Delighted Customers Podcast Mark Slatin

“Focus on what you tend to neglect”
Andrea Howe, CEO, Author, Guest on The Delighted Customers Podcast

Trust is the centerpiece of influencing others, of making real change happen. 

There's no one better to learn from than Andrea Howe, who is not only a trust expert, but she’s the co-author, The Trusted Advisor Fieldbook and the CEO of The Get Real Project. She’s led learning programs and consulted with big companies like Accenture, Deloitte, and Price Waterhouse Coopers, as well as boutique firms.

Andea shared some powerful insights on why trust is so critical to change and she offers some practical tips on how leaders can become more trustworthy on The Delighted Customers Podcast.

In Part 1 of a 2 part series, this episode of the Delighted Customers Podcast includes:

👉 How leaders can lead with trust in today’s remote/hybrid environment
👉 Explanation of the trust equation and its four variables
👉 Why empathetic listening builds deeper trust than active listening

In Part 2 we'll talk about a real world case study of a SaaS CRM company that broke trust and how that works through the lens of the trust equation.

We'll also talk about what happens when you get ghosted and how to respond from a trustworthy lens.

Meet Andrea

A recovering information technology consultant with nearly 30 years of experience, Andrea P. Howe previously worked for the $1B IT consulting firm American Management Systems (AMS), where her roles included client project manager, client relationship manager, and later, Director of Leadership Development. 

Andrea is the co-author, with Charles H. Green, of The Trusted Advisor Fieldbook: A Comprehensive Toolkit for Leading with Trust. She is the founder of The Get Real Project which has one simple mission: to kick conventional business wisdom to the curb and transform how people work together as a result. 

Andrea’s focus for the past 15+ years has been teaching people in consultative roles how to get better results by getting relationships right. She has designed and led learning programs for companies like Accenture, BNY Mellon, CGI, Deloitte and PwC, among many others. She has spoken to executives, leaders, and teams throughout the U.S. and Canada, as well as in Mexico, Brazil, Europe, Russia, and the Asia Pacific region—both in-person and virtually. 

Described by audiences as pragmatic and engaging, Andrea provides a toolkit to increase trustworthiness in any stakeholder relationship that is both practical and provocative. Andrea addresses topics such as how to: 
- Develop business/sell with trust 
- Promote customer intimacy and client loyalty
- Apply the dynamics of influence to achieve results 
- Improve business relationships using all four variables of the trust equation 
- Deal with conflict in a trust-building way. 

When Andrea’s not working, you can find her in her art studio (aka the basement) taking far too long to finish her latest mosaic project, or looking forward to a future opportunity for partner dancing somewhere near her current home town of Annapolis, Maryland, USA.
 
contact her: www.thegetrealproject.com


Subscribe to The Delighted Customer Podcast so you don't miss an episode: https://www.empoweredcx.com/podcast


Subscribe to The Delighted Customer Newsletter for practical tips and insights: https://www.empoweredcx.com/delightedcustomersnewsletter

Storytelling is a critical skill for any leader but most of us struggle with how to do influence others.

This episode will be unlike any other for several reasons:

1. Filling in the Blanks filmmaker, Jon Baime shares his secrets of applying the art and science of storytelling with the CX leader in mind
2. The documentary Jon shares is both shocking and captivating and reveals a long held family secret of his.
3.  It also reveals a long held family secret of mine - yes, I'm in the film.

Jon breakdown how he crafted the story and how you can use practical tips to master your own storytelling to make change happen!

Listen to the podcast.  

Watch the film on Amazon, Apple, Vudu and on demand on most cable networks.

Meet Jon

Jon's new documentary, Filling in the Blanks is currently ranked in the top 10 of Amazon and has been featured in numerous film festivals.

Jon Baime is an Atlanta-based independent producer with a specialty in non-fiction projects.
Jon’s work encompasses reality series and lifestyle programming on one end and science, environment, and socially conscious content on the other. Over the past 20 years, some of Jon’s work as a producer has included the nationally syndicated travel TV series “Small Town Big Deal” and the motorsports series “Caffeine and Octane.” He has also edited training videos for the Centers for Disease Control and a series of web videos called “Science Nation” for the National Science Foundation. Jon also produced segments for “This American Land,” a PBS series covering environmental issues.
Prior to being independent, Jon worked for TBS’s Environmental Policy unit, traveling the world, producing and editing the long-form documentary series “People Count” hosted by Jane Fonda focusing on climate change and population issues. He also served for two years as a producer on "Real News for Kids," a weekly children's news show produced by CNN and syndicated to television stations in over 200 markets. Jon started his career in television at CNN in 1987.
Jon originally hails from South Orange, N.J., and is a 1986 graduate of Ithaca College.
Filling in the Blanks is available on Amazon Prime, Apple Plus, Vudu, and more other cable and streaming outlets.


Subscribe to The Delighted Customer Podcast so you don't miss an episode: https://www.empoweredcx.com/podcast


Subscribe to The Delighted Customer Newsletter for practical tips and insights: https://www.empoweredcx.com/delightedcustomersnewsletter

In many ways, the Customer Experience leader has the most difficult job in the organization.  Typically serving with a thin staff, a constrained budget, and limited positional authority, they need to get things done through influencing others.

But how?

Numbers along aren't enough.

There's one powerful tool that CX leaders can and should become masters in, that's storytelling.

On this episode of the Delighted Customers Podcast, Dennis Geelen, author of The Zero In Formula and The Accidental Solopreneur, joins me to talk about why storytelling wins over stakeholders and he shares a framework on how to tell stories that inspire change.

In this episode:
- The unique challenges faced by CX leaders in gaining approval and support
- How stories can help convey the urgency and consequences of neglecting customer experience
- Using powerful illustrations such as "The Kodak Story" to make the business case for change
-Avoid the mistake of assuming that data alone will be enough to make an impact on senior leaders

Special Note: This episode sets the stage for the next episode which features a filmmaker who breaks down how he crafted his story, currently a Top 10 Amazon Prime documentary.  Spoiler - yours truly is in the film sharing a secret of his own : )

Meet Dennis

Dennis Geelen, is the Founder and Chief Difference Maker at his solo consulting company, Zero In, that he founded in 2018. Through Zero In, Dennis helps companies ‘solve indifference’ by implementing strategies to build a brand customers love and culture where people are passionate to work.

Author of the best-selling book ‘The Zero In Formula’, Geelen has worked with companies in several industries, spoken at countless events, conferences, workshops, webinars, with dozens of guest appearances on international podcasts.

And now? Dennis also helps other solopreneurs get started. With his latest book, ‘The
Accidental Solopreneur’, providing a playbook for success and told through a riveting and relatable parable that is getting rave reviews from entrepreneurs around the globe.
Catch is weekly newsletter, Happy Accidents, for a new story each week about some of the most famous people, products, or companies who found success through serendipity.

Timeline Overview:

[00:02:52] Solo consultant turned author and coach for solopreneurs.
[00:05:09] Fascinating background; inspired to write differently.
[00:10:25] Key elements of great stories: relatable characters, clear theme, humor, emotional connection, life lessons, conflict.
[00:12:35] Editor assists writer in crafting effective story.
[00:15:14] Show, don't tell: Use stories to engage.
[00:21:12] Analytical person likes numbers, struggles with storytelling.
[00:23:58] Use stories to relate and inspire action.
[00:26:11] Balancing CX and security to retain customers.
[00:30:58] Start team meetings with customer stories, positive and negative.
[00:33:58] Self-publishing saves money and boosts credibility.


Subscribe to The Delighted Customer Podcast so you don't miss an episode: https://www.empoweredcx.com/podcast


Subscribe to The Delighted Customer Newsletter for practical tips and insights: https://www.empoweredcx.com/delightedcustomersnewsletter

How do companies like Ritz-Carlton, Apple, and Starbucks earn the trust of their customers?

Building upon the trust equation introduced in the Trusted Advisor book, we explore the four variables that contribute to trustworthiness: credibility, reliability, intimacy, and self-orientation. Through real-life examples, such as a heartwarming story about a lost stuffed animal at the Ritz Carlton Resort, we uncover the power of trust in creating loyal customers. 

In this episode:
Credibility: Showcasing professionalism, expertise, and trustworthiness through branding, communication, and online presence can instill confidence in your customersReliability: Consistency is key. Consistently delivering on promises and providing a valuable, predictable experience builds trust with customers. Intimacy: Establishing psychological safety, discretion, and a personal connection with customers can be challenging on an organizational level, but it's not impossibleSelf Orientation: Are you more focused on the sale than the relationship?  Asking that question through the customer's lens could help identify areas to become more trustworthyDon't miss out on these valuable insights. Tune in to the Delighted Customers Podcast episode on "The Secret to Building Trust with Customers" and start creating amazing customer experiences that lead to loyalty and advocacy.

Timestamped Overview

[00:01:44] Elmo stays at fancy hotel, sends book.
[00:06:25] Workers must pass rigorous training, be screened. Trust through credibility; website appearance, navigation, testimonials, certifications matter. Online presence instills buyer confidence. IRS experience eroded trust, opposite of Terminex example.
[00:09:23] Hotel creates special book for lost Elmo. In the hospitality industry, personal connections matter. A hotel went above and beyond when they understood a guest's attachment to a lost stuffed animal. Instead of just returning it, they involved the entire staff in creating a picture book to assure the guest that Elmo was safe and cared for. This kind of personal touch can make a big impact, whether it's in business meetings or online interactions. Tesla even automates settings for different drivers, and Starbucks' mobile app saves your orders to Siri. It's all about making things personal.
[00:12:16] Embedding trust in your organization is key.





Subscribe to The Delighted Customer Podcast so you don't miss an episode: https://www.empoweredcx.com/podcast


Subscribe to The Delighted Customer Newsletter for practical tips and insights: https://www.empoweredcx.com/delightedcustomersnewsletter

Trust is the currency of leadership.
The most effective leaders don’t power their way through initiatives. They are masters at building trust as a way of influencing.


Businesses that cultivate trust with their customers and employees outperform their competitors.


We explore the Trust Equation, which originally appeared in The Trusted Advisor (now in it’s 20th Anniversary Print Edition). 


We’re going to explore the four variables of trustworthiness:
CredibilityReliabilityIntimacySelf Orientation...and provide some practical tips on how you can become more trustworthy.
Join me for part 2 of a 3 part series called “Trust and Loyalty Depend on CX” on this episode of the Delighted Customers Podcast.

To Register for the 4 Keys to Leading Change as a CX Pro: https://www.empoweredcx.com/4keys

Seats are limited so sign up today!






Subscribe to The Delighted Customer Podcast so you don't miss an episode: https://www.empoweredcx.com/podcast


Subscribe to The Delighted Customer Newsletter for practical tips and insights: https://www.empoweredcx.com/delightedcustomersnewsletter

We have a special treat for you as we kick off a three-part series on earning customer trust and loyalty. 

In this episode, titled "The Fisherman's Dilemma and Three Types of Customer Loyalty," I will explore the deep connection between customer experience and elements such as emotion, trust, loyalty, and value. 
What's the connection between trust and loyalty?What are three different types of loyalty and why is it critical to know the difference?What does the data say about repurchase, customer referrals, forgiveness, and cost to serve?Why should customer loyalty matter to the C-Suite?What are some real world examples of customer loyalty?Join me for this three part series.  Next time we will delve into trust, both interpersonal and institutional and how it can be earned by individuals and by organizations.


Subscribe to The Delighted Customer Podcast so you don't miss an episode: https://www.empoweredcx.com/podcast


Subscribe to The Delighted Customer Newsletter for practical tips and insights: https://www.empoweredcx.com/delightedcustomersnewsletter