Tag Archief van: customer experience management

Welcome to another episode of CX Leadership Talks! In this episode, Nienke Bloem engages in a fascinating conversation with Robbert Dijkstra, the founder and CEO of Deepdesk. Robbert brings his wealth of experience in AI technology and innovation to the forefront as he discusses the deployment of AI in companies and its impact on improving customer experiences.

In this episode

Robbert shares insights on the use of ChatGPT for deploying AI in organizations and provides practical examples of how Deepdesk aligns its vision with customer needs by developing prototypes and gathering valuable feedback. He also delves into the impact of AI on organizations, sharing his experiences with DHL where AI led to significant improvements in customer service.

The conversation extends to the future of AI technology, with Robbert envisioning the rise of more AI vendors and the development of task-specific AI models. He also shares his thoughts on the rapid increase of AI in everyday software and the possibility of AIs communicating with each other in the future.

This episode is not just about AI technology, but also delves into practical advice for leaders and organizations looking to integrate AI into their operations. Robbert emphasizes the importance of practical experimentation with AI, advocating for its integration into daily work processes, and shares valuable insights on building a culture of ownership and responsibility within organizations.

In addition to all this, the episode is packed with valuable tips from Robbert on fostering curiosity and staying on top of the industry, along with recommendations for valuable entrepreneurship content.

Tune in to this enriching episode as Robbert Dijkstra and Nienke Bloem dive deep into the world of AI, customer experiences, and leadership in the contact center industry!

About Robbert Dijkstra

The future is here… and he loves it! Mesmerized as a young teenager by the endless possibilities of the Internet, Robbert is truly passionate about exponential technologies and digital disruption is what drives him. Shaping strategic vision on innovation, spotting opportunities, sharing these passions and collaborating with others to create impact is what Robbert enjoys the most.

Want to grow as a CX Leader? Contact Nienke Bloem via her website www.nienkebloem.com. She is a CX expert and can provide you with the guidance and support you need to succeed in CX leadership.

Timestamped overview

00:00 Robbert started young, this led to technology consulting role.

04:53 Introduction of AI models in customer service.

07:37 Tailored models require specific training and data. Generative AI uses global data for broader applications.

11:09 Challenges with running AI models in production.

13:16 Larger companies handle challenges better through trials.

16:20 AI will be pervasive, personal and unseen.

21:44 LLM improves software development and implementation efficiency.

24:36 Improving organization processes, agent work, and user experience.

26:48 Technology trials typically last 3-6 months.

30:53 Customers modify dashboard, control agent communication, knowledge assist.

32:43 Contact center transformation leading to cultural shift.

38:54 Struggle hiring junior staff, prioritize mid-senior. Customer commitment.

40:46 Agility and execution win hearts and minds.

43:46 Curiosity and problem-solving drive efficient perseverance.

48:10 Grateful for insightful AI discussion on podcast.

Robbert’s recommendations

Podcast ‘Doorzetters’ (in Dutch) by Ruud Hendriks and Richard Bross

And as promised, Robbert’s cliffhanger ;-): Ben Evans on What matters in tech?

Strategy number 46 is a strategy that I actually apply or at least try to apply every day: always mix business with pleasure. As an international speaker I travel a lot. And I know that many colleagues try to fit in as many assignments in their schedule as possible, to optimize their business profit.

Well, I don’t. Why? In this video I’ll explain. Curious? Let’s find out!

I read aloud a chapter every week. Enjoy listening to my book ‘CX is a pilgrimage’. 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 ‘CX is a pilgrimage’? You can find it online on Amazon or – in the Netherlands and Belgium – in any bookstore online.

In the tapestry of my career, there lies a thread of synchronicity—mysterious, yet undeniably powerful. Imagine this scene from just fourteen days ago: my office for the day on the 17th floor in North Sydney with a view of the harbor and the Parramatta River.

The journey to this incredible moment began over six months ago, with the decision to visit the Professional Speakers Australia – PSA convention in Perth. The question came: How could I transform this trip into a combination of connection and impact within customer experience? My network, a peer group of CX professionals and clients, lead to three engagements across Sydney and Perth.

Then, as an opportunity materialized from the ether—a request for the CX Game in Sydney landed in my mailbox. An international corporation was in search of an innovative way to engage their team around customer centricity at their Annual Kickoff in March. The stars had aligned, placing me in Australia precisely when needed.

My conviction that the universe provides when we walk the right path has been a guiding light. In my book, ‘CX is a Pilgrimage: 50 Strategies to Spice Up Your Leadership,’ I delve into this belief in a chapter titled ‘Trust the Universe.’

And so, the universe delivered. With my client, we explored the possibilities, sealed the deal, and I journeyed to Sydney, bringing with me the CXGame boards, bells and train-the-trainer manuals. The result of this adventure was the privilege of a day program to empower five new trainers to champion the The Customer Experience Game®.

And here I stand, on that 17th floor with this Sydney harbor view, through a series of synchronicities that only the universe could orchestrate. As I reflect on this journey, I am reminded of the power of staying true to our path and the incredible impact we have, when we do.

The CX Game is more than just ‘a game’; it’s a serious game, a perfect and tested tool, that helps organizations become customer centric. That engages all employees and gets them to reflect and act.

This experience has reaffirmed my belief in the magic of synchronicity and the importance of trusting the universe. But more importantly, it has shown me the incredible power of our community—how, together, we can push boundaries, innovate, and elevate CX to new heights.

I cannot yet reveal the name of the company that embarked on this CX Game journey , but I am confident in their success and the lasting impact of today’s event. I thank Babs Asselbergs – CCXP for helping me on this engagement and to everyone who has been a part of this adventure, thank you for your trust, your enthusiasm, and your commitment to excellence.

Let’s continue to trust in the path we’re on, embrace the synchronicities that guide us, and together, create experiences that not only meet expectations but exceed them. Who knows what the universe has in store for us next?

Welcome to CX Leadership Talks, where we delve into the world of customer experience leadership and innovation. In this episode, Nienke Bloem is joined by the dynamic entrepreneur and CEO of Experience Investigators, Jeannie Walters. Together, they explore the multifaceted world of customer experience and the why, how and what of successful CX leaders.

In this episode

Jeannie shares her wisdom and experiences, offering valuable insights for aspiring CX entrepreneurs – from resilience in the face of criticism to the intricacies of building and managing a CX team.

The conversation also touches on the importance of staying ahead of trends in ethics, diversity, and global customer inclusivity, providing a comprehensive view of the challenges and opportunities in the CX landscape.

So, join us as we uncover the secrets to effective CX leadership with Jeannie Walters on CX Leadership Talks!

About Jeannie Walters

Jeannie helps business leaders – from individuals to small businesses to Fortune 1000s – learn and apply customer-centric initiatives that benefit their customers, employees and bottom line. She believes CX is about the actions your team takes on a daily basis to use these tools to serve the larger organizational goals. Jeannie approaches CX strategy this way: “Let’s build the right vision, strategy and outcomes around customer experience to meet or exceed our larger company-wide goals.” Working with cross-functional leadership, she helps organizations make CX a part of their everyday culture instead of a one-off initiative that’s quickly forgotten about.

Want to grow as a CX Leader? Contact Nienke Bloem via her website www.nienkebloem.com. She is a CX expert and can provide you with the guidance and support you need to succeed in CX leadership.

Timestamped overview

00:00 Celebrating successful podcast, helping leaders with experience.

05:03 Organizations adapted to customer experience amid change.

08:27 Strong communication crucial for getting leadership support.

10:18 Spice up leadership, challenge, communicate, take action.

15:26 Organizations should connect activities to progress effectively.

18:13 Realizing the importance of outdoor time.

21:42 Understanding the impact and challenges of AI.

23:32 Ethics, diversity, and risk management in organizations.

30:03 Success is not a straight line.

33:20 Team includes COO, CMO, social media support.

34:25 Various arrangements with contractors, almost full-time. Team environment, sharing unique skills.

38:40 Established CXI Flight School to bridge gap.

41:43 Specialize in CX for professional success.

45:19 Morning routine: workout, meditate, journal, plan.

47:54 Listen to diverse podcasts for marketing inspiration.

Jeannie’s recommendations

Podcast ‘Hidden Brain’ with Shankar Vedantam

Podcast ‘How I built this’ with Guy Raz

The CMO Podcast with Jim Stengel

And of course, Jeannie’s own podcast: Experience Action

Welcome to the CX Leadership Talks, the podcast that delves deep into the world of customer experience leadership. In this episode, Nienke Bloem shares her personal experience and insights into crafting a compelling CX story.

What is a CX story?

With an attractive CX story you show the why, how and what of the CX transformation you want to realize. A good CX story keeps your audience listening attentively and wanting to know more. It is this story that you can tell time and time again, that really helps the audience understand what your CX mission is and what they have to work on and why this is important.

In this episode, Nienke takes us back to her early days at KPN, where she was tasked with presenting the top 80 leaders with a CX transformation plan in just 100 days. She discusses the importance of storytelling in CX, and reveals the five most common mistakes made in CX stories. From being too functional and boring to lacking a strong call to action, she breaks down the flaws she’s witnessed and provides valuable tips for elevating your CX narrative. So grab your notebook and get ready to enhance your CX leadership skills with Nienke’s expert advice.

Timestamped overview

00:00 Focused on strategy and storytelling for 100 days.

03:24 Crafting a compelling CX story is crucial.

08:58 Creating brand delivery, customer culture, call-to-action.

12:37 Presentation should have emotion, be memorable. Avoid being too functional or too general.

13:56 Ensure memorable and tailored presentation for success.

18:35 Importance of clear and specific calls to action

21:47 Get the audience, share the podium, lead.

The outline above offers a comprehensive overview of this episode’s content and provides an insight into Nienke’s personal experiences.

More on her education portfolio: https://www.nienkebloem.nl/en/cx-educatie/

Most change programs are boring. Yes, let this sink in and take a moment to reflect. Strategy 44 – Create fun and excitement – is an important strategy. Cause we all want change, but do not want to be changed. We want to be invited, fired up or even better: seduced.

To do so, you should change your approach of change programs. Add some soft stuff to spice up your change programs and let me guide you in your first steps. Watch this video and find out.

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.

Making the truth versus Finding the truth. This Nienke Bloem philosophy is strategy 43. Two different approaches with a huge difference. Want to know which approach you should use to get started when you’re responsible for customer centric change in the domain of customer contact, and engage with the leadership team on the right strategy to follow?

See if you can find the truth or if you have to make the truth: I’ll show you in this video!

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.

In this episode of CX Leadership Talks we delved deep into our profession of customer experience management, discussing the limitations of relying solely on surveys, the power of feedback in driving genuine change, and the crucial alignment of CX with broader business strategy.

This episode of CX Leadership Talks features Bill Staikos, a celebrated CX Practitioner and visionary leader from Medallia. Bill is a Customer & Employee Experience leader whose mission is to bring together these two disciplines to create value for employees, customers and shareholders. Together, we uncovered practical advice for you as a CX Leader.

In this episode we discuss

  • CX and EX evolution over the last 20 years
    Bill explains how his approach to customer and employee experience evolved over his 20-year career.
  • The power of feedback in driving true change
    Bill talks about the way Medallia transforms customer and employee experiences by effective feedback mechanisms.
  • The impact of technology on CX
    Bill shares his vision on how artificial intelligence and machine learning will shape the future of CX and EX and how technology can significantly impact customer or employee experience.

About Bill Staikos

Bill Staikos is a renowned expert in the field of customer experience, known for his visionary approach and deep insights into CX practices, technology, and strategy alignment. With a wealth of experience, Bill brings valuable perspectives on driving business growth through effective customer experience management.

Want to grow as a CX Leader? Contact Nienke Bloem via her website www.nienkebloem.com. She is a CX expert and can provide you with the guidance and support you need to succeed in CX leadership.

Time-stamped overview

00:00 Practitioner and leader in enterprise experience software.

05:16 Realizing work is about company goals, strategy.

06:49 CX leaders must focus on both values.

11:13 Surveys are important for analytics and improvement.

14:14 Active engagement is essential for building customer relationships.

19:12 Software predicts intent for mortgage and auto applications.

20:03 Efficient personalized car search with journey orchestration.

24:29 Different regions have unique paths and progress.

26:41 Using Chat GPT to determine top insights.

31:47 Podcast strategy helps reach people effectively.

35:44 Improve HR, connect work to company’s values.

37:31 Gather customer insights, collaborate with internal teams.

40:27 Believe in systems, focus on efficiency, explore.

Bill’s recommendations

Enjoy this episode of CX Leadership Talks!

Strategy 42 is “Your ‘Why’, or what are you here for?” When you’re a leader, Simon Sinek’s golden circle is a great tool to define in your own words the purpose of your role within the organization. Relevant questions are ‘What is your assignment?’ and ‘When are you a success?’

Perhaps you should ask yourself a different question. Find out which question it is in this video.

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.

Most Customer Experience Stories, well ehm… make me want to walk AWAY.

Yes, that is the truth and I need to say it this harsh. Because at the start of a new year – okay it is almost March, but still – you have the opportunity to realize that your CX story might suck too and that you have a chance to change it. Too many CX leaders think that they have a solid story, and most of them are wrong. So, let’s see if you are part of that group, or… Hopefully not.

Five issues

The five issues I mostly see – and I have mentored so many CX leaders on their CX Stories, that I know my trade – is that CX stories are:

  • Too functional and boring – there is no emotion anywhere in the presentation, maybe it is even too corporate.
  • Too general – it could be any organization’s CX Story or is not memorable.
  • Lacking you as a leader – there is no way people can connect with you as the presenter.
  • Too analytical – you talk about trends and larger numbers, but the true customer is absent.
  • An open door – everybody in the audience agrees, but has either no clue what to do next, or is not engaged in a call to action.

How to create a good CX Story

First. What is a CX Story? It is a term that I use when it comes to your transformational customer change story. A good CX story contains at least these four elements:

  1. Personal story (what engages the audience with you as a leader?)
  2. Sense of urgency (where are we now, what is our BHAG or goal and why should we change?)
  3. CX Strategy (what is the path you envision for change, what is your change plan?)
  4. Call to action (what is it that you want your audience to DO?)

A great CX Story is a story that you can share in ten minutes, half an hour or even elaborate in a deep dive of an hour. But that ten minute one is your fundament. Your team can use it, and you will repeat it time and time again. In the end, it becomes the CX Mantra that everybody will know and understand.

Game changer

A good CX Story IS a game changer. Being able to share an incredible CX Story, will make you the King (or Queen) of CX Transformation. Trust me.

Do you want to spice up your CX Story – including your CX Strategy? It is something that you can do yourself, with a little of my help (and a big save on money for consultants). For Dutch CX leaders: in April a new CX Leadership Masterminds starts, where you and a select group of other CX leaders build and deliver your own CX Story and shape it to perfection. Please let me know in a response to this blog (or in the CX Greetz that it comes with) what mistake of the five you recognize. And maybe I can give you some personal tips what to do next!