. Did they prefer to work at the COVID test locations. With a mask on they stuck a stick in noses and throats to test. Rather that, than serve us as customers. And I can understand that. After all, how much fun are we as customers? Those disgruntled heads, drumming impatient fingers and disapproving looks. Maybe it's because of ourselves, the customer? That has to change.

So are you ready? To start being the coolest version of yourself? To start calling the insurance call center with a smile when your prolongation bill is not clear? To just add another five, when you wait five minutes for your cappuccino, and then say a cheerful Thank You to that girl on the terrace, who is very clearly having her first day at work?

As customers, let us be the reason why everyone wants to work in customer service again. Of course also because it's great work in organizations and good pay. But mainly because customers are nice. Because they are patient, even when things don't work out for a while. Because customers give compliments. In the coming months, be the best version of yourself as a customer. The world needs us.

 

This blog was written for CustomerFirst and published on September 6, 2022

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Out of office is out of office

Every month we send our CX Greetz. CX Greetz is the name of my monthly CX newsletter, and it's based on how I always finish my emails using "happy greetz" instead of "best regards" or something else you might use. While we send it to my community of more than 2,200 interested people, we also get many out-of-office replies.

Some make me frown: "I'm not in the office right now, when I return, all emails will be deleted, so please send it again at date X". Some make me laugh: "I'm busy watching Christmas movies, catch you later", and some just make me cringe "I'm on holidays for the next three weeks, but if you really want to get hold of me, please send me a text".

No. No. No. Of course you're seemingly very helpful, but you are not very helpful to you. Let's get into the situation: a colleague decides he needs you for something very important. He texts you and asks for your help and references an email he sent you.

You are at the beach with your spouse and maybe even with your kids. It's sunny, you're drinking a cocktail and the sushi will be brought out in twenty minutes. Your phone makes the texting sound and: "Hello, this is work!" Just when you were meant to enjoy some mental and physical relaxation.

Since you have a strong sense of responsibility, you open your emails and you're reading the email your colleague sent (and now you are at it, you’re also reading all other emails) and you answer the question. Your spouse asks what you are doing, you complain about colleagues that are incapable of doing their work and somehow the atmosphere and energy have changed.

Believe me, holidays are holidays. You have to be clear: when you are away, you are away. Make sure that colleagues can manage whatever needs to be managed and when you are back, you'll be really back. Because the minute you start responding to emails and text messages, people will think you are available and you have created your own misery.

Create a clear out of office reply, mentioning who people can contact in your absence, because you are out of office. Now it is up to you to trust your colleagues to manage your requests. And to change your voicemail and your WhatsApp profile text.

Thinking back to my experience and how I brought my laptop on the first trip. As I was helping some clients and I was answering emails, they thought I would also answer the questions that arose from that email. This led me to open my laptop every night, checking emails and not only that, having work thoughts linger in my mind. As I also use WhatsApp in a business context, I changed my profile text to “Walking a pilgrim’s path -> date X”. When people did text me, I sent them a request to send an email instead and advised them that my assistant would manage it, since I was out on my pilgrimage. And everybody understood!

We human beings need mental rest. Time away from the office, like holidays, or what I have been doing, walking a pilgrim’s path. These moments are perfect for a mental reset. To create the ideal setting, you need to be clear to the outside world. Create boundaries and set the scene. Holidays are holidays. Not even a bit work, not one email.

During the later parts of my pilgrimage, I didn’t bring my laptop, but I also instructed my team in a better way. “Please manage all emails and customer requests yourselves. I believe in you and when I am back, I will be completely sane and fully energized to get all work done again”. It created clarity for all. Mental rest for me and because of the trust of me in them, they felt that the company was in their safe hands.

Trust me. Clarity and acting on it, will pave the way. When you're out of the office, you really are!

This blog is from my latest book 'CX is a pilgrimage - 50 strategies to spice up your leadership'. The book will be published at the end of September 2022.

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