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This is THE podcast for you as a Customer Experience Leader. To learn where to spice up your CX leadership. Listen to CX colleague’s, thoughtleaders and of course your host Nienke Bloem. She has educated and spoken with CX Leaders all around the globe, is a Recognized Training provider with the CXPA and knows how to make CX work! Honest, fun and always with a practical twist to help you become an even better CX leader.
Episodes

Monday Sep 23, 2024
Monday Sep 23, 2024
Welcome to another new episode of "CX Leadership Talks"! Join host Nienke Bloem, while she dives into the vibrant world of Global CX Day. This episode is packed with insights, strategies, and nine powerful and practical ideas on how to use this special day (or create your own special Customer Day) to boost customer-centricity within your organization and spice up your CX Leadership.
Now, you’re eager for more ideas and detailed strategies. That’s why you should definitely listen, as Nienke takes you along the journey of leveraging global CX Day. From ideation to evaluation, this episode covers every aspect of effective CX event planning.
You will learn about the five key planning elements crucial for any CX initiative: Ideate, Organize, Deliver, Share, and Evaluate. Nienke also outlines NINE strategies for engaging different target audiences within an organization, from the entire organization to CX teams and individual professionals.
Tune in to get practical tips and creative ideas on how to make your Global CX Day or Customer Week a memorable and impactful event. Don’t forget to catch the tease for our next episode focusing on journey management with a special guest. But first, it is time to spice up Global CX Day!
Timestamped overview:
00:00 Customer experience management is a global profession.
03:37 Recognizing and celebrating exceptional customer experience efforts.
07:41 Plan, organize and deliver customer experience management.
09:45 Capture, share, evaluate, plan, ideate, organize, deliver.
14:19 Hackathons drive quick wins and long-term innovations.
17:59 Host panels, engage customers, highlight CX efforts.
21:56 Effective annual customer engagement ideas for CX team.
25:22 Team reviews customer feedback for trends and solutions.
27:01 CX fact sheet and inspiration carousel. Interested?
30:24 Embrace gratitude, celebrate CX Day, thank sincerely.
33:48 Use ChatGPT/ Copilot for drafting emails efficiently.
36:28 Celebrating Global CX Day with Dutch chapter.
Links from this episode:
Tickets for Dutch Global CX Day
Want to grow as a CX Leader? Contact Nienke Bloem via her website www.nienkebloem.com. She is a CX expert, global speaker and educator and can provide you with the guidance and support you need to succeed in CX leadership. More on Nienke’s education portfolio: https://www.nienkebloem.nl/en/cx-educatie/

Monday Sep 09, 2024
Monday Sep 09, 2024
In this episode of CX Leadership Talks, host Nienke Bloem and guest Avi Liran delve into the significance of empathy, gratitude, and creating genuine connections in customer experience and leadership.
Avi shares insights on the neuroscience behind delighting others, emphasizing its impact on trust, business success, and profitability. The conversation explores the importance of authentic appreciation, personal gestures, and creating delight in customer interactions.
Additionally, they discuss the implications of cultural sensitivity in gift-giving, the impact of fairness and respect on customer loyalty, and the empowerment of employees through delightful company culture. The episode also addresses the challenge of delivering delight in difficult circumstances and emphasizes the need for leaders to prioritize genuine connections with customers.
Join Nienke and Avi for this enriching episode and let Avi's wisdom inspire you to lead with empathy and create genuine delight in your customer interactions.
About Avi Liran (visit his LinkedIn profile here)
Traveling the world on a mission to delight one person, one workplace at a time. Learning and researching about creating positive and happier cultures to foster delightful employee experiences, thereby retaining, engaging and empowering them to in turn, deliver delightful customer experiences. Avi's keynote talks seek to inspire audiences while his training programs aim to help organisations make delightful transformations.
With over 20 years of leadership in the corporate world (as a former diplomat trade commissioner and venture capital entrepreneur), Avi shares on stage real life experiences, case studies, stories and original thought provoking recipes that are easy to learn but sure to make an astounding impact.
Timestamped overview
00:00 Finding purpose requires values, especially respect and fairness.
03:51 Mistake with booking bungalows, intern's error.
08:28 Delighting others triggers neuroscience rewards, leading to connection.
12:13 Father's sudden death changes perspective on life.
17:20 Contribution adds value, giving is what's wanted.
19:32 Unusual toilet paper Christmas gift creates laughter.
22:55 Busy, but let's chat over coffee later.
24:55 Belgium hospitals discover "mango moments" impact.
30:53 Beggar is a person putting stuff in bag.
32:48 Showing appreciation creates VIP status at restaurants.
37:11 Banks and relationships depend on offering support.
38:13 Be there for people, rebuild relationships, add value.
42:22 Powerful words to enhance communication impact.
46:01 Practice empathy, show gratitude, lead authentically.

Monday Aug 26, 2024
Monday Aug 26, 2024
In this episode of CX Leadership Talks, Nienke Bloem hosts guest Roxie Strohmenger. They discuss the importance of leaders connecting with their human side, understanding the connection between CX, perception metrics, and financial metrics, and learning the "love language" of senior leaders.
The conversation also delves into the elements of delivering world-class CX programs, building a web of data, understanding individual thinking processes, the book "Surrounded by Idiots," and the importance of agility, speed, and storytelling in CX. They emphasize the significance of understanding financial acumen, crafting a strong CX strategy, and rallying the organization for successful CX transformation.
The episode concludes with Nienke inviting listeners to share which elements they will work on and asking for recommendations on resources to become better CX leaders.
About Roxie Strohmenger CCXP (visit her LinkedIn profile here)
Roxie Strohmenger is an innovative CX Change Maker who believes great things don't happen in your comfort zone. She has a background as CX Consultant with Forrester and has had successful senior practitioner roles. She excels in leading CX transformations tied to operational metrics and financials. Her talent lies in delivering high-quality, revenue-impacting, and cost-saving customer experiences by defining, testing, and optimizing the customer lifecycle.
Roxie is known for being a CX leader who breaks down silos and unifies an organization around a singular CX Vision, transforming strategy into execution to protect and expand revenue through scalable, human-centered experiences. She’s also known for identifying and cultivating the right emotion to deliver a differentiated, high-quality customer experience. She’s a servant leader who empowers professionals to realize their full potential. Besides that, she’s also a dynamic, passionate speaker who brings the customer to the foreground.
Timestamped overview
00:00 Upcoming event about mobility and leadership.
05:07 Inquisitive mind drives focus on customer experience.
09:20 Challenges in connecting CX to ROI explained.
12:08 Shareholders, structure, funding - important CX considerations.
15:16 Initial organizational listening tour for data access.
17:23 Hiring data-savvy team vital for CX success.
23:23 Agility and speed, plus understanding data's role.
26:34 Understanding P&L informs business decision making.
29:10 Government employees should manage and assess risks.
31:14 Explaining CX metrics and importance of storytelling
33:50 Scaling CX narrative through strategic and tactical methods.
38:23 Quick rise to keynote speaker affirmed vision.
41:01 Focus on immediate actions, avoid overwhelming tasks.
43:54 Focusing on what enhances the experience.
Roxie’s recommendation
The Delighted Customers Podcast with Mark Slatin

Monday Aug 19, 2024
Monday Aug 19, 2024
In this episode of CX Leadership Talks, I had the pleasure of welcoming Diane Magers as my guest. We delved into the details of standardizing customer experience across different business units and discussed Diane's co-authored book, which offers practical guidance for embedding customer experience into an organization's operations.
One particularly insightful quote from Diane highlighted the need for organizations to prepare for future trends, especially regarding AI, machine learning, and new technologies. She emphasized the importance of internal innovation and disruption, pointing out the need for organizations to redesign their operations and work collaboratively to deliver a seamless customer experience.
Throughout our conversation, we covered a range of topics, including the evolving role of CX leadership, the potential pitfalls of over-reliance on technology, and practical strategies for operationalizing customer experience within an organization. We emphasized the importance of cultural alignment, understanding design, and connecting customer value to organizational goals, offering invaluable insights for CX leaders and organizational leaders aiming to integrate customer experience practices into their work.
Tune in to gain practical insights and actionable strategies to elevate your organization's customer experience game. Don't miss out on this invaluable knowledge. Connect with Diane and start your CX transformation today!"
About Diane Magers (visit her LinkedIn profile here)
With over 25 years of customer experience, sales and marketing leadership, Diane is the Founder and Chief Experience Officer of Experience Catalysts, a consulting and training firm that helps CX executives develop and grow customer and associate engagement programs. She’s also a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP) and a past CEO and Emeritus Chair of the Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA), a global non-profit organization that advances the CX field.
Her passion is to facilitate and coach CX leaders on how to design and implement CX strategies that drive growth and impact financial benefits. She has worked with various sized organizations across different industries, such as VMware, State Farm, MoneyGram, Freeman, Invisalign, and Equifax, delivering CX solutions that align with their enterprise, customer, and associate needs. Besides that, Diane is also a skilled presenter and trainer in CX.
Timestamped overview
00:00 Organizations design experiences to influence behavior & ROI.
04:43 Summary: profession evolving, leaders need embedding experience.
09:49 Simple questions and actions for organizational change.
13:31 Empower teams with knowledge and capabilities.
17:04 Human craving for connection in automated world.
21:10 Embracing new perspectives and practices in CX.
23:38 Perspective shift enables better leadership and innovation.
27:39 Revamp approach to customer and employee value.
29:48 Strategic focus on future state customer perspective.
32:10 Align content, create standards, educate for consistency.
35:22 Shifting focus to digital experience and education.
39:10 Explains concepts and implementation of operating system.
42:46 Schedule time for exploration and build connections.
Diane’s recommendations
Experience Rules - The Experience Operating System (XOS) and 8 Keys to Enable It, by Michael Hinshaw and Diane Magers
Connect with Diane on LinkedIn

Monday Aug 05, 2024
Monday Aug 05, 2024
In this episode of CX Leadership Talks, your host Nienke Bloem engages in a dynamic conversation with Maaike Verwer, a certified customer experience professional, focusing on aligning IT and business processes to enhance customer experience. Maaike and Nienke discuss an impactful collaboration with HomeServe to streamline their customer service, reducing call times and improving satisfaction through automation.
Maaike emphasizes the importance of understanding and utilizing existing data in organizations for enhancing customer experience and highlights the need for seamless alignment of data and processes, drawing an analogy to renovating a house.
The conversation also delves into agile methodologies, stakeholder management, and addressing concerns related to technology and job insecurity. The episode wraps up with Maaike's recommendation for enhancing CX leadership through data-driven insights.
About Maaike Verwer (visit her LinkedIn profile here)
Maaike is an enthusiastic, pragmatic and results-oriented professional with a customer-oriented approach (CX based). She has achieved several successes in roles and projects where organizational and IT processes reinforce each other. Maaike believes in the importance of CX and the use of the right and appropriate technology within organizations.
Timestamped overview
00:00 Encouraging guests to be proactive and brave.
05:31 Importance of customer experience and IT alignment.
06:37 Utilize existing data efficiently to avoid waste.
11:57 Met Sabio at Genesys conference.
14:06 Ensure understanding, confidence, and process optimization in technology.
17:53 Contact centers transitioning from cost to value.
21:42 Initiate inform transform perform through agile working.
23:45 Tracking project benefits leads to successful change.
28:01 Clear communication key for understanding and alignment.
31:40 Content must be easily accessible for engagement.
33:58 Share small wins, use understandable language, consider perspectives.
38:47 Addressing importance of stakeholder management and technology.
39:50 Career experience taught me to actively listen.
43:03 Recommended books by Maaike.
Maaike’s recommendations
Let's Get Real or Let's Not Play: Transforming the Buyer/Seller Relationship, by Mahan Khalsa and Randy Illig
Neuromanagement: het nieuwe managementparadigma, by Sven Gall (in Dutch)

Monday Jul 22, 2024
#27 Stop engaging employees, start making work more human
Monday Jul 22, 2024
Monday Jul 22, 2024
Welcome to CX Leadership Talks, where we explore the essence of human-centric leadership in the workplace. In today's episode, your host Nienke Bloem engages in an insightful conversation with Eryc Eyl, a passionate advocate for creating more human workplaces.
Eryc emphasizes the importance of work leading to fulfillment, satisfaction, and human flourishing, challenging the traditional notion of work to an end. They delve into Eryc's book, "Stop Engaging Employees, Start Making Work More Human”, which offers practical strategies for fostering a human-centric work culture. The episode reveals specific disciplines and approaches for leaders, emphasizing the organic nature of workplace culture and the 13 guiding principles of human-centric workplaces.
Eryc shares insights on the 6 E's of impact culture and the significance of empathy and deep listening in creating meaningful connections. Furthermore, the discussion is about the importance of removing obstacles and friction in the workplace, empowering employees, and involving them in solving customer-related problems to enhance customer-centricity.
Join us as we unravel the profound insights into human-centered leadership and workplace transformation. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of creating more human workplaces for better results.
About Eryc Eyl (visit his LinkedIn profile here)
Eryc Eyl is a distinguished expert in customer experience with over 20 years of industry experience. Known for his innovative and customer-centric strategies, Eryc has collaborated with numerous high-profile companies to enhance their customer service practices. With a background in Organizational Communication and a certification as a professional coach, he brings a deep understanding of human behavior and communication dynamics to his work.
Eryc is a sought-after speaker, thought leader, and contributor to various publications, passionately advocating for the integration of technology and human touch in customer interactions. Next to that he is a fun human. Always connecting, listening and of course, known for his extraordinary moustache.
Timestamped overview
00:00 How a liberal arts graduate becomes a Lean Six Sigma black belt.
05:47 Writing a book to make work more human.
09:39 Discussion about human-centric workplace principles and connections.
13:06 Defining and impacting workplace culture and expectations.
14:32 Adhering to expectations for traffic flow safety.
17:22 Balance speaking and listening for valuable communication.
21:24 Encourage involvement for better results and solutions.
26:45 Educating through conversations to achieve shared understanding.
27:42 Bank crew praised for smart branding approach.
32:32 Insightful session on customer service and leadership.
37:05 Simplify workplace processes, remove unnecessary obstacles.
38:30 Pushing responsibility down, reducing policies for satisfaction.
41:46 Embrace noticing and catching the right behaviors.
44:41 Focus on listening more, leading by example.
Eryc’s recommendations
Stop Engaging Employees, Start Making Work More Human, by Eryc Eyl
Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds, by Adrienne Maree Brown
And a present from Eryc for you, as a listener of this podcast

Wednesday Jul 10, 2024
Wednesday Jul 10, 2024
In this episode of CX Leadership Talks your host Nienke Bloem is joined by the inspiring consultant and CEO, Olga Potaptseva. Olga, a seasoned consultant and CEO, dives deep into the concept of authority in the CX world.
She shares insights on her career journey, the power of adapting, and building authority through consulting. Discover her resourceful CX Panda platform, her unique time management approach, and the importance of staying updated in the CX landscape.
Join us as we explore the valuable lessons she learned throughout her career and how she's making a positive impact in the world of customer experience!
About Olga Potaptseva (visit her LinkedIn profile here)
Olga Potaptseva is a renowned expert in customer experience (CX) strategy and business transformation. She founded the European Customer Consultancy, where she serves as a lead consultant. Her passion is in partnering with organizations worldwide to enable harmonious customer-informed operating models that benefit customers, employees, and the bottom line. She is known for her practical, hands-on approach and always strives to deeply understand their business, stakeholders, strategic objectives, change barriers, and trust factors before jointly implementing customer-centric change.
Olga has worked with numerous global brands like Manola Blahnik and AstraZeneca. to drive their CX initiatives. Next to that she is also the founder of CX Panda. She holds a degree in Economics and International Relations and has furthered her expertise with various certifications in customer experience management.
Timestamped overview
00:00 Our first meeting during a CXPA Leaders Advanced Conference, while doing Pilates.
05:46 Emphasizing the need for clarity in business communication.
07:47 Disheartened by market research, pursued customer-centric role.
11:47 Experienced CX professionals utilize CX Panda for resources.
14:27 Inspiration for creating a knowledge base.
17:08 Seek inspiration and information from various sources.
20:42 All leaders are accountable for customer experiences.
27:42 Balancing work and life as an entrepreneur.
30:28 Flexibility within structure helps manage priorities effectively.
33:53 LinkedIn honesty and marketplace for consultants.
40:00 Consultants provide adaptable structure for complex organizations.
42:50 Recommendation of books.
About the platform CX Panda: https://cx-panda.com/
Olga’s recommendations
CX is a pilgrimage, by Nienke Bloem: Link Netherlands Link Amazon
Our Iceberg is melding, by John Kotter: Link
That’s Not How We Do It Here, by John Kotter: Link
And curious about Reformer Pilates? This is your app! https://www.fluidformpilates.com/shop/subscriptions/fluidform-at-home-subscription/

Monday Jun 24, 2024
#25 Four ways to organize CX in the most effective ways, with Jim Tincher
Monday Jun 24, 2024
Monday Jun 24, 2024
In this episode of CX Leadership Talks, host Nienke Bloem engages in a interesting conversation with customer experience expert Jim Tincher, CEO of Heart of the Customer. They delve into the complexities of customer experience and leadership, emphasizing the importance of understanding and addressing the needs of both customers and business executives.
Jim shares key insights from his research on different CX team structures, highlighting their strengths, weaknesses, and real-world examples. The conversation also delves into the significance of data in driving business outcomes, staying energized through learning and community involvement, as well as the need for aligning CX strategies with the priorities and initiatives of CEOs.
Throughout the episode, Nienke and Jim provide practical advice, share captivating examples, and discuss the impact of powerful storytelling on CX leadership. This insightful and engaging episode is a must-listen for CX professionals and leaders seeking to enhance their understanding of customer experience and effective leadership.
About Jim Tincher (visit his LinkedIn profile here)
How is it that some leaders are able to navigate corporate silos to create an amazing customer experience, while others muddle along with mediocrity? Jim has dedicated his professional life to understanding the correlation between satisfied, loyal customers and sustainable business growth. He founded Heart of the Customer to help organizations create amazing experiences with a solid ROI through customer empathy and change management practices.
Prior to starting Heart of the Customer, he led customer experience efforts at Best Buy and UnitedHealth Group, two very complex (and very different) organizations, and learned the importance of change management to ensure the new behaviors stick. he also learned the power of directly connecting employees and customers – a fundamental component of how we do journey mapping and customer experience improvements at organizations as complex as Dow, Avery Products, and Ultimate Software, to name a few of his clients. All his clients and the companies he worked for share a common goal: to differentiate themselves through a superior customer experience – which is not easy.
Jim is the author of “Do B2B Better” and co-author of “How Hard Is It to Be Your Customer? Using Journey Mapping to Drive Customer-Focused Change” with Nicole Newton.
Timestamped overview
00:00 Passionate about customer experience since early days.
05:36 Changed approach by hearing from customers directly.
07:45 Leaders should interact more with customers for growth.
10:37 Rijksmuseum customer experience manager engages with visitors.
14:46 Leading customer experience requires understanding, empathy, adaptation.
19:55 Centralized teams work well with primary or multiple units. Distributed and federated are options too.
23:30 Federated model: individuals report into business unit.
25:14 Centralized surveying, change management, and experience design.
28:14 Federated vs centralized model for business units.
33:13 Connect data to KPIs for stakeholder success.
35:06 Help organization by addressing what's important. Leaders are sensitive to awards, value others' contributions.
38:13 Empower organization with dedicated relationship managers for success.
43:05 Turn each phase into data, build dashboard.
48:19 Books of Dan & Chip Heath are practical, applicable in various situations.
49:21 Gratitude for expertise shared.
Jim’s recommendations
Book Switch – How to change things when change is hard – Chip & Dan Heath
Whitepaper on Building your CX Dream Team: https://heartofthecustomer.com/building-your-cx-dream-team/
And, of course, Jim’s books
Do B2B Better https://heartofthecustomer.com/dob2bbetter/
How hard is it to be your customer? Using Journey Mapping to Drive Customer-Focused Change (with Nicole Newton) https://heartofthecustomer.com/howhardisittobeyourcustomer/