Outside In with Charles Trevail

As an SVP at Marriott International, Julius W. Robinson is the global brand leader for Marriott Hotels and Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, two iconic brands. He explains why it takes a lot more than a slick advertising campaign to create a world-class “brand.” It’s about creating emotional connections and guest experiences that will inspire customers to make a brand their own.

Listen to this episode to learn:

• What goes into being one of the “Most Innovative” companies in the world

• Why personalization -- and experimenting with guest room innovations -- is the future of hospitality

• How two former competitors, Marriott Hotels and Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, are now complementing each other under one corporate umbrella

• Lessons in leadership from Julius’ 25-year career at Marriott International

Jodi Rudoren is a veteran journalist and an associate managing editor of The New York Times. She oversees the NYT’s new gender initiative and a team trying to grow and engage audiences outside the United States. She was also one of seven NYT journalists that made up Project 2020, a group tasked with advising the editor on how to change the structure and priorities of the newsroom to meet the challenges of the future. She joins the podcast to talk about profound changes happening at the NYT – in its business and in its journalism, as both get more focused on readers.

Listen to this episode to learn:

• The future of reporting and storytelling at the NYT

• Where journalism is headed as new platforms and technologies, like AI, emerge

• Why “fake news” is good for business for those who sell authority and integrity

• How the NYT Reader Center is giving readers a voice and empowering them to co-create stories

• Journalism’s influence on the #MeToo movement, and vice versa

• The challenge of covering every perspective in a polarized world

Joy Falotico has been with Ford for 29 years. But she’s been Ford’s new CMO and head of the Lincoln brand for just a few weeks. Joy joins us at the New York International Auto Show, minutes after the unveiling of Lincoln’s new luxury SUV, the Aviator -- and shares how her background with finance and customer service has prepared her for what’s ahead.

Listen to this episode to learn:

• New technology trends that are reshaping the driving experience

• Insights that inform the design of luxury vehicles for Chinese and millennial consumers

• The role dealers play in shaping the future of the buying experience

Jonathan Reichental, Ph.D. is a world-renowned “smart city” expert, working for a city at the heart of Silicon Valley. A professor, author and speaker, Dr. Reichental discusses the future of urban living and explains the consequences of a future built around software, data and algorithms.

Listen to this episode to learn:

• Technology’s impact on transportation, economy, climate and democracy

• What is a “smart city,” and why innovations like self-driving cars and solar energy could be societal game changers

• The urgency for “technoethics” as a 21st century leadership competency

• What blockchain technology is, what it isn’t, and its potential to be “a system of trust”

Charlie Herrin, Chief Customer Experience Officer at Comcast Cable, is doing the impossible: turning America’s largest cable company into a customer experience leader. A product guy at heart, Herrin shares wisdom that anyone embarking on a CX transformation will want to hear.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How Comcast is embedding customer service and experience into its technology

• Why NPS is most useful as a system, rather than a score

• Why you should never overlook employee engagement as a powerful CX tool

• Advice for approaching and overcoming common CX challenges

Martin George has been a customer experience and brand innovator for more than 30 years. Now, he’s bringing his expertise to Waitrose, one of Britain’s largest grocery retailers. He explains his role as Customer Director, the evolution of marketing, and the forces that are driving change in business and consumer behavior.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Advice and best practices that George has learned in his 30+ year career

• How his team and customers co-created a breakthrough innovation for British Airways

• Why, increasingly, marketing is about a combination of brands, employees, service and customers

• How a customer director influences an organization by acting as a customer advocate

A pioneer in the online medical space, Dr. Thom Van Every brings a unique perspective to his role as Executive Director of the hive innovation unit for ViiV Healthcare. He and his team are thinking differently, tapping into the patient perspective to help advance innovations in HIV research, treatment and care worldwide.

Listen to this episode to learn:

• How a successful innovation lab partners with patients to help advance care for others

• Why innovation at a startup or corporation requires a deep understanding of the end user

• How a community of people living with HIV have inspired new tools that help them manage their care

• Why the entrepreneurial journey can feel like “running a race of unknown distance”

Metro Bank is the U.K.’s first high street retail bank in more than a century. CEO Craig Donaldson, named the ‘Most People-Focused CEO of the Year’ and ‘Most Highly Rated UK CEO’, shares how Metro Bank is creating fans by promising a lot and delivering even more.

Listen to this episode to learn:

• Tips for any CEO on how to communicate better, be present, and lead a customer-inspired organization

• Why fan bases are the result of brand experiences, not advertising and sales targets

• The long-term strategic value of nurturing and protecting culture

• Why using a common language is so important

Sheryl Connelly, futurist at Ford Motor Company, shares key insights from the 2018 Ford Trends Report and connects the dots on how global issues are changing our lives and shaping business.

Listen to this episode to learn:

• Social, technological, economic, environmental, and political trends impacting the world

• What a growing global sense of anxiety and activism means for brands

• What it’s like being a futurist at a big global company like Ford

Visit FordTrends.com to learn more about the 2018 Fords Trends Report.

Walgreens Boots Alliance is one of the world’s largest pharmacy, beauty, and wellness retail brands. It makes a range of its own products, too. Paul Bosher, Global Head of Consumer Planning & Insights at Walgreens Boots Alliance, explains how his team serves as the voice of the consumer, holding the business to account, and helping the company grow its brand business portfolio.

Listen to this episode to learn:

• Methods that WBA uses as a retailer and a manufacturer to understand shoppers

• How to use data in combination with human understanding to launch and market new products

• WBA products and in-store experiences that differentiate and delight in the era of Amazon

• WBA’s mission to create “the world’s best insights team”