Tag Archive from: cx inspiration

'Closing the loop' in CX at the TESO ferry on Texel

This story is about an 'old' customer experience. It's been over 2 years and I remember it like it was yesterday. Here we go.

Because my mother lives on the island of Texel, we often take the ferry to the island. I am even a shareholder in the ferry. One of the shareholder benefits is a special card with a credit on it to take your car with you for free five times a year. Every year on 1 January, these credits are automatically transferred to your card. Easy peasy, in other words.

It's January 5th and my car and I are at the ferry check-in. I give my shareholder card to the employee and she says, "Sorry, no more credit." I'm a little baffled and start the conversation that something must have gone wrong. It's the 5th of January, so it's almost impossible to have used up all my credits yet. She's not willing to help, no empathy. I have to go to the TESO office, which is only open during the week. And that's exactly when I'm not on Texel. But that was my problem. Not hers. She forces me to buy a ticket and I'm not happy. And that's putting it mildly.

I can't remember exactly how I got in touch with TESO. Maybe I sent an email. But I got a survey from the TESO and I gave them my feedback. Honestly didn't expect anything from it as 99% of companies don't take action on feedback. In CX terminology: no closing the loop.

The next day, the phone rings. I see a Texel's number, since I recognize the area code. A colleague from the TESO Boat Service asks me about my recent experience. She wants to know what happened, how I felt, and what I see as a solution.

She apologized for what had happened. What I really liked is that she didn't slander her colleague. She just said it wasn't the right response. And that she was going to solve the case. Of course, I didn't have to come to the office. She asked me to email a recent photo of myself (there is a photo on the shareholder card). Then she would arrange a new pass. This card was sent to my home address with the credits.

Two days later, my card arrives in the mailbox. With a sincere apology and a small present. I receive four coins for free coffee with apple pie. For me and my family the next time we take the ferry. What a way to create a beautiful moment for me. I can make my family happy with a treat and TESO is put in the spotlight, because they absolutely shine when it comes to 'closing the loop'. The problem has been solved, they have taken away my bad feeling and I have a nice memory of how this company understands how to make customers happy.

From this blog, I distilled some CX lessons. Curious? Read them here!

 

*****

Nienke Bloem is often called the Customer Experience speaker in the blue dress. 

She's a global CX thought leader, educator and a global keynote speaker who inspires audiences with best practices and proven methodologies. She leads a speaking practice, a CX game company and a training business; she breathes Customer Experiences and is author of two CX books.

Her two-day Customer Experience Masterclass is known as the best program to prepare for your CCXP and she is the go-to person for CX leaders who want to advance their leadership and bring direct results from their Customer Experience transformation programs. Since 2020, she hosts a CX Leadership Masterminds program and helps leaders spice up their leadership and deliver an engaging CX Story including a solid CX Strategy. Besides, she is a modern-day pilgrim and found the parallel with leading customer centric transformations. 

With her over 20 years of corporate experience, she speaks the business language. Her keynotes and education programs in Customer Experience are inspiring and hands-on. She is one of the few Recognized Training Partners of the CXPA and it is her mission to Make Customer Experience Work and help you deliver business results. 

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4 reasons why you should read 'The Power of Moments'

Sometimes you read a book that hits like a bomb. A book that makes you think: I want to remind myself of these words over and over again. I would have to reread this book every now and then, no, every year! The Power of Moments by Dan and Chip Heath is one such book. It is very valuable for both your professional and personal life. To be more precise, this book is a must-read for any CX professional.

Four elements

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

  • A moment of elevation
  • It allows people to gain insights for themselves
  • It makes you proud or
  • You make a meaningful connection

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

But why should you read this book? I think it can help 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 delivering value. The best way to do this is to have your colleagues read this book as well and brainstorm about 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 sure of loyal customer ambassadors. This is a serious task for any CX professional!

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

If we want to change the way we work, for example in terms of customer experience, we all know that we can't change our behaviour and culture overnight. This takes time. What this book The Power of Moments makes clear is that you can't change people all at once. But by creating meaningful moments in your transformation projects, you can certainly encourage people to change their behavior. If you let people put it to the test themselves, if they are proud of their work or contribution to the company. Take the time to show that you care about them and are attentive to them. This really helps you make a meaningful connection.

3. For your team: celebrate your team successes

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

4. For Yourself: Improving Your Personal Relationships

It goes without saying that if you take the time to create meaningful moments in your personal life, you will deepen relationships with other people. Or create such a moment yourself, as I did with my pilgrimage for my 50th birthday. Everyone needs meaningful connections, that's what makes our lives memorable and valuable. But this also applies outside of your personal 'bubble': make time to greet people, smile at people you pass. You can make connections anywhere.

If we all put in our best to create meaningful moments, we would have happy and loyal customers and employees. And not only that. I am sure that we will be able to make this planet a better place for everyone.

Do you like to read inspiring articles and books about Customer Experience? Then sign up for my monthly CX Greetz, in which I share many CX experiences, inspiration and lessons with you.

 

*****

Nienke Bloem is often called the Customer Experience speaker in the blue dress. 

She's a global CX thought leader, educator and a global keynote speaker who inspires audiences with best practices and proven methodologies. She leads a speaking practice, a CX game company and a training business; she breathes Customer Experiences and is author of two CX books.

Her two-day Customer Experience Masterclass is known as the best program to prepare for your CCXP and she is the go-to person for CX leaders who want to advance their leadership and bring direct results from their Customer Experience transformation programs. Since 2020, she hosts a CX Leadership Masterminds program and helps leaders spice up their leadership and deliver an engaging CX Story including a solid CX Strategy. Besides, she is a modern-day pilgrim and found the parallel with leading customer centric transformations. 

With her over 20 years of corporate experience, she speaks the business language. Her keynotes and education programs in Customer Experience are inspiring and hands-on. She is one of the few Recognized Training Partners of the CXPA and it is her mission to Make Customer Experience Work and help you deliver business results. 

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Group Ticket – CX Lessons Learned

When you book a large number of tickets as a customer, you are probably a B2B customer. But I wasn't in this case. Still, in such a case, you want to feel a little special. I'm booking 13 tickets! That must be a nice deal for the company, right? Better than 1 plane ticket, right?!
I felt nothing about this whole transaction. It was difficult, process-oriented and I even have ambiguity. Because, do I have the tickets or not! There is no portal where I can see if my booking was successful.

When I look at this process with my CX glasses on, I have four ideas on how to improve it:

  1. Step into your customer's shoes.
    Try booking a group ticket yourself. See how long it takes to get a quote. Experience the wait time on the phone. Print out the quote and contract. See how ugly it looks. Find the differences between what is in the contract and in the e-mail.
  2. Shortlist simple improvements and have a dedicated team pick it up.
    Especially the contract and communication. Add the "warm customer feeling. Make me, the customer, feel 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. Also align terms and conditions. Why do I have more flexibility as an individual as a customer who has booked 13 tickets? Align and design the future. Think about digital channels, especially if you have problems with wait times in your customer contact center.
  4. Share in the organization, when it comes to customer-centric change.
    I would share these kinds of examples in the organization. At the Group Tickets team, these contracts and practices are the norm. This is how people have been working 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 customer's lens. 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 that everything will be okay with the tickets and that my friends, daughter and mother will fly to Bologna on May 20th! Time to experience La Dolce Vita. And then the experience with the group ticket booking is probably completely forgotten.

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

 

*****

Nienke Bloem is often called the Customer Experience speaker in the blue dress. 

She's a global CX thought leader, educator and a global keynote speaker who inspires audiences with best practices and proven methodologies. She leads a speaking practice, a CX game company and a training business; she breathes Customer Experiences and is author of two CX books.

Her two-day Customer Experience Masterclass is known as the best program to prepare for your CCXP and she is the go-to person for CX leaders who want to advance their leadership and bring direct results from their Customer Experience transformation programs. Since 2020, she hosts a CX Leadership Masterminds program and helps leaders spice up their leadership and deliver an engaging CX Story including a solid CX Strategy. Besides, she is a modern-day pilgrim and found the parallel with leading customer centric transformations. 

With her over 20 years of corporate experience, she speaks the business language. Her keynotes and education programs in Customer Experience are inspiring and hands-on. She is one of the few Recognized Training Partners of the CXPA and it is her mission to Make Customer Experience Work and help you deliver business results. 

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Afleverexperience - learned CX lessons

Buying a new car should be a small celebration. This car was not just any car; in fact, it was a very expensive car. So as a customer, I also expected more than just a "normal delivery.

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

  1. Communicate about the process
    I understood very well that the delivery of the car was under pressure because of supply problems. We all know about chip shortages, transportation problems and scarcity of materials. But once you know you can't deliver on the promised date, make sure you are honest and proactive. There should be guidelines within organizations, what to do and when. The vendor should have called me and kept me informed of the delivery date. Moreover, he should have made me feel that my car and I (as a customer) were important to him.
  2. Tune into expectations
    Whether you're in a premium business or a CX professional working in government. Your customers have certain expectations. Make sure you know those and at least meet them. If you're a real boss in CX, of course 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 was 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 a common excuse. It was their excuse to take it easy. When you hear excuses around you (whether it's Covid, management, or whatever), make sure all your red flags go up. Or, as Steven Covey would say, keep the saw sharp, within your organization. Stay focused on the desired customer experience. I'm sure the owner of the Volvo garage would not have wanted this delivery this way. But somehow, because of busyness and constraints, this worked paralyzing and they didn't go that extra mile. Be sure to walk the shop floor on a regular basis so that you hear these "red flags" for yourself or get them from the Voice of the Customer.
  4. Make it right
    If you make a mistake with your customer - like the Volvo garage did when delivering my car - make it right. You always have a second chance. As a former colleague of mine once said, "First time right, second time perfect." I like that. I called the salesman at the garage and told him about my disappointment at delivery. He was embarrassed, apologized over the phone and said he would make it up to me. The only thing is, we are now four weeks down the road and I still haven't heard anything. Make sure that when this happens in your organization, that you actually check that these promised actions are actually taken. That you make sure that people keep their promises.

Enough said about this experience. It is sad that they missed this opportunity and there is much to improve! Make sure you start fixing these elements in your organization. Next month I'll share another customer experience with you, including CX lessons you can learn. I hope to see you back then.

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

 

*****

Nienke Bloem is often called the Customer Experience speaker in the blue dress. 

She's a global CX thought leader, educator and a global keynote speaker who inspires audiences with best practices and proven methodologies. She leads a speaking practice, a CX game company and a training business; she breathes Customer Experiences and is author of two CX books.

Her two-day Customer Experience Masterclass is known as the best program to prepare for your CCXP and she is the go-to person for CX leaders who want to advance their leadership and bring direct results from their Customer Experience transformation programs. Since 2020, she hosts a CX Leadership Masterminds program and helps leaders spice up their leadership and deliver an engaging CX Story including a solid CX Strategy. Besides, she is a modern-day pilgrim and found the parallel with leading customer centric transformations. 

With her over 20 years of corporate experience, she speaks the business language. Her keynotes and education programs in Customer Experience are inspiring and hands-on. She is one of the few Recognized Training Partners of the CXPA and it is her mission to Make Customer Experience Work and help you deliver business results. 

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Afleverexperience

I bought a new car. Really. My very first brand new car. Worked myself together. After much deliberation, I tied the knot. There was going to be an electric car. A beautiful Volvo XC40. I had been looking forward to its delivery on January 5 for weeks.

Unfortunately, because of corona, nothing nice in terms of delivery was possible, I was told by phone. I took the train and waited behind the station for the salesman. It was raining hard. There my car arrived. Everything shot through my mind: what a cool car, what a car, what a good decision I had made. The salesman got out, I walked up to him and he handed me the key. My heart did a little dance.

Whether I wanted to just sign the form for delivery. Was it okay if I did that in the car, given the pouring rain? Sure, only he wasn't allowed to sit next to it. Corona, right! Sure. I signed, handed him the form and he wanted to walk away.

Ho, ho, do you want to explain a few things to me? Because suddenly I was in some kind of cockpit with a big screen and had no idea. Yes, you could. But he had to stay outside. Corona, huh!

He pointed to the screen. Let me explore some functions on the touch screen and five minutes later he got into his colleague's car and drove out of the parking lot.

There I was. For the first time in an electric car. Totally overwhelmed by all the bells and whistles. So first I spent half an hour exploring functionalities via the on-board computer. Suddenly I realized: this is not how I had imagined this episode. Of course, I wasn't expecting an exciting reveal with a big sheet (through corona and rain), but just handing over a key and then getting out! Maybe there was a present in the trunk; I must have overlooked it.

First, looking for the button to open the trunk. Through the rain, I quickly ran to the back of the car to find ... a charging cord and warning triangle.

Everything functional. Nothing fun.

Sure: by corona, little was allowed. But there was nothing at all festive about this episode. I put the car in Drive and drove out of the drafty parking lot.

What you can do with this? I have heard the slogan "because of corona, of course x and y can't" a little too much. Don't let corona be an excuse to make nothing of it to your customers. Make a celebration of what can be done. Appeal to your creativity and believe me; THAT is what your customers remember.

From this blog, I distilled some CX lessons. Curious? Read them here!

 

*****

Nienke Bloem is often called the Customer Experience speaker in the blue dress. 

She's a global CX thought leader, educator and a global keynote speaker who inspires audiences with best practices and proven methodologies. She leads a speaking practice, a CX game company and a training business; she breathes Customer Experiences and is author of two CX books.

Her two-day Customer Experience Masterclass is known as the best program to prepare for your CCXP and she is the go-to person for CX leaders who want to advance their leadership and bring direct results from their Customer Experience transformation programs. Since 2020, she hosts a CX Leadership Masterminds program and helps leaders spice up their leadership and deliver an engaging CX Story including a solid CX Strategy. Besides, she is a modern-day pilgrim and found the parallel with leading customer centric transformations. 

With her over 20 years of corporate experience, she speaks the business language. Her keynotes and education programs in Customer Experience are inspiring and hands-on. She is one of the few Recognized Training Partners of the CXPA and it is her mission to Make Customer Experience Work and help you deliver business results. 

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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 vacations we recorded the 10th edition with Kees Klink. How is CX organized 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 favorite 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 event 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 breathes. 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 agenda. REALLY! Enjoy the ideas and let me know what worked for you.

 

*****

Nienke Bloem is often called the Customer Experience speaker in the blue dress. 

She's a global CX thought leader, educator and a global keynote speaker who inspires audiences with best practices and proven methodologies. She leads a speaking practice, a CX game company and a training business; she breathes Customer Experiences and is author of two CX books.

Her two-day Customer Experience Masterclass is known as the best program to prepare for your CCXP and she is the go-to person for CX leaders who want to advance their leadership and bring direct results from their Customer Experience transformation programs. Since 2020, she hosts a CX Leadership Masterminds program and helps leaders spice up their leadership and deliver an engaging CX Story including a solid CX Strategy. Besides, she is a modern-day pilgrim and found the parallel with leading customer centric transformations. 

With her over 20 years of corporate experience, she speaks the business language. Her keynotes and education programs in Customer Experience are inspiring and hands-on. She is one of the few Recognized Training Partners of the CXPA and it is her mission to Make Customer Experience Work and help you deliver business results. 

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Professional Deformation

We are on a campsite, in a cottage. And that's not just any campsite, but one that is hip and therefore sells out quickly. The booking took place in November last year, with the idea that I would be abroad for the entire month of June for wonderful speaking assignments and CX masterclasses. But yes... Suddenly, there was corona. And just 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 campsite was recommended by many: maybe a bit big, but super cool. Close to the beach, against the dunes. Lots of play options for children with sand and water. The reviews were almost too positive. I have to be honest: I get skeptical. I first want to see with my own eyes whether the promises are kept. And what about the customer experience? I want to experience that myself.

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

We were received perfectly. Fast, 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 a private veranda and such a beautiful tent canvas as a canopy. We were stunned.

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

In the days that followed, 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 small wishes were fulfilled. For example, I had forgotten 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 am no longer able to be just a 'guest'. Immediately, my professional deformation rears its head. How is this arranged? What processes and agreements are made with the staff? I couldn't contain my curiosity and asked Daan. He immediately explained their concept. How they, together with all the staff, colour in the last page of the brochure. The page that you can't describe, but that you have to experience.

How wow is that? Not only coming up with it, but also making it happen in the middle of the high season. With processes, agreements and above all: in concrete behaviour. They packed me as a customer. Spoiled with a very nice holiday customer experience. Chapeau campsite. Chapeau staff. We have already booked for 2021.

 

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

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*****

Nienke Bloem is often called the Customer Experience speaker in the blue dress. 

She's a global CX thought leader, educator and a global keynote speaker who inspires audiences with best practices and proven methodologies. She leads a speaking practice, a CX game company and a training business; she breathes Customer Experiences and is author of two CX books.

Her two-day Customer Experience Masterclass is known as the best program to prepare for your CCXP and she is the go-to person for CX leaders who want to advance their leadership and bring direct results from their Customer Experience transformation programs. Since 2020, she hosts a CX Leadership Masterminds program and helps leaders spice up their leadership and deliver an engaging CX Story including a solid CX Strategy. Besides, she is a modern-day pilgrim and found the parallel with leading customer centric transformations. 

With her over 20 years of corporate experience, she speaks the business language. Her keynotes and education programs in Customer Experience are inspiring and hands-on. She is one of the few Recognized Training Partners of the CXPA and it is her mission to Make Customer Experience Work and help you deliver business results. 

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Nothing not festive

I'm getting married. Yes, it's quite a lot to me. For some, this is the best day of their lives, but we see it – and that may be due to our age and Dutch background – a little more practically. We don't live together, so for us it's a day of love. A moment when we arrange everything well for each other. And arranging that, that's what this blog is about. Because it takes a lot of arranging to get this done.

It all started with the online exploration. You can get married for free on Monday morning. By the way, did you know that there is quite a queue for that? No less than nine months. When I see this waiting period, I think more of the duration of an average pregnancy, but maybe these two are related. This is what they call 'simple marriage'. This is possible on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I think someone has the Thursday off. Haha. Sorry, I'm rambling on. And this can only be done in the morning. Apparently, getting married cheap, free and easy is also something you do in the morning.

Of course, you can also 'just' get married. This is at the price, but then you can get married in the old council chamber of the town hall, for example. A lot more atmospheric than at the modern city hall at Utrecht Central Station. But location aside, it's all about love.

And you really have to feel that love for each other when you enter this process. It starts with registering your intended marriage. This is a new word for betrothal. Personally, I think that is a great pity. Banns sound a lot cozier, but yes, all the fun has gone away. Because you fill in everything online, it's a process. You enter your details and those of all the witnesses and voila: you press send. After a few days, the congregation came up on the air. The two of us and all the legitimations had to come to the city office to finalize our intended marriage.

Now I'm a fan of 'making a moment of something'. So we planned a day off and went to the city office together in a romantic way. There we received a number from a device in the large hall. We were allowed to go to department C, up the escalator and turn right. We were called upon. All documents were checked again, we paid € 627 (you read that right, getting married is not cheap) and were outside after five minutes. Nothing not festive. No congratulations yet. Just a procedure. Is it just me, or is this a missed opportunity? May 15, they can make amends.

 

This blog was written for CustomerFirst and published on April 15, 2020

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*****

Nienke Bloem is often called the Customer Experience speaker in the blue dress. 

She's a global CX thought leader, educator and a global keynote speaker who inspires audiences with best practices and proven methodologies. She leads a speaking practice, a CX game company and a training business; she breathes Customer Experiences and is author of two CX books.

Her two-day Customer Experience Masterclass is known as the best program to prepare for your CCXP and she is the go-to person for CX leaders who want to advance their leadership and bring direct results from their Customer Experience transformation programs. Since 2020, she hosts a CX Leadership Masterminds program and helps leaders spice up their leadership and deliver an engaging CX Story including a solid CX Strategy. Besides, she is a modern-day pilgrim and found the parallel with leading customer centric transformations. 

With her over 20 years of corporate experience, she speaks the business language. Her keynotes and education programs in Customer Experience are inspiring and hands-on. She is one of the few Recognized Training Partners of the CXPA and it is her mission to Make Customer Experience Work and help you deliver business results. 

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Post-it Ninja

"Improving the customer experience, that's what we're working on." I'm having an interview with a CX colleague at a government agency. In the case of a large brown paper, she explains to me what I see on this. A beautiful customer journey, full of ups and downs in emotions and many, many post-its. Unfortunately not of very good quality, because there are also a lot of them on the ground. But that's not what this blog is about.

Now I'm a big fan of the post-it myself. Super handy for all your customer journey sessions, workshops, improvement sessions and what not. But I've also wondered how others see me and my CX colleagues. Whether we have customer journey manager, service designer or customer experience expert as a job title.

Let's put ourselves in the shoes of our colleagues. What do they see and what will they think? Could it be something like, 'Hey, there she is again. Always busy with those brown papers and all kinds of colored self-adhesive small papers. Where does that post-it it ninja go next? And what happens to that brown paper? Will she take it off the wall and will something happen to it? Or will this customer journey soon hang on the wall as beautiful office art and is it a reminder of a wonderful session?'

Yes, that could just be the image. And if so, then we have caused it ourselves. It's up to us to show that something is really happening with it. Because what else are we doing? Of course, one of our roles is to increase the customer awareness of colleagues. But we are only successful if the customer notices something. I do know that sometimes we are seen as those post-it it ninjas. Like those guys with the biggest plans and most beautiful sessions, but with too little impact. And we are responsible for that. Also to change that, because we really need to get rid of that image.

We owe it to our CX booth that we have customer impact. That we are where the customer is. That we really know how to improve that customer journey. That we entice leaders to participate in the contact center. That we sometimes use brute force to draw attention to the major customer issues. That every now and then we very subtly let everyone realize that it really can't be like this. Sometimes with post-its and much more often with the 'voice of the customer'. But always with the honest customer story and a lot of do-power. As CX professionals, we are responsible for our own impact. Down with office art, hello customer success. From post-it ninja to customer hero; Let that be our aim.

 

This blog was written for CustomerFirst and published on March 11, 2020

Don't miss another blog? Sign up for my monthly CX Greetz!

 

*****

Nienke Bloem is often called the Customer Experience speaker in the blue dress. 

She's a global CX thought leader, educator and a global keynote speaker who inspires audiences with best practices and proven methodologies. She leads a speaking practice, a CX game company and a training business; she breathes Customer Experiences and is author of two CX books.

Her two-day Customer Experience Masterclass is known as the best program to prepare for your CCXP and she is the go-to person for CX leaders who want to advance their leadership and bring direct results from their Customer Experience transformation programs. Since 2020, she hosts a CX Leadership Masterminds program and helps leaders spice up their leadership and deliver an engaging CX Story including a solid CX Strategy. Besides, she is a modern-day pilgrim and found the parallel with leading customer centric transformations. 

With her over 20 years of corporate experience, she speaks the business language. Her keynotes and education programs in Customer Experience are inspiring and hands-on. She is one of the few Recognized Training Partners of the CXPA and it is her mission to Make Customer Experience Work and help you deliver business results. 

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Nine elements of successful CX Ambassador programs

The latest years I have seen many organizations that worked with CX Ambassadors. So many roles, and so many variations of domain of impact. For example, to implement customer improvements, or to be NPS ambassadors from all teams to make sure the metric and the thought behind it stays alive, or to build a culture of customer centric behavior, or to translate the brand values into daily work. As I have seen so many and some were a success and some just died a silent death (yes, that is a risk), I decided to deduct the nine elements of success.

1. Have common goals that link to the strategy of the organization

When people join an ambassador program, they want to understand how they contribute and what is the WHY of the program. It is the role from the CX team to give clarity on this element of belonging and contribution. Especially the strategy element is important, as people will be asked in their teams and their surroundings what their role as an ambassador is. Also make sure they can translate their work into the strategy and the goals of the Ambassador program. As a CX team you have to be able to answer the question, "When is our CX Ambassador program a success and how does it contribute to the success of the organization?" Because if you can't, your ambassadors most definitely can't either.

2. Make sure the ambassadors have time to act

It depends whether Ambassadors are chosen by management or whether they can volunteer to join your CX Ambassador program. One of the hurdles I often see is that of time. People get their ambassador role on top of their daily work. Especially when working in the frontline, with operational roles, you need to be aware that chances are they promise a lot but are more likely to be scheduled to be doing their regular job. I have seen programs where people got 20 percent of their time to work in the ambassador program; make sure this is planned in the WFM and help your ambassadors to own this new role. Enable them to have conversations with their team members and management. But also, you have to have conversations with the leadership, to emphasize the importance of the Ambassador program and the time people need.

3. Choose ambassadors wisely

Who should be the ambassadors? A very interesting question. Should they be picked by management, is that the modus operandi in your organization? Or could you have a kind of an audition program, where employees get to do interviews and really show why they are a good match? I hope you get to have a say in the selection process and have a diverse group of ambassadors. Especially at the start, make sure you get colleagues that have belief in Customer Experience, that have the right energy, that are curious and that are at crucial positions in the company. Later in time, you can choose to also engage the opponents. Especially when you have the first results in, this will convince them, and it gives you the authority that you can engage all. And of course, make the Ambassador team a diverse one, both on background, gender, roles and global footprint (when applicable).

4. Give guidance and build a system of support and clear governance.

Ambassadors need support to fulfill their role. Often their roles have an evangelist and activist element which has impact on the organizational status quo. This means they have to work on customer change and different behavior. That isn't easy, so help your ambassadors with the resistance they will encounter. Create FAQs with the most asked questions and answers they might give. Help them with tools and interventions so they can really act on their role. It is also important that you help them tell the story, especially when the evangelist element is fundamental. Practice the change story together. Give them customer stories, video clips, customer verbatims, that they can use in their change roles. I often see communities with a shared platform, where all resources can be found. Make sure you are the activator and stimulator of this platform.

5. Share and reward success

Some ambassadors hit the jackpot and some won't. It is very important to deep dive the elements that enhance success. What really works is to put the people in the spotlight that are nailing it. That are really creating customer impact, that raise metrics, that change the customer status quo. I have seen Awards for the CX Ambassador of the year, which is kind of formal. But I have also seen stories highlighted on the intranet and Yammer communities where CX heroes were celebrated. Make sure you put the spotlight on their success, but also on the journey toward success. Share the honest truth and give them the praise they deserve. And... if your ambassador program is a true success, give yourself the right platform and go for a CX award yourself or with the team. Whether at the Global Insights Exchange of the CXPA or the International CX Awards. This can give you the internal authority, praise of colleagues and often an internal leadership boost.

6. Get together in real life

This might be difficult in global programs, but it is of true importance that Ambassadors know each other. So they know their peers, so they can have conversations when stuck, or to build on capabilities. I often see Zoom calls, Skype meetings and yes, these are practical. But when you really want success, claim budget for real life get togethers. Enhance learning, networking and a real foundation of CX belief when you see each other. What I have also seen, is that when Ambassadors have to make a real effort to travel, they are even more connected to the program later. When you finish a person to person event, make sure you give the colleagues shiny certificates or other status symbols they can take to their offices. To show off and have a physical reminder of their ambassador status.

7. Involve leaders

Somehow, I have seen most CX Ambassador programs that only have team members from operational roles. Where are the leaders, where is the management? It can't be that they are too busy... So, when you start and choose the ambassador team, make sure you have the option to also pick leaders. If that is not the case, make sure you engage leaders in a different way. Communicate regularly about the Ambassador program and mention their teams when they deliver results. But also have conversations when the Ambassadors fall short and they indicate they don't get the time they need. These conversations might be tricky, but this is the only road to go. Especially when you feel some leaders don't support the program. If I can give you one most important suggestion it is: include the CEO. Make sure he/she expresses the importance, shows up in a real life meetup, or in a Zoom. That he/she asks questions in meetings how the participation of the Ambassador program is going.

8. Have 'who takes over' conversations and an on-boarding program

People will leave teams, get new roles, get sick or might even leave the company. To have continuity, you need to think of this at the beginning. Especially when people are selected and start: be honest and ask what will happen when they eventually are not there. For whatever reason. Do they have somebody that can replace them, do they have a next in line idea? It is a good conversation to have, since this also shows your sincerity and serious approach to the Ambassador program. When they stop, give them a fond farewell, a big thank you. Also give the new ambassadors a warm welcome. Make sure you have a welcome/onboarding procedure. That is crystal clear on expectations. That helps you and the ambassador to start of in the best way.

9. When the vibe is down, stop or show stamina and refresh

The good thing at the start of a CX Ambassador program is that everybody is fully energized. Starting new things just has a good vibe. The lights are all green, the program has power, maybe even an own logo. You have somebody who is responsible for the selection, communication and the meetups. And then ... after a year the vibe might be down. The participation is less. Other priorities might come up. What to do? This should already have been taken care of in the startup. To raise the 'what if questions' and the mitigating actions. But it will happen. This is the moment where you have two choices. Either you stop the program. With a real celebration of the success, a big thank you to all participants. Or this is the moment your endurance comes in. Where you show stamina. Continuity is key and you have to stick to the rhythm of communication. Make time in your calendar to prepare meetings, to tape videos, to share stories. And when the vibe is really down: refresh. Give the program a boost with a new logo. With a new story line, maybe even a new face of the CX team.

When to start an CX Ambassador program

Ambassador programs are just tha bomb. Yes, I am an enthusiast and I have seen some great examples where the organization was engaged by the success of the program. You don't start an Ambassador program when you just started the CX team. It is something to start when you have grown a little more mature. When the fundamentals are there: a CX team, a clear CX Strategy and of course the budget.

Your learnings

I am so curious for your learnings. I have two questions:

  1. What are fundamentals that you have encountered in your CX Ambassador program that really created success, that are your success factors?
  2. Please be in contact when you have a great Ambassador story. As I am writing the CX Travel Guide in English, I am looking for international stories and I would love to learn from yours and share your story.

So, please share your insights and comments and of course, feel free to like, love and share this post.

 

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*****

Nienke Bloem is often called the Customer Experience speaker in the blue dress. 

She's a global CX thought leader, educator and a global keynote speaker who inspires audiences with best practices and proven methodologies. She leads a speaking practice, a CX game company and a training business; she breathes Customer Experiences and is author of two CX books.

Her two-day Customer Experience Masterclass is known as the best program to prepare for your CCXP and she is the go-to person for CX leaders who want to advance their leadership and bring direct results from their Customer Experience transformation programs. Since 2020, she hosts a CX Leadership Masterminds program and helps leaders spice up their leadership and deliver an engaging CX Story including a solid CX Strategy. Besides, she is a modern-day pilgrim and found the parallel with leading customer centric transformations. 

With her over 20 years of corporate experience, she speaks the business language. Her keynotes and education programs in Customer Experience are inspiring and hands-on. She is one of the few Recognized Training Partners of the CXPA and it is her mission to Make Customer Experience Work and help you deliver business results. 

 

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