The Trusted Guide Podcast with Mark Slatin

Latest Episodes:

#87: Empathy-Driven Leadership Jun 06, 2024

Show notes

CX leaders are faced with one of the most difficult challenges in their organization. They have small teams and limited positional authority and therefore need the support of others to make progress.

Patty Soltis, CCXP, shares her wisdom from decades of experience leading change in great brands like Neiman Marcus, Lord & Taylor, The Moffitt Cancer Center, and now in her role as a Senior CX Manager at Upwork.

In this episode:

Leading with Empathy
The Role of Emotions in Decision-Making
The importance of Detailed and Granular Information
Servant Leadership
Navigating Organizational Success

Learn how to treat your employees like your customers to improve the experience for your customers.

This episode is filled with practical tips and wisdom from a CX thought leader who has been there and done that and is still making a difference!

Resources

Register for the next Trusted Guide Roadmap™ Master Class Special Podcast Offer Valid through June 5, 2024 here: https://www.empoweredcx.com/delighted

The Delighted Customers podcast website: https://www.empoweredcx.com/podcast

Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markslatin/

The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

#86: The Power of Social Identity on CX with Professor Gary David May 30, 2024

Show notes

Do we make buying decisions as individuals or individuals who are part of a group?

The answer may surprise you.

Gary David, PhD is a Professor of Sociology and Experience Design at Bentley University. Dr. David has been researching sociology and its intersection with the business world for several decades.

His findings challenge the status quo when it comes to drivers of consumer behavior and how CX leaders should think about engaging customers.

We discuss how consumers perceptions of their social identities impact their brand loyalty, and ultimately, bottom line results.

In this episode we explore:

👉 How social identity impacts buying decisions

👉 How to design experiences that connect with consumers social identity

👉 Where most companies get it wrong

👉 Strategies on how to understand social identity and design experiences that earn customer loyalty

Resources

Register for the next Trusted Guide Roadmap™ Master Class Special Podcast Offer Valid through June 5, 2024 here: https://www.empoweredcx.com/delighted

The Delighted Customers podcast website: https://www.empoweredcx.com/podcast

Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markslatin/

#85: The Science of Brand Love May 23, 2024

Show notes

The Science of Brand Love

What makes brands like Apple and Nike not just recognized, but truly loved.

Dr. Ahuvia's book, The Things We Love, explains the psychology behind brand love, and it has been named by Amazon as a "best business book." He conducted the first scientific studies of brand love some 30 years ago and continues to lead research on this topic. His research on dating sites led to an appearance on the Oprah Winfrey show.

On this episode of 🎙🎙🎙The Delighted Customers Podcast we explore the science behind "brand love" and strategies companies can use to drive customer advocacy.

Highlights of this episode include:

👉 Understanding Brand Love**: Learn how 'brand love' evolves from mere satisfaction to deep emotional connections, much like human relationships. It's not just about the quality of products but how brands make consumers *feel* that determines loyalty and advocacy.

👉 Strategies to Cultivate Brand Love**: Discover actionable strategies such as anthropomorphism (think Siri or Alexa), connecting brands to relatable personalities, and aligning with universal values to foster a closer bond with your audience.

👉 Impact on Financial Performance**: Grasp the clear correlation between brand love and profitability. Brands that achieve emotional resonance with their consumers typically see enhanced financial outcomes.

👉 Warnings of reaching too far** - when deploying brand love strategies

Resources

The Delighted Customers podcast website: https://www.empoweredcx.com/podcast

Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markslatin/

#84: Leading Change by Leveraging Trust with Charles H. Green May 16, 2024

Show notes

In today's fast-paced networked economy, professionals (especially CX pros) must work harder than ever to maintain and improve their business skills and knowledge. But technical mastery of one's discipline is not enough and that's why Charles H. Green co-authored the Trusted Advisor (and the recently published the 20th Anniversary edition).

The key to change leadership is the ability to earn the trust and confidence of key stakeholders.

The stakes are even higher for CX leaders who typically have constrained budgets, small teams and limited positional authority.

Charlie returns to the show and shares some fresh insights that leaders can use immediately to boost their impact on change on this episode of The Delighted Customers Podcast.

Highlights include:

Why trust and trustworthiness are critical to any change leadership role
How trust plays into the decision-making process
Busting myths about trust - like it must take time to build or rebuild
Lessons from Lincoln: The strategic importance of perception

Resources

The Delighted Customers podcast website: https://www.empoweredcx.com/podcast

Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markslatin/

#83: Lessons from Taylor Swift About How to Create Superfans with Brittany Hodak May 09, 2024

Show notes

Lessons from Taylor Swift About How to Create Superfans with Brittany Hodak

Have you ever wondered why some celebrities create a swarm of superfans that become lifelong advocates for them (and others, not so much)?

My guest on this episode of the Delighted Customers Podcast worked her way up from radio station mascot to the head of a marketing agency that promoted the biggest name stars from Taylor Swift, Katy Perry and Dolly Parton along with some of the biggest brands like Walmart, Amazon, and Disney.

Now an author and speaker, Brittany Hodak and I explore her book, Creating Superfans: How To Turn Your Customers Into Lifelong Advocates.

Highlights from the show:

What lessons can leaders take from Taylor Swift's incredibly loyal fanbase?
The power of "common lessons"
How to cultivate customer loyalty
Understanding personal brand influence

And much more…

Resources

The Delighted Customers podcast website: https://www.empoweredcx.com/podcast

Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markslatin/

#82: The Role of Qualitative Research in Experience Design with Jennifer Ashman, Principal, CX Amplified May 02, 2024

Show notes

Jennifer Ashman is a CX thought leader and experience design expert. She has been in the field for over two decades and is a Professor of Practice at Michigan State University, where she teaches Experience Design in the Master's Degree program in Customer Experience Management.

Jennifer shares some real world examples to help make the conversation easily relatable.

Content Highlights:

- **Deep Dive into Qualitative Research**: Jennifer unpacks the myriad ways this research method informs decision-making to avoid costly missteps and enhance customer engagement.

- **The Art of Human Interaction**: Discover the irreplaceable value of human-led research methodologies in drawing out the rich, personal details that AI tools often miss.

- **Journey Mapping Mastery**: Learn about the art of crafting journey maps from the customer's perspective with actionable insights, as Jennifer shares her hands-on approach to customer-centric problem solving.

- **Real-World Impact**: Be inspired by stories of organizations that transformed their practices and customer relationships through the actionable intelligence gained from qualitative research.

Resources

The Delighted Customers podcast website: https://www.empoweredcx.com/podcast

Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markslatin/

#81: Strategies for making cx your growth engine Apr 25, 2024

Show notes

You've just been hired as the Chief Experience Officer to run a financial services firm. What are the keys to driving sustained success?

Join CXO Eric Smuda share his insights on the keys (and the challenges) to leading successful change by driving outstanding customer experiences.

My favorite quote from Eric? "If you're not using CX as your growth engine, what are you doing???"

Some of the key lessons for this episode of The Delighted Customers Podcast (link in comments below):

'CX and Profit': Good customer experience merges business benefits with customer satisfaction.
'Interaction ROI': Show return on investment in CX by linking experience improvements to CX Suite imperatives such as enhancing acquisition, retention, customer lifetime value, and lowering service costs.
'Digital Impact': Enhance digital CX to increase conversion rates and decrease abandonment, demonstrating clear benefits. 4.
'Relationship Building': Build strong relationships by learning about colleagues' business areas and contributing to shared goals.

And lots more gems.

Resources

The Delighted Customers podcast website: https://www.empoweredcx.com/podcast

Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markslatin/

#80: Designing Experiences that drive loyalty Apr 18, 2024

Show notes

How can you design experiences to drive customer loyalty?

Kevin Budelmann is an Experience Design expert, a professor at both Michigan State and Northwestern Universities, and authored Brand Identity Essentials.

He brings over a quarter-century shaping design, strategy, and brand experience. We explore the converging paths of behavioral economics, design thinking, and customer experience—all through the lens of his extensive expertise. On this episode of the Delighted Customers Podcast.

🔑 **3 Key Takeaways**:

**Trust & Emotion in Branding**: Kevin illuminates the critical role of emotional connection and trust in shaping the brand experience - imperative in an era where customers' decisions are heavily influenced by both.
**Understanding Beyond Surveys**: We explore they why and how of recognizing customers' deeper needs and desires, which often go unspoken, to excel in tailoring your product offerings.
**Impactful Design Decisions**: Discover how design touches our everyday experiences, sometimes subtly, other times overtly, but always with the potential to create a strong impression – and why this matters to your brand.

Resources

The Delighted Customers podcast website: https://www.empoweredcx.com/podcast

Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markslatin/

#79: Lessons from an ER doctor w/Dr. Judy Wolfe, Associate Chief Experience Officer, Cleveland Clinic Apr 11, 2024

Show notes

Dr. Judy Wolfe, who still practices as an ER doctor, talks about the transformative power of patient experience in healthcare. We dive into the critical role of trust, and how reimagining job titles and communication training can revolutionize caregiver-patient interactions. Dr. Judy highlights the urgency of embracing change management and the dire consequences of stagnation in patient care. Dr. Judy prescribes helpful tips from "shift hacks" to loyalty driver tips to "teach backs." Tons of gems in this episode from one the top medical care facilities in the world.

Resources

The Delighted Customers podcast website: https://www.empoweredcx.com/podcast

Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markslatin/

#78: Three Keys to Driving Customer Advocates Apr 04, 2024

Show notes

Keith Ferguson brings his wealth of experience as an entrepreneur along with his career in academia (MSU and FSU) to share his wisdom on customer advocacy. Keith defines customer advocacy and then we talk about the financial impact of having customers who truly advocate for your brand. Keith shares some common mistakes about consumer behavior through a visualization of the customer lifecycle and provides 3 actionable steps leaders can take to create more advocates for their business.

Resources

The Delighted Customers podcast website: https://www.empoweredcx.com/podcast

Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markslatin/

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