Amazing Business Radio Shep Hyken & C-Suite Radio

Embracing Changing Customer Needs 
Shep Hyken interviews Robert Spector, international keynote speaker, and bestselling author. He talks about his latest book, The Century-Old Startup: The Nordstrom Way of Embracing Change, Challenges, and a Culture of Customer Service and how any company can stay in business during the most challenging times.  
This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:   


How does Nordstrom balance tradition and innovation to stay relevant? 


How does a successful company prioritize social responsibility in its operations and community engagement? 


In what ways can businesses maintain strong connections with their customers in an increasingly digital world? 


How does social responsibility impact customer loyalty? 


How does an organization instill a culture of empowerment and trust to enhance the customer experience? 

Top Takeaways:    
In its employee handbook, Nordstrom has only one rule: Use good judgment. It empowers employees by trusting their ability to assess a situation and make decisions based on their values. Nordstrom also empowers employees by sharing examples of what other excellent employees have done to solve problems. 
 
Clear and transparent communication reassures both employees and customers. During challenging times, such as the pandemic, effective communication with leaders and stakeholders helps alleviate uncertainties, creates a sense of stability, and builds trust and confidence in the brand. 
 
Customers prefer brands that support the same social causes that they care about. Social responsibility isn't just about giving back to the community but also about understanding and respecting diverse values and perspectives. Embracing social responsibility means adapting to the changing cultural landscape, from hiring practices to ethical consumption and sustainable business operations.  
 
Building and maintaining strong relationships with customers is the foundation of business stability. Going above and beyond to satisfy customers' needs and create memorable experiences will result in positive word-of-mouth and enduring customer loyalty. 
 
Balancing technology with personal connections and understanding the importance of human interactions is key to creating a differentiated and exceptional customer experience. 
 
Timeless customer service stories from the past continue to inspire and are essential reminders of how businesses should serve their customers. These stories showcase principles that stand the test of time, emphasizing the significance of customer satisfaction and the impact of going above and beyond expectations. 
 
Plus, Shep and Robert discuss the F.A.C.T.S. (flexibility, agility, communication, transformation, and social responsibility) of customer experience. Tune in! 
Quote:  
"Ultimately, it's about how your decisions positively impact the customer, not just the company." 
 
 
About:    
Robert Spector is an international keynote speaker, thought leader, and best-selling author. His book, The Nordstrom Way to Customer Experience Excellence: Creating a Values-Driven Service Culture, has become a business classic. His latest book, The Century Old Startup: The Nordstrom Way of Embracing Change, Challenges, and a Culture of Customer Service, is available now. 
 
Shep Hyken a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.   
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A Good CX Starts With a Good EX - How to Create a Fulfilling and Meaningful Employee Experience 
Shep Hyken interviews John DiJulius III, Founder and Chief Revolution Officer of The DiJulius Group and bestselling author. He talks about the role of leadership and company culture in shaping a positive work environment. 
This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:   


How can every employee contribute to a better customer experience? 


How can company leaders support successful customer experience investments? 


What role does employee training play in improving customer satisfaction? 


What are common staffing mistakes that companies should avoid for better customer service? 


How are customer retention and employee retention similar? 

Top Takeaways:   
A Good customer experience starts with a good employee experience. The CX will never be better than the EX. 
 
An employee experience revolution is where great companies have leaders who help people live extraordinary lives with meaning and purpose. 
 
The culture of a company is a major driver of the customer experience. As leaders, we set the tone for what the culture is supposed to be. A positive employee experience contributes to a healthy company culture, which affects their motivation and satisfaction. Ensuring a positive employee experience is as essential for your business's success as delivering outstanding customer experience. 
 
There is a quote that says, "You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with." However, in the workplace, your employees cannot choose their five. When a superstar employee is surrounded by underperformers, it can be challenging for them to maintain excellence. Making the right hiring decisions sets the stage for a positive work environment and facilitates the company's and its employees' success. As leaders, we are responsible for creating a team that helps each other excel. 
 
Every employee plays a role in customer experience. Regardless of their position, from the front desk to the C-suite, each employee contributes to customer perception and the company's success. 
 
Prioritizing employee satisfaction and fulfillment is essential for business success. Just as companies strive to fulfill their customers' needs, they must also address the needs of their employees. Companies can boost productivity and morale by providing a work environment that supports employees' growth and fulfillment. 
 
Executive sponsorship is crucial for a successful investment in customer experience. Leaders must empower and support training and customer-centric initiatives. By providing the necessary resources and guidance, executives can drive the company's commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences. 
 
Plus, Shep and John discuss what "hire's remorse" is and how to avoid it. Tune in! 
 
Quote:  
"The two biggest mistakes companies make in staffing are hiring just anyone to replace turnover and looking the other way on poor performers."  
 

About:    
John DiJulius III is the founder and chief revolution officer of The DiJulius Group and the best-selling author of six books, including his latest, The Employee Experience Revolution: Increase Morale, Retain Your Workforce, and Drive Business Growth. 
 
Shep Hyken a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.
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How to Proactively Anticipate Customer Needs 
Shep Hyken interviews Mikhail Naumov,founder and CEO of Paylode Inc. He discusses how businesses can enhance their customers' experiences by proactively addressing their secondary and tertiary needs, going beyond just selling their core products or services. 
This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:   


What role do perks and incentives play in driving customer behavior? 


How can businesses elevate customer experience and create additional value for their customers beyond their core products and services? 


What challenges do businesses encounter when trying to provide complementary products and services to their customers? 


How can businesses use special offers and benefits to motivate and reward their customers? 


How do businesses in the B2C and B2B worlds differ in their approaches to offering additional value to their customers? 

Top Takeaways:   
Proactively anticipate and address customers' needs beyond your core product or service. Customers often face secondary and tertiary problems after making a purchase. Meeting them where they are and helping them solve these additional problems thoughtfully can create strong loyalty, engagement, and gratitude that can earn you customers for life. 
 
By offering customers something outside of, but related to, your typical value proposition, you uplift their experience. This approach can set you apart from your competition and make your business stand out. 
 
Every interaction with a customer is a chance to provide value. Businesses can take advantage of these opportunities by offering complimentary perks or rewards to engage, motivate, and reward customers for specific desirable actions.  
 
When businesses want customers to take certain actions that benefit the business, they should consider what's in it for the customer. Rewarding customers for desired actions can be a cost-effective strategy (and sometimes free) that provides value to the customer and the business. 
 
Building and implementing a framework for offering complimentary perks and engagement programs doesn't have to be overwhelming. With the right platform, businesses can streamline the process and launch loyalty programs efficiently, creating a seamless experience for both the business and the customer. 
 
Plus, Shep and Mikhail discuss how companies in the B2B and B2C industries can best utilize customer perks and rewards. Tune in! 
Quote:  
" Your job may begin and ends with the sale, but customers often have secondary and tertiary needs that you may want to  proactively address."   
 
About:   
Mikhail is the Founder & CEO of Paylode Inc and has been recognized by Forbes Magazine in the "Forbes 30 Under 30" list. He is the best-selling author of AI is My Friend: A Practical Guide for Contact Centers.  
 
Shep Hyken a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio. 
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Transforming Customer Experiences One Interaction at a Time
Shep Hyken interviews Brian Higgins, Chief Customer Experience Officer of Verizon Consumer Group. He talks about how every interaction can shape brand perception and how to use AI to enhance customer and employee experience. 
This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:   


Will AI replace human employees? 


How can AI and human employees work together to enhance customer service? 


Why should companies prioritize customer experience? 


What is the role of AI in improving the interaction between employees and customers? 


In what ways can AI personalization impact customer loyalty and retention? 

Top Takeaways:   
The customer experience is essential for any business. It plays a role in attracting and keeping customers. It affects how customers perceive the brand, its products, and pricing. An exceptional experience keeps customers coming back and builds brand love.  
 
Technology is transforming customer experience. Companies use AI to provide employees with real-time information, helping them better assist customers and enhance the overall experience. 
 
Instead of replacing jobs, AI empowers employees by working alongside them. This allows them to focus on interpreting and sharing information with the customer in a way that best suits their needs, whether empathetic, energetic, enthusiastic, detailed, or simplified.  
 
Digital interactions are crucial for enhancing the customer experience, but they must be organic. Brands need to ensure that their customers want to interact with them digitally, and when they do, it needs to be seamless.  
 
The employee experience is closely linked to the customer experience. If the employees are unhappy and don't feel they have the right policies and tools, your customers will not have a good experience. 
 
AI can simplify complex business interactions and lead to a more customer-centric experience. By using predictive and generative AI, businesses can anticipate what customers need, offer relevant deals, and make complex information easier for employees to understand and relay to customers. 
 
Brands must prioritize creating a positive impact in every interaction, keeping in mind that it may be the customer's only interaction with you in a long time. The role of every employee is to prioritize each interaction as a key moment, recognizing that it can significantly impact the brand and Net Promoter Score. By focusing on delivering amazing experiences every time, employees can play an essential role in building brand love and long-term customer relationships. 
 
Plus, Shep and Brian discuss how Verizon continuously monitors and mitigates pain points at every stage of the customer journey. Tune in! 
Quote:  
"Empowering your employees to quickly and correctly address any breakdown in the customer experience is crucial. Ensure you provide them with the tools to engage with customers effectively." 


About:   
Brian Higgins is Verizon Consumer Group's Chief Customer Experience Officer. He ensures that Verizon employees have the right tools, capabilities, and resources to excel at delivering amazing customer experiences.  

Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio. 
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How Curiosity and Innovation Can Transform Your Business 
Shep Hyken interviews Joseph Michelli, keynote speaker, organizational consultant, and bestselling author. He discusses the principles and strategies in his latest book, Customer Magic – The Macquarie Way, including reimagining customer experience, empowering employees, and transforming businesses. 
This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:   


How can companies effectively challenge the status quo to drive innovation in customer service? 


What is the "challenger mindset"? 


How can storytelling culture contribute to a company's success in customer service and experience? 


What drives improvement and innovation in business? 


Why is it essential for companies to create products tailored to their customers rather than finding customers for their products? 

Top Takeaways:   
An insatiable curiosity and a commitment to innovation enable leaders to constantly seek new ideas and solutions that create value for their employees and customers. This is how leaders remain relevant and impactful as their business  grows.   
 
Creating a storytelling culture within the organization is an amazing tool for engaging customers and employees. It builds a culture that resonates with its audience and strengthens emotional connections. 
 
Adopting the challenger mindset or zigging while others are zagging doesn’t always mean contradicting every idea. It means questioning the status quo and driving continual improvement. Leaders must promote an environment where employees are encouraged to challenge prevailing norms and seek opportunities to do things differently. This can lead to unique solutions and fresh approaches that set a business apart. 
 
Shift from finding customers for your products to finding products for your customers. This customer-centric approach focuses on understanding and addressing the needs of your customers. 
 
When hiring, prioritize individuals who embody a customer service-focused mindset. Seeking out employees who not only have the necessary technical skills but also demonstrate genuine care and approachability toward customers can significantly transform your business. 
 
Plus, Joseph Michelli shares how the inspiration for his book, David and Aidan Tudehope of Macquarie Technology, has achieved great success by challenging the status quo of their industry. Tune in! 
Quote:  
"It's not about the product. The product is a vector to create an impact on the lives of humans. The magic is in how we create an experience in the lives of our customers." 
 

About:   
Joseph Michelli, Ph.D., C.S.P., is an international keynote speaker and organizational consultant. He is a Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Nielson BookScan, and New York Times #1 bestselling author. His latest book, Customer Magic – The Macquarie Way: How to Reimagine Customer Experience to Transform Your Business, is available now on Amazon. 
 
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.   
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Optimizing Process, People, and Technology to Create a Better Customer Service Experience 
Shep Hyken interviews Joseph Walsh, Vice President of Product Marketing for GoTo. He shares the Four Phases of the Contact Center and the significance of placing customer experience at the heart of your company's operations. 
This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:   


What are the four phases of a customer service center's life cycle? 


Why is it important to understand customer demands in the context of social media and other communication channels? 


Why is it essential for companies to balance their technology, people, and processes? 


How can organizations evaluate and improve customer service to increase revenue and better serve customers? 


What potential risk do organizations face when they fail to focus on improving customer experience? 

Top Takeaways:   
Managers and CX leaders must listen to what's happening on the frontline and how customers interact with agents on the phone, chat, or AI. Find out where your frontline is excelling and what its shortcomings are. Analyze conversations, not just to grade but to determine if you are doing what is best for your customers. 
 
Joseph shares the Four Phases of the Contact Center. 
 

Phase 1 is all about customer-initiated conversations. Agents field multiple calls and answer queries following a script. The tech is often very limited to the standard phone system. There is little room for creativity, and it is all about compliance. 
 

Phase 2 is about collaboration. Beyond the phone system, more technology and communication channels are introduced into the conversation. The CRM platform is integrated, so agents, subject matter experts, and everyone in the company are on the same page and can work together on the customer journey, products, and pain points.  
 

Phase 3 is about entering the digital experience and growth. Customers and agents are using a full array of communication channels, such as web chat, social media, email, and more, that work seamlessly together. 
 

Phase 4 is about automation, AI, self-service, and sustained growth. Customers are empowered to find answers and solve problems on their own through online portals and interactive web chats. Companies are finding ways to reduce repetitive tasks for agents and deliver faster answers to customers, resulting in a better experience for both. 
 
Customers now turn to social media to seek help or voice their frustrations. If your company is on social media, embrace the entire medium, the people who use it, and their expectations. 
 
Customer service is about more than fixing issues. It's about enhancing the overall customer experience. Businesses can continuously evaluate and improve their customer service strategies, increase revenue, and build stronger customer relationships.  
 
Plus, Shep and Joseph discuss the top channels for customer communication. Tune in! 
Quote:  
"To answer customer needs, you need the entire company working together. It's about ensuring an organization can answer all customer queries and answer them the best they can." 

 
About:   
Joseph Walsh is the Vice President of Product Marketing for GoTo. He helps organizations improve customer and employee experience and grow revenue by embracing digital technology. 
 
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.
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