Is your CX strategy the plan of a winner?

The 112th edition of the Tour de France kicks off on July 5 in Lille. The riders are trained, the jerseys are clean, the teams are ready. Everyone’s eyes are on the yellow jersey.

And me? I found my own cycling inspiration this week. Right in the heart of Amsterdam.
No bike in sight. Just a stage and one powerful leader.

I had the pleasure of attending a GRAYSE network session (thank you, Cas!) at HEMA HQ, where CEO Saskia Egas Reparaz shared her story. And wow, what a story.
Visionary. Warm. Bold. Human. She completely owned the room.

From trailing behind to taking the lead

When Saskia stepped into her role four years ago, HEMA – the much-loved Dutch brand, now 99 years old – was stuck. Too many projects. No clear direction. Progress? Minimal.
Or as she put it: “We were trailing at the back of the pack.”

So what did she do?

➡️ She chose to focus.
She and her team made a not-to-do list.
Wholesale in Spain? Stop.
Working in English while being a proudly Dutch brand? Stop. Dutch became the main language again.
That clarity created space to move forward.

➡️ They redefined their strategy with purpose.
A more beautiful everyday life.
They reconnected with customers. Refreshed the stores. Reimagined the product lines. And most importantly: revitalized their culture.

Saskia shared one of her favorite examples: the grow-along baby onesie – de meegroeiromper. Instead of a onesie your baby outgrows in a month, this one grows with them. Practical. Beautiful. Sustainable.
That’s customer experience aligned with purpose.

➡️ She didn’t wait for perfection. She started riding.
What stuck with me most was Saskia’s mindset.
She didn’t wait for the perfect moment or flawless strategy.
She said: “Better an imperfect plan executed, than a perfect plan on the shelf.”

Now, four years later, HEMA is back in the race. As Saskia puts it: “We’re in the peloton now, and ready to leap forward.”
Ready to chase that yellow jersey.

And how does she keep her team sharp?

With one simple, powerful question:

“Is this the plan of a winner?”

So now I’ll ask you the same.

Are you ready to shift gears in your CX strategy?
Are you sitting in the peloton, waiting for the perfect moment… or are you ready to lead?

If you want to sharpen your CX vision, bring more energy into your strategy, or simply get moving again – I’m here to help. Whether you need a CX sounding board, a strategic sprint, or a fresh pair of eyes.

Let’s make sure your strategy is the plan of a winner.

I’ve got my blue dress on and I’m cheering you on – go for that yellow jersey!

Until next time, keep spicing up your Customer Experience leadership.

*****

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 voor 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 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. Subscribe to her weekly CX Greetz to stay tuned.