Tag Archive of: customer experience

Coolblue-weary

"Nienke, shall we just not talk about Coolblue for once? Aren't there other cool examples when it comes to customer experience?" A note from a recent Customer Experience Masterclass.

It could be that there is Coolblue fatigue in the world of customer experience. And yes, I get that. Always that brand promise, that 'Anything for a smile'. Always that Pieter Zwart, boss to the max. Almost irritating. But I have to be honest: they're good too. Not a little, but in the 'Good, Better' category they are the very Best.

A real-life example and there are probably many like that. My laptop crashed. Well worthless, because gone lifeline with the world. So a replacement had to be found right away. But which one? For some, picking out a new one is a joy. But I'm more of the category of 'hard swear, shit, reinstall everything later' and 'oh oh I'm so glad I have everything in the cloud'. Because that's how smart I am.

So who do you call? That's right, Coolblue. I had a quick look at the website, but still needed a helpline. In no time the phone was answered by Aron. In just a few questions, he led me to the right selection. An HDMI connection (really, they still make laptops without it, how is it possible?!), at least two USB ports, a graphics card and a 13-inch screen. That was it and I wanted the device fast. "How fast?" asked Aron. He asked his question at 6:45 p.m. I was able to pick up my laptop the next morning at 8:30 am at the post office on the corner. And so it happened: I'm typing this column on my laptop, which I picked up this morning, which I picked up this morning, and which is still shiny.

I'm far from tired of Coolblue. I'm a fan for five reasons. First of all, they excel in Kindness; The tone of voice is like having a good friend on the phone. Number two is Trustworthiness – I know that if I ask them anything, they will be there for me. The third reason is Cleverness. Aron knew exactly the right questions to ask. Then comes Speed; How well do you have your process in order, so that you have the laptop on site within 14 hours? Heroes. And last but not least, number five: the Fun. Coolblue is a great company with great people. They always have that smile with me.

So yes, maybe the example has been chewed out. It's time for a new CX star in the firmament. That's why I challenge you all to make me as a customer just as happy as Coolblue does every time. Piece of cake, right?

 

This blog was written for CustomerFirst and published on May 8, 2019

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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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George Michael

The waiter of the restaurant puts down the plate of sushi and gives me his big smile again. "What's your favorite George Michael song?" I ask him. He doesn't have to think long about it. And he replies that he is secretly a bigger fan of Engelbert Humperdinck. But that George Michael is his mother's favorite and that's why he put this artist on his nameplate.

At the All Inclusive HardRock hotel in Mexico, where I'm staying for a cool speaking assignment, all the staff wears a name tag. Something I also saw last year in Disney in the hotel, where colleagues had their passion next to their name. Which ranged from Russian, to dogs, to jazz music.  In this hotel in Mexico, under the name of the staff member, it says the favorite artist. This fits perfectly with the theme of the hotel and it opens the door for a chat in a very accessible way.

Orlyss, that's the waiter's name, chatters happily about Engelbert Humperdinck, his mother and the link to George Michael. If I'm being honest, I don't know any music by his great hero Engelbert and I honestly admit that. He quickly switches gears, because you can't embarrass the guest, and asks for my favorite music. It's a good thing I don't work at this hotel, because I'm not a fan of any one artist or band. I think again, he points out to me with a wink that I look a bit angry when I think and he bursts out laughing again. "Bruce Springsteen" I say quickly.

What a gift this waiter is. Of course, he's in a good mood, knows exactly how to serve, and knows the menu by heart. He's a Pro, but his employer has made it easy for him to make that connection. Because of that nameplate with his favorite artist. It makes it so easy for me to have that chat, connect and have an even more fun stay. Now that I think about it, I don't know if I would have started a conversation otherwise. Just after my sushi, would have said thank you and given him a small tip.

But not tonight. Orlyss gets a big tip. The tip I give you and all companies in the Netherlands: make it easy for your staff with that nameplate and put the 'something' underneath. Favorite animal in the pet store, beauty vlogger in perfumery or favorite car at the dealership. It's a real conversation starter. It works at Disney, HardRock and probably for you too!

 

This blog was written for CustomerFirst and published on November 28, 2018

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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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The fair price?

It's been a while since I finished the HEAO (international marketing). I have lost much of what I was taught there. But what I still remember are the 4 P's of Kotler: Price, Place, Product and Promotion. They have been rammed in and I know them as the marketing mix.

While browsing on LinkedIn, my eyes were recently drawn to a message that started with the sentence: 'Right price!!' With two exclamation marks. This was not just a message, the writer wanted to reinforce it. The picture accompanying the message gave further colouring with the text: 'We are honest about the price'. This company gives the right price right away and they are honest about the price. Not surprising, right?!

The price. A P from the marketing mix. Most companies that distinguish themselves with this P go for a positioning as the cheapest. I remember learning how to calculate the price elasticity at the same HEAO. What price are consumers willing to pay and how do you optimize your turnover? What is the fair price? That's a good question. Is that the price you want to pay as a consumer? Or is that the price a product or service is worth? A very difficult discussion. When the new iPhone X came out, it had a – in my opinion – ridiculously high price. Until a connoisseur explained to me what this device can do. Surely it was worth it?

The message in question on LinkedIn came from a kitchen farmer. I still remember buying my kitchens well. The hassle of negotiating. That half the price was deducted in no time. "No, ma'am, we can't go any lower." That I would walk away and still lose another thirty percent. I never had a good feeling about that. Beautiful kitchens, but always that doubt. Had I paid the right price?

What I think is fair in the LinkedIn post is that everyone has to get used to 'Right the right price'. The staff, who were used to giving away a lot, now have room for a real conversation. But even the customer, who actually walked into the kitchen store 'with the knife between his teeth' to immediately negotiate about that too high price, can now calmly put his wishes on the table and enter into a conversation.

This particular kitchen company is heading in a good direction. In my view, this is distinctive in this industry, with the focus on the P for Price. Not as cheap, but as fair. Anyway, now that I'm looking for a new kitchen. I'm also curious what the fair price of such a kitchen is.

 

This blog was written for CustomerFirst and published on September 26, 2018

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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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F#ck the FAQ

That's not language for a lady, is it? No, that's right. Sorry in advance. But sometimes it slips my mind. Does the steam come out of my ears, when I'm looking for the answer on a website. If I get lost in the Frequently Asked Questions again.

FAQ is a widely accepted term in the world of customer experience. Now I understand that, because V.G.V. – as in Frequently Asked Questions – sounds a bit strange. It is also too similar to the TGV and let's face it, few customers experience their digital search on websites as that of a high-speed train. More of an old-fashioned bumble between tjilitjap on the heath and flapperdieflap by the sea.

So off I went. Travelling in the FAQ. Just a quick answer to a question I had: how I could convert my subscription. I didn't understand the information I was given. Also, I had the feeling that this answer was not about my question and problem. Of course, I searched further, clicked furiously and after a few minutes – yes, I'm impatient sometimes and I'm not the only customer – I decided to call. Maybe this was the shortcut I needed, because I couldn't figure it out on my own. It felt like an admission of weakness. Of course, I would have preferred to find the answer myself. The company also didn't want me to call. Not only did they try to hide their phone number (but I'm a master magician, HA!), the employee also made this clear on the phone. In no time she found the answer and she didn't understand why I hadn't gotten there myself while clicking. It could also have been done in the My environment, she told me.

If you lose me in your own FAQ, it's not my fault, is it? Too often I see that the flow is set up from an internal perspective. Or that there are words in it that I don't use as a customer. Or that I want something that is not allowed online. Like canceling a subscription. This is only possible during office hours and by phone. That FAQ remains a mystery to me. If I pronounce it the Dutch way, we also say EF, EE, KIOE. But then there should be dots in between, right? Which, by the way, few companies do. For me, it's just the FAQ. If you look at it phonetically, it looks suspiciously like F#CK. Unfortunately, I can't make anything else out of it.

 

This blog was written for CustomerFirst and published on 30 May 2018

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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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15 Remedies to prevent your customers feeling blue

It is that time of year. Especially in the Northern hemisphere, where it is the heart of winter. It is dark when you wake up and also when you return home from your office, the sun has set – if the sun has even shown her face at all during the day... Since most of the days it is raining, snowing or just so cloudy that you want to fly to the sun. Immediately.

This is what your customers are experiencing too. So this is the perfect time to step it up a little bit. Give your customers some extra love and attention. Because you don't have to let your customers feel even bluer than they already do. This blog gives you 15 suggestions, simple but so effective:

  1. Send a birthday card to a customer who celebrates his or her birthday. Congratulate and tell them how happy you are with their relationship with your customer.
  2. Buy a 25 American Dollar Kiva card of (kiva.org) and send it to a customer and share a message that you would like to pay it forward.
  3. Open the door for a customer in your store. Welcome them with a genuine HELLO.
  4. Look into complaints and pick one out that needs extra love and attention. Solve the problem sooner than you have promised and add your TLC to give the customer a good feeling.
  5. Invite a customer for a really good cup of coffee in your favorite coffee bar. Ask them for genuine feedback and listen intently.
  6. Give a customer something extra. If you work in a coffee bar, add a snack. If you work in telecom, some extra mobile data. Try to find something that you can give, which makes your customer happy.
  7. Welcome a new customer with a video you have made especially for them. A genuine welcome with a big smile.
  8. Drive down the country, buy a big bunch of flowers and visit a customer. Thank them for being a customer and have a cup of coffee together.
  9. Dive a little deeper into the lives of your customers. Find a customer with an anniversary, buy a personal gift online and send it to them.
  10. On a rainy day, bring an extra umbrella along and offer this to a customer that comes into your store soaking wet. With compliments of you and the company of course.
  11. Give a compliment to your customer. Easy, but so effective.
  12. Especially in business to business, find out about the interests of the customer and find one or more articles that are in line with these interests. Send the article(s) with some happy greetz.
  13. Go to the logistics department, bring some small gifts along and add them to customers packages that are sent out today.
  14. Find blogs that are written by your customers and leave nice comments.
  15. A more indirect suggestion, but with great effect: Buy a cake for customer service colleagues and tell them how much you appreciate them. If you want to take it up a notch, join them and listen in to customer calls.

So plenty of ideas here. But I would love it if you add to this list, the more ideas the better. Because in these gloomy January days, our customers can use some of your Tender Love and Care.

Do you want to share this message? We have made a printable version that you can download. Print it and hang it where you colleagues can see it. To spread the kindness. Thank 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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Say my name, say my name

Yes, I just love Destiny's Child and Beyoncé in particular.

"Say my name, say my name
If no one is around you
Say baby I love you
If you ain't runnin' game
Say my name, say my name
You actin' kinda shady
Ain't callin' me baby"

Man or woman?

Yesterday I received an email addressed "Dear Mister Flower" from a credit card company. You probably know I am not a man, but a woman. It could have been a mistake, but this has been going on for a year and a half and I have tried to change it into "Dear Mrs. Bloem" but up until now, I have been unsuccessful. Receiving this email every month, do you think I am a fan of this brand?

Person or number?

"Do you have your customer number for me?" Just yesterday, this question was asked by my Hosting provider, where we already talked about my domain name. So yes, too often this question is asked by Call Center staff, even if they already see your name in their computer screen or have all the info they need. Just because this is the routine and "the way we do things around here". Please stop this. There are so many ways to use my name, to make the conversation personal. To connect and use my name is the easiest one.

When you use my name right

"A person's name is to him or her the sweetest and most important sound in any language." - Dale Carnegie.

 

 

Exactly what Starbucks understood and why they ask your name and just write it on the cup. As simple as that. Is their coffee the best? No. Do you feel good when you receive their coffee and your name is called? Yes. With a lovely cup (especially around Xmas) and your name written on it.

"Goodmorning Mrs. Bloem." I just sat in my comfortable seat 16a in the Airbus 380 on my way to Dubai with Emirates. Did the stewardess just say my name? Yes she did. She had a list in her hands with all seats and names and welcomed us, one by one. Asking me if I was comfortable and wishing me a good flight "Mrs. Bloem".

Quick fix or scalable solution?

I know it isn't easy to personalize and use customer names systematically, in emails, letters, phone, live and chat conversations. But it can be done. When your CRM is not 100% clean and up to date with names (and believe me, this is almost always the case), think of quick fixes. I have 3 ideas right here and now:

  1. Stop asking for a client number if it isn't necessary.
  2. Listen to the customer when they say their name, write it down or learn to memorize and use the name once or twice in the conversation
  3. Especially when it comes to Social media, there are many ways to use your customers name. Use the name in a reply, it makes it more personal. Or make a short video, where you address me by name. Not often used, but a real winner.

What if you want to personalize in a more scalable way, like Emirates did? These are often larger projects, but really need focus if you want to win the battle around your customer. I have 5 questions you can work around:

  • It is time to check your CRM. How clean is your data?
  • How is the CRM discipline in your company in registering customer info?
  • What are moments in the customer journey where you can use the data you have?
  • Where can you use my name in a way that makes me happy?
  • What needs to be done by whom in what channel to personalize?

Hello #ReadYourNameHere

What are your suggestions when it comes to personalization and stop "actin' kinda shady"? To start saying my name and making me feel good and recognized and swing it out like Beyoncé? What are examples in your company where you do the right thing, and what is your magical suggestion? Please share, so we can all learn. And thank you #ReadYourNameHere for reading this blog and sharing your thoughts!

Happy 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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