Taking unproven routes can lead to exciting new possibilities. However, it could also lead to potential failure. That's what makes life interesting, isn't it?  Optimistic thinking has led to groundbreaking achievements, like the moon landing in the 1960s. However, it's important to strike a balance between hope and realism.  In today's episode, we explore the concept of optimism bias and how it plays a role in the "AI Hype Cycle." We discuss the pros and cons of optimism and why it can be...

Over the course of three years, Maersk Line improved its Net Promoter Score (NPS) by an impressive 40 points, resulting in a 10% increase in shipping volumes. Even more remarkable, this growth occurred during a global shipping decline.  But can other companies replicate Maersk’s success? Or are case studies like this more cautionary tales than roadmaps? We explore the value of case studies in business, particularly how they can be used to highlight the application of concepts and theories...

If there is one thing that academics know how to do, it’s publish new research. It seems that umpteen studies are published every hour. It can be overwhelming to keep up with it all.  So, we undertook it to help you with this week’s episode.  We explore three fascinating studies in the realm of consumer behavior with insights from Dr. Morgan Ward, a Professor of Consumer Behavior at Emory University. From the influence of sound on social status to the role of streaks in motivating behavior...

Colin doesn’t sit in aisle 13 when he flies on an airline. It’s silly but true. He also fancies his red knickers on days when he is speaking in front of large crowds.  While this errs on the side of too much information, it also foretells the topic of this week’s episode: superstitions and how they influence our decisions as customers and otherwise.   Many of us hold on to irrational beliefs that are common sense, even when they defy logic. Airlines, for instance, often skip row 13 because...

Hurricane Debbie dumped 17 inches of water in Colin's home.  It was a traumatic experience, from wading through the murky water to the neighbor’s house—hoping not to encounter the alligators that usually hang out nearby—to watching a team of 12 recovery professionals sweeping through and gutting what remained inside after the water subsided. The experience has been emotionally draining, especially since they didn't have flood insurance, making the cost of repairs overwhelming. It exposed...

Customer feedback is critical to managing and improving your customer experience but it isn’t easy to get. Worse, it isn’t always useful and enlightening on what you are doing well, or perhaps more importantly, not so well.  In this episode, we tackle a common problem many businesses face: how to get more actionable customer feedback. Our guest, Tim Waterton, Chief Revenue Officer of HappyOrNot®, brings over 20 years of experience in helping companies gather and analyze customer insights....

One of the benefits of being in business and academia for years is that we have a lot of experience running workshops. This episode is a brain dump of all the stuff you won’t learn in a book but is critical to the successful outcome of your program. The first and perhaps most critical step is breaking the ice. By setting a relaxed and open tone, you ease participants into the session, ensuring they’re ready to engage. A simple question at the start can do wonders—something as quirky as...

Claire Dunwood has a pickle. She wants to know how to manage rising customer expectations with fewer resources than she used to have. This episode seeks to help her—and you—do exactly that. It’s pretty common to hear problems like this today. Responding to rising expectations is easy when there is no limit to the resources you can throw at it. Doing that same thing on a budget is a different kettle of fish.  We kick off by exploring how expectations form. Expectations for experiences, even...

Personalization is a developing area in Customer Experiences. With AI driving what could be possible, many of you might be wondering how you can best leverage its capability in yours. To that end, we invited our special guest, Graham Hill, Ph.D., to explore the rapidly evolving field of Personalization in Customer Experiences. With decades of experience in customer relationship management (CRM) and Customer Experience, Hill shares valuable insights into how personalization, particularly with...

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

In this episode, we tackle a thought-provoking question from one of our listeners: Is it ethical to use urgency as a marketing tactic?  This question sparked a deep conversation about the ethics of digital marketing, particularly the use of scarcity to drive sales.  We feature insights from Daniel Bisett, partner and CXO at WeRock DM, and Marketing Professor at UT McCombs, who shares his thoughts after watching "The Social Dilemma" and wrestling with the impact of digital marketing on...

In this episode, we dive deep into the concept of empathy and its significance in Customer Experience Management. We challenge common perceptions of empathy, explore its connection to emotional intelligence, and examine how both concepts can enhance your experience management efforts. We begin with a discussion on the importance of Emotional Intelligence (EQ), referencing some compelling statistics: Emotional intelligence influences 58% of job performance. 90% of top performers at work...

In this episode, we challenge the conventional wisdom of customer-centricity and discuss why firing a customer is sometimes necessary. While it may seem counterintuitive, knowing when to let go of a customer can benefit your business in the long run.  We outline five critical rules to help you determine when it's time to part ways with a customer: Rule #1: Fire customers if they cost too much. Some customers drain more resources than they generate in revenue. It's crucial to track these...

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

Friction occurs when a customer has to work or think hard during an experience. Many times, friction is accidental or the result of organizational apathy. In these instances, friction is a bad thing.    Friction is rarely a good thing in a Customer Experience. However, there are times when it can be beneficial.    For example, when your bank uses two-factor authentication to ensure you are who you say you are. This friction enhances customers’ feelings about an experience.    So, how do...

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

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

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

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

Sanjay Patel faces a challenge many of us can relate to: how to get senior executives to buy into your program.    Dealing with senior management can be nerve-wracking, as I learned twenty years ago when my heart rate spiked during a presentation to the CEO and C-suite. Today, I've mastered strategies for these situations.    In this episode, we discuss how to deal with them effectively and get what you want.   For example, it starts by being confident in your knowledge. Senior...

This episode is the sixth in an eight-part series on Unlocking the Psychology of Customer Experience. Here, we explore the psychology we have regarding how human beings deal with predicting unpredictable outcomes. The discussion focuses on biases that influence how people perceive and assess probability and risk, impacting their judgment and decision-making processes.   We begin with a common bias in these situations, the Gambler's Fallacy. In this scenario,  individuals predict future...

Regarding Customer Experiences and the behavioral sciences, there is seldom only one thing happening at a time. There are usually a lot of things happening at once. This masterclass episode, the fifth in a series of eight, explores economic biases and how they create flaws in our decision-making logic.    For example, one key bias discussed is the Sunken Cost Fallacy, where people need help to walk away from investments, leading to subsequent mistakes. Loss Aversion is another bias...

Surge pricing, a form of dynamic pricing, involves raising prices during spikes in demand to balance supply and demand. It is a rational economic solution to manage demand effectively, but it can generate negative emotions among consumers who feel they're being unfairly charged. Surge pricing is a specific flavor of dynamic pricing or, depending on your perspective, price discrimination.   Surge Pricing is commonly seen in ride-sharing services or airlines, where prices increase during peak...

Various motivational biases and emotions shape customer experiences, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to designing experiences. For example, the customer’s mood significantly impacts the customer’s decision-making processes.   Today's discussion highlights why understanding the customer’s mood and managing customer emotions helps you achieve your desired experience outcomes. It also identifies twenty emotions driving or undermining value, stressing the necessity of specificity...