Articles by Nienke Bloem

The fair price?

It's been a while since I finished HEAO (international marketing). Much of what I was taught there, I have lost. But what still sticks in my mind are Kotler's 4 Ps: Price, Place, Product and Promotion. Those are rammed into me and I know them as the marketing mix. While browsing on [...]

F#ck the FAQ

That's not language for a lady, is it? No, it's not. Sorry in advance. But sometimes it escapes me. Steam comes out of my ears when I'm searching for the answer on a website. When I once again get lost in the Frequently Asked Questions. FAQ is a widely accepted English term in the world [...]

The happy jerk

"Good morning ma'am, would you like to fly to the Netherlands with us?" A big smile on his face betrays that he is having fun. His female colleague behind him, looks with a straight face at a point somewhere 20 centimeters above my head and ignores my "Good morning this morning. As I pull up my chair - [...]

The 4 elements of a brand promise

More and more, I come to the conclusion that this is the missing link in many businesses and a must have when it comes to customer experience. The need for clear promises to customers. To see if this is an issue in your company, please try to answer these questions: How does your company or [...]

Unfortunately, I'm out of sales

Twice recently I have been called by an unlisted number. Often these are sales calls, I know. If I check my history, it's from a newspaper or a credit card company. The phone rings again and when I see the secret number, I hesitate. Maybe something has happened to my parents [...].

Begin with the end in mind

"All for fun and fun for all." Does this appeal to you or would you rather go on a heavy metal cruise? Would you like to go on holidays with a cruise company who is really clear on what to expect? Let me take you on a cruise and learn about Customer Experience in the [...]

Wanted: the Marie Kondo of customer communications

How are the good intentions coming along? Eat healthier, exercise more, drink less or - very hip - tidy up rigorously? That's what Marie Kondo is all about in her book "Tidied Up!". Major de-cluttering is what the Japanese preaches, because a tidy home is a tidy head. The most important question in tidying up and [...]

Digging in heels over the pay gap: five steps to a better salary

"It can't go on like this!" I bellowed, when I learned that my 19-year-old daughter was already earning less per hour than her boyhood colleagues at the French fry store where she has a side job. It's time for ACTION. That was the motivation to say YES to BNNVARA's program "What Do You Earn?" which Monday [...]

15 Remedies to prevent your customers feeling blue

It is that time of year. Especially in the Northern hemisphere, where it is the heart of winter. It is dark when you wake up and also when you return home from your office, the sun has set - if the sun has even shown her face at all during the day... Since most of [...]