Bob Champagne
I’ve Got Your Number- The simple touches that are redefining “WOW”
It was once about the heroics… Of all the business functions discussed in the arena of performance improvement over the years, Customer Service has certainly gotten its fair share. But lately, with the rapidly growing range of new enabling technologies, and an accelerated adoption rate...
Sure, I’ll jump right on that!!!
Inspiring Action- An Art or a Science? I'll jump right on that!! Five simple words that can either convey the attitude of a person eager and motivated to get something done, or a sarcastic way of declining a request based on it being either...
Balancing Operational, Product and Customer Priorities
Choosing your "strategic bias"… We've had more than a few conversations with clients of late that revolve around the subject of core competency. What is it today? What should it be? What do we want it to be? Must we choose between product innovation, customer...
Deafening Silence — Failing to communicate in times of chaos
Climate chaos wreaks havoc again… Once again, the Champagne family has fallen victim to climate change in the Northeast, or at least two unfortunate weather incidents, whichever your personal/political inclinations require. First came hurricane Irene, and then, last week, the early fall snowstorm. Fortunately for...
Customer Nirvana -When great products meet awesome service
Improving service — it's a start… Most of my posts on this blog are focused on how to improve business processes, especially those that influence customers directly. We talk extensively here about the importance of tracking the right KPIs, effective measurement and analysis of...
Metrics that make you go
Inspiring or Uninspiring? ...
Service In the Eye of the Storm
Stuff Happens… We've all been there. The cancelled flight. The lengthy power outage. The inconvenient disruption in internet communications. Higher than normal dropped cell calls. You'd think that whoever is calling the shots on the weather patterns lately would know the magnitude of ...
A CPO’s Declaration of Independence
At it's core, the word "independence" means being free of outside control or influence. We celebrate independence from many things, from the oppressive control of people and governments, to simply becoming independent from our once protective or "controlling" environments. Every 4th of July, we...
When Benchmarking Gets “In the Way” of Good Performance Management
Nearly three decades after benchmarking came on the scene, companies still claim it to be an integral part of their internal performance improvement processes. But few would argue that its value to the business is now well below where it once was. And sometimes,...
A Sticky Situation
My annual springtime gardening experiment… This past weekend, I was doing some backyard gardening in North Jersey- my futile attempt to convince myself that winter is over in the Northeast and that we are headed full-steam toward sunny skies and warmer temperatures. Of course, anyone...
Jump!!!
Using the "nightmare scenario" to catalyze change… Since I started my career 22 years ago, I've always been intrigued by the use of the proverbial "burning platform" as a motivational tactic for catalyzing and effecting change within organizations. Originally, the "burning platform" was simply a...
Does Size Really Matter?
A Little "Customer Voyeurism"… Last week, my family and I took a vacation to visit some of my in-laws in California. For those of you who know me, you'll appreciate the fact that any trip for me is an opportunity for a little "customer voyeurism."...
Performance Lessons From “The Masters”
"A Tradition like no other"… Well, folks, it's "Masters Week" once again, the time of year when Augusta, that little town in southern Georgia, comes to life in an awe inspiring array of colors and sounds that usher in the early days of spring, and...
Customer Engagement and Efficiency- Are these conflicting priorities?
The Challenges of Funding a CEM Strategy… A few weeks back, I was talking to a client about their latest strategies to enhance what is now known commonly as "the customer experience." And like most companies that are working tirelessly on driving their customers...
The Primary Fuel of Dissatisfaction
Following up on an earlier post, the question of what really "fuels" dissatisfaction has been a hard one to answer because it is both multidimensional (I.e. There is no single source of discontent) and unique to the individual customer. That notwithstanding, I do believe...
Promises & Commitments- A powerful combination in driving performance excellence
Promises, Commitments, and Peak Performance… From a performance perspective, failures and breakdowns (whether they occur in operational processes, business negotiations, or our everyday relationships with colleagues, friends, or family) often fail for one simple reason: "The failure to make and manage commitments effectively!" That's not...