The Intuitive Customer - Helping You Improve Your Customer Experience To Gain Growth

This year has undeniably been dominated by the rise of AI, bringing both positive and negative outcomes. We host Alex Mead, Global Customer Service Experience Director of Alvarez & Marsal (alexmead@sky.com), to discuss this crucial topic and its implications for experiences. Mead envisions that AI will significantly reduce customer effort in their experiences. He anticipates a future where customers can simply ask, "Where's my order from two days ago?" and that's all it takes for AI to swiftly provide the desired information. In this scenario, Mead highlights two crucial aspects. First, AI will grasp natural language interfaces, a concept that has been evolving for at least the past three years. This means we can communicate with AI as if we're conversing with a human, whether through speech or text. Second, AI will promptly authenticate the speaker and retrieve the requested information, cross-referencing it against various data points and platforms in under a second. Some of you might be thinking, "Don't we already do this with devices like Alexa?" You certainly do, and it works seamlessly. However, Mead emphasizes that the significance lies in the widespread adoption of this capability. While organizations like Amazon have already implemented it, the prediction is that many more organizations will follow suit in the coming years. Furthermore, Mead envisions AI going beyond information retrieval. AI will also discern or intuit whether the provided information places the customer on a path of contentment or dissatisfaction. In this episode, we hear what Mead thinks about AI and the pathways for its utility in experiences in the short and long term. We also talk about what all this functionality of the AI of tomorrow means to you in managing your experiences today. Here are some other key moments in the discussion: 04:11 Mead kicks off the discussion about AI with his predictions for the short term, meaning the next one to five years, and it might surprise you to hear how easy it will be for customers. 11:51 We discuss examples of how future AI-enabled CXs will have more proactivity than they do today. 16:38 We learn about the Customer Service Experience and why it is essential to understand what it is and when it occurs for today's organizations. 21:44 Mead explains how to implement an AI strategy for the organization that is cohesive and drives the goals of your entire company rather than one siloed department. 31:57 We all share the key takeaways we have from the discussion and how organizations should use this information today. Did you know we have a YouTube Channel too? Check it out here. About Colin Shaw LinkedIn recognizes Colin Shaw as one of the 'World's Top 150 Business Influencers.' As a result, he has over 294,000 followers and 78,000 subscribers to his LinkedIn newsletter 'Why Customers Buy'. The Financial Times selected Beyond Philosophy as one of the best management consultancies for four years. Colin is a renown keynote speaker and undertakes consultancy work and educational workshops to help organizations improve their Customer Experience. Click here to learn more about Professor Ryan Hamilton of Emory University. How can we help? Click here to learn more about Beyond Philosophy's Suite of Services. Please tell us how we are doing! Complete this short survey.

The Future of Customer Research Teams: Innovating for Success in 2024 and Beyond AI's enthralling me these days, and it seems the world's caught in the same spell. One realm set for a profound AI makeover is customer market research—a topic worth diving into since it's likely on many of your radars too. Exciting or nerve-wracking—depends on which way you look at it. Qualtrics recent article, "AI Will Revolutionize the Market Research Industry" suggested a couple of thought-provoking stats I thought I would share: Threat or Boon? 83% of researchers view AI as an opportunity, with only 7% seeing it as a threat. Job impacts? 26% believe AI will birth more market research roles, 35% anticipate a reduction, while 39% reckon it won't budge the job landscape. Clearly, the consensus leans toward AI significantly boosting the market research scene, yet there's no majority stance on its implications for customer insight or market research job stability. Historically, technologies swept through industries like a forceful wave, sometimes obliterating old norms while birthing new frontiers. Should the AI tide wash over market research, it might erode traditional roles while seeding a fresh bloom in the industry. The upshot? Jobs will morph—both in nature and in the entities they serve. So, where's the compass pointing for customer insights? Alyona Medelyan, CEO of Thematic (alyona@getthematic.com) in Auckland, New Zealand submitted a video for our None of Us Are as Clever as All of Us program, shares her thoughts. In this episode, we discuss Medelyan's video and how the AI winds are steering us into uncharted waters, with the market research ship set for a profound voyage. Here are some other key moments in the discussion: 02:50 Colin shares the stats from Qualtrics regarding the future of AI and customer insights and market research. 07:53 We roll the video from Medelyan, and talk about our first reactions. 13:37 Colin gets into one of the problems he sees with customer insight teams in the larger organization and what that does to the information shared. 16:57 Ryan explains the how AI is excellent in creating categories, and demonstrates his SAT-level mastery of fancy-sounding academic words. 19:24 We get into the opportunities this affords us regarding preparing for the transformation AI promises to the area and making the most of it for your organization. Did you know we have a YouTube Channel too? Check it out here. About Colin Shaw LinkedIn recognizes Colin Shaw as one of the 'World's Top 150 Business Influencers.' As a result, he has over 294,000 followers and 78,000 subscribers to his LinkedIn newsletter 'Why Customers Buy'. The Financial Times selected Beyond Philosophy as one of the best management consultancies for four years. Colin is a renown keynote speaker and undertakes consultancy work and educational workshops to help organizations improve their Customer Experience. Click here to learn more about Professor Ryan Hamilton of Emory University. How can we help? Click here to learn more about Beyond Philosophy's Suite of Services. Please tell us how we are doing! Complete this short survey.

During a recent discussion with a valued client, I uncovered an interesting revelation. While they were delighted with their repeat business, which they attributed to customer loyalty, a closer look at the repeat business statistics painted a different picture. What I observed wasn't a steadfast commitment from their customers; rather, it appeared to be inertia. This prompted my realization that these customers might easily switch to a competitor if a tempting offer came along. Now, you might be wondering, aren't loyal customers the ones who keep coming back for more? They certainly are, but not all repeat business is a result of loyalty. In some cases, it's due to inertia, and distinguishing between the two is what we'll delve into today. First, let's establish clear definitions for customer loyalty and inertia. Loyal customers intentionally choose your product or service because they have a genuine emotional connection with your brand. They can articulate why they prefer your offering. In contrast, inertia is about automatic and habitual purchasing. It's a decision made almost unconsciously, and individuals might struggle to explain why they chose your product. Reflect for a moment on the people in your life to whom you feel truly loyal. Typically, you'd think of family and close friends. These are relationships rooted in deep emotional connections. Surprisingly, it's these very emotions that underlie brand loyalty. For many organizations, measuring loyalty can be challenging, but they often track repeat business. The issue arises when they treat other types of repeat buying – the inertial and the habitual – the same way they view loyalty, failing to distinguish between them. In this episode, we talk about how to make this distinction. This approach separates loyal customers from those who buy out of habit or inertia. We also talk about how to develop strategies that nurture genuine customer loyalty. Here are some other key moments in the discussion: 02:03 We discover how Colin decided to cover this topic from his recent client meeting. 05:29 Ryan shares his mini framework that he teaches his grad students, the three groups of repeat business motivations. 10:19 Colin shares how he discovered that he wasn't really as loyal to Delta Airlines as he thought he was. 18:28 We share our list of telltale signs that you have customer loyalty. 23:24 We discuss how extrinsic and intrinsic motivation is different and it affects customer behavior. 26:51 We share our final thoughts about this topic and what you should take away from the conversation. Did you know we have a YouTube Channel too? Check it out here. About Colin Shaw LinkedIn recognizes Colin Shaw as one of the 'World's Top 150 Business Influencers.' As a result, he has over 294,000 followers and 78,000 subscribers to his LinkedIn newsletter 'Why Customers Buy'. The Financial Times selected Beyond Philosophy as one of the best management consultancies for four years. Colin is a renown keynote speaker and undertakes consultancy work and educational workshops to help organizations improve their Customer Experience. Click here to learn more about Professor Ryan Hamilton of Emory University. How can we help? Click here to learn more about Beyond Philosophy's Suite of Services. Please tell us how we are doing! Complete this short survey.

Unleashing the Power of AI vs. Human Touch: Which Delivers a Superior Customer Experience? I often say, "None of us are as clever as all of us." However, sayings are more useful when they can spur action. So, we have a proposition for you: If you have something you want to say about experiences or technology, statistics, or reports, feel free to share them via video. To learn more, click here. To that end, Tom Martin, CEO at Glance, has submitted one about AI. Tom makes an excellent point. As we develop AI into our systems, we will need to determine what AI will replace, what it will augment, and what it will add. AI presents opportunities to shift some routine tasks from human employees to virtual ones. However, shifting of tasks should mean reducing head count. Instead, AI should be a way to help employees pay more attention to the needs of customers. Moreover, we should be realistic about the power of AI. It isn't magic; it can't solve all our problems. What it can do is be a powerful tool that we can leverage and develop over time. We have been here before, too. I had a system that was going to be the best thing that ever happened to my organization 20 years ago. That was the fantasy. The reality was quite different. And let's not forget the internet. It took years for it to be what it is today. AI will likely follow a similar path. In this episode we explore the points made by Tom in his video along with our take on AI and Customer Experiences. Perhaps most importantly, we implore organizations to remember that AI doesn't replace your employees; it enhances what they can do for customers. Here are some other key moments in the discussion: 04:28 We listen to Tom's video and why he thinks leading with humans creates a better AI strategy. 09:48 Both Ryan and Colin share their thoughts about AI and the next frontier of business, including Colin's frustrations with the phrase, "high call volumes at the moment." 18:10 Colin shares a story about a new system implementation program that didn't live up to his hopes and dreams for it 20 years ago, and how that applies to organization implementation with AI. 20:23 Ryan explains the Hype Cycle and how it applies to the implementation and adoption of AI. 26:50 We both share out thoughts about the future of AI in organization and what you should take away from the discussion. Did you know we have a YouTube Channel too? Check it out here. About Colin Shaw LinkedIn recognizes Colin Shaw as one of the 'World's Top 150 Business Influencers.' As a result, he has over 294,000 followers and 78,000 subscribers to his LinkedIn newsletter 'Why Customers Buy'. The Financial Times selected Beyond Philosophy as one of the best management consultancies for four years. Colin is a renown keynote speaker and undertakes consultancy work and educational workshops to help organizations improve their Customer Experience. Click here to learn more about Professor Ryan Hamilton of Emory University. How can we help? Click here to learn more about Beyond Philosophy's Suite of Services. Please tell us how we are doing! Complete this short survey.

My client is disappointed with their results. Their experience improvement efforts have been successful, but not as wildly successful as they had hoped. When my client shared this with me on a recent call, I was neither surprised nor perplexed about what was going on with them. Getting the whole organization to embrace the customer requires more than most organizations think. You see, when you start an improvement program, you want some quick wins. So, you address the most obvious areas first, fixing problems and enhancing interactions by defining how you want customers to feel about you when it's over. These elementary steps are necessary, important to prioritize, and, to many companies' chagrins, just the beginning of the process. Every department in the organization plays a role in the Customer Experience. However, not every department realizes it. Some of them think their insular role inside operations puts a big barrier between them and how the customer feels about the organizations. But it doesn't; in fact, that barrier doesn't exist. In this episode we explore the steps you take to get these internal departments to look past the non-existent barrier they think is there and understand how what they do affects the experience. We explain how you can then leverage their buy in to get to the outstanding results that you expected but are still waiting to realize. Here are some other key moments in the discussion: 06:33 Colin explains what he plans to do to address this problem, starting with first step, which might surprise you in its simplicity. 09:07 We explain the many ways that Human Resources plays a significant role in the Customer Experience and embracing customer-centricity. 13:21 Ryan explains that first-ordered thinking might be getting in the way of your efforts to help other departments see the effects of their actions on the experience and what you can do about it. 18:40 We discuss the ways that finance is essential to the experience, and, spoiler alert, it has to do with $$$$. 23:33 Colin makes a point that Legal, which definitively needs to protect the company, also needs to be customer centric and how they can be without getting disbarred. 26:31 We share the last example of how IT has become one of the most essential parts of the experience, especially when you consider the importance of managing the organization's online presence and technology integrations. _________________________________________________________________ Did you know we have a YouTube Channel too? Check it out here. Follow Colin on LinkedIn HERE.

Regret is a powerful emotion. One might not think it has a place in a marketer's messaging toolbox. However, you might be surprised to learn that in addition to being a powerful emotion, it can also be a powerful tool. The reason we regret things depends on the situation. We can regret a purchase we made. We can regret a purchase we didn't, too. What we regret and how we respond to it requires understanding how regret happens. Inside each of our minds, we have three selves. There is the Actual Self, the one we are despite any notions we might have. There is also the Ought Self. This self is the one with obligations and responsibilities. Then, there is the Ideal Self, which is who we want to be. Regret is often a conflict between the Actual Self and one of the other two. What we regret and who we blame has a lot to do with comparisons between these selves internally. Also, these comparisons might differ depending upon the customer segment to which the individual belongs. Therefore, to use regret as a marketing tool, it is essential to understand what comparison your customers are making and to what standard or value they hold. In this episode, we explain the psychology of regret, how it drives our future behavior, and what to do about it if it happens to your customers after buying your product or service. We also discuss how you can use it to create improved experiences with no regrets for your customers. Here are some other key moments in the discussion: 01:49 Colin explains how he was once a Sony Superfan and how it led to one of the purchases he regrets nearly every day. 03:49 Ryan explains how Colin's perception of self plays a role in his purchase regret regarding the television by explaining the different selves we each have. 10:23 We get into the idea that how much regret we feel has a lot to do with how much control we think we had regarding the decisions made. 14:53 We discuss the impact of regret in customer experience settings and start a discussion about how an organization could respond. 19:04 Ryan explains that people regret different things in the short term vs. the long term. 25:46 We both share our final thoughts on the key takeaways a marketer should have about how to leverage regret in their messaging. _________________________________________________________________ Did you know we have a YouTube Channel too? Check it out here. Follow Colin on LinkedIn HERE.

It's pickle time again here on the podcast. This time John has a pickle with his new business. He wants to know some ways that he can get other people to help him sell his products and services. We knew several ways, eight in fact, and they might help you, too. One thing to consider when you listen to this list is how each of the tactics gets you what you want. In some cases, you might discover that our suggestion doesn't. Or at least it doesn't get you what you want right now. Later, once you have worked your way down the "to-dos" with your marketing and sales, one of the ones that didn't work then would now. For example, with Beyond Philosophy, Colin didn't like the first tactic, Affiliated Marketing. He felt that by getting into a relationship where he was contractually bound to suggest a specific company might compromise his integrity to his clients. So, Colin has carefully avoided that one. However, that might not be the same for your business vertical or philosophy. It's these goals for the communication or tactic that should drive these decisions for which ways work best for your business. In this episode, we help John with his business pickle—and some of you, too—with our eight suggestions for what you can do to get other people to sell for you. Are you "in a pickle" at your firm, too? Tells us about here and we might feature your pickle on an episode of the podcast. Here are some other key moments in the discussion: 06:09 We share the first tactic, Affiliated Marketing, which allows you to recruit others to present and close your product on your behalf. 10:03 The second tactic, Referral Programs, is another way you can leverage the relationships you have to make new ones. 17:48 We discuss Joint Ventures, including some that worked well and some that didn't. 21:07 We encourage John to sponsor a sports stadium, or at least a local soccer team, because sponsorships are a great way to build awareness. 26:09 Ryan and Colin share final thoughts about how John's new business can use these tactics to get other entities selling for him. _________________________________________________________________ Did you know we have a YouTube Channel too? Check it out here. Follow Colin on LinkedIn HERE.

Colin sometimes struggles with a glass-half-empty disposition. He blames it on being born British. He felt it keenly when gathering the following 14 statistics for this episode. There are a mix of game-changing opportunities, including missed ones, and some acute risks facing organizations next year. Ryan is American, a population Colin characterizes with as a glass-half-full disposition. He hopes by sharing these numbers gathered from reputable sources, that his American cohost might view these numbers with a bit more positivity. Will Colin be disappointed? Maybe, maybe not. For example, one statistic says by applying certain principles, organizations can expect 85 percent increase in sales growth and more than 25 percent in gross margins. It sounds great because it is. However, another statistic shows that only 30 percent of organizations have improved their experiences enough to satisfy customers over the last ten-plus years, and it's getting worse not better. It does not sound great because it isn't. This episode explores 14 statistics from reputable sources that present some compelling numbers regarding the whole Customer Experience movement—and what can happen if you ignore it or focus your efforts on less impactful components. From opportunities to risk, don't miss out on this episode before you start planning your next year. Here are some other key moments in the discussion: 05:31 We get into the first statistic from Gallup and how it can really sell the experience program to the revenue-oriented and a second from them about the emotional nature of deciding. 11:53 Colin shares his statistic from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) regarding how 70 percent of organizations remained flat or decreased customer satisfaction and that the index is at its lowest point since 2006. 19:14 We discuss the merits of growing existing customers versus recruiting new ones, but that 44% percent of companies still focus on customer acquisition, even though the probability of selling to an existing is 60 percent. 23:06 Colin shares a statistic from Emplify that explains why customers will pay a higher price to buy from you. 27:52 We discuss the last stat from Zendesk which explains how quickly you can lose a customer and what these stats revealed about Customer Experiences. _________________________________________________________________ Did you know we have a YouTube Channel too? Check it out here. Follow Colin on LinkedIn HERE.

When a Stanford professor brings snacks to class, it's fun. But you can bet it's also an experiment, and he's probably testing how people make choices for today and for todays that will come in the future. It turns out, that timing matters a lot when it comes to the decisions we make. The professor we are referring to is Professor Itamar Simonson, marketing professor at Stanford University and his research surrounding customer decision-making. He learned that students who chose their snack at each class tended to choose the same one. However, students that chose a snack on one day for three future classes tended to have more variety. Why the difference? It turns out that people like to make the same decisions over and over, especially about things like what to eat for a snack or dinner. But we are much more optimistic about how much our future selves will want something different. What about new choices? People do make them, particularly when they are for the future, but most times we are content to make the same choice over and over again. In this episode, we discuss why we are like this, why we sometimes think we won't be like this someday, when we are better person, and why you should understand how to accommodate this customer behavior in your experience. Here are some other key moments in the discussion: 02:22 Ryan shares the example from Professor Simonson and how people chose differently when it is for that day of class or for future classes. 08:12 Colin brings up the famous marshmallow test that researchers did by convincing children not to eat a marshmallow right away so they could get two; few kids made it, though. 14:42 We discuss how when it comes to things like breakfast or food in general, we tend to make the same choices, but other times we don't, but usually for the future, when a better version of ourselves exists. 22:08 Ryan shares what can happen if people continue to make choices to buy things they don't use and how it can backfire on your experience. 25:40 We share practical advice about what you can do with this information to provide the proper experience for the future selves your customers want to be and the actual selves they are today. _________________________________________________________________ Did you know we have a YouTube Channel too? Check it out here. Follow Colin on LinkedIn HERE.

Poor Irene Beard. She is in a pickle, and she needs our help. A strong believer in brand, Beard is starting a new company and asked us for help getting people to take away what she wants them to about her company's brand. Beard's question brings up some interesting concepts regarding brands, their origins, their evolution, and their existence for organizations today. Before we get into any of that, it is essential to remember that your brand is a tactic. It communicates the value you provide customers. Brand is a tool in your toolkit that can adjust your strategy and deliver the experience that wins over the hearts and minds of customers and keeps them coming back for more. Today, branding is all about the value you provide customers. What that value is varies by organization. Some brands offer value by doing one thing really well. Others deliver value in several areas. The success of your brand isn't whether it provides one value or many; success depends on understanding what your customers value and delivering that. In this episode, we explore the areas of value a brand usually provides and what an organization can do to ensure that their brand delivers the right ones to customers. Are you "in a pickle" at your company, too? Tells us about here and we might feature your pickle on an episode of the podcast. Here are some other key moments in the discussion: 01:34 We discuss Beard's business pickle and why branding is an excellent focus for anyone in business today. 03:23 Ryan explains how he appreciates that Beard is already on the right path by concerning herself what customer think, because that is key for branding. 08:00 We believe in frameworks to organize thinking, and begin the discussion about ours, which has four parts. 15:42 Colin shares a story about spending way too much on athletic shoes given the level of play of his ten-year-old on the pitch, and how branding made it happen. 19:55 We explore brands that have done a good job with branding and why, as well as the differences one should expect in brand strategy depending upon the type of brand it is. 27:33 We get into the practical takeaways for Beard, and anyone else struggling in this area, to get the right branding for her new company. _________________________________________________________________ Did you know we have a YouTube Channel too? Check it out here. Follow Colin on LinkedIn HERE.