People Want Customized Retail Experiences

Retail experiences that are customized to individuals are an absolute must today. People will not tolerate retailers that don't remember purchases, provide tailored recommendations, and understand preferences. Many retailers refer to this kind of activity as personalization.

In most cases, people want more ability to customize their experiences, and some companies have referred to this as hyperpersonalization. But when we talk to consumers, we hear something very different.

One of the greatest things that experience strategists have done to transform companies into customer-centered businesses is to invent the journey map, but now, thanks to their pervasiveness, journey maps have become problematic in many organizations.

There is a substantial shift in health “ownership” happening in the healthcare industry, driven both by consumers’ increasing interest in taking charge of their health and soaring healthcare costs. Consumers driving this shift have notably different expectations from those of healthcare companies. At the same time, the entire consumer healthcare audience continues to be influenced by their experiential interactions outside the healthcare space, which is driving demand for similarly-calibered experiences within healthcare.

All healthcare companies must focus on these critical changes. Many adopt CX practices such as personas in hopes of addressing the ever-evolving needs of their patients, customers, and employees. Unfortunately, most persona work does not address the ever-evolving expectations of patients, customers, or employees.

For healthcare companies to succeed in driving growth, they must enhance customer and patient experiences to better align with audience expectations. Next-generation experience strategies are the key to accomplishing this. These strategies start with understanding the common situations that patients and customers encounter and developing techniques that turn these situations into opportunities for both the company and the customer.

In today’s episode, we had the privilege of speaking with Thales Teixeira, a leading expert on customer-focused innovation. Thales is the co-founder of Decoupling and the author of “Unlocking the Customer Value Chain: How Decoupling Drives Consumer Disruption”

Our discussion with Thales is a succinct masterclass in unlocking customer value by focusing on what matters most - money, time, and effort. We discussed how disruptive startups gain traction by decoupling and excelling at key value-creating activities while avoiding “value eroders” that waste customers’ precious currencies. Thales brought this concept to life by breaking down companies like @Netflix eliminating the hassle of going to the video store, and @Alibaba layering on services like payments to make shopping smoother. Whether an innovative startup or an established organization, prioritizing your roadmap to remove friction and create more time well spent is crucial for delighting your customers and staying ahead of disruptors.

Dr. Natalie Petouhoff is the author of the award-winning WSJ best-selling book Empathy in Action. She guides brands to see empathy as a business construct that helps them reduce costs and increase value because they are delivering great customer and employee experiences. 

In this episode of The Experience Strategy Podcast, we explore the transformative power of empathy and its crucial role in shaping exceptional experiences for employees and customers. 

Check out Dr. Petouhoff’s book here. To dive deeper into the world of creating memorable experiences that drive customer loyalty and growth, follow Joe Pine and read his groundbreaking book, The Experience Economy. 

In this episode, we are joined by resilience expert, Simon T. Bailey, who launched his career at The Disney Institute. Listen to the episode to learn: 

• The importance of transitioning from ego-driven to eco-conscious leadership

• Practical strategies for building trust and fostering innovation in today’s organizations

• How to create environments where employees can thrive and customers feel valued. 

Tune in now to enhance your leadership skills and transform your organization. For access to the transcripts to the episode, click here.

Years of doing customer experience design research for clients across industries have revealed nine deadly sins related to customer journeys—shedding light on the missteps that can jeopardize the overall customer experience. Let's delve into each sin and explore how organizations can avoid these pitfalls to create seamless and meaningful customer journeys.

Join us in the latest episode and newsletter of the Experience Strategy Podcast as we are joined by our special guest @Lee Roquet, CEO of @Finch, an e-commerce marketing powerhouse. Tune in as Lee shares invaluable lessons from his transition from Chief Customer Officer (CCO) to Chief Executive Office (CEO). Discover how he leads companies with an unwavering experience mindset, and master the art of fostering a people-first approach in team leadership.

Dive into the captivating conversation with @Sherif Mityas, a visionary leader steering @BRIX Holding Company, a conglomerate of 57 unique restaurant chains. Join us as Sherif explores the transformative impact of distinct value propositions and shared services on the dining landscape. Experience strategists, this is your exclusive invitation to uncover the secrets behind evolving guest-centered leadership, the fusion of emotion and data, and the recipe for innovating unforgettable dining experiences at scale. Get ready to immerse yourself in the intersection of technology and nostalgia, shaping the future of the restaurant industry. Tune in to this episode and be a part of the conversation that’s defining the next chapter in hospitality! Tune in now!

In this episode of the Experience Strategy Podcast, we are joined by @Lee Roquet, the CEO of @Finch, e-commerce marketing company. We talk about:

What Lee has learned in the shift from Chief Customer Officer roles to CEO roles- and what he now wishes every experience strategist knew.

How to lead companies with an experience mindset

How to lead teams with a people-first approach.

Don’t miss this powerful and inspiring conversation!

In this episode and newsletter, discover insights from @Craig Langlois, a thought leader who is challenging traditional approaches. With a background in museums, Craig brings unique perspectives on the evolving educational landscape. He emphasizes the need for experience strategists in redefining CX within education, urging them to recalibrate educational frameworks, by leveraging modern tools and frameworks.

Tune in to this episode of the Experience Strategy Podcast, featuring Craig Langlois, Equity of Learning District Data Coordinator for Berkshire Public Schools, to peek at the challenges and opportunities our public school systems face when creating experiences. Alongside guest host @Mary Putman we look at how a well crafted experience strategy can make all the difference in bridging the gaps between creativity, innovation, and education.

As we enter 2024, the state of the US Healthcare system persists in a condition of crisis and turmoil, propelled by escalating economic pressures affecting both individuals and institutions. Contributing to this challenging landscape are critical factors such as clinical labor shortages; the concurrent disruption caused by non-traditional entrants and the consolidation among traditional industry players; and the proliferation of AI technology.

In this episode, Sherif Mityas, a trailblazing leader at the helm of a conglomerate encompassing 57 distinctive restaurant chains, delves into the pivotal role of distinct value propositions and shared services in shaping the future of dining experiences. Highlighting the shift from convenience to a deeper focus on creating unparalleled experiences, Sherif explains how guest-centered leadership, blended with emotion, vision, and lots of data becomes a powerful recipe for innovation, personalization at scale, and business growth. This conversation offers a fascinating glimpse into the evolving restaurant industry, where technology meets nostalgia.

Learn more about industry trends in our 2024 Experience Strategy Trend Report.

Welcome to the Experience Strategy Podcast Newsletter! Like our popular and long-running Experience Strategy Podcast, this newsletter is dedicated to those who design, manage, and lead experience strategies for companies large and small. Our big purpose is to catalyze the growth of experience strategy by sharing the tools, techniques, and ideas that are used by the most impactful teams and companies.

In each newsletter you’ll find practical, actionable concepts, drawn from our most popular podcast episodes, that you can use to serve your customers, employees, and company.

In this issue, unlock the transformative power of focusing on time well spent in employee experience. Join us and special guest, @Alain Hunkins in this compelling podcast episode as he navigates the integration of personal purpose with organizational impact, illuminating the path towards heightened employee engagement and productivity. Explore strategies to embrace AI while preserving the essence of genuine human interaction, creating an environment where technology enhances, not replaces, the human touch. Gain insights into fostering authentic connections and uncover impactful leadership methodologies tailored explicitly for experience strategists.

If you’re a fan of the Experience Strategy Podcast then you’re familiar with the idea of time well spent- in today’s episode Alain Hunkins author of CRACKING THE LEADERSHIP CODE who has more than 20 years in leadership training, adult learning and organizational development, is joining us to explore what time well spent looks like specifically in the employee experience - and how leaders can ensure that the time employees spend at work is valuable.

Welcome to the Experience Strategy Podcast Newsletter! Like our popular and long-running Experience Strategy Podcast, this newsletter is dedicated to those who design, manage, and lead experience strategies for companies large and small. Our big purpose is to catalyze the growth of experience strategy by sharing the tools, techniques, and ideas that are used by the most impactful teams and companies.

In each newsletter you’ll find practical, actionable concepts, drawn from our most popular podcast episodes, that you can use to serve your customers, employees, and company.

In this edition, Dave Norton and Aransas Savas deep-dive into The 2024 Experience Strategy Trend Report. This isn’t just about foreseeing trends; it’s an exploration of the interconnected threads defining the future of your strategy. Join us as we dissect the complex dynamics of time versus money, the paradoxical influence of technology on our perception of time scarcity, the metamorphosis of smart homes, and the profound impact of prevalent loneliness in a world of reduced physical interactions. In this episode we dive into the dire necessity for businesses to transcend superficial personalization, and authentically align experiences with the core desires and behaviors of customers.

The cultural and economic forces influencing your customer in 2024 will have a lasting impact on your experience strategy. Join Dave Norton, Experience Strategy Futurist, and Aransas Savas, lead researcher for our Trend Report, for insights and guidance from our decade-long study into customer behavior and mindsets.

This episode isn’t just a glance at trends; it’s a deep dive into the interconnected tapestry shaping the future of your strategy. In this episode, we dissect the value of time versus money, the paradoxical impact of technology on time scarcity, the evolution of smart homes, and the prevalent loneliness amidst reduced physical interactions. But here’s the kicker – beyond just trends, we discuss the critical need for businesses to transcend superficial personalization. Discover how to authentically align experiences with customer desires and behaviors. Tune in for a roadmap to adapt, thrive, and craft winning experience strategies amid the rapidly evolving landscape.

Welcome to the Experience Strategy Podcast Newsletter! Like our popular and long-running Experience Strategy Podcast, this newsletter is dedicated to those who design, manage, and lead experience strategies for companies large and small. Our big purpose is to catalyze the growth of experience strategy by sharing the tools, techniques, and ideas that are used by the most impactful teams and companies.

In each newsletter you’ll find practical, actionable concepts, drawn from our most popular podcast episodes, that you can use to serve your customers, employees, and company.

Are you ready to begin a journey that will redefine the way you approach Customer Experience (CX)? In this episode, we had the pleasure of hosting Will Kingston, a distinguished Customer Strategy Consultant at Acquis Cortico-X and host of the The Spectator Australia Podcast. Tune in to the conversation as we dive into Will Kingston’s CX Manifesto. Together, we explore global CX trends and predict what awaits us in the evolving landscape of CX in 2024 and beyond. Throughout our conversation, we place emphasis setting clear expectations, delivering on promises, and enhancing customer performance. Why? Because these are the cornerstones upon which trust, the bedrock of successful customer experiences, is built. As you listen in, you’ll gain invaluable insights and expert predictions that will equip you to face the future of CX with confidence.

There’s a new metric in town, and it’s called Time Well Spent (TWS). This could be as important as the traditional Net Promoter Score (NPS) and Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) metrics. It gauges another level of customer satisfaction that most have not considered. But, Dave Norton and Joe Pine have!