Customer Confidential: Untold Stories of Earned Growth

In this episode, we launch our new show name: The Customer Confidential Podcast. We chose it after seeking lots of listener and guest input and believe that the new name better reflects the show's mission—namely, to delve into untold stories of customer and industry transformations, sharing the journeys of both well-known and unsung heroes of customer centricity. We also seek out deep conversations with the thought leaders who inspire the best practitioners. Also, in this episode, which also marks our 10th anniversary, host Rob Markey welcomes back frequent guest (and Rob's longtime mentor) Fred Reichheld, Bain fellow and founder of Bain's Loyalty practice. Rob and Fred trace the evolution of Fred's earned growth rate concept from its roots in Fred's early work on customer retention at Bain. They unravel the intricacies of customer-centric metrics and how they have changed. They note the impact of genuine referrals vs. those that are bought and differentiate between earned and purchased growth. Importantly, they acknowledge and explore challenges in quantifying earned growth and how some companies have begun to tackle them successfully. Guest: Fred Reichheld, Bain fellow, founder of Bain's Loyalty practice, and author of Winning on Purpose: The Unbeatable Strategy of Loving Customers We'd love to hear from you. Help us enhance your podcast experience by providing feedback here in our listener survey. https://bit.ly/CCPodcastFeedback

How do you measure patient experience and empathy within the healthcare industry in a way that truly captures real emotion and real experiences? Dr. Adrienne Boissy, guest staff neurologist at Cleveland Clinic and chief medical officer at Qualtrics, sits down with Rob Markey to discuss the need for a more comprehensive approach to capturing the patient experience. She also shares how healthcare professionals and caregivers alike can leverage compassion and self-empathy to better manage the often hard-to-handle career moments such as helping colleagues, patients, and their families process challenges together. We'd love to hear from you. Help us enhance your podcast experience by providing feedback here in our listener survey. https://bit.ly/CCPodcastFeedback If you'd like to learn more about Adrienne, visit her LinkedIn.

How can an organization's passion for high-quality culinary delights forge unbreakable customer bonds? For food wholesaler METRO's customers, buying food is a personal experience. It's the art of witnessing, inhaling, savoring, and examining the produce, meat, and fish in the store—a sensory feast that leaves customers' hearts full. Creating exceptional fresh-food buying experiences is METRO's mission. In this episode, guest Peter Gries, customer and sales officer at METRO, and Rob Markey discuss why the company values its diverse customer segments. Peter also shares an insider's perspective on the change journey transforming the company's relationship with its customers. We'd love to hear from you. Help us enhance your podcast experience by providing feedback here in our listener survey. https://bit.ly/CCPodcastFeedback If you'd like to learn more about Peter, you can find him on LinkedIn.

With an array of streaming platforms and the same amount of time in the day, getting an accurate read on where your customers spend their screen time has never been more important. And this shift in customer behavior has been particularly challenging for companies that rely on traditional ways to collect data on their customers. In this episode, guest David Kenny, chairman and CEO of Nielsen, and Rob Markey discuss the impact streaming has had on Nielsen's business, how the company is evolving to meet new challenges, and how strategic innovation fosters customer trust. We'd love to hear from you. Help us enhance your podcast experience by providing feedback here in our listener survey. https://bit.ly/CCPodcastFeedback If you'd like to learn more about David, you can find him on LinkedIn.

In a digital-first environment, successful brands stay ahead of the curve by prioritizing agility and experimentation. Instead of merely solving problems, they drive innovative solutions to eliminate—not just mitigate—customer pain points to achieve a seamless and exceptional customer experience. In this episode, guest Joe Wheeler, CEO of CX/Digital, and Rob Markey discuss how successful brands bridge the gap between human and digital experiences and the significance of agility and experimentation as tools for achieving successful digital transformations. We'd love to hear from you. Help us enhance your podcast experience by providing feedback here in our listener survey. https://bit.ly/CCPodcastFeedback You can order Joe's new book, The Digital-First Customer Experience, here. If you'd like to learn more about Joe, you can find him on LinkedIn.

What makes people recommend your brand and services to others? Winning referrals are more than just a marketing channel; they're a way to turn prospects into lifelong customers through word-of-mouth advocacy based on authenticity and trust. In this episode, guest Andy Cockburn, CEO and cofounder of Mention Me, and Rob Markey discuss the effectiveness of trust-based referrals, how to integrate advocacy into company culture to unlock the transformative potential of referrals, and how data-driven approaches can optimize referrals' effectiveness. We'd love to hear from you. Help us enhance your podcast experience by providing feedback here in our listener survey. https://bit.ly/CCPodcastFeedback If you'd like to learn more about Andy, you can find him on LinkedIn.

In this episode, Ben Reason, CEO and founder of Livework, and Rob Markey discuss how, by taking consumers' needs and emotions into account, design can create products and services that are both functional and emotionally appealing, making consumer experiences more enjoyable. We'd love to hear from you. Help us enhance your podcast experience by providing feedback here in our listener survey. https://bit.ly/CCPodcastFeedback If you'd like to learn more about Ben, you can find him on LinkedIn.

How can companies get revenue forecasting and value creation right? By slowing down. Michael Mauboussin, head of Consilient Research at Counterpoint Global, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, and Rob Markey discuss the metrics and methods businesses can use to grow their long-term value. Make sure to listen to part two. · Get your copy of Michael's book, Expectations Investing, here. · Read Michael's Harvard Business Review article "The True Measures of Success" here. · Read more from Michael about the economics of customer business here. If you'd like to learn more about Michael, you can find him on LinkedIn. We'd love to hear from you. Help us enhance your podcast experience by providing feedback here in our listener survey. https://bit.ly/CCPodcastFeedback

Investing in customer happiness can be the surest way to high Net Promoter Scores. But how do you accomplish that while maintaining a healthy business? Michael Mauboussin, head of Consilient Research at Counterpoint Global, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, and Rob Markey discuss how expectations investing impacts valuations and business growth. The two also share insights on how companies can build a long-term investment strategy that can withstand changes in the market while attracting and retaining loyal customers. Get your copy of Michael's book, Expectations Investing, here. If you'd like to learn more about Michael, you can find him on LinkedIn. We'd love to hear from you. Help us enhance your podcast experience by providing feedback here in our listener survey. https://bit.ly/CCPodcastFeedback

Allison Hartsoe, managing director at EY and author of The Age of Customer Equity, dives deep into customer lifetime value and its significance in revenue forecasting. She discusses the need for a nuanced understanding of customer behavior to drive growth. By employing a maturity model, Hartsoe highlights how to assess CLV accurately while integrating digital data. She also reveals the challenges organizations face in implementing customer equity strategies and emphasizes the importance of emotional connections in leveraging customer insights.