Podcast ¦ CX Passport: The one with the 3 values – Michel Stevens E227

Key Take Aways

1. Achieving balance in customer experience (CX) involves three core forces: creating value for customers, organisation, and brand.
2. Organisations must consciously manage the tension between efficiency and human interaction to optimise CX outcomes.
3. CX strategy requires understanding that value for the customer, brand, and organisation must be harmonised; neglecting any impacts overall success.
4. Rapid short-term gains often compromise long-term brand value; strategic steadiness is essential for sustainable CX excellence.
5. Cultural nuances across European markets influence customer interaction styles and should be integrated into tailored CX approaches.
6. A deep understanding of system-wide influences is key in addressing customer satisfaction issues rather than seeking quick fixes.
7. Developing organisational curiosity involves granting space for reflection, encouraging divergent thinking, and challenging assumptions.
8. A journalistic skillset, particularly questioning and systemic thinking, enhances a leader’s capacity to improve customer experiences.
9. Technology must be embraced cautiously, with focus on understanding, tinkering, and accepting that some tools will initially be ‘boring’ before they unlock value.
10. Connecting customer experience and tangible business outcomes requires integrating strategy with operational execution, avoiding silos.
11. Organisational leadership benefits from grounding experience in practical, real-world understanding, such as having leaders with operational backgrounds.
12. Leaders should focus on inputs and observational data to foster curiosity and innovation, rather than solely relying on traditional metrics or scorecards.

Key Statistics

• The discussion references the measurement of customer satisfaction through NPS or Customer Effort Score, emphasising the importance of proper parameterisation but does not specify particular statistics.
• Mention of “tens of thousands” or “millions” of customers when discussing scaling relationship-building in contact centres.
• The example of a robot delivery in a fine dining setting highlights the importance of contextual balancing in CX but does not provide specific statistics.

Key Discussion Points

• The three essential forces in customer experience: value for customers, organisation, and brand, and how they need to be kept in balance.
• The real-world tension between efficiency and intimacy in service delivery and how organisations can effectively manage this.
• The importance of a strategic understanding of CX that aligns operational decisions with business objectives.
• The impact of organisational culture and cultural nuances across European markets on customer interaction styles.
• The role of curiosity and divergent thinking in driving continuous improvement and innovation in CX strategies.
• How journalistic skills — such as asking difficult questions and systemic analysis — underpin effective customer experience management.
• The necessity of testing and understanding technology, especially AI, through iteration before expecting tangible value.
• The significance of translating operational metrics into broader business impact, such as reduced churn or increased lifetime value.
• The importance of leadership with operational experience to bridge strategy and tactical execution.
• The critique of short-term thinking leading to compromised brand value, exemplified by technological or process decisions.
• The relevance of inputs and observational data as a basis for fostering organisational curiosity and growth.
• The role of storytelling and personal experience, including travel and cultural exposure, in shaping a holistic approach to CX.

Podcast Description

This podcast explores the multifaceted nature of customer experience (CX) through conversations with seasoned experts in the field. It underscores the necessity of balancing operational efficiency, human empathy, and brand integrity, while highlighting the importance of strategic alignment and organisational curiosity. Insights are provided on integrating cultural nuances, leveraging journalistic inquiry skills, and understanding technology’s role — particularly AI — within CX paradigms. Designed for senior managers and business leaders, the podcast encourages a mindset of continuous learning, questioning, and pragmatic innovation to deliver tangible business outcomes.