How to spice up your leadership? That is what my book 'CX is a pilgrimage' is all about. In 2021, I decided to spice up my life and found the magical connection between Customer Experience, pilgrimage, and leadership.
I walked 1,000 kilometers on the Via Francigena, a pilgrim's path in Italy and finished in Rome on May 17th, 2022, my 50th birthday. That's why I decided to share 50 strategies in my book 'CX is a pilgrimage – 50 strategies to spice up your leadership'.
https://youtu.be/SafsVE7Kpkk
I read aloud a chapter every week. Enjoy listening to my book. I do hope that I'll inspire you to spice up your journey as a business leader, a CX leader, or maybe even as a leader in your personal life.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel and you'll be notified if another chapter appears!
Would you rather read my book? You can find it online on Amazon or – in the Netherlands and Belgium – in any bookstore online.
*****
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.
https://www.nienkebloem.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/142/2023/08/Nienke-reads-CX-is-a-pilgrimage.png400400Nienke Bloemhttps://cluster.swstatic.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/142/2021/03/Nienke-Bloem-Logo1.pngNienke Bloem2023-05-15 11:38:002024-06-07 14:45:48Introduction to my book 'CX is a pilgrimage'
It's still summer and I'm in a holiday mood. So, what to write about? About sun, sea and beach? About Magnums, crisps and the two dozen cucumbers we gnawed away on that beach?
I'll just leave out the staff shortage for now, because that's an unsociable subject. We know by now. We have to wait longer for our coffee and our suitcases. There are fewer trains and you also have to wait a little longer in the call centers. All of this requires something new from us as a customer. Patience.
Fortunately, we are fully prepared for that. Nevertheless? Because we have had the holidays, have been to that beach and have taken long walks. We watched the sunset from that mountain and are well rested. Ready for the last few months of 2022.
I predict you, in the near future we can count on our luck as customers. We may practice patience and kindness. Something we may have forgotten in recent times. I call for a loving approach to all staff who serve customers. In restaurants, at the bakery, the butcher, in call centers, the delivery drivers, receptionists, stewards, cleaners and desk staff. You get the idea by now.
Be prepared for the world turned upside down. The service staff is in power. Not us as customers, but them, on the other side of the bar. Because somewhere they have disappeared. They preferred to work at the GGD. Wearing a mask, they stuck a stick in their noses and throats to test. I'd rather do that than serve us as customers. And I understand that. Because how much fun are we as customers? Those disgruntled faces, drumming impatient fingers and disapproving looks. Maybe it's just us, the customer? That has to change.
So are you ready? To be the coolest version of yourself? To call the insurance call center with a smile, while the bill for your renewal is not clear? To just add another five if you're waiting five minutes for your cappuccino and then say a happy Thank You to that girl on the terrace, who is clearly having her first day at work?
Let us as customers be the reason that everyone wants to work in customer service again. Of course, also because it is wonderfully arranged in organizations and is well paid. But mainly because customers are sweet. Because they are patient, even when things don't work out. Because customers give compliments. Be the best version of yourself as a customer in the coming months. The world needs us.
This blog was written for CustomerFirst and published on September 6, 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.
https://www.nienkebloem.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/142/2023/07/De-beste-versie.png400400Nienke Bloemhttps://cluster.swstatic.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/142/2021/03/Nienke-Bloem-Logo1.pngNienke Bloem2022-09-08 09:30:002024-06-07 14:34:54The best version
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.
https://www.nienkebloem.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/142/2022/06/Out-of-office.png400400Nienke Bloemhttps://cluster.swstatic.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/142/2021/03/Nienke-Bloem-Logo1.pngNienke Bloem2022-06-21 14:31:002024-06-07 14:33:55Out of office is out of office
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
Look at this photo. Isn't it a brilliant moment of fame? These are the winners of the International CX Award 2019 for Best Customer Experience Team: the CX team of KCB Bank. This bank is located in Kenya and their CX team nailed it when it comes to CX. What can you learn from them? I will share my insights, as I was one of the judges of this category and the host of the Awards.
1. Name of your CX team
When you are in the profession of Customer Experience Management, you want to differ from other teams within your company. You are responsible for the customer and the change within the company into customer centric behavior. You are there to elevate these KPI's that matter. It could be NPS or CSAT, but that is what you are there for. So, what is your team name? The CX Team of KCB, named themselves Team Possibilitarians. To propel the customer experience agenda, they have made the KCB Customer Experience Team a fun place to be, as they believed that offering delightful customer experiences can only be natural and seamless in a fun, but yet an official setting. Sorrow!
2. Business rationale
Customer Experience Management is a business profession. That means – as CX professionals – we are there for a business reason. To deliver business value: to customers and therefore to the company. To create a competitive advantage, to help innovation, to boost a customer centric culture. That is also what CEO's expect of the CX profession. Within KCB, the team is led by Job Njiru. The banking industry in Kenya, faced homogeneity and a dynamic environment created by Customers. The CX team had to look for clear paths to help remaining the market leader in a very competitive market. Customers demanded personalized and differentiated experiences. They required products initiated by their requests and the products to meet their expectation of reliability, speed, efficiency, low cost and convenience. KCB thought of a plan to ensure that their customer needs are met. In 2018 a Customer Experience Division was created within the bank as an independent division, reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, "to eat, think, dream and sleep as the customer". To align that, they created a business metric that really measures CX support across all staff, named Rate My Support (RMS). The team has grown in score and helped building a customer centric culture across the business, helped meeting customer service level agreements by reducing TAT on complaint resolution from 72 hrs in 2017 to 24 hrs in 2019, improving NPS by 5 points up, making them the market leaders in the Kenyan banking industry. So, the question is: what is your business rationale and how can you show your success?
3. The CX Story for change
How do you engage the organization? Do others understand what you are doing with your team? Do they know what to do and how? What I love about the CX team of KCB Bank, is that for 2019, they decided to focus on the 4E's of customer experience which for them are Emotion, Expectation, Effort and Execution. This has helped building customer trust, enhancing customer understanding and building a community of believers who advocate KCB globally. What is your acronym? Your list of 4E's (or other elements) that creates engagement and that are memorable elements?
Congratulations to all members of the CX #TeamPossibilitarians of KCB Bank with your win. It was a fierce competition in this category within the awards, but you so much deserve it. And for all readers of this blog: will you also compete in this year's International CX Awards? It will help you within your company as an authority and it will give you the praise you deserve. I certainly hope to meet you and challenge you to compete on the Elite Podium of CX!
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.
https://www.nienkebloem.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/142/2020/11/The-3-learnings-of-the-best-CX-Team-of-2019.jpeg400400Nienke Bloemhttps://cluster.swstatic.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/142/2021/03/Nienke-Bloem-Logo1.pngNienke Bloem2020-02-14 17:16:192024-09-30 14:45:14The 3 learnings for YOU from the best CX team of 2019
Ok, it's the end of January when you're reading this column. Only I'm writing it now that we've just started the year. And traditionally, we collectively think about our New Year's resolutions.
I wouldn't be a CX expert if I didn't link those resolutions to customers. That's why I'm giving you a nice overview of 20 New Year's resolutions. Hopefully, they are already completely normal in your organization. Let's check that out.
We don't use small print, which we can't really explain.
We do not do no-reply e-mail addresses. Because it's strange that we, as an organization, are allowed to talk to a customer, but that they are not allowed to say anything back.
Our surveys are short and sweet and look cool.
If a customer fills out a survey, we also do something with it. We improve our services and provide feedback on what we have done.
We respond to reviews that the customer leaves.
We like the customer and they experience that in all our customer contact.
If we promise to call a customer back, we will.
Of course, the customer never has to repeat his or her story, we use our CRM system in such a way that all colleagues know what has been discussed.
If our customer can't figure it out digitally, we offer an alternative.
We thank the customer because he has been a customer for many years. If new customers get a nice offer, then of course our valued customers will get that offer too.
We do not hide our phone number on our website.
Our management regularly participates at the 'front end', so that they too can enjoy our customers.
We might send our customers a card this year. With their birthday, or just because we like it.
With us, a customer is never on hold for long, not even if we are the Tax and Customs Administration.
We don't use annoying hold music.
If something goes wrong, we sincerely say 'sorry' and solve it.
We never blame another organization when something goes wrong, but take control ourselves.
Our letters are written in understandable language.
We never ask for nines and tens for our services, but are genuinely curious about every customer experience.
Of course, our contact centre is also open in the evenings and/or weekends, if our customer needs it.
Are there any items in this list that you don't already do for customers? Then decide to do things differently from today. Let's get started. Happy 2020!
This blog was written for CustomerFirst and published on January 29, 2020
https://www.nienkebloem.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/142/2020/11/20-Goede-Klantvoornemens-voor-2020.jpeg400400Nienke Bloemhttps://cluster.swstatic.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/142/2021/03/Nienke-Bloem-Logo1.pngNienke Bloem2020-01-29 17:00:072024-06-07 14:17:0320 Good Customer Intentions for 2020
Last year around this time, I got to visit two of the greatest names when it comes to Customer Experience. Disney and Zappos. I traveled to California to learn all about CX magic at Disney Institute. In Las Vegas I got a tour at Zappos where I interviewed leaders at their fun property. Many of the learnings I shared in my blogs and I even published an e-zine on my insights at Zappos. But why did I do that? Why did I choose these two companies as my Go-To-Learning-Place for 2019? It's all about development. Let me share my vision with you in this blog.
Buy my flowers!
But first I want to share with you that tulips are my favorite flowers. Nice to know, right? Or not? But hang on, it has to do with the story? The picture you see is taken at the local flower market in Utrecht. Every Saturday you can buy all kinds of flowers and plants on this market. It is a very bright and happy place to visit, even when it rains. The colors, the smells, the people and especially the salesmen and women behind their flower stands make me smile. They get it when it comes to selling their goods. They look at you, recommend their flowers and try to lure you into their domain.
What could happen - and they understand sales really well, so it probably will happen - is that they seduce you to buy some flowers. Not just the flowers you planned to buy. But more and different ones. Which will cost you more money than you had planned to spend and they will take up more room in your house. Colorful, yes! But maybe not what you went out for.
Stick to the plan
The same might happen with development. You go out there, see all kinds of education and inspiration, but what to decide? When you go online you might get lost in a maze of development options. To learn new skills, get inspiration, be a better entrepreneur, learn all CX, be a better you. I know many people that get seduced to follow webinars, free events and buy education as a result. Sometimes for the good. Often maybe not for what they planned to do. Is that bad? No, but think of all the time and money that is wasted. So when I go out to get tulips, I get tulips. And maybe one extra bunch of flowers to give away. But I stick to my plan.
The big picture
That is where my big picture in development comes in. Every year I determine in what area I want to develop myself. Two examples to show you how I do it. In 2018 I wanted to learn more about comedy, about being funny on stage or when delivering my Masterclass. To learn what my trade was, when it came to this art. I went to a standup comedy weekend in Brighton with Jill Edwards, had a day course with Jeremy Nichols and watched tons of comedians. On stage as well as on Netflix. A big learning experience that resulted in finding out that I am more of an improv comedian, than a standup comedian. But it was such a good learning ride.
Personal and business development
2019 was all about learning more on CX. Really deep diving into my own profession and learning from the best. The reason I went to Disney and Zappos. And why I hosted the International CX awards and why I was a judge. Because we were also writing our book about CX, I needed to focus on my profession. An extra touch was that both Disney and Zappos focus on change from a cultural lens. Very handy with regard to our Employee Experience Game and the Masterclass CX Culture I am developing. This investment in me was not only an inspirational one, but also a business smart decision!
The plan for 2020
This year will be all about growing my facilitation and audience interaction skills. I want to find my own interaction games (I already have some fun ones, but I think I can be better). Not only in a small setting like our CX Masterclass with 16 participants, but also with audiences of thousands. I like people in my audience to be really involved. So, I have work to do. I will visit the Global Speaker Summit in Namibia in February to learn from the world's greatest speakers and I will join the annual PSA Australia event in Adelaide to get some Down Under magic. In April I have booked myself a seat in a two-day Masterclass to be a better Master of Ceremony. I don't fancy becoming an all-round MC, but at customer events, I love the role. Because I can add some Nienke Bloem and CX magic to the day.
Your theme for this year
So, what to learn from all this? The big picture. My question to you is, what is your theme for the year? Do you like my way of bringing focus to personal development? Or do you have other ways, that I can learn from? Please share, because there are far more ways when it comes to development, and there is no good or bad. Oh well, actually there is a bad one. That is doing nothing. Staying still. Not investing in yourself. So, when you are at the flower market, I hope you'll be seduced to buy some flowers. I will get myself some tulips.
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.
https://www.nienkebloem.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/142/2020/11/The-need-of-a-development-plan.jpeg400400Nienke Bloemhttps://cluster.swstatic.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/142/2021/03/Nienke-Bloem-Logo1.pngNienke Bloem2020-01-21 14:10:202024-09-30 14:45:58The need of a development plan (and what it has to do with tulips)
Maybe you know, maybe you don't. But me wearing a blue dress when I perform and speak, has a start. I call it the birth of my personal brand. Let me share the story with you.
It was Sunday March 29th 2015. I was invited to my first Professional Speaker Association event, not only to learn, but also to speak. Imagine this: I had just quit my job 3 months earlier, was in the early days of my speaking career and the second bunch of people I spoke for, were all speakers. I was so terrified and excited at the same time, and worked vigorously to create a brilliant story. Where CX meets a speaker's business. I did try outs, worked on my slides, and worked on my body, since I wanted to look my best. Wild boar.
Besides yoga I ran twice a week (I jogged to be honest). Two days before D-day, when I was running in the city of Utrecht, I sprained my calf. It hurt like crazy and the most awful part was, that I couldn't walk. Should I cancel my PSA event? From a body's point of view: yes. I couldn't walk and had to keep my leg up, to give it rest. But there was no issue with my mouth and voice, so I decided to go anyway. And with crutches, I could make my way around the event.
There was just one issue. I had planned to wear a red dress, but I had blue crutches and that was not a beautiful match. So, I dug deep in my closet and found the perfect dress. A dress that matched my crutches. A blue dress. And I tailored my story more to the blue theme. I used the blue bear as a metaphor, the big blue bear that is an art work outside the Denver Convention Center. My metaphor for staying curious and yes, blue again. So, the day came, where I delivered my keynote speech. I was nervous, and yes it felt a little strange to not stand up and walk while speaking. I delivered my keynote on a barstool, but hey, I did it!
It went great and I got a big round of applause of all my new speaker friends. After my speech, a colleague of a speaker bureau came up to me and asked if I was interested in speaking for their agency. As the speaker in the blue dress.
That is where it all began. And since then, I almost always speak in a blue dress. As it has grown to be my personal brand. To be an authentic part of me doing what I love to do. Helping my customers to make the world more beautiful for their customers and employees. I get many questions about my blue dress thing and thought it would be handy to create a FAQ for you.
The FAQ of the blue dress
Do you have funny stories about you in your blue dress?
The best story of me and my blue dress, is one that happened at Schiphol Airport. I ordered a cappuccino when I was on my way to fly to London. The barista gave me my cappuccino and said; "that is one euro 60". I looked up in amazement, because cappuccino's in airports are normally triple that price. She saw my surprise and said: "Employee discount." She thought I was an employee of KLM ?. So up to now I have saved at least three euro's doing my blue dress thing.
How many blue dresses do you have?
It is more than four years ago and since then, my collection of blue dresses has grown. Every time I walk into a department store or boutique, my Blue-dress-radar starts immediately. I am always on the lookout for a new edition to add to my blue dress collection ?. In my closet, I have designers' dresses, La-Dresses, a ball gown, sleeveless dresses, V-neck dresses, short and longer dresses. I just counted them for you, and I dare to share that I have 17 blue dresses in the colors cobalt/royal blue.
Do you have any other color dresses?
Yes I have other colors, but I must admit, my blue collection takes half of my closet. I treasure my royal blue ones, but I also have a collection of darker blue. And of course, other shades, some with flowers. But know that I almost never wear them when I deliver a presentation or when I teach a masterclass: those moments I'll stick to my vivid blue ones. Oh well, I give you an idea what my wardrobe looks like.
Do you ever wear trousers?
Yes, I do. When I go to the gym I always wear trousers. That is twice a week. And that is enough for me... I have some jeans in my closet. But I rarely wear them. I love the simplicity of a dress. One piece, no hassle and I look feminine instantly.
Do you ever speak in another colored dress?
Especially when I speak abroad, I bring two dresses of different colors. The blue one and most often an orange or red one. The reason I do this, is because when the stage is all blue, me in my blue dress will fade away against the background. And I don't want that. So sometimes I have to decide to let the personal brand go and choose for client delivery. A logical choice, because when you can't see the speaker that well, I have not done a great job.
Did you ever go to Denver and see the blue bear for yourself?
Yes, I did. You have to know, that in 2015 when I started with the blue bear in my stories, I made a pledge to myself that I wanted to see that blue bear with my own eyes. In 2016 I went to a training of a speaker colleague to learn all about marketing and sales for speakers. In DENVER. Yiha! So, I got to meet the blue bear, the immense art work that is almost 13 meters high.
Do you also have a blue car, blue nails, blue everything?
No. I just wear a blue dress. That is my image, my personal brand. In my logo I have blue as a color, but that is about it. I don't want to be a blue lady and identify with Smurfette, although I really think she is adorable. So, just a blue dress. Now you know everything about the origin of that!
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.
https://www.nienkebloem.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/142/2020/11/The-story-behind-the-blue-dress.jpeg400400Nienke Bloemhttps://cluster.swstatic.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/142/2021/03/Nienke-Bloem-Logo1.pngNienke Flower2019-07-16 14:57:562024-09-30 14:47:44The story behind the blue dress
"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
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.
Disney - we all know the brand, and I have visited their theme parks several times. Both in Paris as well as in Orlando. But how do they consistently deliver their Disney Magic? This year I decided to invest in myself and learn more and follow one of Disney Insitute's courses. A separate company, dedicated to spreading Disney's knowledge through training and advice.
I followed a One-Day course at Anaheim, the Disneyland location. The very first location of all Disney parks, where Walt Disney himself had his vision and where he put it into practice.
The whole day was well organized, starting very early with breakfast at 7:30 AM. From the moment I entered the training room, the Disney touch was there, including plenty of Mickey shaped confetti on the table. There was a workbook for all participants and a refillable Disney water bottle.
This program was focused on how to consistently deliver quality service to your clients, based on your own brand. This is exactly how I envision my A.C.E. Strategy that I speak and write about:
Authentic experiences from your unique brand perspective, consistently delivered during the customer journey, by Employee Ambassadors who understand and can deliver the service to customers.
It was fabulous to see how Disney puts that into practice and together with 47 other participants, I learned all about this at Disney Institute. Besides the theoretical part, we also went into the park itself (although short) to see and experience the theory ourselves (also known as a Customer Safari).
I have written about ten pages full of insights, quotes and memorable stories. As you are probably not waiting for all of my notes, here are the three major insights I got from the course:
1. Purpose over Task
At Disney everybody is educated by the spirit of Walt Disney and learns about the common purpose of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts: "We create happiness by providing the finest in entertainment for people of all ages, everywhere" in short "Creating Happiness for Others"
It was interesting to learn the origin of this purpose, with a big role of new person to me: Van France, Founder and Professor Emeritus of Disney Universities. What was even more interesting, was that in the Disney Philosophy, every employee has the freedom to create happiness for guests. That means that in a service moment, where the guidelines are clear for a specific task, there is room to make an exception. The employee may decide to follow his/her gut and go for happiness instead. To be "off task" and "on purpose."
They gave an example about a girl named Alice who visited the park. The Disney employee asked why she was sad, as she had a birthday pin on. So she told them that yes, it was her birthday, but all her friends had to cancel, because of illness and other appointments. But she decided to go to Disney anyway. The employee did all she could to create a special moment in a restaurant, where characters of Alice in Wonderland (see the alignment ?) were present and celebrated with her. Because, in Disney there are always friends and a birthday should always be celebrated.
Should the member of staff do this all the time? No. But was it appropriate at this moment and she had every reason to be "off task" (which was providing service at an attraction) and "on purpose" to go out of her way and arrange a perfect birthday celebration for Alice. Of course, Alice still visits Disney often, made new friends, and is an ambassador forever.
So the lesson here is: What is the purpose of your company and which are situations where your employees go the extra mile? Do you have such brilliant stories within your company; those everlasting customer stories that make you feel proud and cause a smile on everybody's face?
2. Prioritize Quality Standards.
When I am visiting companies, I am always interested in what they want to deliver to their customers. Often, we are creating a customer compass or a customer charter. With three to five (up to seven, but that is exceptional) customer promises or brand values that are specific for the brand and that align all employees toward the same customer experiences.
At Disney they have four Quality Standards, also known as "The Four Keys". Courtesy, Safety, Show and Efficiency. A very interesting assignment during the course, was to prioritize these four keys. Because, in the way Disney teaches their employees, they need to know what is important to make consistent decisions. So each of these standards is equally important (don't ever say the fourth is least important... ?), but there is a logical Disney order. And that is
Safety
Courtesy
Show
Efficiency
This sounds so logical to apply a prioritization, but I have never done it this way. So from now on, prioritization will be added as an option to the Nienke Bloem CX toolkit.
3. Seriously organize your service recovery
Things can go wrong. Even at Disney things go wrong, but they make it their task to recover what needs to be recovered. I like the description: " Service Recovery is an event that occurs when the customer's expectations are not met."
For Disney it is important to pursue the relationship with the customer, which has great impact on their view of service recovery, or as I see it named in companies' "Complaints" procedures. At Disney they don't want to just resolve the issue, but they want to reconcile the relationship.
Because guests are likely to care just as much - if not more - about how they are treated following the service failure as they care about the outcome of a service recovery itself.
So what Disney has done is to put processes and systems in place on service recovery. Of course they also have the outer loop and are continuously improving their operations and systems, but as they pursue the same consistency in service recovery as in their daily service, they have thought about everything.
On this topic we had a guest speaker who told so many compelling service recovery stories, that really proved that Disney has this under control. And she closed off with the following: "Things can go wrong, they might not be our fault, but they are our problem."
The ownership of service issues, of things that went wrong, that is where Disney steps up and makes the difference.
My question for you, is how are service recovery processes organized in your company? Do you have the same drive for service recovery and do people take ownership? Is the How(the way) just as important or maybe even more so than the What (the solution)? If you can answer, "Yes!", hurray for you, as you joined Disney in customer obsession. If you have to answer: "No", you've got work to do!
These were my three major insights and I will take them along and incorporate them into my consulting, writing, presenting and teaching practices. So, you can expect more on Disney and my findings in the common months.
Disney rocks! They want to differentiate themselves from the market. They are a premium brand and strive for consistent delivery of their four quality standards every day. I want to challenge you to go the Disney way. Is there one of these three insights, that spark your imagination and make you ambitious enough to step up the customer experience in your company? Reach out to me or please share in the comments which of the three insights it is for you, so I also learn which appeals the most.
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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.
https://www.nienkebloem.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/142/2020/11/What-did-I-learn-at-Disney-Institute.jpeg400400Nienke Bloemhttps://cluster.swstatic.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/142/2021/03/Nienke-Bloem-Logo1.pngNienke Bloem2019-02-18 11:58:232024-09-30 14:54:26What I learned at Disney Institute: my three major insights of graduating the course 'Disney's Approach to Quality Service'
