Thinking Ahead.

{Infographic} Back with an Apology: Rare Rewards of Service Professionalism

Back with an Apology: Rare Rewards of Service Professionalism

I’ve often made a distinction between service and servitude . Sadly, and all too often, customers treat service providers like they are lesser beings. At the same time, I am disheartened when service providers take little pride in developing the…

{Infographic} McMobile - Will McDonald's Mobile Strategy Kill the Drive-thru?

McMobile - Will McDonald's Mobile Strategy Kill the Drive-thru?

Having consulted with and written two books about Starbucks ( The Starbucks Experience and Leading the Starbucks Way ), I seldom compare Starbucks with McDonald's. Typically, I see these two iconic brands in two very different categories. From my…

{Infographic} Revisiting Convenience - Lessons from H2O

Revisiting Convenience - Lessons from H20

I’ll admit it I am fascinated by water. Not just any water…A very special water – the kind you find in a bottle. In fact, I think many great business lessons can be found in the world of bottled water. My water fascination dates back to at least…

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{Infographic} When The Customer Is Wrong - Should The Business Be Right?

When The Customer Is Wrong - Should The Business Be Right?

In 1909 Harry Gordon Selfridge, the founder of Selfridge's department store, is credited with saying, “The customer is always right”. Through the years, a number of my colleagues and I have emphasized that the customer is not always right but they…

{Guest Infographic} Portrait of a Mobile Consumer

Infographic originally published to VoucherCloud.com & design by Maureen Sanford. Infographic originally published to VoucherCloud.com & design by Maureen Sanford.

{Infographic} The ABCs of PCT & Its Critical Role in Outstanding Customer Experiences

The ABCs of PCT and Its Critical Role in Outstanding Customer Experiences

Long ago I received my Ph.D. in clinical psychology with an emphasis in dynamic, interactive human systems like married couples, families, and businesses. Along that educational journey, I was exposed to many theorists and various models of human…

{Infographic} All Business is Personal - Consistency with a Twist

All Business is Personal - Consistency with a Twist

Dating back to my early work with Starbucks, (reflected in my first book about the global coffee leader titled - The Starbucks Experience ), I have been asserting that ALL BUSINESS IS PERSONAL. I often note that the next customer might be your 50 th…

How to Benefit from the Voice of Your Employees {Guest Post}

Take a moment to think about your business. Think about the day-to-day tasks and the work that gets done. Consider who it is that is doing most of this work, investing their time and energy into bettering your company. In nearly every case, the…

{Infographic} It's Viral, It's Video Storytelling - Live Visuals Rule

It’s Viral, It’s Video Storytelling – Live Visuals Rule

For a period in human history, all we had were spoken words. Later we learned to communicate through written symbols and today it seems the most preferred communication medium is words shared through video. Great customer experience brands are not…

{Infographic} The Future of Customer Service: Artificial Intelligence vs Human Intelligence

The Future of Customer Service: Human Intelligence (HI) or Artificial Intelligence (AI)

I have been slow to accept that, from a service perspective, humans will ever be replaced by computers. I’ve suggested that customers will resist “robots” and I’ve based my thinking in part on the “uncanny valley” hypothesis which postulates that…

{Infographic} Are You Up for the Human/Tech Challenge?