Clued In Podcast with Lou Carbone

In this short yet insightful episode of Clued In, Lou gets right to the point and poses a question for organizations…are you in a state of ‘break-through’ or ‘break/fix’? Either one may be the appropriate direction for your organization at this moment but it’s important to understand the path you are on as they do not lead to the same destination.

Focusing on break/fix (correcting the things customers tell you need improvement) may result in perfecting things customers do not perceive to be of value. Taking a ‘break through’ approach provides the ability to step back and begin to build a distinct experience for your customers (or employees) that delivers the emotional end-frame…how they feel about themselves in the experience

In this episode of Clued In, Lou is joined by Shawn Nason, CX isn’t enough! Experience Evangelist from Disney Imagineer, Author, Speaker, Podcaster, Entrepreneur at MOFI, Neurodiversity Advocate, and Disruptor League.

Lou and Shawn discuss the need for CX to move beyond a way of thinking or a series of activities within an organization focused on metrics. The goal is to build a system…an Experience Ecosystem that empowers all employees to understand the customer (who they are, what they desire, and more) to create distinct experiential value. Shawn’s viewpoint was shaped by his years as Disney and at Humana during a time in which customer experience was a top priority.

In this episode of Clued In, Lou is rejoined by Ralph A. Oliva and discuss the importance of going back to a sound concept…continually asking ‘why?’. Due to the rapid changes brought on by the pandemic and other world changing events, this question is more relevant than ever.

Ralph shares several takeaways that will help CMOs, CXOs, CEOs, and others looking to modify their existing activities due to recent market changes and interruptions. Relying on market research on a quarterly, or similar, interval is no longer adequate. To stay competitive and healthy, organizations should develop systems of consistent and continual research insights.

In this episode of Clued In, Lou is joined by Bob Azman, Chief Customer Officer & Customer Experience Consultant at Innovative CX Solutions, Emeritus Board Chairperson at CXPA, Adjunct Professor, Best-selling Author, and host of All Things Considered CX podcast.
 
Lou and Bob discuss the development of the CX industry along with some hurdles, and opportunities, all professionals involved in CX can take advantage of. In a profession that seems to be heavily fragmented (CX/EX/UX/Practitioner/Consultant/Platform Solution/etc.) the ability to embrace a shared view of experience management benefits everyone…especially the customer!

In this episode of Clued In, Lou is joined by Ralph A. Oliva and discuss the importance of building relationships in B2B, especially in today’s world with shortages and delays brought on by the pandemic.

For years now B2B organizations have been focused on the functional, economic, and emotional impact the product has on a customer’s life or a firm’s business. But something is missing...the relationship element. This is what the customer experiences, before and after, using a product or service. How will the customer take what they have experienced with your organization and use it to move forward? 

In this episode of Clued In, Lou stresses the importance of not being stuck focusing on the basics while the true opportunity is all around you. A common trap for CX professionals is to focus their efforts on 'fixing broken processes' or having the mindset that you first need to 'perfect the basics' before you are ready to introduce new experiences.

Lou provides examples of organizations that failed to recognize the unconscious drivers of their customers and instead continued perfecting their existing processes. Focusing on process improvement is like joining a race after it started. It might feel as if you are making progress, but you also have no idea where the finish is. We need to think of starting with the customer's desired emotion in an experience as the new starting line.

In this episode of Clued In, Lou takes a light-hearted (and comical) approach to what it means to create an impression.
Before listening, please take a moment to watch a short video to provide…for lack of a better word…context. As a warning, you will want to turn your sound down (or use headphones) if you are in a quiet work environment! https://youtu.be/NGuHDdSImFQ

The key takeaway from this episode is the importance of understanding how actions and clues, either positive or negative, create impressions. Those impressions play a large role in the forming of lasting memories and therefore how we perceive a person, brand, or organization.

In this episode of Clued In, Lou shares stories of his time working with Disney and the impact that had on his perspective on experience design and his career. A key take-away was the willingness to step back and look at the entire experience as a system, rather than individual elements.

The ability Walt Disney had to understand the mind of the customer (children, parents, family, etc.) was apparent in his knowledge of the importance of creating memories through lasting impressions. A message that holds truer today than ever!

In this episode of Clued In, Lou discusses the difference between incremental process improvement and tactics that create momentum and velocity in your CX strategy. Often organizations look for a ‘silver bullet’ or universally applicable ‘best practices’ to boost the CX ROI. In some cases, this will provide short term gains but to create a truly distinct experience for your customers and employees requires looking at things differently…which can result in greater momentum in seeing positive returns.

In this episode of Clued In, Lou reconnects with a long-time friend and former client, Angelo Lombardi. Listen in as Angelo shares his experiences as his career went from being a COO in the hospitality industry, a COO in the legalized marijuana industry, and a CEO of an organization producing CBD products. Angelo's message of always learning new things and being willing to step outside of your comfort zone are quite apparent in his professional career. You do not want to miss out on this one!