DCX Links | August 4, 2024
From Blockchain-Powered Dining to AI-Product Management and a couple of WTF's: This Week's DCX Hot Takes!
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Welcome to this week's roundup of customer experience insights!
This week, we're looking at innovations that challenge our assumptions about what great customer experience can be. Imagine a world where waiting for your restaurant bill is a thing of the past, where product development is supercharged by AI, and where even our smiles are monitored for quality.
But here's the crucial question: Are these changes truly serving our 'why'? Are they enhancing human connection or eroding it? Are they solving problems or creating new ones?
We'll explore Chase's "Branch Garage" concept, which aims to blend the best of digital and human interaction. We'll examine how AI is revolutionizing product development, potentially allowing us to respond to customer needs faster than ever before. And we'll confront the ethical questions raised by Aeon's "Mr. Smile" AI in Japan.
These stories aren't just about technology. They're about people - customers and employees alike. They're about trust, authenticity, and the future of human interaction in a digital world.
So, as we dive into these topics, I invite you to keep asking 'why'. Why are we adopting these technologies? Why do our customers need them? And most importantly, why does it matter to me, as a customer-obsessed leader?
Let's explore these ideas together and find inspiration to create experiences that truly serve our customers and our 'why'.
Happy reading!
-Mark
Here are this week’s must-read links:
Dine and Dash 2.0
Banking on Garages
Turning Contact Center Challenges into CX Gold
WTF
WTF #2
Customer Experience Orientation
AI: The New Product Whisperer
Enjoy!
Dine and Dash 2.0
New startup aims to make restaurant checks a relic of the past (axios.com)
The big picture: A new blockchain-enabled payment system for restaurants could revolutionize customer experience in the dining industry.
Why it matters: CX professionals are constantly seeking innovative ways to enhance customer interactions and gather valuable data. Blackbird Pay offers a solution that addresses both needs.
By the numbers:
Blackbird takes a 2% cut on transactions
Credit card merchant fees can run as high as 3.5%
Key features for CX pros:
Seamless payments: Customers can pay anytime during their meal via smartphone, eliminating wait times for checks.
Data goldmine: Restaurants gain insights into customer ordering habits and visit frequency.
Personalization opportunities: Armed with customer data, restaurants can offer tailored experiences and rewards.
Loyalty boost: The app's rewards system incentivizes repeat visits.
Flexibility: Supports various payment methods, including cryptocurrencies.
The CX angle: This technology addresses several pain points in the dining experience:
Reduces frustration around bill-splitting and payment delays
Enables more personalized service
Creates opportunities for surprise-and-delight moments
Yes, but: Adoption could be challenging. CX pros will need to consider:
How to incentivize app downloads and usage
Training staff to leverage new customer data effectively
Balancing personalization with privacy concerns
What to watch: How Blackbird Pay's rollout in trendsetting restaurants influences broader industry adoption.
The bottom line: For CX professionals in the restaurant industry, Blackbird Pay represents a potential game-changer in data collection and experience customization. Those outside food service should take note – similar blockchain-enabled, data-rich payment systems could transform CX across various sectors.
Banking on Garages
Better Customer Experience with Garage Methods | Next at Chase (medium.com)
Why it matters: Chase's innovative "Branch Garage" concept demonstrates how large financial institutions can blend technology and in-person experiences to enhance customer service in the digital age.
The big picture: As banks balance digital transformation with maintaining physical branches, Chase's approach offers valuable insights for CX professionals across industries.
Key takeaways for CX pros:
Holistic testing environment: The Branch Garage allows for comprehensive testing of new technologies and processes before wide-scale implementation.
Cross-functional collaboration: Teams from various departments work together, breaking down silos to focus on customer outcomes.
Real-world feedback loop: Direct input from branch staff and customers informs iterations and improvements.
Phased rollout strategy: A four-phase process ensures thorough vetting before general acceptance.
Scalable model: The program has expanded to meet growing demand, showcasing adaptability.
By the numbers:
Branch Garage footprint has grown to nearly 50 branches
Project load has doubled every year
The CX angle: This model addresses several key CX challenges:
Balancing digital innovation with in-person experiences
Ensuring new technologies enhance rather than disrupt customer service
Gathering and implementing real-time user feedback
Yes, but: Implementing a similar model requires significant resources and organizational buy-in.
What to watch: How Chase's Branch Garage concept influences CX strategies in other industries, particularly those balancing physical and digital customer touchpoints.
The bottom line: For CX professionals, Chase's Branch Garage offers a blueprint for comprehensive, customer-centric testing of new technologies and processes in real-world environments.
"Staying on top of the latest CX trends is tough, especially with how AI is transforming the field. Thankfully, the DCX newsletter does a brilliant job of curating the must-know info.” - Jimmy, CX Leader, Google
Turning Contact Center Challenges into CX Gold
CX JS Consulting – Services for CXM with a Return On Investment (ROI)
Why it matters: As businesses struggle with agent retention, contact volume management, and data optimization, CX JS Consulting, led by CX Pro Jeff Sheehan, offers innovative solutions that transform these challenges into opportunities for improved customer experience.
The big picture: Jeff Sheehan's approach views the contact center as a "target-rich environment" for CX projects, potentially revolutionizing how businesses approach customer experience management.
Key takeaways for CX pros:
Agent Retention Optimization: Uses predictive analytics to foresee and prevent agent burnout and churn.
Customer Contact Optimization: Goes beyond deflection to strategically manage customer interactions.
CX Data Optimization: Breaks down data silos to unlock deeper insights and enhance CX.
By the numbers:
Agent Retention Optimization can be implemented in 120 days or less
Customer Contact Optimization can reduce agent-assisted contact rates by 20-40% annually
The CX angle: These solutions address critical pain points in modern contact centers:
Balancing technology with human touch
Maximizing the value of existing tech investments
Using data strategically to improve both employee and customer experience
Yes, but: Implementing these solutions requires significant organizational buy-in and potential restructuring of existing processes.
What to watch: How Sheehan's "teach to fish" philosophy impacts long-term CX strategies across industries.
The bottom line: For CX professionals, CX JS Consulting's approach offers a blueprint for turning contact centers from cost centers into CX powerhouses, potentially reshaping the industry's approach to customer experience management.
WTF
I frankly don’t know what to say about this one. Anyone?
"Love your content and valuable insights into CX and industry trends. Thanks for sharing with us!" - Corey
WTF #2
Dystopian smile-rating AIs put employees on a constant attitude watch (newatlas.com)
Why it matters: In a move that feels straight out of a dystopian sci-fi series, Japanese supermarket giant Aeon is now using AI to grade its employees' smiles. Because nothing says "genuine customer service" like algorithmically enforced cheerfulness, right?
The big picture: As if retail workers didn't have enough to worry about, they now have to impress a robot named "Mr. Smile." It's the latest in a long line of innovations nobody asked for.
Key takeaways for bewildered CX pros:
AI smile police: "Mr. Smile" rates employees on 450 factors, including facial expressions and voice tone. Because human managers just weren't creepy enough.
Gamification of emotions: Aeon's turning forced smiles into a competition. Employee of the month? More like "Least Likely to Have an Authentic Moment" award.
"Standardized" smiles: Because nothing says "personal touch" like identical, AI-approved grins.
By the numbers:
240 stores now under the watchful eye of Mr. Smile
1.6x improvement in "service attitude" (whatever that means) in 3 months
The CX angle: This approach raises some eyebrows:
Are we sacrificing genuine interactions for artificial perfection?
What's the long-term impact on employee well-being and authenticity?
Is this really what customers want, or just what looks good on paper?
Yes, but: While Aeon claims success, one has to wonder about the psychological toll on employees and the potential for backlash from customers who prefer genuine interaction over robotic perfection.
What to watch: How long before employees figure out how to game the system? And how long before customers start asking for the "grumpy, but efficient" checkout line?
The bottom line: For CX professionals, Aeon's experiment serves as a cautionary tale. In the quest for perfect service, we might just be creating the perfect storm of employee stress and artificial interactions. But hey, at least everyone's smiling... right?
Customer Experience Orientation
Why it matters: As product differentiation becomes harder in mature markets, companies are turning to customer experience as a key differentiator. A new study provides a framework for understanding this shift and its implications for businesses.
The big picture: Researchers identified a distinct "Customer Experience Orientation" (CXO) consisting of six core values that guide how companies manage customer interactions.
Key findings:
CXO goes beyond traditional marketing, integrating ideas from service, agile design, and HR management.
It focuses on customer journeys rather than individual touchpoints.
Companies believe CXO leads to better customer experiences and, ultimately, improved business performance.
Yes, but: The effectiveness of CXO may depend on factors like market dynamics and product characteristics.
What it means for CX professionals:
Broader scope: CX roles may expand to influence organizational structure, resource allocation, and corporate culture.
Cross-functional leadership: CX professionals will need to coordinate across departments to manage entire customer journeys.
Agile mindset: Continuous optimization and rapid experimentation are key CXO behaviors.
Employee empowerment: CX pros may take on more HR-like functions, training staff to make independent decisions to improve customer experience.
Metrics evolution: New ways to measure and justify CX investments may be needed.
Between the lines: While the study provides a compelling framework, it also highlights the need for more research to prove the financial benefits of CXO.
The bottom line: CX professionals are poised to play an increasingly strategic role in organizations, but will need to develop a broader skill set to fully implement CXO principles.
AI: The New Product Whisperer
When Generative AI Meets Product Development (mit.edu)
Why it matters: Generative AI is revolutionizing product development processes, allowing companies to ideate faster, gain deeper customer insights, and democratize access to complex design tools.
The big picture: From design agencies to tech giants, companies are integrating AI into their innovation workflows, potentially reshaping how products are conceptualized, designed, and brought to market.
Key takeaways for CX pros:
Turbocharged creativity: AI tools like GPT-4 and Midjourney are accelerating ideation and design processes.
AI-powered customer insights: Companies are using AI to simulate customer feedback and rapidly validate concepts.
Democratized design tools: AI is making complex design software accessible to non-experts through natural language interfaces.
By the numbers:
Loft design agency cut product development time by 50%
Creative Dock saw 30-40% efficiency gains in technical development and design
FlecheTech reduced PCB design time by over 80%
Siemens increased modeling efficiency by more than 50% with AI-assisted simulation tools
The CX angle: These AI applications could dramatically impact how companies understand and respond to customer needs:
Faster iteration on customer feedback
More accurate prediction of customer preferences
Broader access to sophisticated design tools could lead to more innovative products
Yes, but: Integrating AI into product development requires careful consideration of data quality, potential biases, and the balance between AI assistance and human expertise.
What to watch: How companies balance top-down strategic AI integration with bottom-up experimentation by individual teams.
The bottom line: For CX professionals, the integration of AI in product development represents a significant shift in how companies can respond to and anticipate customer needs. It's not just about faster development—it's about creating products that are more closely aligned with what customers actually want.
I hope you found this week’s links and commentary useful. If you have suggestions for future DCX Links editions, send me a note.
Thanks for being here. I’ll see you next Sunday at 8:15 am ET.
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P.S.
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-Mark