Could not agree more with you Beth, and it's time to dump the measure. However, there is something much deeper at stake here. As the behavioural science becomes more sophisticated, we understand that human beings - employees and customers - are not automatons working in isolation. It may be that CFOs, engineers, and scientists live in what they believe is a "perfect" world, but they are, to be blunt, wrong. The measures we use are naive at best, misleading at worst, and in CX we need to understand the nuances and the psychology of customers in order to be successful. The fact that we rely on both GDP and NPS to make literally life changing decisions leads to failure.
Great article Sabine. It's just too much effort to try and get sorted when you experience a problem, so ghosting is probably the easiest option. The ideas you shared about improving the situation are well within reach of any company that wants it- but they have to want it. As for Gen Z... I'm not sure how the study was done, but I have a feeling that this trend will show up in all generations. As someone on the cusp of Silent Gen/Baby Boomer, I can assure you that the frustration is pretty real.
Fascinating case study Ben. It will be interesting to see how it pans out. To tell you the truth, I don't know how I'd predict the success or otherwise. My heart tells me they are headed for a disaster, but who knows in this crazy digital world. I think what will play a role, however, is whether the potential customers see this as a "cool" product/brand... or something that my grandma used to buy.
Excellent article, and good rational reasons for expecting a great ROI. Now why the heck don't companies just get it together? Because the execs are so focused on short-term profitability that they are not interested in the future. We do ourselves a great disservice in our industry by NOT persuading them otherwise, so same old patterns repeat themselves. Thanks for throwing this debate into the ring. "We have seen the enemy and it is us."
So sorry to see you're leaving, Neil, and you can be rightly extremely proud of what you have achieved. Your advice and inspiration have always been positive, and you have managed to make it all very interesting and well-balanced. Whatever you move to next will no doubt go fantastically well, and I am sure you will have a positive impact.
Sabine Groven, I wish you the very best of good fortune, and look forward to seeing what happens next.
Of course, Alex, this is completely right. We just love to over-complicate what should be simple. Perhaps we get bored with it all, perhaps it's a case of FOMO in that. "if I don't do the latest fad I may fall behind," and perhaps it's because vendors with a vested interest in promoting their products and/or services just keep pushing too hard. But clearly the more tools and ideas we have, the worse service and "experiences" become for customers, and that shows in all the surveys and indices/
Excellent article, Steve. Your practical ideas take clients way past what one of my mates calls TIO - Think It Over. While we all hate recessions, it does give one a chance to get back to the basics and purpose of CX.
I'm enjoying this series @Paul. However, I don't share your optimism about how companies use the information to get insights that they use. Most companies, but particularly the large ones with vast resources, can barely get to grips with "small data" like my birthday or how much I spend with them, never mind the big stuff. Yet most of my local businesses know exactly who I am. That sense of hunger doesn't exist in corporations.
Really liked this one Neil. I think this just about sums it all up, and while these trends are not new, what scares me is that things are getting worse, not better. The desire to fix CX just isn't there, even despite evidence of massive ROI. As my American friends say, "Go figure."
Brilliant analysis, Maurice. I just simply cannot understand how most CFOs think it's unnecessary to promote CX and allocate the resources. Like Rory Sutherland, I think they don't understand that behavioural economics and psychology are far far more powerful in creating and keeping customers than spreadsheets and science. Will they ever be able to see eye[-to-eye with the CMOs? I live in hope - but because of their training I remain somewhat pessimistic. Ironically, when you ask them about how and why they spend personally their money, the answers are different. The breakdown happens the moment they walk into the front door of the office. Nevertheless, your ideas about operational efficiency and pushing their buttons/speaking their language are what will work, not an appeal to their humanness.
My answers
Could not agree more with you Beth, and it's time to dump the measure. However, there is something much deeper at stake here. As the behavioural science becomes more sophisticated, we understand that human beings - employees and customers - are not automatons working in isolation. It may be that CFOs, engineers, and scientists live in what they believe is a "perfect" world, but they are, to be blunt, wrong. The measures we use are naive at best, misleading at worst, and in CX we need to understand the nuances and the psychology of customers in order to be successful. The fact that we rely on both GDP and NPS to make literally life changing decisions leads to failure.
Great article Sabine. It's just too much effort to try and get sorted when you experience a problem, so ghosting is probably the easiest option. The ideas you shared about improving the situation are well within reach of any company that wants it- but they have to want it. As for Gen Z... I'm not sure how the study was done, but I have a feeling that this trend will show up in all generations. As someone on the cusp of Silent Gen/Baby Boomer, I can assure you that the frustration is pretty real.
Fascinating case study Ben. It will be interesting to see how it pans out. To tell you the truth, I don't know how I'd predict the success or otherwise. My heart tells me they are headed for a disaster, but who knows in this crazy digital world. I think what will play a role, however, is whether the potential customers see this as a "cool" product/brand... or something that my grandma used to buy.
Excellent article, and good rational reasons for expecting a great ROI. Now why the heck don't companies just get it together? Because the execs are so focused on short-term profitability that they are not interested in the future. We do ourselves a great disservice in our industry by NOT persuading them otherwise, so same old patterns repeat themselves. Thanks for throwing this debate into the ring. "We have seen the enemy and it is us."
So sorry to see you're leaving, Neil, and you can be rightly extremely proud of what you have achieved. Your advice and inspiration have always been positive, and you have managed to make it all very interesting and well-balanced. Whatever you move to next will no doubt go fantastically well, and I am sure you will have a positive impact.
Sabine Groven, I wish you the very best of good fortune, and look forward to seeing what happens next.
Of course, Alex, this is completely right. We just love to over-complicate what should be simple. Perhaps we get bored with it all, perhaps it's a case of FOMO in that. "if I don't do the latest fad I may fall behind," and perhaps it's because vendors with a vested interest in promoting their products and/or services just keep pushing too hard. But clearly the more tools and ideas we have, the worse service and "experiences" become for customers, and that shows in all the surveys and indices/
Excellent article, Steve. Your practical ideas take clients way past what one of my mates calls TIO - Think It Over. While we all hate recessions, it does give one a chance to get back to the basics and purpose of CX.
I'm enjoying this series @Paul. However, I don't share your optimism about how companies use the information to get insights that they use. Most companies, but particularly the large ones with vast resources, can barely get to grips with "small data" like my birthday or how much I spend with them, never mind the big stuff. Yet most of my local businesses know exactly who I am. That sense of hunger doesn't exist in corporations.
Really liked this one Neil. I think this just about sums it all up, and while these trends are not new, what scares me is that things are getting worse, not better. The desire to fix CX just isn't there, even despite evidence of massive ROI. As my American friends say, "Go figure."
Brilliant analysis, Maurice. I just simply cannot understand how most CFOs think it's unnecessary to promote CX and allocate the resources. Like Rory Sutherland, I think they don't understand that behavioural economics and psychology are far far more powerful in creating and keeping customers than spreadsheets and science. Will they ever be able to see eye[-to-eye with the CMOs? I live in hope - but because of their training I remain somewhat pessimistic. Ironically, when you ask them about how and why they spend personally their money, the answers are different. The breakdown happens the moment they walk into the front door of the office. Nevertheless, your ideas about operational efficiency and pushing their buttons/speaking their language are what will work, not an appeal to their humanness.