Jamie Norwood, named to Inc.’s Top 100 Female Founders and Forbes 1000, is the co-founder of Stix, a fast-growing startup in healthcare challenged by how to serve extremely distinct customer needs. In this episode we look at how Modes can create confident shoppers, a sense of community, and continuity across shopper journeys. Tune in and discover how you can apply these frameworks to businesses of any size or category.   IN THIS EPISODE:    [1:20] Intro to Jamie Norwood and her company Stix. [4:38] Personalization and individualization for customers. [7:52] What questions should a company ask to get started with modes? [13:05] How to support different customers and their different needs - breaking the products into “mode” categories. [16:03] What are ways to engrain it in an experience beyond obvious customer touchpoints?  [22:00] What are other ways to better personalize on a standard Shopify site? [28:12] What it looks like to shop on Instagram using modes.    KEY TAKEAWAYS:    Companies should focus on six to eight of their most basic modes. The focus should be on positive and negative modes and tell the story of how the company can be there for the customer as they evolve.  Dashboards allow for more customer control. They allow the customer to be in charge of their journey, and products aren’t pushed on them that they do not need or want.  Modes are situational. They are a mindset and set of behaviors that the customer is in; they want to get further into the mode or out of the mode, so showing them how to do so with your site is important to allow them to feel safe to make their purchase/that this is the right purchase for them for the mode they are in.      LINKS MENTIONED: Stix Website Stix Instagram Stix Facebook Stix TikTok Stix Twitter RealTalk   BIO: Jamie Norwood, named to Inc.’s Top 100 Female Founders and Forbes 1000, is Stix’s co-founder, leading brand &amp; experience. Jamie co-founded Stix in 2019, a health brand that empowers women to make confident decisions, starting with reproductive and vaginal health products. Before starting her own company, Jamie was on the founding team of Hungry Harvest, where she built and scaled the customer experience and product departments. Jamie received her BA from Tulane University and is a Venture for America alumna.

Jamie Norwood, named to Inc.’s Top 100 Female Founders and Forbes 1000, is the co-founder of Stix, a fast-growing startup in healthcare challenged by how to serve extremely distinct customer needs. In this episode we look at how Modes can create confident shoppers, a sense of community, and continuity across shopper journeys. Tune in and discover how you can apply these frameworks to businesses of any size or category. IN THIS EPISODE: <ul> <li>[1:20] Intro to Jamie Norwood and her company Stix.</li> <li>[4:38] Personalization and individualization for customers.</li> <li>[7:52] What questions should a company ask to get started with modes?</li> <li>[13:05] How to support different customers and their different needs - breaking the products into “mode” categories.</li> <li>[16:03] What are ways to engrain it in an experience beyond obvious customer touchpoints? </li> <li>[22:00] What are other ways to better personalize on a standard Shopify site?</li> <li>[28:12] What it looks like to shop on Instagram using modes.</li> </ul> KEY TAKEAWAYS: <ul> <li>Companies should focus on six to eight of their most basic modes. The focus should be on positive and negative modes and tell the story of how the company can be there for the customer as they evolve. </li> <li>Dashboards allow for more customer control. They allow the customer to be in charge of their journey, and products aren’t pushed on them that they do not need or want. </li> <li>Modes are situational. They are a mindset and set of behaviors that the customer is in; they want to get further into the mode or out of the mode, so showing them how to do so with your site is important to allow them to feel safe to make their purchase/that this is the right purchase for them for the mode they are in.  </li> </ul> LINKS MENTIONED: <a href="https://getstix.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Stix Website</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/getstix/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Stix Instagram</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/getstix" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Stix Facebook</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@getstix?lang=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Stix TikTok</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/getstix" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Stix Twitter</a> <a href="https://getstix.co/blogs/real-talk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">RealTalk</a> BIO: Jamie Norwood, named to Inc.’s Top 100 Female Founders and Forbes 1000, is Stix’s co-founder, leading brand &amp; experience. Jamie co-founded Stix in 2019, a health brand that empowers women to make confident decisions, starting with reproductive and vaginal health products. Before starting her own company, Jamie was on the founding team of Hungry Harvest, where she built and scaled the customer experience and product departments. Jamie received her BA from Tulane University and is a Venture for America alumna.

Modes Series, Episode 2: Applying Modes Thinking to Shopping Platforms

Today we are talking to Roger Beasley about Customer Modes, the mindsets and behaviors that help people get jobs done. We look at what they are and how they work through the lens of the restaurant industry. Tune in to learn how modes thinking has the key to unlock experience strategy and journey work in powerful new ways.    IN THIS EPISODE:    [1:35] Introduction to Roger Beasley [3:37] What are modes, jobs, ques, and how do they work together? [8:39] How to connect the brand to the consumer. [12:13] Roger talks about how technology shifted the mode people are in and how the restaurant chains need to shift their focus. [17:50] We discuss the top modes found in restaurant customers and how they relate to the different channels.  [21:50] How the rise of virtual brands came about (DoorDash, UberEats, etc.) [28:25] The need to customize your brand with the situation of why people will order. [31:46] The different requirements for different channels/modes, moving away from loyalty programs.    KEY TAKEAWAYS:    People no longer order from restaurants because they like that specific restaurant's food; they are ordering based on the mode they are in - productivity, relaxing, etc.  With the creation and use of UberEats and DoorDash, the people ordering the food are not the restaurant's customers; they are the customers of third-party brands. So it’s essential to create a new brand to draw customers back to your restaurant.  As the number of delivery channels increase, companies need to focus on modes to excel with customer experience. Why is the customer ordering? How can you make it more convenient for them by meeting them in the mode they’re in?      LINKS MENTIONED:   Roger Beasley’s LinkedIn   Roger Beasley’s Twitter   BIO: Roger Beasley has been a key contributor to the development of successful business, brand and marketing strategies for some of the most recognized companies in America. Throughout his 28-year career, he has served a broad range of B2C and B2B industries, developing strong, lasting relationships with the leadership of his clients by demonstrating a deep understanding of their business and an unwavering commitment to helping them achieve sustainable success.   A versatile, inquisitive strategist and leader, some of Roger’s most noted accomplishments include helping to develop the brand positioning for a regional consumer finance company that has grown into the nation’s largest retail lending chain; leading the successful turnaround of a golf management brand that ultimately led to its multi-million dollar acquisition; helping identify the brand strategy for the successful turnaround of one of America’s most popular 24-hour restaurant chains; and co-founding a thought leadership conference featuring some of the world’s leading innovators focused on inspiring organizational change.   Roger frequently speaks on the topic of brand building and strategy development. He is also an adjunct professor at Clemson University where he brings real-world perspective to the training of America’s next generation of business and brand strategists.

Today we are talking to Roger Beasley about Customer Modes, the mindsets and behaviors that help people get jobs done. We look at what they are and how they work through the lens of the restaurant industry. Tune in to learn how modes thinking has the key to unlock experience strategy and journey work in powerful new ways.  IN THIS EPISODE: <ul> <li>[1:35] Introduction to Roger Beasley</li> <li>[3:37] What are modes, jobs, ques, and how do they work together?</li> <li>[8:39] How to connect the brand to the consumer.</li> <li>[12:13] Roger talks about how technology shifted the mode people are in and how the restaurant chains need to shift their focus.</li> <li>[17:50] We discuss the top modes found in restaurant customers and how they relate to the different channels. </li> <li>[21:50] How the rise of virtual brands came about (DoorDash, UberEats, etc.)</li> <li>[28:25] The need to customize your brand with the situation of why people will order.</li> <li>[31:46] The different requirements for different channels/modes, moving away from loyalty programs.</li> </ul> KEY TAKEAWAYS: <ul> <li>People no longer order from restaurants because they like that specific restaurant's food; they are ordering based on the mode they are in - productivity, relaxing, etc. </li> <li>With the creation and use of UberEats and DoorDash, the people ordering the food are not the restaurant's customers; they are the customers of third-party brands. So it’s essential to create a new brand to draw customers back to your restaurant. </li> <li>As the number of delivery channels increase, companies need to focus on modes to excel with customer experience. Why is the customer ordering? How can you make it more convenient for them by meeting them in the mode they’re in?  </li> </ul> LINKS MENTIONED: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/roger-beasley-3a1bb91/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Roger Beasley’s LinkedIn</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RBeasley" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Roger Beasley’s Twitter</a> BIO: Roger Beasley has been a key contributor to the development of successful business, brand and marketing strategies for some of the most recognized companies in America. Throughout his 28-year career, he has served a broad range of B2C and B2B industries, developing strong, lasting relationships with the leadership of his clients by demonstrating a deep understanding of their business and an unwavering commitment to helping them achieve sustainable success. A versatile, inquisitive strategist and leader, some of Roger’s most noted accomplishments include helping to develop the brand positioning for a regional consumer finance company that has grown into the nation’s largest retail lending chain; leading the successful turnaround of a golf management brand that ultimately led to its multi-million dollar acquisition; helping identify the brand strategy for the successful turnaround of one of America’s most popular 24-hour restaurant chains; and co-founding a thought leadership conference featuring some of the world’s leading innovators focused on inspiring organizational change. Roger frequently speaks on the topic of brand building and strategy development. He is also an adjunct professor at Clemson University where he brings real-world perspective to the training of America’s next generation of business and brand strategists.

Modes Series, Episode 1: A Revolutionary Way to Manage Restaurant, CX, and Brand

How can you turn your customer into a superhero? In today's episode, we are joined by Thomas Kolster, the Author of The Hero Trap and Goodvertising and one of the most recognized thinkers globally, where marketing, business, and sustainability meet. This week's episode covers experiences, why they are more sustainable than things, and how to make them truly transformational. Tune in to learn more about why you should be putting your customers in charge and turning them into superheroes instead of your brand.   IN THIS EPISODE:  [01:48] Thomas’s career background. [03:56] Why Thomas chooses sustainability to be part of a solution. [06:46] How open are the companies Thomas works with to change? [08:37] What is The Hero Trap? [15:55] What drives brands to stop authentically caring about their mission? [19:37] Why do people fall out of love with brands? [21:43] Aransas shares her experience of working for a transformative brand. [28:48] Customers should be treated like superheroes.     KEY TAKEAWAYS:  Experiences are more sustainable than things. Put your customer in charge of your brand and your business. Understand fundamentally the role you play in people’s lives. Turn your customers into superheroes instead of your brand. Ask yourself how you can create transformative experiences for your customers.    LINKS MENTIONED: Thomas’s Books    BIO: Thomas Kolster is a frontrunner and one of the most recognized thinkers globally where marketing, business, and sustainability meet. He continuously challenges the status quo with his vocal and often provocative views on values, purpose, and leadership. In an over-crowded do-good market, people don’t buy your values or your “why” but rather who you can help them become.    Thomas wrote two books: Goodvertising &amp; The Hero Trap. He delivered keynotes and workshops in +70 markets for clients like Facebook, P&amp;G, and IKEA and at conferences such as TEDx, and SXSW Judged top awards such as Jury President at D&amp;AD and Jury at Cannes Lions. Thomas also delivered longer training programs with universities and the likes of Cannes Lions and D&amp;AD.

How can you turn your customer into a superhero? In today's episode, we are joined by Thomas Kolster, the Author of The Hero Trap and Goodvertising and one of the most recognized thinkers globally, where marketing, business, and sustainability meet. This week's episode covers experiences, why they are more sustainable than things, and how to make them truly transformational. Tune in to learn more about why you should be putting your customers in charge and turning them into superheroes instead of your brand. IN THIS EPISODE: <ul> <li>[01:48] Thomas’s career background.</li> <li>[03:56] Why Thomas chooses sustainability to be part of a solution.</li> <li>[06:46] How open are the companies Thomas works with to change?</li> <li>[08:37] What is The Hero Trap?</li> <li>[15:55] What drives brands to stop authentically caring about their mission?</li> <li>[19:37] Why do people fall out of love with brands?</li> <li>[21:43] Aransas shares her experience of working for a transformative brand.</li> <li>[28:48] Customers should be treated like superheroes. </li> </ul> KEY TAKEAWAYS: <ul> <li>Experiences are more sustainable than things.</li> <li>Put your customer in charge of your brand and your business.</li> <li>Understand fundamentally the role you play in people’s lives. Turn your customers into superheroes instead of your brand.</li> <li>Ask yourself how you can create transformative experiences for your customers.</li> </ul> LINKS MENTIONED: <a href="https://thomaskolster.com/books/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Thomas’s Books </a> BIO: Thomas Kolster is a frontrunner and one of the most recognized thinkers globally where marketing, business, and sustainability meet. He continuously challenges the status quo with his vocal and often provocative views on values, purpose, and leadership. In an over-crowded do-good market, people don’t buy your values or your “why” but rather who you can help them become.  Thomas wrote two books: Goodvertising &amp; The Hero Trap. He delivered keynotes and workshops in +70 markets for clients like Facebook, P&amp;G, and IKEA and at conferences such as TEDx, and SXSW Judged top awards such as Jury President at D&amp;AD and Jury at Cannes Lions. Thomas also delivered longer training programs with universities and the likes of Cannes Lions and D&amp;AD.

Big Brands and the Hero Trap

Does your experience serve your current customer? How about your future customer? Do you know if your experience is time well spent for your customer? Or if they are truly engaged? Or if the outcomes you’re delivering matter to them? In today’s episode, we are joined by Sheila Akbar, the president &amp; COO of Signet Education to explore what happens when companies make measurement a meaningful part of the experience.    IN THIS EPISODE:    [01:20] What is Signet Education and what do they do? [04:35] How does Sheila take a holistic approach with Signet Education? [07:38] The current challenges Signet Education is tackling right now. [13:34] Using repeated tooling as a Life Wheel to measure felt shifts.  [17:30] What is the Time Well Spent Index and how is it used to measure customer satisfaction with an experience? [20:29] Implementing reflection metrics to encourage customers to reflect on how the experience has changed them and what it means to them. [30:19] Sheila’s reflections on Signet Education experience metrics. [32:29] Consumers want data that shows how they're doing and how you're doing as a company.    KEY TAKEAWAYS:    Ask yourself what you are measuring and why. What is the goal of taking that  measurement? Who is it serving? Question that at the beginning of any initiative. Companies don’t see measurement as part of the experience. They see it as an after-effect, but it’s often the last touchpoint we have with the product. Make it an essential part of what you do. Find out what your customers value. What matters to them and how they want to spend their time with you so that you're not spinning your wheels on stuff that isn't that important to them. And then use that information to optimize the experience.     LINKS MENTIONED:   Signet Education Website   BIO:   Sheila Akbar is Signet's President &amp; COO and has been with the company since 2010. She loves both teaching and learning and finds nothing more rewarding than working closely with students to overcome the challenges they face. Drawing on her own academic and career experience, with its many twists and turns, she encourages students to find their own path through exploration and experimentation.    After graduating from Harvard in 2002, Sheila worked in financial services before continuing her academic career, which culminated in two doctorates. She brings her significant business and academic experience to bear on her current role at Signet, which includes speaking to clients to craft tailored solutions for their needs, managing the administrative team, and providing educational thought leadership for the company. Sheila holds a bachelor's degree and master's degree from Harvard University and two doctorate degrees from Indiana University.

Does your experience serve your current customer? How about your future customer? Do you know if your experience is time well spent for your customer? Or if they are truly engaged? Or if the outcomes you’re delivering matter to them? In today’s episode, we are joined by Sheila Akbar, the president &amp; COO of Signet Education to explore what happens when companies make measurement a meaningful part of the experience.  IN THIS EPISODE: <ul> <li>[01:20] What is Signet Education and what do they do?</li> <li>[04:35] How does Sheila take a holistic approach with Signet Education?</li> <li>[07:38] The current challenges Signet Education is tackling right now.</li> <li>[13:34] Using repeated tooling as a Life Wheel to measure felt shifts. </li> <li>[17:30] What is the Time Well Spent Index and how is it used to measure customer satisfaction with an experience?</li> <li>[20:29] Implementing reflection metrics to encourage customers to reflect on how the experience has changed them and what it means to them.</li> <li>[30:19] Sheila’s reflections on Signet Education experience metrics.</li> <li>[32:29] Consumers want data that shows how they're doing and how you're doing as a company.</li> </ul> KEY TAKEAWAYS: <ul> <li>Ask yourself what you are measuring and why. What is the goal of taking that  measurement? Who is it serving? Question that at the beginning of any initiative.</li> <li>Companies don’t see measurement as part of the experience. They see it as an after-effect, but it’s often the last touchpoint we have with the product. Make it an essential part of what you do.</li> <li>Find out what your customers value. What matters to them and how they want to spend their time with you so that you're not spinning your wheels on stuff that isn't that important to them. And then use that information to optimize the experience. </li> </ul> LINKS MENTIONED: <a href="https://signeteducation.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Signet Education Website</a> BIO: Sheila Akbar is Signet's President &amp; COO and has been with the company since 2010. She loves both teaching and learning and finds nothing more rewarding than working closely with students to overcome the challenges they face. Drawing on her own academic and career experience, with its many twists and turns, she encourages students to find their own path through exploration and experimentation.  After graduating from Harvard in 2002, Sheila worked in financial services before continuing her academic career, which culminated in two doctorates. She brings her significant business and academic experience to bear on her current role at Signet, which includes speaking to clients to craft tailored solutions for their needs, managing the administrative team, and providing educational thought leadership for the company. Sheila holds a bachelor's degree and master's degree from Harvard University and two doctorate degrees from Indiana University.

When Measurement is Part of the Experience

In today’s episode, we are joined by Rilla Delorier. Rilla has over 30 years of experience as an executive leader within the financial services industry, serving as a trusted advisor to the CEOs of PNC, SunTrust, and Umpqua Bank. Tune in as we uncover how niche customer segments have completely upended the traditional way of thinking about banking, why it’s important to go after unmet customer needs, and the power of FinTech's approach to agile innovation.    IN THIS EPISODE:    [02:08] Rilla’s career background and companies she has worked with. [08:11] Importance of going after customers’ unmet needs.   [14:42] Rilla shares some exciting FinTech companies that focus on niche segments of customers. [18:34] How is FinTech going to reshape the banking and financial landscape? [22:15] Why are FinTech companies so successful with niche segments of customers? [30:38] The difficulty of managing near-term performance as an organization while transforming. [32:03] Combining omnichannel, digitalization, and human touch. [39:10] What we hope you will take from this episode and apply to your business.    KEY TAKEAWAYS:    It’s easier to do great experience strategy in organizations that are focused on organic growth, vision, and understanding the customers unmet needs. Experience strategy can only thrive if it’s supported from the top down.  Organizations need to be clear on their purpose and the experience design team should constantly check in and ask, “are we designing to achieve that purpose?” Companies need to look at who the underserved populations are. Challenge the rationale for your targets early on and then find new ways to meet those customers needs. In doing so, this could create new opportunity spaces.    LINKS MENTIONED:   Rilla Delorier LinkedIn   BIO: Rilla Delorier has over 30 years of experience as an executive leader within the financial services industry, serving as a trusted advisor to the CEOs of PNC, SunTrust, and Umpqua Bank. She ran a $2.7 Billion Retail Banking Business and has led enterprise functions, including technology, marketing, digital, innovation, analytics, and call centers. Rilla has her MBA from Harvard and started her career as a top-performing consultant at Bain &amp; Company.   She is best known as a leader that helps companies transform operating models, unlock customer growth, and streamline expenses while delighting clients and inspiring employees. Rilla has the ability to combine strategic vision with a pragmatic approach to executing bold change. Rilla is a globally recognized leader across the banking industry -- she is a frequent key-note speaker and advisor. Rilla has been awarded “Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking’ in multiple years.

In today’s episode, we are joined by Rilla Delorier. Rilla has over 30 years of experience as an executive leader within the financial services industry, serving as a trusted advisor to the CEOs of PNC, SunTrust, and Umpqua Bank. Tune in as we uncover how niche customer segments have completely upended the traditional way of thinking about banking, why it’s important to go after unmet customer needs, and the power of FinTech's approach to agile innovation.  IN THIS EPISODE: <ul> <li>[02:08] Rilla’s career background and companies she has worked with.</li> <li>[08:11] Importance of going after customers’ unmet needs.  </li> <li>[14:42] Rilla shares some exciting FinTech companies that focus on niche segments of customers.</li> <li>[18:34] How is FinTech going to reshape the banking and financial landscape?</li> <li>[22:15] Why are FinTech companies so successful with niche segments of customers?</li> <li>[30:38] The difficulty of managing near-term performance as an organization while transforming.</li> <li>[32:03] Combining omnichannel, digitalization, and human touch.</li> <li>[39:10] What we hope you will take from this episode and apply to your business.</li> </ul> KEY TAKEAWAYS: <ul> <li>It’s easier to do great experience strategy in organizations that are focused on organic growth, vision, and understanding the customers unmet needs. Experience strategy can only thrive if it’s supported from the top down. </li> <li>Organizations need to be clear on their purpose and the experience design team should constantly check in and ask, “are we designing to achieve that purpose?”</li> <li>Companies need to look at who the underserved populations are. Challenge the rationale for your targets early on and then find new ways to meet those customers needs. In doing so, this could create new opportunity spaces.</li> </ul> LINKS MENTIONED: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rilladelorier/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rilla Delorier LinkedIn</a> BIO: Rilla Delorier has over 30 years of experience as an executive leader within the financial services industry, serving as a trusted advisor to the CEOs of PNC, SunTrust, and Umpqua Bank. She ran a $2.7 Billion Retail Banking Business and has led enterprise functions, including technology, marketing, digital, innovation, analytics, and call centers. Rilla has her MBA from Harvard and started her career as a top-performing consultant at Bain &amp; Company. She is best known as a leader that helps companies transform operating models, unlock customer growth, and streamline expenses while delighting clients and inspiring employees. Rilla has the ability to combine strategic vision with a pragmatic approach to executing bold change. Rilla is a globally recognized leader across the banking industry -- she is a frequent key-note speaker and advisor. Rilla has been awarded “Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking’ in multiple years.

Niche Segments and Omni-Channel in FinTech

In today’s episode, we are joined by Josh Liebman, the Guest Experience Evangelist for ROLLER Software. Josh has worked for some of the top tourism destinations in the world, from Walt Disney World and Universal Studios to Ritz Carlton, The Four Seasons, and Coca-Cola. With nearly 17 years of designing experiences in this industry, Josh specializes in service standards, complaint resolution, and guest feedback. Tune in as we look at how customer needs and expectations have changed and what we can do to help them feel cared for, supported, inspired, and connected in a post-pandemic world.    IN THIS EPISODE:    [02:19] Josh explains what guest experience evangelists do and what it entails.  [08:12] How does ROLLER make the ticketing and booking experience better? [15:31] Josh shares an example of how to improve guest experience by eliminating administrative and functional elements through technology.   [18:09] Meeting customers’ expectations is not enough. You should go above and beyond.  [25:30] Best practices to empower customer service teams.  [28:29] Josh’s recommendations to recover from customer issues.  [32:30] The difference between being customer-centric and experience-centric. [38:20] How the pandemic changed the hospitality and tourism industry.    KEY TAKEAWAYS:    Many jump straight to the solution when resolving customer complaints, but this makes it a transactional experience for the customer. When we think about the relationship aspects then we realize that it requires the experience and hospitality elements that lead up to the solution.  We need to address friendliness, being the hero, and service recovery again because those things might have been success factors in 2010 but in some ways, we are starting over in a different place where there is technology that can replace some of those interactions. There is a real need for companies to begin to focus on what customer-centricity is about.  When companies reopen after the pandemic, the first guests to come back are those that are most loyal. Companies need to acknowledge that the customers made a very intentional decision to do business with them and make sure that the guests know you are aware of that.     LINKS MENTIONED:   Josh's Podcast: Attraction Pros    Josh's LinkedIn Profile    Josh's Podcast: The Guest Experience Show   BIO:   Josh Liebman is the Guest Experience Evangelist for ROLLER Software. With nearly 17 years of designing experiences in the hospitality, tourism, and attraction industry, Josh specializes in service standards, complaint resolution, and guest feedback. Working for some of the top tourism destinations in the world, including Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando, Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, and The Coca-Cola Company, Josh’s background includes leadership in operations, guest service communications, quality assurance consulting, consumer analytics, and guest experience training. Josh's guest experience philosophies, strategies, and tactics transcend all industries and if you want to dive deeper into his expertise he is also the host of two podcasts: The Guest Experience Show and AttractionPros. 

In today’s episode, we are joined by Josh Liebman, the Guest Experience Evangelist for ROLLER Software. Josh has worked for some of the top tourism destinations in the world, from Walt Disney World and Universal Studios to Ritz Carlton, The Four Seasons, and Coca-Cola. With nearly 17 years of designing experiences in this industry, Josh specializes in service standards, complaint resolution, and guest feedback. Tune in as we look at how customer needs and expectations have changed and what we can do to help them feel cared for, supported, inspired, and connected in a post-pandemic world.  IN THIS EPISODE: <ul> <li>[02:19] Josh explains what guest experience evangelists do and what it entails. </li> <li>[08:12] How does ROLLER make the ticketing and booking experience better?</li> <li>[15:31] Josh shares an example of how to improve guest experience by eliminating administrative and functional elements through technology.  </li> <li>[18:09] Meeting customers’ expectations is not enough. You should go above and beyond. </li> <li>[25:30] Best practices to empower customer service teams. </li> <li>[28:29] Josh’s recommendations to recover from customer issues. </li> <li>[32:30] The difference between being customer-centric and experience-centric.</li> <li>[38:20] How the pandemic changed the hospitality and tourism industry.</li> </ul> KEY TAKEAWAYS: <ul> <li>Many jump straight to the solution when resolving customer complaints, but this makes it a transactional experience for the customer. When we think about the relationship aspects then we realize that it requires the experience and hospitality elements that lead up to the solution. </li> <li>We need to address friendliness, being the hero, and service recovery again because those things might have been success factors in 2010 but in some ways, we are starting over in a different place where there is technology that can replace some of those interactions. There is a real need for companies to begin to focus on what customer-centricity is about. </li> <li>When companies reopen after the pandemic, the first guests to come back are those that are most loyal. Companies need to acknowledge that the customers made a very intentional decision to do business with them and make sure that the guests know you are aware of that. </li> </ul> LINKS MENTIONED: <a href="http://attractionpros.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Josh's Podcast: Attraction Pros</a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshualiebman/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Josh's LinkedIn Profile</a> <a href="https://www.roller.software/the-guest-experience-show" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Josh's Podcast: The Guest Experience Show</a> BIO: Josh Liebman is the Guest Experience Evangelist for ROLLER Software. With nearly 17 years of designing experiences in the hospitality, tourism, and attraction industry, Josh specializes in service standards, complaint resolution, and guest feedback. Working for some of the top tourism destinations in the world, including Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando, Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, and The Coca-Cola Company, Josh’s background includes leadership in operations, guest service communications, quality assurance consulting, consumer analytics, and guest experience training. Josh's guest experience philosophies, strategies, and tactics transcend all industries and if you want to dive deeper into his expertise he is also the host of two podcasts: The Guest Experience Show and AttractionPros.

Lessons From a Guest Experience Evangelist

In today’s episode, we are joined by Ryan Hutmacher, an award-winning chef and founder of the Well Beyond Food project. As a self-proclaimed experientialist, his company creates custom food experiences designed to foster connection &amp; promote inclusion within organizations and their teams. Tune in as we discuss the importance of authenticity to brand-building and ways to measure the ROI and impact of intangible experiences.    IN THIS EPISODE:    [03:41] Ryan shares what the Well Beyond Food project is and what it aims to do. [05:26] Well Beyond Food’s mission is to allow people to be seen and see others.  [07:23] Well Beyond Food is not just a cooking experience. It is a team-building activity.  [13:24] Quality control and making sure everyone feels accomplished are very important elements during team building activities. Ryan explains how he achieves that.  [15:24] What inspired Ryan to build the Well Beyond Food project? [20:15] Ryan shares his personal journey that inspired the project. [23:20] Practice what you preach. Otherwise, people will see right through your story. Authenticity is the heart of your business. [24:24] If you want others to feel comfortable expressing their own unique voice and style, you need to lead the way.  [27:15] How to measure ROI on intangible experiences?    KEY TAKEAWAYS:    Authenticity in your business is a must. No one can be you. It is truly the only thing that you have to authentically sell. Designing an experience from a place of authenticity and truth is absolutely essential to create both meaning and value. One of the questions you need to ask yourself is: “What are the jobs to be done?” Ryan has done the work to understand which jobs are most important to his business clients. Business is about continually asking questions, exploring, figuring out how to get data, validate, learn from the insights, and use them to grow.     LINKS MENTIONED:   Well Beyond Food website   BIO:   Ryan Hutmacher is an award-winning chef and founder of the Well Beyond Food project. As a self-proclaimed experientialist, his company creates custom food experiences designed to foster connection &amp; promote inclusion within organizations and their teams. From interactive workshops &amp; webinars to team-building adventures &amp; wellness retreats, his creative formats make way for human experiences that connect.   Ryan’s talents have been featured on countless stages, including TEDx and the Today Show. He’s credited for winning a nationally televised cooking competition on ABC’s “The CHEW” and serving as the First-Ever Weight Watchers Chef. His unique skill-sets span three industries, including Hospitality, CPG, and Healthcare. In his free time, he enjoys mushroom foraging, ping pong, running, and spontaneous travel.

In today’s episode, we are joined by Ryan Hutmacher, an award-winning chef and founder of the Well Beyond Food project. As a self-proclaimed experientialist, his company creates custom food experiences designed to foster connection &amp; promote inclusion within organizations and their teams. Tune in as we discuss the importance of authenticity to brand-building and ways to measure the ROI and impact of intangible experiences.  IN THIS EPISODE: <ul> <li>[03:41] Ryan shares what the Well Beyond Food project is and what it aims to do.</li> <li>[05:26] Well Beyond Food’s mission is to allow people to be seen and see others. </li> <li>[07:23] Well Beyond Food is not just a cooking experience. It is a team-building activity. </li> <li>[13:24] Quality control and making sure everyone feels accomplished are very important elements during team building activities. Ryan explains how he achieves that. </li> <li>[15:24] What inspired Ryan to build the Well Beyond Food project?</li> <li>[20:15] Ryan shares his personal journey that inspired the project.</li> <li>[23:20] Practice what you preach. Otherwise, people will see right through your story. Authenticity is the heart of your business.</li> <li>[24:24] If you want others to feel comfortable expressing their own unique voice and style, you need to lead the way. </li> <li>[27:15] How to measure ROI on intangible experiences?</li> </ul> KEY TAKEAWAYS: <ul> <li>Authenticity in your business is a must. No one can be you. It is truly the only thing that you have to authentically sell. Designing an experience from a place of authenticity and truth is absolutely essential to create both meaning and value.</li> <li>One of the questions you need to ask yourself is: “What are the jobs to be done?” Ryan has done the work to understand which jobs are most important to his business clients.</li> <li>Business is about continually asking questions, exploring, figuring out how to get data, validate, learn from the insights, and use them to grow. </li> </ul> LINKS MENTIONED: <a href="https://wellbeyondfood.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Well Beyond Food website</a> BIO: Ryan Hutmacher is an award-winning chef and founder of the Well Beyond Food project. As a self-proclaimed experientialist, his company creates custom food experiences designed to foster connection &amp; promote inclusion within organizations and their teams. From interactive workshops &amp; webinars to team-building adventures &amp; wellness retreats, his creative formats make way for human experiences that connect. Ryan’s talents have been featured on countless stages, including TEDx and the Today Show. He’s credited for winning a nationally televised cooking competition on ABC’s “The CHEW” and serving as the First-Ever Weight Watchers Chef. His unique skill-sets span three industries, including Hospitality, CPG, and Healthcare. In his free time, he enjoys mushroom foraging, ping pong, running, and spontaneous travel.

What Happens When Food and Experience Meet

In today’s episode, we are joined by Dwayne King who works at the intersection of experience transformation, human-centered innovation, UX design &amp; research. His unique view of organizations has allowed him to diagnose the real reasons 90% of innovation labs fail. Tune in to learn how to lead the other 10% and set your innovators up for success.    IN THIS EPISODE:    [04:40] Pursuing the wrong idea can be one of the key elements why your innovation efforts might fail right at the beginning.  [08:12] Companies no longer need to stay within their category. Dwayne shares an example of a company that successfully expanded out of its category. [15:08] Two important elements of design thinking that need to be considered during the innovation process.  [22:00] Common funding mistakes that most companies make right off the bat. [26:09] Three challenges that companies face when transitioning from an innovation experiment into a full-blown product. [34:12] Importance of structuring innovation teams for success. [40:20] Why product managers might not be as successful on an innovation team. [44:43] How lack of the leadership and culture to support innovation within an organization sabotages innovation.    KEY TAKEAWAYS:    Just because there's a problem to solve, it doesn't mean that it's your problem to solve. Stop making big bets and instead make smart bets by starting with the right insights and design thinking. Transition through innovation stages consciously and ensure that the right teams, technology, and investments are in place at each phase. Build a well-rounded and empowered innovation team and oversight board. Slapping titles and labels on these things does not make them a reality. Foster a culture of innovation from the top all the way down. Innovation only happens in an organization that is primed to incubate and embrace innovation.    LINKS MENTIONED:   Dwayne’s LinkedIn Profile   BIO:  Dwayne King Dwayne built his career at the intersection of experience transformation, human-centered innovation, UX design &amp; research. He leverages these lenses to generate meaningful change within organizations that helps them connect with their audience to create positive business outcomes.    He works across many industries in a multitude of problem spaces. Because of this, he is an expert learner, quickly transforming from a questioning student to a confident strategist and leader regardless of the problem space or industry. 

In today’s episode, we are joined by Dwayne King who works at the intersection of experience transformation, human-centered innovation, UX design &amp; research. His unique view of organizations has allowed him to diagnose the real reasons 90% of innovation labs fail. Tune in to learn how to lead the other 10% and set your innovators up for success.  IN THIS EPISODE: <ul> <li>[04:40] Pursuing the wrong idea can be one of the key elements why your innovation efforts might fail right at the beginning. </li> <li>[08:12] Companies no longer need to stay within their category. Dwayne shares an example of a company that successfully expanded out of its category.</li> <li>[15:08] Two important elements of design thinking that need to be considered during the innovation process. </li> <li>[22:00] Common funding mistakes that most companies make right off the bat.</li> <li>[26:09] Three challenges that companies face when transitioning from an innovation experiment into a full-blown product.</li> <li>[34:12] Importance of structuring innovation teams for success.</li> <li>[40:20] Why product managers might not be as successful on an innovation team.</li> <li>[44:43] How lack of the leadership and culture to support innovation within an organization sabotages innovation.</li> </ul> KEY TAKEAWAYS: <ul> <li>Just because there's a problem to solve, it doesn't mean that it's your problem to solve.</li> <li>Stop making big bets and instead make smart bets by starting with the right insights and design thinking.</li> <li>Transition through innovation stages consciously and ensure that the right teams, technology, and investments are in place at each phase.</li> <li>Build a well-rounded and empowered innovation team and oversight board. Slapping titles and labels on these things does not make them a reality.</li> <li>Foster a culture of innovation from the top all the way down. Innovation only happens in an organization that is primed to incubate and embrace innovation.</li> </ul> LINKS MENTIONED: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dwayne/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dwayne’s LinkedIn Profile</a> BIO:  Dwayne King Dwayne built his career at the intersection of experience transformation, human-centered innovation, UX design &amp; research. He leverages these lenses to generate meaningful change within organizations that helps them connect with their audience to create positive business outcomes.  He works across many industries in a multitude of problem spaces. Because of this, he is an expert learner, quickly transforming from a questioning student to a confident strategist and leader regardless of the problem space or industry.

The 6 Reasons Innovation Fails With Dwayne King

Today’s we are joined by Julie O’Brien Ph.D., a behavioral scientist working at the intersection of wellbeing and technology. Julie shares insider knowledge into how companies of all sizes can use science to improve their customer experience. Tune in as Julie shares the seven most important behavior change principles for Experience Strategists.   In This Episode:  [01:58] Julie shares how behavioral scientists collaborate in the creation of successful products and services. [04:11] Elements necessary for an innovation to be successful. [06:41] Distinctions between behavioral mapping and journey mapping. [09:44] Why it is crucial for companies to integrate behavioral science and behavior change principles into their work. [11:44] Why human factors are integral to behavior science. [17:21] Quick summary of the seven behavioral change principals. [22:39] Julie shares her thoughts on agency and how it factors into behavioral change. [28:30] Environment is an integral factor in human behavior. [34:04] Julie shares advice for Experience Strategists and companies large and small.    Key Takeaways:  Behavioral Science offers a methodology and approach that can help people better evaluate all possible solutions to choose the one that has a higher chance of success. Companies need to incorporate behavioral science into their process so that they can design solutions that actually make sense with the way that humans behave. Behavioral science is really a broad interdisciplinary field that draws on many different perspectives that all help us understand human behavior in general. It’s important for behavioral scientists to understand that removing agency is ok when people are active participants in the removal of agency. It's not ok when it’s done without consent or awareness or to push someone’s behavior towards something that is actually not what they want or not getting to an outcome that they care about.   Bio for Julie O'Brien, Ph.D. Julie O’Brien is a behavioral scientist working at the intersection of wellbeing and technology. She’s spent her career designing and testing scalable solutions that close the gap between what people want to do and what they actually do. She has spent her career bridging the academic world and the product world. She believes that basic research has enormous value to product and service design, and that everyone can learn to think like a behavioral scientist. To that end, she has developed a framework to introduce the underlying drivers of human behavior to product and service designers. She firmly believes that behavioral science can best solve real-world problems when integrated into existing systems in a holistic way, across multiple touchpoints and channels. Julie has designed products, started two nonprofits, and studied the full range of human behavior from energy efficiency to racial discrimination to diabetes self-management. She is the Head of Behavioral Science and Coaching at US Bank, a newly-elected member of the board of directors for the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, and a faculty member at the School of Visual Arts in NYC. She holds a PhD in Social Psychology, created the behavioral research function at Opower, led the health initiative at Duke University’s Center for Advanced Hindsight, and most recently built out Applied Behavioral Science at WW. Learn more about her work and how to apply behavioral science at https://www.thinkbehavioralscience.com/

Today’s we are joined by Julie O’Brien Ph.D., a behavioral scientist working at the intersection of wellbeing and technology. Julie shares insider knowledge into how companies of all sizes can use science to improve their customer experience. Tune in as Julie shares the seven most important behavior change principles for Experience Strategists. In This Episode: <ul> <li>[01:58] Julie shares how behavioral scientists collaborate in the creation of successful products and services.</li> <li>[04:11] Elements necessary for an innovation to be successful.</li> <li>[06:41] Distinctions between behavioral mapping and journey mapping.</li> <li>[09:44] Why it is crucial for companies to integrate behavioral science and behavior change principles into their work.</li> <li>[11:44] Why human factors are integral to behavior science.</li> <li>[17:21] Quick summary of the seven behavioral change principals.</li> <li>[22:39] Julie shares her thoughts on agency and how it factors into behavioral change.</li> <li>[28:30] Environment is an integral factor in human behavior.</li> <li>[34:04] Julie shares advice for Experience Strategists and companies large and small.</li> </ul> Key Takeaways: <ul> <li>Behavioral Science offers a methodology and approach that can help people better evaluate all possible solutions to choose the one that has a higher chance of success.</li> <li>Companies need to incorporate behavioral science into their process so that they can design solutions that actually make sense with the way that humans behave.</li> <li>Behavioral science is really a broad interdisciplinary field that draws on many different perspectives that all help us understand human behavior in general.</li> <li>It’s important for behavioral scientists to understand that removing agency is ok when people are active participants in the removal of agency. It's not ok when it’s done without consent or awareness or to push someone’s behavior towards something that is actually not what they want or not getting to an outcome that they care about.</li> </ul> Bio for Julie O'Brien, Ph.D. Julie O’Brien is a behavioral scientist working at the intersection of wellbeing and technology. She’s spent her career designing and testing scalable solutions that close the gap between what people want to do and what they actually do. She has spent her career bridging the academic world and the product world. She believes that basic research has enormous value to product and service design, and that everyone can learn to think like a behavioral scientist. To that end, she has developed a framework to introduce the underlying drivers of human behavior to product and service designers. She firmly believes that behavioral science can best solve real-world problems when integrated into existing systems in a holistic way, across multiple touchpoints and channels. Julie has designed products, started two nonprofits, and studied the full range of human behavior from energy efficiency to racial discrimination to diabetes self-management. She is the Head of Behavioral Science and Coaching at US Bank, a newly-elected member of the board of directors for the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, and a faculty member at the School of Visual Arts in NYC. She holds a PhD in Social Psychology, created the behavioral research function at Opower, led the health initiative at Duke University’s Center for Advanced Hindsight, and most recently built out Applied Behavioral Science at WW. Learn more about her work and how to apply behavioral science at <a href="https://www.thinkbehavioralscience.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.thinkbehavioralscience.com/</a>

The Seven Essential Behavior Change Principles

In today’s episode, we are joined by Ron Swidler, Chief Innovation Officer at The Gettys Group Companies and creator of the Hotel of Tomorrow® Project, a think tank that unites teams of hospitality experts to ideate, prototype, and test innovations for the near and more distant future of the hotel industry. From technological innovations and new business models to unprecedented shifts in customer expectations, Ron shares the top 10 things hotels should be doing to prepare for the future.    In This Episode:     [01:59] Ron elaborates on the major shifts he has seen in customers’ wants and needs from a hospitality experience.   [06:38] How are owner developers now approaching creating profitable spaces that provide both hospitality and meet the new safety needs that customers have come to expect?  [11:35] Brands have to decide what they stand for in order to deliver their services to their guests in a way that is most meaningful to them, or risk becoming irrelevant.    [16:12] What does it mean to experience time well spent in a hotel?   [19:38] Ron shares some ways that technology is driving the future of hospitality.   [27:37] How do modularity and flexibility relate to the idea of time well spent?   [31:29] Micro room solutions are creating adaptable and functional spaces while cutting down on construction costs.   [34:19] How will luxury be defined moving forward?   [38:44] Aransas gives a quick summary of today’s discussion and topics.      Key Takeaways:     Moving forward, hotels must focus on innovating for wellness.   The flexibility of how spaces are used has to become a higher priority for the hospitality industry.   Brands need to have a clear sense of purpose and a clear place in the market.   People in the future are going to want their spaces to adapt to their particular needs.   Luxury is linked to an experience of transformation.  It’s a moment to invest in ourselves and to feel nourished and nurtured and cared for.      Bio: Ron Swidler   With a passion for pioneering ideas and new approaches to hospitality experiences, Ron serves as the CIO at The Gettys Group Companies.    Ron created the Hotel of Tomorrow® Project, an industry-leading think tank that has brought together hundreds of companies for many years to envision the future of hospitality. The result has been innovation that can be found in hotels and restaurants throughout the world. His vision also led to the founding of Gettys ONE—our interior design group dedicated to branded hotels— and Outside Agency, our branding agency—where he leads brand creation and strategic thinking projects for boutique properties, large industry events and international brands.   He is a frequent speaker at industry events and has been interviewed in countless publications for his hospitality, design and branding insights. Ron received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois. He is affiliated with the Hospitality Advisory Council at DePaul University, School of Hospitality Leadership. He also serves as an adjunct professor at Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France; EM Lyon in Paris; Haaga Helia University in Helsinki, Finland; and Breda University of Applied Sciences in The Netherlands.

In today’s episode, we are joined by Ron Swidler, Chief Innovation Officer at The Gettys Group Companies and creator of the Hotel of Tomorrow® Project, a think tank that unites teams of hospitality experts to ideate, prototype, and test innovations for the near and more distant future of the hotel industry. From technological innovations and new business models to unprecedented shifts in customer expectations, Ron shares the top 10 things hotels should be doing to prepare for the future.  In This Episode:  <ul> <li>[01:59] Ron elaborates on the major shifts he has seen in customers’ wants and needs from a hospitality experience.  </li> <li>[06:38] How are owner developers now approaching creating profitable spaces that provide both hospitality and meet the new safety needs that customers have come to expect? </li> <li>[11:35] Brands have to decide what they stand for in order to deliver their services to their guests in a way that is most meaningful to them, or risk becoming irrelevant.   </li> <li>[16:12] What does it mean to experience time well spent in a hotel?  </li> <li>[19:38] Ron shares some ways that technology is driving the future of hospitality.  </li> <li>[27:37] How do modularity and flexibility relate to the idea of time well spent?  </li> <li>[31:29] Micro room solutions are creating adaptable and functional spaces while cutting down on construction costs.  </li> <li>[34:19] How will luxury be defined moving forward?  </li> <li>[38:44] Aransas gives a quick summary of today’s discussion and topics.  </li> </ul> Key Takeaways:  <ul> <li>Moving forward, hotels must focus on innovating for wellness.  </li> <li>The flexibility of how spaces are used has to become a higher priority for the hospitality industry.  </li> <li>Brands need to have a clear sense of purpose and a clear place in the market.  </li> <li>People in the future are going to want their spaces to adapt to their particular needs.  </li> <li>Luxury is linked to an experience of transformation.  It’s a moment to invest in ourselves and to feel nourished and nurtured and cared for.  </li> </ul> Bio: Ron Swidler With a passion for pioneering ideas and new approaches to hospitality experiences, Ron serves as the CIO at The Gettys Group Companies.  Ron created the Hotel of Tomorrow® Project, an industry-leading think tank that has brought together hundreds of companies for many years to envision the future of hospitality. The result has been innovation that can be found in hotels and restaurants throughout the world. His vision also led to the founding of Gettys ONE—our interior design group dedicated to branded hotels— and Outside Agency, our branding agency—where he leads brand creation and strategic thinking projects for boutique properties, large industry events and international brands. He is a frequent speaker at industry events and has been interviewed in countless publications for his hospitality, design and branding insights. Ron received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois. He is affiliated with the Hospitality Advisory Council at DePaul University, School of Hospitality Leadership. He also serves as an adjunct professor at Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France; EM Lyon in Paris; Haaga Helia University in Helsinki, Finland; and Breda University of Applied Sciences in The Netherlands.

A Top Ten List for Hotels of Tomorrow

Have you ever had an experience as a customer that left you wondering, “What were they thinking?” The Experience Strategy Podcast has your answer!We are endlessly curious about what makes great customer experiences and the strategies that successful (and unsuccessful) organizations leverage to create deep and meaningful relationships with their customers. In each episode we explore a notable customer experience through the customer’s perspective to unearth the powerful strategic lessons in these experiences for brands large and small. Whether you are part of a vast experience strategy team, or you’re a small business owner interested in creating an experience strategy that drives customer loyalty and value, you'll find powerful, actionable insights in every episode.The Experience Strategy Podcast is hosted by experience nerds Dave Norton and Aransas Savas. Dave is an Experience Strategist, the Founder of Stone Mantel, an insights consultancy, and Author. Aransas is a Coach and Experience Designer who has worked with leading consumer-facing brands, including 18 years at WW International (formerly Weight Watchers) to create meaningful customer experiences for the last 20 years. Learn more at https://experiencestrategypodcast.com

Today we are joined by Joyce Cadesca, Founder and President of famHQ, a tech-enabled family concierge service supporting working moms in managing their households and careers.   In this episode we look at the functional, social, emotional, aspirational, and systemic Jobs To Be Done in this exciting new startup.   In This Episode:     [01:31] What famHQ is all about. [04:58] What inspired Joyce to create famHQ. [07:09] How famHQ is establishing “villages” around single moms of color.   [11:24] Dave asks about the jobs that famHQ performs for their customers.   [17:04] How the people and the tools that famHQ employ work together to make their services as seamless as possible.   [22:01] Can famHQ be a systemic solution for society’s single parent households? [24:32] Creating a fair and equitable working environment.   [30:36] What gets companies excited to partner with famHQ?   [32:51] How the human factor sets famHQ apart from other household service providers.      Key Takeaway:     The Jobs to be Done by employers, communities, and service providers have shifted radically in the last 10 years. Companies like famHQ, who take a systemic view of their customer’s needs will be able to have lasting impact.    Bio: Joyce Cadesca   A steadfast equity advocate, Joyce Cadesca serves as the Founder and President of famHQ, a tech-enabled family concierge service supporting working moms of color in their households and careers.   Upon graduating from Columbia University, Joyce began her professional career as a classroom teacher to elementary and high school students. A few years later, she became the youngest director for Beginning with Children Foundation in New York City, where she led the College Access and Success department.   Cadesca then attended The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth to earn an MBA degree in General Management. She then moved into full-time corporate positions within operations, HR, and finance functions at leading global financial institutions. However, at the height of the pandemic in 2020, Joyce switched career paths back into the nonprofit education sector to leave her mark by paying it forward to future rising leaders of color.   What began as dedication to supporting underrepresented students evolved into a wider inquiry around equity. While Joyce's current focus is to support moms of color in the workplace, she believes that leveraging an equity lens is core to developing strategy, no matter the industry.    Outside of work, Joyce has volunteered as a board member with the Child Care Council of Westchester in New York, and as co-chair of the Tuck Association of Diverse Alumni at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. Joyce lives in the greater Philadelphia area with her son.   *** http://www.famhq.org @famhqconcierge https://www.linkedin.com/company/famhq/

Today we are joined by Joyce Cadesca, Founder and President of famHQ, a tech-enabled family concierge service supporting working moms in managing their households and careers.   In this episode we look at the functional, social, emotional, aspirational, and systemic Jobs To Be Done in this exciting new startup. In This Episode:  <ul> <li>[01:31] What famHQ is all about.</li> <li>[04:58] What inspired Joyce to create famHQ.</li> <li>[07:09] How famHQ is establishing “villages” around single moms of color.  </li> <li>[11:24] Dave asks about the jobs that famHQ performs for their customers.  </li> <li>[17:04] How the people and the tools that famHQ employ work together to make their services as seamless as possible.  </li> <li>[22:01] Can famHQ be a systemic solution for society’s single parent households?</li> <li>[24:32] Creating a fair and equitable working environment.  </li> <li>[30:36] What gets companies excited to partner with famHQ?  </li> <li>[32:51] How the human factor sets famHQ apart from other household service providers.  </li> </ul> Key Takeaway:  <ul> <li>The Jobs to be Done by employers, communities, and service providers have shifted radically in the last 10 years. Companies like famHQ, who take a systemic view of their customer’s needs will be able to have lasting impact.</li> </ul> Bio: Joyce Cadesca A steadfast equity advocate, Joyce Cadesca serves as the Founder and President of famHQ, a tech-enabled family concierge service supporting working moms of color in their households and careers. Upon graduating from Columbia University, Joyce began her professional career as a classroom teacher to elementary and high school students. A few years later, she became the youngest director for Beginning with Children Foundation in New York City, where she led the College Access and Success department. Cadesca then attended The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth to earn an MBA degree in General Management. She then moved into full-time corporate positions within operations, HR, and finance functions at leading global financial institutions. However, at the height of the pandemic in 2020, Joyce switched career paths back into the nonprofit education sector to leave her mark by paying it forward to future rising leaders of color. What began as dedication to supporting underrepresented students evolved into a wider inquiry around equity. While Joyce's current focus is to support moms of color in the workplace, she believes that leveraging an equity lens is core to developing strategy, no matter the industry.  Outside of work, Joyce has volunteered as a board member with the Child Care Council of Westchester in New York, and as co-chair of the Tuck Association of Diverse Alumni at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. Joyce lives in the greater Philadelphia area with her son. *** <a href="http://www.famhq.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.famhq.org</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/famhqconcierge/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@famhqconcierge</a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/famhq/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/company/famhq/</a>

Supporting Working Moms Through Systems

Experiences, like umami flavors, can be difficult to pin down. Both ideas transcend words, so how do you define them? How do you measure them? How do you help leaders and customers understand the value? In this episode, we are joined by Aga Szóstek, Ph.D. a strategic experience designer and author of "The Umami Strategy” as we discuss how to create experiences that are not just memorable, but powerfully impactful.    In This Episode:     [04:08] Why did Aga name her book The Umami Strategy? [07:50] What drove Aga to focus on experience strategy? [13:59] Why vision is one of the most challenging elements of the strategic cycle.   [16:51] Most companies do not incorporate this experience into their overall vision.   [20:42] Why brand image is often prioritized over the brand’s experience.   [22:13] What are “edges” and how are they used to make a brand stand out?   [27:52] How companies measure experience metrics.   [37:14] Aga’s secret for experience measurement that more companies should focus on.   [40:42] What designing a new kind of business book was like for Aga.      Key Takeaways:     A meaningful experience vision will drive a strong sense of purpose for the customer.   Feeling of purpose, doing something with you contributes to something higher order   Companies must also be clear about how they emotionally differentiate themselves from competitors. Expectation divided by experience equals memory.      Bio:    Aga Szóstek, Ph.D. is a strategic experience designer and author of The Umami Strategy: Stand Out by Mixing Business with Experience Design. For the past two decades, she worked at the forefront of combining design, technology, and business. Her approach inspired many organizations to bet on experiences as their market differentiator. When not consulting, Aga designs experiential tools called Seed Cards and co-hosts a podcast: Catching The Next Wave.   https://agaszostek.com/en

Experiences, like umami flavors, can be difficult to pin down. Both ideas transcend words, so how do you define them? How do you measure them? How do you help leaders and customers understand the value? In this episode, we are joined by Aga Szóstek, Ph.D. a strategic experience designer and author of "The Umami Strategy” as we discuss how to create experiences that are not just memorable, but powerfully impactful.   In This Episode:  <ul> <li>[04:08] Why did Aga name her book The Umami Strategy?</li> <li>[07:50] What drove Aga to focus on experience strategy?</li> <li>[13:59] Why vision is one of the most challenging elements of the strategic cycle.  </li> <li>[16:51] Most companies do not incorporate this experience into their overall vision.  </li> <li>[20:42] Why brand image is often prioritized over the brand’s experience.  </li> <li>[22:13] What are “edges” and how are they used to make a brand stand out?  </li> <li>[27:52] How companies measure experience metrics.  </li> <li>[37:14] Aga’s secret for experience measurement that more companies should focus on.  </li> <li>[40:42] What designing a new kind of business book was like for Aga.  </li> </ul> Key Takeaways:  <ul> <li>A meaningful experience vision will drive a strong sense of purpose for the customer.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>Feeling of purpose, doing something with you contributes to something higher order</li> </ul> <ul> <li>Companies must also be clear about how they emotionally differentiate themselves from competitors.</li> <li>Expectation divided by experience equals memory.  </li> </ul> Bio:  Aga Szóstek, Ph.D. is a strategic experience designer and author of The Umami Strategy: Stand Out by Mixing Business with Experience Design. For the past two decades, she worked at the forefront of combining design, technology, and business. Her approach inspired many organizations to bet on experiences as their market differentiator. When not consulting, Aga designs experiential tools called Seed Cards and co-hosts a podcast: Catching The Next Wave. <a href="https://agaszostek.com/en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://agaszostek.com/en</a>

The Umami Strategy

The pandemic has influenced every aspect of how we deliver customer experiences. We are joined today by experience strategy pioneers Colin Shaw and Joseph D. Pine to make predictions about what the new normal will look like… and recommendations about what it should look like. Will 2022 be the year today’s companies step forward into the future or will they stay stuck in the past?     In This Episode:     [03:39] Joe and Colin share why people are listening to experts that cultivate digital services and experiences.   [08:52] How Colin and Joe define “experiences.” [13:37] Colin and Joe discuss “experience strategy.”   [17:21] What companies are missing the key element of experience strategy? [19:33] How the American Customer Satisfaction Index can shed light on how many companies actively pursue or actively ignore progress in customer satisfaction.   [29:35] Are companies approaching industry change with the wrong mindset? [34:27] Where will customers go from here?   [37:15] Colin describes the elements of what he labels “Customer Science.” [42:59] Joe and Colin share their New Year's Resolutions for their work in 2022.      Key Takeaways:     The pandemic has been a catalyst for companies to review their business models.  The time for companies to define their new mindset is now.   Between the years 2010 and 2019, only 30% of organizations improved their customer satisfaction.  That means that 70% of organizations’ customer satisfaction either declined or remained flat.   Customer experience is still in its infancy.  Perhaps the pandemic will be what nudges it into maturity.   The future of customer satisfaction will depend on both companies and customers.  We all have a choice to go back to the way things were before, with mediocre experiences, or to move forward and build new standards and expectations.      Bio: Colin Shaw &amp; Joseph D. Pine   Colin is an original pioneer of 'Customer Experience.' LinkedIn has recognized him as one of the 'World's Top 150 Business Influencers', where he has 290,000 followers. As the Founder &amp; CEO of Beyond Philosophy LLC, his Customer experience consulting company has been recognized by the Financial Times as 'one of the leading management consultancies for the last three years in a row. Colin is the co-host of the highly successful Intuitive Customer podcast, which is rated in the top 5% of all podcasts by BuzzSprout.   Joseph Pine II is an internationally acclaimed author, speaker, and management advisor to Fortune 500 companies and entrepreneurial start-ups. He is cofounder of Strategic Horizons LLP, a thinking studio dedicated to helping businesses conceive and design new ways of adding value to their economic offerings. In 2020 Mr. Pine and his partner James H. Gilmore re-released their groundbreaking book The Experience Economy: Competing for Customer Time, Attention, and Money with many new ideas, frameworks, and exemplars plus a new Preview to their best-selling 1999 book The Experience Economy: Work Is Theater; Every Business a Stage. The book demonstrates how goods and services are no longer enough; what companies must offer today are experiences – memorable events that engage each customer in an inherently personal way. It further shows that in today’s Experience Economy companies now compete against the world for the time, attention, and money of individual customers. 

The pandemic has influenced every aspect of how we deliver customer experiences. We are joined today by experience strategy pioneers Colin Shaw and Joseph D. Pine to make predictions about what the new normal will look like… and recommendations about what it should look like. Will 2022 be the year today’s companies step forward into the future or will they stay stuck in the past?   In This Episode:  <ul> <li>[03:39] Joe and Colin share why people are listening to experts that cultivate digital services and experiences.  </li> <li>[08:52] How Colin and Joe define “experiences.”</li> <li>[13:37] Colin and Joe discuss “experience strategy.”  </li> <li>[17:21] What companies are missing the key element of experience strategy?</li> <li>[19:33] How the American Customer Satisfaction Index can shed light on how many companies actively pursue or actively ignore progress in customer satisfaction.  </li> <li>[29:35] Are companies approaching industry change with the wrong mindset?</li> <li>[34:27] Where will customers go from here?  </li> <li>[37:15] Colin describes the elements of what he labels “Customer Science.”</li> <li>[42:59] Joe and Colin share their New Year's Resolutions for their work in 2022.  </li> </ul> Key Takeaways:  <ul> <li>The pandemic has been a catalyst for companies to review their business models.  The time for companies to define their new mindset is now.  </li> <li>Between the years 2010 and 2019, only 30% of organizations improved their customer satisfaction.  That means that 70% of organizations’ customer satisfaction either declined or remained flat.  </li> <li>Customer experience is still in its infancy.  Perhaps the pandemic will be what nudges it into maturity.  </li> <li>The future of customer satisfaction will depend on both companies and customers.  We all have a choice to go back to the way things were before, with mediocre experiences, or to move forward and build new standards and expectations.  </li> </ul> Bio: Colin Shaw &amp; Joseph D. Pine Colin is an original pioneer of 'Customer Experience.' LinkedIn has recognized him as one of the 'World's Top 150 Business Influencers', where he has 290,000 followers. As the Founder &amp; CEO of Beyond Philosophy LLC, his Customer experience consulting company has been recognized by the Financial Times as 'one of the leading management consultancies for the last three years in a row. Colin is the co-host of the highly successful Intuitive Customer podcast, which is rated in the top 5% of all podcasts by BuzzSprout. Joseph Pine II is an internationally acclaimed author, speaker, and management advisor to Fortune 500 companies and entrepreneurial start-ups. He is cofounder of Strategic Horizons LLP, a thinking studio dedicated to helping businesses conceive and design new ways of adding value to their economic offerings. In 2020 Mr. Pine and his partner James H. Gilmore re-released their groundbreaking book The Experience Economy: Competing for Customer Time, Attention, and Money with many new ideas, frameworks, and exemplars plus a new Preview to their best-selling 1999 book The Experience Economy: Work Is Theater; Every Business a Stage. The book demonstrates how goods and services are no longer enough; what companies must offer today are experiences – memorable events that engage each customer in an inherently personal way. It further shows that in today’s Experience Economy companies now compete against the world for the time, attention, and money of individual customers.

Experience Strategy Predictions and Precautions for 2022

What will it take for in-person retailers to remain successful in a world increasingly dominated by Amazon? In two words: Transformative Experiences! In this episode we offer predictions and guidance for retailers who are ready to earn the economic power of guiding their customers on meaningful and impactful transformational journeys.    In This Episode:     [02:00] What exactly is the Transformation Economy? [03:32] Where Transformations fit within the Experience Economy as described by B. Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore [04:36] Dave reflects on an article he co-wrote called The New You Business: How to Compete on Personal Transformations for the Harvard Business Review.   [06:20] How does understanding people’s wish for transformation influence how companies think about jobs to be done?   [09:50] Which retailers are currently doing well with Transformations? [16:57] We make suggestions for ways Home Depot could successfully compete in the Transformation Economy.  [33:43] What it is going to take for in-person retail to stick around in the world of Amazon.   [34:05] Here is a video Dave and Aransas made with Joe Pine to help you dig deeper into the concept of transformational jobs within the retail industry.  https://www.stonemantel.co/hbr-article    Key Takeaways:     77% of consumers tried new shopping habits in 2021.   Experiences drive a greater economic value.  People are more willing to invest in them.   Retailers need to know what role they are going to play to help people transform their customers’ lives.   Companies that focus on the progressive journeys of their customers rather than just the spending aspect tend to build more trust with their customers.   

What will it take for in-person retailers to remain successful in a world increasingly dominated by Amazon? In two words: Transformative Experiences! In this episode we offer predictions and guidance for retailers who are ready to earn the economic power of guiding their customers on meaningful and impactful transformational journeys.  In This Episode:  <ul> <li>[02:00] What exactly is the Transformation Economy?</li> <li>[03:32] Where Transformations fit within the Experience Economy as described by B. Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore</li> <li>[04:36] Dave reflects on an article he co-wrote called The New You Business: How to Compete on Personal Transformations for the Harvard Business Review.  </li> <li>[06:20] How does understanding people’s wish for transformation influence how companies think about jobs to be done?  </li> <li>[09:50] Which retailers are currently doing well with Transformations?</li> <li>[16:57] We make suggestions for ways Home Depot could successfully compete in the Transformation Economy. </li> <li>[33:43] What it is going to take for in-person retail to stick around in the world of Amazon.  </li> <li>[34:05] Here is a video Dave and Aransas made with Joe Pine to help you dig deeper into the concept of transformational jobs within the retail industry.  <a href="https://www.stonemantel.co/hbr-article" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.stonemantel.co/hbr-article</a></li> </ul> Key Takeaways:  <ul> <li>77% of consumers tried new shopping habits in 2021.  </li> <li>Experiences drive a greater economic value.  People are more willing to invest in them.  </li> <li>Retailers need to know what role they are going to play to help people transform their customers’ lives.  </li> <li>Companies that focus on the progressive journeys of their customers rather than just the spending aspect tend to build more trust with their customers.  </li> </ul>

Retail Transformation

Veteran researcher and pharmacist Kevin Asher knows the pharmaceutical industry inside out.  Today he joins us to discuss innovative digital solutions that were born during the pandemic, industry breakthroughs, and the patient data powering the most valuable patient experiences.     In This Episode:     [03:49] How has the pharmaceutical industry’s focus shifted over the last sixteen years?  What has changed?   [06:58] Kevin shares what he believes is the biggest area of growth for the pharmaceutical industry.   [07:55]  An industry breakthrough for treating chronic musculoskeletal pain has just been licensed by the FDA.   [09:00] How can patient care be improved through digital solutions?   [10:01] What is inspiring Pharma to make these shifts after many years of the same approaches to patient care?   [15:00] Dave touches on how regulated our healthcare system is and how technology is challenging the system.   [17:47] Kevin answers the question, “Why would pharma need to collect data about patients using their products?”   [27:01] How have collaborative studies on patient experience affected how new clinical trials are being designed? [33:00] How has the pandemic challenged the status quo of the patient experience?      Key Takeaways:     The thinking behind patient care no longer focuses on a magic pill or magic injection, but rather on collaborative studies on patient experience.   Digital interventions are meant to create more access to resources for patients and consumers within the healthcare industry.   The pandemic has opened up many doors for the healthcare system to rethink some out of date regulations and systems to help modernize the patient experience.      Bio: Kevin Asher   Kevin Asher is a UK registered pharmacist who has spent the last 16 years in the Pharmaceutical Industry, primarily in the Medical departments of the business focused on generating, interpreting and communicating clinical data.  Since 2019 he has been focusing on how digital solutions can improve patient care and result in better communications with healthcare practitioners. 

Veteran researcher and pharmacist Kevin Asher knows the pharmaceutical industry inside out.  Today he joins us to discuss innovative digital solutions that were born during the pandemic, industry breakthroughs, and the patient data powering the most valuable patient experiences.   In This Episode:  <ul> <li>[03:49] How has the pharmaceutical industry’s focus shifted over the last sixteen years?  What has changed?  </li> <li>[06:58] Kevin shares what he believes is the biggest area of growth for the pharmaceutical industry.  </li> <li>[07:55]  An industry breakthrough for treating chronic musculoskeletal pain has just been licensed by the FDA.  </li> <li>[09:00] How can patient care be improved through digital solutions?  </li> <li>[10:01] What is inspiring Pharma to make these shifts after many years of the same approaches to patient care?  </li> <li>[15:00] Dave touches on how regulated our healthcare system is and how technology is challenging the system.  </li> <li>[17:47] Kevin answers the question, “Why would pharma need to collect data about patients using their products?”  </li> <li>[27:01] How have collaborative studies on patient experience affected how new clinical trials are being designed?</li> <li>[33:00] How has the pandemic challenged the status quo of the patient experience?  </li> </ul> Key Takeaways:  <ul> <li>The thinking behind patient care no longer focuses on a magic pill or magic injection, but rather on collaborative studies on patient experience.  </li> <li>Digital interventions are meant to create more access to resources for patients and consumers within the healthcare industry.  </li> <li>The pandemic has opened up many doors for the healthcare system to rethink some out of date regulations and systems to help modernize the patient experience.  </li> </ul> Bio: Kevin Asher Kevin Asher is a UK registered pharmacist who has spent the last 16 years in the Pharmaceutical Industry, primarily in the Medical departments of the business focused on generating, interpreting and communicating clinical data.  Since 2019 he has been focusing on how digital solutions can improve patient care and result in better communications with healthcare practitioners.

Disrupting Big Pharma With Patient Experience

Our homes are getting smarter! The more technology understands our unique needs and modes, the more it can make our lives easier and more meaningful. Today we are joined by Tanseela Molani, the Senior Manager of Experience Research at the Chamberlain Group, to discuss how experience insights are shaping the future of smart home technology.    In This Episode:     [1:14] What is experience research? [3:06] How Chamberlain Group is working to benefit their consumers in current times.   [5:30] Identifying consumer needs.  [7:28] How do consumer trust and convenience come into play when companies are designing new technologies and services? [19:45] Tech companies rely on consumer intelligence for innovation   [22:33] Connecting micro moments of our lives can drive technological advancements.   [33:40] How companies can measure customer experience return on investment (ROI).   [37:33] Final thoughts.      Key Takeaways:     Our needs and motivations change throughout the day, and smart products, technologies, and services should reflect those changes.   When we move from one “mode” to another, we are moving through a threshold, even if just for a moment.  These thresholds are the moments tech companies need to study to better understand customer needs.   As a consumer, companies providing a service or experience through smart technology need honest feedback.  This will allow them to upgrade and adapt their technology to further serve customers.   Strategists should focus on digging deeper into what drives behaviors, thoughts, trends.      Bio: Tanseela Molani   Tanseela Molani joined Chamberlain Group in 2017 as Sr. Manager, Experience Research. Prior to Chamberlain Group, she led the design research team at United Airlines and Motorola Mobility. During her tenure at these companies she drove meaningful growth by gaining a deep understanding of underlying customer needs and motivations, such as resetting the tone of the disrupted traveler notifications, to creating new mobile phone experiences when mobile phones were still a new technology. Professionally, nothing is more fulfilling for Tanseela than uncovering the motivational nugget that can lead to innovation, a better product or a new service.   Tanseela is a graduate of University of Calgary, where she majored in Industrial Design, with a sub-focus on design management. She resides in the Chicago metro with her husband. Outside of work, Tanseela enjoys a good TV binge, baking and working out.  

Our homes are getting smarter! The more technology understands our unique needs and modes, the more it can make our lives easier and more meaningful. Today we are joined by Tanseela Molani, the Senior Manager of Experience Research at the Chamberlain Group, to discuss how experience insights are shaping the future of smart home technology.  In This Episode:  <ul> <li>[1:14] What is experience research?</li> <li>[3:06] How Chamberlain Group is working to benefit their consumers in current times.  </li> <li>[5:30] Identifying consumer needs. </li> <li>[7:28] How do consumer trust and convenience come into play when companies are designing new technologies and services?</li> <li>[19:45] Tech companies rely on consumer intelligence for innovation  </li> <li>[22:33] Connecting micro moments of our lives can drive technological advancements.  </li> <li>[33:40] How companies can measure customer experience return on investment (ROI).  </li> <li>[37:33] Final thoughts.  </li> </ul> Key Takeaways:  <ul> <li>Our needs and motivations change throughout the day, and smart products, technologies, and services should reflect those changes.  </li> <li>When we move from one “mode” to another, we are moving through a threshold, even if just for a moment.  These thresholds are the moments tech companies need to study to better understand customer needs.  </li> <li>As a consumer, companies providing a service or experience through smart technology need honest feedback.  This will allow them to upgrade and adapt their technology to further serve customers.  </li> <li>Strategists should focus on digging deeper into what drives behaviors, thoughts, trends.  </li> </ul> Bio: Tanseela Molani Tanseela Molani joined Chamberlain Group in 2017 as Sr. Manager, Experience Research. Prior to Chamberlain Group, she led the design research team at United Airlines and Motorola Mobility. During her tenure at these companies she drove meaningful growth by gaining a deep understanding of underlying customer needs and motivations, such as resetting the tone of the disrupted traveler notifications, to creating new mobile phone experiences when mobile phones were still a new technology. Professionally, nothing is more fulfilling for Tanseela than uncovering the motivational nugget that can lead to innovation, a better product or a new service. Tanseela is a graduate of University of Calgary, where she majored in Industrial Design, with a sub-focus on design management. She resides in the Chicago metro with her husband. Outside of work, Tanseela enjoys a good TV binge, baking and working out.

Making Smarter Homes With Experience Insights

There is an undeniable increase in demand for more convenient healthcare. In today’s episode, we are joined by thought leader and Chief Scientist for the Health and Human-Machine Systems Group at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Michael McShea, to talk about the why and how of making healthcare more convenient and helpful for patients. Join us for Part 2 of our series on Digital Innovation in Healthcare as we discuss how technology is helping healthcare providers work better, and patients heal better.   In This Episode:    [02:10] Introducing Michael and his thoughts on how consumer demand and expectation for virtual offerings have shifted. [05:34] Value-based healthcare, how it relates to experience strategy, and the role convenience plays. [08:31] Some of the key trends Michael has his eye on. [16:36] How close are we to having our own personal healthcare digital assistants? [19:47] The convenience and efficiency of moving more care to the home environment. [25:55] Competent data collection and using data effectively. [31:05] How Covid has prompted automation in healthcare. [36:21] Key experience strategy takeaways.    Key Takeaways:    Technology is not ready to take over for your doctor, but a big trend is happening towards combining digital and human elements to make healthcare a better experience. Healthcare has historically been slow to innovate, but they’ve gotten a powerful nudge from the world as consumer needs and expectations shift. The increase in demand for more convenient healthcare, COVID, and a shift towards value-based care make up a trifecta driving healthcare changes right now. We are finally seeing some headway in digital-first primary care, not entirely unlike the Netflix model.    Bio: Michael McShea   Michael McShea is a Chief Scientist for the Health and Human-Machine Systems Group at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) supporting the National Health Mission Area. In this role, he works with the Military Health System, Johns Hopkins Medicine, and other Academic Medical Research Organizations and federal agencies on population health, precision health, telehealth, decision support, AI, and digital health initiatives.    In addition to his APL position, Mr. McShea joined the CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Board of Directors in 2016 and serves on audit and compliance, service quality and operations, and cybersecurity committees, as well as the CareFirst Holdings board which oversees CareFirst’s venture arm HealthWorx.  He is also an industry advisor to the Digital Health Collaborative, a cross industry consortium advancing research in personal digital health engagement, and has been a strategic advisor to multiple early stage digital health companies.    Prior to APL, Mr. McShea was a product management executive in the population health business group at Philips Healthcare, where he managed product portfolios including the eICU Tele Critical Care platform, remote patient monitoring, population health, care management, and other digital health solutions.  Before Philips Healthcare, he worked in mission critical infrastructure technologies in the satellite, financial services, and aviation industries. 

There is an undeniable increase in demand for more convenient healthcare. In today’s episode, we are joined by thought leader and Chief Scientist for the Health and Human-Machine Systems Group at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Michael McShea, to talk about the why and how of making healthcare more convenient and helpful for patients. Join us for Part 2 of our series on Digital Innovation in Healthcare as we discuss how technology is helping healthcare providers work better, and patients heal better. In This Episode: <ul> <li>[02:10] Introducing Michael and his thoughts on how consumer demand and expectation for virtual offerings have shifted.</li> <li>[05:34] Value-based healthcare, how it relates to experience strategy, and the role convenience plays.</li> <li>[08:31] Some of the key trends Michael has his eye on.</li> <li>[16:36] How close are we to having our own personal healthcare digital assistants?</li> <li>[19:47] The convenience and efficiency of moving more care to the home environment.</li> <li>[25:55] Competent data collection and using data effectively.</li> <li>[31:05] How Covid has prompted automation in healthcare.</li> <li>[36:21] Key experience strategy takeaways.</li> </ul> Key Takeaways: <ul> <li>Technology is not ready to take over for your doctor, but a big trend is happening towards combining digital and human elements to make healthcare a better experience.</li> <li>Healthcare has historically been slow to innovate, but they’ve gotten a powerful nudge from the world as consumer needs and expectations shift.</li> <li>The increase in demand for more convenient healthcare, COVID, and a shift towards value-based care make up a trifecta driving healthcare changes right now.</li> <li>We are finally seeing some headway in digital-first primary care, not entirely unlike the Netflix model.</li> </ul> Bio: Michael McShea Michael McShea is a Chief Scientist for the Health and Human-Machine Systems Group at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) supporting the National Health Mission Area. In this role, he works with the Military Health System, Johns Hopkins Medicine, and other Academic Medical Research Organizations and federal agencies on population health, precision health, telehealth, decision support, AI, and digital health initiatives.  In addition to his APL position, Mr. McShea joined the CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Board of Directors in 2016 and serves on audit and compliance, service quality and operations, and cybersecurity committees, as well as the CareFirst Holdings board which oversees CareFirst’s venture arm HealthWorx.  He is also an industry advisor to the Digital Health Collaborative, a cross industry consortium advancing research in personal digital health engagement, and has been a strategic advisor to multiple early stage digital health companies.  Prior to APL, Mr. McShea was a product management executive in the population health business group at Philips Healthcare, where he managed product portfolios including the eICU Tele Critical Care platform, remote patient monitoring, population health, care management, and other digital health solutions.  Before Philips Healthcare, he worked in mission critical infrastructure technologies in the satellite, financial services, and aviation industries.

Making Healthcare Convenient

In part 1 of our series on Digital Innovation in Healthcare In today’s episode, we’re discussing why now is the moment for healthcare to look at patient journeys through fresh eyes. Joined by Tom Donnelly, Ph.D., who has a background in psychology and leads the MedTech group at Branding Science, we look at how digital interventions can lead to better health outcomes and other ways technology can improve the patient experience.   In This Episode:    [01:50] Introducing Tom, what he’s been focusing on these days, and what drives him. [03:30] Patient journeys and how that relates to the work that Tom has been doing. [04:42] How healthcare companies should be thinking about patient journeys. [11:15] Shifts in patient journeys related to COVID. [18:25] Examining consumer expectations around healthcare and how they relate to consumer habits. [22:07] The Stupid Dumb Smart Genius Framework and Tom’s own journey with healthcare tools.  [32:30] Focusing more on better outcomes and removing friction with technology. [33:35] Key experience strategy takeaways.     Key Takeaways:    Covid has accelerated the availability of home healthcare, but the industry has to look at that experience in its new context, and get a full understanding of the experience, if they want it to work.  Observational research is a powerful way to understand how people and environments interact with med-tech in their real lives. Whether you’re examining the patient or customer journey, it’s essential to step back and think about journeys in an integrated and holistic way instead of just moment to moment. Genius solutions will help people take healthcare actions by using data to make the experience meaningful and help get us all in a better place.    Bio: Tom Donnelly, PhD   Tom leads the MedTech group at Branding Science where he provides marketing research consultation and human factors using approaches informed by social science. He also leads their Inclusion Team in an effort to help people feel they belong and are included, as well as to help the industry become more diverse. Tom is involved in various industry organizations. He leads Intellus Worldwide’s Clear Health Communication Taskforce that focuses on how health literacy can improve healthcare outcomes. He is also a founding member of the Digital Healthcare Collaborative [a collection of thought leaders from Pharmaceutical Manufacturers, Solutions Providers, Medical Systems and Health Insurance Companies conducting several rounds of research as part of an innovation process]. Prior to his 16 years in industry, Tom was a Visiting Professor at Rutgers where he taught psychology and statistics. He received his PhD in Cognitive Psychology from NYU. Tom hosts MedTech Chat podcast where he discusses the latest healthcare tools, device technology, as well as research approaches.    You can find his podcast on Spotify or at WWW.MedTechChat.Com

In part 1 of our series on Digital Innovation in Healthcare In today’s episode, we’re discussing why now is the moment for healthcare to look at patient journeys through fresh eyes. Joined by Tom Donnelly, Ph.D., who has a background in psychology and leads the MedTech group at Branding Science, we look at how digital interventions can lead to better health outcomes and other ways technology can improve the patient experience. In This Episode: <ul> <li>[01:50] Introducing Tom, what he’s been focusing on these days, and what drives him.</li> <li>[03:30] Patient journeys and how that relates to the work that Tom has been doing.</li> <li>[04:42] How healthcare companies should be thinking about patient journeys.</li> <li>[11:15] Shifts in patient journeys related to COVID.</li> <li>[18:25] Examining consumer expectations around healthcare and how they relate to consumer habits.</li> <li>[22:07] The Stupid Dumb Smart Genius Framework and Tom’s own journey with healthcare tools. </li> <li>[32:30] Focusing more on better outcomes and removing friction with technology.</li> <li>[33:35] Key experience strategy takeaways. </li> </ul> Key Takeaways: <ul> <li>Covid has accelerated the availability of home healthcare, but the industry has to look at that experience in its new context, and get a full understanding of the experience, if they want it to work. </li> <li>Observational research is a powerful way to understand how people and environments interact with med-tech in their real lives.</li> <li>Whether you’re examining the patient or customer journey, it’s essential to step back and think about journeys in an integrated and holistic way instead of just moment to moment.</li> <li>Genius solutions will help people take healthcare actions by using data to make the experience meaningful and help get us all in a better place.</li> </ul> Bio: Tom Donnelly, PhD Tom leads the MedTech group at Branding Science where he provides marketing research consultation and human factors using approaches informed by social science. He also leads their Inclusion Team in an effort to help people feel they belong and are included, as well as to help the industry become more diverse. Tom is involved in various industry organizations. He leads Intellus Worldwide’s Clear Health Communication Taskforce that focuses on how health literacy can improve healthcare outcomes. He is also a founding member of the Digital Healthcare Collaborative [a collection of thought leaders from Pharmaceutical Manufacturers, Solutions Providers, Medical Systems and Health Insurance Companies conducting several rounds of research as part of an innovation process]. Prior to his 16 years in industry, Tom was a Visiting Professor at Rutgers where he taught psychology and statistics. He received his PhD in Cognitive Psychology from NYU. Tom hosts MedTech Chat podcast where he discusses the latest healthcare tools, device technology, as well as research approaches.  You can find his podcast on Spotify or at <a href="http://WWW.MedTechChat.Com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">WWW.MedTechChat.Com</a>

Digital Health Technology Improving Patient Journeys

There’s nothing better than a human to understand other humans. In today’s episode, we’re joined by Jess Lynch, Founder and CEO of Wishroute, to discuss the #1 thing most digital wellness companies are missing: human-powered accountability supported by technology. If it’s your job to help people achieve their goals, don’t miss this episode.   In This Episode:  [02:00] Introducing Jess and Wishroute. [10:36] Collecting meaningful data and having a human in the loop. [16:34] How Wishroute combines automation and humans for consistent, scalable, and high quality customer support. [19:04] Using meaningful data to motivate and support customers when they need it the most. [25:42] The shift in language around setting goals and how reflection fits into Wishroute’s design. [31:18] Gretchen Ruben’s Four Tendencies and how Jess and her team use it to turn intrinsic motivation into extrinsic motivation. [33:58] Things to consider if you’re delivering experiences and making decisions in service of your customers.    Key Takeaways:  Wishroute is a unique human-powered platform that helps people improve the way they live their lives and stay healthy. By using strategic text messaging, Wishroute is able to nudge customers forward along the desired customer journey through authentic two-way conversations. Companies aren’t providing the support people need to actually change their habits and adopt the product. Wishroute takes it a step further with positivity and coaching their customers to guide them and meet them where they are. Customers on transformational and aspirational journeys need human support to succeed. The most impactful solutions are digital plus human and finding the right blend to have the scale, consistency, and quality.     Bio: Jess Lynch   Jess Lynch is a prior PwC forensic consultant and Babson MBA, who turned her investigative talents toward figuring out how to help people achieve their goals when they sign up for new products. Wishroute’s unique methodology was born from her family’s experience with lifestyle change—her brother was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and her mom wrote a book about the family's experience that helped many families in similar positions. Wishroute's next-generation customer engagement platform increases customer retention and success for wellness companies through AI-enhanced, human text message conversations.   Links/Resources Mentioned:   Gretchen Ruben, Four Tendencies

There’s nothing better than a human to understand other humans. In today’s episode, we’re joined by Jess Lynch, Founder and CEO of Wishroute, to discuss the #1 thing most digital wellness companies are missing: human-powered accountability supported by technology. If it’s your job to help people achieve their goals, don’t miss this episode. In This Episode: <ul> <li>[02:00] Introducing Jess and Wishroute.</li> <li>[10:36] Collecting meaningful data and having a human in the loop.</li> <li>[16:34] How Wishroute combines automation and humans for consistent, scalable, and high quality customer support.</li> <li>[19:04] Using meaningful data to motivate and support customers when they need it the most.</li> <li>[25:42] The shift in language around setting goals and how reflection fits into Wishroute’s design.</li> <li>[31:18] Gretchen Ruben’s Four Tendencies and how Jess and her team use it to turn intrinsic motivation into extrinsic motivation.</li> <li>[33:58] Things to consider if you’re delivering experiences and making decisions in service of your customers.</li> </ul> Key Takeaways: <ul> <li>Wishroute is a unique human-powered platform that helps people improve the way they live their lives and stay healthy. By using strategic text messaging, Wishroute is able to nudge customers forward along the desired customer journey through authentic two-way conversations.</li> <li>Companies aren’t providing the support people need to actually change their habits and adopt the product. Wishroute takes it a step further with positivity and coaching their customers to guide them and meet them where they are.</li> <li>Customers on transformational and aspirational journeys need human support to succeed.</li> <li>The most impactful solutions are digital plus human and finding the right blend to have the scale, consistency, and quality. </li> </ul> Bio: Jess Lynch Jess Lynch is a prior PwC forensic consultant and Babson MBA, who turned her investigative talents toward figuring out how to help people achieve their goals when they sign up for new products. Wishroute’s unique methodology was born from her family’s experience with lifestyle change—her brother was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and her mom wrote a book about the family's experience that helped many families in similar positions. Wishroute's next-generation customer engagement platform increases customer retention and success for wellness companies through AI-enhanced, human text message conversations. Links/Resources Mentioned: <a href="https://gretchenrubin.com/the-four-tendencies" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gretchen Ruben, Four Tendencies</a>

Human + Digital Support = Magic

Patients are humans. The digital health landscape is constantly evolving, and there is a lot of opportunity for the US healthcare system to better utilize tools and data to improve the patient experience by viewing them as human beings with individual needs and values. In today’s episode, we’re looking at the intersection of healthcare and experience with Jan Oldenburg of Participatory Health Consulting. Tune in to hear how we can start doing better by patients.   In This Episode:    [01:30] Introducing Jan and her role at Participatory Health Consulting. [09:34] The complexities of the healthcare system and social environment in the US. [14:58] The impact of Covid-19 and how quickly the healthcare system can change. [24:45] The untapped potential of using data for individualized care and tools that are helping get to specific why’s effectively at scale. [30:52] Why both the physical and the digital environments have to cohere. [35:41] Aransas and Dave’s main takeaways for experience strategists.    Key Takeaways:    Participatory health is health care that takes advantage of the individual and respects that person and their decision-making and engagement in the process. Social determinants of health, such as social and physical environment, community, and broadband capabilities, all significantly impact your ability to be healthy.  Your zip code is the thing that can most tell how healthy you’re likely to be because it reflects all of the societal components that affect your health. Generalized education doesn’t work. It’s crucial to individualize the patient experience and deeply understand their journeys, needs, values, and what motivates them to drive cost down for the whole system and drive efficacy up.    Bio:    Jan Oldenburg, FHIMSS, is the principal in Participatory Health Consulting. She advises and mentors healthcare organizations about the evolving digital health landscape.    Ms. Oldenburg has focused on digital transformation in healthcare for 20 years. Her experience includes leadership roles in several advisory firms, including EY. She has worked for and advised organizations in all areas of healthcare: payers, providers, medical device manufacturers and software vendors. She served as the Vice President of Patient and Physician Engagement in Aetna’s ACO organization and held senior leadership roles in Kaiser Permanente’s Digital Services Group and at HealthPartners. Selected consulting clients include: UnitedHealth Group, Philips Healthcare, CareCredit, MedRespond, Synergiq, Healthfully, Spectrum Enterprise, Baxter Regional Health System and others.    Ms. Oldenburg is the principal editor of both Participatory Healthcare: A Person-Centered Approach to Transforming Healthcare published 2016 and Engage! Transforming Healthcare Through Digital Patient Engagement, published in 2013. Ms. Oldenburg also authored chapters in the Third and Fourth Editions of Medical Informatics and The Journey Never Ends. She’s a board member of the Society for Participatory Medicine, co-chair of the HL7 Patient Contributed Data workgroup, and the former co-chair of the HIMSS Connected Health Committee. Ms. Oldenburg is also a member of the Patient Advocacy &amp; Ethics Group for the Datavant COVID-19 Research Database. She tweets @janoldenburg.     Links Mentioned:   http://janoldenburg.com   Twitter  @JanOldenburg

Patients are humans. The digital health landscape is constantly evolving, and there is a lot of opportunity for the US healthcare system to better utilize tools and data to improve the patient experience by viewing them as human beings with individual needs and values. In today’s episode, we’re looking at the intersection of healthcare and experience with Jan Oldenburg of Participatory Health Consulting. Tune in to hear how we can start doing better by patients. In This Episode: <ul> <li>[01:30] Introducing Jan and her role at Participatory Health Consulting.</li> <li>[09:34] The complexities of the healthcare system and social environment in the US.</li> <li>[14:58] The impact of Covid-19 and how quickly the healthcare system can change.</li> <li>[24:45] The untapped potential of using data for individualized care and tools that are helping get to specific why’s effectively at scale.</li> <li>[30:52] Why both the physical and the digital environments have to cohere.</li> <li>[35:41] Aransas and Dave’s main takeaways for experience strategists.</li> </ul> Key Takeaways: <ul> <li>Participatory health is health care that takes advantage of the individual and respects that person and their decision-making and engagement in the process.</li> <li>Social determinants of health, such as social and physical environment, community, and broadband capabilities, all significantly impact your ability to be healthy. </li> <li>Your zip code is the thing that can most tell how healthy you’re likely to be because it reflects all of the societal components that affect your health.</li> <li>Generalized education doesn’t work. It’s crucial to individualize the patient experience and deeply understand their journeys, needs, values, and what motivates them to drive cost down for the whole system and drive efficacy up.</li> </ul> Bio:  Jan Oldenburg, FHIMSS, is the principal in Participatory Health Consulting. She advises and mentors healthcare organizations about the evolving digital health landscape.  Ms. Oldenburg has focused on digital transformation in healthcare for 20 years. Her experience includes leadership roles in several advisory firms, including EY. She has worked for and advised organizations in all areas of healthcare: payers, providers, medical device manufacturers and software vendors. She served as the Vice President of Patient and Physician Engagement in Aetna’s ACO organization and held senior leadership roles in Kaiser Permanente’s Digital Services Group and at HealthPartners. Selected consulting clients include: UnitedHealth Group, Philips Healthcare, CareCredit, MedRespond, Synergiq, Healthfully, Spectrum Enterprise, Baxter Regional Health System and others.  Ms. Oldenburg is the principal editor of both Participatory Healthcare: A Person-Centered Approach to Transforming Healthcare published 2016 and Engage! Transforming Healthcare Through Digital Patient Engagement, published in 2013. Ms. Oldenburg also authored chapters in the Third and Fourth Editions of Medical Informatics and The Journey Never Ends. She’s a board member of the Society for Participatory Medicine, co-chair of the HL7 Patient Contributed Data workgroup, and the former co-chair of the HIMSS Connected Health Committee. Ms. Oldenburg is also a member of the Patient Advocacy &amp; Ethics Group for the Datavant COVID-19 Research Database. She tweets @janoldenburg.   Links Mentioned: <a href="http://janoldenburg.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://janoldenburg.com</a> Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/janoldenburg?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> @JanOldenburg</a>

Meaningful Patient Experiences and Digital Health Solutions

Have you ever had an experience as a customer that left you wondering, “What were they thinking?” The Experience Strategy Podcast has your answer! We are endlessly curious about what makes great customer experiences and the strategies that successful (and unsuccessful) organizations leverage to create deep and meaningful relationships with their customers. In each episode we explore a notable customer experience through the customer’s perspective to unearth the powerful strategic lessons in these experiences for brands large and small. Whether you are part of a vast experience strategy team, or you’re a small business owner interested in creating an experience strategy that drives customer loyalty and value, you'll find powerful, actionable insights in every episode. The Experience Strategy Podcast is hosted by experience nerds Dave Norton and Aransas Savas. Dave is an Experience Strategist, the Founder of Stone Mantel, an insights consultancy, and Author. Aransas is a Coach and Experience Designer who has worked with leading consumer-facing brands, including 18 years at WW International (formerly Weight Watchers) to create meaningful customer experiences for the last 20 years. Learn more at <a href="https://experiencestrategypodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://experiencestrategypodcast.com</a>

Experience Strategy Podcast

The best podcast episodes on physical health. Episodes talk about your diet, sleep, exercise and all the things that people do to improve their physical health and live a healthier life. This topic is for everyone, with applications in all of our everyday lives. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!

Best Episodes on Physical Health & Your Body

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