How to spice up your leadership? That is what my book 'CX is a pilgrimage' is all about. In 2021, I decided to spice up my life and found the magical connection between Customer Experience, pilgrimage, and leadership. I walked 1,000 kilometers on the Via Francigena, a pilgrim's path in Italy and finished in Rome [...].
For a customer experience workshop I am conducting, I designed materials and had them printed. When I receive the envelope of printed materials, 75% of the order is missing. Fortunately, I was in plenty of time to order and didn't need the materials right away. Calling me is not possible during business hours, as I am participating in the [...] that day.
I pretty much always offer delivery drivers a cup of coffee. Or in the summer, I have a few cans of soda cold. Or maybe they want to use the restroom? Usually they turn this down, because busy busy busy, but sometimes there is a need and some time for it. Like last [...]
Yes! February, the month of love. Or to put it a little more precisely, the month in which Valentine's Day falls. That day when many people send a card. Buying a bar of chocolate that says "I love you" and then giving it to a loved one. Or send someone a message. To our loved one, a friend, [...]
As a CX leader you are often not the person in charge. Ultimately, that is someone from the board or C-Suite. You have to take that into account in your stakeholder management. You do not only lead and advise your team, but you [...]
We go back in time about ten years and I am sitting across from my then CEO. I have been in charge of KPN's Customer Excellence team for three months now. I am new to the company, he even a little newer. My objective is to bring the relational NPS from -14 to zero in a little less [...].
Customer centric change is a matter of having a long breath: changing behavior and engaging colleagues won't happen in just a month. It is a demanding process, both from you as the initiator, facilitator or leader, as well as from the people you want to engage in the change. Adding FUN to your CHANGE program [...]
We are at my favorite hotel. The receptionist is waiting for us with a big smile. 'Good afternoon and welcome to...' I tell her we have a room reserved in Bloem's name. She dives into her computer screen and digs up our reservation. 'May I see your ID?" she asks. That surprises me, because it [...]
The newspaper got delivered later and later. As a morning person, I was fed up with that. Meanwhile, I saw the call for new deliverers. With a bonus of no less than 1,000 euros for those who want to get on their bikes early in the morning with my newspaper. The newspaper has too few deliverers and in my case that causes inconsistency [...].