Expert insights. Personalized for you.
Do we really understand the difference between customer service delivery and customer experience delivery? Or, do we use the two terms interchangeably? At times, our self-focused perception leaves customer service delivery up to everyone with “service” as part of their job titles. That means we assume customer service is someone else’s responsibility. Certainly not ours. After all, we have more important things to do, selling, engineering, coding, managing. Even leading. Oh really? MORE
When you use shifting story narratives to persuade, justify or invite people to join your story, the effect is just the opposite. Instead of saying yes, they can become skeptical: of you, your solution and even your organization. MORE
Unconscious professional exclusion always sits at the meeting table with us. Whether we want to acknowledge its presence or not. This type of exclusion is the elephant which has followed us into our virtual meeting rooms, too. MORE
That’s an in-your-face question to ask yourself, isn’t it? And if you feel defensive, it is understandable. After all, you feel you do all the right things. Following processes and steps outlined in guidelines and playbooks. Yet, projects go unproductively sideways. MORE
It’s time to scrutinize whether you rely on composite business stories to catalyze clients to take action. Storytelling is useful in moving clients forward in decision-making about your programs, products and services. However, so-so business stories often receive neutral responses from clients. MORE
When you strive to be your clients’ professional True North, they invite you to sit at their business tables. Because you are their trusted, purposeful and consistent source of direction and insights. Even when there is nothing to sell, design, manage or measure. MORE
How can you purposefully navigate your team through end of 2020 into first quarter 2021? And purposefully leverage your team’s story? Because 2020 continuously presents you with a never-ending set of choices. Obstacles to overcome. MORE
What happens when strategic business stories become too ambiguous to everyone, including you? Yesterday, we explored whether your compelling business stories are too specific and tactically focused. Today, let’s explore what happens when your stories get lost in the strategic clouds. MORE
Social communication etiquette is going over the top. Have you noticed? In spite of the topics I scheduled on my editorial calendar, the theme of this week’s posts is rapidly becoming Communication. Communication between leadership, management and front line employees. As well as between clients and vendor partners. Then again, how about social communication patterns between social connections. MORE
Serving your best business clients is part of everyone’s job description. Because how you serve impacts whether you retain these clients and sustain your business. How well are you doing? Determining how you serve your best business clients starts by defining just who your best business clients are. MORE
This is a sticky subject, isn’t it? What do you do when clients request to work with certain team members over others? Whether you design, engineer, sell or serve. What is your response? MORE
What. Something no one can deny, regardless of where you sit around the business table. 2020 threw one tactical and strategic challenge at us after another. And while we still are processing what we learned during 2020, the year keeps up its relentless onslaught. MORE
Are clients reaching out to you about making hard calls? Mine are. Because their businesses are in trouble. And future sustainability appears uncertain. Thus you serve them in ways which may make you both uncomfortable. MORE
Will you avoid falling into a pattern of professional complacency during 2021? Or do you long for a permanent oasis from ambiguous and uncertain scenarios? When I ask this question to colleagues and clients, like you, the answer is: “a little bit of both, please”. MORE
When you are managing teams for innovation, everyone focuses on creating better and better solutions. Otherwise, you reinforce stasis, or reliance on whatever worked yesterday. The concept and execution of managing for innovation is a hot topic in my keynotes, workshops and coaching. MORE
Wishing you 2020 Holiday and 2021 New Year Hope and Purpose. As we move forward together towards 2021, we now share a common story: 2020. How will you incorporate your experiences and insights into the value of your professional story, moving forward? One millimeter at a time. MORE
How do you establish your voice when working with cross functional teams? For some of you, this idea is completely daunting. Because cross functional teams have lots of “those” people on them. You know. MORE
Start telling the 2020 stories clients really need to hear: purposeful pandemic stories. These stories are about the stuff clients really need to know when deciding to do more business with you moving forward in 2021. Ah 2020. MORE
If you practice a hopscotch client retention strategy, do not get your hopes up. Making clients successful is hardly child’s play. Co-partnering in your client’s success involves more than adhering to a mostly-linear protocol. Rather, start by being better prepared to weigh risks against opportunities. As a result, serve your clients better and better over the duration of your relationship with them. MORE
Are you prepared to have HR leadership conversations which reinforce yesterday and today? Or will you choose to have “those” conversations? You know, the ones that change the way employees, partners, stakeholders and clients perceive your organization? MORE
If your goal is to lead strategically, consider the value of repeatedly seeking new jobs that keep you working in departmental silos. New job. New silo. Same old thing. Depending on your organization’s size, these silos can be big. MORE
Being professionally understandable is a huge part of how you show up to work each day. When people do not understand what you are saying, they cannot figure out what you want. Or what you really need. MORE
What do you do when you discover your business priorities are not the same as your clients’ priorities? How you answer reflects the relevance of customer experience, success and client retention on your own business viability. MORE
Who are the business case heroes and heroines you leverage when working with colleagues and clients? Consider that every business case you create includes a cast of characters you either include or exclude. Possibly because you never even considered these people as part of your story. MORE
Well, are you really listening and responding to your customers’ voice? Think about it. After all, it is one narrative to tell people you listen to your customers’ voice. However, realistically, you just wait for an opportunity to interject your own agenda into the conversation. MORE
If everyone is an internal client of everyone else in your organization, then who are your customers? Each time I ask this question at speaking engagements , workshops or coaching sessions , attendees engage in a flurry of activity. MORE
Typical customer discovery involves speaking with current and potential customers. Often to determine whether their stated and unstated needs marry up with your current products, services and capabilities. And then decide whether opportunities exist for new product development and innovation. MORE
In 2019, I never imagined I’d be creating a 2020 Thanksgiving Gratitude blog post during a global pandemic. However, this is a very different year for all of us. And so is this blog post. MORE
Will you leverage professional purpose as a key component in your 2021 career strategy? And consequently, the major reason for how you, yourself, always deliver human capital value as you serve colleagues and clients. MORE
Which team role do you usually take during meetings? Are you usually boxed into a corner, fulfilling a pre-determined role? Or do you assume a different voice at each meeting? And the voice you speak from depends on the nature of the meeting, the participants, and the desired outcomes. MORE
You have pandemic business cases to chronicle in the New Year. Even if you do not want to think about the marathon of this past year. Start by taking an inventory of all the pandemic business cases you participated in throughout 2020. MORE
One Millimeter Mindset
JANUARY 19, 2021
If your goal is to lead strategically, consider the value of repeatedly seeking new jobs that keep you working in departmental silos. New job. New silo. Same old thing. Depending on your organization’s size, these silos can be big.
One Millimeter Mindset
JANUARY 5, 2021
Will you avoid falling into a pattern of professional complacency during 2021? Or do you long for a permanent oasis from ambiguous and uncertain scenarios? When I ask this question to colleagues and clients, like you, the answer is: “a little bit of both, please”.
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One Millimeter Mindset
JANUARY 14, 2021
When you are managing teams for innovation, everyone focuses on creating better and better solutions. Otherwise, you reinforce stasis, or reliance on whatever worked yesterday. The concept and execution of managing for innovation is a hot topic in my keynotes, workshops and coaching.
One Millimeter Mindset
JANUARY 12, 2021
Being professionally understandable is a huge part of how you show up to work each day. When people do not understand what you are saying, they cannot figure out what you want. Or what you really need.
Advertiser: Frontline Group
There are 5 critical opportunities to unlock the full power of patient engagement, which can improve your patient retention, as well as improving their health outcomes. In this eBook you will learn about: What Is Patient Engagement? How Does Patient Engagement Improve Outcomes? Why Is It Important to Include Patients in Their Care? What Are Patient Engagement Tools? What is Patient Engagement technology? Download Now this informational resource and start using a patient engagement platform to give yourself as a Provider higher satisfaction scores.
One Millimeter Mindset
JANUARY 7, 2021
That’s an in-your-face question to ask yourself, isn’t it? And if you feel defensive, it is understandable. After all, you feel you do all the right things. Following processes and steps outlined in guidelines and playbooks. Yet, projects go unproductively sideways.
One Millimeter Mindset
DECEMBER 15, 2020
If everyone is an internal client of everyone else in your organization, then who are your customers? Each time I ask this question at speaking engagements , workshops or coaching sessions , attendees engage in a flurry of activity.
One Millimeter Mindset
SEPTEMBER 24, 2018
If you practice a hopscotch client retention strategy, do not get your hopes up. Making clients successful is hardly child’s play. Co-partnering in your client’s success involves more than adhering to a mostly-linear protocol. Rather, start by being better prepared to weigh risks against opportunities. As a result, serve your clients better and better over the duration of your relationship with them.
One Millimeter Mindset
DECEMBER 17, 2020
Who are the business case heroes and heroines you leverage when working with colleagues and clients? Consider that every business case you create includes a cast of characters you either include or exclude. Possibly because you never even considered these people as part of your story.
One Millimeter Mindset
DECEMBER 24, 2020
Wishing you 2020 Holiday and 2021 New Year Hope and Purpose. As we move forward together towards 2021, we now share a common story: 2020. How will you incorporate your experiences and insights into the value of your professional story, moving forward? One millimeter at a time.
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Do you want to better understand what your customers are experiencing on calls? Does your call center software lack key information, even if calls are recorded? Download this eBook now to learn how to gain insights on all your calls to increase your customer satisfaction!
One Millimeter Mindset
SEPTEMBER 24, 2020
What happens when strategic business stories become too ambiguous to everyone, including you? Yesterday, we explored whether your compelling business stories are too specific and tactically focused. Today, let’s explore what happens when your stories get lost in the strategic clouds.
One Millimeter Mindset
SEPTEMBER 17, 2018
Do we really understand the difference between customer service delivery and customer experience delivery? Or, do we use the two terms interchangeably? At times, our self-focused perception leaves customer service delivery up to everyone with “service” as part of their job titles. That means we assume customer service is someone else’s responsibility. Certainly not ours. After all, we have more important things to do, selling, engineering, coding, managing. Even leading. Oh really?
One Millimeter Mindset
DECEMBER 29, 2020
You have pandemic business cases to chronicle in the New Year. Even if you do not want to think about the marathon of this past year. Start by taking an inventory of all the pandemic business cases you participated in throughout 2020.
One Millimeter Mindset
DECEMBER 3, 2020
Are you prepared to have HR leadership conversations which reinforce yesterday and today? Or will you choose to have “those” conversations? You know, the ones that change the way employees, partners, stakeholders and clients perceive your organization?
Advertiser: Skilljar
Whether you’re looking to kickstart or expand your customer education program, you need access to a budget. Learn how you can demonstrate the positive ROI of customer training and make the case for securing a larger budget in our latest eBook!
One Millimeter Mindset
OCTOBER 20, 2020
This is a sticky subject, isn’t it? What do you do when clients request to work with certain team members over others? Whether you design, engineer, sell or serve. What is your response?
One Millimeter Mindset
NOVEMBER 10, 2020
What do you do when you discover your business priorities are not the same as your clients’ priorities? How you answer reflects the relevance of customer experience, success and client retention on your own business viability.
One Millimeter Mindset
NOVEMBER 19, 2020
How can you purposefully navigate your team through end of 2020 into first quarter 2021? And purposefully leverage your team’s story? Because 2020 continuously presents you with a never-ending set of choices. Obstacles to overcome.
One Millimeter Mindset
NOVEMBER 24, 2020
Start telling the 2020 stories clients really need to hear: purposeful pandemic stories. These stories are about the stuff clients really need to know when deciding to do more business with you moving forward in 2021. Ah 2020.
Speaker: Esther Kieft, Delivery Manager (Group Technology) at Domino's Pizza Enterprises
It is well known that empathy is a key ingredient in creating lovable products, yet not all products offer the best customer experience. From meeting stringent deadlines to insufficient resources being available to carry out customer research, there is a range of reasons why customer empathy could be missing in product development. Join Esther Kieft, as she breaks down using empathy at a distance to evaluate the problems that customers are experiencing during this global health crisis.
One Millimeter Mindset
NOVEMBER 3, 2020
Are clients reaching out to you about making hard calls? Mine are. Because their businesses are in trouble. And future sustainability appears uncertain. Thus you serve them in ways which may make you both uncomfortable.
One Millimeter Mindset
OCTOBER 13, 2020
Typical customer discovery involves speaking with current and potential customers. Often to determine whether their stated and unstated needs marry up with your current products, services and capabilities. And then decide whether opportunities exist for new product development and innovation.
One Millimeter Mindset
OCTOBER 8, 2020
When you use shifting story narratives to persuade, justify or invite people to join your story, the effect is just the opposite. Instead of saying yes, they can become skeptical: of you, your solution and even your organization.
One Millimeter Mindset
SEPTEMBER 11, 2018
Social communication etiquette is going over the top. Have you noticed? In spite of the topics I scheduled on my editorial calendar, the theme of this week’s posts is rapidly becoming Communication. Communication between leadership, management and front line employees. As well as between clients and vendor partners. Then again, how about social communication patterns between social connections.
Advertiser: ZoomInfo
Every sales forecasting model has a different strength and predictability method. It’s recommended to test out which one is best for your team. This way, you’ll be able to further enhance – and optimize – your newly-developed pipeline. Your future sales forecast? Sunny skies (and success) are just ahead!
One Millimeter Mindset
OCTOBER 6, 2020
It’s time to scrutinize whether you rely on composite business stories to catalyze clients to take action. Storytelling is useful in moving clients forward in decision-making about your programs, products and services. However, so-so business stories often receive neutral responses from clients.
One Millimeter Mindset
DECEMBER 31, 2020
What. Something no one can deny, regardless of where you sit around the business table. 2020 threw one tactical and strategic challenge at us after another. And while we still are processing what we learned during 2020, the year keeps up its relentless onslaught.
One Millimeter Mindset
NOVEMBER 5, 2020
Serving your best business clients is part of everyone’s job description. Because how you serve impacts whether you retain these clients and sustain your business. How well are you doing? Determining how you serve your best business clients starts by defining just who your best business clients are.
One Millimeter Mindset
DECEMBER 1, 2020
Will you leverage professional purpose as a key component in your 2021 career strategy? And consequently, the major reason for how you, yourself, always deliver human capital value as you serve colleagues and clients.
Speaker: Carrie Melissa Jones, Erica Kuhl and Holly Firestone
While organizations have been using communities for many years, it is only in the last few that executives have started to see the value that a community can offer. But now, in 2021, many executives have finally started to view community structures as a new governance model for the entire organization rather than a stand-alone initiative. Join us on January 27 at 12 PM ET for a webinar exploring Chapter 2 of our 2021 Community Predictions eBook.
One Millimeter Mindset
SEPTEMBER 17, 2020
How do you establish your voice when working with cross functional teams? For some of you, this idea is completely daunting. Because cross functional teams have lots of “those” people on them. You know.
One Millimeter Mindset
NOVEMBER 26, 2020
In 2019, I never imagined I’d be creating a 2020 Thanksgiving Gratitude blog post during a global pandemic. However, this is a very different year for all of us. And so is this blog post.
One Millimeter Mindset
NOVEMBER 17, 2020
When you strive to be your clients’ professional True North, they invite you to sit at their business tables. Because you are their trusted, purposeful and consistent source of direction and insights. Even when there is nothing to sell, design, manage or measure.
One Millimeter Mindset
DECEMBER 10, 2020
Unconscious professional exclusion always sits at the meeting table with us. Whether we want to acknowledge its presence or not. This type of exclusion is the elephant which has followed us into our virtual meeting rooms, too.
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Today’s most successful brands understand how great customer support can grow their bottom line. Having provided outsourced customer support to some of the world’s top brands, we know what works, and now we’re sharing that with you.
One Millimeter Mindset
DECEMBER 8, 2020
Which team role do you usually take during meetings? Are you usually boxed into a corner, fulfilling a pre-determined role? Or do you assume a different voice at each meeting? And the voice you speak from depends on the nature of the meeting, the participants, and the desired outcomes.
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