Human Experience in A Technological World
My momma used to say, “If you can’t say something nice – don’t say anything at all.” That guidance has typically proven to be invaluable. Today, however, I am going to skate on the edge of mom’s wisdom. I will not name the villains in the story I am about to share, but I also…
Cutting-edge Service Technology Blended with a Human Service Culture
“The Robots are Coming, the Robots are Coming” Cutting-edge Service Technology Blended with a Human Service Culture I have loved Singapore since the first time I visited more than a decade ago. In fact, back in 2014, I wrote the following: Guess how they are listening to customers in Singapore. I am fresh off a…
Customer Experience Lessons from South African Informal Townships [Infographic]
This is the second in a three-part series on customer experience lessons I learned from a recent South African trip. Last week, I shared insights gained from the African bush and this installment will feature the truths that emerged from time spent at an informal settlement. While doing a public event in Johannesburg, I met…
Customer Experience Lessons from the African Bush
Every morning I wake up with deep gratitude for the blessings in my life. In the past ten days, for example, I had the extreme honor of working with entrepreneurs in South Africa who are seeking to deliver branded customer experiences that will give their businesses a competitive advantage. Across three days of presentations, I…
Take Service Communication to the Next Level
Waiting for Your Email: For the Good of Humanity, Please Reply What happened to service standards and communication etiquette? At the risk of sounding like my father (as he extolled the virtues of the good old days), I am mystified by the rapid deterioration of responsive communication and service urgency. I suspect I’ve been blessed…
The Future of Customer Experience Delivery
My crystal ball says winning experiences will deliver. I lay no claim to my prognostic ability, but when it comes to the future of customer experience delivery, I’m willing to venture an educated guess. I predict future retail wars will involve online brands (whose value proposition will be an expansive choice, “best pricing” and quick delivery)…
Starbucks: Greatness Personified/Excellence Diversified – What About You?
I met him while working with Starbucks around the time I wrote my first book about the company titled The Starbucks Experience. I’d venture to say that Starbucks might have been little more than one man’s vision if it wasn’t for his leadership strengths. He was one of the original architects of the brand – a…
Strategic Positioning | Is Your Customer Experience Agile Enough?
From Machines to Living Organisms I continue to be in awe of consultative think tanks like McKinsey and Company. Over my career, I’ve been blessed to work with McKinsey consultants who often do the heavy lifting to understand optimal strategic positioning for senior leadership teams. Agile Genius The genius of this collection of talented individuals was…