Customers First Podcast

On today's episode of the Customer's First Podcast, we were joined by Dave Seaton, the CEO and principal consultant at Seaton CX. Dave shared his journey into customer experience management, highlighting his success in reducing churn and winning awards.

He discussed the importance of customer journey mapping and unveiled his proprietary Dharma method, which consists of five steps: Define, Analyze, Research, Map, and Act. We delved into the differences between journey mapping and process mapping, emphasizing the need for customer insights and aligning mapping projects with strategic goals. Dave stressed the significance of including customer personas, goals, actions, thoughts, emotions, and moments in journey maps to tell a compelling customer story. He also touched on additional elements like friction points, quantitative data, and opportunities for improvement. Moreover, Dave shared three common reasons for customer journey map failures: lack of customer insight, misalignment with strategic plans, and lack of actionable insights.

Timestamps:

11:52: Importance of Customer Insights 14:44: Elements of Journey Maps 20:15: Additional Considerations for Journey Maps 24:43: Reasons for Journey Map Failures Dave's Contact Information: Website: https://www.seatoncx.com LinkedIn: @daveseaton

Tacey's Contact Information:

Website: www.taceyatkinson.com Social Media: @taceyatkinson

Thank you for tuning in, and Tacey looks forward to having more valuable conversations together in the future.

Remember:

Customer Centric Cultures Create Magical Customer Experiences.

Now Go Spread the Magic!

In this episode, Tacey is joined by the Founder of Dignity Leadership Consulting & Author of "You're Doing It Wrong, Stop Managing & Start Leading," Rich Levene.

Rich discusses his journey from being a high producer to learning what true leadership is through his master's program. He emphasizes the importance of trust, hope, humility, and empathy in leadership and how building a culture of leadership within a business involves everyone, not just those in formal leadership roles. Tune in to hear more about Rich's rich insights and experiences in leadership and personal growth!

Timestamps:

3:17: The Importance of Doing It Right 5:56: Leader vs. Manager Distinction 6:36: Leading People, Managing Things 9:48: Collaboration vs. Cooperation 10:05: Fostering a Collaborative Culture 17:26: Addressing Authoritarian Leadership 19:07: Creating a Culture of Leadership

Rich's Contact Information:

Website: www.richardlevene.com

Instagram: @dignityleadership

LinkedIn: @richlevene

Link to Book: You're Doing It Wrong

Tacey's Contact Information:

Website and Social Media Links: www.taceyatkinson.com @taceyatkinson

Thank you for tuning in, and Tacey looks forward to having more valuable conversations together in the future.

Remember:

Customer Centric Cultures Create Magical Customer Experiences.

Now Go Spread the Magic!

In this episode, Kat Newport, an author, trainer and founder of Oculus, Inc., discusses her journey into conflict resolution and leadership evolution. She explains the importance of managing conflict and how it led her to write her book, "Smart Conflict." Kat emphasizes the significance of conflict resolution in maintaining positive relationships and fostering innovation within organizations. She delves into the connection between leadership skills, conflict resolution, and organizational growth potential, highlighting the need for training employees in conflict management. Kat shares common challenges people face in navigating conflicts and provides tips for proactive conflict prevention within and outside organizations. Kat introduces the SMART conflict resolution strategy into five key components: Situation, Measure, Agenda, Relationship, and Time and Place. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the situation, managing emotions, setting agendas, focusing on relationships, and choosing the right time and place for conflict resolution. Furthermore, Kat shares insights on handling conflicts at the moment when emotions are high, emphasizing the importance of addressing issues promptly to avoid escalation. She stresses the significance of empathetic leadership and creating a safe and inclusive work environment where emotions are acknowledged and valued.

Timestamps:

4:36: Conflict in Customer-Centric Perspective 6:05: Leadership Skills and Conflict Resolution 8:13: Common Challenges in Conflict Navigation 10:26: Strategy for Smart Conflict Solutions 16:14: Handling Conflict in the Moment 18:52: Importance of Empathetic Leadership Kat's Contact Information: Website: https://www.smartconflictbook.com LinkedIn: @kat-newport Instagram: @kat_newport Smart Conflict Book Link

Tacey's Contact Information:

Website and Social Media Links: www.taceyatkinson.com

Thank you for tuning in, and Tacey looks forward to having more valuable conversations together in the future.

Remember:

Customer Centric Cultures Create Magical Customer Experiences.

Now Go Spread the Magic!

In this episode of the Customers First Podcast, Tacey Atkinson hosts Neal Woodson, a teacher, coach, author, and speaker dedicated to putting people first in business. Neal believes workplaces and customer spaces should focus on helping people succeed. With decades of experience in various industries, Neal has written over 500 blog posts and two books, including his latest release, Giving a $#!+: How A Willingness to Be Inconvenienced Can Transform Your Business, Work, and Life. In this book, he provides readers with a plan for making businesses more human.

Neal talks about the inspiration behind his book, "Giving a S#!+," which stemmed from a conversation on a golf course about the importance of caring for others in customer-facing roles and within the organization. He delves into compassion and how it impacts individuals and businesses. Neal cites research and examples to support his claim that businesses must embody a compassionate enterprise.

Neal emphasizes the significance of warmth and competence in human interactions and how businesses must effectively focus on both to build strong relationships with customers and colleagues. He also outlines strategies for instilling a service-first mindset within individuals and organizations. He highlights the importance of aligning to a service-focused message, leading by example, encouraging others, and infusing care into all delivery systems to create a culture centred on service and compassion.

Timestamps:

04:25: The Story Behind "Giving a Shit"

06:18: Impact of Noticing and Compassion

11:18: The Importance of Delivery and Interaction

16:25: Setting the Stage for Change

25:39: Turning It Around

Neal's Contact Information

Website: https://nealwoodson.net/

LinkedIn & Instagram: @nealwoodson

Link to Book: https://nealwoodson.net/gas/

Tacey's Contact Information:

Website and Social Media Links: www.taceyatkinson.com

Thank you for tuning in, and Tacey looks forward to having more valuable conversations together in the future.

Remember:

Customer Centric Cultures Create Magical Customer Experiences.

Now Go Spread the Magic!

Episode 92 Revisited as The #1 Shared & Discussed of 2023

Join Tacey and her special guest, Author, Speaker and CEO of CX Journey Inc., Annette Franz, as they discuss "The Building Blocks of a Customer Experience Strategy."

Annette has nearly three decades of experience inspiring and elevating organizations and teams. Between Annette and Tacey, this episode brings you over seven decades of experience building teams and organizations to become customer-centric.

Annette defines what customer-centric and employee-centric mean and how employee experience ultimately drives the customer experience. She also explains how we go about building and strengthening that connection.

Annette covers some of the building blocks needed to build a customer experience strategy and how customer understanding is vital. She also shares three ways to achieve that customer understanding.

Annette is also giving us a free assessment organizations can take to assess how customer-centric they currently are. The link to that will be below.

Timestamps:

05:29: Defining Customer-Centric Culture

09:01: Customer Experience vs. Employee Experience

12:59: Building a Customer-Centric Organization: Foundational Elements

19:30: The Importance of Customer Understanding

22:10: Free Assessment for Assessing Customer-Centric Culture

Annette's Contact Information:

Website: https://annettefranz.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annette-franz/

Free Assessment: https://annettefranz.com/assessment/

Tacey's Contact Information:

Website and Social Media Links: www.taceyatkinson.com

Thank you for tuning in, and Tacey looks forward to having more valuable conversations together in the future.

Remember:

Customer Centric Cultures Create Magical Customer Experiences.

Now Go Spread the Magic!

On today's episode of the Customer's First Podcast, Tacey's guest is Pete Mohr, who shared his journey in entrepreneurship for over 30 years. Pete owns two footwear stores in Ontario (Shoetopia) and his Simplifying Entrepreneurship coaching business. He's implementing the tools and frameworks he speaks to within his own businesses—it's not just theory!

Pete emphasized the importance of having a well-defined promise, aligning processes to the promise, and empowering employees to make decisions based on the promise. He discussed the significance of effective communication, process management, and accountability in business growth. Pete also shared personal experiences, including using business structures to spend valuable time with his parents before they passed away. The conversation highlighted the need for continuous improvement in communication and processes in business to align with personal goals and create a better work-life balance.

Timestamps:

0:06:02 The Five Ps of Business 0:08:53 Differentiating Promise from Vision and Mission 0:13:08 Developing and Communicating the Promise 0:18:50 Importance of Communication in Business 0:22:51 The Three Keys to Freedom: CPA 0:26:18 Align It, Assign It Framework 0:28:14 Moving from Operator to Owner: 10 Laws

Pete's Contact Information:

Website: https://simplifyingentrepreneurship.com

LinkedIn: @petermohr

10 Laws for Moving from Operator to Owner

https://simplifyingentrepreneurship.com/laws/ The Assign It accountability worksheet https://simplifyingentrepreneurship.com/4as/

Tacey's Contact Information:

Website: https:www.taceyatkinson.com

All of Tacey's social media profiles are linked there and here:

https://linktr.ee/taceyatkinson

Thank you for tuning in, and I look forward to having more valuable conversations together in the future.

Remember:

Customer-Centric Cultures Create Magical Customer Experiences.

Now Go, Create the Magic!

In this episode of the Customer's First Podcast, host Tacey Atkinson interviews Laurie Barkman, a business transition and acquisition expert. As a mergers and acquisitions advisor, Laurie provides a structured process for business owners to plan successful company transitions.

Laurie is the author of "The Business Transition Handbook: How to Avoid Succession Pitfalls and Create Valuable Exit Options." This book demystifies the often overwhelming exit process, guiding business owners to consider leaving their ventures or beginning to think about their next steps.

Laurie discusses the significance of succession planning and how it can positively impact stakeholders. Laurie highlights the need to plan for an exit in advance and stresses the importance of building value in a company through strategic planning and reducing owner dependencies. The conversation also delves into business owners' challenges in implementing succession plans, such as time constraints and the emotional aspects of letting go. Laurie explains how succession planning can add value to customer-centric companies by creating alignment, preparing for leadership transitions, and attracting potential buyers. She emphasizes the benefits of proactive planning and aligning with the company's vision for the future.

Timestamps:

0:11:14 The Importance of Exit Planning

0:20:05 Factors Affecting Business Value

0:33:50 Final Thoughts and Challenge

Laurie's Contact Information:

Website: https://thebusinesstransitionsherpa.com

Book: BusinessTransitionHandbook

Social Media Profiles: @lauriebarkman

Tacey's Contact Information:

Website: https:www.taceyatkinson.com

All of Tacey's social media profiles are linked there and here:

https://linktr.ee/taceyatkinson

Thank you for tuning in, and I look forward to having more valuable conversations together in the future.

Remember:

Customer-Centric Cultures Create Magical Customer Experiences.

Now Go, Create the Magic!

Unlocking the Magic of Leadership with special guest Summer Jelinek

Joining Tacey on the Customer's First Podcast is Summer Jelinek, a leadership expert and professional speaker who shares her journey and insights into effective leadership. She shares how her passion for leadership began on the playground, leading her to work at Walt Disney World and develop a program to help others find their unique leadership magic. Summer highlights the importance of understanding and managing oneself first as a leader, aligning with the organization's purpose, galvanizing employees, inspiring oneself and others, and controlling chaos.

She introduces her book, "Unlocking the Magic of Leadership: Five Keys to Inspire Yourself, Empower Others, and Drive Extraordinary Results," emphasizing the power of creating moments of magic in leadership.

Timestamps:

0:08:41 The MAGIC Program Overview

0:11:08 Manage Yourself First - Self-Management Importance

0:11:14 Align Your Purpose - Connecting Purpose with Team

0:12:43 Galvanize Your Employees - Shock into Action

0:16:47 Inspire Yourself and Others - Importance of Self-Inspiration

0:17:16 Control Your Chaos - Balancing Leadership Strengths

0:18:39 Unlocking the Magic of Leadership - Book Introduction

Summer's Contact Information:

Website: https://summerjelinek.com

The link to the book is here - https://a.co/d/hMIR1dO

The link to the free chapter is here - www.unlockingthemagicofleadership.com/myf

All social media platforms: @summerjelinek

Tacey's Contact Information:

Website: https:www.taceyatkinson.com

All social media platforms: @taceyatkinson

Thank you for tuning in, and I look forward to having more valuable conversations together in the future.

Remember:

Customer-Centric Cultures Create Magical Customer Experiences.

Now Go, Create the Magic!

Today joining Tacey in the Customer's First Boardroom is Jeanne Collins, an award-winning interior designer and author of "Two Feet In-Lessons from an All in Life," a book chronicling her journey to find inner peace and balance after being fired from her corporate job. Jeanne shares her experiences transitioning from a high-stress corporate job to pursuing her passion for interior design and writing. She emphasizes the importance of self-reflection, defining oneself beyond a job title, and prioritizing life-work balance. Jeanne also discusses the significance of trusting oneself, quieting negative inner dialogue, and leading by example to cultivate a positive organizational culture. Jeanne reveals that becoming a mother was a transformational experience that taught her how to emotionally connect with others, a skill she had to learn later in life and wants to help others learn.

Jeanne's plans include launching a lifestyle brand called the House of JerMar. It focuses on helping women and executives improve their lives through interior design, coaching, motivational speaking, and holistic wellness services. Jeanne's emphasis on inner peace, self-improvement, and pursuing passions resonates as she encourages personal growth and well-being in organizations.

Throughout the conversation, Jeanne emphasizes the importance of finding inner peace over seeking happiness since one's inner peace can sustain us despite life's ups and downs. She encourages leaders to prioritize self-improvement and continuous learning and foster a culture of well-being and personal growth in organizations. Jeanne's inspiring journey and insights highlight the transformative power of self-discovery, resilience, and pursuing one's passions to create a fulfilling and purpose-driven life. Her story showcases the power of resilience and self-discovery in creating a purpose-driven life.

Timestamps:

0:06:49 Importance of Trusting Ourselves

0:09:24 Managing Inner Dialogue

0:11:25 Recognizing Negative Self-Talk

0:13:33 Skills for Personal Growth

0:15:26 Achieving Work-Life Balance

Jeanne's Contact Information:

Websites:

(Book) Two Feet In

(Business) https://www.jermardesigns.com

Social Media:

Facebook Book: https://www.facebook.com/jeanne.collins.ct

Facebook Business: https://www.facebook.com/jermardesigns

Instagram Book: https://www.instagram.com/jeanne_collins_ct/

Instagram Business: https://www.instagram.com/jermar_designs

Tacey's Contact Information:

Website: https:www.taceyatkinson.com

All of Tacey's social media profiles are linked there and here:

https://linktr.ee/taceyatkinson

Thank you for tuning in, and I look forward to having more valuable conversations together in the future.

Remember:

Customer-Centric Cultures Create Magical Customer Experiences.

Now Go Create the Magic!

In this episode of the Customer's First Podcast, we were joined by Heather Penny, a leadership coach and author, to discuss her book "Grace Space: Creating Spaces We Want to Live and Lead In."

Heather shared her journey from teaching to coaching and the importance of navigating midlife opportunities with clarity, confidence, and courage. She introduced the seven practices from her book, such as responding vs. reacting, questioning vs. accusing, receptivity vs. defensiveness, and more, emphasizing the power of choice in creating a culture of trust, connection, and grace.

The conversation highlighted the significance of intentional relationships, and Heather encouraged listeners to embrace grace-based practices, emphasizing the commitment to continuous growth and positive change.

Timestamps:

0:04:40 The Concept of Grace Space

0:07:45 Exploring the Seven Principles

0:15:41 Receptivity vs. Defensiveness

0:21:12 Freedom vs. Control

0:23:36 Trust vs. Fear

Heather's Contact Information:

Website: www.heatherpenny.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-penny-ph-d-61840414/

Instagram: @heatherpennyphd

Link to Book: Grace Space

Tacey's Contact Information:

Website: https:www.taceyatkinson.com

All of Tacey's social media profiles are linked there and here:

https://linktr.ee/taceyatkinson

Thank you for tuning in, and I look forward to having more valuable conversations together in the future.

Remember:

Customer-Centric Cultures Create Magical Customer Experiences.

Now Go Create the Magic!