In this engaging episode of CX Nexus, hosts Nicole Saunders and Chris Detzel explore the fascinating intersection between personal and professional community building. The conversation weaves between Chris's experience growing a 10,000-member running community in Dallas-Fort Worth and Nicole's decade-long "Odd Tuesday Potluck" tradition, revealing how the fundamental principles of community building manifest in their personal lives.

The hosts unpack key community-building elements that work across both personal and professional contexts:
- The critical role of consistency in building lasting communities
- How shared challenges and interests naturally bring people together
- The importance of creating regular touchpoints and traditions
- The value of organic growth and patience in community development
- Ways to maintain engagement while allowing for natural ebb and flow of participation

Through personal anecdotes about running groups, potluck dinners, choir performances, and holiday traditions, Nicole and Chris demonstrate how the strategies they use in professional community management often mirror the natural ways humans connect in their personal lives. The episode offers valuable insights for both professional community managers and anyone interested in building stronger personal networks and communities.

The discussion culminates with reflections on how genuine human connection remains at the heart of all successful communities, whether they're focused on professional development or personal interests. This episode is particularly relevant for community professionals seeking to ground their work in authentic human experience, as well as individuals looking to build stronger personal communities in their own lives.

Hosts: Nicole Saunders and Chris Detzel

This episode of the CX Nexus podcast features co-hosts Nicole Saunders and Chris Detzel discussing the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on community management and customer experience. Here's a detailed description of the episode's content:

1. Introduction and Context:
   - Both hosts are about six weeks into new jobs, providing fresh perspectives on their roles.
   - Chris has been thinking a lot about AI and new technologies in his new role.

2. AI Integration in Customer Experience:
   - Discussion on the importance of thinking "AI-first" in community and customer experience strategies.
   - Examples of AI integration, such as chatbots for self-help and sentiment analysis tools.

3. Practical Applications of AI:
   - Use of AI for content creation, including blog posts and webinar summaries.
   - AI's role in data analysis, such as understanding customer needs and preferences.
   - Utilizing AI for routine tasks like meeting note-taking and creating event descriptions.

4. Impact on Support Communities:
   - How AI is changing the nature of questions in support communities.
   - The shift towards more complex, experience-based queries that AI can't easily answer.
   - The increasing importance of user-generated content for SEO.

5. AI in Community Platforms:
   - Discussion on the lack of innovation in community platform space.
   - The need for community platforms to integrate AI features.
   - Potential for AI in matchmaking community members with similar interests or needs.

6. Challenges and Opportunities:
   - Balancing AI use with maintaining authentic, authoritative content.
   - The importance of open, searchable communities for SEO benefits.
   - How AI might disrupt current community management practices.

7. Future Outlook:
   - Anticipation of upcoming innovations in community platform technologies.
   - The need for community managers to adapt to AI-first approaches.
   - Potential for AI to assist community managers in various aspects of their roles.

8. Closing Remarks:
   - Mention of upcoming presentations at the Refocus virtual community conference.
   - Encouragement for listeners to attend or watch recordings of the conference.

Throughout the episode, the hosts share personal experiences and industry insights, providing a mix of practical advice and forward-looking perspectives on the role of AI in community management and customer experience.

This podcast episode of CX Nexus features hosts Nicole Saunders and Chris Detzel discussing the intersection of community management and sales strategies, particularly focusing on how community professionals can integrate their work with sales plays. Here's a detailed description of the episode:

1. Introduction to the topic: 
   • The hosts introduce the challenge many community leaders face in connecting their work to the rest of the organization, especially sales.
   • They emphasize the importance of finding ways to integrate community efforts with sales motions without being overly "salesy" in community spaces.
2. Focus on expansion opportunities: 
   • Chris suggests that community plays a significant role in customer expansion rather than net new sales.
   • He discusses how community programs, such as webinars, can be connected to sales pipelines and influence revenue.
3. Defining sales plays: 
   • The hosts explain the concept of sales plays, distinguishing them from marketing campaigns.
   • They describe sales plays as repeatable actions that can be tracked and followed up on systematically.
4. Learning about sales processes: 
   • Chris shares his experience of learning about sales plays and campaigns within his organization.
   • He emphasizes the importance of building relationships with sales teams and understanding their language and goals.
5. Strategies for integration: 
   • The hosts discuss the value of co-planning events with other teams to ensure community initiatives align with broader sales and marketing strategies.
   • They stress the importance of approaching other teams with a "how can I help?" mindset rather than asking for inclusion.
6. Building internal relationships: 
   • Nicole highlights the importance of relationship-building skills for community professionals, not just with community members but also with internal teams.
   • They discuss strategies for gaining buy-in from executives and demonstrating the value of community to the business.
7. Data and metrics: 
   • The hosts talk about the importance of tracking data to demonstrate community impact on sales.
   • They caution against over-relying on metrics and stress the need for balancing data with practical field experience.
8. Challenges and encouragement: 
   • Chris acknowledges that integrating community with sales can be challenging but encourages community leaders to push themselves in new directions.
   • They emphasize the need for creativity in showing how community efforts contribute to business outcomes.
9. Closing thoughts: 
   • The hosts summarize the key takeaways and encourage listeners to continue exploring ways to connect community efforts with broader business strategies.

Throughout the episode, Nicole and Chris draw from their personal experiences, offering practical advice and insights for community professionals looking to demonstrate their value to the sales organization and the broader business.

In this enlightening episode of CXNexus, hosts Nicole Saunders and Chris Detzel share their recent experiences transitioning to new roles in the customer experience and community management space. Both having just made significant career moves, they offer valuable insights and practical advice for professionals navigating job changes in the tech industry.

Nicole discusses her move from Zendesk, where she spent seven and a half years, to Coupa as the new Senior Director of Customer Experience Marketing. She shares her approach to entering a new organization, including how she prepared for the role and her strategy for the first few weeks on the job. Nicole emphasizes the importance of listening, asking key questions, and quickly identifying patterns and priorities within the new company.

Chris reveals his transition from Reltio to ZoomInfo, where he'll be starting as a Senior Community Manager. He details his proactive job search strategies after his position at Reltio was eliminated, highlighting the crucial role of networking and personal branding on LinkedIn. Chris offers creative tips for standing out in the job application process, including creating personalized presentations and leveraging existing connections.

The hosts dive deep into several key topics:

1. The importance of personal branding and "working out loud" on platforms like LinkedIn to attract opportunities.
2. Strategies for networking effectively, including reaching out to connections and asking for help.
3. Techniques for preparing for a new role, such as researching the company and creating preliminary strategies.
4. The emotional aspects of leaving a long-term position and starting fresh in a new organization.
5. Practical advice for the first few weeks in a new job, including meeting key stakeholders and identifying quick wins.
6. The value of bringing ideas and potential roadmaps to a new position, especially when building programs from the ground up.

Throughout the episode, Nicole and Chris share personal anecdotes, challenges they've faced, and lessons they've learned during their recent transitions. They offer encouragement to listeners who may be considering a job change or find themselves unexpectedly in the job market.

This episode provides valuable insights for professionals at all stages of their careers, particularly those in customer experience, community management, and related fields in the tech industry. Listeners will come away with practical strategies for job searching, interviewing, and starting strong in a new role, as well as a renewed appreciation for the power of professional networks and personal branding in career advancement.

In this episode of CX Nexus, hosts Nicole Saunders and Chris Detzel are joined by Luke Austin, Director of Analytics and Insights at Reltio, to delve into the critical role of data analytics in modern marketing and sales strategies. Luke provides an in-depth explanation of essential concepts such as pipeline and bookings, and how these metrics are vital for predicting business performance and setting revenue targets.

The discussion transitions to the impact of community engagement on business outcomes, highlighting the importance of Account-Based Experience (ABX) strategies. Luke shares valuable insights on how Reltio leverages ABX to enhance their sales process, particularly by identifying and engaging multiple stakeholders within target accounts.

A significant portion of the conversation focuses on the impressive influence of community shows, hosted by Chris, on customer engagement and pipeline creation. Luke reveals how these shows have become a primary driver of engagement, accounting for a substantial portion of customer interactions, and how this engagement correlates with increased pipeline and expansion opportunities.

Listeners will gain a comprehensive understanding of how integrating community activities with data-driven marketing and sales efforts can lead to significant business growth. Nicole and Chris also emphasize the importance of community professionals building strong relationships with their marketing intelligence teams to harness the full potential of data insights.

Join us for a detailed exploration of the intersections between community engagement, data analytics, and business strategy, and learn how to translate community interactions into measurable business outcomes.

This episode explores the interconnections between various aspects of the customer experience and emphasizes the importance of breaking down organizational silos to deliver better outcomes for customers and businesses alike.

The discussion revolves around strategies for expanding revenue within existing customer accounts through cross-selling and upselling. The guest, Jay Nathan, Chief Operating Officer at Churnkey, shares insights on how focusing on customer expansion is crucial for driving growth, especially in the current economic climate where efficiency and profitability are paramount.

The conversation delves into the roles and responsibilities of different teams, such as sales, customer success, and support, in identifying and operationalizing expansion opportunities. The speakers underscore the significance of providing exceptional customer support and argue that investing in a strong support function can pay dividends in terms of customer retention and growth.

Throughout the podcast, the theme of cross-functional collaboration emerges as a key driver of success. The participants discuss how breaking down silos and fostering cooperation among departments can lead to more seamless customer experiences and more effective expansion strategies. They also explore the role of customer communities in this context, suggesting that community managers should act as facilitators who bring together expertise from across the organization to deliver value to customers.

The speakers also touch on the importance of data and analytics in identifying expansion opportunities and segmenting the customer base. They emphasize the need to understand customer needs and tailor outreach and offerings accordingly.

Overall, the podcast offers a wealth of insights and practical advice for organizations looking to optimize their customer experience and drive growth through expansion strategies. The discussion is relevant to a wide range of functions, from community management and customer success to sales and support, and underscores the importance of a holistic, customer-centric approach to business growth.

This podcast episode of CX Nexus features hosts Nicole Saunders and Chris Detzel discussing the intricacies of planning and executing successful business events, particularly in the context of customer experience and community building. The episode provides a comprehensive overview of event management, drawing from Chris's recent experience organizing a customer event for his company.

Key points covered in the episode include:

1. Setting clear goals and objectives for the event, including business outcomes like expansion opportunities and pipeline influence.
2. The importance of proper planning, including creating a high-level agenda and identifying key team members and their responsibilities (using a RACI model).
3. Logistics considerations, such as choosing an appropriate venue, organizing catering, managing registration, and preparing event materials like name badges and swag.
4. Strategies for promoting the event, including leveraging various communication channels like email campaigns, personal outreach from sales and customer success teams, and community platforms.
5. Content planning, including selecting and preparing speakers, organizing panel discussions, and ensuring presentations align with the event's objectives.
6. The value of networking opportunities and how to structure the event to facilitate meaningful connections among attendees.
7. Challenges and potential pitfalls in event planning, such as last-minute changes, technical issues, and the need for flexibility and quick problem-solving.
8. The importance of balancing different attendee groups, such as customers, prospects, partners, and employees.
9. Post-event considerations, including measuring success against set goals and gathering feedback.

Throughout the discussion, Chris and Nicole share personal experiences and practical tips, emphasizing the complexity of event planning but also highlighting the significant value that well-executed events can bring to a business. They stress the importance of attention to detail, effective communication, and the ability to adapt to unexpected situations.

The episode provides valuable insights for professionals involved in customer experience, community management, and event planning, offering a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to create impactful business events. They also touch on the differences between small, intimate events and larger conferences, noting that while the scale may change, many of the fundamental principles remain the same.

CX Nexus" features hosts Nicole Saunders and Chris Detzel discussing the integration of community efforts with sales and marketing strategies in their respective companies, Reltio and Zendesk. They explore how community engagement can drive business growth through targeted strategies like ABX (account-based experience) and expansion opportunities. 

The conversation highlights the importance of aligning community activities with business outcomes, the challenge of maintaining authentic community connections while contributing to sales efforts, and the necessity of cross-functional collaboration to achieve these goals. They emphasize the evolving role of community management in supporting business objectives and the need for community leaders to adapt and innovate within this dynamic landscape.

In the debut episode of "CX Nexus," hosts Nicole and Chris warmly welcome their audience into the fold of an innovative podcast series dedicated to exploring the intricate world of customer experience (CX) and its pivotal role in business success. Nicole, with her profound background as the director of community at Zendesk, brings to the table a wealth of knowledge gleaned from her extensive experience in community management across a diverse range of industries and company sizes. Chris Detzel complements this expertise with his invaluable insights from spearheading online communities and engagement initiatives at Reltio, making them a formidable duo in the realm of CX.

As they introduce themselves and the vision behind "CX Nexus," Nicole and Chris share their personal journeys in community management, shedding light on the unique challenges and triumphs they've encountered. Their narratives set the stage for the podcast's mission: to unravel the complexities of cross-functional collaboration within businesses and highlight the indispensable role of community in fostering synergy across various departments.

The hosts outline an ambitious plan for the podcast, aiming to invite guests from a myriad of roles—ranging from customer success and sales to product marketing and customer experience. These conversations are designed to offer listeners a panoramic view of how community engagement not only bridges gaps between different business functions but also enhances collective efforts towards achieving common goals.

"CX Nexus" positions itself as a treasure trove of insights for professionals entrenched in the spheres of customer experience, go-to-market strategies, marketing, customer support, product management, and leadership. Nicole and Chris are committed to delivering content that not only informs but also inspires professional growth and encourages a culture of collaboration and innovation within product companies.

The essence of the podcast is encapsulated in its goal to showcase the interconnectedness of roles within organizations and how these connections contribute to strategic decision-making and business success. Nicole and Chris emphasize the importance of listener engagement, inviting the audience to actively participate by subscribing across various platforms, suggesting topics, posing questions, and recommending guests through [email protected] 

As "CX Nexus" embarks on its journey, Nicole and Chris stand at the helm, ready to guide their listeners through the evolving landscape of customer experience, armed with their expertise, vision, and an open invitation for everyone to join the conversation.

As the year comes to an end, Chris and Nicole discuss best practices for community professionals to reflect on their accomplishments, communicate value to stakeholders, and set goals for the new year.

Key topics covered:

• The importance of end-of-year reporting to benchmark progress, justify budget/resources, and set goals. Nicole explains how quantifying community ROI helps secure leadership support.
• Conducting quarterly reviews to zoom out from day-to-day tasks and ensure you're focused on the right priorities.
• Tips for end-of-year people management like giving timely feedback and documenting personal achievements.
• Recognizing community members' contributions through year-end impact reports and tokens of appreciation. Nicole shares examples like infographics, swag gifts, and social events.
• Collaborating cross-functionally and articulating community impact on business goals like product adoption, customer retention, etc.
• The episode ends with a recap of key takeaways to help community builders reflect on the past year and prepare for the new year ahead.