Ken Hughes on Humanizing Customer Experience

Today's conversation explores the impact of storytelling, emotional intelligence, and employee empowerment on crafting exceptional customer experiences. Ken Hughes, a renowned keynote speaker and consumer behaviorist, shares his journey to becoming the "King of Customer Experience." He explains the concept of the "blue dot customer," highlighting the shift toward customer-centric business models. Through compelling stories from brands like Ritz-Carlton, Zappos, and Virgin Atlantic, Ken demonstrates how culture, leadership, and emotional connection foster lasting loyalty. He also offers valuable guidance for leaders seeking to embed customer intimacy within their organizations and build enduring brand advocacy.[01:00] Ken's Journey to Becoming the "King of Customer Experience"[03:41] The Importance of Action in Customer Experience Metrics[04:58] Customer Experience Stories[16:25] The Blue Dot Customer: A Metaphor for Customer-Centric Business Models [21:17] Embedding Customer Intimacy in Company Culture[32:33] The Power of Stories in Customer Experience Connect with Ken:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kenhughesie/Website: kenhughes.info/

This episode features Martin Palamarz, co-founder and Chief Customer Officer at TheyDo. Martin shares his global career journey, working with iconic brands like IKEA, Volvo, Nike, and Adidas from Sweden to the UK. He explains how his passion for customer behavior and Agile practices led to co-founding TheyDo to help enterprises act on customer feedback at scale. Furthermore, Martin introduces the concept of journey management, which is aligning data, teams, and decisions to improve customer experience. He also explores how AI enhances this process and emphasizes linking CX improvements to real business outcomes and metrics.[01:44] Martin's Career Journey and Founding TheyDo [05:28] Challenges in Customer Journey Management[11:37] Introduction to Journey Management[18:04] Examples of Journey Management Success [23:32] Challenges in Becoming Customer-Centric [30:15] Future Initiatives and AI in Journey ManagementConnect with Martin:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/palamarzEmail: [email protected] Website: theydo.com/

In this episode, we meet Dr. Chitra Ranganathan, Head of Data Science and Analytics at Atlassian. She shares her inspiring journey from academia to top roles at Microsoft, Amazon, and now Atlassian. Dr. Chitra talks about designing better employee and customer experiences using data, including her work on Amazon's groundbreaking feedback system, Amazon Connections. She explains how AI and machine learning help turn data into action and offers thoughtful advice on staying customer-focused in the long run. [01:47] Dr. Chitra's Career Journey [07:37] Insights from Dr. Chitra's Career [10:55] Amazon's Employee Feedback Program: Amazon Connections [17:54] Impact on Employee Experience [21:40] Challenges and Innovations [34:29] Dr. Chitra's Role at Atlassian [36:00] The Role of AI in Capturing Sentiment [39:09] Final Thoughts Connect with Dr. Chitra RanganathanLinkedin: linkedin.com/in/chitra-ranganathan-ph-d-Website: atlassian.com/Follow Be Customer Led on LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/becustomerledConnect with Marbue Brown on LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/marbuebrown

Meet Brett Frazer, a seasoned customer experience leader with a career spanning Microsoft, Adobe, and Sunbasket and co-founder of Service Matters. Brett emphasizes the vital link between employee and customer experience, illustrated through real-world examples and his Five A's framework—Acknowledge, Align, Assist, Advise, and Ask. Throughout the conversation, Brett explains how these principles drive long-term customer loyalty and business profitability.[01:46] Brett's Career Journey and Background [08:12] The Interconnection of Customer and Employee Experience [13:53] The Five A's of Successful Customer Engagement [26:02] The Hidden Profit Center and Long-Term Value [32:56] Practical Applications and Real-World Examples Connect with Brett:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brettfrazer/Mentioned in the episode:Your Hidden Profit Center: Mastering the 5 A's of Successful Customer Engagement: amazon.com/Your-Hidden-Profit-Center-Successful

In today's episode, Zach Riggar, Vice President of Digital Marketing for Major League Soccer (MLS), shares his extensive career journey, highlighting his work with big brands and his role in the evolution of digital marketing in sports. He discusses MLS's growth, fueled by innovative technology, high-profile players like Lionel Messi, and the upcoming 2026 World Cup. Zach emphasizes the emotional nature of sports marketing, strategies for fan engagement, and the importance of balancing brand and performance marketing. He also talks about how MLS clubs shape fan experiences, the significance of first-party data, and the league's approach to growing its fanbase. [00:58] Zach's Professional Journey.[02:53] MLS's Rise in Popularity[04:44] Differences in Customer Experience in Sports [06:53] Engaging and Retaining Fans[09:19] MLS's Approach to Growing Fan Base[11:11] Favorite Platforms for Engagement[13:19] Elevating the Fan Experience [16:49] Unique Club Personalities[21:40] Learning from Other Leagues[27:09] Balancing Brand and Performance Marketing Connect with Zach:Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/zachriggar/Website:jobs.mlssoccer.com/

Meet Tim Mueller-Hickler, the Founder of Thinc-Performance and a former VP at Snap Inc. and Amazon, specializing in customer obsession, platform integrity, and employee services. In this conversation, Tim talks about his career journey and deep expertise in customer obsession. Tim shares insights from his time at American President Lines, Sun Microsystems, Amazon, and Snapchat, highlighting how customer-centric mechanisms drive business success. He explains Amazon's approach, including systems like the Andon Cord and Customer Connection, and how customer obsession extends beyond customer service to every department. Tim discusses practical ways companies can implement these principles, emphasizing leadership accountability, risk-taking, and innovation. He concludes with key takeaways on embedding customer obsession into company culture and driving meaningful improvements in customer experience.[02:12] Tim's Career Journey [06:34] Understanding Customer Obsession at Amazon [11:53] Customer Obsession Beyond Amazon [16:02] Implementing Customer Obsession in Practice [30:10] Adapting Customer Obsession Practices to Other Companies Connect with Tim Mueller-HicklerLinkedIn: in/tim-mueller-hickler-2a6317/Website: thinc-performance.com

Discover how businesses can shift from transactional models to customer excellence enterprises!Today's episode features Tom DeWitt, Ph.D., a globally recognized leader in customer experience management. As the founder and director of CXM at Michigan State University (MSU), Tom pioneered North America's first academic program in customer experience management. He is also the co-author of The Customer Excellence Enterprise, a book that redefines how organizations can embed customer-centricity into their DNA. Tom shares insights on transforming customer engagement, building a customer-centric culture, and the financial impact of exceptional customer experiences.The discussion explores real-world examples, including a healthcare experience in Thailand, the concept of helpfulness as a guiding principle, and the 39 Bold Moves for achieving customer excellence. Tom also discusses the importance of customer loyalty, the role of leadership in CX transformation, and the groundbreaking MSU Master of Science in Customer Experience Management program.[01:00] Tom’s journey in customer experience leadership[05:00] The inspiration behind The Customer Excellence Enterprise[09:00] A real-world example of customer excellence in healthcare[12:40] The impact of the "Amazon Effect" on customer expectations[19:00] 39 Bold Moves for achieving customer excellence[25:00] Why leaders must model customer-centric behaviors[29:00] Measuring emotional outcomes in customer experience[31:00] The creation and impact of the MSU CXM program[34:00] How CX education is transforming careers[36:40] The future of customer experience managementResourcesConnect with Tom DeWitt on LinkedIn: Tom DeWitt, Ph.D.The Customer Excellence Enterprise (Book by Tom DeWitt & Wayne Simmons) - Available on AmazonMichigan State University Master of Science in Customer Experience Management: MSU CXM Program

Today's episode features David Edelman, Harvard Business School fellow and author of Personalized: Customer Strategy in the Age of AI. David shares his career journey from consulting at BCG to leading digital transformation at Digitas, McKinsey, and Aetna. He explains why personalization is more than just a marketing tactic—it's a strategic tool to enhance customer experience and drive business growth. The discussion explores real-world examples from Starbucks,  Spotify and Aetna, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges of AI-driven personalization. David also introduces the Personalization Index, detailing five key dimensions that separate industry leaders from laggards. Finally, he offers insights on how companies can use AI and data to improve customer engagement and financial performance. [01:14] David's Career Journey [04:33] The Importance of Personalization [08:36] Personalization in Customer Experience [14:46] Motivation Behind Writing the Book[16:39] The Personalization Index and Its Dimensions[23:13] Unlocking New Opportunities with PersonalizationConnect with DavidLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/daveedelmanWebsite: www.edelmanadvisoryservices.com

This week’s episode of the Be Customer Led podcast features Amanda Ono, Chief Human Resources Officer at Kroll. When she was in college, her passion was the interaction between teams and leaders and how they worked together to drive results. She worked in a wide range of positions, including recruiting, training, and building leadership programs, which led her towards the specific title she holds now. In today’s conversation, we talk about migrating from customer experience to employee experience. [01.26] Professional Journey – Starting the conversation, Amanda shares where she ignited her passion for customer experience. [07.40] Outcomes – Amanda explains what outcomes they achieved at Resolver by bringing customers and employees together as a business decision. [13.13] Training programs - If training is the answer, what's the question? Amanda shares why training programs fail most of the time and what we need to do to get real outcomes form them. [19.37] Leadership and management – We discuss the distinction between change leadership and change management. [26.21] Training on empathy – Amanda walks us through how they train employees on building empathy in their onboarding program at Resolver. [32.55] Inspiration – Wrapping up the conversation, Amanda shares where she gets her inspiration in her life to keep going. ResourcesConnect with AmandaLinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/amandaono/ Website - resolver.com/ Twitter - twitter.com/amandaono Book by John P. KotterLeading Change – goodreads.com/book/show/51370.Leading_Change

Today's episode of Be customer Led features Kimberly Wiefling, founding member & global consultant at Silicon Valley Alliances. Her superpower is uniting people of different nationalities, cultural backgrounds, and aesthetic preferences to accomplish a common goal. Kimberly has worked in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Also, she has visited Japan more than a hundred times to work with the culturally diverse staff of globalizing Japanese businesses. Throughout our conversation today, she imparts invaluable advice on creating an influential culture and leadership. [01:14] Background – Kimberly recounts the origins of her company, which she founded over two decades ago, and her professional journey. [04:36] Culture - Kimberly defines both corporate culture and leadership, and we talk about the relationship between the two. Also, we discuss the relationship between leaders and managers and whether one can be both, or if one must choose between being a leader or a manager.[09:42] Disconnection -  Kimberly outlines why firms fail to give what employees want and why there seems to be a disconnect between the company, its executives and managers, and its employees.[16:55] Culture in Japan -  What is the difference between the culture of Japan and Silicon Valley?[19:07] Leadership - Leaders are responsible for creating and maintaining a strong organizational culture. This involves modeling the desired behavior, celebrating successes that align with the cultural values, and correcting or dismissing behavior that goes against the cultural norms.[21:44] Culture - If you are a new leader and want to establish a company culture, Kimberly offers some suggestions on how to do so, as well as some actions you may take as an individual to alter an existing culture that is toxic or unappealing. [25:08] Action, Communication, and Thinking - The ACT framework is a simple and effective way for leaders to understand their roles and responsibilities.Resources:Connect with Kimberly:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/scrappykimberlywiefling/Website: wiefling.com/Website: kimberlywiefling.com/Silicon Valley Alliances: siliconvalleyalliances.com/