Insights Blog
My Life as a Chief Consumer Engagement Strategist: How I Do What I Do
Here’s a short post reflecting on what I’m doing these days. Having just wrapped up a major engagement that has had me more-or-less heads-down for nearly 2-years, I was recently asked, “What exactly do you do as a Chief Customer Engagement Strategist?” That’s a fair question and a perfect opportunity to reflect on what I’ve been doing…
Uber Drives Restructuring for Success
I’ve heard several wonder aloud words to the effect, “What in the world is happening to Uber; first two C-level departures, several Board departures and most recently 1/3rd of the marketing force has been let go, with talk of hiring freezes in marketing and technology development… really?” To some this appears that at the very least Uber is in some serious trouble or at the very worst they’ve lost their sense of the importance of the customer. I disagree with both, and in fact, this workforce reduction move on the 29th, is not surprising but foreseeable if not completely sensible. Why?
Kimpton Gets It
Today Kimpton moved me from a Loyalist to an Advocate. That’s because Kimpton went above and beyond what I would expect in extending the customer experience outside their space and politely into my own. Simple, but powerful and a bit clever…
Uber Requires Twice the Lyft, But That Might be OK.
A few weeks ago I logged into my Uber App to update my credit card info and noticed “Uber Rewards” as a new menu option. I didn’t recall receiving a notification informing me that Uber’s loyalty program was available in my area, but what the hay, I like surprises…
One Consumer Experience Blunder Can Be Costly
Brands that haven’t considered “customer experience” as a top priority for 2019 may want to have another look. It may be that brands should start thinking of it as “consumer” experience. The fact is, consumer experiences occur in many ways and at all touch points one has with a Brand. If there isn’t a systemic approach to thinking about consumer experience, unintended consequences of a bad brand impression or experience can result. And in the digital age, the amplification can be costly…
Retail Apocalypse? Not if You Think Outside the Transactions
The retail apocalypse: we’ve all heard about it; many Brands are experiencing it. So, with 12,000 stores having closed in the past nearly two years, and more than 3,800 retail stores closing in 2018 why have Nike and Levi Strauss & Company recently opened “mega stores” in New York City?
Uber Switching Costs Could be A Lyft
Uber and Lyft both share the “real estate” of a driver’s window and the driver’s phone. While the driver’s window is a moving billboard for both companies, switching costs are super low for the driver, and more importantly, the rider. Indeed, rider loyalty is considerably dependent of the quality of the last trip they took. While surprise and delight tactics hook the rider, over the long term, how does Uber “vest” the rider relationship?
Victoria’s Secret: She’s Technically Blind
Perhaps Les Wexner, the CEO of L Brands, owner of Victoria’s Secret, is convinced the Internet won’t kill-off stores and while we’re at it, he’s convinced consumer’s fascination with Smartphones will fade. Seriously, Wexner does not believe Amazon has hurt retailers, or that declining mall traffic perpetuated the closing of over 6,000 retail doors over the past year. Really...
Be Good to Each Other & Galvanize Customer Loyalty
Ya know, Kudos to Starbucks for their College Achievement Plan. Seriously. The plan offers eligible full and part time employees full tuition coverage to earn a bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University. Starbucks gets that this employee benefit will generate greater customer loyalty. I’m sure you’re thinking, “Wait, what? An employee tuition program fosters customer loyalty? She is nuts.” Hang with me here; let me explain…
Turbulence Subsiding, but the Seatbelt Sign Remains On for United
While I’d like to take credit for the full-page ads United Airlines finally was able to publish in many of the Top 10 Daily Newspapers yesterday, and for the eMail I received about the same time from CEO Oscar Munoz, it would be a bit of hubris for me to think my blog post from April 15th catalyzed these actions.....
Failed Customer Centricity and a Brand Implosion: United Airlines
Like many of you I am mortified by what we all witnessed as social media exposed United Airline’s practices run amok this past Monday. As a year-over-year 1K nearly 2-million mile United customer, I am deeply disturbed and seriously reconsidering the value of that loyalty.
To Be, or Not to Be: Customer-Focused or Customer-Centric?
As Customer IQ specialists we’re frequently asked “What’s the difference between customer-focused and customer-centric?”; and “Can a company be customer-focused and not customer-centric, and vice versa? So we thought it would be worth sharing here how we see it. Let’s start with our definitions.....