Tag Archief van: customer experience management

Strategy 32: Angels are out there to make you feel special

Angels are out there to make you feel special. Are they? Yes, in fact, that is what strategy 32 is all about. There are always angels on your path, the lights on your journey that make the world go round. Not just in life, but most certainly also as a CX leader.

Or why not being an angel yourself? Check out strategy 32 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.

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Strategy 29: Work agile

Work agile. That is strategy 29. In this video you’ll learn how little tweaks can improve not only your projects, but also in the way you work. By just changing one little thing at the time, you’ll see big changes in the longer run.

Let me show you this principle based on my search for blister-free feet during my pilgrimage. What?! Check out this video and you’ll understand.

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.

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Six blind spots in CX leadership communication – and how to address them

In the dynamic of Customer Experience (CX) leadership, communication is essential for engagement, persuasion, and education. However, even the most seasoned CX leaders can fall prey to certain communication pitfalls. With the result that they don’t get their message across, colleagues don’t understand them and more important, people don’t get into action. Identifying and addressing these ‘six blind spots’ can transform how leaders communicate, connect, and influence their teams and customers.

Blind spot 1: being too complete

The Overload Trap: CX leaders often feel compelled to provide every detail in their presentations, believing that more information equates to better understanding. However, this completeness can lead to information overload, losing the audience’s interest and diluting the core message.

The Fix

Focus on simplicity and clarity. Distill the story to its most essential elements to keep your audience engaged and the message impactful.

Blind spot 2: being too boring

The Engagement Gap: a common misstep is sticking to a dry, fact-based narrative and not much engagement. This approach can make your presentation, strategy and stories unrelatable and forgettable.

The Fix

Incorporate elements that have unexpectedness. That spark emotions – humor, surprise, or personal anecdotes. Engage your audience with a narrative that resonates and makes them remember.

Blind spot 3: being too conceptual

The Abstract Challenge: CX leaders might lean heavily on abstract concepts or industry and especially customer experience jargon, making it hard to grasp.

The Fix

Ground your story with concreteness. Use real-world and customer examples and relatable scenarios. Simplify complex ideas with metaphors or analogies to make them more accessible.

Blind spot 4: being too corporate

The Corporate Veil: overemphasis on corporate perspectives can make your presentation or strategy feel impersonal or propagandistic and might feel that it is just your CX idea.

The Fix

Humanize your story and add in true customer data to build credibility. Have a CX data sheet, that you can use and share experiences and lessons from a personal viewpoint. Combine data with stories and relate to everyday experiences that transcend corporate walls.

Blind spot 5: being too unpersonal

The Relatability Rift: presentations lacking a personal touch fail to connect with the audience on an emotional level. Often people won’t connect and don’t understand what to do next.

The Fix

Build in emotion to connect and let your personal stories come into play. Let your vulnerability and authenticity shine through to build a stronger connection with your audience. Also be specific on your call to action, what you want your audience to DO.

Blind spot 6: being too functional

The Functional Focus: focusing solely on the functional aspects of Customer Experience, like methodologies, processes or outcomes, can make it uninspiring.

The Fix

Weave in the human element and add stories. Highlight the impact on people, whether it’s customers, employees, or communities. Stories that showcase human experiences and emotions are more engaging and memorable.

My conclusion and tips for you

Effective communication in CX leadership is about striking the right balance. It is my suggestion to use the success formula of Dan and Chip Heath from the book Made to stick. So, you start to focus more and get your ideas and communication across. To stand out from the crowd.

It’s about being informative yet engaging, professional yet personal, and functional yet inspiring.

By addressing these six blind spots, you as a CX leader can craft stories that are not only heard but also felt and remembered. This approach not only enhances communication but also fosters a more profound connection with teams and customers, ultimately driving a more impactful CX strategy.

 

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Strategy 27: Belief helps

Not everything you want in your (work) life can be expressed in numbers, in ROI, or cold hard cash. What matters is the belief in what you do. This is also crucial when it comes to Customer Experience. You are in the business of business.

Strategy 27 is ‘Belief helps’. How does belief help you in business? Find out and watch 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.

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Elevating business impact: the magic of CX Leadership and design-centric approaches

This episode of the CX Leadership Talks podcast Design methods and CX leadership are the topics.

Krisztina Kanizsai is my guest and a multifaceted professional with expertise in service and customer design, as well as UX research. Her mission is to create meaningful experiences that have a positive impact on business results.

The conversation in this episode explores the transformative power of design thinking and problem framing, highlighting the crucial role these play in fostering innovation and addressing customer needs. The dynamic relationship between UX and CX is also examined, emphasizing the necessity for collaboration and empathy-driven research to create impactful customer experiences. The episode delves into the importance of experimentation, training, and co-creation in achieving cohesive cross-functional collaboration and offers valuable insights into how design thinking can elevate the business impact of CX leadership.

The article for design thinking and Airbnb.

Timestamped overview

00:11 Excited for customer experience friend from Hungary.

05:49 Passionate person with goal of educating others.

09:12 Both disciplines rely on each other.

11:17 Design is a mindset, focusing on functionality.

16:13 Obstacles are opportunities, innovate by problem framing.

19:33 Good idea, collaboration, prioritization, changed strategy.

23:56 Consider everyone, their concerns, build trust.

27:43 Experiment, pilot, start small, clear impact, educate, trust.

29:55 Hire expert for true success in CX.

35:55 ChatGPT: Design thinking saves time.

39:31 Design Thinking helps with audience interaction, LinkedIn available.

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The huge opportunities of Leadership Events for you as a CX professional

Welcome to the latest episode of CX Leadership Talks with me, Nienke Bloem. I apologize for the hiatus between episodes, as I took a much-needed break. But I’m back now, and today’s episode is a must-listen for CX leaders.

We’re going to dive into the world of leadership retreats and why they are such valuable opportunities for CX professionals. We’ll explore the different types of events, the benefits of attending, and practical tips for making the most out of these gatherings.

I’ll also share my own experiences as a speaker and organizer at such events. So, stay tuned and let’s take a deeper look at leadership retreats in the world of CX.

Listen to this podcast

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Strategy 22: Walk the Talk

To do the talk you have to do the walk as well. Before you know it, you’ll become a pilgrim ????. Many leaders talk a lot about customers. But what is their action? Most of them are almost never in contact with customers. In this video you’ll learn how to walk the talk. And that it’s important to become a real leader. Curious? Watch the 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.

/door

Strategy 12: Learn from others

You don’t know what you don’t know. Right?! That’s what strategy 12 is about. It is time to learn from others. Make sure you get inspiration. Browse the internet, read books, listen to podcasts, etc. And more important: find people who can tell you stories on the HOW of customer experience management.

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.

/door

Why your CX program will fail – fab insights with Aleksandra Pilniak & Friederike Niehoff

On this second episode of CX Leadership Talks we have two guests, both CX leaders and authors: Aleksandra Pilniak and Friederike Niehoff share their expertise in customer experience (CX) leadership. They discuss insights out their brilliant book “Why your customer experience program will fail and 7 proven ways to avoid it”

For example the importance of appreciation and injecting fun into the workplace and the episode highlights the pitfalls in CX strategy and concrete tips to improve it. Organizational culture is seen as crucial for a successful CX program, and the guests emphasize the importance of understanding it before attempting to change it. The episode also touches on the importance of self-appreciation, engaging with customers effectively, and using a maturity assessment to confront individuals on their customer-centricity.

Listen in for valuable insights from these two female leaders in Customer Experience Management. Friederike taped this episode while she was in South Africa, with a situation of flickering wifi, this has impacted the sound quality. But we like the episode and conversation so much, that we decided to leave it as it is!

And where to buy their book? Here!

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12 non-CX ways to stay inspired as a CX leader

The last months I spoke to over twenty CX leaders and most of them were just.. ehm, how to say it…. tired. They were tired of the back to back online team meetings. The lack of seeing team members in person.

So I asked them: “How do you stay inspired?” Most of them had no answer. They did not plan anything for inspiration in their agenda’s. Yes, they were longing for holidays, but that is not what holidays are for.

I think, staying inspired is part of your JOB! That’s why I give you 12 non-CX ideas how to do that.

Books

Oh, The Places You’ll Go – Dr. Seuss
A client gave me this book as a present. And I love it. It’s packed with lots of insights and wit (and Dr. Seuss had plenty of both). With his lively illustrations, inimitable verse, and boundless optimism, Dr. Seuss reassures us that we’re not alone in the maze of life — and that we’ll reach where we need to be eventually! If you need a quick and wonderfully uplifting pick-me-up, this is your book!

Big Magic, Creative Living Beyond Fear – Elisabeth Gilbert
Everyone can unlock Big Magic. Big Magic is about drawing out your inner creative whenever you need. This book is a love letter to the artist inside everyone of us, written in Gilbert’s conversational, no-frills, no-BS style. Whether your goal is to write a book, make a painting, or create music, Big Magic will help you accomplish it. Funny, honest, illuminating, and encouraging, it is a celebration of art on every level.

The 5 second rule – Mel Robbins
The 5 Second Rule promises to teach you how to become confident, break the habit of procrastination and self-doubt, beat fear and uncertainty, and be happier. As big of an ask as that might sound, Robbins more than delivers in this self-help book, which is built on the titular 5 second rule: the five seconds you should take every time you need to push yourself. You might enjoy her TEDx Talk on this subject as well!

Podcasts

Happier with Gretchen Rubin
She is the best-selling author of The Happiness Project and Better Than Before, wants you to embrace happiness—and she’s got the tools and strategies to help you do it. This engaging podcast, which she cohosts with her younger sister, Elizabeth Craft, is full of practical advice on building habits for happiness into your daily life. Down-to-earth, insightful, and humorous, this podcast will have you on your way to a happier existence in no time: https://gretchenrubin.com/podcasts/

The Life School Podcast with Brooke Castillo
She is very American, but I love her way of thinking and speaking out loud. In this podcast she takes life’s topics, opportunities and struggles and helps making sense of it all. For example, episode 375, where she challenges her listeners to do hard things. Just wat Customer Experience Management is all about… https://thelifecoachschool.com/podcast/

CX Travel Guide met Nienke Bloem
Ja, deze podcast is een Nederlandse versie en net voor de zomervakantie hebben we de 10e editie opgenomen met Kees Klink. Hoe is CX georganiseerd bij PostNL? Alle afleveringen hebben iets speciaals, dus luisteren maar. Je krijgt een kijkje achter de schermen in CX-land. https://kirkmancompany.com/podcasts/

Movies & documentaries

Forrest Gump
A golden oldie, but my all-time favorite movie. A story about a boy that would never succeeds in life. But gets the support and belief by his surroundings and just goes out to life a full and big life. The theme song “Feather Theme song” composed by Alan Silvestri still gives me goose bumps. A feel-good movie, you just want to watch to stop having ‘bad thoughts’ and get out there and do what you have to do.

Inside Out
A 2015 American computer-animated film by Pixar. A great film to learn about emotions. The film is set in the mind of a young girl named Riley, where five personified emotions—Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust—try to lead her through life as she and her parents adjust to their new surroundings after moving from Minnesota to San Francisco.Maybe something to watch with your team or management colleagues. And to later ask “what emotions are our customers having at what moment in the customer journey?”

Seven days out
A documentary series on Netflix, where they film event seven days before they take place. From a Chanel fashion show to a dog show. Where I recommend you watch the episode Eleven Madison Park. As I always say “great customer experiences don’t happen by accident”, that is exactly what this business owner of the best restaurant of the world breaths. Watch is and be inspired, because it will question your vision on CX and will inspire you to spice it up.

Three things to go do

Museum
Yes. Go to a museum. Just as I did; you could see this in the video. Be inspired by great exhibitions, paintings, sculptures. By the way museums make you feel, the way they present stories. Buy artifacts in the museum shop and use these in your CX practice. Go with a leader or your team. Have a discussion later of what can be used in your CX practice or in your story telling. Don’t forget to take pictures of what inspired you: always good to use in presentations later.

Library
Every city has a library. You know that great building full of books? In the city of Utrecht they just opened a new central library and it is just gorgeous. The atmosphere makes me feel calm instantly and I just like to take books out of shelves. Sometimes having a question in mind and having fate answer it. I once did a Random Book Club session with Marieke van Dam and was amazed what inspiration you can get out of ANY book. Yes, you can search for business, management or CX books. But also try soul searching, biology, or even children’s books. So much fun to just spend an hour or two in your library. Or one in a different city ?. I promise you, inspiration guaranteed!

Take a guided walking tour in any city
It is fabulous to go to a city and book a guided walking tour. I remember a walking tour I did in 2020 in Amsterdam. My tour guide was one of the best bakers of the Netherlands. He told me so much about the city, the buildings, but also his life. He even took me behind the scenes in the Waldorf Astoria and told me how to make the best croquets. What a fabulous experience! A guided tour always brings you new insights. And never forget to listen how guides share their stories. They know their facts, but the really good ones know how to deliver their stories and make them stick. They make sure you see the city through their eyes and you will remember elements of their stories, because they framed them. Just like a good CX Story should be. Like I can never pass the Vijzelgracht, without going for a croquet and saying hi! to Cees.

I went out on a 3-day inspiration adventure myself. I recorded a video in which I tell you about this inspiration adventure and in which I give you ideas how to stay inspired. My best suggestion is to plan inspiration time in your agenda. REALLY! Enjoy the ideas and let me know what worked for you.

 

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