Tag Archive of: cx blogs

Nienke's five-star hotel experience - learned CX lessons

Seven lessons from this not-so-good customer experience...

This is an interesting topic: how to personalize occasions such as birthdays, wedding days and anniversaries? It all starts with understanding your customer. What are their expectations?

I had a good conversation with my friend Raymond Brunyanszki, the business owner of Camden Harbor Inn in the US. A Relais & Chateaux hotel and restaurant, where luxury and personal attention are key to keeping guests coming back. He told me that they ask their customers for special days. They found a way to systematize expectations and then translate these into solutions in operations.

This is what I would suggest the CX leader of the Waldorf Astoria:

  1. Determine in the CX strategy how important special moments and tailoring to guest needs actually are. In my opinion, in luxury, it is extremely important. Because good food or a great spa, can only be topped by personal attention. So clarity in strategy is key.
  2. Ask guests when booking if there are any special days or wishes. So that the staff knows this in advance. This way, they can anticipate these moments and organise some memorable experiences at these moments.
  3. Make sure the CRM system recognises these special days. I am a Hilton Honors member and they know my date of birth. So on the day itself, the system could have given a certain mention, that at least during check out, the employee would have seen it was my birthday and could have congratulated me.
  4. Make sure you have some branded gifts and a manuscript ready, detailing what to do when. Enable gifting! This way, staff members can easily grab a gift and a notecard from the shelf and present it to the customer. Branded, because if the customer shares a photo on social media, it is also great marketing for you as an organisation.
  5. Train your staff in picking up on signs, when special moments occur. Make them alert.
  6. In the morning, add special moments in the start up huddles at the operation teams. Do we have guests with special moments, who need a little extra attention today? If there is attention in the team and maybe even some gamification is added, it becomes a sport to exceed the guests' expectations.
  7. What if you missed the mark? It happens. Don't just ask at check-out, "Did you have a pleasant stay?" Almost everyone says yes, and you won't get valuable information that way. Instead, ask "What could we have done better, that would have made your stay even more enjoyable?" That is genuine curiosity and helps you truly learn where to improve as an organization.

So, enough to be learned here. And... maybe you see even more CX pro suggestions. Please share!

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Nienke's five-star hotel experience

For my 50th birthday, I booked a room for two nights at the Waldorf Astoria in Rome. Because I wanted to treat myself, but also because I wanted to make my 50th birthday a special experience. It is a very large hotel, so I had even given myself an upgrade to the Imperial Floor. Bigger rooms, a special lounge with drinks and snacks, but also - I thought - more personal attention.

Was it a fancy hotel? YES.

Did it have a great spa? YES.

Did it have a great outdoor swimming pool with fluffy towels? YES.

Did it have an outstanding breakfast? YES.

Product wise, it was all very good.

But did the hotel pay any personal attention to my 50th birthday? NO.

It was a disappointment. One of my friends from the Netherlands had arranged for a bottle of prosecco, a box of chocolates and a personal note to be delivered to my room on my last night as a 49-year-old. I also mentioned my birthday in the lounge (because I know that most CRM systems fail). But on the morning of my 50th birthday, there was nothing from the hotel to congratulate me. Not in my room, not at breakfast, not in the lounge, not at check-out. Nothing at all. Even though they could have known....

I started wondering. Did five-star luxury hotels become commodity? I don't know, but I do know that if you are a luxury brand that promises a certain level of personal service, this is a big failure. I also shared this story on Linkedin, where many agreed that the hotel missed the mark. But also, some mentioned a possible culture gap. Probably true for Italian birthdays, but the guests at the Waldorf (that I saw) were mostly Americans or English-speaking guests. And I know how important birthdays are for American guests! Even more than for me as a Dutchy.

The interesting thing was that when I checked out, the employee asked if my stay had been pleasant. And it had been, so I indicated that too. This is also where they fell short in asking for feedback. (Be sure to read the CX lens blog where I share my suggestion for them!) And... I didn't receive a survey. So the Waldorf staff can only read about my experience on LinkedIn now (or in this blog).

Why did I post this on LinkedIn? Not because I wanted to get this solved. Because if I had wanted to, I would have called the hotel, or sent a 'complaint'. No, it's more a question for us as CX professionals. What do you do with these special days? Especially in leisure industry. Or was I, as a guest, expecting too much? I posted this message to share, to learn and to get the conversation going.

So, go over to the next blog, to see the point of view from a CX professional lens!

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4 reasons why you should read The Power of Moments

Sometimes you read a book that hits you with the hammer on the head. That makes you think: I want to remind myself of these words again and again. And I should reread this book occasionally, no yearly! The Power of Moments by Dan and Chip Heath is such a book. It’s very valuable for both your professional and personal life. To put it more precisely, this book is a must read for every CX professional.

Four elements

The Power of Moments is about powerful moments: a meaningful moment contains one of the next four elements:

  • A moment of elevation
  • It lets people get insights themselves
  • It makes you proud or
  • You make a meaningful connection

Of course, a powerful moment can have more than one of the above elements and even all four.

But why should you read this book? I think it can benefit you in four ways.

1. For customers: create meaningful moments in your customer journey

By implementing milestones in customer journeys, organizations make a real connection with their (positively surprised) customers. That’s what it’s all about: making meaningful connections with your customers and deliver business value. The best way to do it, is to have your colleagues read this book as well and brainstorm on where in the customer journey you can create these meaningful moments. It’s a great way to improve your customer journeys and you can be certain of loyal customer ambassadors. There’s a serious task here for every CX professional!

2. For your transformation projects: insights will support your change process

If we want to change the way we work, for example in customer experience, we all know that we cannot change our behavior and culture in just one day. This takes time. What this book The Power of Moments clarifies is that you cannot change people at once, but by creating meaningful moments in your transformation projects, you can surely encourage people to other behavior. If you can make people trip over the truth themselves, if their work or contribution to the company makes them pride. Take time to show them you care, as this really helps you to make a meaningful connection.

3. For your team: celebrate your team's successes

If there’s one way to create team spirit, it is by creating meaningful moments. Think of ways to celebrate your team’s successes. Don’t forget to put a team member in the spotlight when he or she has done an excellent job, or just when it’s someone’s birthday. This doesn’t mean a lot of extra work, but take time to really notice people, to have a good conversation. In short: by showing them you care you create a lot of goodwill.

4. For yourself: your personal relationships will improve

It goes without saying that taking time to create meaningful moments in your personal life will deepen your relationships with other people. Or create them for yourself, like my pilgrimage for my 50th birthday. And every human being needs meaningful connections, that’s what makes our lives memorable and worthy. But also, outside your own personal ‘bubble’: make time to greet people, smile to people you pass. You can create connections everywhere.

If we all do our best to create meaningful moments, we would have happy and loyal customers and employees. Not only that I’m also sure we would make this planet a nicer place to live in.

Do you like to read inspiring articles and books about Customer Experience? Then subscribe to my monthly CX Greetz, where I share many CX experiences, inspiration and lessons with you.

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Group ticket - learned CX lessons

If you are a customer who books a large number of tickets, you are probably a B2B customer. But in this case, I was not. Still, in such a case, you want to feel a bit special. I book 13 tickets! That must be a good deal for the company, right? Better than 1 plane ticket, right?!
I didn't feel a thing about this whole transaction. It was difficult, process-oriented and I even felt unclear. Because, do I have the tickets or not! There is no portal where I can see if my booking was successful.

Looking at this process with my CX-glasses on, I have four ideas how to improve:

  1. Step into the shoes of your customer.
    Try booking a group ticket yourself. See how long it takes to get an offer. Experience the waiting time on the phone. Print out the offer and the contract. See how ugly it looks. Find the differences between what is written in the contract and in the e-mail.
  2. Make a shortlist of simple improvements and let a dedicated team pick it up.
    Especially the contract and communication. Add the 'warm customer feeling'. Give me, the customer, the feeling that you are happy with this 13-ticket deal. And see where you can remove ambiguities and add clarity.
  3. Align with other processes that customers are familiar with.
    Align with the convenience of individual processes, especially when it comes to booking an individual ticket. Align the terms and conditions as well. Why do I have more flexibility as an individual than a customer who has booked 13 tickets? Align and design the future. Think about the digital channels, especially if you have problems with waiting times in your customer contact centre.
  4. Share in the organisation, when it comes to customer-centred change.
    I would share this kind of example in the organisation. In the Group Ticket team, these contracts and practices are the norm. People have been working like this for years. They have 'The Curse of Knowledge'. But if you are a customer, like me, who is completely new to this, you feel trapped in the internal jargon and processes. So sharing the need for change and continuing to question daily routines is necessary for shaping a successful future when it comes to changing culture.

This is really about process improvement, but from the lens of the customer. So not just Business Process Redesign, but really stepping into my shoes (that of your ideal customer) and helping me. Customer Journey mapping is the perfect way to do this. Did you know that my colleague Barbara van Duin has a great course to learn this. I took the course myself and recommend it.

I hope everything will work out with the tickets and that my friends, daughter and mother will fly to Bologna on 20 May! Time to experience La Dolce Vita. And then the experience with the group ticket booking will probably be completely forgotten.

Want to make sure you don't miss any more CX classes? Then sign up for my monthly CX Greetz, where I share lots of CX experiences, inspiration and lessons with you.

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Group ticket

I will turn 50 this year. Then comes the question. How do you want to celebrate? I am walking 1000 kilometres to Rome this year and will celebrate on 17 May in St Peter's Square with my husband. But there was also a little voice in my head that I would really like to celebrate with my girlfriends. Something really crazy for once. Extravagant. So... I invited all my girlfriends, my daughter and my mother for a weekend in Italy. I rented a beautiful villa above Verona and arranged for good food, drink and a bike ride through the rolling hills.

Now I did not want to be a travel agent, so I asked all the ladies to pay (and arrange) the ticket themselves. However, it soon became clear that the prices were quite different. One friend was quoted 221 euros and the other 271. In order not to get any lopsided faces, I offered to arrange a group ticket.

So I went to the website on Saturday morning and went through a number of fields. Where do you want to go, what time, with how many people, etcetera etcetera. When I pressed 'Enter' after the last field, I was promised that I would receive an offer within a day.

You can feel it. I got nothing. And I felt the fear, that because of delays on this line, the tickets would only get more expensive. So I started calling, but I couldn't get through. So I waited.

After four days the offer came. And what a quotation it was. Four choices, while I had very clearly indicated what I wanted. 13 tickets and at very specific times to and from Bologna. Within 10 minutes I responded with what I wanted and then I got a kind of contract.

One for which you really have to have been at the Ticketacademie. I also suspect that this is from an AS400 system, when I look at the font. But anyway. A lot of attention to the cancellation conditions, terms and dates. All in text. Four pages full.

It also says when I have to provide a passenger list. Now that is nice, that clarity. But what should a passenger list contain? Only names, or also dates of birth? Or also identity card numbers? I have searched online for what this list should contain, but I cannot find it. What a lack of clarity... Especially because it is so different from how I book an individual ticket. Simply, nicely online, very clear and as it turns out. For a much better price too.

When I agree, I run into a contradiction. The contract says that I have to sign and email it. But the accompanying e-mail says that the payment confirms the reservation. So there is no need to e-mail it. Oh well, just to be sure I sign, scan and confirm. Better safe than sorry. And then I make the first payment. I have to mention "Tigre" and the contract number with the payment. But should I or should I not add the 'A' mentioned in the letter? Or also the '1/1' which is behind it. Oh help. I have paid and hope that this will go well.

So, I don't see the added value of this group booking option. Maybe if you are an event agency and have this kind of software yourself. But I really feel lost as an individual. I will soon have 13 tickets, but I am dependent on an e-mail address that you just have to hope will respond. And a department that I have not been able to reach by phone so far.

Fortunately, it is KLM and I trust that all will be well. It is the big blue bird after all. Which reminds me of the slogan of that other organisation that I associate with blue. We can't make it more fun, but we can make it easier. Well, they should take a look at that here too!

From this blog, I have distilled a number of CX lessons. Curious? Read them here!

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Delivery experience - learned CX lessons

Buying a new car should be a little party. This car was not just any car, it was even a very expensive car. So as a customer, I expected even more than just a 'normal delivery'.

What to learn from this as a Customer Experience Professional? For me there are 4 major lessons to be learned.

  1. Communicate on the process
    I fully understood that the delivery of the car was under pressure, due to delivery issues. We all know of the chip deficits, the issues with transportation and the scarcity of materials. But once you know you won’t be able to deliver on the date that is promised, make sure you are honest and proactive. There must be guidelines within organizations, what to do and when. The sales rep should have given me a call and kept me in the loop on the delivery date. Besides he should have given me the feeling that my car and I (as a customer) were important to him.
  2. Align with expectations
    Whether you're in a premium business or a CX professional working in government. Your customers have certain expectations. Make sure you know them and that you at least meet them. Of course, if you're a real boss in CX, you try to exceed expectations ? This should be the starting point of your delivery. Train colleagues in expectations and make sure they understand how to meet them. If you are a premium company or brand, the bar is higher. With my new Volvo, I expected at least a bunch of flowers or a good bottle of wine. But the company got stuck in its own processes and lost sight of me (and my expectations) as a customer.
  3. No excuses
    The fact that during the whole delivery process the covid excuse was used more than 10 times, I kid you not, means that this has become an excuse. It was their excuse to take it easy. To not go the extra mile. If you hear excuses around you (whether it is Covid, management, or whatever), make sure you have red flags going up. Or, as Steven Covey would say, that you keep the saw sharp within the organization. Keep focusing on the desired customer experience. I know for sure, that the owner of the Volvo garage didn’t want this delivery. But somehow, due to business bustle and restrictions, they got lame and didn’t go the extra mile. Make sure you are regularly where the work is done and ‘catch’ those signals, or filter them out of the Voice of the Customer.
  4. Make it right
    When you make a mistake with your customer - like the Volvo garage did with my car delivery - make it right. You always have a second chance. As one of my former colleagues used to say: “First time right, second time perfect.” Which I like a lot. I had a call with the sales rep and told him about my disappointment. He was ashamed, apologized by phone and told me he would make it up to me. The only thing is, that we are four weeks later, and I have heard nothing. Make sure that when this happens in your organization, that you have checks and balances that these actions are taken. That you make sure that people live up to their promises.

Enough said about this experience. It’s sad that they missed the mark and there’s much to be improved! Go fix these elements in your organization. Hope to see you back next month, when I share my new Customer Experience, including CX lessons to be learned.

Want to make sure you don't miss any CX lessons? Then sign up for my monthly CX Greetz, in which I share many CX experiences, inspiration and lessons with you.

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Delivery experience

I bought a new car. Yes, I did. My very first brand new car. Earned the money myself. After much thinking, I took the plunge. I chose an electric car. A beautiful Volvo XC40. I ordered it at the end of October, and they promised me it would be delivered by the end of December. There was a lot of waiting, and as I was looking forward to the 27th of December, I heard the delivery would be postponed. No worries, but the communication was poor. Functional and very reactive. I had to call three times myself and found out the delivery date would be January 5th.

I was looking forward to the first meetup with my new car. Unfortunately, there was nothing fun in terms of delivery due to corona, I was told by phone. So, on the 5th of January, I took the train and waited behind the station in the parking lot for the sales rep to show up with my Volvo. In the pouring rain. Then I saw my car coming. So many thoughts went through my mind: what a cool car, what a machine, what a good decision I made.

The salesman got out, I walked up to him, and he handed me the key. My heart danced; this was my car from now on. He asked me if I wanted to sign the delivery form. Was it okay if I did that in the car, given the pouring rain? Sure, only he couldn't sit next to it. Corona, you know?! Of course. I signed, gave him the form and he wanted to walk away.

Hey, hey, wait! Would you like to explain me a few things about the car? Because I was suddenly in some kind of cockpit with a big screen and had no clue. Yes, that was possible, but he had to stay outside of the car. Corona, you know?!

He pointed at the large touch screen. Showed me some functions in high speed and five minutes later he got into his colleague's car and drove out of the parking lot.

There I sat, for the first time in an electric car. Totally overwhelmed by all bells and whistles. The first half hour, I researched functionalities via the board computer. Suddenly I realized: this is not how I had expected the delivery. Of course, I didn't expect an exciting unveiling with a large sheet (because of corona and rain). But just a hand over of the key and then a runaway by the guy?! Perhaps there was a present in the trunk; I must have overlooked something.

But how to open the trunk? I found out, pushed the button and in a smooth way, the trunk opened. I quickly ran to the back of the car, through the rain, to find… a charging cord and danger triangle.

Everything in the delivery was functional. No fun to be found.

Of course: due to corona, little was allowed. But there was nothing festive about the delivery at all. So, I put the car in Drive and took off from this sad wet parking lot.

From this blog, I have distilled a number of CX lessons. Curious? Read them here!

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12 non-CX ways to stay inspired as a CX leader

The last months I spoke to over twenty CX leaders and most of them were just... um, how to say it.... tired. They were tired of the back to back online team meetings. The lack of seeing team members in person.

So I asked them, "How do you stay inspired?" Most of them had no answer. They did not plan anything for inspiration in their agendas. Yes, they were longing for holidays, but that is not what holidays are for.

I think, staying inspired is part of your JOB! That's why I give you 12 non-CX ideas how to do that.

Books

Oh, The Places You'll Go - Dr Seuss
A client gave me this book as a present. And I love it. It's packed with lots of insights and wit (and Dr. Seuss had plenty of both). With his lively illustrations, inimitable verse, and boundless optimism, Dr. Seuss reassures us that we're not alone in the maze of life - and that we'll reach where we need to be eventually! If you need a quick and wonderfully uplifting pick-me-up, this is your book!

Big Magic, Creative Living Beyond Fear - Elisabeth Gilbert
Everyone can unlock Big Magic. Big Magic is about drawing out your inner creative whenever you need. This book is a love letter to the artist inside everyone of us, written in Gilbert's conversational, no-frills, no-BS style. Whether your goal is to write a book, make a painting, or create music, Big Magic will help you accomplish it. Funny, honest, illuminating, and encouraging, it is a celebration of art on every level.

The 5 second rule - Mel Robbins
The 5 Second Rule promises to teach you how to become confident, break the habit of procrastination and self-doubt, beat fear and uncertainty, and be happier. As big of an ask as that might sound, Robbins more than delivers in this self-help book, which is built on the titular 5 second rule: the five seconds you should take every time you need to push yourself. You might enjoy her TEDx Talk on this subject as well!

Podcasts

Happier with Gretchen Rubin
She is the best-selling author of The Happiness Project and Better Than Before, wants you to embrace happiness-and she's got the tools and strategies to help you do it. This engaging podcast, which she cohosts with her younger sister, Elizabeth Craft, is full of practical advice on building habits for happiness into your daily life. Down-to-earth, insightful, and humorous, this podcast will have you on your way to a happier existence in no time: https://gretchenrubin.com/podcasts/

The Life School Podcast with Brooke Castillo
She is very American, but I love her way of thinking and speaking out loud. In this podcast she takes life's topics, opportunities and struggles and helps making sense of it all. For example, episode 375, where she challenges her listeners to do hard things. Just what Customer Experience Management is all about... https://thelifecoachschool.com/podcast/

CX Travel Guide with Nienke Bloem
Yes, this podcast is a Dutch version and just before the summer holidays we recorded the 10th edition with Kees Klink. How is CX organised at PostNL? All episodes have something special, so listen up. You get a look behind the scenes in CX-land. https://kirkmancompany.com/podcasts/

Movies & Documentaries

Forrest Gump
A golden oldie, but my all-time favourite movie. A story about a boy that would never succeed in life. But gets the support and belief by his surroundings and just goes out to life a full and big life. The theme song "Feather Theme song" composed by Alan Silvestri still gives me goose bumps. A feel-good movie, you just want to watch to stop having 'bad thoughts' and get out there and do what you have to do.

Inside Out
A 2015 American computer-animated film by Pixar. A great film to learn about emotions. The film is set in the mind of a young girl named Riley, where five personified emotions-Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust-try to lead her through life as she and her parents adjust to their new surroundings after moving from Minnesota to San Francisco.Maybe something to watch with your team or management colleagues. And to later ask "what emotions are our customers having at what moment in the customer journey?"

Seven days out
A documentary series on Netflix, where they film events seven days before they take place. From a Chanel fashion show to a dog show. Where I recommend you watch the episode Eleven Madison Park. As I always say "great customer experiences don't happen by accident", that is exactly what this business owner of the best restaurant of the world breaths. Watch is and be inspired, because it will question your vision on CX and will inspire you to spice it up.

Three things to go do

Museum
Yes. Go to a museum. Just as I did; you could see this in the video. Be inspired by great exhibitions, paintings, sculptures. By the way museums make you feel, the way they present stories. Buy artifacts in the museum shop and use these in your CX practice. Go with a leader or your team. Have a discussion later of what can be used in your CX practice or in your story telling. Don't forget to take pictures of what inspired you: always good to use in presentations later.

Library
Every city has a library. You know that great building full of books? In the city of Utrecht they just opened a new central library and it is just gorgeous. The atmosphere makes me feel calm instantly and I just like to take books out of shelves. Sometimes having a question in mind and having fate answer it. I once did a Random Book Club session with Marieke van Dam and was amazed what inspiration you can get out of ANY book. Yes, you can search for business, management or CX books. But also try soul searching, biology, or even children's books. So much fun to just spend an hour or two in your library. Or one in a different city ?. I promise you, inspiration guaranteed!

Take a guided walking tour in any city
It is fabulous to go to a city and book a guided walking tour. I remember a walking tour I did in 2020 in Amsterdam. My tour guide was one of the best bakers of the Netherlands. He told me so much about the city, the buildings, but also his life. He even took me behind the scenes in the Waldorf Astoria and told me how to make the best croquets. What a fabulous experience! A guided tour always brings you new insights. And never forget to listen how guides share their stories. They know their facts, but the really good ones know how to deliver their stories and make them stick. They make sure you see the city through their eyes and you will remember elements of their stories, because they framed them. Just like a good CX Story should be. Like I can never pass the Vijzelgracht, without going for a croquet and saying hi! to Cees.

I went out on a 3-day inspiration adventure myself. I recorded a video in which I tell you about this inspiration adventure and in which I give you ideas how to stay inspired. My best suggestion is to plan inspiration time in your calendar. REALLY! Enjoy the ideas and let me know what worked for you.

 

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Shifting gear when it comes to Speed in Customer Experience Management?

You might think, this is weird; what does speed have to do with CX? Let me explain and start by sharing my personal story of last month in Italy. Most of you know that I am walking a pilgrimage. The Via Francigena is my path for the next year. 1,000 kilometres by foot. A challenge that I have to take bit by bit, day by day. It will take time, but as I continue walking, putting one foot in front of the other, believing I can, dealing with all kinds of hurdles; I will get there. I call this my Slow and at this moment Strategic fundamental track. To think of life's choices, find energy, challenge the fundamentals and grow stronger.

Besides my pilgrimage, I also had the chance to join the MilleMiglia in June. The 1,000 mile race from Brescia to Rome and back. Classic cars travel this journey in 4 days. They need a fast pace, a dedicated crew that helps if the cars break down and, of course, some encouragement along the way (that was me ?). Roads are blocked off and a whole group of Italian carabinieri guides the group of 350 exclusive cars towards the finish. I call this the Result Driven Innovation track.

Both tracks require travel and are 1,000 kilometres or miles. But both have a different purpose. Just like we should approach customer experience management!

Tracks with different purpose and speed

Most Customer Experience Managers struggle to deliver results. Which might even result in losing CX ground in reorganization plans, or a decrease in budgets. I am not talking of proving your ROI, but in showing the organization that CX is making THAT impact, that it is lined up for. For really improving the situation of the customer in a direct way.

That is also why these two speeds are needed. Because what I see is that many CX professionals are focusing on the What and the How, the strategic fundamentals. The What: customer promises, brand promises, guiding behaviour, defining design principles. The How: the way design thinking is done, building an architecture of listening through insights, creating training and guiding the organization to a consistent customer centric way of working. Yes, these are both needed! But know that Walker sees also a disconnect when it comes to what organizations and the C-Suite expect of you and customer experience management.

CEOs want you to deliver competitive advantage and growth and profitability. Recognising what CEOs value and what ultimately drives competitive advantage, CX professionals must do three things:

  1. Align efforts with the business outcomes CEOs want. CX professionals must connect the dots and show how CX initiatives result in concrete outcomes.
  2. Build an engaged customer-focused workforce by helping employees identify with the customer and have a voice in the customer experience.
  3. Lead innovation, coupling customary break fix activities with breakthrough initiatives.

Strategic Fundamental track

When I am looking at my theory on two speeds of Customer Experience Management, I suggest you build your CX practice around these two tracks:

  1. The Strategic Fundamental track
  2. The Result Driven innovation track

In the Strategic fundamental track, you are focusing on the long term. You define the What and the How and guide the organisation towards the customer centric future. Guiding principles, storytelling, culture. Let me give you a couple of examples. In this track, you build your CX strategy (actually most of the elements out of the first discipline of the CX framework is in the strategic fundamental track). You define the future state of CX. You define the way you listen to customers and systematically engage the organization around the voice of the customer, also using metrics. You build business cases based on ROI and prove the value of CX. You define the principles of customer centric innovation, define how to prioritize best and build a customer centric culture program. You see? All elements in the What and the How, are guiding towards the customer centric transformation.

But this is not enough, you should also shift gear!

Result Driven innovation track

The Result Driven innovation track is where you show the organization that you really work on improving the lives of your customers and improve the customer experience. So, not just facilitating design thinking sprints, but also delivering prototypes, scaling up those experiments that have proven their worth. Working on closing the loops. Really calling back customers, fixing those customer issues that are broken and actually measuring the impact.

This my dear CX friend, is what most CX professionals are not doing (enough). We need to hammer on improving and delivering those results that are needed and once we do, we need to communicate our customer successes with the organisation.

As Bruce Temkin so eloquently said "While CX teams need ongoing support from their executives, senior leaders are prone to doubt. CX leaders need to keep communicating the progress and success of CX efforts and demonstrate that resources are being well used and any risks are effectively managed". What I love about this quote, is that he brings two elements together. Communicating the progress and demonstrate that resources are well used.

By only focusing on the Strategic Fundamental track, chances are you don't have enough results to show. So, consider adding that second Result Driven innovation track to your CX portfolio. By adding specific CX projects, getting your hands dirty on these customer issues that need to be fixed.

Project #99

A great example is "Project #99" where Clint Payne CCXP won the title International Customer Experience Professional of the year in 2018. In Multichoice, a South African Telecom and Television provider, he identified 99 common customer complaints. Together with his team he created a bottom-up approach, where employees and leaders in the company were encouraged and helped to solve these often long time known issues. Feel free to read more on his approach and the campaign. What were the results? Escalated customer complaints dropped from 733 in November 2015 to 476 in Feb 2017, client churn dropped by 1.8% and self-service went up from 55% to 65%.

So, the three most important questions you have to ask yourself:

  1. Be honest to yourself, are you delivering enough direct customer results? (If no, or in doubt, continue with question number 2)
  2. What percentage of your activities is in the Strategic and what percentage is in the Result Driven track? (Are you happy with these numbers?)
  3. What can you do to improve your CX results that customers are facing and shift gear to the Result Driven track?

Enough food for the mind. In August 2021 I will continue my pilgrimage and the Strategic Fundamental track I am on. The MilleMiglia was this great adrenaline kick, and I will definitely be back in 2022 to support these fab cars and their drivers.

But for now: I am curious for your thoughts on my theory on the Two Speeds of Customer Experience Managent that are needed. Do you recognize the disconnect and the need for both speeds? Please let me know in the comments!

 

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Professional bias

We're on a campsite, in a cottage. And that's not just any campsite, but one that's hip and therefore quickly sold out. The booking already took place last November, bearing in mind that I would be abroad the whole month of June for wonderful speaking assignments and CX master classes. But yes... Suddenly there was corona. And like everyone else, I have been permanently in our beautiful Netherlands since mid-March.

The good news was that we had found a great holiday address. This campground was recommended by many: maybe a bit big, but great. Close to the beach, against the dunes. Lots of opportunities for children to play with sand and water. The reviews were almost too laudatory. I have to be honest: it makes me sceptical. I first want to see with my own eyes if the promises are kept. And what about the customer experience? I also want to experience that for myself.

So... There we went. The first week of construction. The busiest week of the high season in 2020. First I had to see how this campsite was going to live up to that great customer experience.

We were received perfectly. Quick, friendly and clear. We arrived at the cottage, so beautiful that it exceeded our expectations. With good beds and a perfect location: between the dunes, with its own verandah and such a beautiful tent canvas as a roof. We were perplexed.

The first bottle of wine opened, the little one left for the play area with lots of sand and we were regally in the relax mode. First we went through the booklet, with a map and tips, including activity planning.

The following days we had the best conversations with staff members of the campsite. They regularly drove by in electric carts. We were greeted cheerfully, we knew their names were Luuk, Gerard or Daan and little wishes were granted. So I forgot my yoga mat and within half a day I had one in our house. Every morning we received a newspaper, accompanied by a cheerful 'Good morning!'. In such a case I don't manage to be just a 'guest' anymore. Immediately my professional bias pop up as well. How is this arranged? What processes and agreements are made with the staff? I could not control my curiosity and asked Daan. He immediately explained their concept. How they, together with all the staff, colour the last page of the brochure. The page you can't describe, but you have to experience.

How wow is that? Not just thinking about it, but realizing it in the middle of the high season. With processes, agreements and above all: in concrete behaviour. They have me wrapped up as a customer. Spoiled with a very nice holiday customer experience. Chapeau camping. Chapeau staff. We have already booked for 2021.

 

This blog was written for CustomerFirst and published on 22 September 2020

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