Thinking

We know that treating customers as stakeholders is more important than ever, but as we enter into a new year of uncertainty, the path toward getting there might feel foggy.

In today's fast and ever-changing climate, connecting with consumers can feel like pinning a moving target. On top of that, consumers are demanding new levels of authenticity to brands they once held loyal.

As the methods of conducting market research become more and more virtual, our consumers—more than ever—are voicing a desire to be valued as more than a source of revenue; but as stakeholders.

For years, CX thought leaders have stressed the impact of the employee experience on customer experience. But what is rarely discussed is the missing link between the two; purpose.

We know by now that having a customer-centric corporate purpose is integral to business success. But in today’s everchanging climate, establishing such purpose is not enough.

At inception, every company starts with a set of values and principles that fulfill on a customer need. But as companies grow in scale, those original values often become diluted.

Raised in the age of smartphones and social media, Gen Z is shaping the future like never before; and conventional market research methods are not going far enough.

While traditional ask-answer approaches for qualitative research moderators will still exist, the time is now to look at opportunities for more meaningful connections.

When a customer feels valued, they will in turn provide higher value and deeper insights to an organization; it's that simple.

A company’s resilience and longevity are often contingent on leadership ability to handle adversity. But adversity comes in different shapes and sizes, so how do leaders respond to crises and how do they adapt when business landscapes evolve?

Along with the shift to stakeholder capitalism, corporate purpose beyond profit continues to rise in prominence. But how effectively do these investments deliver on business outcomes?

How can leaders ensure business resilience when their worlds aren’t right-side up? Read as we discuss four basic principles she leans on in times of elevated uncertainty to propel a company forward.

Like so many other adjustments swiftly forced upon us, shifting from physical to virtual approaches in ethnography is imperative in order to connect with and learn from consumers. Discover four ways pivoting to virtual ethnography can bring new value, and even provide what we have been missing all along.

Many companies claim to be customer-centric, yet too many calculate their business prowess using internally-focused metrics. Learn how leveraging Customer Performance Indicators (CPIs) as success metrics can be transformative for both employee engagement and the ability to cultivate value for customers over the course of their lifetimes.

With the rise of cable-cutting and a growing generation of “cord nevers,” it’s clear the era of traditional mass messaging is over. Learn why brands need to fundamentally rethink strategies as we transition from mass messaging to targeted storytelling.

Focusing on employees and focusing on customers are not mutually exclusive—they’re highly synergistic. As we shift from responding to crisis to embracing this unprecedented era of change, we must also embrace moves to engage and empower our employees.

We can all agree this year has forced us to respond and adapt in ways faster than ever before. And make no mistake, uncertainty is here to stay.

As retailers and etailers struggle to keep products stocked, many of us can attest to forgoing our favorite brands for any available brand on the shelf.