The Modern Customer Podcast

Growing a business is all about gaining customers and getting sales. And far easier and less expensive than attracting new customers is turning existing customers into regular, returning customers.   CX expert Shep Hyken says the key to building return customers is to discover the typical pattern of return customers and then replicate that experience for new customers. All companies should get peo...

It's no secret that modern customers crave personalization. Efforts to tailor experiences to customers' needs are foundational to a strong CX strategy.   But the next step of personalization is here: hyper-personalization.   According to Raj Badarinath, CMO of Algonomy , hyper-personalization has three main characteristics: It focuses on individuals, not segments. Even if two customers have some s...

The goal of every company should be to make their customers' lives easier, even if it makes their work harder.   But that becomes even more important in a company serving customers with chronic health conditions.   Naama Stauber Breckler is CEO and co-founder of Better Health , a company focused on helping people with chronic conditions manage day-to-day life at home. Through innovative end-to-end...

Of the things that were lost because of the COVID pandemic, one of the most impactful was the loss of community.   Instead of interacting in person and learning and growing together, we were forced to do things by ourselves or be separated by computer screens.   So much of how we learn in business and our personal lives happens in person. But that was lost during COVID as our opportunities to lear...

Women are powerful influencers and consumers, but they are often forgotten or overlooked by brands.   Even though women control the majority of household spending decisions and contribute to the economy at record levels, they are often stereotyped when it comes to marketing and customer experience.   Instead of pushing women to the back or creating superficial experiences, brands need to make wome...

In many companies, the customer experience happens by accident without much strategic thought.   But a truly customer-centric culture and experience requires a thoughtful strategy and continual adjustments and improvements. And a large part of that is performing a CX audit.   Jamie Haenggi is Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Officer at ADT , where she is focused on designing the CX jour...

Over the last few years, more and more companies have created Chief Experience Officer positions, elevating the customer experience to the C-Suite. One person who stepped into this new role in 2019 was Julie Bowerman, Chief Global Digital Customer and Consumer Experience Officer of Kellogg's . The titles and responsibilities of Experience Officers vary depending on the company, but the growth of t...

Even with innovations to medicines and treatments, how the pharmaceutical industry interacts with patients and customers has largely stayed the same for decades.   But one company is breaking through the push and sell method with a large-scale digital transformation to disrupt the industry.   Davidek Herron, Global Head of Digital at Roche Pharmaceuticals , believes that all companies can—and must...

When it comes to creating experiences customers remember, employees are your first line of defense.   According to Doug Woodard, CCXO of SimpliSafe , culture is transparent to customers. To create a strong customer experience, Woodard first works to create a strong company culture and employee experience.   How it feels to work at a company is also how it feels to be a customer there. If employees...

How long has a customer been with the company? Who lives in their household? What future products and services might they enjoy? The answers to all of these questions are available through master data management.    Data is central to creating personalized customer experiences. And the future of data analytics is master data management or MDM.   Master data management creates a centralized place f...

COVID highlighted the need for every company to be digital. But many companies face challenges when undergoing a digital transformation.   According to Nigel Vaz, CEO of Publicis Sapient , all companies need to challenge the status quo as they adopt new digital strategies and solutions.   He says the biggest mistakes companies make happen at the start and the end of the digital transformation.   T...

10 years ago, people used to email, call, or text their friends and family. Today, the vast majority of conversation happens via messengers.   Business communication is set to follow the same pattern.   According to Paul Adams, VP of Product at Intercom , messengers like WhatsApp, WeChat, and Facebook messenger have become the dominant way people communicate. It's a fundamental change that is impa...

The wireless industry may be the most competitive in the world. To attract more customers, companies are constantly working to improve their services. That means delivering seamless, convenient experiences that modern customers crave. T-Mobile's goal is to make customers' lives easier as it connects them to the world.    Competing on customer experience requires a strong understanding of the effec...

When Kate Johnson became president of Microsoft US four years ago, the stock price was at $44. Today, it's around $260.   What's the reason for the immense growth? Continual digital transformation and a commitment to change. At Microsoft, Johnson is a powerful change agent who works with CEO Satya Nadella and other executives to set the company on a fast track to the future.   Johnson believes tha...

At the height of the COVID pandemic in spring 2020, toilet paper and hand sanitizer were the hottest items on store shelves. The search for these essential items grew to a fever pitch, with customers lining up for hours and scouring the internet to get their hands on these hot commodities.   As demand skyrocketed and shelves cleared, many states and retailers put price gouging regulations into eff...

Of all the industries to break into, the beverage space is among the most difficult. The hyper-competitive market and domination from big brands make it incredibly challenging for entrepreneurs to get their products on shelves. But Jordan Schenck has experience and grit on her side.   As the former Head of Global Consumer Marketing at Impossible Foods , Schenck knows how to build a plant-based foo...

It's something all customers have faced: they have a problem or question, but the only way to resolve it is to wait on hold with the contact center or fill out a contact request form. The process is long and frustrating.   Modern customers want another approach to solving their problems. Knowledge management is a way to connect the dots and keep communication lines open with customers. Instead of...

In a sea of celebrity brands, how can a company stand out and attract customers?   It comes down to being passionate, innovative and empathetic.   Many celebrities are only involved with their brands as far as simply putting their name on a product, but Bruno Mars ' rum brand SelvaRey is different. He spent three years redesigning the SelvaRey packaging to create a stylish and eye-catching bottle...

Saying 2020 was a rocky year may be the ultimate understatement. But after the turmoil and uncertainty, customers, brands and investors want to know what the economy looks like in 2021.   According to Fox Business Network's Charles Payne , there's reason to be extremely optimistic.   In 2021, consumer savings are near record highs. That, combined with government stimulus money, means that there is...

Technology doesn't stop during a pandemic.   Because of that, VMware needs to stay connected to customers and showcase its multi-cloud technology.   But in the B2B industry, which is traditionally driven by in-person events and marketing, building relationships and growing leads virtually poses a challenge.     VMware CMO Carol Carpenter stepped into her role in the middle of the COVID pandemic an...

Loyalty programs are an important part of many brands' customer engagement strategies, but yesterday's loyalty programs won't necessarily be successful today.   According to Francis Hondal, President of Loyalty & Engagement at Mastercard , the recent growth of tech, digital commerce and data have redefined opportunities for brands to serve their customers in the way they expect to be served. Those...

The beauty world is full of customers who love to experiment with new products, watch makeup tutorials and spend time finding the best items.   But what about customers who care about their skin and beauty but don't want to spend the time finding and trying new products on their own?   These are known as casual consumers. They want to try new things but are often overwhelmed or don't have time for...

Running the largest adventure park company in the country comes with challenges—especially during a global pandemic. There's no playbook for this type of scenario. But Michael Browning, founder and CEO of Urban Air , knows that speed and innovation always win, which fueled his strategy to react to information quickly as it came in. Reacting with speed allowed Urban Air to not only survive the pand...

A year ago, most of us were speaking in meetings full of team members or giving presentations to rooms full of people.   But those faces have now changed to boxes on a screen, and our messages have moved from in-person to virtual.   Being an effective communicator is a challenge on its own, but doing it virtually adds even more complications. According to Matt Abrahams, co-founder and principal at...

Just weeks after Sarah Steinhardt had her first baby, she had to make a quick run to the store to get more diapers. On a New York City street corner, diapers in hand, she started crying. It was at that moment she realized how fortunate she was to be able to quickly get the necessities for her baby when mothers around the country didn't have the same ability.   That experience led Steinhardt to cre...