EXPEERIENCE

We're Not Done Yet! Mapping Future Trends in Customer Experience

On this, the final episode in this season of ExPEERience, we’re looking at CX of the future. How is what your customers are expecting from their experiences changing? How can we deliver the experiences of tomorrow? And how will technology like AI and machine learning play a part? Here’s who is joining me and just some of the future-forward wisdom they’re sharing: * Blake Morgan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/blakemichellemorgan/], customer experience futurist [https://www.blakemichellemorgan.com/] and author, tells me that the bar for using customer experience as a competitive differentiator is already quite low and that brands will have to go above and beyond with technology, to build experiences that delight tomorrow’s customers. * Jay Baer [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaybaer/], of Convince and Convert [https://www.convinceandconvert.com/], reminds us that CX initiatives are like escalators in that they never reach the top, but just keep going in a circle; and that customer experience is a process, not a project that will ever be completed. * Tom Cheesewright [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomcheesewright/], author and applied futurist [https://tomcheesewright.com/], doesn’t think AI is going to replace the human experience, but that human interaction will climb up the value chain as artificial intelligence gets more capable. * Greg Chapman [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregchap/], of The Pocket CMO [https://www.thepocketcmo.com/], sees a future world where predicting behavior and purchase cycles allow things like chatbots to become more personalized and start to deliver significant value to customers’ experiences. * Chris Brogan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cbrogan/], digital and brand strategist [https://chrisbrogan.com/], thinks personalization is not even in its infancy, and future AI-driven experiences will be seen as neither creepy nor invasive when they deliver customer experiences people are genuinely excited about. * Bruce Temkin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brucetemkin/], head of the Qualtrics XM Institute [https://www.qualtrics.com/xm-institute/], says the true power of AI-enhanced CX will not be about optimizing the decisions customers make, but about optimizing the experiences they have with a brand. And that’s just a start! I really hope you enjoyed listening to this season of ExPEERience, and that hearing my conversations with executives, futurists, and thought leaders from across the world has started discussions in your business about how we can all better serve our customers; today and in the future. You can learn more about this season and the variety of subjects we covered, as well as details of all the people who took part, by visiting sap.com/expeeriencepodcast [http://sap.com/expeeriencepodcast]. I would like to thank the team responsible for the creation and production of ExPEERience: SAP Executive Producer, Melissa Lange [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mlange/]; our production partners at Simpler Media [https://simpler.media], Evo Terra [https://twitter.com/evoterra] and Sam Walker [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-walker-9bb9849/]; and the SAP team Ana Amman [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anaammann/], Tram Anh Nguyen [https://www.linkedin.com/in/-tramanhnguyen/], Tara Sorman [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarasorman/], Molly Breene [https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-breene-884b2a17/], and Amber Hatfield [https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-hatfield-972a5212/]. I’m Paula Hansen [https://www.linkedin.com/in/paula-hansen-20a7113], Chief Revenue Officer for SAP Customer Experience [https://www.sap.com/products/crm.html] and the host of ExPEERience. Thank you for listening.

How Great Customer Experience Bridges the Digital Divide

In this episode of ExPEERience, it’s time to look at the realities of delivering great CX in a digital space. How can you make your customers feel connected to your brand through non-human interactions? How far can you go with personalization before it gets “creepy”? And how do you give customers the same experience across multiple platforms? To help answer these questions, I reached out to some great CX leaders from around the world: * Marwan Dimas [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marwan-dimas-%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B3-43721824/], Group Marketing and Communications Director for Power International Holding [https://powerholding-intl.com/], says that designing digital and physical experiences with universal human principles in mind will lead to meaningful experiences. * Jay Baer [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaybaer/], of Convince and Convert [https://www.convinceandconvert.com/], believes that brands who claim technology limits their ability to be interesting are just using technology as an excuse to actually be disinteresting. * Shep Hyken [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shephyken/], the Chief Amazement Officer at Shepard Presentations [https://hyken.com/], talks about the need for the switch between human-powered and digital-powered, to be seamless and frictionless. * Blake Morgan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/blakemichellemorgan/], customer experience futurist [https://www.blakemichellemorgan.com/] and author, tells me that in a world where B2B is changing to “B-to-me,” smart brands are using technology to make the lives of their customers easier and better. * Tom Cheesewright [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomcheesewright/], author and applied futurist [https://tomcheesewright.com/], explains that today’s customers are not benchmarking you against your direct competitors. They are benchmarking your brand against the best of their digital interactions. * Bruce Temkin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brucetemkin/], head of the Qualtrics XM Institute [https://www.qualtrics.com/xm-institute/], discusses the role experience management plays and suggests brands need to apply even more experience management into their digital activities next year than they’ve done this year. * Anne Morriss [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-morriss/], Executive Founder of The Leadership Consortium [https://www.theleadershipconsortium.org/], says that brands that rely on empathy and transparency can strike the balance between personalization and privacy that customers appreciate. * Frances Frei [https://www.linkedin.com/in/francesfrei/], professor at Harvard Business School [https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=6587], shares a simple litmus test to determine which brands actually have empathy with their customers and which are all about themselves. And that’s just a start! On the next episode of ExPEERience, the topic is the future of CX. How will advances in technology change what your customers expect from you? And what will those experiences look like tomorrow? I would like to thank the team responsible for the creation and production of ExPEERience: SAP Executive Producer, Melissa Lange [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mlange/]; our production partners at Simpler Media [https://simpler.media], Evo Terra [https://twitter.com/evoterra] and Sam Walker [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-walker-9bb9849/]; and the SAP team Ana Amman [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anaammann/], Tram Anh Nguyen [https://www.linkedin.com/in/-tramanhnguyen/], Tara Sorman [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarasorman/], Molly Breene [https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-breene-884b2a17/], and Amber Hatfield [https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-hatfield-972a5212/]. I’m Paula Hansen [https://www.linkedin.com/in/paula-hansen-20a7113], Chief Revenue Officer for SAP Customer Experience [https://www.sap.com/products/crm.html] and the host of ExPEERience. Thank you for listening.

Don’t Panic! Delivering Customer Experience During A Crisis

Today, we’re looking at how attention to great customer experience can preserve or even strengthen that relationship when things go wrong. What happens when an order goes missing, a new purchase breaks, or an event is ruined. No company is immune to a crisis and it’s at times like these when your relationship with your customer comes under threat. Here’s who I’ve invited to share their thoughts on this crucial moment: * Anne Morriss [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-morriss/], Executive Founder of The Leadership Consortium [https://www.theleadershipconsortium.org/], talks about what she calls the “trust wobble” and how powerful it is when brands learn to diagnose and address it. * Frances Frei [https://www.linkedin.com/in/francesfrei/], professor at Harvard Business School [https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=6587], details the “levers of trust” and how most trust problems are a combination of authenticity, logic, or empathy. * Shep Hyken [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shephyken/], the Chief Amazement Officer at Shepard Presentations [https://hyken.com/], explains his concept of “the extra question” and how it can stop customer conflict before it happens. * Brett Frazer [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettfrazer/], Vice President of Customer Service at Sunbasket [https://sunbasket.com/], shares the role his data science team plays in identifying “trigger points” to resolve so customers are led to loyalty. * Jon Picoult [http://linkedin.com/in/jon-picoult-7655777], of Watermark Consulting [https://watermarkconsult.net/], says great companies recognize that over-correcting on the recovery actually creates more loyalty with customers post-recovery than they had before the crisis. * Dan Gingiss [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dangingiss/], CX coach and keynote speaker [https://dangingiss.com/], tells the story of why one online retailer is so focused on their long game and why they are willing to lose money on a single transaction to make a customer for life. * Steve Bayliss [https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-bayliss-286b3a16/], brand expert and Chief Creative Officer for Sky in New Zealand [https://www.sky.co.nz/], wants you to find the “bing-bong” in your business and see what happens when you turn it off for a day! * Bruce Temkin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brucetemkin/], head of the Qualtrics XM Institute [https://www.qualtrics.com/xm-institute/], shares how one brand made several pivots during the COVID-19 pandemic to adapt on-the-fly to their customers’ changing needs. And that’s just a start! On the next episode of ExPEERience, we’ll discuss the realities of delivering exceptional customer experience in the digital space. How do you create a strong relationship with your customer through non-human interactions? How do you ensure consistency in your CX between in-person and digital transactions? And can personalization go too far? I would like to thank the team responsible for the creation and production of ExPEERience: SAP Executive Producer, Melissa Lange [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mlange/]; our production partners at Simpler Media [https://simpler.media], Evo Terra [https://twitter.com/evoterra] and Sam Walker [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-walker-9bb9849/]; and the SAP team Ana Amman [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anaammann/], Tram Anh Nguyen [https://www.linkedin.com/in/-tramanhnguyen/], Tara Sorman [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarasorman/], Molly Breene [https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-breene-884b2a17/], and Amber Hatfield [https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-hatfield-972a5212/]. I’m Paula Hansen [https://www.linkedin.com/in/paula-hansen-20a7113], Chief Revenue Officer for SAP Customer Experience [https://www.sap.com/products/crm.html] and the host of ExPEERience. Thank you for listening.

Building Transcendent Customer Experience Through Your Brand's Community

In this episode, I’ve assembled a global cast of outstanding customer experience leaders to discuss the transformational effect a rich and robust community can have on the customer experience your brand delivers. Here’s just a taste: * Tony Ambroza [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-ambroza-12b89a/], Chief Brand Officer with Carhartt [https://www.carhartt.com/], tells me that a community-centric perspective was built into the company more than 130 years ago and continues to be what sets his company apart today. * Brett Frazer [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettfrazer/], Vice President of Customer Service at Sunbasket [https://sunbasket.com/], shares how they have tapped into the experiential knowledge aptitude of their best customers to help service other customers with great success. * Frances Frei [https://www.linkedin.com/in/francesfrei/], professor at Harvard Business School [https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=6587], encourages brands with highly configurable products and services to leverage their customers, who often have specific experiences with and answers to tricky customer service inquiries. * Anne Morriss [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-morriss/], Executive Founder of The Leadership Consortium [https://www.theleadershipconsortium.org/], says brands must find ways to capitalize on the peer-to-peer interactions customers have with each other as they interact with a brand. * Adrian Swinscoe [https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianswinscoe/], author and customer experience advisor [https://www.adrianswinscoe.com/], cautions brands to not fall into the trap of assuming they're the experts for their own product or service, because it is actually the brand’s customers who are the true experts. * Dan Gingiss [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dangingiss/], CX coach and keynote speaker [https://dangingiss.com/], suggests brands take the bold step of asking customers why they choose to do business with the brand rather than the brand’s competitors, to uncover which differentiating factors the community cares most about. And that’s just a start! On the next episode of ExPEERience, we’ll talk about how brands need to respond when, not if, things go wrong. When mistakes happen, the relationship with your customer comes under threat. But done right, great CX can build trust, increase loyalty, and turn your unhappy customer into a lifelong fan. I would like to thank the team responsible for the creation and production of ExPEERience: SAP Executive Producer, Melissa Lange [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mlange/]; our production partners at Simpler Media [https://simpler.media], Evo Terra [https://twitter.com/evoterra] and Sam Walker [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-walker-9bb9849/]; and the SAP team Ana Amman [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anaammann/], Tram Anh Nguyen [https://www.linkedin.com/in/-tramanhnguyen/], Tara Sorman [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarasorman/], Molly Breene [https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-breene-884b2a17/], and Amber Hatfield [https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-hatfield-972a5212/]. I’m Paula Hansen [https://www.linkedin.com/in/paula-hansen-20a7113], Chief Revenue Officer for SAP Customer Experience [https://www.sap.com/products/crm.html] and the host of ExPEERience. Thank you for listening.

How to Move Your Customer Experience from Good to Great

In this episode, we’re doubling down on what it takes to make not just good customer experiences, but great ones. How your brand can move from merely satisfying customers to delighting them. And how you can create experiences that aren’t just pleasant, but truly remarkable. To unpack the myriad initiatives a brand might take, I sat down with a few experts and thought leaders to dig deep into what great CX looks like—or rather, what great CX feels like to customers. Here’s a sampling of what they shared with me: * Steve Bayliss [https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-bayliss-286b3a16/], brand expert and Chief Creative Officer for Sky in New Zealand [https://www.sky.co.nz/], says that small innovations that show your customers that you're thinking about them because you care can be one of the most powerful accelerators in the shift from good to great. * Dan Gingiss [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dangingiss/], CX coach and keynote speaker [https://dangingiss.com/], thinks too many companies fail to take the first step of becoming a customer of their own company, which is what leads to inadvertent, but annoying customer experiences. * Greg Chapman [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregchap/], of The Pocket CMO [https://www.thepocketcmo.com/], shares six ways to earn your customers’ praise and deliver a great experience through an acronym that cleverly spells out the word “PRAISE”. * Brett Frazer [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettfrazer/], Vice President of Customer Service at Sunbasket [https://sunbasket.com/], details how his company integrates the voice of the customer on an individualized basis to make rapid changes and keep delighting customers. * Jay Baer [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaybaer/], of Convince and Convert [https://www.convinceandconvert.com/], says that counterintuitively the secret is for brands to think small, coming up with and applying very specific choices to start seeing immediate CX improvements. * Jon Picoult [http://linkedin.com/in/jon-picoult-7655777], of Watermark Consulting [https://watermarkconsult.net/], suggests companies known for great CX recognize they are not just in the business of creating great customer experiences; they are in the business of creating great customer memories. And that’s just the start! On the next episode of ExPEERience, we explore how community intersects with customer experience. Join me as we examine how the creation of a community can have a revolutionary effect on your customer experience, from building loyalty, to turning customers into advocates, and even fueling product innovation. You won’t want to miss it. I would like to thank the team responsible for the creation and production of ExPEERience: SAP Executive Producer, Melissa Lange [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mlange/]; our production partners at Simpler Media [https://simpler.media], Evo Terra [https://twitter.com/evoterra] and Sam Walker [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-walker-9bb9849/]; and the SAP team Ana Amman [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anaammann/], Tram Anh Nguyen [https://www.linkedin.com/in/-tramanhnguyen/], Tara Sorman [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarasorman/], Molly Breene [https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-breene-884b2a17/], and Amber Hatfield [https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-hatfield-972a5212/]. I’m Paula Hansen [https://www.linkedin.com/in/paula-hansen-20a7113], Chief Revenue Officer for SAP Customer Experience [https://www.sap.com/products/crm.html] and the host of ExPEERience. Thank you for listening.