Tag Archive from: cx

Out of office is out of office

Every month we send out our CX Greetz. CX Greetz is the name of my monthly CX newsletter, and it's based on how I always round up my emails. I'll end with "happy greetz" instead of "sincerely" or whatever you might write there. While we send it to my community of over 2,200 interested people, we also get a lot of out-of-office messages.

Some make me frown: "I'm out of the office right now, when I come back all emails will be deleted, so please resend it on date x". Some make me laugh: "I'm busy watching Christmas movies, see you later", and some make me spontaneously cringe: "I'm on vacation for the next three weeks, but if you really want to reach me, please send me a text."

No. No. No. Of course, this comes across as very helpful and benevolent, but you certainly don't help yourself with that. Let's take a closer look at one such situation: a colleague decides that he needs you for something very important. He texts you and asks for your help and refers to an email he sent you.

You're sitting on the beach with your partner and maybe even with your kids. It's sunny, you drink a cocktail and the sushi is brought within twenty minutes. Your phone makes the text message: "Hi, this is work!" Just when you were supposed to enjoy some mental and physical relaxation.

Because you have a strong sense of responsibility, you open your email and read the message your colleague sent. You answer his question. And now you're at it, so you read all the other emails at the same time. Your partner asks what you're doing and you grumble about coworkers who apparently can't live without you. You see all kinds of things where you are needed. Somehow, the atmosphere and energy has changed.

Believe me, holidays are holidays. You have to be clear: if you're gone, you're gone. Make sure colleagues can manage what needs to be managed. It's only when you're back that you're really back in the office. Because as soon as you start responding to emails and text messages, people think you're available and you've created your own misery.

Make a clear out of office, mentioning who you can contact during your absence, because you are not available right now. Now it's up to you to trust your colleagues to run the place when you're not around. And, of course, to change your voicemail and your WhatsApp profile text.

I think back to my own experience, when I took my laptop with me during my first hiking stage. While I was helping a number of clients and answering emails, they thought I would also answer the questions that came out of that email. Every night I found myself having to open my laptop to check emails. And not only that, every night I sat with work thoughts that stuck in my head. Because I also use WhatsApp in a business context, I then changed my profile text to "Walking pilgrim's path -> date X". When people texted me, I sent them a request to send an email instead and I mentioned that my assistant would take care of it since I was on a pilgrimage. And not at all surprising; Everyone understood!

We humans need mental rest. Time away from the office like vacations, or like I've done, walking a pilgrim path. These are perfect moments for a mental reset. To create the ideal setting, you need to be clear to the outside world. Create boundaries and set the tone. Holidays are Holidays. Not even a little work, not one email.

During the later stages of my pilgrimage, I didn't have my laptop with me, but I also instructed my team in a better way. "Manage all customer emails and requests yourself. I believe in you and when I get back, I'll be fully rested and energized enough to get all the work done again." That was clear to everyone. Mental peace for me and my trust in them made them feel like the company was in safe hands.

Believe me. Clarity and acting on it paves the way. Out of office is out of office.

 

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

 

*****

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

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

This is an interesting topic: how can you personalize occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, and anniversaries? It all starts with understanding and empathizing with your customer. What are the 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 central to keep guests coming back. He told me that they ask their customers for special days. They have found a way to systematize expectations and then translate them into solutions in business operations.

Here's what I'd recommend to the CX leader at the Waldorf Astoria:

  1. In the CX strategy, determine how important special moments and alignment with guest wishes actually are. In my opinion, it is extremely important in the luxury segment. Because good food or a nice wellness is only possible with personal attention. So clarity in strategy is key.
  2. When booking, ask guests if there are any special days or wishes. So that the staff knows this in advance. This way, they can anticipate these moments and organize some memorable experiences.
  3. Make sure the CRM system recognizes these special days. I'm 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 that it was my birthday and congratulated me.
  4. Make sure you have a number of branded gifts and a manuscript ready, including what you need to do and when. This way, employees can easily grab a gift and a card 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 organization.
  5. Train your staff to pick up on signals when special moments arise. Make them alert.
  6. Discuss special moments in the morning when starting up the teams on the shop floor. Do we have guests with special moments, who need extra attention today? If there is attention in the team and maybe even some game elements are added, it becomes a sport to exceed the expectations of the guests.
  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 that's not how you get any valuable information. Instead, ask, "What could we have done better, what would have made your stay even more enjoyable?" That's genuine curiosity and really helps you learn where you can improve as an organization.

So plenty to learn from this. And... you might even see even more CX pro suggestions. Please share them!

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This is how to handle customer surveys properly - CX lessons learned from TESO

As CX professionals, we often send out customer surveys. Or maybe we don't even send them, but we use the content for customer insights or reporting. Or to learn from it where we can improve our customer journeys.

I know a lot of CX professionals aren't responsible for closing the loop. That's a shame because it's actually a very important part of CX. You can really impact customer experiences and make a difference in your customers' lives. This is exactly where too many companies go wrong. So, if you do it right, you'll stand out from the crowd.

Lessons to be learned and actions to be taken:

A. The Strategic Lens:

  1. Responsibility. Find out who is responsible for closing the loop. If no one is responsible, make sure you discuss this and arrange responsibility.
  2. Leadership engagement. Align leadership on the topic. Does management think it's acceptable for you not to respond to surveys or reviews? Let them put it to the test themselves, so that they can experience for themselves how your company deals with feedback. That's how you create the buy-in you need.
  3. Future experiences. Determine how closing the loop fits in with your company's strategic goals and how you want to act on them. Are there certain customer segments that you do or don't want to respond to? Do you focus on transforming detractors into neutrals, or neutrals into promoters? Use your strategic lens and have those valuable conversations.
  4. Business case: Yes, you have to calculate what it will cost to be able to process all the feedback. Or start a pilot first to see what the impact is, so that you can calculate the ROI later.

B. The Tactical Lens:

  1. Why – Clearly describe why you do what you do. This way, you can explain to the team members how closing the loop fits into the company's strategy. What the benefits are. What went wrong in the past. How this will contribute to the future.
  2. Who – Who is actually going to take action based on the feedback? Is it the webcare team or the customer contact centre? Schedule time and, if necessary, have a conversation with HR about workers to be deployed. The who is often ignored. But also think about the who in customers. Is it the zeros and ones that you come back to? The neutrals? Or just the people who complain? Make it very specific.
  3. What – Describe what you need to do. Maybe a short script is needed. Always apologize, fix the problem, and go the extra mile. What kind of small gift can your colleagues give? Help them by outlining a framework about what you expect from them. Arrange for them to log into the CRM system.
  4. When – Do you call the customer the day after the feedback? Do you do that in the morning? How often do you try? But do you also have to report on progress? Describe everything, so that you organize it well in the long run.

C. The Operational Lens:

This is simply about implementation: concrete action. Calling customers. Troubleshooting. Celebrating successes. Involve others.

I suggest you think big and start small. Choose a pilot project. Experiment. In the long run, this will lead to your great success.

At the ferry service, they gave feedback their primary focus (I checked that afterwards). Employees have been trained to deal with feedback and have turned it into a game. They prided themselves on being able to solve problems and contact customers. They arranged it and acted accordingly. As a customer, I felt the same way. Now it's up to you to do the same!

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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'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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Group ticket

I'm turning 50 this year. Then comes the question. How do you want to celebrate? This year I will walk 1000 kilometers to Rome and celebrate it on May 17 in St. Peter's Square with my husband. But there was also a little voice in my head that I really want to celebrate this with my friends. Something really crazy. Extravagant. So... I invited all my friends, my daughter and mother for a weekend in Italy. I rented a beautiful villa above Verona and also arranged good food, drinks and a bike ride through the rolling hills.

Now I didn't want to be a travel agent, so I asked all the ladies to pay for (and arrange) the ticket themselves. However, it soon became apparent that the prices differed quite a bit. One friend was shown 221 euros and the other 271. In order not to get crooked faces, I offered to arrange a group ticket.

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

You can already feel it. I didn't get anything. And I felt the fear that due to delays on this line, the tickets would only become more expensive. So I went to call, but I couldn't get through. So wait and see.

After four days, the offer came. And what a quote. Four choices, even though I had made it very clear what I wanted. 13 tickets and at very specific times to and from Bologna. Within 10 minutes I responded back with what I wanted and then I got some kind of contract.

One for which you really must have attended the Ticket Academy. I also suspect that this is still from an AS400 system, judging by the font. Anyway. Especially a lot of attention to the cancellation policy, conditions and dates. All in text. Four pages full.

It also tells me when I have to provide a passenger list. Now that's nice, that clarity. But what should be included in a passenger list? Just names, or also dates of birth? Or also identity card numbers? I searched online for what should be in this list, but it can't be found. What a lack of clarity...  Especially since it's so different from how I book an individual ticket. Just, nice and online, very clear and as it turns out. Also for a much better rate.

When agreeing, I run into a contradiction. The contract states that I have to sign and email it. But the accompanying e-mail states that the payment confirms the reservation. So you don't have to send an email. Oh well, just to be sure, I sign, scan and confirm. Better safe than sorry. And then I'm going to make the first payment. I have to mention "Tigre" plus the contract number when paying. But should I or shouldn't I add the 'A' that is in the letter? Or also the '1/1' that is behind it. Oh help. I have paid and hope for the best that this will go well.

So yes, I don't understand the added value of this group booking option. Maybe if you're an event agency and have this kind of software yourself. But I feel really lost as an individual. I'll soon have 13 tickets, but I'm dependent on an e-mail address, which you just have to hope will respond. And a department that I have not yet reached by phone.

Fortunately, it is KLM and I trust that this will all work out. It's the big blue bird after all. Which reminds me of the slogan of that other organization that I associate with blue. We can't make it any more fun, which one is easier. Well, they should take a look at that here too!

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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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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