CX Leadership Talks

# 41 Set yourself up for success as a CX leader - A guided practice to envision a brilliant 2025

Welcome to CX Leadership Talks, the podcast for customer experience leaders who are driving change, delivering results, and finding balance in their professional and personal lives.

In this final episode of 2024—and the 41st episode of this podcast—we’re turning our attention to the future. Join Nienke Bloem, global CX speaker and mentor, as she guides you through a powerful planning process to make 2025 your best year yet.

With her signature mix of practical insights, thought-provoking questions, and a touch of humor, Nienke will help you set meaningful goals, identify the steps to achieve them, and align your CX leadership vision with your organization’s strategy. You’ll explore five “must-win battles” for the year ahead: impact and results, strategy and purpose, engagement and cultural change, personal growth and development, and work-life balance.

This isn’t just about setting resolutions—it’s about creating a clear, actionable plan to elevate your leadership and deliver measurable outcomes. So, grab a journal, get comfortable, and let’s dive into designing your path to success in 2025.

As always, I’d love to hear from you—what’s your boldest goal for the year ahead? Let’s connect and make it happen together!

 

Timestamped Overview

00:00 Intentional year planning clarifies goals, fulfills desires.

06:01 Chase challenging goals that excite and frighten.

09:57 Improved customer journey boosted satisfaction and referrals.

11:01 Impact realized; plan and tools needed next.

16:22 Focus on customer experience, strategy, and urgency.

20:59 Embed CX cultural shifts for deeper organizational change.

23:01 Customers enhance leadership and engagement in 2025.

26:10 Develop leadership, enhance CX skills, seek growth.

30:29 Prioritize work-life balance to prevent burnout.

32:39 Activities to inspire and prioritize health, fitness.

37:02 Focus on key projects and goal visualization.

38:42 Guiding you to enhance your leadership skills.

 

Want to grow as a CX Leader? Contact Nienke Bloem via her website or LinkedIn. 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.

#40 Reflections for the CX Leader – A Self-Audit of 2024

Welcome to CX Leadership Talks, the podcast for customer experience leaders who are driving change, delivering results, and striving for balance in their professional and personal lives. 

In this special year-end episode, we take a reflective journey through 2024. Join Nienke Bloem, global CX speaker and educator, as she guides you through five key lenses to evaluate your year: impact and results, strategy and purpose, engagement and cultural change, personal growth and development, and work-life balance. 

Through thoughtful prompts, practical insights, and personal anecdotes, this episode will help you uncover your proudest achievements, biggest learnings, and areas for growth. To deepen your reflection, download the free PDF with 17 questions covering topics like impact, strategy, personal growth, and work-life balance. Whether you're a seasoned CX professional or a rising leader in your organization, this is your chance to pause, reflect, and celebrate the year you’ve had - before stepping into 2025 with renewed focus and energy.

Grab your favorite journal, clear your mind, and let’s dive in! And please let me know your biggest insight from the reflection process! 

Timestamped overview: 

00:00 Explore customer experience, personal development, and well-being. 

05:11 Evaluate metrics and achievements for key projects. 

09:27 Measure goals, inputs, and impacts for success. 

11:43 Is your CX strategy aligned and future-proof? 

14:54 Purpose ties ESG goals to customer experience. 

20:40 Focusing on engagement, cultural change, customer experience. 

25:25 Personal education enhances leadership through diverse experiences. 

26:56 Reflecting on personal growth, networking, and values alignment. 

30:14 Work-life balance, stress management, and inspiration reflection. 

35:17 Year described as vibrant, challenging, and pink. 

37:32 Who energized you most; biggest 2024 challenge? 

42:21 Reflection episode; envisioning goals for 2025 planning.  

Want to grow as a CX Leader? Contact Nienke Bloem via her website or LinkedIn. 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.

#39 Understanding budget dynamics for CX leaders

Welcome to another episode of CX Leadership Talks with your host, Nienke Bloem. In this episode, Nienke delves into the critical topic of budget management for customer experience (CX) leaders. Emphasizing that a solid budget is essential for impactful results, Nienke offers insights on how CX leaders can navigate the budgeting process effectively to ensure success in their initiatives.

Key highlights include:

• Understanding budget needs: Nienke stresses the importance of anticipating budget requirements not just for the coming year, but for the next three years. This strategic foresight can help position CX leaders to secure necessary funding.
• Identifying opportunities for budget collaboration: Explore potential collaborations within the organization, such as customer service projects, digital transformation initiatives, innovation, employee engagement, and leadership development programs, where shared budgets can amplify customer-centric efforts.
• Securing budget: Learn how to frame budget proposals by aligning with organizational priorities and demonstrating the business value of CX initiatives. Nienke also discusses the importance of understanding internal processes and leveraging storytelling to make the case for funding.
• Avoiding common pitfalls: Nienke highlights common mistakes CX leaders make, such as not aligning with company goals or failing to follow up proactively on budget proposals.

Listeners are encouraged to assess their current budget situations, seek out allies within their organizations, and take actionable steps to enhance their CX leadership. Whether you're facing challenges or have budget left to allocate, Nienke invites you to reach out for support and collaboration.

Join Nienke in spicing up your leadership and making 2025 the most impactful year yet for your customer experience initiatives!

 

Timestamped overview

00:00 Explore CX leadership strategies.

03:14 Team size and budget impact organizational success.

06:40 Focus on customer service and CX improvement projects.

10:48 Employee engagement aligns with customer experience goals.

14:33 Understand and navigate budgeting process for success.

17:04 Align CX projects with company goals strategically.

20:55 Spice up CX leadership; take action now.

 

Extra: Ten questions you can have a conversation about with your CX team or CX peers based on this podcast:

1. Why is having a budget crucial for achieving impactful results in your role as a CX leader?
2. How can you identify and utilize leftover HR budget for both personal and organizational development initiatives?
3. What are the two main elements of budget you should focus on, and why are they crucial for achieving impact in your CX leadership?
4. How can you strategically plan for budget requirements not just for the next year but for the upcoming three years?
5. Where are potential collaboration opportunities within your organization that could provide additional budget for CX initiatives?
6. How can you tailor your budget pitch to align with the priorities and decision-making criteria of your organization's leadership?
7. Why is it important to align your CX projects with broader company goals such as digital transformation and innovation?
8. How can you leverage allies within your organization to tap into shared budgets, and can you think of examples where such collaborations might occur?
9. What are some potential pitfalls you might encounter during the budgeting process, and how can you avoid them?
10. What actions can you take immediately to assess and improve your current budget strategies in your role as a CX leader?

Want to grow as a CX Leader? Contact Nienke Bloem via her website or LinkedIn. 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.

#38 Personalized Customer Experience: The power of handwritten notes in a digital world

Welcome to a new episode of CX Leadership Talks! In this episode, host Nienke Bloem is thrilled to welcome David Wachs, the visionary CEO and founder of Handwrytten. David is on a mission to revolutionize personalized communication by blending the timeless art of handwritten notes with the power of cutting-edge technology. Handwrytten's unique approach is making waves in the customer experience space, enabling businesses to send real, heartfelt notes at scale - using an incredible AI-driven process that brings back the charm of personal touch in a digital age. 

David's journey as an entrepreneur is inspiring. Before founding Handwrytten, he built and sold Cellit, a leading mobile messaging company. His deep expertise in engineering and his passion for creating meaningful connections have established him as a respected leader in the CX community. In this episode, he'll share invaluable insights on how to elevate customer relationships by merging automation with sincerity. 

And there's more! David will reveal an intriguing case study from a snack box company that used Handwrytten's unique service as a win-back strategy, turning customer dissatisfaction into loyalty. This episode is packed with golden nuggets on how to leverage technology for genuine, human connections. So stick around - you won't want to miss this eye-opening conversation on the future of personalized customer experience! 

About Davis Wachs (visit his LinkedIn profile here) 

David Wachs is a serial entrepreneur and the founder of Handwrytten. 

Before Handwrytten, David founded Cellit, a pioneering mobile marketing platform recognized as a top player in mobile CRM. Cellit served high-profile clients like Abercrombie & Fitch and Pizza Hut and was ranked #262 on the Inc. 500 list. It was acquired by HelloWorld in 2012. 

David is a frequent speaker on messaging technology and has been featured in outlets like The Wall Street Journal and USA TODAY. He also writes a column for Inc. Magazine titled "Stepping Away from the Day to Day." 

Time Stamped Overview: 

00:00 Entrepreneur transforming outreach: text messaging to handwritten notes. 
04:17 Wanted meaningful connection; wrote authentic handwritten notes. 
09:55 Wide application, $50+ client value crucial. 
12:07 Handwritten notes boost appreciation and response rates. 
14:31 ID helps organize appointments and rescheduling efficiently. 
19:45 Strategically use handwritten notes to enhance relationships. 
23:37 Automated handwritten notes personalize luxury house purchases. 
24:28 Ensuring consistent customer experience using automation. 
29:32 Automated note-writing using AI and ChatGPT. 
33:06 API warns but doesn't prevent capitalization issues. 
36:23 Handwritten notes enhance customer experience, brand connection. 
39:52 CX leaders should engage directly with customers. 

David’s recommendations: 

1. Do you have a grip on your business, or does your business have a grip on you? My book suggestion for you is Traction.
2. Visit the site of Handwrytten

Want to grow as a CX Leader? Contact Nienke Bloem via her website . 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.

#37 Why a call to action drives true change beyond words in CX

Welcome back to another episode of CX Leadership Talks with your host, Nienke Bloem. In this episode, we dive into the art and science of crafting powerful calls to action within your CX leadership journey. As Nienke shares her recent experiences from a trip to the USA, she draws a parallel between the barrage of roadside election signs and the noisy environment within organizations, where employees are bombarded with calls to action daily.

This episode concludes her series on CX stories, emphasizing the importance of ending your CX narrative with clear, impactful calls to action that drive real change. Nienke offers insightful tips on avoiding vague endings like "any more questions," highlighting instead how to guide your audience towards specific, actionable steps. You can watch the YouTube video she refers to here. 

Join us as Nienke unpacks the magic of a well-crafted call to action and provides practical advice on how you can achieve a stronger CX ripple effect within your organization. Let’s tune in and transform your CX leadership approach!

 

Timestamped overview

00:00 Clarify action despite distractions in presentations. 

05:54 Create bold, actionable calls to engage audience. 

09:32 Drafting calls to action; webinars and training available. 

10:31 Webinar on election day; join us! 

 

Want to grow as a CX Leader? Contact Nienke Bloem via her website or LinkedIn. 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.

#36 Crafting impactful CX Stories: Four types of personal narratives

In this captivating episode of CX Leadership Talks, your host Nienke Bloem explores the art of storytelling as a powerful tool for enhancing customer experience (CX) and leadership. Drawing on her extensive experience and insights, Nienke emphasizes the importance of viewing customer experience as a marathon rather than a sprint. She guides listeners through the process of crafting impactful change narratives, highlighting the indispensable role of personal stories in making presentations memorable and effective.

Listeners will learn about four types of personal stories - ranging from personal customer experiences to personal interests - that can elevate a leader's likability, authority, and relatability. Nienke shares her own compelling experience with Emirates Airlines to illustrate the LARA principle (Listen, Analyze, React, and Act) and the value of personal attention in customer service.

Tune in to discover how personal anecdotes can transform dry facts into engaging stories that resonate with audiences. 

Discover the secret to making your CX stories impactful and engaging, and don't miss Nienke's valuable tips on integrating personal elements into your storytelling for more effective leadership and communication. Join Nienke Bloem as she sends greetings from the Netherlands and empowers CX leaders to create stories that inspire change.

 

Timestamped overview

00:00 – Engaging and likable presentations are more memorable.
04:48 – Mapping CX stories and transformations from personal experience.
08:51 – Crafting relatable, authoritative, and likable stories using personal experiences.
11:36 – Adding a personal touch to corporate leadership programs.
14:33 – Focusing on positive customer experiences, such as those with Emirates.
18:58 – Reacting, improving processes, inspiring curiosity, and enhancing customer experiences.
22:23 – How listening and understanding improve customer experience leadership.
25:22 – Being relational: understanding customer needs and reframing problems.
27:18 – Using storytelling to enhance likability and explain the importance of data.
30:21 – Hosting webinars and introducing an online CX program.

 

Want to grow as a CX Leader? Contact Nienke Bloem via her website or LinkedIn. 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.

#35 From CX Story Blueprint to impact: Crafting your CX leadership change narrative

Welcome to a new episode of CX Leadership Talks, where Nienke Bloem CCXP helps CX leaders enhance their leadership abilities. This episode focuses on crafting compelling CX stories - a cornerstone for any CX leader's influence and impact. Nienke highlights the importance of a well-structured change narrative, sharing her own experiences and insights from her CX leadership journey. 

She introduces the "CX Story Blueprint", detailing its four key components: a personal element, a sense of urgency, a CX strategy, and a call to action. Nienke emphasizes that each component is crucial for engaging audiences and driving change within an organization. 

Listeners are invited to join upcoming webinars in November to work on their CX stories, receiving guidance to draft their narratives effectively. Whether you're new to storytelling or looking to refine your approach, the episode serves as a comprehensive guide to building a robust CX story.

Remember, crafting a stellar CX story can amplify your leadership and create those transformative ripple effects within your organization. Keep leading and stay tuned for more insights in next week's episode. 

Timestamped overview

00:00 English & Dutch sessions to help leaders improve. 

04:56 Creating a CX leadership journey with step-by-step plan. 

06:44 Four elements create a great CX story. 

11:13 Include personal elements for effective CX storytelling. 

12:55 Inject personality and urgency into customer experience. 

18:35 Enhance CX narrative: urgency, strategy, action. 

19:20 Register for webinar to get CX story blueprint. 

 

Want to grow as a CX Leader? Contact Nienke Bloem via her website. She is a CX expert and can provide you with the guidance and support you need to succeed in CX leadership. More on Nienke’s education portfolio. 

 

#34 Discover why becoming the CRO is essential for your CX story's success

Welcome to another insightful episode of the CX Leadership Talks podcast with your host, Nienke Bloem CCXP. This week, we're diving deep into the world of CX stories, a fundamental tool for any CX leader aiming to make a significant impact. Over the next four weeks, we'll explore the 'why,' 'how,' and 'what' of crafting and delivering compelling CX narratives. 

This week's episode is all about embracing your role as the Chief Reminder Officer, a pivotal yet unsung role in ensuring your customer experience strategy resonates across your organization. Join Nienke as she shares her journey from her recent content retreat in Australia, her learnings from renowned entrepreneur Jane Anderson, and the importance of repetition in communication. Plus, discover how a well-crafted CX story can create lasting change and even propel you in your career. Tune in to learn about the power of storytelling in CX, and start crafting your own CX change narrative. 

Timestamped overview 

00:00 Following CX education, inspired by Jane Anderson. 

04:27 Hosted CX masterclass to enhance organization's understanding. 

07:42 Consistent storytelling creates clarity and decision guidance. 

11:08 Communicate clearly using structured, repeatable presentations. 

14:56 CX leadership creates career advancement opportunities. 

16:59 Spice up customer experience; podcast on CX roles. 

 
If you're interested in CX storytelling, check out this previous episode, on how to avoid these 5 mistakes in your CX Storytelling journey. 

Want to grow as a CX Leader? Contact Nienke Bloem via her website . 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.