Personalization is an excellent tactic for your marketing efforts. However, only some people like this personalization; some feel they're being watched. Therefore, it is important to remember that context and who's doing the personalizing matter.   Picture this: Colin’s at his go-to fishing store, Discount Tackle. The manager knows him, we chat, and he recommends a lure. Even though Colin can snag it cheaper elsewhere, the personalized touch keeps him coming back.    We've all got our versions of this – the local diner, your loyal barber, or maybe a small biz that fuels your hob ..read more

Customer emotions heavily influence experiences and motivate actions, yet these motivations are often hidden, even from the customers. Organizations must uncover these hidden motivations to serve their customers better. The "Jobs to Be Done" framework, popularized by Clayton Christensen at Harvard Business School, provides a lens through which to view customer motivations.   Eckhart Boehme, Founder and Managing Director of Unipro Solutions, emphasizes the importance of aligning customer experiences around the idea of jobs to be done, helping organizations grow faster by understanding what ..read more

Colin has been ghosted. He was surprised, considering he is married and has been for decades.    However, his ghosting experience didn’t come from a romantic partner but a professional one. Since ghosting appears to be spreading into many interactions, we thought we should discuss it here.    Ghosting, where someone suddenly stops communicating, has become more common, thanks to technology making it easier to cut off contact. It often happens online, like in dating apps, leaving one wondering what went wrong.   Even social invitations are not immune. Despite sending ou ..read more

"What's the one thing we need for a stellar Customer Experience?"    If we had a dollar for every time clients asked us this, we’d, well, have quite a few dollars.    The question is understandable. This unspoken desire for a silver bullet solution echoes across industries. We all want a silver bullet solution that will fix our problems, whether for weight loss, financial growth, or, in Colin’s case, for playing the guitar.    The problem is that there isn’t one for CX improvement. Or guitar, frankly. Achieving mastery in guitar isn't about shortcuts—it's about ho ..read more

You will have a customer crisis. We apologize for being so direct, but the fact is customer crises are inevitable.  When it does happen, will you be able to navigate it to an acceptable outcome? Do you have a comprehensive approach?   We doubt it. Few organizations do.    Most think a customer crisis isn’t going to happen to them or that they will be able to manage it when it does with their business-as-usual approach.    They are wrong. It will, and they won’t.    Others think they do have a plan, even if they came up with it when the main method of com ..read more

Have you ever come across the Abilene Paradox? It's when everyone agrees to do something that no one really wants to do.    Jerry B. Harvey coined "The Abilene Paradox" based on a family incident. They ended up driving 50 miles each way across the scorching Texas desert to Abilene for dinner, even though none of them wanted to go. They all thought everyone else wanted to go, so they reluctantly agreed. Politeness led them to a hot, dusty adventure that none of them enjoyed.   This reminded me of a recent experience. I had plans with friends, but as the weekend neared, I wasn't u ..read more

A hidden impact exists regarding your experience management return on investment (ROI). It is often overlooked because it lurks between a specific moment in a customer process and the behavior resulting from it. However, uncovering and understanding this hidden impact is critical for comprehending its implications on the bottom line.   Emily Davidson wanted to know how to determine the value of her Customer Experience initiatives, a challenge many in the field face. So, she asked us—and we were glad to tell her. What Emily needs is the insight provided by our Emotional Signature research ..read more

Have you ever noticed that spending cash is harder than using a credit card? You are not imagining things. Different payment methods carry varying degrees of discomfort when used.    Cash tends to have the most painful impact, followed by checks. Credit cards offer a lesser discomfort than cash or checks. With advancements in payment technologies like contactless cards or smartphone transactions, the potential exists for these methods to generate even less discomfort than traditional credit cards.    So, how can businesses leverage these insights into payment methods to ass ..read more

Exploring ethics is challenging. Given its abstract nature, it is a tough subject for learning and discussion.    That said, we never falter in the face of a challenge.  We developed five principles of professional ethics we believe are vital to revisit periodically.   Are they rigid guidelines? Do they offer absolute answers? Are they timeless?    Not quite.    Ethics evolve over time, and what's acceptable today might not be so in the future. Nevertheless, ethics, much like any skill, can be nurtured, honed, and enhanced.    It's intriguing t ..read more

Have you ever heard the following?   Then, Bob’s your uncle. It’s the difference between chalk and cheese. On your bike, then.   If you haven’t and you don’t live in the UK, Colin wouldn’t be surprised. They are British idioms and when he employ these expressions with his American pals, they usually don’t know he is talking about. However, his friends and family on the other side of the pond do.    It demonstrates the importance of the words you use to communicate and how easy it is to miscommunicate or not communicate at all. Language holds a pivotal role in shaping your c ..read more