Fair Warning: this episode regarding excuses was prompted by recent experiences with tradespeople during Colin’s kitchen renovation. No one likes excuses, least of all your customers. Lately, Colin has been hearing many amazing excuses about why something can or cannot be done in his kitchen project. It got him thinking about excuses and why people make them. Today’s episode explores the ideas of excuses and what they tell us about human behavior. Consider examples like long call center wait times blamed on “high call volume” or companies deflecting responsibility for faulty products or order ..read more

In this episode, we tackle a thought-provoking question from one of our listeners: Is it ethical to use urgency as a marketing tactic?  This question sparked a deep conversation about the ethics of digital marketing, particularly the use of scarcity to drive sales.  We feature insights from Daniel Bisett, partner and CXO at WeRock DM, who shares his thoughts after watching "The Social Dilemma" and wrestling with the impact of digital marketing on mental health. Bisett discusses the ethical concerns of creating false urgency in marketing, comparing it to the stress and pressure felt b ..read more

We are very judgmental, particularly when it comes to prices. We can always tell whether something is a good or bad deal.  The fact that some of the ways we do this are not as accurate as others doesn’t even occur to us. Knowing that customers have different ways they evaluate your pricing that are sometimes inaccurate shouldn’t upset you, though. It’s a bonus to realize it. Once you understand how people judge your pricing, you can use strategy to present it better and maximize your pricing to gain profit.  There are three basic ways that customers evaluate your prices. These have v ..read more

In this episode, we dive deep into the concept of empathy and its significance in Customer Experience Management. We challenge common perceptions of empathy, explore its connection to emotional intelligence, and examine how both concepts can enhance your experience management efforts. We begin with a discussion on the importance of Emotional Intelligence (EQ), referencing some compelling statistics: Emotional intelligence influences 58% of job performance. 90% of top performers at work have a high EQ score. The demand for EQ skills is projected to grow six-fold in the next three to five ..read more

In this episode, we challenge the conventional wisdom of customer-centricity and discuss why firing a customer is sometimes necessary. While it may seem counterintuitive, knowing when to let go of a customer can benefit your business in the long run.  We outline five critical rules to help you determine when it's time to part ways with a customer: Rule #1: Fire customers if they cost too much. Some customers drain more resources than they generate in revenue. It's crucial to track these costs accurately and address the imbalance. If you can't rectify the situation, it's time to let t ..read more

In this episode, we explore the role of AI in customer experiences and whether it will replace human interaction. Ali Cudby, CEO of Alignment Growth Strategies, shares insights on leveraging AI to build customer relationships effectively. We discuss practical AI tools that enhance customer experiences and streamline efficiency.  There are a couple of helpful AI tools Cudby mentions. For example, Synthesia generates AI voiceovers for video scripts, making updates easy and translating content for global audiences. Also, Absorb uses AI to create prompts-based presentations, reducing time and ..read more

Colin has a bone to pick. No, it's not with cable providers this time. It's with the tradespeople involved in his latest home reno project. They are living up to the poor reputation that precedes them, and he has a list of complaints.    Key problems included inaccurate pricing, disdain for previous workers' efforts, lack of collaboration, excessive use of jargon, and poor time management. The disconnect between different trades, reminiscent of organizational siloes in corporate environments, often exacerbates problems.    These issues often leave customers frustrated and d ..read more

Did you ever have an imaginary friend? If so, you already have a leg up on this week’s episode. Chances are you created a mental model of your imaginary friend and could predict with 100 percent accuracy how they might react to a given situation.    A mental model is a detailed creation of an imaginary customer that helps you determine how a real-life customer might react to a given situation. However, unlike the imaginary friend, science and data develop the imaginary customer, not creativity.   As we conclude the Masterclass Series about the intricate world of Customer Experie ..read more

You know that friction in a Customer Experience is a problem that needs fixing. However, do you have that same perception of workplace friction? If you feel the friction at work, you probably do. But if you don't, you likely think little of it, if at all. Doing work for money requires a certain amount of friction, right? However, if the friction impacts employees and decreases employee morale, it can be a significant problem. One might even say it is a problem worth fixing. In this episode, we delve into workplace friction and its impact on employee productivity and morale with Christophe Mart ..read more

Customers can tell you why they do something, But they might be wrong.    It's not that customers are stupid. No, it is quite the contrary. Customers' thinking and decision-making are complicated; multiple things happen simultaneously.    Sometimes, the reason customers do things is hidden, even from the customers themselves. In our penultimate masterclass episode, we explore how you can get at these hidden motivations when designing a Customer Experience that surprises and delights customers.    In this episode, we delve into the hidden motivations of customers ..read more