Be Customer Led (Bill Staikos)

“Having  different opinions helps the journey and solves the problem differently. It's part of getting it right.”

This week on Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos, we are joined by Amanda Whiteside, Worldwide Head of Customer programs at Amazon. 

She has been working on developing a multi-year strategy that is the foundation for Amazon's global, commercial, and customer strategies for shipping. 

She leads a large team of technical product and program managers, focusing on five distinct business functions, including onboarding and integration, customer service tracking and delivery, billing and sustainability, and business analytics. 

Throughout today’s episode, Amanda shares her knowledge and thoughts on the role leadership plays in the CX & EX spaces and bits of wisdom she accumulated along her journey.

[01:21] Amanda's journey – Mentioning the versatility she had throughout her career, Amanda shares her journey from sales to programs and products.

[03:48] Customer Experience – Amanda explains how she incorporates customer experience into her work. 

[05:01] Amanda's Work - Amanda describes the type of work she does with her team.

[06:30] Two Sides of The Same Coin - Given her emphasis on leading a broad, diverse workforce, Amanda shares her philosophy on the synergistic relationship between the customer and employee experience.

[08:12] Stakeholders – Dealing with multiple stakeholders is quite challenging. Noting that Amanda outlines her encounters with a wide range of stakeholders. 

[10:50] New Normal – Customers' perceptions of digital commerce have shifted due to the global pandemic. Amanda discusses how she and her organization prepare to deliver the types of experiences that consumers increasingly want.

[13:13] Employees and Feedback – Amanda explains how she manages the employees and enhances the employee experience by listening to them daily and having a self-development day.

[16:37] Leadership Style – Amanda describes how her leadership style may have evolved.

[19:35] The Future - Amanda expresses her thoughts on how she sees the customer-obsessed or customer-led culture evolving over the next year or two.

Resources:

Connect with Amanda:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/amanda-whiteside-880503209

“In essence, we identified an asset that was completely overlooked but can drive very smart insights.”

Technical content is something that often goes unnoticed by many organizations but is able to deliver immense value when used correctly. This week on Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos, we have a deep conversation with an expert in strategic product content, Gal Oron. Gal is the CEO of Zoomin, a firm that helps businesses improve customer experience by utilizing the power of product content. Throughout the episode, we dive into why content is important and how it can be a valuable asset to businesses.

[01:14] Gal’s Story – The story of how Gal transitioned from a military career as a pilot to starting his own company and the problems Zoomin is solving for its clients.

[05:30] Business Journey – How Zoomin’s business and its services have evolved over the last few years.

[08:44] Content Consumption – We take a deep dive into how different companies use technical content for their internal operations and building communities.

[12:38] Content as an Asset – The value technical content adds to a business and why businesses should view technical content as a strategic asset.

[15:24] Content & CX – How content influences the customer experience and what Zoomin offers to its clients to help them identify and resolve points of friction.

[20:05] Content & Policy – How content can give insight into how a company’s policies are influencing its employees and customers.

[26:26] CX Community – Gal talks about the community his company created for CX people and how it’s been growing.

[29:38] The Future – Gal’s thoughts on how the utilization of technical content as a strategic asset may evolve in the coming years.

[34:45] Inspiration – We ask Gal where he gets inspiration for success in his personal and professional life.

Resources

Connect with Gal

Website: www.zoominsoftware.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gal-oron-6857902

FLOURISH Community: www.zoominsoftware.com/flourish

“You have to inspire yourself every day. Even if you had a massively bad day before, you have to try to find the victories in it.”

Today's episode of Be Customer Led features Richard Botto, Founder & CEO of Stage 32. Stage 32 is an online platform and marketplace aimed at democratizing the entertainment industry, by providing networking and training opportunities for all film, television, digital content makers and professionals, globally. The member community is now over 750,000!

Throughout today's episode, Richard discusses his journey and experience creating his company and developing the community and member experience.

[01:14] Richard's Journey – Mentioning how an entrepreneurial spirit blossomed inside of him, Richard explains his story so far and the distinguishing aspects that drove him to become a business founder. 

[07:12] Stage 32 -  Richard mentions how he came up with the name Stage 32, the genesis of the firm and why he launched it.

[12:45] Challenges –  While recounting the instances where he noticed the community's curvy expansion, Richard shares the evolution of his struggles and victories over the last 11 years. 

[22:26] Richard's Advice – Richard offers suggestions and assistance to anyone considering doing something similar to what he did.

[27:23] Community. Not a Platform – Richard discusses what he does differently to emphasize the community experience and make individuals feel like they are not part of a large platform but rather part of a community to help one another grow, expand, and develop. 

[31:31] Inspiration – Leaving several worthy facts, Richard reveals who he admires and where he finds inspiration.

Resources:

Connect with Richard:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/richardbotto/

Company Website: stage32.com

This week on Be Customer Led, we’re joined by Katie Schlott, a Partner at IA Collaborative. 

Katie has worked with fantastic companies, including FedEx, HP, GE, and Samsung, bringing these brands to life through user-centered product, service, and brand innovation. Throughout today’s podcast, Katie covers numerous aspects of inclusive design and the need to include the perspective of all women, and their diverse experiences, in designing new products and services.

[01:42] Katie’s Journey – Katie begins the conversation by recounting her heroic journey thus far. 

[06:25] IA Collaborative – Katie describes IA Collaborative’s mission and focus, how they help their clients, and her role in the process.

[10:48] Inclusive Design – Rather than relying on regular users, inclusive designers broaden the range of viable use cases. Noting that Katie offers her perspective on inclusive design. 

[14:40] Designing for Women - Katie discusses the importance of incorporating a woman’s perspective into the design. Moreover, she mentions several companies contributing to this societal shift. 

[24:07] Best Practices – Katie outlines some of the best practices and inclusive design principles that anyone can take away and begin exploring, testing, and learning with their data. 

[29:0] National Women’s Day – Katie suggests new executive-level initiatives commemorating National Women’s Day.

[33:16] Inspiration – Katie talks about her role models whom she looks up to and the sources of inspiration for her work.

Resources:

Connect with Katie:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/katie-schlott-ab314b7/

IA Collaborative: www.iacollaborative.com

Design for Women: www.iacollaborative.com/women

Mentioned in the episode:

Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men: goodreads.com/book/show/41104077-invisible-women?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=g9DoKwS2mf&rank=1

Quotes

“My favorite part of the innovation process is thinking about new areas of opportunity, prototyping, building, failing multiple times…but teaching our clients, that’s the way we’re going to iterate to build something that the people you’re trying to serve actually need; as opposed to what you think they need.”

“I think about inclusive design as specifying products and services for as many people and situations as possible, while you reduce the level of ability required by each of...

“What you do internally shows up externally.”

This week on Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos, we’re having a conversation with Ram Parimi, head of customer strategy & insights at Blend, a FinTech firm that focuses on bringing simplicity and transparency to financial services so more consumers can gain access to the world’s financial resources. Throughout the interview, we dive into what it means to be customer-first, how to adapt to market dynamics, how to cater to ever-evolving consumer expectations, the future of fintech, and more.

[00:32] Ram’s Journey – How Ram’s career, which started in music production, eventually evolved into customer strategy and the story of Blend and what they offer to their customers.

[04:03] Customer-first Approach – Ram dives into what a customer-first approach means in the fintech space and how Blend enables a customer-first experience.

[09:33] Industry Dynamics – Consumer lending space is changing rapidly, with lots of new players coming into the market with new innovative products. Ram shares his thoughts on how Blend is responding to these changes.

[15:19] Consumer Expectations – What the modern consumers expect from financial & banking services, and how the fintech space can prepare to cater to these consumers.

[20:02] The Future – Ram shares his takes on how the lending space may change in the next few years.

[26:17] leaders and Inspiration – Ram talks about his sources of inspiration and some of the leaders and inspiring personalities he looks up to.

Connect with Ram

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ramparimi

Website: www.blend.com

Disclosure:

This podcast contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements generally relate to future events, future performance or expectations and involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this podcast may include, but are not limited to, our expectations regarding our product roadmap, future products/features, the timing of new product/feature introductions, market size and growth opportunities, plans for future operations, competitive position, technological capabilities and strategic relationships. The forward-looking statements contained in this podcast are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes to differ materially from the outcomes predicted. Further information on these risks and uncertainties are set forth in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements in this podcast are based on information available to Blend and assumptions and beliefs as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, Blend does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise.

“The best gift you could give your employees is to put them in a position where they can earn a life of meaning and purpose through service to others that get recognized and rewarded by teammates.”

This episode of Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos features Fred Reichheld. Fred is one of the world's leading customer and employee loyalty experts. He is the Net Promoter System (NPS®) creator and has been called the "high priest" of loyalty by The Economist. Also, Fred is the founder of Bain's Loyalty practice and a fellow at Bain & Company, where Fred advises businesses on increasing customer and employee loyalty to boost business performance. In this episode, he explains how NPS enables enterprises to become genuinely client-focused, thereby releasing the potential for profitable expansion. 

[01:18] Fred's Background - Fred describes the milestones and turning points in his professional life. 

[03:04] Net Promoter System – Fred details about net promoter system and how to benefit from it. 

[08:03] Winning on Purpose: The Unbeatable Strategy of Loving Customers - Fred explains how customer affection translates into Net Promoter Score (NPS) or likelihood to recommend a product. 

[14:48] Best Gift - What is the best gift a company can give its employees? 

[18:31] More on NPS - The power of NPS, putting NPS into practice, and the concept of earned growth

[26:33] Advice – Fred provides guidance for CEOs to begin their journeys to success. 

[30:35] Fred's Question - Which business, brand, or product have you enthusiastically recommended to a friend, and why?

Recourses:

Connect with Fred:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/fredreichheld/

Mentioned in the episode:

Winning on Purpose: The Unbeatable Strategy of Loving Customers: goodreads.com/en/book/show/58090620-winning-on-purpose

“Communication is two-way. So it's much about listening to understand what matters to them, not just telling.”

This week on Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos, Amy Radin joins us for an insightful conversation. She is a member of the Global Board of Directors at the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. In her corporate career, Amy championed the use of customer data and technology, devising novel solutions to create new sources of value. Her accomplishments include overseeing the digital transformation of Citi Cards, a $5BB P&L, driving five years of double-digit adoption growth, and establishing a corporate venturing unit to promote mobile peer-to-peer payments in anticipation of new trends. She also demonstrates her competence at AXA US by developing consumer data analytics and digital marketing strategies and rebranding the company.

[01:37] Board's Responsibility – Sharing her background, Amy discusses the board's responsibility in defining leadership and the customer experience they wish to give and the extent to which boards should delve into these topics. 

[08:59] Advice – Amy describes how she would advise them regarding board engagement if she were sitting down with a CXO or CCO. 

[15:28] Get Ahead – Amy discusses a few aspects of the customer and employee experience that boards or CEOs/founders may need to address in the next year or two. 

[22:23] Scale-up - Amy highlights what founders should consider in terms of customer or employee experience while transitioning from startup to growth and scalability. 

[25:55] Customer Feedback - Amy addresses whether more businesses and startups should pay closer attention to the numerous signals available, such as direct customer feedback.

[30:03] Customer-Focused Change - Amy explains her recommendation strategy for influencing senior-level decision-makers to create customer-centric change.

[33:56] Amy's inspiration – Amy mentions the leaders she admires and the sources of her motivation.

Resources:

Connect with Amy:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/amyradin/

Amy's website: https://amyradin.com

Amy's Book Mentioned in the Episode:

The Change Maker's Playbook: How to Seek, Seed and Scale Innovation in Any Company: goodreads.com/book/show/38747877-the-change-maker-s-playbook?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=c5ypZrTTrF&rank=1

“In everything we talk about in customer experience, you can take the word customer out and put the employee in; the whole thing applies to employee experiences.”

This week on the Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos, we’re joined by Colin Shaw, one of the earliest pioneers in Customer Experience. Furthermore, LinkedIn has recognized Colin as one of the "World's Top 150 Business Influencers". Also, he is the founder and CEO of Beyond Philosophy LLC. The Financial Times selected his company as one of the best management Customer Experience consultancies consecutively for the last four years. Besides that, Colin is the co-host of the popular podcast Intuitive Customer, ranked in the top five percent of all podcasts, according to Buzzsprout.

[02:51] Colin's Background – Sharing his journey and the distinguishing characteristics of his career so far, Colin explains how his company differs from other CX consultancies in the industry.

[08:03] Key Tenets – Colin presents some of the fundamental principles of CX to him. Comparing customer experience to employee experience, he elaborates on the application of customer experience in B2B.

[10:27] Bring Together - Colin discusses his thoughts on how firms should integrate customer experience and employee experience in a meaningful way.

[16:47] Intuitive Customer - In his book, "Intuitive Customer," he discusses focusing on the emotional, subconscious, and psychological aspects of the customer experience from a behavioral economics perspective, rather than merely comprehending the rational experience of customers. Mentioning this, he illustrates how to make this concept tangible for the CEOs or CFOs.

[28:46] Customer Science - Colin defines the phrase customer science and its significance in broad terms. Additionally, he stresses the need for a proactive customer experience while embracing advanced technology applications in CX.

[37:40] Inspiration – Colin describes the people who have impacted his life and the places where he finds inspiration and serenity.

Resources:

Connect with Colin:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/colinrjshaw/

Mentioned in the episode:

Podcast: The intuitive customer - Improve your customer experience to gain growth:beyondphilosophy.com/podcasts/

Who Moved My Cheese?: goodreads.com/book/show/4894.Who_Moved_My_Cheese_?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=gepln5qMnW&rank=1

The Intuitive Customer: 7 Imperatives For Moving Your Customer Experience to the Next Level:

“The most important piece of the puzzle is empathy and truly understanding the people you're designing experiences for.”

This week on Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos, we had a great talk with Callie DePina about establishing and fostering the member experience. Callie is the vice president and head of member experience at ButcherBox, a company launched in 2015 with the purpose of making high-quality meat more accessible. 

Throughout the episode, we dive into ButcherBox’s approach to member experience and some important takeaways from Callie’s experience.

[01:37] Callie's Background - Sharing her journey so far, Callie explains her role at ButcherBox. Moreover, she mentions several practices they follow there.

[12:25] Metrics – Callie discusses the metrics they employ to identify and quantify the impact of their members.

[18:00] Journey Mapping -  Callie presents their approach toward journey mapping and mentions its significance.

[21:23] Experience Management – Callie highlights the most crucial aspects of experience management. 

[25:11] The Future – Callie describes the direction she expects experience management will take over the next few years. 

[28:14] Advice From Callie – Callie gives the listeners two essential pieces of advice on nurturing the  member experience.

[31:18] Inspiration – Callie shares the role models she admires and the sources of her inspiration.

Resources:

Connect with Callie:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/smithcallie/

Check out ButcherBox: www.butcherbox.com

ButcherBox discount: if you want to become a new ButcherBox member, ButcherBox is offering listeners $30 off their first box by using the discount code: CALLIE30.

“The good corporate explorers puncture the bubble that leadership teams often have around their business that makes them believe it’ll continue and continue and continue.”

In the early days, innovation was viewed as a game best left to entrepreneurs, but a new breed of corporate executives reverses this logic. Corporate Explorers possess the knowledge, tenacity, and discipline necessary to overcome barriers and launch new initiatives inside even the largest organizations.

This week on Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos, we welcome Andrew Binns, co-founder of Change Logic, a Boston-based strategic advising firm. Additionally, he is a co-author of Corporate Explorer and a founding member of The Corporate Explorers Club. Most importantly, Andy is driven by the mission to assist enterprises in unleashing their potential to innovate and delight the globe.

[01:31] Background – Andy discusses his background by recounting his transition from marketing to consulting. Also, he mentions what motivated him to write his book.

[06:27] Corporate Explorer -  Andy explains the concept of corporate explorers and how organizations could empower such individuals.

[11:27] Digital Business Transformation -  Andy points out how critical it is for an organization to be tech-savvy or forward-thinking and how to ensure that the organization develops the correct attitude internally.

[13:47] Three Disciplines - Andy expresses his thoughts on how the client and the workforce contribute to success via the lens of three disciplines: Ideation, Incubate, and Scale.

[19:56] Time is Up – Andy highlights how to determine when it is appropriate to transition to the next discipline. 

[23:39] Success Models – Andy mentions his views about an optimal way to set up business ventures and ensure their success. 

[29:15] Change Agent - Andy explains why he considers the corporate Explorer a pioneer in innovation and transformation.

[33:16] Productive Tension – Andy defines productive tension and outlines how corporate explorers create and maintain it.

[39:27] Role Models -  Andy shares where he finds inspiration and who he admires.

Resources:

Connect with Andy:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/andrewjmbinns/

Mentioned in the podcast:

Corporate Explorer: How Corporations Beat Entrepreneurs at the Innovation Game: goodreads.com/book/show/58398731-corporate-explorer?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=VZ44lkuwjG&rank=1

Reimagining Capitalism in a World on Fire:

Trey Hoffman, Vice President of Customer Experience at Fleetio, joins the Be Customer Led podcast for this episode. Fleetio's software enables global organizations to track, analyze, and enhance fleet operations. In today's episode, Trey, who has a deep-seated interest in assembling formidable teams to aid clients in achieving their goals by employing novel approaches, discusses his experiences in this regard.

[01:03 Trey's Journey – Trey recounts his experience and describes what Fleetio offers its customers. 

[09:10] Evolution of the Team - Trey explains what he was looking for in the CX team when he joined Fleetio, how Trey structured the team, and the change in the team structure he is most proud of implementing.

[16:09] Team's success - Defining what constitutes success for the team.

[19:34] Customer Feedback - Trey describes how he will relay customer feedback to the product board.

[24:07] Customers' Success - How to measure the customers' success? How to balance focusing on different customer types and deciding whom the company wants to invest the most? 

[30:22] Future – Trey expresses his desires regarding his discipline.

[33:18] Trey's answer – Trey responds to the previous guest's questioning regarding the brand experience that has been relevant, proactive, and responsive to his needs.

Resources:

Connect with Trey:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/treyhoffman/

This episode of Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos features Jennie Weber, Senior Vice President of Customer Experience & Insights at Best Buy. With over a thousand stores and over a hundred thousand employees in the United States and Canada, Best Buy addresses essential human needs in areas such as productivity, security, health, entertainment, and connectivity. In today's discussion, Jennie shares her insights and experience gleaned from over two decades of consumer marketing and strategy formulation.

[01:29] Jennie's Journey – Jennie mentions distinguishing aspects of her career as she recounts her path to this point. 

[06:22] Evolution - How the role of customer experience has changed in the last five years.

[09:22] Core Tenants - Jennie's standpoint on the fundamental tenets of CX

[14:30] Technology and CX - The influence of technology advancements on customer experience.

[18:58] Culture – Jennie explores her role and its potential to change the culture and make the company more customer-focused. 

[23:20] CX – Jennie's reflections on the role of chief experience officer and the customer experience team

[30:18] Inspiration – We conclude the conversation by discussing Jennie's sources of inspiration and her question for the following guest.

Resources:

Connect with Jennie:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jennie-weber-31802531/

“I think the next battlefield is the ecosystem; whoever the smart one will follow and build or learn from it.”

Steven Moy, CEO of Barbarian, joins today's episode of Be Customer Led. Barbarian is an agency that is obsessively focused on utilizing technology to eliminate friction, leveraging data to fuel new ideas, and harnessing creativity to bring new products and services to life for their customers. Its principal objective is to assist clients in transforming and disrupting their industries. Throughout the episode, Steven shares his expertise and experience with client needs, how they are growing, and how they are influencing new technology.

[01:33] Steven's Journey - Steven relates his tale, which includes numerous twists and turns, and discusses how he believes this journey has provided him with a greater perspective on his current role as CEO. 

[22:28] Customer Needs – Customer requirements change and evolve at a breakneck pace. Also, the pandemic has significantly altered and has undoubtedly accelerated that alteration. Steve discusses the important tendencies he observes in those shifts in needs. 

[30:51] Digital Convenience and Personalization – Steven provides an overview of his stance on digital convenience and customization to fulfill client needs.

[39:28] Digital Frontiers - Steven talks about the digital horizons that interest him the most.

[15:47] Steven's Inspiration – In response to the episode's final question, Steven shares where he finds inspiration.

Resources:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stevenmoy/

Website: wearebarbarian.com

Twitter: twitter.com/Steven_P_Moy

“When people were working at home, kids were popping up in the corner. Mine certainly did. The really cool thing that came out of that is people started to be more comfortable being human, not just at work, but with clients.”

We close out the month on Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos joined by Sarah Dayes, the Chief Client Officer at Acceleration Partners (AP), a renowned worldwide performance marketing agency. 

Sarah is responsible for the success of AP's Client Services team, which consists of more than 250 individuals, and the health and happiness of their global client relationships. She has been a member of AP's leadership team for ten years and has been involved in the success of key client engagements, with seriously big brands including Uber, adidas, Target, and Airbnb. 

[01:17] Background – Sarah describes her journey thus far, during which she has experienced nearly every aspect of customer service, client service, and hospitality. 

[05:53] Sarah's Role – Sarah explains the work she conducts in her role and its influence on the company.

[07:13] Evolution - Sarah shares her view on how her role has evolved over the years she has held it, as well as a list of traits she believes may persist in the new norm. 

[11:47] In-person versus Virtual Mix – Sarah discusses her views on remote work situations. 

[13:35] KPI - Sarah presents her thoughts on assessing performance and mentions the metrics utilized by her organization to measure its success.

[17:00] The Future - Sarah addresses how she would like to see the chief client officer's role evolve and her team's impact within this environment.

[18:23] Distinct Roles - Sarah expresses her opinion regarding the chief client officer acting the part of the chief financial officer and whether she believes some roles should be essentially distinct.

[21:24] Advice – Sarah offers advice to aspiring chief customer officers and allies who want to support female executive leadership.

[24:11] Role Models - Sarah describes whom she admires in business and where she finds inspiration.

Resources:

Connect with Sarah:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahjohnsondayes/

Mentioned in the episode:

Winning on Purpose: The Unbeatable Strategy of Loving Customers: goodreads.com/book/show/58090620-winning-on-purpose?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=GWUDemJtit&rank=1

“The purpose is the soul of the brand and needs to be understood in going through a rebranding exercise.”

Most companies want their brand to be what customers want, and rivals envy. And that calls for a strong, purpose-driven brand strategy. This week on Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos, we had a fantastic conversation with Bill Kenney, CEO, and partner of Focus Lab, about aligning the customer experience with the company’s brand. Bill’s company, Focus Lab, is an established brand agency that assists B2B firms in connecting with their consumers and distinguishing themselves as market leaders. 

[01:08] Bill’s Background – Sharing his journey so far, Bill describes how he and his business partner established their company, Focus Lab, and how they serve their clients. 

[07:15] BX, CX, and PX - Bill outlines the distinctions between brand experience, customer experience, and product experience. 

[10:30] Purpose and Brand – Bill addresses the intrinsic relationship between purpose and brand. 

[14:11] Brand Strategy - Bill discusses the core tenets of brand strategy development.

[19:00] Connecting the Experience – Bill mentions how businesses should consider tying their brand to the experience they intend to give. In addition, he explores how change management and employee experience influence above said connection formation. 

[27:50] Simplicity – Bill emphasizes the importance of simplicity in delivering a comprehensive brand experience.

[30:07] Inspiration - Bill describes the personalities he admires from a business and mindset perspective and the sources of his inspiration.

Resources:

Connect with Bill:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/billskenney/

Website: focuslab.agency

Mentioned in the episode:

The Ideal Team Player: How to Recognize and Cultivate The Three Essential Virtues: goodreads.com/book/show/28930640-the-ideal-team-player?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=0n991sancI&rank=1

Zero to One, Start Now Get Perfect Later, Shoe Dog A Memoir by the Creator of Nike, [Hardcover] Crushing It 4 Books Collection Set: goodreads.com/book/show/52373483-zero-to-one-start-now-get-perfect-later-shoe-dog-a-memoir-by-the-creat?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=w5oMqQMvmb&rank=1

This week’s episode of Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos features Michael Bartlett, author of The Dark Side of CX. Michael is the director of experience innovation at JMARK. He’s also the founder and creator of the CCXP exam simulator, which helps CCXP candidates prepare for certification with highly realistic sample questions. Throughout today’s episode, he presents several concepts from his recently released book that you can utilize to create a better customer experience for your customers.

[01:31] Michael’s Story - Michael discusses how he transitioned from the film industry to the area of customer experience and what motivated him to create the CCXP exam simulator.

[05:51] The Dark Side of CX – Michael shares what inspired him to write his book and what the book is about.

[09:35] Challenges & Learnings – Michael’s takeaways from the journey of writing and publishing his book. 

[12:31] Research – Michael describes his research and idea gathering approach before publishing his book.

[16:27] Next Move - Why Michael thinks companies have a hard time understanding customers’ issues and thinking of the next right move for the customer.

[21:26] Confusion – Michael explains how confusion affects the consumer experience and how to reduce confusion in customers’ interactions with a business.

[24:58] Social Friction vs. Goal friction – Michael explains the concept of two types of friction that contribute to a bad customer experience.

[33:04] Michael’s Role Models – Michael reveals who he looks up to and where he finds inspiration.

Resources:

Connect with Michael:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michaelbartlettccxp/

CCXP Exam Simulator

ccxpexamsimulator.com

Mentioned in the episode:

The Dark Side of CX: The costly patterns that turn loyal customers into brand haters: goodreads.com/book/show/60502211-the-dark-side-of-cx?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=nDCQaqFUcI&rank=1

“This technology that's been available for big brands and large enterprises, we like to say we're democratizing that for small businesses.”

This week on Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos, we are having a wonderful conversation with  Gavin Macomber, the President, and CEO of Cloudli Communications, a leading provider of voice, messaging, and data communications solutions for businesses and consumers of the future generation. He enables numerous other businesses to welcome clients in novel and inventive ways through his company. Also, over 7,000 clients rely on Cloudli's mobile-first unified communications (UCaaS), VoIP connectivity, and digital fax solutions.

[01:47] Gavin's Journey - Gavin shares his career experience thus far, highlighting key elements that he believes have benefited him.

[12:21] Cloudli Communications – Gavin explains what his company does and the impact of their work. In addition, he describes several methods they've employed to improve their approach to enhance the customer experience.

[22:05] Research - Gavin mentions the outcomes of his research. Also, he further describes how his firm assists local businesses and how they interact with customers. 

[32:26] Business Texting – Gavin outlines the facts he has gathered regarding the influence of business texting on the SMB market. 

[34:56] Inspiration - Gavin describes whom he looks up to in the business world and where he finds inspiration.

Resources:

Connect with Gavin:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gmacomber/

“One of the things that I've always been focused on is not just the advent of CX but on making sure that customer earned growth and value are really embedded in driving the overall corporate agenda and culture in a meaningful way.”

This week's episode of Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos features Amy Shioji. Amy is the Senior Vice President for Analytics and Transformation and Chief Experience Officer at Strategic Education. Strategic Education facilitates economic mobility through education, where Amy is committed to fostering revolutionary customer growth and organizational focus in her current role.

[01:17] Amy's Background – Amy discusses her journey and the distinguishing factors that led to her current position. 

[03:36] Strategic Education - Amy outlines what "Strategic education" is and what it does, how it differentiates itself from other companies in the industry, and how her work there differs from her previous role. 

[08:48] Human Resources – Amy describes the opportunities and relationship between the corporate strategy and experience function and the HR division. 

[11:27] Message to CEOs – Amy covers some of the initial measures that CEOs can take within their organizations to integrate strategy and CX in a meaningful way. 

[15:13] Platforms and Tools – Amy explains the tools and platforms utilized by the strategy and CX teams. 

[19:38] Journey and Product – Amy addresses how organizations are now aligning themselves around journeys and not necessarily the product. In addition, she mentions the techniques they have been employing concerning this. 

[23:38] The Future – We examine how the integration of strategy and customer experience will evolve in the coming years.

[30:25] Inspiration - Amy talks about her sources of motivation and her role models.

Resources:

Connect with Amy:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/amyshioji/

This week on Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos, we interview Stacy Salvi, Vice President of Strategy at Movano Health. Movano Health is creating a portfolio of purpose-driven healthcare products to bring medical-grade, high-quality data to the forefront of consumer health devices. They are on a mission to empower and inspire you to live a healthier, happier life by integrating crucial health data with individualized intelligent feedback in stylish form factors tailored to your specific lifestyle and present you with the data most important to you. Throughout today's episode, Stacy elaborates on Movano's mission and delivers her insights on wearable technology and the customer experience.

[00:28] Journey – Stacy describes her exciting journey thus far. In addition, she details her work at Movano and the company's emphasis on women. 

[07:27] Wearable Technology - How has technology worn on the body progressed? How has the consumer's viewpoint evolved?

[09:41] Other Use Cases - Stacy shares where besides healthcare, she sees the most pressing need for wearable technology. 

[12:30] The Combination – Customer Experience, User Experience, and Product 

[18:49] The Future – What does the future hold for wearable technology?

[24:09] Guest Question – Stacy's Question: How do you find balance in your life and translate that into your working life?

Resources:

Connect with Stacy: 

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stacysalvi/

“Smart AI can differentiate who you’re talking to, when you’re talking to them, and what you need to say, and how that’s where this starts to make a real difference.”

Christopher Willis, Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Product Officer of Acrolinx, joins us on this episode of Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos. Chris is regarded as a very innovative and results-driven CMO with a track record of building effective marketing and sales groups. Also, he is accountable for all areas of the organization’s marketing strategy. Moreover, Chris specializes in content governance, artificial intelligence, and pipeline management. In today’s discussion, we dive deep into various aspects concerning the improvement of content and its effect on the customer experience. 

[01:10] Background – Chris shares his journey to this point and highlights the characteristics that set him apart. 

[06:03] Acrolinx - Chris outlines Acrolinx’s fascinating AI and content-related projects. He then elaborates on AI’s impact on content development, curation, and consumption since its adoption. 

[15:48] Content as an Asset - Numerous businesses consider content an afterthought rather than an asset. Chris describes what he believes companies lack on the experiential side, especially when explaining its value for the first time.

[20:36] C - Level Initiative – Chris explains how revenue modeling resulting from content governance becomes a C-level endeavor. 

[23:33] Content Fitness – Chris gives an excellent explanation regarding the idea of content fitness.

[29:46] Horizontal Solution – Chris discusses the corporate sizes to which their service extends and whether or not it is genuinely an enterprise-level solution. 

[32:13] Inspiration – Chris mentions the business executives he looks up to most and why he does so. He also notes where he gets his inspiration.

Resources:

Connect with Christopher:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/cpwillis/

Website: www.acrolinx.com

This week on Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos, we’re having a fascinating conversation with Luis Angel-Lalanne, Vice President, Customer Voice at American Express. 

Luis has global responsibility for the Voice of Customer program and complaints reporting for the Global Services Group. The Voice of Customer program covers all servicing interactions and is the primary measure of customer experience success for the organization and for individual frontline colleagues. 

Throughout today’s episode, we dive into Luis’s approach to customer listening, the evolution of customer listening, using customer listening to drive change within an organization, and more.

[01:20] Getting to Know Luis – We start the conversation with a brief look at Luis’s career, which he started as an engineer and transitioned into business.

[04:12] Evolution of Customer Listening -  Luis shares his perspective on how the discipline of customer listening has changed over the years and what we can expect in the future.

[07:04] Luis’s Approach to Customer Listening – Luis shares the philosophy and the approach they follow for customer listening at Amex.

[10:11] Reporting vs. Insights – The measures implemented by Luis and his team to move away from traditional reporting and pivot toward deeper and more meaningful insights.

[13:26] Driving Change – Luis shares his perspective on how insightful information gathered via customer listening could be used to drive change within an organization.

[17:00] Journey Analytics – Luis shares his thoughts on how Amex’s approach to journey analytics and orchestration has evolved over the years.

[23:54] Future of Surveys – Luis’s perspective on the place surveys will have in the future of customer listening.

Resources:

Connect with Luis

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/luis-angel-lalanne/

This episode of Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos features Bella Obudho, Head of Operations and Customer Experience at BrighterMonday Kenya. BrighterMonday Kenya is part of Ringier One Africa Media Group (ROAM), one of Africa's major digital publishers, offering global businesses to access targeted audiences nationally, regionally, and continentally. Bella is regarded as a thought leader in ROAM Africa, where she manages the CX Centre of Excellence (COE) and drives the adoption and accountability of NPS best practices. Throughout the span of today's episode, we delve into a diverse range of topics pertaining to the process of setting up a CX Team for Success.

[01:17] Background - Bella recounts her life and career, mentioning the path that led her to become an expert in customer experience.

[03:56] CX in Kenya – Bella discusses the current state of customer service in Kenya and how she believes it may have changed over the past several years.

[08:09] Core Tenants – Bella shares her take on the fundamental principles of customer experience. In addition, she describes how the COVID epidemic has altered her perspective or method for reaching the consumer or employee voice.

[16:05] Technology – We discuss how technology has shaped a new direction in the consumer experience. Additionally, Bella lists a few tools she is eager to use and begin testing.

[26:54] Advice - As a frontrunner in the CX industry, Bella guides individuals who wish to head a function or team.

[31:46] Inspiration – Bella mentions the people she admires and where she finds inspiration.

Resources:

Connect with Bella:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosebella-abok-10951a19/?originalSubdomain=ke

“If we're gonna move to something like AR, we want it to do something new and something different, something that we couldn't do before.”

This week on Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos, we have an in-depth interview with Brad Quinton, an entrepreneur, and researcher who has consistently pushed the technological frontier. Brad is the CEO and CTO of Singulos Research, Inc, which focuses on developing cutting-edge software and intellectual property (IP) to enable Deep Learning-based solutions for Augmented and Mixed Reality applications. Throughout the episode, we discuss Brad's previous work and his perspectives on various aspects of augmented reality, particularly regarding how AR Advances may alter experiences. 

[01:24] The Journey - Brad recounts some distinguishing aspects of his profession.

[04:32] Singulos Research Inc. – Brad mentions the problem he was attempting to remedy in the world that prompted him to create this firm and how he chose the names, Singulos and Perceptus. 

[07:38] Definitions – Brad discusses the distinctions between augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality. 

[09:58] Perceptus Platform – Brad outlines the distinguishing characteristics of the Perceptus Platform and some of the use cases that personally thrill him the most.

[14:44] AR Technology - Brad mentions when he anticipates that augmented reality (AR) technology will be widely available and how he believes people would react to such a change. 

[22.39] Consumer Demand - Brad explores whether consumer demand drives technological innovation or whether technological innovation drives consumer demand. 

[25:04] Privacy – Brad comprehensively analyzes data security versus privacy. 

[30:42] Inspiration – Brad describes the business executives he admires and the sources of his inspiration.

Resources:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brad-quinton-489a423/?originalSubdomain=ca

Website: singulosresearch.com/

Mentioned in the episode:

What if AR could see: perceptusai.com/

“You have to be careful about what dials you are changing because you do not get to learn if you are doing too much, specifically in driving customer acquisition costs down, which is something we think a lot about.”

On this week's episode of Be Customer Led podcast with Bill Staikos; the special guest is Corey Ashton Walters, the Founder, and CEO of Here. "Here" makes it possible for people all over the world to invest in holiday rentals online and receive passive income from the asset class with the most significant yield in real estate, all without lifting a finger. In today's episode, Corey takes the listeners along on his journey as an entrepreneur, sharing his experiences and the lessons he's learned along the way. 

[00:32] Corey's Journey – Presenting a concise overview of his company's business model, Corey shares how this path ultimately led him to start "Here." 

[13:57] Development Process – Corey describes how he uses client insights into his development process. 

[16:51] Advice – Corey imparts his guidance to business owners and other entrepreneurs. 

[19:30] Superfan - Corey discusses how to recognize a superfan and how he has included them into his company's growth strategy.

[24.47] Name – Corey recounts the sequence of events that led him to choose the name "Here." 

[28:54] Guest's Question - In response to the prior guest's question, Corey expresses his thoughts on reducing acquisition costs. Also, he poses a question for the following guest. 

[34:24] Inspiration – Corey mentions where he finds inspiration.

Resources:

Connect with Corey:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/coreyashtonwalters/

Mentioned in the episode:

The Practicing Stoic: goodreads.com/book/show/37886498-the-practicing-stoic?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=8KYEW83BHY&rank=1

“Part of the instinct of getting started with new products, for me, is starting with real human motivations and the customer base you are going after.”

Adam Nash, CEO & Co-Founder at Daffy, joins Bill Staikos on this episode of Be Customer Led. Daffy is a non-profit organization founded on the principle that everyone should set something aside for those in need. Providing a streamlined mobile experience for saving, investing, and donating to over 1.5 million charities, they encourage people to give more frequently and increase the amount they give. Throughout this episode, Adam imparts the wisdom he has gained in product experience.

[01:40] Background – Adam discusses the defining moments in his professional background that helped him get to where he is now.

[04:33] Daffy – Adam explains how he and his team created Daffy and the customer experience he aimed for when designing the platform.  

[09:58] Meeting the Demand – Adam outlines how he considers customer reactions to his products when they are so diverse. 

[14:56] Customer Delight Features  - Customer delight is special. Mentioning that, Adam points out that the delight features are not readily apparent enough for customers to request.

[25:00] Adam's Advice – Adam's advice for other leaders who wish to launch their enterprise.

[29:15] Guest Question Answer – Adam mentions how he achieves balance in his life and applies it to his work.

Resources:

Connect with Adam:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/adamnash/

Mentioned in the episode:

Website: daffy.org/

App: apps.apple.com/dk/app/daffy-charitable/“Part of the instinct of getting started with new products, for me, is starting with real human motivations and the customer base you are going after.”

Adam Nash, CEO & Co-Founder at Daffy, joins Bill Staikos on this episode of Be Customer Led. Daffy is a non-profit organization founded on the principle that everyone should set something aside for those in need. Providing a streamlined mobile experience for saving, investing, and donating to over 1.5 million charities, they encourage people to give more frequently and increase the amount they give. Throughout this episode, Adam imparts the wisdom he has gained in product experience.

[01:40] Background – Adam discusses the defining moments in his professional background that helped him get to where he is now.

[04:33] Daffy – Adam explains how he and his team created Daffy and the customer experience he aimed for when designing the platform.  

[09:58] Meeting the Demand – Adam outlines how he considers customer reactions to his...

“You don't move past obsession. I guess what's beyond obsession is more obsession.”

This episode of Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos features Marbue Brown. He is the founder of The Customer Obsession Advantage, an organization devoted to assisting businesses in achieving exceptional business outcomes through customer obsession. He is an experienced executive in the field of customer experience (CX) who has proven his ability to lead by example. Also, Marbue is a well-known speaker and published author on topics such as customer experience, business strategy, and economic policy. In today's episode, he explores in great depth a wide variety of topics pertaining to Customer Obsession and contrasts it with other topics.

[01:49] Introduction – Marbue discusses the ups and downs of his professional life. Furthermore, he talks about his upcoming book and the inspirations behind penning it. 

[09:59 Three Terms – Marbue outlines the distinctions between customer focus, customer-centricity, and customer obsession.

[14:23] Maturity Path - Is there a rung on the ladder of maturity that leads to a focus on the customer?

[28:10] The Next - After Customer Obsession is More Obsession.

[31:36] Inspiration – Marbue mentions the factors that have been an inspiration to him. 

[34:21] Biggest Roadblock - In response to the previous guest's question, Marbue explains why he believes maintaining established franchises is the most prominent hurdle organizations have in delivering customer-obsessed experiences, internally or externally.

[36:41] Marbue's Question – Marbue poses a question to the subsequent guest. In addition, he specifies when he intends to release his book for sale.

Resources:

Connect with Marbue:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marbue-brown-43a8a52/

Link to Marbue’s New Book: Blueprint for Customer Obsession

“The entire sales process simply seeks to understand and define clearly the problem the prospect is having at this moment, the impact that it's having on their business, and then how we can be the solution and solve that gap.”

Grant Freeman is the guest on this episode of Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos. Being the Chief Customer Officer at Thryv, growing the SaaS division's income is one of Grant's primary concerns. Grant oversees the software sales and client experience teams and the retention and monetization of Thryv's software customers. Throughout our conversation today, he shares how he supports more than 40,000 local businesses across the U.S. through a fully integrated, end-to-end customer experience platform, Thryv software. 

[01:03] Background –Grant discusses the aspects that have set him apart professionally and how he has applied those learnings to assist small businesses in improving their operations. 

[03:41] Thryv - How Thryv helps organizations improve their daily operations so they can focus on what they should be doing.

[06:55] Onboarding - What Grant does at Thryv and his thoughts on why the onboarding process is so crucial

[15:50] Customer-Focused Culture- Grant outlines how they help organizations improve operationally and culturally.

[17:41] Measure the Success - What metrics are used to gauge a company's success in relation to the customer's experience?

[22:19] CX - Grant expresses his views on customer experience as a board-level topic.

[24:23] The Future - Grant describes how he envisions the CCO's obligations will evolve over time.

[27:44] Never-again Error - The one mistake Grant will never repeat. 

[31:51] Inspiration – Sources where Grant draws his motivation and inspiration.

Recourses:

Connect with Grant:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/grantfreeman/

Website: thryv.com/

Today's episode of Be customer Led features Kimberly Wiefling, founding member & global consultant at Silicon Valley Alliances. Her superpower is uniting people of different nationalities, cultural backgrounds, and aesthetic preferences to accomplish a common goal. Kimberly has worked in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Also, she has visited Japan more than a hundred times to work with the culturally diverse staff of globalizing Japanese businesses. Throughout our conversation today, she imparts invaluable advice on creating an influential culture and leadership. 

[01:14] Background – Kimberly recounts the origins of her company, which she founded over two decades ago, and her professional journey. 

[04:36] Culture - Kimberly defines both corporate culture and leadership, and we talk about the relationship between the two. Also, we discuss the relationship between leaders and managers and whether one can be both, or if one must choose between being a leader or a manager.

[09:42] Disconnection -  Kimberly outlines why firms fail to give what employees want and why there seems to be a disconnect between the company, its executives and managers, and its employees.

[16:55] Culture in Japan -  What is the difference between the culture of Japan and Silicon Valley?

[19:07] Leadership - Leaders are responsible for creating and maintaining a strong organizational culture. This involves modeling the desired behavior, celebrating successes that align with the cultural values, and correcting or dismissing behavior that goes against the cultural norms.

[21:44] Culture - If you are a new leader and want to establish a company culture, Kimberly offers some suggestions on how to do so, as well as some actions you may take as an individual to alter an existing culture that is toxic or unappealing. 

[25:08] Action, Communication, and Thinking - The ACT framework is a simple and effective way for leaders to understand their roles and responsibilities.

Resources:

Connect with Kimberly:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/scrappykimberlywiefling/

Website: wiefling.com/

Website: kimberlywiefling.com/

Silicon Valley Alliances: siliconvalleyalliances.com/

“From an EX/CX perspective, what some of our cutting edge clients are starting to see is that any changes that occur even on the EX side, actually have an impact on the CX side, around retention, around levels of engagement.”

On this week's episode of Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos, our guest will be Manish Goel, the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of TrustSphere. In the fields of Relationship Analytics and Organizational Network Analysis, TrustSphere is the company that has established itself as the undisputed market leader. They assist companies in capitalizing on one of their most precious assets - the collective relationship network. Throughout today’s episode, we dive into relationship analytics and how businesses can utlilize it to improve their growth.

[01:06] Background – Manish outlines his journey and the factors that distinguished his profession and led to TrustSphere. 

[02:18] TrustSphere - Manish talks about his company and what they do for clients.

[05:59] Use cases - Manish describes the primary use cases that he observes many of his clients considering for his company's work.

[07:27] Inclusiveness – Manish explains how he considers gauging inclusion in an organization by examining details about the individuals. 

[10:19] Leadership Network – Manish discusses observations he has made that he deems vital in the leadership network. 

[14:36] CX – Manish illustrates how companies can enhance the customer experience through relational analytics. 

[19:04] Business Outcomes – Manish demonstrates how firms may boost their revenue and top-line growth by utilizing relational analytics.

[21:09] The Future – Manish discusses the direction he believes his work will take over the next three to five years and the aspects of his job that excite him the most.

[23:32] Predictions - As the capability of relationship analytics improves, Manish mentions what else he thinks may be quite intriguing in terms of predictive aspect. 

[25:33] Inspiration – Manish describes his business role models and sources of inspiration.

Resources:

Connect with Manish:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/manishgoelts 

Website: trustsphere.com/

Email: manishgoel@trustsphere.com

Janet Polach, executive coach, speaker, author, and retired marine, joins Bill Staikos for this week's episode of Be Customer Led. Janet has extensive training and expertise as an executive coach and leader-builder. Leaders throughout the world have benefited from her coaching and guidance. She has a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership and Development from the University of Minnesota and is a retired Marine lieutenant colonel. Today's session focuses on her insights and advice for aspiring and established leaders alike in the realm of coaching.

[01:20] Janet's Background – Janet commences the conversation by detailing her background.

[05:54] Bill as a Leader - Janet gives Bill a leadership coaching session, during which she questions him on several themes and delivers insights. 

[11:56] Culture of Feedback – The concept of receiving regular feedback. 

[17:44] Coaching – Role of coaches, their impact and importance, and underlying reasons why most middle-aged individuals hesitate to get the support they need. 

[23:40] Tools for Success - How can middle-level managers ensure they are equipped with the necessary tools for success and do not lose personnel at their level or below?

[28:18] Inspiration –  Janet responds to the question of which leaders she admires and where she finds inspiration.

Resources:

Connect with Janet:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/janetpolachphd/

Mentioned in the episode:

The Seven Mistakes New Managers Make: How to Avoid Them and Thrive: goodreads.com/book/show/61877493-the-seven-mistakes-new-managers-make

“The reason you would choose, as a customer, to engage with a company and buy their product or engage in their service is very similar to the reason an employee would want to work there.”

This week, Kevin Budelmann, the co-founder and president of Michigan-based strategic design firm Peopledesign joins the Be Customer Led podcast with Bill Staikos. 

From startups to Fortune 500 firms, Kevin has worked with a vast array of businesses, including education, healthcare, manufacturing, finance, and consumer items. Moreover, he serves as an adjunct lecturer at Northwestern University. 

Addressing various exciting topics, Kevin explores the relationship between purpose, brand, and experience in today’s conversation.

[01:37] Kevin’s Story – Starting the conversation, Kevin summarizes his journey so far. Moreover, he talks about his company and how it works with its clients.

[05:00] Interconnectivity of Purpose and Brand – Kevin discusses the interrelationship between purpose and brand and the pandemic’s effect on this.

[13:30] Cross-Functional Teams – Kevin shares his take on shifting into cross-functional teams.

[16:55] Organized for Success - Kevin outlines the organizational structures he has observed firms use successfully and what they do differently when progressing from purpose to an actual product or service. 

[20:02] Initial Steps - Kevin points out how he would convince his clients to connect the brand’s purpose to the delivered experience. 

[23:39] Service Design – Kevin distinguishes service design from other design efforts and the significance of service design in the context of customer experience. 

[28:02] Inspiration – Kevin concludes the talk by detailing where he finds inspiration and who he admires in his sector, along with the reason why.

Resources:

Connect with Kevin:

LinkedIn: inkedin.com/in/kevinbudelmann/

“It’s your customers telling you what they think about your company, what your product about your service; it’s incredibly valuable if you can use that to your benefit.”

Etie Hertz, CEO of Loris.ai, is featured in this episode of Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos. Currently, Loris provides customer service employees with real-time coaching. When transitioning to chat and email-based customer care, firms employ Loris to assist the support team’s shift to these more current channels of client communication. In 2019, Loris transformed into a technology firm with an interaction-level impact. They developed a software solution based on natural language processing that can be integrated with existing customer service platforms to guide agents in real-time with their best practice language suggestions. In 2021, Loris emerged from stealth mode as a potent AI solution in the form of a chrome extension. Having such expertise and experience, Etie investigates the influence of conversational AI on CX in great detail throughout today’s episode. 

[01:02] Etie’s Journey – Etie shares the defining aspects of his life and career that led him to become the CEO of Loris.

[04:05] The Evolution Of Conversational AI - How conversational AI has altered over the past 15 years and how the B2B sector has adopted this technology.

[08:18] Benefits – Etie describes some advantages of customer involvement he has observed while working with his clients. 

[12:32] Rush to Digitalization - Etie explores if he sees some individuals rejecting technology due to corporations pushing more digital towards them and whether businesses need to be more thoughtful about how they engage customers across several platforms.

[15:51] B2B and B2C - When it comes to the application of conversational AI technology, how do business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) organizations differ?

[19:51] Horizon – Etie expresses his thoughts on the future of conversational AI, emphasizing real-time conversational awareness and disclosing insights. 

[22:15] Digitally Immersive Environment  - We pondered what it might be like to have an agent in a digitally immersive environment.

[24:48] The Policy - Does Etie’s company have a policy that is so customer-friendly that it causes customers to perform a double take?

[26:30] Inspiration - Etie shares what has been influential to him.

Resources:

Connect with Etie:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/etiehertz/

Website: loris.ai/

“Everything begins with you; it begins and ends with you.”

This week on Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos, we’re joined by Nils Vinje, Founder and CEO of 30 Day Leadership. In thirty months, Nils Vinje advanced from an individual contributor to a vice president. Every team he coached excelled in performance. Also, the method by which Nils accomplished this served as the basis for his leadership coaching. He is a leadership coach, 3X Top 25 Customer Success Influencer, consultant, and public speaker. Moreover, Nils is the author of the book 30 Day Leadership, which equips leaders with the tools to handle any situation confidently. 

[01:54] Nils’s Journey – Nils describes his exciting journey to his current position and how he happened to write his book. 

[10:13] Way of Working – Nils discusses the styles he employs in his work with clients. 

[12:15] Yourself First – Nils explains why it is essential to understand how to lead ourselves first and how to initiate self-reflection. 

[19:05] Timeless - Nils points out why the leadership principles he teaches are universally applicable and how the COVID 19 pandemic has affected their applicability.

[22:45] Social Contract - Nils defines the social contract and explains why he believes social contract violations are a significant cause of the current wave of great resignation. Nils also discusses how frequently he would suggest people update the social contract.

[27:49] Leading with Communication – Nils summarizes his four pillars of leadership beliefs and why simply carrying out your tasks as a leader is insufficient. 

[31:41] Yes or No – Nils highlights the reasons and mechanisms for why it is crucial to receive a yes or no for any activity.

[34:32] Role Models and Inspiration – Nils mentions the role models he admires. Furthermore, he explains how his sources of inspiration.

Resources:

Connect with Nils:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nilsvinje/

Mentioned in the episode:

30 Day Leadership Playbook: Your Guide To Becoming The Leader You Have Always Wanted To Be: goodreads.com/book/show/55127989-30-day-leadership-playbook?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=TpkSmNB1Ab&rank=2

B2B Academy - Exclusive Courses for Business Leaders: b2b-academy.com

30 day leadership: 30dayleadership.com

“It’s not that you always have a plan. You don’t know what’s going to come, but when somebody is bringing an opportunity to you to make a change, you cannot ignore it.”

This week on Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos, we’re joined by Marcela Lay. Marcela is a Senior Vice President & Head of Client Strategy & PM Operations at Y Media Labs, a digital product and design agency that creates innovative products that export Silicon Valley to the world.

Throughout today’s episode, we dive deep into several aspects of influencing and driving culture change within an organization and how to create cultural changes that result in better work environments, less friction within teams, and sustainable growth.

[01:10] Getting to Know Marcela – We start the conversation with Marcela’s story of growing up in Colombia and becoming a Silicon Valley executive.

[04:17] Y Media Labs – How Marcela’s company, Y Media Labs, approaches client strategy.

[07:14] Recipe for Success – Marcela shares with us some of the factors that she has discovered in her time with YML that contribute to the success and steady growth of an organization.

[10:22] Tension and Friction – How Marcela approaches dealing with tension or friction within a team that keeps the team from reaching its full potential.

[14:51] Inclusive Change – Marcela’s advice on how to influence the executive teams to drive inclusive change.

[19:11] Allies in the Workplace – Marcela’s advice for people who want to become allies to their colleagues and help them grow professionally.

[22:30] Inspiration – Marcela shares with us some of the people, books, and resources that bring her inspiration and motivation.

Resources

Connect with Marcela

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marcelalayccxp

Website: ymedialabs.com/people/marcela-lay

Mentioned in the Episode

Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose – Tony Hsieh

goodreads.com/book/show/6828896-delivering-happiness

The CEO of Wine Access, Inc., Joe Fisch, joins Bill Staikos on this week's episode of Be Customer Led. Through careful selection, engaging narratives, and impeccable provenance, Wine Access makes finding and enjoying the world's most inspiring wines simple. During this episode, Joe discusses a variety of the experiences, insights, and perspectives that he has gained throughout his time working in the wine industry. 

[02:37] Background –  Joe describes his professional career, including the steps that ultimately resulted in the launch of his company. 

[05:47] Wine Access –  How exactly does Wine Access cater to the needs of its customers? 

[09:09] NPS – NPS, CX, and the Wine Industry

[13:37] Personalization – Joe explains how quickly they swing into action when a customer is having a bad time with their service. On top of that, he details his company's usage of customization. 

[19:05] Customer Satisfaction -  We talk about how to strike a balance between maximizing profits and sales and providing a satisfying experience for customers.

[25:33] Guest’s Question: In response to the previous guest's question, Joe outlines his interest in philanthropy and donating.

Resources:

Connect with Joe:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/joefisch/

Website: wineaccess.com/

App: apple.com/us/app/wine-access/id1642804318

Kerry Goyette, founder, and president of Aperio Consulting Group, is today's guest on Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos. Aperio Consulting Group is a corporate consulting firm specializing in developing high-performance cultures via workplace analytics and training. Moreover, Kerry is a keynote speaker, an award-winning author, and an expert in behavioral science. In today's episode, Kerry discusses her thoughts, knowledge, and expertise with workplace analytics and the future of work.

 [01:04] Background – Starting the conversation, Kerry recounts her journey thus far. 

[03:03] Aperio Consulting Group – Kerry discusses how Aperio help its clientele work at their best.

[05:31] Workplace Analytics –  Kerry discusses how analytics technology has influenced her work with corporations. Moreover, she explains how organizations are using these capabilities to strengthen their cultures and teams. 

[09:47] Artificial Intelligence – Kerry discusses how artificial intelligence may be used to uncover opportunities and assescs cultures or teams' strengths and weaknesses.

[13:17] Aperio’s Approach – Kerry shares with us how her firm approaches exploring raw, messy data to find valuable information using data mining techniques and artificial intelligence. 

[21:34] Great Resignation – Kerry outlines what she sees as the factors influencing the ‘great resignation’ and why there’s more to the story than it being just another effect of the pandemic. 

[26:59] Future Work – Kerry discusses her perspective for the new normal and how our work culture may evolve as people begin to rethink the way they work.

[30:00] Motivational Research Institute -  Kerry talks about her work in the Motivational Research Institute and why she founded it. 

[34:14] Inspiration – Kerry reveals where she finds inspiration.

Resources:

Connect with Kerry:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kerry-goyette/

Website: aperiogroup.com

“Customer experience isn't something that organizations control because that is ultimately how customers perceive their interactions with the company.”

On this episode of Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos, Michael Hinshaw, President of McorpCX, joins us in conversation. Michael and his group assist businesses in improving their interactions with customers by applying digital and customer-centric innovations. Prominent analysts have hailed Michael as a pioneer in digital transformation and customer experience. In today's conversation, he expresses his thoughts on the evolution of customer experience management, discussing what has been happening in the CX space, what differentiates companies in the CX space, and where it's going.

[01:07] Micheal's Background – Michael shares his journey and the work he is currently engaged in while discussing how to identify opportunities while entering a new industry 

[07:23] Customer Experience - Michael defines customer experience and where he believes it should reside from an organizational structure viewpoint.

[11:03] Qualities and Skills - What leadership styles are the most effective in the CX space, and what qualities and abilities do such leaders possess?

[13:35] Core Tenants – Michael discusses the key tenets of customer experience and the areas where he believes the most significant roadblocks exist.

[23:22] CX in Real Business Outcomes - How to link customer experience management initiatives to real business outcomes. 

[28:58] The Future - We explore where technology and customer experience are headed.

[33:48] Last Guest's Question - Which business or product have you suggested to a friend, and why?

Resources:

Connect with Michael: 

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mhinshaw/

This week on Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos, our guest is Teresa Cain. Teresa is the Director of Product and UX at TreviPay, responsible for the product vision, strategy, and user experience of a B2B financial technology SaaS platform. She is also the founder and chief executive officer of Lucid Startup Consulting, a company that advises start-up businesses on their strategy and vision. Teresa has over 15 years of experience directing worldwide product and user experience teams. Also, she has extensive expertise in leading B2B and B2C product management, product design, research, strategy, and innovation.

[01:24] Background - Teresa describes her journey so far. She also talks about the firm she works for, TreviPay, and what inspired her to start her own company, Lucid Startup Consulting. 

[05:51] Design Sprints- Teresa defines the phrase "design sprint" and shares her ideas on when firms require design sprints and the outstanding results she has witnessed from design sprints. 

[11:11] The Mix of Roles – Teresa mentions, in addition to engineers and others, who else she prefers to include in this process, elaborating on the optimal blend of individuals or jobs where she found the most success with the design sprint model. 

[13:06] Team - Teresa shares the engagement framework she employs and how she leads her team virtually. 

[17:44] Problems – Teresa describes how she addresses a few of the most common team management challenges. 

[25:42] Integration - Teresa explains why more businesses do not adopt the agile process's incorporation of human-centered design and design thinking. 

[28:18] KPI – Teresa discusses the metrics businesses should implement to determine whether or not their design sprint process has been successful. 

[30:12] Roadblocks -  Teresa points out the obstacles that prevent firms and brands from genuinely focusing on the customer and making decisions in their best interest. 

[32:13] Inspiration - Teresa outlines where she finds inspiration.

“It is important to be smart. It is important to be personable, but being a good influencer is such a critical skill.”

This week on Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos, we’re joined by Ryan Hart, Fractional Chief Experience Officer and Experience Practice Lead at Chameleon Collective. 

Ryan also served as Managing Director, Experience Management Consulting (Tokyo) at PwC Japan, where he empowered a diverse and inclusive team of talented, creative, and strategic thinkers to assist organizations in Japan and throughout the Asia Pacific in accelerating experience, digital, and cultural transformations. 

Throughout the episode, we cover several aspects of experience management, including its key components, where people struggle in experience management, and how to prepare for the future of experience management.

[01:25] Ryan’s Story – Emphasizing how fortunate he is to come from such a diverse background, Ryan discusses his journey thus far.

[04:53] Chameleon Collective – Ryan describes the business model of Chameleon Collective, the company for which he works. Additionally, he presents his ideas on a variety of organizational structures.

[11:29] Leadership – There are numerous leadership styles. Ryan explains the type of leader who often achieves tremendous success, in his opinion. 

[13:49] Key Pillars – Ryan talks about experience management and its core components.

[16:32] Why Fail? – Ryan outlines why and where he believes people fail the most or do not place as much importance on customer experience. 

[23:34] The Future – Ryan shares how he envisions experience management five or ten years from now. 

[27:54] Inspiration -  After mentioning the leaders he most admires in this field, Ryan reveals where he finds inspiration.

Resources:

Connect with Ryan:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ryan-hart-a9254b4/

Twitter: twitter.com/rhartcx

In an increasing number of firms, we see CX supporting the organization’s marketing efforts. Today’s guest of Be Customer Led is Christy Dempster, who works for Roche as a senior international marketing manager - customer experience and analytics lead, global customer experience. Roche is a global leader in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics, aiming to advance science and ultimately enhance people’s lives. Christy is one of the finalists for the CX Leader of the Year in 2021. Throughout today’s podcast, Christy  widely describes the relationship between customer experience and marketing and the opportunities that open up from collaborations between these two fields.

[01:32] Christy’s Story – Christy’s career includes some non-traditional twists and transitions through multiple industries. She shares with us her background and how the journey she has nurtured her knowledge and her perspective on CX. 

[05:56] Christy’s Role at Roche – Christy recounts her role at Roche, what intrigued her to the position, and the impact she contributes to creating.

[11:09] CX Analytics – Christy explores how far the discipline of CX has come in terms of pure analytics and how it will significantly impact the consumer level. 

[17:06] CX and Marketing – Christy emphasizes the importance of integrating customer experience and marketing to create better outcomes for customers. 

[24:17] Inspiration – Christy talks about the things that motivate her the most.

Resources:

Connect with Christy: 

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christydempster/

Mentioned in the episode:

Clare Muscutt Helps Us Understand CX Community Building for WiCX: becustomerled.com/captivate-podcast/clare-muscutt-helps-us-understand-cx-community-building-for-wicx/

“A core part of what we do through strategic workforce planning is translating that purpose and strategy into what the organization needs from its workforce.”

This week on Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos, we speak with Alicia Roach, Founder, and CEO of eQ8 and a global thought leader in Strategic Workforce Planning and Analytics. Alicia has spearheaded the development of a globally unique SWP solution, "eQ8," by combining her skills in complicated data analysis and sophisticated financial modeling with attractive visualizations and tales. EQ8 is an innovative, globally-unique, dynamic, and scalable SAAS platform for Strategic Workforce Planning. Also, Alicia's passion is assisting organizations in executing their purpose by knowing their existing and future workforce potential. In this episode, she discusses how organizations can take their Strategic Workforce Planning to the next level. 

[01:37] Background – Alicia describes her path, the company she co-founded, and how it earned its name," eQ8".

[09:23] SWP – What are the Strategic Workforce Plan, its outcomes, and its impact on the long-term health of the business

[23:32] SWP and CX - If you can improve the employee experience, it will benefit the consumer experience in numerous ways. Alicia mentions how she observes businesses utilizing SWP as a basis for getting a better customer experience. 

[27:36] The Future - Alicia's vision for the future of SWP.

[31:21] Previous Guests' question - Where would you choose to live and work remotely around the globe, and why? 

[32:21] Inspiration – Alicia discusses where she finds inspiration.

Resources:

Connect with Alicia:

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/aliciaroach/

The current generation of chatbot technology utilized in business and consumer settings has significant shortcomings, such as a lack of long-term memory, interactive learning, deep contextual knowledge, and the inability to reason or explain itself, making conversing in a meaningful manner impossible. Our guest today is Peter Voss, the founder/ CEO/ chief scientist at AGI Innovations & Aigo.ai. Aigo.ai is the most sophisticated platform available for natural language interaction. It is implemented utilizing 'The Third Wave of AI,' a cognitive architecture resembling the brain. In this episode, Peter explores the past, present, and future of conversational AI and its impact on the user experience.

[01:06] Peter's Journey - Peter recounts his professional journey, mentioning a couple of defining moments in his career. 

[04:53] Aigo.ai - We discuss Peter's company and the products he and his team deliver.

[07:16] Levels of Chatbots - Evolution of conversational AI technology. 

[11:31] Use Cases - Peter highlights some of the fascinating use cases he has observed, mentioning the B2C and B2B applications and the most significant issues with tech support in conversational AI. 

[21:33] Conversational AI - How will conversational AI technology affect our advancement as customers, and how will it improve our lives as individuals? 

[27:37] The Future – Peter outlines his predictions for the future of technology and his hopes for its improvement.

Resources:

Connect with Peter:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/vosspeter/

Website: aigo.ai/

“If an organization is getting certain results, it’s because it’s designed to get those results. So if you want to have different results, then we need to design the organization to deliver different results.”

This week on Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos, we’re having a deep conversation about organizational change with Ken Thompson, principal partner and CEO of AlignOrg Solutions. In his current role, Ken has led multiple successful strategic organization transformation initiatives with Google, FedEx, Adobe, and many other global industry leaders. Throughout today’s episode, Ken shares his expertise in organization design, operational efficiency, and strategies for organizations to win in a highly competitive marketplace.

[01:13] Ken’s Story – We start the conversation with what led Ken to start his company and how his military experience shaped his career path.

[04:31] AlignOrg Solutions – What strategic organization design is, and how Ken’s firm, AlignOrg Solutions, helps its clients build a winning strategy.

[08:35] Reasons for Struggling - Why many organizations struggle to design their organization in a way that allows them to get the results they want.

[12:55] The Starting Point – How to start making changes that would benefit the business, its employees, customers, investors, and other key stakeholders.

[17:44] Good and Bad Customer Experiences – We talk about some of the customer experiences we’ve had and the lessons businesses can learn from these experiences.

[23:10] Mastering the Cube – We dive into the core content of the book published by Ken’s company, Mastering the Cube: Overcoming Stumbling Blocks and Building an Organization that Works.

[27:03] Change Management – Ken talks about the approach AlignOrg takes when looking at change management for its clients.

[31:45] Inspiration – Ken’s sources of inspiration and why Ken loves the exposure he gets from books.

Resources

Connect with Ken

Phone: 801-232-1442 (M)

Email: ken.thompson@alignorg.com

Website: www.alignorg.com

This week’s episode of the Be Customer Led podcast features Amanda Ono, Chief Human Resources Officer at Kroll. When she was in college, her passion was the interaction between teams and leaders and how they worked together to drive results. She worked in a wide range of positions, including recruiting, training, and building leadership programs, which led her towards the specific title she holds now. In today’s conversation, we talk about migrating from customer experience to employee experience.

 [01.26] Professional Journey – Starting the conversation, Amanda shares where she ignited her passion for customer experience. 

[07.40] Outcomes – Amanda explains what outcomes they achieved at Resolver by bringing customers and employees together as a business decision. 

[13.13] Training programs - If training is the answer, what's the question? Amanda shares why training programs fail most of the time and what we need to do to get real outcomes form them. 

[19.37] Leadership and management – We discuss the distinction between change leadership and change management. 

[26.21] Training on empathy – Amanda walks us through how they train employees on building empathy in their onboarding program at Resolver. 

[32.55] Inspiration – Wrapping up the conversation, Amanda shares where she gets her inspiration in her life to keep going. 

Resources

Connect with Amanda

LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/amandaono/ 

Website - resolver.com/ 

Twitter - twitter.com/amandaono 

Book by John P. Kotter

Leading Change – 

goodreads.com/book/show/51370.Leading_Change

This week’s Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos features Kermit Randa, a results-driven CEO with vast expertise managing the transformation to establish accountability, high performance, and profitable development cultures. He is also a visionary well-known as a strategic thought leader, motivator, and mentor. Throughout the episode, he discusses the importance of customer success in driving CX, drawing on his experience and expertise as a change agent who effectively leads firms to become sustainable, thriving category-leading businesses. 

[01:16] Background – Kermit describes his journey and the factors he believes contributed to his current position. 

[04:41] Customer Success - Kermit delves deeply into defining customer success, noting that it has risen significantly in relevance within a firm during the last five years. 

[10:35] More on Customer Success – Further elaborating on customer success, Kermit discusses the critical responsibilities of the CEO position regarding customer success. 

[13:48] Customer Retention – Kermit addresses some important ways in which customer success teams may begin considering and focusing on retention, a critical component of their responsibilities.

[20:17] Metrics - Kermit mentions several metrics for measuring the success or performance of a customer success management team, which he has employed so far. 

[22:47] Customer Experience - Kermit explains how focusing on customer success improves customer experiences. 

[26:00] Employee Retention – Kermit presents his thoughts on what he believes leaders should do better in employee retention. 

[28:41] Feedback from Employees - Kermit and Bill discuss their respective perspectives on how employers should respond to employee feedback. 

[35:26] Inspiration – Kermit talks about his role models and sources of inspiration.

Recourses:

Connect with Kermit:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kermitranda/

“Journey orchestration became a key fundamental in terms of connecting experiences in the context of the journey and then making personalization and individualization decisions based on where the customer is on that journey and where they are on multiple journeys.”

This week on Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos; we will be speaking with Ray Gerber, Chief Technology Officer and SVP of WW Engineering at Thunderhead. Thunderhead brings brands closer to their customers by assisting them in better understanding and satisfying the demands and needs of each client, regardless of where or when they connect. 

[00:56] Ray's Story – Ray recounts his journey up to this point and describes the significant landmarks he has encountered.

[05:20] Journey Orchestration – Ray outlines journey orchestration and what he noticed in the industry that inspired him to say, "Hey, we need to build this because it fills a massive need." Also, taking into account the present level of technology, he further explains how far he believes the company has developed since he first conceived of it and began constructing it.

[13:46] Conversation in the C suite - Ray describes why journey orchestration is discussed less frequently in the executive suite.

[18:15] Use Cases - Ray presents some of the more intriguing Journey Orchestration use cases he has observed.

[22:25] No Personas - If you can begin to personalize the experience, you may no longer require personas for design. Theoretically, it would help if you had guideposts but not necessarily personas. Ray delivers some of his thoughts in response to this.

Resources:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ray-gerber-b4232b/

Website: www.thunderhead.com

This episode of Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos features Ivonne Kinser. Ivonne is the Vice President of Marketing and Innovation for "Avocados from Mexico." She is in charge of the high-performance team and the company's innovation strategy, both of which helped propel "Avocados from Mexico" to the top of the branding category on Fast Company's 2021 list of the world's most innovative companies. Throughout our discussion today, she shares her insights on whether the experience itself is the brand or the brand itself is the experience.

[01:10] Ivonne's Story - Ivonne recounts her journey while discussing her eclectic job. In addition, she describes the company for which she works, "Avocados from Mexico."

[07:31] Innovative Marketing – Ivonne discusses the reason behind combining marketing and innovation and how they function together. She also offers her opinion on whether marketing firms would benefit from incorporating more innovation-related disciplines into their teams or responsibilities. 

[11:56] Difficult Balance – Ivonne outlines her approach to marketing while serving all these partners along the value chain.

[17:15] CX – Ivonne presents her views on the customer experience concerning her role in marketing. 

[20:37] Brand vs. Experience - Some say the brand is experience. Some say experience is the brand. Ivonne expresses her opinion on whether she agrees or disagrees with a particular camp and the possibilities of connecting the two.

[22:50] The Future - Ivonne explains how she believes marketing will evolve over the next couple of years, and what she means by combining brand and performance is where marketing is headed. 

[25:04] Driving Factors - Ivonne outlines some of the ecosystems generating a great deal of change in the marketing sector. In addition, she analyzes if a marketing leader requires any new skills or resources in light of these changes. 

[29:44] Inspiration – Ivonne reveals where she finds inspiration.

Resources:

Connect with Ivonne:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ivonnekinser/

Website: ivonnekinser.com/

This week’s Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos features Steve Dion, founder and CEO of DION Leadership, dedicated to creating workplaces where the employees start every day excited and end every day accomplished. Throughout today’s episode, Steve shares his knowledge and expertise in helping organizations develop more vital workplaces and cultures by creating and deploying innovative assessment, leadership, and team development programs.

[01:32] Steve’s story – Steve describes his journey and how he came to be in the position he is in today.

[05:33] Impact of COVID – Steve discusses how the world of work is changing due to COVID’s impact over the last two years.

[07:35] The Future - While sharing one of his recent experiences coaching a CEO, Steve explores some areas he finds fascinating regarding the future of work.

[12:14] Advice to CEOs – Steve counsels CEOs on their own need to return to the office. 

[16:04] Better Workforce - Steve outlines what advice he would give leaders on establishing leadership and teamwork to improve the workforce and how people respond to that kind of framework.

[24:23] Steve’s Approach – Steve explains how he serves his clients through his company, Dion Leadership. 

[26:28 Inspiration – Steve shares the thought leaders he admires and the places he seeks inspiration.

Resources:

Connect with Steve:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sdion/

Website: dionleadership.com

Work-life balance: worklifealigned.com

This week's episode of Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos will feature the CEO of Walnut.io, Yoav Vilner. Yoav has started multiple businesses. Also, he is a startup adviser for Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and United Nations-affiliated accelerators. While discussing Yoav's journey with Walnut in today's conversation, we delve deeper into the relevance of sales experience for the success of a business.

[01:06] Yoav's Background - Yoav describes the journey that finally led him to start Walnut. 

[03:08] Walnut – Yoav describes what problem he was attempting to answer with Walnut, how he came up with the company's name, and how long it took him to develop a platform from concept to prototype. 

[07:45] Sales Experience – Yoav explains his point of view on why he believes many people have forgotten about the importance of sales experience. 

[09:16] Service – Yoav discusses the services that his organization provides and the motives behind delivering such services. 

[12:28] Demos as Assets - Yoav offers an explanation as to why businesses do not view demos as an asset. 

[15:35] Data – Yoav further elaborates on Walnut's services and discusses the direction he believes the sales experience will take as a differentiator for organizations. 

[24:07] Inspiration – Yoav mentions the business executives he admires and the sources he frequents to be inspired and energized.

Resources:

Connect with Yoav:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/yoav-vilner/

Website: yoavvilner.com/

“When people ask me what marketing is, I say it's the customer experience from the first time they engage with your brand to the last time they purchase and after that.”

Erik Huberman, the Founder, and CEO of HawkeMedia, the fastest growing marketing consultancy in the United States, appears on this episode of Be Customer Led with Bill Staikos. Hawke Media began operations in 2014 and has seen its valuation rise to $75 million while expanding from seven to more than 150 workers. Among the many accolades bestowed to Hawke Media include spots on the Inc. 5000's "Fastest Growing Companies" list for 2017, the "50 Best Workplaces in Southern California" list from Fortune and Forbes' "Content Marketing Companies to Check Out in 2018" list. In today's episode, Erik discusses the underpinnings of marketing and the future of the field as a whole. 

[01:00] Erik's Journey – Erik discusses the distinguishing characteristics of his career while recounting his path to this point. 

[03:34] The Hawke Method – Erik explains the impetus behind the writing of his book.

[06:27] Three Pillars - Erik outlines how he works with and advises customers by referencing the three pillars outlined in his book: awareness, nurture, and trust.

[16:49] Social Media – Erik addresses the impact of social media on marketing and how social media has altered the nature of trust.

[21:23] The Future - Erik expresses his predictions for the future of marketing over the next few years.

[2437] Impact on CX - Erik outlines the effect of marketing on the customer experience, specifically how the three pillars described would affect the customer experience.

[25.35] Inspiration – Erik shares the sources from which he draws his inspiration.

Resources:

Connect with Erik:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/erikhuberman/

Mentioned in the episode:

The Hawke Method: The Three Principles of Marketing that Made Over 3,000 Brands Soar:goodreads.com/en/book/show/60087797-the-hawke-method