The Modern Customer Podcast

Creating A Customer-Centric Utility Company Utility companies aren't typically known for their customer-centricity.   But Kevin Walker, CEO of Duquesne Light in Pittsburgh, is transforming the industry by making customers a central focus. Walker admits that the system used to be a one-way flow from facilities to customers. Until recently, most utility companies referred to their customers as "mete...

Customer Experience Is A Decision People often refer to customer experience as a discipline. But it's more than that—customer experience is a decision.  No matter where you are in your career, customer experience is a decision to wake up and care about customers, influence change and create a better world. Customer experience is constantly changing and isn't something you can check off your list o...

What's Next For Return Logistics Returns are a part of doing business for retailers, especially as e-commerce grows and shoppers have more options than ever before. But that doesn't mean the return process has to be difficult for retailers or consumers. As e-commerce grows and transforms, so too does return logistics. David Sobie is the co-founder and vice president of Happy Returns, a leader in r...

Do your marketing efforts feel like a shot in the dark? It doesn't have to be that way.  With the power of today's abundance of data, brands can use a measured and data-driven approach to build an agile and compelling customer experience.    According to Tiffany Perkins-Munn, Head of Data and Analytics at J.P. Morgan Chase , this isn't the old way of marketing. Data-driven marketing starts with co...

When most people think of customer service artificial intelligence, they think of chatbots.   But the power and potential of AI in customer service extend far beyond chatbots, which Forethought CEO Deon Nicholas says tend to be very artificial and not very intelligent.   Truly leveraging the power of AI allows brands to create super-human customer service.   Reaching that level requires using huma...

The B2B buyer journey is changing, and companies that can match changing demands with technology, personalization and flexibility will succeed.   Plenty of research shows that B2B buyers get 50%-60% down the buying journey before they engage with a salesperson. But Mike Marcellin, Chief Marketing Officer at Juniper Networks , says that the buying journey isn't linear. Buyers don't connect with a c...

It's not every day you see a CEO dancing on TikTok. But being vulnerable and transparent is one of the reasons Ali Bonar has seen incredible growth and success with her company, Oat Haus . Consumers are moving more towards sharing real experiences and less about hiding behind the perfect filter. Customers crave connection and want to build relationships with transparent leaders—even if that means...

Investing in customer experience is just that—an investment. Being able to prove the return and value of that investment is crucial for all companies, especially startups and those looking to get new customers on board.   In the early days of CampusLogic, President and COO Chris Chumley used ROI as a tool to gain new customers and establish credibility. Prospective university clients agreed that t...

One bad experience and the click of a mouse. That's all it takes for a customer or employee to go somewhere else. As life and work have become digitized in the last two years, the switching cost has decreased to almost zero. It's never been easier for people to change their company loyalty.    Experience management has never been more important.   But creating those great experiences that resonate...

Customer success and customer service may sound similar. But what's the difference between these two important disciplines?   Emilia M. D'Anzica, founder of GrowthMolecules and author of Pressing On as a Tech Mom , has consulted companies across numerous industries on customer success. She says one of the core differences is being proactive versus being reactive.   Customer success is proactively...

Many consumers want to follow a healthy diet, but do they really know what they're consuming? That question was the driving force behind Spindrift , a sparkling beverage focused on ingredient simplicity and transparency. For founder Bill Creelman , the idea was simple: people should know what they're drinking. That customer-first mindset is at the core of Spindrift, from the products that are crea...

Just like every company is unique, so are its customers.  Lifestyle and tech company Skullcandy's sweet spot is young adventurers who love great music and extreme activities like skating and snowboarding. With that target market, a run-of-the-mill marketing approach won't land. Skullcandy has created an impressive (and growing) company with its outstanding products and customer-focused marketing s...

Digital transformation is critical for all businesses today—but it isn't something brands need to take on alone.   Especially in the B2B world, involving customers in the transformation and making them valuable partners can lead to long-term success for the company, its B2B clients and their end-user customers. Transformation Requires Relationships Didem Cataloglu, President & CEO of DIREXYON Tech...

We interact with money all day long—every time we pay for things, get a paycheck, check our bank balance or get a bill. How do those interactions make you feel?   For most people, dealing with money brings fear, anxiety and the thought that there will never be enough.   But Amanda Frances, money guru and best-selling author of Rich as F*ck , says the first step to gaining financial freedom is to g...

Since its creation, Lyft has been disruptive.   It initially set out to eliminate the friction of getting a taxi. But over time, Lyft has grown into a transportation powerhouse. One reason for its success is its total focus on customers.   When faced with the changes and challenges of the pandemic, Lyft took the opportunity to improve its digital services and undergo a digital transformation.   Th...

Customer experience isn't just about serving today's customers—it's about creating a culture and environment that can benefit future generations.   That's especially true when it comes to conversation efforts.    Creating a better world for future customers and growing generations means believing in something better and that the world can grow and change.   Creating Programs Now to Benefit the Fut...

Among the industries known for low customer service and satisfaction is utility companies.    For decades, utility companies have operated in heavily regulated markets where customers can't choose their provider. As a result, customer experience and customer care are low (or non-existent) priorities for many utilities.   But as technology changes and more companies enter the utility market, custom...

Success comes from making customer experience central to your business. And that requires streamlining the experience for both customers and employees.   Steve Harding, Area Vice President of ServiceNow , says customer service starts with an effortless experience. Many companies focus on channels, but channels don't solve customer problems, especially if they aren't connected. Too often, customers...

Energy costs and usage impact every homeowner, but most people don't think much about the process. They flip a switch, the light turns on, and they pay their electric bill when it comes due.   But as the energy grid ages and breaks down and the weather gets more extreme and threatens to knock out power, conserving energy and using it at the right time is crucial for homeowners.   That's where OhmC...

Margaret Wishingrad didn't grow up eating healthy foods.   But as an adult, she developed healthy habits. She continued those habits when her first child was born, but she couldn't find a healthy alternative to the sugar-filled cereals that lined the shelves.   And Three Wishes Cereal was born.   Wishingrad and her husband, Ian, spent two years testing new methods and ingredients to create a grain...

After two years of creative digital marketing and virtual events, in-person experiential marketing is back. And it has the potential to revitalize and transform your customer experience.   Bridget Hanrahan, Associate Director of Marketing Operations at Subaru of America , Inc, says experiential marketing helps Subaru connect with its customers on a more personal level.   Subaru's in-person marketi...

As CX grows as an industry and continues to show its impact on the bottom line, more marketers are tasked with leading it. But how well do marketers really understand CX?   Digital marketing expert Jay Baer says that although there is a large overlap between marketing and CX, there are also crucial differences. While marketing is often tasked with bringing in new customers, CX is all about retenti...

What's the first step to offering the human element to service? Investing in your human employees.    Contact centers play a crucial role in a customer's experience. Building a customer-centric company starts by empowering agents to provide excellent service, says Tom Goodmanson, President & CEO of Calabrio .   The past two years of a pandemic have been hard on everyone, but contact center agents...

Today, companies face countless challenges, including staffing shortages, inflation, supply chain troubles and other sorts of other pandemic-related issues.   These challenges give brands two choices: make excuses or show transparency.   Alli Webb, founder of Drybar , is a long-time champion of what she calls radical transparency. For brands to be truly customer-centric, they have to be honest and...

A solid customer experience strategy is based on customer data. But the strategy for clothing and home décor company Anthropologie also includes creativity.   Chief Marketing Officer Elizabeth Preis says creativity is the heart and soul of Anthropologie. And while data is often historical and focuses on what happened in the past, a creative focus drives inspiration and interest to the future.   Th...