47 episodes
It's a Customer's World with Andy Murray Sam M. Walton College of Business
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- Business
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5.0 • 22 Ratings
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Equipped with more than 30 years of experience in retail, most recently as the Chief Customer Officer for Walmart Asda in the U.K., host Andy Murray is sharing his expertise through his new role as the founder and executive chair of the Customer Centric Leadership Initiative at the University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business. Now more than ever, retailers and brands are accelerating their quest to be more customer centric, but to be truly customer centric, it requires both a shift in mindset and ways of working, not just in marketing but in all parts of the organization. Through his initiative and this podcast series, Andy will be talking with practitioners, thought leaders, and scholars to hear their thoughts on what it takes to be a leader in today’s customer centric world.
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Steve Dennis on Navigating Leadership and Transformation in a Customer-Centric World
Show Notes
In this episode of 'It's a Customer's World' podcast, host Andy Murray talks with Steve Dennis, a seasoned leader and author, about the challenges and necessities of transforming organizations to become truly customer-centric. With insights from Dennis' new book 'Leaders Leap,' they discuss the critical leadership mindset needed for such transformations. The conversation delves into Dennis' personal reflections on past experiences, notably his time at Sears, and how moments of crisis can lead to significant professional growth and the imperative for courage in leadership.
Dennis emphasizes the importance of being customer-focused, not just in marketing but across all aspects of an organization, and how fear and ego can impede innovation. They touch on various aspects of leadership and the necessity of adopting new mindsets to succeed in today's rapidly changing retail landscape.
The episode is rich with advice on personal and organizational transformation, highlighting the journey towards more dynamic, customer-centered leadership.
Questions and Topics:
00:00 Welcome to It's a Customer's World Podcast
01:05 Deep Dive with Steve Dennis: Leadership and Transformation
02:27 The Sears Strategy Story: A Leadership Reflection
07:20 Pivoting Perspectives: The Power of Leadership Mindset
11:10 The Courage to Innovate: Overcoming Fear and Embracing Change
26:31 Leadership Leaps: The Seven Mindset Shifts for Transformation
31:19 Personal Journey: Embracing Vulnerability and Courage in Leadership
40:35 Closing Thoughts and the Path Forward
Additional Links
Leaders Leap by Steve Dennis -
Sharon Gai on the Importance of First Party Data for the Customer Experience
Show Notes
This episode of It's a Customer's World podcast focuses on the shift towards customer centricity in retail and the broader implications for brands and advertisers. Andy Murray talks with Sharon Gai, an expert in e-commerce, digital transformation, and AI with significant experience at Alibaba, to explore how China-based companies prioritize customer experience in developing their platforms.
They discuss the importance of first-party data and closed-loop reporting in creating more relevant consumer experiences and the challenges brands face in accurately defining and achieving these experiences.
Sharon shares insights into the 'golden triangle' framework of product, merchandise, and context used by Chinese e-commerce companies, emphasizing the role of hyper-personalization and the use of extensive consumer data in crafting targeted marketing strategies.
The conversation also delves into the potential impact of generative AI on e-commerce and the need for brands to experiment and adapt to remain competitive.
Questions and Topics:
0:00 Episode Introduction
2:38 Introducing Sharon Gai
3:26 Discussion on China’s E-commerce Approach
13:01 Exploring the Future of Consumer Experience
17:46 The Role of Reviews in E-commerce
22:39 The Impact of Data Privacy on Consumer Experience
26:03 The Future of E-commerce and AI
Additional Links
Sharon Gai's website
Sharon Gai's book -
Andy Murray, Molly Rapert, and Rod Thomas on Retail Media Networks with special host, Brent Williams
Show Notes
In this episode of It's a Customer's World Podcast, Andy Murray takes on the role as guest alongside Molly Rapert and Rod Thomas. Special host, Brent Williams, leads the trio through a lively conversation over their latest whitepaper on Retail Media Networks.
The Retail Media Networks whitepaper discussed in this episode is the second release of academic research on the topic, conducted by the Sam M. Walton College of Business's Customer Centric Leadership Initiative and research team.
Join Andy Murray and the Walton College research team as they discuss significant developments in Retail Media Networks over the last year and how crucial strategic clarity, alignment, and standardization will be vital for future success.
Questions and Topics:
0:00 Episode Introduction
1:15 Guest Introductions
3:26 Macro view on the changes in Retail Media Networks from last year
6:21 How do you distill all the expert interviews and insights
7:59 What did you find: a bullish or bearish perspective on Retail Media Networks?
13:33 Where have gaps closed vs where they have not in terms of strategic clarity
15:48 How value is created and whether it has changed from the previous year
19:58 The way forward -
Chris Riegel on the Rising Importance of Digital Signage in Physical Stores
In this episode of It’s a Customer’s World Podcast, Andy Murray is joined by Chris Riegel. Founder and CEO of STRATACACHE. Chris is an expert in emerging technologies with 20 years of experience in systems and networking technology ventures, including acquisitions of technologically advanced companies to build the STRATACACHE family. STRATACACHE offers retail transformation and exceptional customer experiences through advanced marketing technology solutions.
In their conversation, Andy and Chris trade thoughts on the current state of in-store digital signage, the future of retail technology, the evolution of retail media networks, how retailers can become more customer-centric, and much more.
Questions and Topics00:00 Episode Introduction
01:00 Guest Introduction
03:00 Viewing digital signage from the perspective of the consumer
09:33 What is driving the pendulum swing back to in-store digital displays?
12:28 What shoppers using a phone in-store tells us about the customer experience
20:12 The importance of customer data
25:00 Where is the line between relevant ad personalization and “creepiness”?
27:52 What have you learned about executing Retail Media effectively?
32:37 Looking at European trends
34:10 Forecasting the evolution and growth of RMNs
36:06 The benefit of a customer-centric approach when entering an emerging space
43:58 Why retailers need to stay true to their core mission of serving customers -
Katie Hotze on the Future of Grocery Shopping
In this episode of It’s a Customer’s World Podcast, Andy Murray is joined by Katie Hotze. Katie is the CEO & Founder of Grocery Shopii, a Charlotte-based tech startup that uses machine learning to fuel online grocery shopping. With over 20 years of experience in digital marketing, data analytics, and business strategy, Katie was able to turn a personal frustration with online grocery shopping into a nationally-recognized retail tech disrupter that’s rapidly expanding in North America.
In their conversation Andy and Katie explore the problem she is solving for consumers and retailers, the power of shoppable recipes, the impact of generative A.I., what is next in the world of retail technology, and much more.
Questions and Topics
02:25 What led to the creation of Grocery Shopii?
06:10 How did you know you had a customer problem worth solving?
11:00 How big is the space for shoppable recipes?
15:30 What makes Shopii standout?
21:38 Special use cases for Shopii
24:40 What impact has this had for retailers?
31:24 How do you see generative A.I. shaping the future of shopping?
37:22 What is next for Grocery Shopii? -
J.K. Symancyk on Customer-Centric Leadership
In this episode, Andy is joined by J.K. Symancyk, CEO of PetSmart. J.K. has spent the last two decades as a senior leader for large retailers such as PetSmart, Academy Sports + Outdoors, Meijer, and Sam’s Club. In each of these leadership positions he has relied on a customer-centric mindset that stems from his unique background as a Theatre student at the University of Arkansas.
In their conversation, Andy and J.K. discuss how to truly listen to customers through store walks, identifying customer problems that are worth solving, advice for students and young professionals, the power of human connection in a tech-focused world, and much more.
Questions and Topics
00:00 Show Introduction
06:21 How do you view customer-centricity in your role as CEO at PetSmart
14:01 Does your customer-centric approach apply to all of retail or specifically the pet category?
17:06 What role does Omnichannel play in such a CX based retailer like PetSmart?
20:53 How do you identify what customer problems are worth solving?
22:25 What to look for on a store walk
28:26 How to navigate moving to a new place
31:00 What commonalities and differences have stood out across roles in your career?
33:37 The power of asking questions and interview advice
37:40 The path from a Theatre degree to CEO
41:40 The value of human connection in career development
47:11 What gives you hope about the future?
Customer Reviews
A true pleasure to learn from Andy Murray
So many excellent podcasts - and what humility to allow college students to have the opportunity to ask questions! Thanks for an excellent learning experience that never fails to extend our knowledge into the future of marketing.
Awesome insights
Love getting to listen to Andys podcasts! His vast knowledge of multiple areas of the industry allows him to give well rounded insights to almost all topics. Hearing the genius between him and Paco Underhill was super educational and entertaining.
Highly Recommend
This is such a great podcast if you are looking to learn the importance customer centricity and the customers journey! Andy Murray has so much insight through his career experiences and brings on great well respected and knowledgeable guests as well. I recently listened to Paco Underhill’s interview on his most recent book. If you are looking from the experts perspective on the customer journey inside the store, I couldn’t recommend that episode enough!