Tag Archief van: customer experience

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Plan your brilliant 2026 as a CX leader 

Let’s be honest: January can feel like a sprint before you’ve even tied your shoes.
But what if you took one hour to slow down and look ahead, with intention? 

Not with a list of fluffy goals.
But with sharp choices that help you lead strategically. 

In the newest episode of CX Leadership Talks, I guide you through a working session to design your 2026 CX leadership year.
This year’s theme? Strategizing CX.

Because you and I both know: CX doesn’t just need energy.
It needs direction. 

What we cover
I walk you through the five must-win battles every CX leader should define: 

    1. Impact and results – where will you truly move the needle when it comes to results?
    2. Strategy, vision and purpose – from an organizational CX view, what’s your plan, and how will you execute it?
    3. Engagement and cultural change – who needs to be part of the movement, how do you get behavioral CX going?
    4. Personal growth and development – what will you learn, claim, or stretch into as a CX leader?
    5. Work-life balance and well-being – how do you make space for strategic thinking and joy?

At the end, you’ll choose your strategic focus for the year and write yourself a letter from December 2026, already proud of what you’ve done. 

Your move
This episode isn’t background noise.
It’s a planning session. So grab a pen, a journal, or your favourite thinking spot, and press play. 

Listen this episode here or search CX Leadership Talks wherever you get your podcasts. 

Let’s make 2026 not just another busy year, but a brilliant, strategic one. I am here to help. Are you in? 

Want more CX leadership insights? Connect with me on LinkedIn, and sign up for my weekly CX Greetz.

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. 

/door
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Reflect on your 2025 as a CX leader

Let’s be honest: December can feel like a race to the finish, filled with deadlines, dashboards, and one too many “quick syncs.”
But what if you took one hour to look back, with focus and clarity?

Not with a year-end checklist.
But with deep questions that spark real insight.

In the latest episode of CX Leadership Talks, I take you on a reflective journey through your 2025 as a CX leader.

This year’s theme? Looking back to lead forward.

Because you and I both know:
You can’t lead the future of CX if you haven’t made sense of the year behind you.

What we cover
I guide you through five key areas every CX leader should reflect on:

  1. Impact and results – What truly moved the needle? What results did you deliver for customers, colleagues, and the business?
  2. Strategy, vision and purpose – Was your CX work aligned with the bigger picture? Did you lead with purpose?
  3. Engagement and cultural change – Who did you inspire? Where did you shift mindsets and behavior?
  4. Personal growth and leadership – Where did you stretch, learn, or lead differently? What are you most proud of?
  5. Work-life balance and well-being – How did you take care of your energy, your joy, and your thinking space?

And of course:
At the end of the episode, I’ll invite you to choose a movie title for your 2025, a creative and powerful way to summarize your leadership story this year.

Your move
This isn’t just another podcast to play while answering email.
It’s a guided session. So grab your journal, pour a tea (or wine, no judgement ;-)), and reflect with me.

Listen this episode here or search CX Leadership Talks wherever you get your podcasts.

And if you’d rather journal quietly?
Download the full question list here or try the AI prompt to generate your movie title for the year.

Let’s close 2025 with clarity. Because when you know where you come from, you most certainly can plan where you are going.
You’ve earned this moment.
Let’s make it count.

Want more CX leadership insights? Connect with me on LinkedIn, and sign up for my weekly CX Greetz.

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. 

 

/door

5 Customer Experience lessons for rainy days

Last week I ordered a set of cards at a print shop. Because I wanted to show them to my team on Texel, I ordered them with urgency and paid 20% extra for next day delivery. Late that afternoon, I received an email. Their printer had broken down, so delivery would be delayed by one day. Nicely communicated, yes. But my job to be done was simply to have the cards with me the next day. They broke their promise.

I asked my 20% back, but got a disappointing answer. Knowing I can be I picky customer as a CX profession, I decided to ask my LinkedIn community what they thought. Thirty two of you joined the conversation, and the insights were brilliant.

The comment that received the most likes came from Arne van Weenen, and I couldn’t have said it better myself. Here is his answer, translated to English:

“There’s a big difference between how we wish companies would act and how they actually act. Most are trapped in their own processes, and yes, they may be ‘in their right,’ but that’s not how you win customers.

Step one, do everything you can to make sure the customer gets their order on time,  even if that means producing it elsewhere.

Step two, inform and discuss what is still acceptable for the customer.

Step three, compensate. Otherwise, it’s a case of ‘operation successful, patient deceased.”

Clear. Sharp. And painfully true. Thank you Arne for sharing your CX Wisdom.

Reading through all comments, I realized this situation is not just about a broken printer. It’s about broken logic, when internal thinking takes over from customer thinking. So it made me curious, what can you do when there are rainy days, instead of sunny days?

Based on all answers, and my own CX knowledge, I created this for you:

Five CX lessons from this rainy day dilemma:

  1. Process thinking versus customer thinking
    Print&Bind focused on how they handled the order internally (“your order is still treated as urgent”) instead of what the customer experienced. Customers never buy a process. They buy a promised result.
  2. Promises define perception
    A “next-day delivery” is not a nice extra. It’s a basic expectation. When it fails, satisfaction drops instantly. The way you handle these moments defines loyalty far more than your terms and conditions ever will.
  3. Service recovery as opportunity
    They missed a golden recovery moment. Crediting the 20% rush fee, or adding a small gesture like a handwritten note, would have cost little but earned lasting goodwill. As Khachig Assadour said, “A problem only becomes a real problem when it’s not solved.”
  4. Responsibility lies with the company, not the customer
    Invoking “force majeure” might be legally correct, but it’s not customer-centric. The breakdown was their risk, not mine. Taking ownership would have turned a disappointment into a positive experience.
  5. Prepare for rainy days
    This is the big one. Every organisation should anticipate foreseeable issues, like system failures or supply problems, and plan their response from a customer’s perspective. When things go wrong (and they will), readiness makes all the difference.

So, my dear Business Friend, go and hunt for your own rainy day scenarios, those moments that tend to go wrong. Because when trouble comes, how will you respond? Make sure you are ready, with your rainy day customer journeys in place.

When you prepare for the rain, one single employee can’t wash away your reputation. As happened in this scenario. The good news? Is that the CX lead of Print&Bind has reached out and truly wants to learn.

Because…. It’s not the sunshine that builds loyalty. It’s how you show up when it rains.

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. 

 

/door
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Lead your leaders – The mindset shift every CX leader needs

There’s something I’ve noticed again and again in CX.
And I’ve done it myself too. 

We love to talk about leaders.
How “they don’t get it.”
How “they only care about KPIs.”
How “they never spend time with customers.” 

Sound familiar? 

For years, I did exactly that. I complained, rolled my eyes, and pointed out what wasn’t working. Until one moment changed everything. 

It was 2013, Valentine’s Day season, when I was leading CX at KPN. I had written a blog about a wonderful customer interaction and someone asked, “Why isn’t your CEO responding to this?” I shrugged it off, saying, “He should know about it!” 

But my boyfriend at the time looked at me and asked,
“So, Nienke, did you actually tell him about it?” 

That question hit me like a brick.
Because no, I hadn’t. 

I expected leadership to “get it,” without ever helping them get there. 

That moment made me realise something fundamental:
As CX leaders, we can either judge or join.
We can either stand on the sidelines… or help leaders lead. 

It’s so easy to point out what’s wrong.
Much harder, and much more powerful, to step in and make things right. 

From that day on, I started asking myself:
* How can I make it easier for leaders to connect with customers?
* How can I help them make confident decisions on CX topics?
* How can I show up as a human partner, not just “the CX person”? 

It all starts with a mindset shift.
From frustration to facilitation.
From blaming to bridging. 

Because when we build bridges with our leaders, everything changes.
CX becomes easier. Decisions move faster. And you’re no longer the lonely voice of the customer,  you’re part of the leadership that drives real change. 

If this resonates with you, I invite you to listen to my newest podcast episode of CX Leadership Talks, called Lead your leaders. 

In it, I share the full Valentine’s Day story (including a bold email to the CEO that almost gave me a heart attack) and three practical ways to turn this mindset shift into action. 

Listen to the episode here.

And while you listen, reflect on this:
Who’s one leader in your organization you could help this week?
Maybe by simplifying a decision, planning a customer visit, or just sending a thoughtful note. 

Because the moment you start leading your leaders, that’s when CX leadership truly begins.

Want more CX leadership insights? Connect with me on LinkedIn, and sign up for my weekly CX Greetz.

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. 

 

/door
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What if CX leadership was more about heart than KPIs?

Five leadership lessons from Ted Lasso

Some evenings, when my brain is full of frameworks, KPIs and CX strategies, I love to switch off and watch a good TV show. Lately, I’ve been back to one of my all-time favourites: Ted Lasso.

If you haven’t seen it yet, here’s the short version. Ted is a cheerful American coach who suddenly finds himself leading an English football team. He knows nothing about soccer, not even the offside rule, but he knows everything about people. And that, my friends, is exactly where true leadership starts.

As I rewatched the series from my sunny spot in the south of France, I couldn’t help but think how much we as CX leaders could learn from Ted. Because let’s be honest, too often we hide behind dashboards, playbooks and metrics. They matter, of course, but CX leadership isn’t just about managing systems. It’s about leading people with heart.

Here are my five favourite leadership lessons from Ted Lasso that every CX leader can use to spice up their leadership.

  1. Be a goldfish

Ted tells one of his players, “You know what the happiest animal on earth is? A goldfish. You know why? It’s got a ten second memory.”
As CX leaders, we all make mistakes. A presentation that flops. A stakeholder who says CX is too fluffy. A budget request that gets rejected. The key is to learn fast, forgive fast and move on. Being a goldfish doesn’t mean ignoring failure. It means releasing it quickly so you can keep leading forward.

  1. Believe in your team

Ted believes in his players even when they’re losing. Belief is not blind optimism, it’s seeing potential before it’s proven. In CX, we need that same belief in our teams, in our colleagues and in the leaders who are still learning to care about customers. Belief builds courage. Evaluation builds fear. And customer centric cultures thrive on courage.

  1. Be curious, not judgmental

This is one of Ted’s favourite quotes, and one of mine too.
As CX leaders, we often judge. We judge leaders who don’t get it. We judge customers who complain. We judge colleagues who resist change. But judgment closes doors. Curiosity opens them. Next time you face resistance, pause and ask, “What’s really going on here?” Curiosity shifts energy from defensiveness to discovery and that’s where transformation begins.

  1. Find your biscuits

Every morning, Ted brings his boss a pink box of biscuits. Small, consistent gestures that show care and build trust.
In CX, our biscuits are those thoughtful little rituals that build connection. Maybe it’s how you start your team meetings with appreciation, how you celebrate progress or how you share a great customer story. Small gestures build big trust.

  1. Laugh at yourself

Ted never pretends to have it all figured out. He laughs at himself. He admits when he doesn’t know something. And people love him for it.
As CX leaders, we often feel the pressure to know everything, the data, the strategy, the roadmap. But authenticity beats perfection every time. Laugh at yourself, share your lessons and others will follow your lead with more openness and joy.

So what if CX leadership really was more about heart than KPIs

Ted didn’t win by knowing football. He won by knowing people. And that’s what CX leadership is all about, creating an environment where people want to play the game of customer centricity.

Because the truth is simple. We can only win when everyone’s in.

So here’s my invitation to you. Bring a little Ted Lasso energy into your week. Believe more, judge less and keep leading with heart.

Want to dive deeper?

Listen to this episode of CX Leadership Talks: What if CX leadership was more about heart than KPIs? Five lessons from Ted Lasso on your favourite podcast platform.

Listen to the episode here

Want more CX leadership insights? Connect with me on LinkedIn, and sign up for my weekly CX Greetz.

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. 

 

/door

8 Reasons you need a CX Strategy (served black, please)

It’s National Coffee Day, and I’ll keep things simple. When I order coffee, I don’t need ten pages of options. Just give me a cappuccino or a strong black coffee. Simple. Clear. Energizing.

Your CX strategy should be the same.

Too many CX teams rely on 40 slide decks filled with projects, actions, and buzzwords. But if you can’t explain what you do in two minutes, how will your board, your colleagues, or your employees ever explain it for you? That’s why I swear by the one pager strategy.

Here are eight reasons why you need one, based on research, proven practice, and my own leadership insights.

  1. Clarity and alignment

MIT Sloan research shows that fewer than half of leaders can explain how their team’s goals connect to the overall company strategy. That’s alarming. A one pager makes it crystal clear. It shows the connection between CX initiatives and organizational priorities. It’s the simplest way to get your board, your peers, and your own team aligned.

  1. Focus

A one pager forces you to choose. No laundry list of 25 projects, no endless to do’s. Just the few things that matter most. Gartner emphasizes that real strategy is about prioritization, and a one pager demands that discipline. It becomes a visible reminder of your must win battles and helps you keep your focus when the shiny distractions come.

  1. Execution

Many strategies fail because they never translate into action. Harvard research points out that only about 10 percent of strategic plans are effectively executed. A one pager bridges this gap. Because everyone can see it, everyone can use it to guide their daily work. It takes strategy from theory to practice.

  1. Agility

Strategy is not a one time exercise. Circumstances change, competitors move, customer expectations evolve. If your strategy is buried in a massive deck, updating it feels like rewriting a book. A one pager makes it easy to revisit and adjust, supporting an iterative approach to strategy that keeps you relevant.

  1. Decision making

Every CX leader knows the challenge: dozens of requests land on your desk every week. Without a clear filter, it’s tempting to say yes to everything. A one pager gives you that filter. It becomes the standard against which every project is tested. Does it support the strategy? Then yes. If not, then no. This discipline prevents overload and ensures resources are spent where they matter.

  1. Engagement

Employees engage with what they understand. A long and complicated strategy makes people switch off. But a one pager, written in simple words and supported by clear visuals, invites participation. It allows teams to tell the story themselves, share it with others, and feel ownership. That engagement leads to energy, and energy fuels results.

  1. Sharp thinking

Condensing your CX strategy into one page is not just a communication trick. It is a leadership exercise. It forces you to cut the fluff, challenge your own assumptions, and make clear choices. McKinsey points out that the discipline of simplification improves strategic quality. In other words, the process of creating a one pager strengthens your thinking as a leader.

  1. Tracking progress

Finally, a one pager provides a clear framework for measuring progress. You can map milestones directly onto your pillars, show how far you’ve come, and highlight results. This visibility creates accountability and makes it easier to celebrate successes along the way. And celebrating progress is key to keeping your team motivated for the long haul.

Your CX Strategy: Black or bloated?

So here’s the choice. You can go for the bloated 40 slide latte filled with buzzword syrup. Or you can choose the strong black coffee of a CX strategy, boiled down to one page. My advice? Keep it stupid simple.

If you are wondering how to get there, here’s your first step. Join my free webinar on Strategy on a Page. In one hour, I’ll help you create your own one pager CX story.

Register here

Because in CX leadership, just like in coffee, simple is powerful.

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. 

 

/door
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The five life trends 2025 – A conversation with Bart Verouden, CCXP

The world of customer experience does not stand still. Expectations shift, technology evolves, and trust is always being tested. As CX leaders, it is our job to look beyond the day-to-day and spot the signals of what is coming. 

That is exactly why I invited Bart Verouden, CCXP, Senior Manager Innovation & Business Development at Accenture, to join me on the CX Leadership Talks podcast. Bart is a Lean Black Belt, a lifelong learner, and part of the team at Accenture Song that publishes the annual Life Trends Report.

I will be honest. I have seen plenty of trend reports in my career. Some are fluffy, others too abstract. But when Bart first presented the Life Trends Report at a CXPA session, I was blown away. His ability to make complexity simple, while connecting the dots between research, human behavior and practical action, makes these trends not just interesting but essential. 

The five life trends for 2025

  1. The cost of hesitation
    Fake news, deepfakes and scams are everywhere. More than half of people worldwide have seen false or misleading content online. This erosion of trust leads to hesitation. Customers pause before clicking, buying or sharing. For CX leaders the challenge is clear. Build confidence, remove doubts and make every interaction trustworthy.My reflection: Recently I received an email from my bank about a refund. My very first thought was “this must be a scam.” Only after checking in the banking app did I believe it was real. That immediate hesitation shows how fragile trust has become. 
  1. The parent trap
    Parents today are raising children in a digital world without a playbook. Technology brings connection and learning, but also risks. People expect companies to take responsibility by setting safer defaults, creating transparent products and guiding healthier digital habits. CX leaders can play a role here by shaping ethical and family friendly experiences.My reflection: I see it with my 12 year old stepson. He plays Roblox and other online games that I hardly understand. As parents we cannot guide everything, so companies must think carefully about their role in shaping safe and healthy digital habits. 
  1. The impatience economy
    We live in an age of instant answers. Influencers thrive because they are quick and relatable, while traditional institutions often move too slowly. Customers expect the same speed from brands but without losing depth and quality. This trend challenges us to rethink communication. Short, sharp, trustworthy and delivered in the right format.My reflection: At our CX Masterclass, participants often have practical questions. I used to answer them one by one by email, but now I built a chatbot that gives 99 percent of the answers immediately. People no longer have to wait, and the friction is gone. That is impatience economy in action. 
  1. The dignity of work
    Happy employees create memorable customer moments. Disengaged ones make experiences feel purely transactional. More organizations are finally seeing the direct link between employee experience and customer experience. For leaders this means investing in autonomy, trust and meaningful work. Dignity flows directly into every customer interaction.My reflection: In Gothenburg I returned three times to the same restaurant. The food was excellent, but the waiter never once acknowledged us as regular guests. No smile, no “welcome back.” It turned every visit into a transaction. Dignity of work matters, because it shows in every customer moment. 
  1. Social media rewilding
    After years of everything digital, people are craving more authentic and real-world connections. It is not about abandoning technology but about balance. Customers want digital tools that support their lives, not replace them. For brands the challenge is to create joy offline as well as online, blending convenience with human touch.My reflection: I notice this myself on LinkedIn. Posts where I share something personal often get far more interaction than pure content posts. People crave authenticity. They want to see the human behind the professional, and brands should never forget that. 

Why this matters for CX leaders 

These are not buzzwords. Each trend reflects a shift in how people behave, what they expect and how organizations must respond. As Bart puts it, growth follows when people feel understood. 

For me, that is the essence of CX leadership. Understanding people, whether customers, employees or society, and then designing experiences around real needs. 

Listen to the episode 

If you want to stay ahead as a CX leader and prepare your organization for what is next, this episode is for you. 

You can listen the full episode here.

And please let me know: which of these five trends resonates most with you and your organization? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Want more CX leadership insights? Connect with me on LinkedIn, and sign up for my weekly CX Greetz.

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. 

 

/door

Push the button: Finding flow in CX Leadership

Every summer I meet my business friend Mia in Gothenburg. We’ve made it our tradition to spend a few days together: reflecting on where we want to go, what we want to let go of, and which actions need to be taken. And of course, we always mix business with pleasure with plenty of fika (and cinnamon buns), shrimp dinners, and long walks along the harbor.

This year, one theme kept coming back in our conversations: flow.

The power of flow

Flow is that powerful state of mind where you’re fully immersed in what you’re doing. Time disappears. Ideas pour out. You feel brilliant and unstoppable.

Psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, who first researched flow, found that people in flow are not only more productive, but also report higher levels of satisfaction, creativity, and happiness. Flow happens when challenge and skill are in perfect balance: you’re stretched, but not overwhelmed.

For me, I often find flow when I write, though I can procrastinate just as easily. Another place I find it is when I connect with CX professionals. Listening to your challenges, sharing insights, and feeling that spark of connection. That’s when I know my work as CX leadership educator brings value.

But here’s the thing: flow doesn’t just happen by accident. It takes intention. Clear goals. Blocking time in the calendar. And sometimes… you simply need to push the button.

The art of pushing the button

In Gothenburg, I was reminded of this quite literally. At the waterfront cabins where we stayed, there was an art installation: a big brown structure with a button. Naturally, I pressed it. And suddenly water started flowing.

Isn’t that synchronicity at its finest? The universe handing me the perfect metaphor: when you push the button, flow begins.

What’s your CX button?

So, let me ask you:
What brings you real joy and impact in your CX leadership  and what’s the button you need to press to make it happen?

Here are seven CX buttons you might want to try:

  1. The engagement button – Invite your leadership team to join a customer call-back session.
  2. The strategy button – Carve out time to update your CX strategy and roadmap, instead of being stuck in daily issues.
  3. The measurement button – Decide which KPIs truly matter, and let go of vanity metrics.
  4. The education button – Invest in your own growth and skills (for example, by joining the CX Accelerator).
  5. The celebration button – Pause to celebrate CX successes with your team before rushing to the next task.
  6. The simplicity button – Remove one annoying process or friction point for customers this month.
  7. The focus button – Say no to one initiative that doesn’t serve your CX strategy.

Big or small, every button counts. The key is to make a conscious choice, press it, and see the flow that follows.

Ready to invest in your own growth?

As Csíkszentmihályi said: flow happens when challenge and skill are in balance. And let’s be honest: our profession is challenging. The best way to stay in flow is to keep working on your own knowledge and skills.

I came back from Gothenburg fully inspired, smiling, and yes,  flowing. And I hope this story nudges you to press your own CX button.

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. 

 

/door
,

CX Leadership this summer: The power of ONE

Summer is here. Or almost. And with that, things tend to slow down. Calendars are lighter, inboxes quieter, and if we’re lucky, there’s a little more room to breathe. It’s a perfect moment for reflection. And for taking a different kind of CX leadership action.

Not by launching new programs or crafting complex roadmaps.
But by doing something smaller. Much smaller.

Something I call the Power of ONE.

What is the Power of ONE?

It’s a mindset I’ve embraced in my own work recently. Especially when doubt creeps in.
When I wonder if this newsletter reaches people. If my podcast episode lands. If I am doing enough.
And then someone tells me. They listened. They acted. They felt inspired. That’s when I remind myself:

If I inspired one person, it’s a success.

That’s the Power of ONE.

But this isn’t just about me. This is for you too. Especially if you are a CX leader.

Your summer challenge

In my latest podcast episode, I invite you to take CX leadership in a different direction this summer.

The episode is called:
CX Micro-Missions: Scale is overrated. Start small. Start now.

And in it, I share three simple CX missions. Each one includes practical actions you can take right away.
Think of ideas like:

  • Call one customer who gave tough feedback.
  • Send a handwritten thank-you to a long-time client.
  • Share a short story that brings CX to life.
  • Thank a quiet hero on your team.
  • Reflect on one mistake and share what it taught you.

These are small things. But they build connection. They build trust. They create a ripple.

The inspiration for this episode came from a Harvard Business article on leadership and trust.
It said that leaders set the tone for culture through their actions.
That authenticity, transparency and vulnerability are key ingredients for trust.
And trust is what fuels change.

How to join the challenge

Here’s my summer challenge for you.
For every week that you work this summer, pick one of the micro-actions from the episode. Just one. And do it.

You don’t need a plan. You don’t need a project. You just need to act.

And I am curious. What will your ripple look like?

Listen to the episode

CX Micro-Missions: Scale is Overrated. Start Small. Start Now.

Let’s keep it human. Let’s keep it simple.
Let’s start small. Let’s start now.

Want more CX leadership insights? Connect with me on LinkedIn, and sign up for my weekly CX Greetz.

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. 

 

/door
,

What female CX leaders can learn from the rules nobody teaches you

On this week’s podcast, something different. For once… it’s in Dutch. Why? Because the topic we discussed hit close to home and needed to be said the way we say things here: clear, direct, and with a touch of gezelligheid.
But don’t worry – here’s the essence in English. Because whether you speak Dutch or not, this is a game you’ll want to win.

The game no one told you about

Together with Elisa de Groot, gender diversity expert and co-founder of InTouch Female Leadership & Career Academy, we talked about the game being played in most organizations. The one with unwritten rules, hidden power plays, and archetypes that influence who gets the credit, who gets promoted, and who is simply… ignored.

Elisa has been helping women navigate these dynamics for nearly 30 years. And she’s not about pretending to be someone else. She’s about helping women expand their behavioral toolkit, so they don’t just work hard, but work smart.

For CX and customer service leaders: this is for you

As women in customer experience, we often lead with purpose, passion, and content. But when we don’t see our ideas landing, or we get passed over for opportunities, or we discover someone else is earning more for the same work, that hurts. Been there, done that. And I shared my own story on the podcast.

Key takeaways you should know:

  • Success isn’t just about your content, it’s about how you play the organizational game.
  • Influence starts with visibility. Stop hiding your ambition. Speak it out loud.
  • Strategic doesn’t mean inauthentic. It means using both your feminine and masculine qualities.
  • Start small. Try keeping a weekly “Tadaa notebook” where you list your successes. (Brilliant tip from Elisa.)

Why this matters

Because when women in CX rise, organizations get better. Customers are served with empathy and strategy. Teams get stronger. And let’s be honest: you deserve the recognition, salary, and authority that matches your talent.

Want more?

Elisa and I are co-hosting a Dutch masterclass on Stratego for Women on November 18. If you’re in the Netherlands (and speak Dutch) and want to expand your influence as a CX leader – you’re very welcome. Click here for more info.

And even if you don’t speak Dutch: this episode is a powerful reminder to look beyond your to-do list and start playing the bigger game.

Now it’s your turn.

What’s one thing you can do today to act more strategically?

Let me know – I love hearing from you.

Want more CX leadership insights? Listen to the full episode, connect with me on LinkedIn, and sign up for my weekly CX Greetz.

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. 

 

/door