Customer Relations – Operational Excellence Society https://opexsociety.org Fri, 01 Dec 2023 13:24:25 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 https://opexsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/cropped-Opex-Favicon-512x512-32x32.png Customer Relations – Operational Excellence Society https://opexsociety.org 32 32 Should You Let Employees Break the Rules to Make Customers Happy? https://opexsociety.org/body-of-knowledge/should-you-let-employees-break-the-rules-to-make-customers-happy/ Mon, 04 Sep 2023 14:07:29 +0000 https://opexsociety.org/?p=30937 This post Should You Let Employees Break the Rules to Make Customers Happy? appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

Summary.   Some customer service experiences are simple and can be automated. But others, particularly those that involve challenging and complex customer needs, often require creative solutions by frontline employees. In these situations, should employees be empowered to break rules and protocols in order to come to a satisfactory conclusion? Research suggests that certain situations can benefit...

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Customer Surveys Are No Substitute for Actually Talking to Customers https://opexsociety.org/body-of-knowledge/customer-surveys-are-no-substitute-for-actually-talking-to-customers/ Sun, 29 Jan 2023 08:46:54 +0000 https://opexsociety.org/?p=29881 This post Customer Surveys Are No Substitute for Actually Talking to Customers appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

Summary.   Surveys are a pain to complete and, as a result, most people don’t invest much thought in filling them in, which means the information they give is low-quality and unlikely to provide strategic insight.  Talking to customers and asking open-ended questions yields better results and in most cases your managers will not need to conduct...

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How changing customer behavior should change your growth strategy https://opexsociety.org/body-of-knowledge/how-changing-customer-behavior-should-change-your-growth-strategy/ Thu, 21 May 2020 09:35:16 +0000 https://opexsociety.org/?p=22275 This post How changing customer behavior should change your growth strategy appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

Consumer behavior is changing dramatically all of the time… … If you don’t plan for the future today, you may find tomorrow’s too late. While the immediate response to COVID-19 seems all-consuming, we still need to think of this pandemic in phases. There’s what we must do “now” to manage business continuity, what we must...

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The Outliers Inn; Leftovers, obvious problems, and frustrations https://opexsociety.org/podcasts/the-outliers-inn-episode-41-leftovers-obvious-problems-and-frustrations/ Fri, 16 Aug 2019 19:00:53 +0000 https://opexsociety.org/?p=21245 This post The Outliers Inn; Leftovers, obvious problems, and frustrations appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

Topic: Business Owners get the leftovers and – unrelated – how it sucks to get old and looking for a job. The issue has been settled.  The Outliers Inn will no longer take reservations, but rely solely on walk-ins.  From this day forth, we will rely on the eccentricity of our audience and their eclectic interests,...

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The Outliers Inn; Join Antlerboy and JP in their first Three-way https://opexsociety.org/podcasts/join-antlerboy-and-jp-in-their-first-three-way/ Wed, 29 May 2019 16:31:08 +0000 https://opexsociety.org/?p=20871 This post The Outliers Inn; Join Antlerboy and JP in their first Three-way appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

Although fraught with great peril, our intrepid hosts open-up the podcast to call-ins.  What can go wrong?  Well, everything can go wrong.  But in spite of the incredible odds, our first call-in episode went rather well.  So well, in fact, that the call-in format will be our new standard format for the show. In this...

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Reinventing Customer Service https://opexsociety.org/thought-food/reinventing-customer-service/ Thu, 29 Nov 2018 16:26:28 +0000 https://opexsociety.org/?p=19430 This post Reinventing Customer Service appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

HBR reckons that any big company, and few departments will be as instantly recognizable as customer service. The call center usually resembles a factory floor, with row after row of reps, headsets on, sticking to the script and rushing from call to call as they try to minimize “handle time.”  But walk into a T-Mobile...

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Doing Right vs Doing It Right https://opexsociety.org/body-of-knowledge/right-vs-right/ Tue, 18 Apr 2017 11:28:38 +0000 https://opexsociety.org/?p=17563 This post Doing Right vs Doing It Right appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

It seems that not a day goes by without our reading about someone getting caught in the processes of a system – aggreged not (necessarily) by nefarious intent, but by a process that didn’t take into consideration some set of circumstances.  Sometimes, the angst endured is amplified by the subsequent processes initiated in a chain...

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The Outliers Inn; Agile development in the public service industry. https://opexsociety.org/podcasts/outliers-inn-episode-16-agile-development-public-service-industry/ Wed, 15 Mar 2017 09:01:20 +0000 https://opexsociety.org/?p=17458 This post The Outliers Inn; Agile development in the public service industry. appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

Welcome to Episode 16 of the Outliers Inn podcast: Agile development in the public service industry. Topic: Join Antlerboy and JP as they talk with Matt Barnaby where they discuss the application of agile development practices in the public service industry. Hosts: Joseph Paris & Benjamin Taylor Guests: Matt Barnaby Click here to listen now!

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The Outliers Inn; Customer Engagement https://opexsociety.org/podcasts/episode-9-outliers-inn-customer-engagement/ Tue, 12 Jul 2016 10:51:47 +0000 https://opexsociety.org/?p=14281 This post The Outliers Inn; Customer Engagement appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

Welcome to Episode 9 of The Outliers Inn podcast: Customer Engagement. Topic: Join us as we have a spirited conversation on the subject of customer engagement with our guests Michele Battle-Fisher and Joe Dager. Hosts: Joseph Paris & Benjamin Taylor with guests Michele Battle-Fisher, Joe Dager Listen here  

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DFSS: A Complex but Worthwhile Deployment https://opexsociety.org/body-of-knowledge/dfss-a-complex-but-worthwhile-deployment/ Fri, 14 Aug 2015 17:25:37 +0000 https://opexsociety.org/?p=10218 This post DFSS: A Complex but Worthwhile Deployment appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

Not ready for the planned product launch Time-To-Market? Too many warranty recalls? Have you missed the most important detail for your customers? Are any of these your questions? Are these the reasons you are interested in Design for Six Sigma (DFSS)? If your answer is a definite YES! Then you’d better read further. However, be...

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Forget Supply Chain Management! https://opexsociety.org/body-of-knowledge/forget-supply-chain-management/ Tue, 05 May 2015 15:47:32 +0000 https://opexsociety.org/?p=9158 This post Forget Supply Chain Management! appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

When people discuss Supply Chain Management, there doesn’t seem to be any common understanding of what it is all about. I get it! To some, it is software and technology. To others, it is just purchasing and logistics. And still others believe that it is ‘big data’ and analytics. No wonder that eyes glaze-over when the subject...

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Process Improvement For Small to Midsize Companies: Don’t Wait, Act Now! https://opexsociety.org/body-of-knowledge/process-improvement-for-small-to-midsize-companies-dont-wait-act-now/ Fri, 05 Sep 2014 18:19:56 +0000 http://www.xonitek.com/?p=6753 This post Process Improvement For Small to Midsize Companies: Don’t Wait, Act Now! appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

Small to Midsize companies must consider a process improvement initiative sooner rather than later to uncover hidden opportunities for improved productivity and customer satisfaction. Why You Need Process Improvement and Enhanced Customer Experience Time and again, I have seen many processes across a variety of industries with an error rate in the range of 20-30%....

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The Efficient Experience https://opexsociety.org/body-of-knowledge/the-efficient-experience/ Mon, 30 Jun 2014 20:28:23 +0000 http://www.xonitek.com/?p=6660 This post The Efficient Experience appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

Eliminate the Unessential, Streamline the Essential, & Invest in the Valued. An efficient experience is a win-win-win.  It is a win for the customers when an efficient experience delights them.  It is a win for the front-line employees, who are supported by competent processes and systems, and engage in more positive encounters with happy customers....

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Business Rule #1: The customers have a choice … Make sure they pick you! https://opexsociety.org/body-of-knowledge/business-rule-1-the-customers-have-a-choice-make-sure-they-pick-you/ Wed, 03 Apr 2013 17:30:40 +0000 http://www.xonitek.com/?p=4572 This post Business Rule #1: The customers have a choice … Make sure they pick you! appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

For every company, it’s a jungle out there… Every day, every moment, you are either the hunter or the hunted. The strong and the skilled survive while the weak get cut from the herd to be killed and eaten – or just fall back and left to die. And the pace gets quicker each and...

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Customer Focused Continuous Improvement – Beyond Words; Part 2 – Customer Need https://opexsociety.org/body-of-knowledge/customer-focused-continuous-improvement-beyond-words-part-2-customer-need/ Mon, 04 Feb 2013 19:16:22 +0000 http://www.xonitek.com/?p=3792 This post Customer Focused Continuous Improvement – Beyond Words; Part 2 – Customer Need appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

We started our discussion on Customer Focus last month with a general discussion about what it means to be ‘customer focused’, and how this term is overused and misunderstood in business.  Everyone claims to be ‘customer focused’, yet customer loyalty is at its lowest point in years, complaints are higher than ever before, and almost...

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Customer Focused Continuous Improvement – Beyond Words https://opexsociety.org/body-of-knowledge/customer-focused-continuous-improvement-beyond-words/ Wed, 02 Jan 2013 15:20:47 +0000 http://www.xonitek.com/?p=3271 This post Customer Focused Continuous Improvement – Beyond Words appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

Customer Focus – probably the most over-used, misunderstood phrase in business today.  We hear it everywhere… every company is customer focused, every company prides itself on having the highest ratings in customer satisfaction.  More than ever before, companies are spending millions on achieving higher customer ratings.  And yet, Customers are ‘churning’ from one type of...

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Healthcare: No End In Sight – Poor Value at Unsustainable Costs https://opexsociety.org/body-of-knowledge/healthcare-value/ https://opexsociety.org/body-of-knowledge/healthcare-value/#comments Thu, 01 Nov 2012 15:09:42 +0000 http://www.xonitek.com/?p=2312 This post Healthcare: No End In Sight – Poor Value at Unsustainable Costs appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

Something is seriously wrong… The healthcare industry as a whole in the United States is corrupt, dysfunctional, ineffective, and inefficient.  And regardless of “party affiliation”, everyone appears to share this opinion.  The only real disagreement (and a heated disagreement at that) is what should be done about it, and whether what has been done to...

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Setting the Course for Recovery https://opexsociety.org/body-of-knowledge/setting-the-course-for-recovery/ Sat, 08 Oct 2011 19:02:18 +0000 http://wpdev.xonitek.com:8080/?p=1105 This post Setting the Course for Recovery appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

Accepting the recession landscape has been extraordinarily painful.  The recovery journey will have challenges that must be embraced to create a sustainable business in the new, post recession landscape. How do we establish new operational excellence framework in this unsettled landscape? For the foreseeable future, ERP and Operations Managers will journey through a dynamic business landscape that...

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Follow the 5% / 75% Rule https://opexsociety.org/body-of-knowledge/follow-the-5-75-rule/ Thu, 06 Oct 2011 19:25:43 +0000 http://wpdev.xonitek.com:8080/?p=1130 This post Follow the 5% / 75% Rule appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

For years, Jason has been an avid exerciser.  Running and weight lifting frequent his routine. With such an active exercise regimen, energizing music is definitely required.  A few years back, those clunky, skip-prone CD walkmans were the newest craze, but they just didn’t cut it for exercise! Finally, the iPod Shuffle came along.  “Wow! All my music on this...

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5 Myths Every Business Must Avoid in order to Survive https://opexsociety.org/body-of-knowledge/5-myths-every-business-must-avoid-in-order-to-survive/ Mon, 06 Jun 2011 19:27:54 +0000 http://wpdev.xonitek.com:8080/?p=1326 This post 5 Myths Every Business Must Avoid in order to Survive appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

Recession Plagued At a recent stockholder’s meeting, the Vice President of Sales for a global manufacturer reported, “The economy has been tough on our industry.  Sales volumes significantly declined and have not nearly returned to pre-recession levels.  The company has laid off employees, cut expenses and, unfortunately, has had to cut price to remain competitive.  Competitors have cut price...

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Barrier of Complacency to Competitive Advantage https://opexsociety.org/body-of-knowledge/barrier-of-complacency-to-competitive-advantage/ Tue, 05 Apr 2011 21:15:57 +0000 http://wpdev.xonitek.com:8080/?p=1368 This post Barrier of Complacency to Competitive Advantage appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

To remain competitive in the market requires management to take an active role in recognizing and acknowledging that the business environment is changing daily.  As Sullivan and Harper (1996) explain, “Today, we face fundamental shifts in technology, markets, human resource development, global distribution, information management, government intervention, and other critical dimensions of the strategic environments in...

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Excellent Customer Service Is Only Necessary If There Is A Choice https://opexsociety.org/body-of-knowledge/excellent-customer-service-is-only-necessary-if-there-is-a-choice/ Thu, 13 Jan 2011 16:37:13 +0000 http://wpdev.xonitek.com:8080/?p=1422 This post Excellent Customer Service Is Only Necessary If There Is A Choice appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

Human behavior is as funny as it is interesting.  We take as a given that with which we grew-up as a child – our country, local community, heritage, religion, government – collectively our experience.  We are conditioned to not question that which is “normal” – because that is the way it’s always been.  And not given an alternative...

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What is the True Cost of Outsourcing? https://opexsociety.org/body-of-knowledge/what-is-the-true-cost-of-outsourcing/ Tue, 09 Nov 2010 17:01:06 +0000 http://www.xonitek.com/?p=2450 This post What is the True Cost of Outsourcing? appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

People are naturally seduced by a “deal”. We gravitate to signs in stores and on billboards that proclaim, 50% off” or “Buy-one Get-one”. We like to think that we are paying far less for something that we have a right to – that somehow we got the “better” of our opponent. We take a smug...

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Top 10 Reasons High-Tech Salespeople Fail & What to do about It https://opexsociety.org/body-of-knowledge/top-10-reasons-high-tech-salespeople-fail-what-to-do-about-it/ Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:46:00 +0000 http://www.xonitek.com/?p=4376 This post Top 10 Reasons High-Tech Salespeople Fail & What to do about It appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

All sales professionals share common problems in their day-to day activities which lead to failure. Sales is a profession not unlike law, medicine, accounting or engineering; it requires continuous training and the refining of skills.  The following is a report based on research and observations of high-tech selling teams and describes the Top-10 problems and their solutions....

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Small Teams, Big Results https://opexsociety.org/body-of-knowledge/small-teams-big-results/ Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:56:02 +0000 http://www.xonitek.com/?p=4402 This post Small Teams, Big Results appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

Small teams in large corporations can ‘out small’ today’s successful smaller players, and win big. Smaller competitors to today’s largest corporations are consistently winning in customer satisfaction ratings without the so-called economies of scale associated with large (frequently out-sourced) customer care centers. For the largest companies in some key sectors – such as telecommunications, technology, andfinancial services – there is the potential...

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From “Metric” to “Magnificent”! https://opexsociety.org/body-of-knowledge/from-metric-to-magnificent/ Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:33:05 +0000 http://www.xonitek.com/?p=4426 This post From “Metric” to “Magnificent”! appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

How to move from simply measuring customer satisfaction to taking action that drives growth. Many companies measure and report the purported satisfaction or loyalty of their customers. However, the ‘metric’ is just the introduction to the many stories your customers have to tell. The real power is inside these stories and what you do with them...

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What’s the Bottom Line for Customer Experience? Can the Investment Pay Back? https://opexsociety.org/body-of-knowledge/whats-the-bottom-line-for-customer-experience-can-the-investment-pay-back/ Fri, 31 Jul 2009 02:21:12 +0000 http://www.xonitek.com/?p=4511 This post What’s the Bottom Line for Customer Experience? Can the Investment Pay Back? appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

More than a ‘Happy’ Meal! I recently ordered food via the drive thru at a local fast food restaurant.  Though I don’t go there often, it’s not the first time I’ve ordered at this restaurant’s drive thru – or at many others for that matter. But this time, it was different.  I thought to myself, “Is this just...

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Podcast: KANO in the Ready Room https://opexsociety.org/podcasts/podcast-kano-in-the-ready-room/ Thu, 07 May 2009 16:59:07 +0000 https://opexsociety.org/?p=9666 This post Podcast: KANO in the Ready Room appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

The boys go INTERNET ONLY on this show where we talk about customer satisfaction and the KANO Model. We will kick around TWSEAS and Combat Town, as well. CALL-INs WELCOME!! Click here to listen.   From Business Battlefield: The Ready Room with Boom and Grunt Business LEADERSHIP, TEAMWORK, COMMUNICATION and EXECUTION: from the perspective of Marine Fighter...

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Building Sales Relationships https://opexsociety.org/body-of-knowledge/building-sales-relationships/ Thu, 05 Mar 2009 23:40:29 +0000 http://www.xonitek.com/?p=4474 This post Building Sales Relationships appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

At the end of the day, we are all sales people in one form or another. Whether it’s a child pleading their case for just a little more time to stay up watching TV in return for their best behavior, or a grown man/woman shopping at their local farmer’s market attempting to negotiate the best deal...

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Customer Relationship Management (CRM) https://opexsociety.org/body-of-knowledge/customer-relationship-management-crm/ Thu, 05 Mar 2009 23:38:22 +0000 http://www.xonitek.com/?p=4472 This post Customer Relationship Management (CRM) appeared first on Operational Excellence Society.

CRM What do these three letters mean to you?  A quick poll of the people in the room proved the meaning to be quite elusive.  A nine year-old responded, “See are em? I don’t get it, you’re so weird.”  A five year-old pondered the question for all of two seconds and said, “huh…can I play Wii?” OK, I...

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