Podcast appearances and mentions of denise thompson

Why AI, automation, and self-service only improve customer experience when they reduce effort without removing humanity. Summary n this episode of The Customer Service Revolution Podcast, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius challenge one of the biggest assumptions in business today: that modernizing service delivery automatically improves the customer experience. Companies are investing heavily in AI, automation, chatbots, self-service tools, and digital-first platforms. But customers are still frustrated, stuck in loops, repeating themselves, and fighting to reach a real person. The problem is not service innovation itself. The problem is bad customer service disguised as innovation. John explains how leaders should evaluate whether a new service model is actually better for the customer, not just faster or cheaper for the company. He discusses why high-stakes moments, complaint situations, financial concerns, health issues, and grudge-buy experiences still require human judgment, empathy, and service recovery skills. This conversation also explores why weak culture shows up through strong technology, why employees need transparency during AI transformation, and why companies must beta test new service tools before rolling them out broadly. The real future of customer experience will not belong to the companies that automate the most. It will belong to the companies that use innovation to make customers feel known, valued, heard, and helped. Takeaways Service innovation does not automatically create better service. A process can become faster and still feel worse to the customer. Customers are not rejecting technology. They are rejecting automation that feels like deflection, abandonment, or extra work. Efficiency and experience are not the same thing. A service model is only better if it is easier and more reassuring from the customer's point of view. High-stakes moments still require human judgment. Health, finance, complaints, service recovery, and emotionally charged situations should not be fully automated. Every company has a grudge-buy moment. Even pleasure-based businesses become grudge-buy businesses when something goes wrong. Technology exposes culture. If employees are fearful, undertrained, or disconnected, new tools will amplify those issues. AI transformation requires transparency. Employees need to know whether technology is designed to help them, replace them, or reshape their roles. Soft launches matter. Companies should crawl, walk, and run before rolling out new technology to the full customer base. The best service innovation helps both customers and employees. It removes friction, reduces repetitive work, and preserves the human option when it matters. The winner is not the fastest company. The winner is the company that gets the experience right. Quotes "Customers are not rejecting innovation. They are rejecting bad customer service disguised as innovation." "A faster service process can still create a terrible customer experience." "We can't only look at ease of business from our side." "The human option cannot go away when the issue is stressful, complicated, or emotional." "Every company has a grudge-buy component when a customer has a complaint." "The unknown is worse than the known. Employees need transparency around AI." "No employee likes to be caught off guard and become the punching bag for customer frustration." "The quickest company is not the winner. The company that gets there correctly is." Chapters List 00:00 — Introduction: Service Innovation vs. Customer Frustration 01:51 — Good News and Cleveland Summer 03:09 — Efficiency vs. Better Customer Experience 05:13 — What Customers Feel When Service Improves 06:24 — Warning Signs the Relationship Is Getting Weaker 07:55 — AI Support Failures and High-Stakes Service Moments 10:53 — Trust, AI, and Accuracy 13:10 — When Automation Is Too Risky 15:00 — Why Every Business Has a Grudge-Buy Moment 17:51 — What Must Be in Place Before New Service Technology Works 18:55 — How Weak Culture Shows Up Through Strong Technology 21:14 — AI Anxiety, Employee Fear, and Leadership Transparency 24:20 — Human Touch vs. Efficiency 26:33 — Where Leaders Should Start When Transformation Is Not Working 27:44 — The Future of Digital-First Service 28:24 — Final Advice: Crawl, Walk, Run 29:24 — CTA and Closing Links: The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Company Service Aptitude Test:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/c-sat-forms/individual-c-sat/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Ask John!  Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode:  tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com If you want to learn how world-class organizations build cultures customers cannot live without, explore The Experience Revolution Membership. Inside the membership you'll gain access to livestream workshops, practical frameworks, and proven strategies used by organizations around the world. Learn more at https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Learn More If your organization is working to improve customer experience but struggling to connect it to measurable business outcomes, The DiJulius Group can help. Visit: https://thedijuliusgroup.com Listen to more episodes: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/the-customer-service-revolution-podcast/ Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.  

The real link between employee experience and customer experience is not happiness alone. It is readiness, training, empowerment, accountability, and leadership. Summary The phrase happy employees create happy customers is popular in customer experience, but it is incomplete. In this episode of The Customer Service Revolution Podcast, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius challenge the oversimplified belief that employee happiness alone leads to a world-class customer experience. Employee happiness matters. If employees are miserable, unsupported, burned out, or treated like a cost center, customers will feel it. But a happy employee who is poorly trained can still create a poor customer experience. A happy employee without standards can still be inconsistent. A happy employee without autonomy can still feel helpless when something goes wrong. John explains that the real connection between employee experience and customer experience comes from hiring people with the right service aptitude, then giving them the training, systems, coaching, empowerment, recognition, and accountability they need to succeed. Denise and John also discuss how toxic employees, rushed onboarding, broken policies, lack of recognition, and poor leadership can turn even naturally happy employees into frustrated or burned-out ones. The goal is not just happy employees. The goal is happy employees who feel valued, prepared, trusted, empowered, and responsible for the experience they create. Key Takeaways: 1. Happy Employees Matter, But Happiness Alone Is Not a Strategy Employee happiness is a critical part of customer experience, but it does not automatically create happy customers. Employees also need preparation, standards, tools, and leadership. 2. Employee Readiness Is Different From Employee Happiness A naturally positive employee can still fail the customer if they are rushed into the role without proper onboarding, technical training, or service aptitude training. 3. Poor Systems Can Destroy Employee Happiness When employees are forced to defend broken policies, cover for understaffing, or absorb customer frustration without support, happiness disappears quickly. 4. Technical Training Is Not Enough Companies often train employees on processes, tasks, and systems, but neglect the human skills required to deliver great service: empathy, energy, listening, curiosity, problem-solving, and service recovery. 5. Autonomy Requires Clarity Empowering employees to make decisions only works when they understand the standards, expectations, and boundaries behind the customer experience. 6. Toxic High Performers Are Still Toxic Keeping a negative employee because they bring in revenue can damage morale, increase turnover, and weaken the customer experience. 7. Recognition Cannot Only Go to Problem Employees Leaders often spend most of their time managing high-maintenance employees while overlooking the reliable employees who quietly keep the business running. 8. The Real Goal Is Prepared, Valued, Trusted Employees The connection between employee experience and customer experience is strongest when employees feel valued, prepared, trusted, empowered, and accountable. Standout Quotes "Happy employees are a critical part of the equation, but just hiring happy employees does not by itself produce happy customers." — John DiJulius "A happy employee who is poorly trained can still create a terrible customer experience." — Denise Thompson "The best time to hire a new employee is two months ago." — John DiJulius "Over 90% of the things that go wrong in a customer-facing situation are not the customer-facing employee's fault." — John DiJulius "You never trade your reputation for sales." — John DiJulius "Burnout is real, but I think it is misdiagnosed." — John DiJulius "The goal is not just happy employees. The goal is happy employees who feel valued, prepared, trusted, and responsible for the experience they create." — Denise Thompson Chapters List After 20 Years John shares that he is most proud of the community built around The DiJulius Group's customer experience philosophies. 03:00 – Why In-Person CX Communities Matter Denise and John reflect on the Customer Service Revolution Conference and why live learning creates stronger relationships, deeper community, and better transformation. 06:06 – Challenging "Happy Employees Create Happy Customers" Denise introduces the episode's central idea: the phrase is true in spirit, but too simplistic if taken literally. 07:31 – Why Happiness Alone Is Not Enough John explains that happy employees are essential, but without training, systems, standards, and leadership, they cannot consistently create happy customers. 09:19 – Employee Happiness vs. Employee Readiness Denise asks about the difference between employees who feel good at work and employees who are truly prepared to deliver a world-class customer experience. 10:13 – Why the Best Time to Hire Was Two Months Ago John explains why reactive hiring and rushed onboarding set employees and customers up for failure. 12:25 – When Broken Systems Frustrate Happy Employees Denise and John discuss how poor policies, lack of training, and customer frustration can quickly drain employee happiness. 14:24 – The Service Aptitude Skills Companies Forget to Train John explains why organizations must train human skills like empathy, energy, curiosity, listening, problem-solving, and service recovery. 16:10 – Turnover as a Warning Sign John shares how employee turnover often reveals deeper issues in hiring, leadership, compensation, or culture. 18:23 – How Long Should Leaders Try to Fix a Toxic Employee? Denise asks how much time companies should spend coaching someone who performs well in some areas but hurts the culture. 21:41 – When Happy Employees Become Unhappy Denise explains how employees can start out happy but lose energy or engagement as conditions change. 22:14 – Burnout, Boredom, and Broken Systems John and Denise discuss why burnout is often caused by lack of support, poor systems, understaffing, and inability to get results. 25:03 – Mastery, Autonomy, and Purpose John connects employee happiness to growth, empowerment, purpose, and the ability to keep building value for employees. 27:28 – Autonomy Without Standards Denise and John discuss what happens when employees are empowered but not fully trained to make the right decisions. 31:10 – Teaching Service Recovery John shares how organizations can teach employees to handle service failures with clarity, judgment, and escalation when needed. 32:13 – A Real Service Recovery Story from John Roberts Spa John tells a memorable story about a serious customer service failure and how immediate ownership and overcorrection matter. 38:01 – Why Employees Need to Feel Valued Denise and John discuss how leaders often overlook reliable employees while focusing attention on higher-maintenance team members. 39:54 – The Danger of Overloading Rock Stars Denise and John explore how high performers can unintentionally be punished with extra work and higher expectations. 43:10 – The Real Link Between EX and CX Denise summarizes the core message: the goal is not just happy employees, but employees who are valued, prepared, trusted, and accountable. 44:02 – Closing and 20th Anniversary Reflection Denise thanks John and again recognizes The DiJulius Group's 20th anniversary. Links: The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Company Service Aptitude Test:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/c-sat-forms/individual-c-sat/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Ask John!  Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode:  tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com If you want to learn how world-class organizations build cultures customers cannot live without, explore The Experience Revolution Membership. Inside the membership you'll gain access to livestream workshops, practical frameworks, and proven strategies used by organizations around the world. Learn more at https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Learn More If your organization is working to improve customer experience but struggling to connect it to measurable business outcomes, The DiJulius Group can help. Visit: https://thedijuliusgroup.com Listen to more episodes: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/the-customer-service-revolution-podcast/ Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.  

John DiJulius explains why so many leaders believe their customer experience is improving while customers feel something very different. Summary: In this episode of The Customer Service Revolution Podcast, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius unpack one of the most dangerous gaps in business today: the difference between what leaders think customers are experiencing and what customers are actually feeling. A 2026 customer experience report referenced in the episode found that 66% of CX practitioners believe customer experience improved last year, while only 17% of consumers agree. That gap is not just a measurement issue. It is a leadership issue. John explains why survey scores, dashboards, and internal reports can create false confidence. He also discusses why customer feedback often fails to become customer intelligence, how silos distort the experience, and why frontline employees are often closest to the truth but least empowered to fix recurring friction points. The episode challenges leaders to stop judging customer experience from the conference room and start getting closer to the real customer journey. Companies that want to build loyalty, reduce friction, and create a true competitive advantage must measure what matters, listen to what customers are actually saying, and follow through with systems, standards, and accountability. Takeaways There is often a major gap between what companies think they are delivering and what customers actually experience. Leaders may be investing in CX, tracking scores, and launching initiatives, but customers may still not feel meaningful improvement. Survey scores alone are no longer enough. John argues that survey fatigue has made traditional feedback less reliable. Many customers do not complain; they simply leave. Customer feedback and customer intelligence are not the same. Feedback tells you how someone feels about an interaction. Customer intelligence helps you understand who the customer is, what they need, what they value, and where friction exists. Frontline employees often know the problems before leadership does. Contact center teams, sales teams, and customer-facing employees hear recurring complaints daily. The problem is that many companies lack a system to capture and act on that intelligence. Silos create customer experience breakdowns. Departments often optimize for their own numbers, but customers experience the company as one organization. Implementation is where most CX initiatives fail. Launching the idea is easy. Measuring, training, coaching, reinforcing, and holding people accountable is the hard part. Leaders need to become their own customers. Ordering your own product, calling your own contact center, testing your own digital journey, and experiencing your own process can expose friction dashboards miss. Customer experience is not a short-term ROI play. Cost-cutting, discounting, layoffs, and acquisitions may improve short-term numbers, but they can damage the long-term experience. AI can help leaders hear the real customer voice. Customer sentiment analysis can reveal recurring issues across calls, chats, emails, and support interactions without relying only on low-response surveys. The ultimate question is not, "Are we working on CX?" It is, "Would our customers say it is actually better?" Quotes "Customer experience can't be judged from the conference room alone." "If customers are not feeling the improvement, then the work isn't finished." "Survey scores can create false confidence if they are not connected to the real customer journey." "Feedback is one thing. Customer intelligence is another." "The frontline often knows where the friction is. The question is whether leadership has a system to hear it and fix it." "EX equals CX. What employees experience, customers will experience." "Don't just ask, 'Are we working on customer experience?' Ask, 'Would our customers say it is actually better?'" "Implementation is the hard part. Launching the idea is easy." "Some customers do not complain. They just quietly leave." "Leaders need to roll up their sleeves and get closer to the customer." Chapters List 00:00 – Introduction: The Gap Between CX Perception and Reality Denise introduces a major disconnect between what CX professionals believe and what consumers report feeling. 01:58 – Why Companies Think Experience Is Improving John explains why there may be a lag between CX initiatives and customer perception, but also why leaders may be missing the real experience. 03:43 – Why CX Initiatives Fail After Launch John discusses flavor-of-the-month initiatives, poor execution, and the importance of measurement, training, coaching, and accountability. 04:52 – How Leaders Become Disconnected from Customers John explains how growth, P&L pressure, and short-term decision-making can distance leaders from the actual customer experience. 06:54 – The Role of Silos in Customer Experience Gaps Denise and John discuss how departments can unintentionally create friction when they do not understand one another's impact on the customer. 08:48 – Signs of a Customer Experience Delusion John challenges companies that rely too heavily on surveys and NPS without understanding what those metrics may be missing. 10:26 – AI, Customer Sentiment, and Real-Time Intelligence John explains how AI can help companies identify recurring customer issues through calls, emails, chats, and sentiment analysis. 11:45 – Customer Feedback vs. Customer Intelligence John defines customer intelligence and explains why different customer avatars have different needs, expectations, and pain points. 14:14 – Why Companies Collect Feedback but Fail to Act Denise and John discuss why employees and customers stop giving feedback when nothing changes. 16:51 – How Leaders Can Stay Close Without More Surveys John recommends AI sentiment analysis, contact center focus groups, and direct conversations with frontline employees. 18:41 – Becoming Your Own Customer Denise shares an example of executives testing their own product experience and finding major improvements before launch. 20:04 – How to Know CX Strategy Is Working John explains the importance of a return-on-experience dashboard, employee energy, task forces, and internal alignment. 21:54 – Consulting CTA Denise explains how The DiJulius Group helps organizations uncover friction, build systems, and create consistency at scale. 22:43 – The Danger of Relying Only on Survey Scores John explains why low response rates and incomplete survey answers can distort the truth. 23:27 – What Companies Should Do This Quarter John recommends speaking directly with VIP customers, creating a CX champion, forming a task force, and following a proven methodology. 24:44 – Closing Challenge Denise challenges leaders to ask whether customers would say the experience is actually better. Links: The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Company Service Aptitude Test:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/c-sat-forms/individual-c-sat/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Ask John!  Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode:  tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com If you want to learn how world-class organizations build cultures customers cannot live without, explore The Experience Revolution Membership. Inside the membership you'll gain access to livestream workshops, practical frameworks, and proven strategies used by organizations around the world. Learn more at https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Learn More If your organization is working to improve customer experience but struggling to connect it to measurable business outcomes, The DiJulius Group can help. Visit: https://thedijuliusgroup.com Listen to more episodes: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/the-customer-service-revolution-podcast/ Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.  

Are Your Incentives Creating the Customer Experience You Actually Want? Summary: John DiJulius explains how the behaviors your company rewards, measures, and recognizes become the customer experience your customers actually receive. Every company has incentives. Some are obvious: bonuses, commissions, contests, scorecards, performance reviews, and promotions. Others are quieter: praise, attention, flexibility, and who gets celebrated in meetings. But here is the real question: are your incentives creating the customer experience you actually want? In this episode, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius unpack how incentives drive service behaviors, why companies often reward the wrong things, and how customers ultimately feel whatever the organization values internally. John shares examples from Starbucks, Spirit Airlines, Blockbuster, Charles Schwab, Amazon, John Roberts Spa, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, and The DiJulius Group's own methodology. You will learn why speed, efficiency, sales, and profit are not bad metrics, but they become dangerous when they are the only metrics that matter. John also explains how leaders can recognize and reward the right behaviors, including ownership, personalization, follow-through, referrals, retention, service recovery, and Above and Beyond moments. Key Takeaways Your incentives reveal what your company truly values. Leaders may say customer experience is a priority, but employees follow what gets measured, rewarded, promoted, and recognized. Customers feel your internal reward system. They may never see your incentive plan, but they feel it when employees rush, enforce policy over empathy, or focus on transactions over relationships. Efficiency metrics can create unintended consequences. Metrics like average call time, speed, and volume are not bad, but they become dangerous when they are the only things that matter. Not all profits are good profits. Hidden fees, late fees, rigid policies, and short-term revenue plays can damage trust and exhaust frontline employees. Recognition is a powerful teaching tool. Culture is shaped by what leaders notice, celebrate, repeat, and turn into stories. Great service must be behaviorally defined. "Deliver great service" is too vague. Leaders need to define and reward specific behaviors such as ownership, empathy, personalization, follow-through, teamwork, problem prevention, and service recovery. The best service incentives align with retention and referrals. Repeat business, referrals, renewals, and earned sales growth are strong indicators that the experience is working. Stories make culture scalable. Recognition systems like the Milkshake Award and Bear Claw Award help employees understand what Above and Beyond service looks like in real life. Quotes "Customers do not experience your mission statement. They experience what your company rewards." "What gets recognized gets repeated." "If you reward speed, you get speed. If you reward shortcuts, you get shortcuts." "Not all profits are good profits." "Recognition does not always have to be financial. Sometimes culture is built by what gets noticed." "Great service is too vague unless leaders define the behaviors behind it." "The customer is the benefactor of what the company rewards internally." "Your incentives should be aligned with the experience you want delivered." "Profit is the byproduct of the experience you deliver." "Employees will do what you tell them is important." Chapters List 00:00 — Introduction Denise and John open the conversation and preview the topic of incentives that drive service behaviors. 02:51 — Why Incentives Matter to Customer and Employee Experience Denise frames the episode around formal and informal incentives and asks whether companies are rewarding the experience they actually want. 04:52 — What Gets Recognized Gets Repeated John explains why incentives shape employee behavior and how policies communicate what a company values. 07:59 — Incentives Reveal What Companies Truly Believe Denise and John discuss how incentive systems expose a company's real priorities. 09:13 — Starbucks and Customer Service Targets The conversation explores what it signals when a company connects employee rewards to customer service, operations, and performance. 12:24 — The Risk of Unintended Consequences John explains how incentives can unintentionally create the wrong behaviors, using average call time and rigid policy enforcement as examples. 14:01 — Not All Profits Are Good Profits John shares examples from The Employee Experience Revolution, including Blockbuster and Charles Schwab, to show how bad profit policies damage customer trust. 18:01 — How Incentives Show Up in the Customer Experience John explains how retention, referrals, and repeat business reveal whether the experience is actually working. 20:12 — Where Companies Accidentally Reward the Wrong Behaviors John shares the example of gift cards, expiration dates, and the difference between short-term profit and lifetime customer value. 23:42 — Lessons from Low-Cost Business Models Denise and John discuss Spirit Airlines, price competition, and what happens when low cost becomes high friction. 26:31 — Warning Signs Your Incentives Are Creating Bad Behaviors John explains how complaints, employee frustrations, contact centers, and customer sentiment can reveal service breakdowns. 31:45 — What Leaders Should Recognize and Reward John discusses service behaviors, FORD, earned sales growth, referrals, retention, and recognition systems. 38:39 — Mid-Episode CTA Denise explains how The DiJulius Group helps organizations define, teach, measure, and reinforce world-class service. 39:59 — Recognition Without Big Incentive Budgets John shares the Milkshake Award from Cameron Mitchell Restaurants and explains how symbols and storytelling reinforce culture. 43:45 — How to Collect and Share Service Stories John explains how companies can build databases of Above and Beyond stories and use them in meetings, training, and onboarding. 49:40 — Avoiding Forced or Manipulated Recognition Denise and John discuss how to seek customer feedback without creating survey-chasing behavior. 53:23 — Peer-to-Peer Recognition John shares the importance of employees recognizing other employees, including the "caught you doing something right" example. 55:53 — The Simplest Truth About Incentives and Service Culture John closes with the core message: incentives and recognition should be based on the experience you want employees to deliver. 57:26 — Denise's Closing Challenge Denise challenges leaders to examine what their company rewards, praises, promotes, tolerates, and repeats. Links: The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Company Service Aptitude Test:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/c-sat-forms/individual-c-sat/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Ask John!  Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode:  tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com If you want to learn how world-class organizations build cultures customers cannot live without, explore The Experience Revolution Membership. Inside the membership you'll gain access to livestream workshops, practical frameworks, and proven strategies used by organizations around the world. Learn more at https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Learn More If your organization is working to improve customer experience but struggling to connect it to measurable business outcomes, The DiJulius Group can help. Visit: https://thedijuliusgroup.com Listen to more episodes: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/the-customer-service-revolution-podcast/ Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

What Companies Should Know about a Customer Experience Keynote Speaker Summary: In this episode of The Customer Service Revolution Podcast, Denise Thompson sits down with John DiJulius for a behind-the-scenes conversation about what it really means to be a conference speaker. While many organizations think of a keynote as a high-energy moment in an agenda, John explains that the best keynotes do more than motivate. They help leaders see what needs to change, give teams a common language, and create a spark that can become real transformation if the company knows what to do next. John shares how he prepares for events, customizes messages for different industries, reads a room in real time, and balances the glamour of speaking with the grind of travel, preparation, and always being "on stage." He also explains why companies should choose speakers based not only on energy and entertainment, but on whether they can deliver actionable, take-backable content that helps the organization change long after the applause ends. The big lesson: a keynote can be a turning point, but only if leaders treat it as the beginning of the work, not the end of the event.   Key Takeaways 1. A keynote should create transformation, not just applause. John explains that his goal is not simply to entertain an audience. His goal is to help people think differently, act differently, and take something back that they can still use six, twelve, or eighteen months later. 2. Motivation is not enough. The best speakers combine three things: they entertain, educate, and evoke action. A motivational message may feel good in the moment, but without a practical method, nothing changes. 3. Companies need a post-keynote action plan. A keynote wears off if leaders do not create a structure for implementation. John recommends immediate follow-up, stakeholder conversations, and clear ownership of next steps. 4. The best speakers customize deeply. John shares how he studies the company, industry, event theme, KPIs, CEO messaging, and audience mindset so the keynote lands in the client's actual world. 5. Customer experience problems are universal. Across industries, companies struggle with employee roulette, personal interpretation, inconsistent service, and the mistaken belief that customer service is common sense. 6. Leaders must tee up the message properly. If a CEO spends the morning saying the company is crushing it, the audience may resist the need for change. Great leaders create urgency by explaining why the organization must keep evolving. 7. The conference should not end when people leave the room. John and Denise discuss the value of reviewing notes immediately, creating accountability, and having attendees share what they learned with the broader team within seven to ten days.   Links: The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Company Service Aptitude Test:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/c-sat-forms/individual-c-sat/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Ask John!  Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode:  tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com If you want to learn how world-class organizations build cultures customers cannot live without, explore The Experience Revolution Membership. Inside the membership you'll gain access to livestream workshops, practical frameworks, and proven strategies used by organizations around the world. Learn more at https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Learn More If your organization is working to improve customer experience but struggling to connect it to measurable business outcomes, The DiJulius Group can help. Visit: https://thedijuliusgroup.com Listen to more episodes: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/the-customer-service-revolution-podcast/ Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.  

Learn how to prove customer experience ROI by measuring Return on Experience, customer retention, referrals, earned sales growth, complaints, and loyalty. Summary: Customer experience leaders are facing a new reality: it is no longer enough to say customer experience matters. Executives want proof. In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution Podcast, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius discuss why CX leaders are being asked to connect experience initiatives directly to business outcomes like retention, referrals, loyalty, complaints, customer effort, close ratios, and revenue growth. John explains why customer satisfaction is too low of a bar, why NPS and surveys alone do not tell the full story, and why organizations need a clear Return on Experience dashboard to prove the financial impact of customer experience. He also breaks down why journey mapping often fails, how inconsistency damages brand trust, and why broken handoffs quietly cost companies revenue. The episode gives customer experience leaders a practical way to move from "warm and fuzzy" to measurable, executive-level business impact.   Key Takeaways 1. Customer satisfaction is too low of a bar Satisfied customers are not necessarily loyal. They may simply be customers who were not frustrated enough to complain. Leaders need to measure whether customers are staying, buying again, referring others, and spending more. 2. CX leaders need to prove financial impact Customer experience competes for budget against sales, marketing, IT, AI, and other departments. If CX leaders cannot show measurable business outcomes, they risk being viewed as optional. 3. Return on Experience should be measured clearly A strong ROX dashboard should connect CX efforts to business metrics such as retention, referrals, complaints, close ratios, first-contact resolution, customer effort score, reviews, and average annual spend. 4. Journey mapping fails when it only captures operations Most journey maps focus on standard operating procedures. The real opportunity is adding experiential standards, identifying service defects, improving handoffs, and creating above-and-beyond moments. 5. Inconsistency quietly destroys trust When the customer experience depends on which employee, department, or location a customer reaches, the brand becomes unpredictable. John calls this "employee roulette." 6. Handoffs are where CX is won or lost Customers and employees should not have to restart the relationship every time they move from one person or department to another. Warm handoffs create continuity and trust. 7. Earned sales growth may be one of the best CX metrics Tracking how much revenue comes from repeat customers and referrals gives companies a clearer view of whether the experience is actually driving loyalty and growth. Resources Mentioned Return on Experience dashboard Earned Sales Growth podcast Earned Sales Growth blog Customer Experience Executive Academy The DiJulius Group consulting services Links: The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Company Service Aptitude Test:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/c-sat-forms/individual-c-sat/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Ask John!  Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode:  tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com If you want to learn how world-class organizations build cultures customers cannot live without, explore The Experience Revolution Membership. Inside the membership you'll gain access to livestream workshops, practical frameworks, and proven strategies used by organizations around the world. Learn more at https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Learn More If your organization is working to improve customer experience but struggling to connect it to measurable business outcomes, The DiJulius Group can help. Visit: https://thedijuliusgroup.com Listen to more episodes: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/the-customer-service-revolution-podcast/ Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.  

Target's decline: A conversation on leadership drift, relationship capital, employee experience, and the warning signs that a brand is losing customer trust. Summary: In this episode, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius unpack why Target's recent struggles are bigger than retail headlines. John argues that what happened at Target is not mainly about controversy or pricing. It is about leadership, culture, diluted brand clarity, and a declining frontline experience. The conversation explores how great brands build relationship capital, why employee experience always shows up in customer experience, why discounts cannot repair emotional trust, and what leaders should monitor before decline becomes visible in revenue. Key Takeaways: Target's problem is deeper than headlines. John frames it as a leadership and culture issue, not just a retail or controversy issue. Relationship capital takes years to build and can be drained by inconsistency. Customers give trusted brands grace at first, but repeated poor experiences change the story. Frontline is the bottom line. Investment in customer-facing employees matters more than most executive teams act like it does. EX = CX. Employee experience will always show up in the customer experience. Operational training is not enough. Great brands also teach service aptitude: listening, empathy, rapport, recovery, and standards that are actionable and observable. Price cuts are a bandage, not a cure. Promotions may create short-term movement, but they do not rebuild emotional trust. Leaders need better early warning signals. Complaints, repeat visits, referrals, average ticket, and customer count tell a truer story than vanity metrics alone. Links: The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Company Service Aptitude Test:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/c-sat-forms/individual-c-sat/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Ask John!  Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode:  tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com If you want to learn how world-class organizations build cultures customers cannot live without, explore The Experience Revolution Membership. Inside the membership you'll gain access to livestream workshops, practical frameworks, and proven strategies used by organizations around the world. Learn more at https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Customer Service Revolution Podcast 01:10 Personal Activities and Springtime Outdoors 02:41 Target's Story: Beyond Retail to Leadership 03:36 Starbucks and Brand Transition Strategies 04:14 Target's Loyalty and Experience Challenges 04:57 What Made Target a Favorite Brand 05:43 When Did Target Start to Lose Its Edge? 06:52 The Power of Brand Clarity and Leadership Vision 07:16 Amazon's Customer-Centric Model as a Benchmark 08:21 Target's Identity Crisis and Political Stances 09:31 The Risks of Taking Political or Social Stances 10:52 Overconfidence and Rapid Growth Risks 14:30 The Lag Effect in Customer Experience 16:31 Target's Cost-Cutting and Culture Impact 18:56 Genuine Frontline Investment in Training 22:29 Turning Employee Culture into Customer Experience 24:19 Employees' Belief in the Brand and Customer Perception 27:31 Target's Discount Strategies and Emotional Connection 29:54 The Dangers of Conditional Brand Commitments 32:08 The Relationship Economy and Loyalty Building 33:02 Starting Small to Improve Customer Relationships 34:53 Early Warning Signs for Organizational Culture Issues 38:25 Questions for Leadership and Brand Clarity 42:01 Revisiting Leadership Mindset and Organizational Culture Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

Summary: What makes a company the kind of brand customers would actually miss if it disappeared tomorrow? In Episode 247 of the Customer Service Revolution Podcast, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius break down the six drivers that separate forgettable businesses from brands customers stay loyal to: great product or service, consistency, ease of doing business, employee evangelists, educating instead of selling, and personalization. They also unpack why consistency is often the biggest missed opportunity, how friction quietly pushes customers away, why zero-risk policies build trust, and what leaders can do to create an experience customers do not want to leave. If you want to build stronger loyalty, create more trust, and make price less relevant, this episode gives you the blueprint. John shares the six drivers that make a company indispensable to its customers: Great product or service Consistency Ease of doing business Employee evangelists Educate instead of sell Personalized experiences They discuss: Why a great product is now only the price of admission Why consistency creates trust and certainty How friction and policies push customers away Why employee experience always shows up in customer experience How educating customers builds credibility and long-term trust Why personalization creates emotional connection Why consistency may be the most important starting point for most organizations Key Takeaways A great product alone is no longer enough to differentiate your business. Customers are loyal to experiences they can trust and predict. Friction kills loyalty faster than most leaders realize. Employees who believe in the brand create stronger customer experiences. Educating customers builds trust faster than pushing a sale. Personalization makes customers feel seen, valued, and remembered. Consistency is often the biggest customer experience opportunity. Links: The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Company Service Aptitude Test:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/c-sat-forms/individual-c-sat/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Ask John!  Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode:  tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com If you want to learn how world-class organizations build cultures customers cannot live without, explore The Experience Revolution Membership. Inside the membership you'll gain access to livestream workshops, practical frameworks, and proven strategies used by organizations around the world. Learn more at https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

Summary: Most customer service initiatives do not fail because leaders do not care. They fail because they launch with excitement, then daily operations swallow them whole. In this episode, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius break down the six steps required to build a customer experience initiative that actually lasts: create it, launch it, certify it, implement it, measure it, and sustain it. They also tackle what leaders are facing right now, including AI being pushed into customer operations too quickly, the need for executive sponsorship, the importance of frontline buy-in, and why sustaining an initiative matters more than the launch itself. Key Takeaways: Customer experience initiatives fail when they are treated like events instead of systems. Executive sponsorship must be visible and consistent, not passive. Frontline employees need involvement in creation and launch to drive adoption. Certification is necessary because attendance does not prove understanding. Implementation works best with crawl-walk-run sequencing and repeated reinforcement. Sustaining the initiative requires constant coaching, visibility, measurement, and onboarding integration. Key Quotes: "A system, not a speech." "Customer experience can't be flavor of the month." "Technology is for tasks. Humans are for empathy, problem solving, and relationship building." "Attendance itself isn't retention." This is Denise's framing of the certification issue. "You never arrive." "Don't launch another initiative that you can't sustain." Links: The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Company Service Aptitude Test:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/c-sat-forms/individual-c-sat/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Ask John!  Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode:  tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com If you want to learn how world-class organizations build cultures customers cannot live without, explore The Experience Revolution Membership. Inside the membership you'll gain access to livestream workshops, practical frameworks, and proven strategies used by organizations around the world. Learn more at https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

Summary: What does it really mean to be customer-centric? Where should leaders start if they want to build a culture obsessed with customer experience? In this special mailbag episode of the Customer Service Revolution Podcast, Denise Thompson puts John DiJulius in the hot seat with real questions from leaders about customer experience, culture, and leadership alignment. They tackle topics every organization struggles with: • The difference between customer service and customer-centric culture • How to get leadership aligned around CX • Why employee experience alone does not guarantee great customer experience • What to do with employees who resist new service standards • How to know whether your CX issues are leadership problems or operational problems John also shares lessons learned from 33 years in business, including one leadership mistake he wishes he had corrected sooner. If you're a CEO, executive, or CX leader trying to build an organization customers cannot live without, this episode will give you practical insight you can apply immediately. Listen in as Denise fires the questions and John answers them live. What You'll Learn: Customer centricity must start at the top of the organization. Customer experience is not a "program of the year." It must be an ongoing leadership obsession. Companies that chase short-term wins often sacrifice long-term loyalty. Hiring and training for service aptitude is critical to delivering consistent customer experiences. Employee engagement alone does not produce great CX — employees must also be trained how to deliver it. Leaders should focus their energy on the believers and fence-sitters, not the critics and cynics. Allowing high-producing employees to ignore the culture can undermine the entire organization. Key Quotes: "Customer experience isn't the flavor-of-the-month program. It's an obsession." "There is no Ozempic for customer experience." "If customer experience is not a value of the CEO and the C-suite, it will never become a value of the company." "Employee experience helps create great customer experience, but it doesn't guarantee it." "Celebrate the believers and you'll win the fence sitters." Links: The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Company Service Aptitude Test:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/c-sat-forms/individual-c-sat/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Ask John!  Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode:  tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com If you want to learn how world-class organizations build cultures customers cannot live without, explore The Experience Revolution Membership. Inside the membership you'll gain access to livestream workshops, practical frameworks, and proven strategies used by organizations around the world. Learn more at https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/   Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

Summary: After decades of working with world-class organizations, we've learned something that surprises most leaders: employees don't leave because of pay—they leave because of how they're led. In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution podcast, John DiJulius and Denise Thompson reveal the leadership behaviors that reduce turnover, strengthen culture, and create workplaces people never want to leave. You'll learn why 82% of managers are 'accidental managers' without proper training, how the FORD method (Family, Occupation, Recreation, Dreams) builds unbreakable connection, why inconsistency drives more turnover than low pay, and how companies like Chick-fil-A and The Ritz-Carlton retain talent without paying premium wages. If you're losing good people to competitors and think it's about money, this episode will change how you lead—and how your best employees decide to stay. What You'll Learn: Why most employees don't leave because of pay (and what really drives them away) How world-class companies reduce turnover without raising wages The #1 mistake leaders make when they have turnover (hint: reactive hiring) Why 82% of managers are 'accidental managers' and how it destroys retention How the FORD method creates deep employee connection Why inconsistency and uncertainty drive more turnover than compensation How to model 'educate vs. sell' leadership that builds trust The role of 'servant leadership' in reducing turnover One action leaders can take this week to improve retention When culture outperforms compensation (and when it doesn't) Key Quotes: "We hire from the exact same labor pool as our competitors. We don't pay more. It's what we do with them after we hire them." — John DiJulius "Employees don't quit companies, they quit people. Not just bosses—they also quit toxic coworkers you're not protecting the culture from." — John DiJulius "It's better to lose the sales than the reputation. Employee roulette destroys brands." — John DiJulius "82% of existing managers are accidental managers—promoted without training. That's why retention fails." — John DiJulius "The number one cause of anxiety is uncertainty. Employees need predictability and clarity." — John DiJulius "Know your employees' FORD: Family, Occupation, Recreation, Dreams. That's what makes them stay." — John DiJulius Links: The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Company Service Aptitude Test:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/c-sat-forms/individual-c-sat/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Ask John!  Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode:  tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

The 10 Commandments Part 2: Why Your Customer Experience Can't Exceed Your Employee Experience What separates world-class customer experience companies from everyone else? It's not budget. It's not luck. It's a system. In Part 2 of our deep dive into The DiJulius Group's 10 Commandments, John DiJulius and Denise Thompson reveal why exceptional customer experience is impossible without an exceptional employee experience. This episode unpacks Commandments 6-10, covering everything from hiring for character over competence, to building leaders on purpose instead of by accident, to why training must be treated as a product. You'll learn why world-class onboarding has nothing to do with HR paperwork marathons, what's really fueling the retention crisis, and why companies rise to the level of their systems—not their goals. If you're ready to eliminate silos, build leaders who actually lead, and create a workplace people never want to leave, this is your playbook. What You'll Learn: Why hiring for character instead of just technical skills changes everything How to make your interview process 'un-gameable' (even when candidates use AI to prep) The four phases of world-class onboarding—and why most companies only do one The danger of 'accidental managers' and how to build leaders on purpose Why training must be designed, delivered, and certified like a product you'd sell How to eliminate organizational silos that kill customer experience Which commandment creates the fastest impact (and when to start somewhere else) What the customer service revolution will look like in the next 5-10 years Key Insights for C-Suite Leaders "Hire for the heart, train for the part. Technical skills can be taught. Behavior is a lot harder." — John DiJulius "The best companies scare more people out of wanting to work there than they attract—by design." — John DiJulius "Companies don't rise to the level of their goals. They rise to the level of their systems." — Denise Thompson "Your customer experience is your offense. It makes customers come back more often, pay higher prices, and send more people." — John DiJulius "Customers aren't more demanding than ever. They're less tolerant of bad experiences." — John DiJulius Who This Episode Is For CEOs and business owners committed to building world-class cultures VP/Head of HR and People Operations Chief Customer Experience Officers (CXO) Operations leaders struggling with retention and engagement Learning & Development / Training Directors   Links: The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Company Service Aptitude Test:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/c-sat-forms/individual-c-sat/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Ask John!  Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode:  tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

Summary:  In this episode, Denise Thompson and John R. DiJulius III discuss the essence of customer loyalty, emphasizing that true loyalty is built through small, intentional actions rather than large gestures. They explore the importance of service aptitude, consistency, and personal connections in creating a loyal customer base. The conversation highlights various strategies for enhancing customer experiences and the significant impact of employee satisfaction on customer loyalty. The episode concludes with actionable insights for organizations to implement a culture of above and beyond service. Takeaways: Loyalty is built in the everyday details. Service aptitude is crucial for understanding customer needs. Consistency in service builds trust and loyalty. Above and beyond moments can create lasting impressions. Personal connections enhance customer relationships. Low-cost strategies can significantly impact loyalty. Employee satisfaction directly affects customer experience. Identifying opportunities for above and beyond service is essential. Celebrating small wins encourages a culture of excellence. Trust is the foundation of customer loyalty. Chapters:   00:00Building Real Customer Loyalty 06:44The Importance of Service Aptitude 09:50Creating Trust Through Consistency 11:47Above and Beyond Moments 14:44The Power of Personal Connections 18:03Low-Cost Strategies for Loyalty 19:54The Return on Investment of Loyalty 21:13Employee Satisfaction and Customer Experience 23:11Implementing Above and Beyond Culture 36:00Identifying Above and Beyond Opportunities   Links: The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Company Service Aptitude Test:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/c-sat-forms/individual-c-sat/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Ask John!  Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode:  tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com   Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

Summary In this conversation, Denise Thompson and John R. DiJulius III explore the critical elements of customer experience that can provide a competitive advantage in today's relationship economy. They discuss the importance of creating emotional connections with customers, building systems that reduce risk, and developing a signature brand experience that is memorable and unique. The conversation also highlights the need for consistent training and awareness among employees to ensure that customer service remains a priority. Through real-world examples, they illustrate how organizations can transform their customer experience and foster loyalty. Takeaways: Emotional connections are the currency of the relationship economy. Customers prioritize certainty over perfection in their experiences. Memorable moments can differentiate a brand from its competitors. Transforming customer experience requires a systematic approach. Organizations must identify and address their blind spots in service. Price wars are a short-term strategy that can harm long-term growth. Training employees on customer service is essential for success. Regular audits of customer service practices can reveal areas for improvement. Creating a signature experience is crucial for brand loyalty. Consistency in service delivery builds trust and customer retention. Chapters: 00:00The Relationship Economy and Customer Experience 09:25The 10 Commandments of Customer Experience 10:29Emotional Connection: The Currency of Relationships 11:36Zero Risk: Building Customer Trust 16:04Creating a Signature Brand Experience 21:18Real-World Application of Customer Experience 24:27The Blind Spots in Competitive Advantage 26:26Price Wars vs. Experience Wars 30:46Reinforcing Customer Experience Principles 33:34Taking Action: The Customer Service Aptitude Test Links: Company Service Aptitude Test:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/c-sat-forms/individual-c-sat/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Ask John!  Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode:  tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com   Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

Summary In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution podcast, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius discuss five essential customer experience strategies for 2026. They explore the concept of a customer service recession, the importance of hiring for service aptitude, the effectiveness of micro learning in training, the need to rethink customer feedback mechanisms, and the critical connection between employee experience and customer experience. They also touch on the role of AI in enhancing customer interactions while maintaining the human element. The conversation emphasizes actionable strategies for leaders to create loyalty and improve service without relying on discounts or gimmicks. Takeaways: Companies must build measurable, coachable, and consistent customer experience strategies. The customer service recession presents an opportunity for competitive advantage. Hiring for service aptitude is more important than ever due to declining soft skills. Micro learning is an effective way to reinforce training and improve retention. Surveys are becoming less effective; businesses should measure actual customer behavior instead. Employee experience directly impacts customer experience; leaders must prioritize both. Recognition and appreciation are crucial for employee retention. Investing in learning and development increases employee loyalty. AI can enhance efficiency but should not replace human interaction in customer service. Leaders should focus on fixing broken promises in their service delivery. Chapters: 00:00Navigating the Customer Service Recession 07:00Hiring for Service Aptitude 16:18Micro Learning: The Future of Training 23:01Rethinking Customer Feedback 30:58The Employee Experience Connection 41:07AI's Role in Customer Experience Links: Interview Questions: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/interview-questions-2/ Micro-learning example 1 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/c4NU69YcPz8?feature=share Micro-learning example 2 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NgpJXbGonpc?feature=share Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Ask John!  Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode:  tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com   Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

Summary In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution podcast, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius discuss the concept of being in the 'certainty business.' They explore how uncertainty is a major source of anxiety for both customers and employees, and how organizations often neglect the human side of communication in favor of technical skills. John emphasizes the importance of providing certainty to build trust and improve customer and employee experiences. The conversation also covers practical strategies for leaders to communicate effectively during uncertain times, ensuring that updates are provided consistently, even when there is no new information to share. Takeaways: Uncertainty is a major source of anxiety in life and business. Organizations focus too much on technical skills and neglect empathy and communication. Providing certainty can build trust with customers and employees. Communication should be frequent, even when there is no new information. Leaders must communicate clearly during times of uncertainty. Bad news should be communicated early and with empathy. Updates can significantly reduce anxiety for customers and employees. Companies like Amazon excel in providing certainty through communication. Training should include a balance of technical skills and soft skills. The best brands deliver certainty, not just products or services. Chapters: 00:00The Certainty Business: Understanding Uncertainty 15:48Practical Applications of Certainty in Business 21:04Leadership and Communication During Uncertainty 24:19Key Takeaways for Reducing Uncertainty Links: Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Ask John!  Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode:  tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com   Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

In this espisoder, our listeners ask John anything! Summary Your chance to ask John anything!  In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution podcast, Denise Thompson asks John R. DiJulius III questions submitted by our listeners.  They discuss various aspects of improving customer service and employee engagement. They address the challenges of busy schedules, the importance of empathy, recognition, and training, and the role of middle management in driving customer experience. The conversation emphasizes the need for a human touch in customer interactions, even in an age of automation, and highlights the significance of creating a customer experience action statement as a guiding principle for organizations. Takeaways: Start with a customer experience action statement as a guiding principle. Employees may not care as much as entrepreneurs, but they can be engaged. Earned growth is a better KPI than traditional metrics like NPS. Empathy fatigue is real; leaders must help employees manage it. Recognition and appreciation are crucial for employee motivation. Training should allow for personal expression while maintaining professionalism. Middle management plays a key role in driving customer experience initiatives. Human interaction is essential, even in an increasingly automated world. Hiring for empathy and people skills is critical for customer service roles. The first commandment of customer experience is igniting the revolution. Chapters: 00:00Igniting the Customer Experience Revolution 11:58Balancing Budgets and Customer Experience Investment 15:06Re-energizing Employees Around the Mission 17:37The Role of Middle Management in Customer Experience 24:56Training for Consistency Without Scripts 27:31Future-Proofing Customer Experience 38:22Conclusion and Key Takeaways Links: Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Ask John!  Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode:  tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com   Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

Summary In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution podcast, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius discuss the findings of a Wall Street Journal intelligence report on the impact of AI on customer experience. They explore the disconnect between AI's potential and its actual implementation in businesses, emphasizing the importance of emotional intelligence and human interaction in customer service. The conversation highlights cultural barriers to effective customer experience transformation and the need for a human-centric approach in the AI era. They also discuss how companies can innovate customer value by leveraging AI effectively. Takeaways: 93% of leaders say their customer experience is broken. AI is still in its infancy and needs careful implementation. Companies are chasing AI for efficiency but missing emotional connection. Cultural dysfunction is a major barrier to customer experience transformation. AI can personalize customer interactions but should not replace human touch. 76% of executives feel behind on AI transformation. Emotional intelligence is crucial in customer experience. AI should supplement, not replace, human interaction. Companies winning with AI are inventing new categories of customer value. A human-centric approach is essential in the AI era. Chapters: 00:00The State of Customer Experience and AI 03:43The Challenges of AI in Customer Experience 08:47Cultural Barriers in CX Transformation 14:03Emotional Intelligence in Customer Interactions 19:07The Human Element in AI Integration 24:21Innovating Customer Value with AI 29:13The Future of Customer Service and AI Links: The Experience Gap, AIs Imminent Impact on CX:  Code and Theory, Wall Street Journal Report Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Ask John!  Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode:  tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com   Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

Summary In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution Podcast, Denise Thompson and John DeJulius discuss the concept of making price irrelevant through exceptional customer experiences. They explore how consistency in service, a zero-risk mindset, and equipping employees to articulate value can lead to customer loyalty and a competitive edge in the market. The conversation emphasizes the importance of focusing on the overall experience rather than just pricing strategies. Takeaways: Making price irrelevant is about the experience delivered. Consistency in service leads to customer loyalty. Competing in experience is more effective than competing on price. Zero risk mindset enhances customer trust and loyalty. Service recovery can increase customer loyalty after a mistake. Employees must be trained to articulate the value of services. Journey mapping helps understand customer experiences better. Great companies focus on the basics of customer service. Articulating reasons for higher prices is crucial for sales. Creating a signature experience differentiates a brand. Chapters: 00:00Making Price Irrelevant Through Experience 07:59Competing in the Experience Wars 15:59Zero Risk and Customer Loyalty 20:48Empowering Employees to Articulate Value Links: Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Ask John!  Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode:  tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Blogs on Price Myths: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/4-price-myth-busters/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com   Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

Summary In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution podcast, Denise Thompson and John DeJulius discuss the importance of fostering a 'yes' culture in customer service. They explore how the word 'no' can negatively impact customer interactions and emphasize the need for employees to focus on what they can do to assist customers. Through engaging anecdotes, including the milkshake metaphor from Cameron Mitchell restaurants, they illustrate how empowering employees to say 'yes' can enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty. The conversation also touches on the role of leadership in creating an environment where employees feel confident to say 'yes' and the potential of AI in improving customer service experiences. Takeaways: The word 'no' should be eliminated from customer service interactions. Empowering employees to say 'yes' enhances customer satisfaction. A positive mindset is crucial for effective customer service. Leaders must create a culture that supports employee autonomy. Understanding customer needs is key to providing excellent service. Training employees to focus on solutions rather than problems is essential. The milkshake metaphor illustrates the importance of a 'yes' culture. Regularly auditing policies can help identify areas for improvement. AI can streamline customer service but should not replace human interaction. Storytelling is a powerful tool in reinforcing company culture. Chapters: 00:00Welcome and Introduction 02:13The Power of 'Yes' in Customer Service 08:10The Milkshake Metaphor 16:23Empowering Employees to Say 'Yes' 19:58Creating a 'Yes' Culture 26:38The Importance of Customer Experience 34:02Final Thoughts and Takeaways   Links: HBR Article, Stop Trying to Delight Your Customer: https://hbr.org/2010/07/stop-trying-to-delight-your-customers Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Ask John!  Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode:  tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Blogs on Above and Beyond Culture: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/category/above-beyond-culture/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com    

Summary: In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution podcast, Denise Thompson and Dave Murray discuss the critical importance of customer experience consulting across various industries. They explore how systems and structures can enhance customer interactions, the significance of internal communication, and the need for organizations to recognize their role in the customer experience. The conversation highlights successful client transformations, the impact of silos, and the essential link between employee and customer experiences. They also provide actionable insights for leaders looking to improve their organizations and ensure lasting change after consulting engagements. Takeaways: Customer experience consulting is essential for all industries. World-class service requires structured systems, not just slogans. Internal communication gaps often erode customer experience. Every employee has a role in the customer experience. Transformations can turn customer service initiatives into cultural norms. Silos within organizations can negatively impact customer engagement. Identifying internal issues is crucial for improving customer experience. Leaders must support their teams to enhance customer service. Small changes can lead to significant improvements in customer interactions. Measuring ROI is vital for understanding the impact of customer experience initiatives. Chapters: 00:00 Transforming Customer Experience Across Industries 01:05 The Importance of Systems in Customer Experience 05:56 Identifying Internal Barriers to Customer Experience 09:04 Tailoring Consulting for Diverse Industries 11:17 Client Transformations: Success Stories 15:56 Bridging the Gap Between Operations and Customer Experience 18:07 Signs Your Organization Needs Consulting Engagement 22:35 The Importance of Internal Culture 26:03 Empowering Middle Managers 27:30 Ownership of Customer Experience 29:48 The Role of Niceties in Communication 31:53 Supporting Employee Success 33:03 Ensuring Lasting Change After Consulting 36:09 Measuring ROI in Customer Experience 42:23 Scaling Without Losing Your Service Soul Links: Dave's Podcast with AlpinHaus: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/csr-221/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors: tdg.click/claudia Ask John! Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode: tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Experience Revolution Membership: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Blogs on Above and Beyond Culture: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/category/above-beyond-culture/ Contacts: Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

Summary: In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution podcast, Denise Thompson and John R. DiJulius III discuss the alarming trend of employees, particularly Gen Z, wanting to sever their work and personal lives. They explore the implications of this disconnect, the role of workplace culture in mental health, and strategies leaders can implement to foster a more supportive environment. The conversation emphasizes the importance of purpose in the workplace and how it can enhance employee satisfaction and productivity, ultimately benefiting the organization as a whole. Takeways: Nearly half of Gen Z workers prefer to separate work and personal life. A significant percentage of employees would consider extreme measures to disconnect from work stress. Workplace culture plays a crucial role in employee mental health. Leaders should create environments where employees feel whole and valued. Purpose in work is essential for employee satisfaction and retention. Effective communication and boundaries are vital for employee well-being. Employee experience directly impacts customer experience and satisfaction. Building trust and authenticity in the workplace fosters a positive culture. Leaders must recognize the importance of employee happiness as a business imperative. The interview process should focus on finding the right fit for both the employee and the organization. Chapters: 00:00The Disconnect Between Work and Personal Life 05:24The Impact of Workplace Culture on Mental Health 10:15Leadership's Role in Employee Well-being 15:19Creating Purpose in the Workplace 19:34Navigating Career Expectations 22:16Authenticity in the Workplace 25:47The Role of Leadership in Employee Development 27:24The Importance of Employee Happiness 29:16Finding Purpose in Work 32:18Creating a Positive Work Environment 34:10The Impact of Employee Experience on Customer Experience 35:42Recognizing Individual Contributions 38:01Addressing Personal Issues at Work 39:58Generational Differences in Workplace Dynamics   This episode is sponsored by The Customer Experience Executive Academy.  Learn more here Quote: Leading is the pinnacle of human achievement. Your number one task is helping others grow and develop and contribute to their colleagues and communities. Your accomplishments, accomplishment list will be measured by those who went on to be wildly successful in large measure because of the time they spent with you. -Tom Peters Links: Ask John!  Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode:  tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Interview Questions: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/resources/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Blogs on Above and Beyond Culture: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/category/above-beyond-culture/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

Summary: In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution podcast, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius discuss the six key areas that separate good companies from iconic brands. They explore the importance of physical experience, atmosphere, ease of doing business, technical excellence, operational details, and hospitality in creating customer evangelists. The conversation emphasizes the need for companies to excel in all areas to build brand loyalty and provide a seamless customer experience. John shares insights on how to audit these components and the significance of training employees in hospitality to enhance customer interactions. Takeways: To create customer evangelists, excel in six key areas. Physical experience often gets overlooked until it's a problem. Atmosphere can transform emotional connections to brands. Ease of doing business is crucial for customer satisfaction. Technical excellence should be a differentiator, not just a requirement. Operational details are often invisible but impactful. Hospitality is about how you make customers feel valued. Training for hospitality is often undervalued in organizations. Regular audits of customer experience components are essential. Improving one area can lead to quick wins in customer loyalty. Chapters: 00:00Introduction to Customer Experience Excellence 01:28The Six Key Areas of Customer Experience 04:13The Importance of Physical Experience 05:55Creating Atmosphere: The Emotional Connection 10:55Functional Ease: Making Business Simple 12:06Technical Excellence: Beyond Competence 13:39Operational Details: The Invisible Backbone 17:23The Role of Hospitality in Customer Experience 21:45Training for Hospitality: Bridging the Gap 24:49The Interconnectedness of the Six Components 30:17Auditing Customer Experience 32:19Quick Wins for Customer Loyalty 34:50Creating Customer Evangelists: The Challenge   This episode is sponsored by The Customer Experience Executive Academy.  Learn more here   Links: Fin.ai/csrevolution  Learn more about how Fin, the #1 customer service agent! Ask John!  Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode:  tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Interview Questions: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/resources/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Blogs on Above and Beyond Culture: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/category/above-beyond-culture/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

Summary: In this episode, John R. DiJulius III and Denise Thompson discuss the importance of taking time for personal growth through sabbaticals, the evolving job market dynamics leading to a trend of loyalty among employees, the stark contrast in compensation between CEOs and average workers, and the philosophy surrounding wealth and generosity. They explore how societal expectations and corporate practices shape our understanding of success and responsibility. Takeways: Taking a sabbatical can lead to personal and professional growth. The job market is shifting towards valuing employee loyalty over job hopping. CEO compensation has drastically outpaced worker wages, raising concerns about corporate greed. Generosity and giving back can lead to a more fulfilling life than hoarding wealth. The concept of stakeholder capitalism is gaining traction but lacks meaningful implementation. Economic trends show that staying in a job may now be more beneficial than switching for higher pay. The disparity in wealth distribution is a pressing issue that needs addressing. Corporate practices often prioritize shareholder wealth over employee welfare. Generosity should be a priority for those who have achieved financial success. The conversation around wealth and its responsibilities is evolving. Chapters: 00:00The Importance of Sabbaticals 11:52The Shift from Job Switching to Job Loyalty 20:46Corporate Greed and Stakeholder Theory 22:00The Profitability Dilemma 23:25The Billionaire Question 26:26Stakeholder Capitalism: A Shift in Focus 27:44The Reality of Corporate Promises 28:47Generosity vs. Greed 31:20The Pursuit of Happiness and Wealth 33:35The Impact of Wealth on Society   This episode is sponsored by Fin.  Learn more at Fin.ai/csrevolution Links: Fin.ai/csrevolution  Learn more about how Fin, the #1 customer service agent! Ask John!  Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode:  tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Interview Questions: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/resources/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Blogs on Above and Beyond Culture: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/category/above-beyond-culture/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

Summary: In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius discuss the changing landscape of customer service, particularly focusing on Southwest Airlines. They explore how the airline, once a leader in customer satisfaction, is facing challenges due to management decisions prioritizing profits over customer experience. The conversation delves into the importance of employee engagement, the impact of negative cues in customer interactions, and the need for businesses to maintain a customer-centric approach to thrive in a competitive market. Takeways: Southwest Airlines was once a leader in customer service. The airline's profitability has declined due to management decisions. Happy employees lead to happy customers. Negative cues can significantly impact customer experience. The language used in customer interactions matters. Management's paranoia can lead to overly strict policies. Companies built on customer experience tend to outperform others. The tone of voice in customer service is crucial. Southwest's shift from open seating to assigned seating reflects broader industry trends. Customer service strategies must evolve to maintain relevance. Chapters: 00:00Introduction and Overview of Customer Service Revolution 02:00The Evolution of Southwest Airlines 04:18Profitability and Customer Experience 09:25Negative Cues in Customer Service 16:45Conclusion and Final Thoughts   This episode is sponsored by Fin.  Learn more at Fin.ai/csrevolution Links: Fin.ai/csrevolution  Learn more about how Fin, the #1 customer service agent! Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Interview Questions: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/resources/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Zappos call:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/is-zappos-really-that-good-at-customer-service-manager-fired-for-responses-to-online-reviewers/ Blogs on Above and Beyond Culture: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/category/above-beyond-culture/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

Summary   In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution podcast, Denise Thompson interviews Dave Murray, VP of consulting for the DiJulius Group. They discuss the critical connection between employee experience and customer experience, the challenges of accidental management, and the importance of a strong recruiting and onboarding process. Dave shares insights from his book, 'The Employee Experience Revolution,' emphasizing the need for organizations to focus on internal culture to drive external success. The conversation also touches on the evolving expectations of employees, particularly regarding work-life balance, and previews upcoming workshops aimed at improving recruitment and onboarding practices.   Takeaways Employee experience directly impacts customer experience. 82% of managers are accidental managers, lacking training. Transforming internal culture can lead to better customer service. Companies must focus on consistent management practices. Recruiting processes should reflect company culture and values. Onboarding is a critical opportunity for engagement. Work-life balance is increasingly important for employees. Organizations need to proactively manage their culture. Effective training for managers is essential for retention. Creating a memorable experience starts from the first contact. Sound Bites "82% of managers are accidental managers." "Two minutes to 12 seconds is a big difference." "We want to be selective in our hiring." Chapters 00:00Introduction to Customer Experience and Employee Engagement 01:58The Need for Employee Experience Revolution 05:01Transforming Customer Experience through Employee Engagement 09:36Attracting and Retaining Top Talent 13:58The Importance of a Positive Recruiting Experience 17:39Creating Growth Opportunities for Employees 22:26The Importance of Structured Training 24:17Creating a Memorable Recruiting Experience 27:06Attracting Candidates: Company Culture and Reputation 31:04Work-Life Balance and Generational Expectations 34:18Enhancing the Onboarding Process 37:35Applying Recruitment Strategies to Educational Institutions   Links Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Interview Questions: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/resources/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Zappos call:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/is-zappos-really-that-good-at-customer-service-manager-fired-for-responses-to-online-reviewers/ Blogs on Above and Beyond Culture: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/category/above-beyond-culture/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

Summary In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution podcast, Denise Thompson and John R. DiJulius III discuss the importance of creating an above and beyond culture in customer service. They explore how empowering employees, defining what above and beyond means, and overcoming fears can lead to exceptional customer experiences. The conversation also covers various types of above and beyond opportunities, the significance of anticipatory service, and the role of storytelling in fostering a culture of excellence. The episode concludes with insights on celebrating above and beyond stories to inspire and motivate employees.   Takeaways Creating an above and beyond culture benefits both customers and employees. Above and beyond is defined as doing something unexpected for customers or coworkers. Empowering employees is crucial for fostering a culture of service excellence. Fear of repercussions can prevent employees from going above and beyond. Storytelling can inspire employees to recognize and act on service opportunities. Anticipatory service involves identifying customer needs before they arise. Service recovery can enhance customer loyalty when handled well. Celebrating above and beyond stories motivates employees to strive for excellence. Leaders must model the behavior they want to see in their employees. A culture of service excellence requires ongoing training and recognition.   Links Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Interview Questions: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/resources/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Books Zappos call:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/is-zappos-really-that-good-at-customer-service-manager-fired-for-responses-to-online-reviewers/ Blogs on Above and Beyond Culture: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/category/above-beyond-culture/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

Summary: In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution Podcast, John DiJulius and Denise Thompson delve into the art of becoming an indispensable business partner. Discover how to build trust and foster relationships that clients can't imagine living without. From the importance of loving what you do to the power of being a resource broker, learn actionable strategies to elevate your client partnerships. Tune in to explore the evolving ABCs of business and how to always be connecting in today's dynamic landscape. Takeaways: Tipping practices can create frustration for delivery workers. AI is reshaping the workforce, but human interaction remains essential. Boreout is a significant issue in remote work environments. Building strong client relationships is crucial for business success. Being a trusted partner means being committed to clients' success. Effective communication is key to maintaining employee engagement. AI can enhance efficiency but should not replace human connection. Understanding clients' goals can lead to better partnerships. Transparency in communication fosters trust with clients. The ABCs of business have shifted from closing deals to building connections. Chapters:   00:00Introduction and Summer Heat 00:48DoorDash Tipping Controversy 05:38AI Automation and Job Displacement 11:42Burnout vs. Boreout in the Workplace 15:39Engaging Employees in the Modern Workplace 16:57The Impact of AI on Jobs 17:56Creativity and Conversation in the Age of Technology 19:13Building Trust: The Bomb Shelter Concept 21:56Becoming an Indispensable Partner 23:48Transparency and Difficult Conversations 25:01Being a Resource Broker for Clients 26:27Educating vs. Selling: A New Approach 29:42Commitment to Client Success 31:52The Shift from Closing to Connecting   Links Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Interview Questions: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/resources/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Books Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.  

Summary In this conversation, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius III explore the evolving landscape of customer experience and consulting. They discuss the challenges faced by young adults in social interactions, the state of customer experience in America, and the importance of co-creation in consulting. The conversation also highlights the need for executive sponsorship in consulting projects and the significance of identifying red flags in consulting relationships. Additionally, they touch on the impact of leadership on community and the importance of making a difference in the lives of others. Takeaways The importance of social interactions for young adults today. Customer experience in America is declining, with a need for improvement. Consulting should focus on co-creation and capability building. Identifying red flags in consulting relationships is crucial for success. Executive sponsorship is vital for the success of consulting projects. The zip code a child is born into is a significant indicator of their future success. Consultants should ask the right questions to uncover real issues. Creating systems for people, not just for companies, is essential. Leaders play a critical role in shaping company culture and customer experience. Making a difference in the community is a responsibility of leaders. Chapters 00:00Weekend Reflections: Family and Connection 03:36The Kindness Recession: A Decline in Happiness 07:14Rethinking Consulting: Beyond Transactional Relationships 10:05The Importance of Industry Knowledge in Consulting 12:10Transactional Relationships vs. True Partnerships in Consulting 16:17Creating Capability Over Dependency in Consulting 21:04The Role of Co-Creation in Consulting Projects 23:30Evaluating Consultants: Red Flags to Watch For 27:46The Customer Experience Executive Academy: Building Internal Expertise 33:16The Role of Leadership in Consulting Success 35:59Living an Extraordinary Life: Making a Difference   Links Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Believe in Dreams: https://believeindreams.org/  Interview Questions: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/resources/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Books Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.  

Gen Z Gaze Summary In this episode, Denise Thompson and John R. DiJulius III discuss the phenomenon of the 'Gen Z gaze' and its implications for customer service. They explore generational differences in social skills, the impact of technology on communication, and the role of AI in hiring processes. The conversation highlights the importance of essential interpersonal skills in customer service and the growing loneliness epidemic across generations. They also touch on cultural influences on social behavior and the necessity of training in customer-facing roles. Takeaways The Gen Z gaze reflects a struggle with social interactions. Every generation shows a decline in customer service skills. Technology has led to fewer face-to-face conversations. AI in hiring may overlook essential human qualities. Curiosity and listening skills are teachable. Loneliness is a growing epidemic across all age groups. Hiring for personality is crucial for customer service roles. Training is essential for developing interpersonal skills. Cultural factors influence social behavior and interactions. The importance of personal connections in a digital age. Chapters 00:00Introduction to the Customer Service Revolution 02:39The Gen Z Stare and Its Implications 05:14Generational Differences in Customer Service 07:41The Role of AI in Hiring and Training 10:17Teaching People Skills to Younger Generations 12:38Navigating Personal Interactions in a Digital Age 15:23The Loneliness Epidemic and Its Impact on Society 20:09Generational Perspectives on Technology and Communication 23:56Skills That Matter: Interviewing for the Right Traits 24:42The Importance of Service Aptitude in Customer Service 29:11Hiring vs. Training: What Matters More? 34:03Cultural Influences on Customer Interaction     Related blogs The Most Effective Way to Train Gen Z on Customer Service : https://thedijuliusgroup.com/051425-training-genz/ The Great Gen Z Gaze: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/071625-great-gen-z-gaze/ Can Introverts Provide Excellent Service?:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/040225-can-introverts-provide-customer-service/ The Relationship Disadvantaged Epidemic:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/031925-relationship-disadvantaged-genz/   Links Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Interview Questions: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/resources/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Books Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.  

Mastering the Art of Listening Summary In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution podcast, John DiJulius and Denise Thompson discuss the importance of listening in customer service and leadership. They explore recent trends in customer experience, the art of listening, and practical tips for improving listening skills. The conversation emphasizes curiosity, engagement, and the need for leaders to create an environment where everyone feels heard. They also touch on the concept of a 'reality distortion field' and how it can inspire teams to achieve the impossible. Takeaways Listening is a critical skill in customer service and leadership. Curiosity drives better conversations and deeper connections. Effective listening requires patience and the ability to let others finish their thoughts. Leaders should speak last to empower their teams and encourage open dialogue. Avoid multitasking during conversations to show respect and engagement. Asking probing questions enhances the quality of discussions. Listening like you're wrong can lead to better understanding and service recovery. Being a trampoline, not a sponge, fosters more engaging conversations. Everyone has a story that can provide valuable insights. Creating a reality distortion field can help teams achieve extraordinary results. Chapters 00:00Introduction to Customer Experience and DoorDash's New Policy 05:09The Art of Listening: Self-Assessment and Improvement 09:30Keys to Becoming a Great Listener 14:48The Difference Between Being a Sponge and a Trampoline 20:08Conversation Nevers and Always: Enhancing Listening Skills 22:15Understanding the Ford Concept 23:13The Impact of Call Waiting on Communication 24:41The Importance of Speaking Last in Meetings 29:22The Art of Listening and Its Challenges 38:06Living an Extraordinary Life through Curiosity Links Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Interview Questions: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/resources/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Books   Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.  

Day in the life Summary In this episode, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius discuss various themes surrounding age, happiness, and the importance of kindness in society. They delve into the findings of the World Happiness Report, highlighting the decline in happiness in the US and the specific struggles faced by young adults. The conversation shifts to the significance of empathy and compassion in customer service, emphasizing the need for organizations to understand their customers better. John introduces the concept of 'Day in the Life' videos as a tool to foster empathy among employees and improve customer interactions. The episode concludes with insights on workshops and resources available for enhancing customer experience. Takeaways The US is experiencing a kindness recession, impacting overall happiness. Young adults in the US report the lowest levels of happiness. Empathy and compassion are essential in customer service interactions. 'Day in the Life' videos can help employees understand customer experiences better. Creating empathy within organizations can lead to improved customer service. Workshops can provide actionable strategies for enhancing customer experience. Understanding customer avatars is crucial for effective service delivery. The importance of personal connections in business interactions cannot be overstated. Purpose-driven work is increasingly important for younger generations. Chapters 00:00Celebrating Milestones and Reflections on Age 03:10The World Happiness Report and Kindness Recession 04:56Understanding Young Adults' Happiness Crisis 07:13The Importance of Kindness and Compassion 09:21Creating Empathy Through 'Day in the Life' Videos 14:47Implementing Empathy in Customer Interactions 19:27Crafting Effective 'Day in the Life' Videos 24:13Using Videos for Training and Recruitment 28:26Upcoming Workshops and Resources 31:07CSR_ShowClose.mp3   Links Day in the Life Template:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Day-in-the-Life-Template.xlsx Day in the Life Example:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erbjQ7VF4mU Contacts to create Day in the Life Video:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Interview Questions: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/resources/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Books   Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

Summary In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution podcast, John DiJulius discusses the critical importance of human experience in business, emphasizing that while technology can enhance service, it cannot replace the unique value of personal interactions. He introduces the concept of URX (You Are the Experience) and highlights the decline of people skills across generations, particularly among younger employees who are often 'relationship disadvantaged' due to their upbringing in a digital world. DiJulius advocates for businesses to prioritize training in connection skills and to foster a culture that values meaningful relationships, both internally among employees and externally with customers. In this episode, John DiJulius III and Denise Thompson explore the importance of curiosity in conversations, the significance of personal touches in business relationships, and the philosophy of pursuing greatness. They discuss how focusing on others, listening actively, and finding gifts in every interaction can lead to stronger connections and greater success in both personal and professional realms. Takeaways URX stands for 'You Are the Experience' and emphasizes the importance of employee engagement. Technology is easily replicable, but the human experience is unique to each business. Companies must prioritize training in people skills for all generations. Younger generations are often 'relationship disadvantaged' due to technology. In-person interactions are crucial for developing people skills. Loneliness affects all generations, not just the young. Social media contributes to a decline in real-life social skills. Employers play a key role in teaching connection skills to employees. The Ford method (Family, Occupation, Recreation, Dreams) helps build rapport. Making meaningful connections can significantly impact personal and professional lives. Focus on the other person to build rapport. Curiosity is key in conversations. Listening is more important than talking. Personal touches can enhance business relationships. Gifts in conversations can strengthen connections. Pay attention to details shared by others. Interrupting can hinder effective communication. Avoid stealing someone's thunder in conversations. Pursuing greatness requires more than just doing your best. Achieving greatness is a continuous journey. Chapters 00:00The Importance of Experience in Business 04:07Building Relationships in the Workplace 09:52The Impact of Technology on People Skills 15:02Teaching Connection Skills in the Workplace 27:35The Journey to Career Choices 30:55The Art of Curiosity in Conversations 34:52Incorporating Personal Touch in Business 38:19Finding Gifts in Every Conversation 42:13The Philosophy of Pursuing Greatness   Links Six Reasons Your CX Plummets When Your Business Skyrockets, and How to Fix It: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/download-reasons-your-customer-experience-plummets/ Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Interview Questions: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/resources/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Secret Service Blog:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/secret-service-turns-20-and-the-dijulius-group-is-born-with-superior-customer-service-as-the-single-biggest-competitive-advantage/   Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.  

Summary In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution Podcast, John DiJulius and Denise Thompson discuss the importance of transforming negative experiences into positive ones in customer service. They explore the concept of the Customer Bill of Rights, emphasizing the significance of consistency in service delivery. The conversation delves into the 'nevers and always' framework, which helps businesses establish clear expectations for customer interactions. John shares practical examples and insights on how to implement these principles effectively to enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty. In this conversation, John DiJulius III and Denise Thompson discuss the critical aspects of customer service, emphasizing the importance of consistency, transparency, and professionalism in interactions. They explore how to effectively roll out service standards, maintain awareness among employees, and create a positive work environment. The discussion also touches on the significance of living an extraordinary life and how personal habits impact professional responsibilities. Takeaways Turning a negative into a positive is crucial for customer experience. Inconsistency is the enemy of great customer service. The Customer Bill of Rights outlines what businesses should never or always do. Nevers and always help reduce employee and location roulette. Customer experiences should not depend on which employee a customer interacts with. Oversharing can negatively impact customer perceptions. Employees must remember they are always 'on stage' when interacting with customers. Clear communication is essential to avoid misunderstandings in service expectations. Businesses should focus on what they can do for customers, not what they can't. Creating a positive customer experience requires a commitment to service excellence. Consistency in customer interactions is crucial for service excellence. Transparency in communication fosters trust with customers. Establishing clear professional standards helps employees understand expectations. Mastering the basics of customer service can significantly improve experiences. Rolling out service standards requires context and engagement from employees. Maintaining awareness of service standards is essential for long-term success. Creating a fun work environment encourages adherence to service standards. Living an extraordinary life impacts not only personal well-being but also professional responsibilities. Habits play a significant role in shaping our actions and outcomes. Engaging employees in the training process enhances retention of service standards. Chapters 00:00Introduction and Personal Updates 02:06Turning Negatives into Positives in Customer Experience 10:07Understanding the Customer Bill of Rights 17:47Implementing Nevers and Always in Customer Service 25:33The Importance of Consistency in Customer Interaction 28:10Transparency and Communication in Service 29:05Establishing Professional Standards 30:36The Power of Basics in Customer Service 32:21Rolling Out Service Standards Effectively 35:51Maintaining Awareness of Service Standards 39:50Creating a Fun and Engaging Work Environment 42:49Living an Extraordinary Life and Its Impact   Links Six Reasons Your CX Plummets When Your Business Skyrockets, and How to Fix It: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/download-reasons-your-customer-experience-plummets/ Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Employee Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/exea/ Interview Questions: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/resources/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Secret Service Blog:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/secret-service-turns-20-and-the-dijulius-group-is-born-with-superior-customer-service-as-the-single-biggest-competitive-advantage/

Summary IIn this episode of the Customer Service Revolution podcast, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius discuss the importance of personalized customer service and the techniques of 'Secret Service' that can enhance customer experiences. They explore how to implement these techniques effectively, the significance of knowing clients personally, and the evolution of customer service terminology. The conversation also highlights memorable customer service experiences and the impact of community in customer relationships. Takeaways Personalization in customer interactions is crucial. Utilizing CRM systems can enhance customer relationships. Listening to customers can reveal valuable insights. Sending personalized follow-ups shows genuine care. The 'Ford' method helps in remembering client details. Creating a community around your service fosters loyalty. The evolution of customer service terminology reflects industry growth. Memorable experiences can significantly impact customer loyalty. Secret Service techniques can differentiate your business. Chapters 00:00Welcome and Introduction to Customer Experience 01:11Building Personal Connections with Clients 05:21Understanding Client Goals and Interests 09:41The Importance of Data Entry and CRM Systems 14:14Creating a Community Through Customer Relationships 21:49The Evolution of Secret Service to Customer Service Revolution Links Six Reasons Your CX Plummets When Your Business Skyrockets, and How to Fix It: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/download-reasons-your-customer-experience-plummets/ Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Employee Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/exea/ Interview Questions: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/resources/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Secret Service Blog:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/secret-service-turns-20-and-the-dijulius-group-is-born-with-superior-customer-service-as-the-single-biggest-competitive-advantage/ Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

Summary In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution podcast, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius discuss the importance of customer experience, particularly in the context of the Customer Experience Executive Academy. They explore how businesses can navigate economic uncertainty by focusing on enhancing customer experiences. John shares insights on the concept of 'Secret Service' in customer service, emphasizing the need for personalized interactions and systems that recognize customer loyalty. The conversation also touches on the role of AI in improving customer service and the importance of creating a memorable experience for every customer. In this conversation, John and Denise explore the importance of building personal connections with clients through effective communication and understanding their goals. They discuss the significance of utilizing CRM systems to track client information and the role of team collaboration in enhancing customer experiences. The discussion also highlights the evolution of the Secret Service concept into a broader Customer Service Revolution, emphasizing the need for businesses to create communities and foster relationships with their clients. Takeaways The Customer Experience Executive Academy fosters a strong community among leaders. Doubling down on customer experience is crucial during economic uncertainty. Secret Service is about making customers feel recognized and valued. Visual triggers can enhance customer recognition in service industries. Personalized service is key to creating unforgettable experiences. AI can assist in providing personalized customer interactions. Understanding customer journeys is essential for effective service delivery. Different industries can adapt Secret Service principles to their context. Customer loyalty can be enhanced through effective database management. Building personal connections enhances client relationships. Utilizing AI can help in remembering client details. Understanding client goals is crucial for personalized service. Data entry in CRM systems is essential for effective communication. Creating a community around clients fosters loyalty. Secret Service techniques can differentiate businesses. Employees benefit from making clients feel valued. Regular updates in CRM systems improve service quality. Team collaboration enhances customer experience. The evolution from Secret Service to Customer Service Revolution reflects changing business needs. Chapters 00:00 Welcome and Introduction to Customer Experience 02:59 The Customer Experience Executive Academy 05:50 Navigating Economic Uncertainty in Customer Experience 08:55 Understanding Secret Service in Customer Experience 11:54 Implementing Secret Service Systems 14:56 Adapting Secret Service Across Industries 18:11 Utilizing Databases for Personalized Service 21:04 The Role of AI in Enhancing Customer Experience 29:16 Building Personal Connections with Clients 35:04 Understanding Client Goals and Interests 40:09 The Importance of Data Entry and CRM Systems 45:31 Creating a Community Through Customer Relationships 54:26 The Evolution of Secret Service to Customer Service Revolution   Links Six Reasons Your CX Plummets When Your Business Skyrockets, and How to Fix It: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/download-reasons-your-customer-experience-plummets/ Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Employee Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/exea/ Interview Questions: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/resources/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Secret Service Blog:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/secret-service-turns-20-and-the-dijulius-group-is-born-with-superior-customer-service-as-the-single-biggest-competitive-advantage/ Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

Summary   In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution podcast, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius discuss the recent trend of companies filing for bankruptcy, particularly those known for poor customer service. They explore the concept of the experience gap, where customers feel they are paying more for less, leading to a revolt against companies that fail to meet expectations. The conversation shifts to the importance of maintaining a strong customer experience, even for historically successful brands like Starbucks and Southwest Airlines, which have recently struggled. They emphasize the need for businesses to understand their customers' perspectives and the value of mystery shopping to gain insights. The episode concludes with a discussion on the pursuit of greatness in business and the commitment required to achieve it.   Takeways Bankruptcy often affects companies with poor customer service. The experience gap leads to customer dissatisfaction. Customers are revolting against companies that fail to deliver value. Amazon excels in convenience and customer experience. Great customer experience is not guaranteed; companies must stay vigilant. Mystery shopping can provide valuable insights into customer experience. Understanding the customer's viewpoint is crucial for businesses. Pursuing greatness requires commitment and effort. Most people are not willing to do what it takes to be great. Greatness is a choice, not a given. Chapters 00:00Bankruptcy and Customer Service Failures 03:00The Experience Gap and Customer Revolt 06:01The Importance of Customer Experience 09:01Internal and External Customer Experience 11:57Mystery Shopping and Customer Insights 14:47Pursuit of Greatness in Business 18:14Choosing Greatness and Its Challenges Links Six Reasons Your CX Plummets When Your Business Skyrockets, and How to Fix It Customer Experience Executive Academy Employee Experience Executive Academy Interview Questions The DiJulius Group Methdology Livestream Workshops Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors   Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

In this episode, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius celebrate the 200th episode of the Customer Service Revolution podcast. They discuss the importance of customer service, especially in a weak economy, and how companies that neglect customer experience often face dire consequences. John emphasizes the need for a Return on Experience (ROX) dashboard to track customer satisfaction and complaints. They also explore common mistakes CEOs make, such as failing to prioritize customer and employee experience training. The conversation highlights the significance of hiring for service aptitude and creating a customer-centric culture through effective training and onboarding. John stresses the importance of executive sponsorship in driving customer experience initiatives and shares insights on how to implement change within organizations. takeaways Customer service is crucial, especially in a weak economy. Sales figures can be misleading indicators of customer satisfaction. Creating a ROX dashboard can help track customer experience metrics. CEOs often neglect the importance of customer experience training. Service aptitude is essential for employees in customer-facing roles. Training should focus on empathy and understanding customer needs. Executive sponsorship is vital for successful customer experience initiatives. Hiring for service aptitude can improve customer interactions. Implementing a customer experience action statement is a key step in enhancing service.   00:00 Celebrating 200 Episodes 02:15 Customer Service in a Weak Economy 08:08 Indicators of Failing Customer Service 15:29 Training for Service Aptitude 22:29 Hiring for Customer Experience 29:15 Creating a Customer Experience Action Statement Links: ROX Dashboard Blog Return on Experience Dashboard Download Relationship Disadvantaged Blog Customer Experience Executive Academy Employee Experience Executive Academy Interview Questions The DiJulius Group Methdology Livestream Workshops Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors  

summary In this episode, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius discuss the importance of creating a zero-risk environment in customer service. They share personal experiences and examples from companies like Warby Parker and Amazon, emphasizing the need for businesses to anticipate service failures and empower employees to resolve issues effectively. The conversation also covers strategies for training staff, handling customer complaints, and the significance of service recovery in building customer loyalty.   takeaways Zero risk means making it easy for customers to do business. Companies can screw up but must make it right. Anticipating where service failures occur is crucial. Empowering employees leads to better customer satisfaction. Training should focus on common service failure points. Listening to customers is key to resolving complaints. Service recovery can enhance customer loyalty. Celebrating employee successes in customer service is important. Feedback from customers should be documented and analyzed. Understanding customer needs goes beyond their literal questions. Chapters 00:00Introduction to Customer Service Excellence 02:15Understanding Zero Risk Companies 05:51Identifying Common Service Failures 12:21Empowering Employees for Customer Satisfaction 16:03Implementing Effective Recovery Strategies 21:44Learning from Customer Feedback and Complaints Links:  2025 Livestream Workshops, Zero Risk Register now! https://thedijuliusgroup.com/livestream-2025/ Presentation Skills Workshop https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/presentation-skills/ Sign up for our Weekly E-Service Newsletter: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/event-form/newsletter/  The DiJulius Group https://thedijuliusgroup.com  Customer Experience Executive Academy https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Employee Experience Executive Academy https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/exea/ Our new best-selling book, The Employee Experience Revolution https://thedijuliusgroup.com/product/the-employee-experience-revolution-pre-sale/  Schedule a call to learn more about The DiJulius Group Consulting and Training    tdg.click/claudia Follow and Review: We'd love for you to subscribe and follow us if you haven't yet! John DiJulius is considered "The Authority" on customer experience.  His keynote presentations have motivated and inspired audiences from Entrepreneurs Organization, YPO, Nestle and Marriott to Chick-Fil-A and many more.  His real life stories are lessons long remembered by attendees.  Learn more about John and how to book him for your next event at:  https://johndijulius.com/ The DiJulius Group provides Customer Service content, education, consulting, and training, to ensure our clients become the brand their customers and employees cannot live without.   If you want happy employees, happy customers and happy shareholders, connect with us: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedijuliusgroup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-dijulius-group/

Summary: In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution Podcast, John DiJulius shares insights on the art of engaging presentations, emphasizing the importance of icebreakers, audience connection, and storytelling. He discusses the structure of effective presentations, customization for different audiences, and practical advice for aspiring speakers. The conversation also covers the effective use of slides and the significance of storytelling in making presentations memorable. In this conversation, John DiJulius and Denise Thompson explore the art of storytelling in presentations, emphasizing its importance in engaging audiences. They discuss the elements of effective storytelling, including the roles of villains, victims, and heroes, and how these components can transform a presentation. DiJulius shares insights on overcoming the fear of public speaking and the significance of preparation and practice. The discussion also highlights the value of presentation skills training and how it can lead to significant improvements in one's speaking abilities. Takeaways: The energy and engagement of the audience enhance the presentation. Icebreakers are crucial for capturing audience attention. Structuring a presentation into five key elements improves effectiveness. Customization of presentations is essential for audience relevance. Effective presentations require significant preparation time. Storytelling is a powerful tool for memorable presentations. Visuals should enhance the message, not distract from it. The opening and closing of a presentation are critical for impact. Great speakers often use personal stories to connect with the audience. Audience engagement is key to a successful presentation. Storytelling is essential for effective presentations. Data alone is not enough; stories make the content memorable. Every great story has a villain, victim, and hero. Preparation is key to overcoming public speaking fear. Practice presenting regularly to build confidence. Feedback from peers is crucial for improvement. Engaging presentations require a strong opening and closing. Understanding your audience enhances presentation effectiveness. Transformative training can significantly improve presentation skills. The best speakers often repeat and pause for emphasis. Chapters: 00:00Introduction to the Customer Service Revolution Podcast 01:57The Art of Engaging Presentations 05:01The Importance of Icebreakers 08:09Structuring a Presentation for Impact 10:13Customization in Presentations 13:04Advice for Aspiring Speakers 18:56Effective Use of Slides in Presentations 23:55The Power of Storytelling in Presentations 29:27Crafting Compelling Narratives: Villains, Victims, and Heroes 38:45Overcoming the Fear of Public Speaking 46:17Transformative Presentation Skills Training

In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution podcast, John DiJulius and Denise Thompson explore the critical aspects of customer experience, emphasizing the importance of value over price, the role of personalization, and the need for businesses to create a culture of service excellence. They discuss various case studies, including airlines and Starbucks, to illustrate how customer service can make or break a brand. The conversation highlights the significance of making customers feel important and the impact of training and culture on employee performance. Takeaways Elective medical services prioritize patient experience due to competition on value. Competing on price can lead to poor customer outcomes, especially in critical services. Spirit Airlines poor customer service practices. Southwest Airlines maintains a strong service culture despite industry challenges. Starbucks has faced challenges in maintaining its customer experience focus post-pandemic. Speed of service should not compromise the quality of customer interactions. Creating a culture of service excellence can dramatically improve customer experience. Every customer interaction is an opportunity to seize the moment and enhance experience. Personalization in communication is key to customer satisfaction. Listening with your eyes and making customers feel important is essential for service excellence.   Follow John on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/thedijuliusgroup/ LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-dijulius-group/ YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@dijuliusgroup Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/johnrobertdijulius/ Subscribe to The DiJulius Group blog:  tdg.click/eservice

Summary In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution podcast, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius discuss the importance of creating consistency in customer service across multiple locations. They explore the challenges businesses face when scaling, the six components of customer experience, and the significance of proof of concept in training. The conversation emphasizes the need for daily habits, technology's role in enhancing customer experience, and strategies for engaging remote teams. They also touch on the importance of continuous improvement and feedback in maintaining high standards of service.   Takeaways Creating consistency is crucial when scaling a business. Rapid growth can compromise customer experience. Buttoning up systems is essential for success. Proof of concept helps identify mistakes before a full rollout. Training should be practical and prescriptive. Daily habits keep customer experience top of mind. Engaging remote teams requires innovative communication strategies. Technology can enhance personalization in customer service. Continuous feedback is necessary for improvement. Regular training and updates are vital for all employees.   Chapters 00:00Creating Consistency Across Multiple Locations 03:08The Six Components of Customer Experience 05:54Proof of Concept and Training Rollout 09:00Sustaining Customer Experience Training 12:05Daily Habits for Customer Experience 15:05Engaging Remote Teams 18:05Technology's Role in Customer Experience 20:47Continuous Improvement and Feedback 24:03Final Thoughts and Resources   Links: 2025 Livestream Workshops, Register now! The Customer Service Revolution Podcast The DiJulius Group Customer Experience Executive Academy Employee Experience Executive Academy Our new best-selling book, The Employee Experience Revolution   Schedule a call to learn more about The DiJulius Group Consulting and Training

Podcast Summary: In this episode, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius discuss the evolution of customer service and leadership. They explore the importance of developing future leaders, the challenges of maintaining a consistent customer experience, and the need for empathy and people skills in today's workforce. John shares insights from his journey in building The DiJulius Group and emphasizes the significance of investing in employee development to foster a strong community and culture. The conversation also touches on the emotional resilience required for entrepreneurship and the challenges faced by younger generations in the workforce.   Takeaways: The DiJulius Group was founded on the principles of customer service. Leadership development is crucial for maintaining a strong team. Empathy is a learned skill that can be taught. Investing in employee development leads to better retention and satisfaction. Community building is essential for a successful business. The challenges of entrepreneurship require emotional resilience. Younger generations face unique challenges in developing people skills. Training and development should extend beyond the first six months of employment. Creating a culture of recognition enhances employee engagement. The future of work will require adaptability and continuous learning.     Chapters:   00:00The Evolution of the DiJulius Group 01:21Systemizing Customer Service 06:03Building a Consistent Customer Experience 09:34Leadership Development in the Salon Industry 15:11Creating Opportunities and Community 17:15Investing in Employee Well-being 22:24Navigating Uncertainty in Entrepreneurship 26:44Developing Emotional Resilience in the Workforce 33:33Empathy and Communication Skills for Gen Z 35:35The Evolution of Leadership and Business Strategy     Links: 2025 Livestream Workshops, Register now! The Customer Service Revolution Podcast The DiJulius Group Customer Experience Executive Academy Employee Experience Executive Academy Our new best-selling book, The Employee Experience Revolution The Soul of a Startup   Schedule a call to learn more about The DiJulius Group Consulting and Training   Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

This week, John sits down with his managing partner, Denise Thompson, to discuss her evolution at The DiJulius Group, and what advice she has those who work alongside entrepreneurs.

This week Renee is giving the Falcons and Kirk, ATL's new cousin, their much deserved props as they kick off the NFL season with some wins. Renee is talking with journalists Mike Jordan and Dawn Montgomery about the Stranger Things house and how to tell the difference between a money conference in Atlanta and a scam. Renee welcomes business manager and founder of ADVISE Sports and Entertainment, Denise Thompson and her wife and ADVISE business strategist, Ashly Cargle-Thompson, to talk about how to balance love and marriage and why business and financial management is so important for pro athletes. Montgomery & Co: Sports, Culture, and Family Business. Listen to MoCo on WABE, Saturdays at 6pm ET. For more, visit wabe.org/moco Follow MoCo @montgomerycopod Hosted by Renee Montgomery Executive Producers: Amena Brown, Scotty Crowe, and Sirena Grace Audio Production: Matt Owen, Allen Linsey, Kevin Rinker, and Crystal DeVone Additional Production and Editing: Ariel Brown Special thanks to: Paul Guarino, Justin Miller, Jaslyn Harris, Jess Silva, Ryshad Pitts, Crystal DeVone, and Kevin RinkerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're talking with lash artist Denise Thompson about her journey into the lash industry! We're also diving into some recent DC movie news. We reviewed Rose Donuts this week! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

enise J. Thompson is the Director, Resiliency & Peer Support and Director, Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) for Bexar County Emergency Services District 7, San Antonio, TX. She is the founder of Crisis Response Consulting and The Coach Alliance. Denise received a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from Wartburg College, Waverly, IA, a Master of Social Work from Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL and is a trained professional Coach through the Institute of Professional Excellence in Coaching. Denise is a Veteran of the US Air Force, was called back to active duty on 11 Sep 2001 and spent 8 years on active duty, 3 years as Chief, Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Deployment Operations at the Air Force Personnel Center, Randolph AFB, TX, and 5 years as Chief, Behavioral Health for the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC), Robins AFB, GA. In her position with AFRC, Denise was responsible for the implementation and oversight of the following programs: Suicide and Violence Prevention, Post-Suicide Review, Critical Incident Stress Management, and Operational and Post-deployment Stress. For 7 years she provided oversight and training for over 200 AFRC personnel, military and civilian, who were part of the AFRC CISM team. Denise deployed to Iraq in 2008 and in 2009 to Kuwait. Denise finished her career as the Mental Health consultant to the 25th Air Force Surgeon General providing resiliency and operational stress management support to Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance personnel. Prior to September 11, 2001, Denise, while an Air Force Reserve Officer, was in private practice working with adults and children affected by traumatic events; a contract provider for the Veterans' Administration and an Employee Assistance Program provider for the US Postal Service. Denise currently provides coaching to civilians and first responders regarding life and occupational concerns. Denise presents on a variety of topics for military and civilian personnel regarding suicide prevention, intervention and postvention, workplace violence, Critical Incident Stress Management, combat/operational stress management, post-traumatic stress disorder and sexual assault prevention and response. She teaches several International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) courses, is on the ICISF faculty and co-authored the ICISF Suicide Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention course. Denise is a core faculty member of the Resiliency Sciences Institute, International at UMBC Training Centers, instructing the certification courses, Resilient Leadership and The Resilient Child. Denise has provided crisis intervention and organizational consultation following airplane and helicopter crashes, homicides, suicides, line-of-duty deaths, manmade and natural disasters, robberies and combat. She is the founder and volunteer clinical director of the Alamo Regional Response Team, which covers a 13-county area surrounding San Antonio and provides mutual aid throughout Texas. For more information e-mail Denise at dthompon@d7fr.org.

Midwife to the dying? Precognitive Denise accompanies her relatives as they die. She also seems to be able to predict future catastrophes. Explanations include the elasticity of time and interpersonal vibrational attunement. /p> Connecting with Coincidence YouTube channel. Please SUBSCRIBE [https://www.youtube.com/c/Coinciders/featured?sub_confirmation=1] to our channel to be notified when future episodes are posted! Also available, there are 138 archived episodes of the CCBB podcast available, HERE: https://www.spreaker.com/show/dr-bernie-beitman-md. Our guest Denise Thompson-Slaughter is a writer and retired academic editor living in the Rochester, NY area. She has been curious about the nature of reality and the limits of the current materialistic scientific paradigms since she was 6 years old and experienced something no one could explain. Additional un-explanable experiences led her finally to research and write about them in her new book, Explaining the Coincidence Closet: Exploring the Inexplicable. Denise has a degree in English from Rutgers University and is also the author of a mystery novella and three books of poetry. Learn more at https://www.denisethompson-slaughter.com. Our host Dr. Bernard Beitman is the first psychiatrist since Carl Jung to attempt to systematize the study of coincidences. He is Founding Director of The Coincidence Project. His book, and his Psychology Today blog, are both titled Connecting with Coincidence. He has developed the first valid and reliable scale to measure coincidence sensitivity, and has written and edited coincidence articles for Psychiatric Annals. He is a visiting professor at the University of Virginia and former chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Missouri-Columbia. He attended Yale Medical School and completed a psychiatric residency at Stanford. Dr. Beitman has received two national awards for his psychotherapy training program and is internationally known for his research into the relationship between chest pain and panic disorder. Learn more at https://coincider.com. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

BLURB: As Women's History Month kicks off, we will be shining the spotlight on the women in sports college leadership, starting with Denise Thompson, Assistant Commissioner Communications and External Affairs Director for the Big Sky Athletic Conference. Tune in to this episode as Diverse VP Ralph Newell speaks one-on-one with Denise Thompson about her experiences as a former student-athlete, navigating sports play during COVID, diversity in the sports leadership pipeline, and much more. As she takes us on her journey, from being an aspiring radio DJ to student-athlete to a change-making leader in sports, uncover how her passion for sports developed as well as her advocacy for diversity in the sports arena for student-athletes. This is an episode you won't want to miss.  KEY POINTS / MAIN TAKEAWAYS: Denise's student-athlete experience. Considerations for going to an HBCU. Diversity efforts by the Big Sky Athletic Conference. COVID-19 impacts on budgets for sports events. How to make effective change in policies and attitudes. Social justice and diversity actions by the conference. Venturing into Esports. QUOTABLES: “You can't go to the same Black student-athlete every year for Black History Month and ride that one-person story all the time. There are so many stories to tell.” PRODUCTS / RESOURCES: Visit the Diverse: Issues In Higher Education website: https://diverseeducation.com/  Or follow us on social media:  Twitter: https://twitter.com/diverseissues Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diverseissuesinhighereducation/ Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/DiverseJobs?_rdc=1&_rdr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/diverse-issues-in-higher-education/ Diverse: Issues In Higher Education is edited by Instapodcasts (visit at www.instapodcasts.com) 

Textos feministas hechos audiolibros por mujeres para mujeres y para que llegue a más. Porque ser mujer y encontrar tu libertad no es fácil en este mundo patriarcal: estudiar, trabajar, cuidar crías, cuidar personas enfermas o ancianas, y la doble carga laboral no remunerada (trabajo doméstico); te facilitamos un poquito las cosas para que al menos puedas escuchar cuando quieras a las autoras feministas que tanto deseabas leer y no podías. En este episodio te presentamos un ensayo de Denise Thompson: "Una discusión sobre el problema de la hostilidad horizontal".