Tag Archive of: cx education

Strategy 35: The need for authority

When was I truly a pilgrim? When am I truly a good leader? The answer lies in experience: showing your accomplishments gives you credibility. Sometimes titles help as well. Not by showing off all the time - especially not in the Netherlands - but there are circumstances where it is wise to use them.

When and where? Why? Watch this video to found out!

I read aloud a chapter every week. Enjoy listening to my book. I do hope that I'll inspire you to spice up your journey as a business leader, a CX leader, or maybe even as a leader in your personal life.

Subscribe to my YouTube channel and you'll be notified if another chapter appears!

Would you rather read my book? You can find it online on Amazon or - in the Netherlands and Belgium - in any bookstore online.

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Strategy 33: Your pain, is ... well, your pain

In this video you'll learn why Arnold Schwarzeneggers's saying "The pain you feel today, will be the strength you feel tomorrow" was not helpful to me during my pilgrimage. For me the question was: how can I deal with the pain and keep going?

What I know is that blaming won't help you. Listen what will and check out this video.

I read aloud a chapter every week. Enjoy listening to my book. I do hope that I'll inspire you to spice up your journey as a business leader, a CX leader, or maybe even as a leader in your personal life.

Subscribe to my YouTube channel and you'll be notified if another chapter appears!

Would you rather read my book? You can find it online on Amazon or - in the Netherlands and Belgium - in any bookstore online.

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Strategy 32: Angels are out there to make you feel special

Angels are out there to make you feel special. Are they? Yes, in fact, that is what strategy 32 is all about. There are always angels on your path, the lights on your journey that make the world go round. Not just in life, but most certainly also as a CX leader.

Or why not being an angel yourself? Check out strategy 32 in this video.

I read aloud a chapter every week. Enjoy listening to my book. I do hope that I'll inspire you to spice up your journey as a business leader, a CX leader, or maybe even as a leader in your personal life.

Subscribe to my YouTube channel and you'll be notified if another chapter appears!

Would you rather read my book? You can find it online on Amazon or - in the Netherlands and Belgium - in any bookstore online.

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Strategy 30: Get your hands (and feet) dirty

Strategy 30: Get your hands (and feet) dirty. What has the clay on my walking shoes to do with customer experience? Everything. It's easy to stand on the sideline and talk about customers and what you should improve. But the thing is: talk to customers and not about customers. Thát is what I mean with get your hands dirty. You have to Walk the Talk.

Discover the complete story about feet, the clay paths from hell and CX in this video. Enjoy!

I read aloud a chapter every week. Enjoy listening to my book. I do hope that I'll inspire you to spice up your journey as a business leader, a CX leader, or maybe even as a leader in your personal life.

Subscribe to my YouTube channel and you'll be notified if another chapter appears!

Would you rather read my book? You can find it online on Amazon or - in the Netherlands and Belgium - in any bookstore online.

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Strategy 29: Work agile

Work agile. That is strategy 29. In this video you'll learn how little tweaks can improve not only your projects, but also in the way you work. By just changing one little thing at the time, you'll see big changes in the longer run.

Let me show you this principle based on my search for blister-free feet during my pilgrimage. What?! Check out this video and you'll understand.

I read aloud a chapter every week. Enjoy listening to my book. I do hope that I'll inspire you to spice up your journey as a business leader, a CX leader, or maybe even as a leader in your personal life.

Subscribe to my YouTube channel and you'll be notified if another chapter appears!

Would you rather read my book? You can find it online on Amazon or - in the Netherlands and Belgium - in any bookstore online.

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Six blind spots in CX leadership communication - and how to address them

In the dynamic of Customer Experience (CX) leadership, communication is essential for engagement, persuasion, and education. However, even the most seasoned CX leaders can fall prey to certain communication pitfalls. With the result that they don't get their message across, colleagues don't understand them and more important, people don't get into action. Identifying and addressing these 'six blind spots' can transform how leaders communicate, connect, and influence their teams and customers.

Blind spot 1: being too complete

The Overload Trap: CX leaders often feel compelled to provide every detail in their presentations, believing that more information equates to better understanding. However, this completeness can lead to information overload, losing the audience's interest and diluting the core message.

The Fix

Focus on simplicity and clarity. Distill the story to its most essential elements to keep your audience engaged and the message impactful.

Blind spot 2: being too boring

The Engagement Gap: A common misstep is sticking to a dry, fact-based narrative and not much engagement. This approach can make your presentation, strategy and stories unrelatable and forgettable.

The Fix

Incorporate elements that have unexpectedness. That spark emotions - humor, surprise, or personal anecdotes. Engage your audience with a narrative that resonates and makes them remember.

Blind spot 3: being too conceptual

The Abstract Challenge: CX leaders might lean heavily on abstract concepts or industry and especially customer experience jargon, making it hard to grasp.

The Fix

Ground your story with concreteness. Use real-world and customer examples and relatable scenarios. Simplify complex ideas with metaphors or analogies to make them more accessible.

Blind spot 4: being too corporate

The Corporate Veil: overemphasis on corporate perspectives can make your presentation or strategy feel impersonal or propagandistic and might feel that it is just your CX idea.

The Fix

Humanize your story and add in true customer data to build credibility. Have a CX data sheet, that you can use and share experiences and lessons from a personal viewpoint. Combine data with stories and relate to everyday experiences that transcend corporate walls.

Blind spot 5: being too unpersonal

The Relatability Rift: presentations lacking a personal touch fail to connect with the audience on an emotional level. Often people won't connect and don't understand what to do next.

The Fix

Build in emotion to connect and let your personal stories come into play. Let your vulnerability and authenticity shine through to build a stronger connection with your audience. Also be specific on your call to action, what you want your audience to DO.

Blind spot 6: being too functional

The Functional Focus: focusing solely on the functional aspects of Customer Experience, like methodologies, processes or outcomes, can make it uninspiring.

The Fix

Weave in the human element and add stories. Highlight the impact on people, whether it's customers, employees, or communities. Stories that showcase human experiences and emotions are more engaging and memorable.

My conclusion and tips for you

Effective communication in CX leadership is about striking the right balance. It is my suggestion to use the success formula of Dan and Chip Heath from the book Made to stick. So, you start to focus more and get your ideas and communication across. To stand out from the crowd.

It's about being informative yet engaging, professional yet personal, and functional yet inspiring.

By addressing these six blind spots, you as a CX leader can craft stories that are not only heard but also felt and remembered. This approach not only enhances communication but also fosters a more profound connection with teams and customers, ultimately driving a more impactful CX strategy.

 

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Elevating business impact: the magic of CX Leadership and design-centric approaches

This episode of the CX Leadership Talks podcast Design methods and CX leadership are the topics.

Krisztina Kanizsai is my guest and a multifaceted professional with expertise in service and customer design, as well as UX research. Her mission is to create meaningful experiences that have a positive impact on business results.

The conversation in this episode explores the transformative power of design thinking and problem framing, highlighting the crucial role these play in fostering innovation and addressing customer needs. The dynamic relationship between UX and CX is also examined, emphasizing the necessity for collaboration and empathy-driven research to create impactful customer experiences. The episode delves into the importance of experimentation, training, and co-creation in achieving cohesive cross-functional collaboration and offers valuable insightsinto how design thinking can elevate the business impact of CX leadership.

The article for design thinking and Airbnb.

Timestamped overview

00:11 Excited for customer experience friend from Hungary.

05:49 Passionate person with goal of educating others.

09:12 Both disciplines rely on each other.

11:17 Design is a mindset, focusing on functionality.

16:13 Obstacles are opportunities, innovate by problem framing.

19:33 Good idea, collaboration, prioritization, changed strategy.

23:56 Consider everyone, their concerns, build trust.

27:43 Experiment, pilot, start small, clear impact, educate, trust.

29:55 Hire expert for true success in CX.

35:55 ChatGPT: Design thinking saves time.

39:31 Design Thinking helps with audience interaction, LinkedIn available.

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The huge opportunities of Leadership Events for you as a CX professional

Welcome to the latest episode of CX Leadership Talks with me, Nienke Bloem. I apologize for the hiatus between episodes, as I took a much-needed break. But I'm back now, and today's episode is a must-listen for CX leaders.

We're going to dive into the world of leadership retreats and why they are such valuable opportunities for CX professionals. We'll explore the different types of events, the benefits of attending, and practical tips for making the most out of these gatherings.

I'll also share my own experiences as a speaker and organizer at such events. So, stay tuned and let's take a deeper look at leadership retreats in the world of CX.

Listen to this podcast

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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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Unknown, unloved

We go back in time about ten years and I am sitting opposite my then CEO. I have been in charge of KPN's Customer Excellence team for three months now. I am new to the company, he even a little newer. My goal is to bring the relational NPS from -14 to zero in just under three years.

Yet he asks "Nienke, what result did you achieve with your team last month? Stammering, I tell him that we have a long-term goal. That our growth strategy is focused on reducing detractors, what actions we have for that, that I am confident. "No, no. I expect you to bring results here every month. Of course it's good that you have plans, but I also want to know what short-term results you've achieved with your team."

Full of doubt, I left the meeting room. How was I supposed to do that? With such an erratic long-term goal that might grow a point or two per quarter? I consulted a colleague and he told me how he did that.

A light went on for me. All those years I had worked very hard in various roles and management positions, but I had never structurally kept track of my successes (and failures) and reported on them. Nor did I have my story in focus when I spoke to colleagues: I mainly told them what I did. What results I had achieved, I could not tell in a few sentences.

If you work in a large organization, it's important to think about your own marketing. "Huh?!" I hear you say. Yes. That's important if you work in customer service or customer experience, well, really anywhere. But especially in our professions, it's important for people to understand the work you do, how it is linked to the business strategy and the impact you make.

In marketing, they often talk about Know, Like, Trust. Apply this to yourself: make sure management knows you, likes you professionally, and ultimately trusts you. You don't want to leave that to others, so take charge yourself.

I saw a great example last week at the International CX Awards. Vattenfall's CX team won three Awards, including the best B2C CX team in the world! As a big learning point, they told me that the process leading up to the Awards had helped them tell very concisely where they had achieved successes.

So, dear reader. Is your marketing in order? Do you know and share your successes? Don't underestimate this. Because unknown, unloved. The choice is yours.

 

This blog was written for CustomerFirst and published on December 13, 2022

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