CX Champions

This episode features an interview with Dr. Eric Trepanier, Chief Strategy & Customer Officer at ODAIA, a SaaS company that leverages AI to ingest multiple data sources and empower marketers and sales reps to optimize their segmentation, targeting and execution to maximize sales. Eric holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree and has over 20 years of experience in the industry. He contributes to the overall strategy and growth of ODAIA, leveraging his extensive experience in healthcare, technology, and business operations. And he plays a key role in promoting ODAIA's AI-powered platform, MAPTUAL, which helps pharmaceutical companies prospect, qualify, and engage healthcare professionals (or HCPs). In this episode, Eric explores how ODAIA uses AI and its advanced platform, MAPTUAL, to revolutionize customer engagement in the pharmaceutical industry. He shares insights from his 20+ years of experience in healthcare and business operations, highlighting the importance of personalized customer experiences, the shift from traditional to digital interactions, and the role of customer science. He also delves into how AI and machine learning contribute to better targeting and execution, ultimately facilitating faster access to life-changing treatments for patients.

Quotes

*”It's all about being obsessed with the customer. If you're not solving challenges for the customer, your platform and your business just won't work. So it's really about having that obsessive focus on the customer.”

*”I think the obsessive focus on delivering value to the customer and doing it in a data-driven way is what's allowed us to be successful and deliver some of the value that we've delivered to our customers. And ultimately, the key benefit that we really focus on is making sure that patients are able to get access to those life-changing drugs faster than they would have otherwise.”

*”Our goal is to not be a business intelligence tool, to be a tool that only provides that information they need in order to make those decisions to more effectively engage their customers.”

*”Trust is so important. As we got into this space and worked more with our pharma customers, so many of them were skeptical because they didn't want a black box AI or ML machine that they didn't understand. And if they saw results coming out of it that were different from what they expected, that trust was eroded really, really quickly.”

*”We're on the lookout for other technologies as well that can continue to add value to our customers. One thing we won't do is use technology for technology's sake. We're still very focused on giving patients access to those life-changing drugs and we'll use technology as appropriate to deliver on those goals.”

Time Stamps

[0:01] Meet Dr. Eric Trepanier and ODAIA

[1:31] Eric's Background in Pharma

[2:41] Understanding Customer Experience in Pharma

[4:20] Changes in the Pharma Industry

[7:16] Trends in Customer Behaviors and Preferences

[8:25] Customer Science and ODAIA's Approach

[9:46] Disrupting the Pharma Industry

[14:43] The Role of AI in Customer Experience

[15:54] MAPTUAL: Enhancing Digital Customer Experience

[30:19] Balancing Human Interaction and Automation

[33:52] Future of Customer Experience in Pharma

About our guest, Dr. Eric Trepanier

Dr. Eric Trepanier is a seasoned executive with broad experience in business operations, corporate leadership, investment management, and entrepreneurship. He is currently Chief Strategy & Customer Officer of ODAIA Intelligence, a SaaS company that leverages AI to ingest multiple data sources and empower marketers and sales reps to optimize their segmentation, targeting and execution to maximize sales.

Previously from 2018-2022, Eric was EVP and GM of Medicx Health, a data-driven healthcare company that delivers multi-channel media to Micro-Neighborhoods® with specific patients. He was responsible for the business P&L, while leading most teams, including sales, marketing, business operations, performance analytics, strategy and digital media. When he joined, he led a transformation of the culture that provided the foundation to stabilize revenue, and return it to strong double-digit growth as he left.

From 2012-2018, Eric took on increasing responsibility at WebMD where he ultimately built and led a multi-functional team doing strategic sales, competitive intelligence, business intelligence, market research, statistical analyses and data-driven marketing. The team was focused on helping the company deliver on its sales objectives by leveraging 1st and 3rd party data and analytics to develop and support the value story.

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This episode features an interview with Shep Hyken, Chief Amazement Officer at Shepard Presentations, LLC. Shep is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, and has been inducted into the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame for lifetime achievement in the speaking profession. He has helped companies like American Airlines, AT&T, and American Express build loyal relationships with their customers and employees. And in this episode, Shep shares insights on creating memorable customer experiences in a digital-first world. He discusses the importance of prompt, personal, and positive customer interactions, leveraging AI to enhance the customer experience, and the significance of both digital and human elements in customer service. Shep also explains his five-step process for handling customer issues—acknowledge, apologize, resolve, own, and act with urgency. He highlights the changing dynamics of customer loyalty programs, the impact of business decisions on customer loyalty, and the importance of employee experience in delivering exceptional customer service. The conversation delves into various aspects of CX, including self-service options, the dangers of commoditization, and the future trends in customer experience.

Quotes

*”I call it the customer hierarchy of needs. This is what companies want customers to experience. At the base of that pyramid, just like Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, you have products that do what they're supposed to do. But as you move up to the tip of the pyramid, you eventually get to fulfillment and emotional connection. And when you are emotionally connected to the brand, then you feel like, ‘Why would I want to go anywhere else? Why would I take a chance on anywhere else? I love the way this brand makes me feel.’ That's emotion.”

*”For AI to be effective, the customer has to enjoy the experience. In order to get the customer to enjoy the experience, sometimes you have to tell the customer that the experience is even there to begin with.”

*”The Ikea effect, which has been around, is basically that somebody that puts together their own furniture feels more pride in it. So when a customer resolves their own issue, thanks to AI, They feel really good when an agent is able to use this type of technology to create a better experience for the customer. They feel great as well.”

*”A part of customer experience is also being able to do damage and risk control. Number one, we must acknowledge the problem. Number two, we must apologize. And by the way, you can apologize first and acknowledge second. I don't care. As long as those two things start the conversation. Number three, understand what the problem is. You may have to ask questions, but you get to a point where you discuss the resolution. Either you're fixing it on the spot or you're discussing what's going to happen. Number four, the attitude that you must show that customer is one of you owning the situation, even if you're not in it. If you're not even the person that might take care of it, at least at that moment, you've got to make this customer feel like you're in control. And then finally, you act with urgency. Speed is really important. You need to get to the resolution as quickly as possible,”

*”It's a byproduct of what happens when you start to go into a company and try to create a better product: Customer experience. You have to focus on your employee experience at the same time. And oftentimes a byproduct of working on an overall customer experience is employees become more fulfilled and you'll see turnover drop as a result. That's a very powerful thing because number one, you don't have to hire new people. And the cost of hiring and training is so high sometimes that it really makes financial sense to even try to barely impact the experience because the benefit to the internal experience is so strong.”

Time Stamps

[0:44] Spotlight on Shep Hyken: CX Visionary

[1:43] Diving Into Shep's Book: I'll Be Back

[3:33] The Power of Customer Loyalty and Experience

[6:45] Shep Hyken's Journey into Customer Experience

[8:09] Exploring the Evolution of Customer Experience

[11:13] The Impact of AI on Customer Experience

[13:14] Navigating Customer Experience in the Digital Age

[22:03] Shep's Five Steps for Handling Customer Issues

[24:59] Mastering Customer Service: A Real-Life Example

[32:48] The Power of Customer Loyalty Programs and the Impact of Changes

[36:39] Shep Hyken's Influence and Insights on Customer Experience

[41:34] Predicting the Future of Customer Experience

[44:15] Magic in Customer Experience

[46:33] Shep Hyken's Impact on CX

About our guest, Shep Hyken

Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert and the Chief Amazement Officer of Shepard Presentations. He is a New York Times an...

This episode features an interview with Boone Putney, Chief Technology Officer at Fetch Package. Boone talks about bringing excitement and beauty into the customer experience, the importance of all teammates understanding the end user, and how technology and CX go hand in hand.

Quotes

*“I'm definitely passionate about the customer side of things. I think you can have some pretty hollow technology if you're not thinking about the implications of the customer experience. Same thing if you're exclusively thinking about the customer experience and not figuring out ways to leverage technology to deliver that experience.”

*”Our entire team has an understanding of the end user. And our product managers have an end user focus. Their core job is to make sure they're bringing to the table this end customers’ core needs, and they can know that customer better than anybody. And then they can interface with the technology and the engineers to figure out a solution together, and make sure we're building the right solution. User research and user testing is a big piece of that. Having somebody dedicated to knowing that user and being their advocate within the product delivery process is very impactful for us.”

*”I love sales. We wouldn't have any jobs if it weren't for sales. But I think the place I've seen some cultures go wrong is being very sales driven, where you have a customer or a certain set of customers ask for functionality and just smashing it through the product without really understanding how it affects the core offering and the rest of the user base. So we're lucky that we can take a look at that from all angles instead of any individual perspective.”

*”[Customers] want us to take good care of their packages, to alert them when we have a package and make sure we deliver a package when we say we're going to, the way we say we're going to. But beyond that, anything we can do to bring some excitement and beauty into the process is really important for that end user.”

*“The most important thing to me is the symbiotic nature of technology and customer experience. In this day and age, you can't really have one without the other. Or you can, but it just won't be a great experience.”

Time Stamps

*[0:08] The Case of Multiple End Users

*[0:33] Introducing Boone Putney, Chief Technology Officer at Fetch Package

*[8:57] Evidence #1: Using clunky pre-existing tech tools

*[12:37] Evidence #2: Most processes are manual and inefficient

*[22:54] Evidence #3: Gig workers' rely on their parent company's app

*[27:19] Debrief

*[28:11] HGS Pub

Bio

Boone has spent over 25 years writing software from games for the TI-83 calculator to developing solutions for Fortune 500 companies facilitating billions of dollars in annual transactions. Luckily enough, his first introduction to programming was in 2nd grade as part of an advanced curriculum in the Austin area public school system. He soon convinced his parents to purchase the first family computer with a 25MHz processor and 8MB of memory. Boone continued his software engineering education through high school and college where he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Computer & Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas. After graduation, Boone spent the intervening years developing software and leading teams across large multinational corporations and start-ups alike including UPS, State Farm, Waldo, CardMyYard, and Pizza Hut.

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This episode features an interview with Christian Mitchell, EVP & Chief Customer Officer at Northwestern Mutual. Christian works to elevate the customer experience and deliver bold solutions to set Northwestern Mutual ahead of its competitors. And over his 18-year tenure at Northwestern mutual, he has served in a variety of leadership roles, including as president of their Wealth Management Company when he managed $129 billion in client assets. Host Sohaib Ahmed discusses with Mitchell his journey and various roles at Northwestern Mutual over 18 years, alongside his insights into building memorable customer experiences. They delve into how Northwestern Mutual integrates technology to enhance customer experiences while maintaining a human-centric approach. Mitchell shares his perspective on the evolving customer expectations, the future of customer experience (CX), including the potential impact of generative AI, and the significance of consistency in delivering great CX. Additionally, the importance of data privacy, the challenges of implementing new technologies, and the role of storytelling in reshaping company culture towards more client-centric values are covered.

Quotes

*”The financial services marketplace is complex. I really think you need to understand that holistic landscape in order to take all of that and fashion it into an incredible client experience. If you don't have that holistic understanding of the system and how we create value and what clients need, it's easy to default to designing experiences indexed on efficiency, or maybe client experiences that index on regulatory adherence, but not actually creating something that's really incredible and delightful for the client.”

*”On metrics, it's really evolved. When we started the CX journey, it was really focused on CSAT, NPS, those really big aggregate numbers that are easy to compare across companies. As time has gone on, I've become less and less enamored with those aggregate metrics. We still need to calculate them, we need to track, we need to benchmark, etc. But I think CX telemetry is best done at a more granular basis where you're actually measuring things like individual interactions and satisfaction.”

*”I think at times you can find a metric and seek to maximize it, and then kind of lose the storyline a little bit. So I think you always have to kind of come back to this foundation of what are we trying to do strategically? What are we really solving for holistically?”

*”In terms of the media stuff that we do, the planning and progress study, a lot of the talks that I give internally, to our advisors, to client groups, it's about this constant drumbeat of storytelling around the client. And I think that constant drumbeat of storytelling is incredibly important for long standing incumbent financial services companies because historically we were very focused on financial performance. We might have been very focused on recruiting of advisors, and those things are very important. But by constantly storytelling around the client, incredible experiences, things that we want to do, it's part of shifting the zeitgeist, the mindset of the organization to be more client centric.”

*”One of the interesting areas where we debate a lot is instances where the client may have a preference for self service, but we somehow want to inject a human to make sure that the best client outcome occurs. The poster child example would be, we have a big market correction, the client gets scared, wants to liquidate his or her portfolio, and might prefer to do that in an automated way via the mobile experience. Now, if the client really wants to do that, of course we will help them do it. But that might not actually be the best long-term decision. So in instances like that, we actually want to insert some human friction, for lack of a better word, to at least gut check that client, to really make sure that we're helping that client not only have a good experience today, but really achieve their financial goals long term.”

*”A lot of the experiences that we create in financial services or financial planning, it's more at pulling the heartstrings than the math. It's about the emotion, the psychology. How do you harness that in such a way that the client makes the right decisions and is better off long term?”

*”Sometimes we think about the peak moments of the client experience. That ‘You can retire moment,’ or ‘Your family's protected’ moment. But I actually think real trust, real client experience comes through consistency of interaction, predictability, and high quality communication that plays out over really, really long periods of time. So I think consistency is really the name of the game and one of the unsung heroes of great client experiences.”

Time Stamps

[2:38] Christian Mitchell's Journey in Northwestern Mutual

[5:16] The Evolution of Customer E...

This episode features an interview with Nicholas Holland, VP of Product and GM of Marketing Product Lines at HubSpot, a leading CRM platform that provides software and support to help businesses grow better. Nicholas shares insights from his eight-year tenure at HubSpot and his entrepreneurial journey, emphasizing the importance of empathy, observation, and adaptability in CX. The conversation highlights how CX evolves in diverse environments and the necessity of innovating and reimagining customer interactions in a digital world. They delve into the dynamics of customer satisfaction versus loyalty, the transformation of HubSpot into a multi-product, multi-persona platform, and the impact of AI and data on future CX strategies. Nicholas also reflects on personal anecdotes, illustrating how CX principles translate into everyday life and the lessons learned from entrepreneurial endeavors.

Quotes

*”The whole gist for all CX people would be, ‘Are they happy at the end of it?’ And then ‘Are you flexible enough to kind of understand the audience and ebb and flow with them?’”

*”If you ever watched The Matrix, I love the little kid who’s like, ‘The trick is there is no spoon,’ which is like a fancy way of saying, ‘Stop thinking in the constraints that you have and start thinking about the why behind the why, as Simon Sinek would call, ‘What's the big picture?’ And I think those kinds of things really become powerful ways to look at CX.”

*”If your job is CX and you're just happy punching eight to five every day, and you'll make incremental changes, that's fine. But you'll wonder why you didn't get your senior CX promotion or why you're not a director yet. But whenever you realize that there's no spoon, you realize what you're trying to do is really push that higher ROI. You're trying to make a real impact there. Some neat stuff can pop out. So that's where it started to happen for me.”

*”CX is happening, whether you're conscious of it or not, whether you curate it or not, whether you're actively involved or not.”

*”Mind the gap. We make all of these big, intuitive assumptions that people know what we're talking about. So when you say, ‘Mind the gap,’ you're walking people through very, very specific steps. So what I often tell people to do is just start somewhere, and start to walk through every step. ‘I think they'll do this, I think they'll do that.’ And when you do that, you start off with who it is, a persona, you start somewhere. And then you have a fascinating question: What came before, what came after?”

*”I think right now, what we're trying to balance is as you get to a certain size, how do you basically get PMs with their PDs to be very dedicated to the experience of their customer? But also how do they look up and have connective tissue that shows them, going back to the mind the gap, what came before and what comes next? And that's going to be the challenge, I think, for a lot of companies.”

*”You have to get close to the product yourself. You then get to look at some activation and usage data. You then get to look very specifically at the most important flows with CSAT. And then you get to go look at a variety of listening posts to see what is the world at large saying on social media? What's your sales team saying? What's your service team saying? And that gives you a good sense of how the product's doing.”

Time Stamps

[0:53] Meet Nicholas Holland: HubSpot's VP of Product

[1:16] The Essence of Customer Experience

[5:27] Nicholas's Journey from Finance to CX Innovator

[6:02] Entrepreneurial Insights and the CX Mindset

[14:53] The Complexities of Customer Experience Design

[17:41] Nicholas's Entrepreneurial Ventures and Lessons Learned

[25:06] Unveiling the Essence of Customer Needs: A Real-World Story

[26:19] A Wake-Up Call: The Importance of User Experience

[27:00] Lessons Learned: The Journey to Customer Loyalty

[28:46] Embracing a New Chapter: Joining HubSpot

[33:24] The Evolution of Customer Experience at HubSpot

[43:57] The Future of CX: Innovations and Challenges Ahead

[46:37] Personal Insights: Learning CX from Everyday Life

About our guest, Nicholas Holland

Nicholas Holland is VP of Product and GM of Marketing Product Lines at HubSpot. He has been with the company for over 8 years, having started in October 2015 as Director of Labs. Prior to HubSpot, Nicholas served as President and Founder of boutique consultancy CentreSource Inc., providing product management & custom web/mobile applications. He also founded startup Populr, which allows users to create trackable, secure, & highly engaging micro-sites in a matter of minutes. Populr was then sold to Nashville-based nonprofit, Kindful.

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