#44: The Digital First Customer Experience with International Bestselling Author, Joe Wheeler

Joe Wheeler, international bestselling author, technology innovator, consultant, and speaker. Joe has recently written a groundbreaking book called "Digital First Customer Experience: Seven Design Strategies From the World's Leading Brands." Throughout this episode, Joe shares valuable insights and practical tips on how companies can leverage digital strategies to create highly scalable and repeatable experiences for their customers. Joe also highlights some remarkable success stories from companies like Lemonade, Amazon, Starbucks and Nike, demonstrating how they have revolutionized customer experiences through digital design strategies. We delve into the importance of personalization, with Spotify serving as a standout example in the field. But it's not just about technology and digital solutions. We explore: the importance of understanding customer loyalty drivers  the significance of addressing customer problems the potential pitfalls of falling in love with the product instead of focusing on customer needs The future of technology, including the imminent arrival of 6G and the convergence of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and edge-based computing Join us as we dive deep into the world of digital first customer experiences, uncovering the secrets to delighting customers and turning them into loyal fans. Get ready for a thought-provoking and informative conversation with Joe Wheeler on this episode of the Delighted Customers Podcast! Meet Joe Joe Wheeler is an internationally recognized best-selling author, speaker, and consultant. He is the CEO of CX/Digital a subsidiary of The Service Profit Chain Institute (SPCI), a Boston-based consulting firm he co-founded with Professors Len Schlesinger, James Heskett and W. Earl Sasser of the Harvard Business School. In 2002, he and Shaun Smith co-authored the best-seller: Managing the Customer Experience. He followed it up in 2008 with The Ownership Quotient, co-authored with James Hesket and Earl Sasser, Jr. His latest book, The Digital-First Customer Experience will be released in July of 2023, and describes the design strategies of leading brands including Nike, Amazon, CEMEX, Starbucks and others. Mr. Wheeler has delivered keynotes to clients and at conferences around the world on topics including, customer experience, digital leadership and corporate culture. Joe has worked with AT&T, Bank of America, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Digital Realty, Equinix, GoDaddy, Humana, Irving Oil, Maersk. NetOne, Panera Bread, World Fuel Ser- vices and many more. He is also the Founder and Chairman of Bluemvmt, a company with a mission to protect, restore and harness ocean resources for both commercial and conservation outcomes. Prior to co-founding The Service Profit Chain Institute, he held executive roles at Bank of America, The Forum Corporation and earned an MBA from Edinburgh Business School. He lives in both Massachusetts and Nova Scotia when he is not on his way to or from a client event. Time Stamps [00:03:11] Grew up in family business, wrote books. [00:07:21] Controversy around technology replacing frontline staff. [00:12:51] Digital-first challenges for legacy companies summarized. [00:15:20] Key loyalty drivers revealed through research. Be wary of misinterpreting customer feedback. [00:20:58] Culture, climate change, technology, and 6G speed. [00:22:58] Six G will be 30 times faster. Competition and digital asset linkage are key. [00 Subscribe to The Delighted Customer Podcast so you don't miss an episode: https://www.empoweredcx.com/podcast Subscribe to The Delighted Customer Newsletter for practical tips and insights: https://www.empoweredcx.com/delightedcustomersnewsletter