We perceive time subjectively. The past year simultaneously crept along at a snail’s pace and flew by, and here we are in 2019! Things that happened in January 2018 feel like last week but events from a month ago seem like ancient history. This annual paradox makes me want to look back to try to […]

It’s that time of year again, when we get to give and receive gifts. How festive and how fun, regardless if you’re four or forty! We love tearing those ribbons and wrapping paper off and enjoying the surprise of what lies beneath. Of course, we usually just share these experiences with our loved ones, but […]

The best customer experiences are outcomes of the best employee experiences. Employees can only deliver on great experiences by feeling confident and knowledgeable about the processes, systems and outcomes used to deliver on those experiences. So the best employee experiences demand accessible, relevant and personalized learning. Learners today are demanding better education in less time, […]

Customer churn. If you haven’t heard the term before, it refers to the upheaval that happens when existing customers end their relationship with your business. In other words, it’s the opposite of customer retention. No company wants a high rate of churn — it means their sales department is working hard to acquire new customers while […]

In the United States alone, the amount invested in sales training each year is staggering – a whopping $800 billion! (Yes, with a B!) It’s not new to say sales is the lifeblood of a business. It’s no wonder there is such a willingness to invest in the success of our sales teams. What if […]

If you've ever been to the Apple store, you know that it's kind of an experience: you can buy products there; you can get your devices fixed there; and there are scheduled Today at Apple programs —  like a music lab, a photo walk, or kids' programs.  Today at Apple may seem, at first glance, […]

There is a strange dichotomy in customer service organizations. Customer service, at its core, should be joyful. It feels good to help customers solve problems, perhaps have a moment of delight, and feel better about their relationships with brands. But the truth is that those same customers, the ones we are happy to serve, are […]

Introduction Dealing with customers successfully is a critical skill for an organization, yet developing these abilities is not a given. And for organizations that face high employee turnover, it’s even more challenging. How can you systematically develop and deliver great customer experience skills?  The principles behind human learning are still key. The nature of the […]

It's an oft-quoted saying in IT: 80 percent of customers only use 20 percent of the features in the software they've bought. This may sound like an exaggeration, but let's do an experiment: how many of your phone's features and pre-installed apps do you actually use? How many more would you be using if the […]

Customer experience, in all its complexity, really is about one thing to your customers. Expectations. Think about your own customer journeys. Have you ever been disappointed? Most likely, your story starts with a “They promised me...” and ends with a “They just refused!” Consider the classic Jerry Seinfeld "reservation scene" where he and Elaine show […]