In this episode of OneTAKE Live, host Ian Barkin sits down with Bernard Slowey, the senior director of global support — digital transformation at GitHub, to talk about the future of self-service and customer experiences, and what it really means to meet the needs of a diverse customer base.

In this episode of OneTAKE Live, host Ian Barkin discusses customer service, customer experiences, and all the innovative new ways companies can start prioritizing convenience with Shep Hyken, chief amazement officer at Shepard Presentations, LLC.

“I do the things I love; it inspires me, and I want to inspire others.” –Peggy Smedley 

 

In this episode of OneTAKE Live, host Ian Barkin discusses digital acceleration, the Internet of Things (IoT), and the power of stories with Peggy Smedley, president and editorial director of Specialty Publishing Media and host of The Peggy Smedley Show.  

 

Automation and connected tech have been catalysts for tremendous digital acceleration. Every day, more and more devices and people are connecting to one another, revolutionizing human capability, communication, and the way we work. In the fast-approaching “better normal,” AI and automation can give humans the power to radically change the world in brand new ways, so how should companies best prepare for this time of rapid digital transformation? 

 

According to Peggy Smedley, the key to thriving in a digital-first future will be focusing on sustainability, circularity, and keeping people first. While automation is making it possible to accomplish unprecedented things, any new technology will need to be used responsibly. “With great technology comes great responsibility.” Smedley explains. “The more we automate, the more we advance our society, the more we take away from our society. We have to kind of balance it.” 

 

An expert in all things tech, Peggy was one of the first to write about the potential she saw in machine to machine (M2M) and IoT technology and has been at the forefront of tech trends as a journalist for more than two decades. Her podcast, The Peggy Smedley Show, has produced 690 episodes and counting, and she continues to create and influence groundbreaking content as the president and managing editor of Specialty Publishing Media.  

 

Join us as we discover how connected tech is revolutionizing the way we view the future of work on OneTAKE Live! 

 

Episode Resources

SYKES 

Jobs.SYKES.com 

Constructech 

Connected World 

The Peggy Smedley Show 

Specialty Publishing Media

“I believe that right now we’re at that crossroads of refining the practice of customer experience.” – Geriel Thornburg May 

 

In this episode of OneTAKE Live, join host Ian Barkin as he discusses the many factors that must converge to create a dynamic customer experience with Geriel Thornburg May, worldwide director of customer service for Lenovo.   

 

What’s the most effective way to create exceptional customer experiences (CX)? Should you focus on offering fast, helpful support? Improving products or services? Or is it all about relationship management and outreach? 

 

According to Thornburg May, all of the above. She believes it’s a team effort — and that every part of a business is connected in some way to its overall CX.  

 

A company’s CX is a lot like a river, Thornburg May explains: “There are a lot of tributaries, or streams, that come into that river. And those are these various disciplines.” She explains, “For example, operational excellence and process management, quality management, understanding and making your process predictable … there are so many other streams, and I think together they create an experience that can be delivered at the end with a splash, if you will, for customers.”  

 

Currently the worldwide director of customer experience for Lenovo, as well as the founder of her own consultancy firm, Thornburg May knows what it takes to bring a company’s CX to the next level. In the past, she has worked with big-name companies such as General Electric, Accenture, and Fidelity Investments.  

 

Join us to learn how companies can converge to produce outstanding CX on OneTAKE Live! 

 

Episode Resources

SYKES 

Jobs.SYKES.com 

Geriel Thornburg May’s LinkedIn 

ThornburgMay Solution Consultants LinkedIn 

ThornburgMay Solution Consultants Website 

Lenovo

“If you can’t get excited about what’s going on, then I think you’re missing something … I believe there’s far more to get excited about.” – John Healy 

 

In this episode of OneTAKE Live, host Ian Barkin sits down with John Healy, vice president and managing director of Kelly OGC at Kelly Services to discuss what the future of work entails, how the culture of work is changing, and the innovative new ways companies can empower their workforce.   

 

The pandemic has been a catalyst for intense acceleration. Practically overnight, companies transitioned to work-at-home models, adopted emergent communications technology, and have had to rethink everything about the way we work. Rebuilding the workforce post-pandemic will require a radically new approach — and some outside-the-box thinking. 

 

Fortunately, we have John Healy to help guide us through the chaos. As a leader at Kelly’s Office of the Future of Work, he knows a thing or two about what tomorrow’s workforce might look like. According to him, this time of rebuilding presents a unique opportunity for leaders and employees alike to rethink their processes: “Fixing something like that is a genuine opportunity for so many people in the process. Not just for employers or for staffing companies,” John explains. “It’s good for society.” 

 

In his role as the vice president and managing director at Kelly, John studies not only the future of the workforce and technology, but also the workplace and social norms. He believes that it’s possible to leverage talent to create business communities that value improvement, accountability, and opportunity.   

 

Join us as we learn about all the ways work and the workforce are evolving on OneTAKE Live! 

 

Episode Resources

SYKES 

Jobs.SYKES.com 

John Healy’s Twitter 

John Healy’s LinkedIn 

Kelly

"I think the biggest thing for me is being able to help people.” – Laurent Pierre Jr. 

 

In this episode of OneTAKE Live, join host Ian Barkin as he discusses customer experiences, the impact of COVID-19, and the revolutionary flexibility of the cloud with Microsoft Azure CXP General Manager Laurent Pierre Jr.

 

With distancing still keeping many of us out of the office, collaborating in the age of COVID-19 can be a challenge, but what if it didn’t have to be? What if you could rapidly deploy entire virtual centers of operation in areas with little more than an internet connection? That’s the power of the cloud — and companies everywhere are taking note. 

 

To find out just how influential the cloud is, and how it’s aided businesses post–COVID-19, we asked Pierre, who said that the real game-changing power of the cloud is its ability to create a connected culture of collaboration. “We’ve seen something that would normally take five to six years to do; we’ve done it in maybe two to three months,” he said. “And it’s not just a soundbite. It’s true. In the eight months I’ve been here, I’ve witnessed Microsoft collaborate across the globe.” 

 

Formerly working as a program director for IBM, Pierre is no stranger to revolutionary tech. In his current role, he works to strategically lead a global team delivering world-class Microsoft Azure support through innovative products, scalable engineering systems, and data-driven decision-making.  

 

Join us to learn all the ways technology is augmenting collaboration despite distancing on OneTAKE Live!

 

Episode Resources

Laurent Pierre Jr.’s LinkedIn 

Laurent Pierre Jr.’s Twitter

“There’s so much opportunity for entrepreneurs right now to build something great for the future of work, or just for the future of humanity in general.” – Tim Salau 

 

In this episode of OneTAKE Live, host Ian Barkin discusses innovative tech-enabled leadership, learning, and teaching strategies with Tim Salau, CEO and co-founder of Guide and the self-proclaimed “Mr. Future of Work.”  

 

Don’t just train your employees — empower them! In the future of work, technology has the ability to augment the way we learn, teach, and even lead others. To get ahead, companies will need to leverage dynamic, efficient, and innovative leadership and training to equip employees and enable growth. But where should you begin? How can companies and leadership best prepare today for the quickly evolving marketplace of tomorrow?  

 

Luckily, we’ve got Tim Salau as our guide to the future of work. Tim is an expert at identifying all the ways that tech can enhance enterprise. He’s an international speaker and tech leader and is the CEO and co-founder of Guide, a company that seeks to make digital learning and teaching simple.  

 

“When I define the future of work,” Tim explains, “I think it’s just really empowering people, man — whether it be through automation, technology, tools — just empower people to get the work done.” 

 

In addition to his work with Guide and international speaking engagements, Tim also hosts the podcast Unleashing the Future of Work, where he speaks with innovators and leaders on a variety of topics. 

 

Join us as we discuss the future of teaching, learning, and leadership on OneTAKE Live! 

Episode Resources

Tim’s LinkedIn 

Guide (Company Website)  

Guide (LinkedIn) 

Unleashing the Future of Work (Tim’s Podcast Website) 

Ian’s LinkedIn Learning Course (Mentioned)

“Sales is, at the end of the day, not B2B, it’s P2P. It’s people to people, human to human.” – Connor Dube 

 

In this episode of OneTAKE Live, host Ian Barkin speaks with Connor Dube, director of sales and marketing for Active Blog and host of the B2B Mentors podcast that focuses on effective content and what it means to build a successful brand.  

 

What’s the secret to getting your name out there and connecting with customers? It’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the brand-building options available: social media, podcasting, blogging, vlogging — where do you even begin? 

 

Luckily, we’ve got Connor Dube to answer all of our burning branding questions. He’s an expert at connecting brands with customers and the host of multiple successful podcasts including B2B Mentors, where he speaks with industry leaders on how to best expand your audience and grow your customer base. According to Connor, the first step toward building out your brand is simply taking action: “I like to really think that I’m helping anyone who’s willing to help themselves and take action on the information … You can’t wait around. You’ve got to jump on it.”  

 

As a content creator, Connor teaches leaders and executives across the country about the importance of mentorship and the value of connecting with customers. In addition to hosting multiple podcasts and working as the director of sales and marketing for Active Blogs, Connor also founded Mile High Mentors in 2017, a media company based in Fort Collins, Colorado.  

 

Join us and learn what it takes to bring your brand to the next level on OneTAKE Live! 

 

Episode Resources

Connor’s LinkedIn 

B2B Mentors Podcast 

Active Blogs Website 

Mile High Mentors (LinkedIn) 

Mile High Mentors (Apple Podcasts)

We are entering a day and age, my friend, where you are going to have to rethink everything you knew about government, about big corporations, and about yourself.” – Trond Undheim   

 

In this episode of OneTAKE Live, join host Ian Barkin as he discusses the long-term future of remote work amid the COVID-19 pandemic withTrond Undheim, author, futurist, CEO, and co-founder of Yegii, Inc.  

 

2020 was a gamechanger. The emergence of COVID-19 has irrevocably altered the way we interact — and do business — going forward. But as we look ahead, what will all of the changes we make today mean for the future of work? Will things ever go back to normal? 

 

To find out, we asked Trond Undheim. A brilliant author and futurist,Trond believes that the duty of rebuilding our societal framework will be a precarious one filled with concessions, trade-offs, and complex problems. To “win” the pandemic, according to Undheim, the leaders of today will need to carefully plan for the long term.  

 

“In making those trade-offs, if you don’t take the long-term view, you’re making a trade-off that hurts you.” Trond explains. “Let one thing slip and you’re opening the door to a scenario you don’t want.” 

 

In addition to predicting the future and writing groundbreaking books, Trond Undheim is the CEO and co-founder of Yegii, Inc., as well as the host of the podcast Futurized. He has written and released two books this year: Pandemic Aftermath and Disruption Games, in which heanalyzes the past and present to make informed predictions about what’s coming next. Undheim’s next book, currently titled Future Tech,is slated for release in March 2021.  

 

Join us and find out what the changes of today will mean for the future of work on OneTAKE Live!  

 

Episode Resources

Trond’s LinkedIn 

Trond’s Twitter 

Trond’s Website 

Futurized Podcast 

Pandemic Aftermath (2020) 

Disruption Games (2020)

“My passion is about equipping, educating, and empowering jobseekers with real-time advice that can help them propel their careers.” – Orlando Haynes   

 

In this special episode of OneTAKE Live, host Ian Barkin introduces SYKES Talent Acquisitions Manager Orlando Haynes, host of the new SYKES production CareerTALKS!  

 

Looking to make the next connection along your career journey? Whether you’re looking for work or to transition, it can be difficult to set yourself apart amid a sea of applicants. Now, with COVID-19, it can sometimes seem downright impossible. What’s the best way to find your dream job in the new normal? 

 

According to Orlando Haynes, simply applying isn’t enough. He has years of experience connecting jobseekers to careers and knows what it takes to go from applicant to employee. To secure your dream career, according to Haynes, you have to be the type of candidate that hiring managers seek. So, what does Orlando look for in an applicant? “You can’t train culture or attitude,” Haynes says. “Someone who has a positive energy, who’s excited to come to work, who’s willing to serve — the rest, I think, we can train.” 

 

An HR and hiring expert, Orlando has written multiple books about finding the ideal career fit and continues to empower jobseekers across the country through his insightful videos and lectures.  

 

You can hear more from Orlando about all things careers, hiring, and recruiting on CareerTALKS, a SYKES production, premiering at noon EST on Wednesday, August 5. 

 

Join us as we discover what it takes to get hired in the new normal on OneTAKE Live! 

 

Episode Resources

 

Orlando’s LinkedIn 

Orlando’s Website 

Orlando’s Career Talks Facebook 

Orlando Haynes Career Talks YouTube