Ian Golding
CustomerThink
United Kingdom
Contact Ian
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Past articles by Ian:
“That’s Our Policy” — The Secret Killer of Customer Experiences
It may not surprise you, but I am not the world’s easiest customer to deal with! If Golding family outings were observed from afar, it is not uncommon to witness an exasperated Mrs Golding and embarrassed children, scolding me for reacting to experiences that fail to meet my very high expectations! I often try to explain to them that a customer experience professional’s brain NEVER turns off,… → Read More
The future of VOC measurement – don’t let organisations do it themselves!
When it comes to the subject of Customer Experience (CX), everyone has an opinion. Differing opinions are not a bad thing – it is incredibly healthy for there to be differing perspectives on all things in this life. Whilst I will not bore you with my personal opinions on staple subjects such as politics (especially in the shadow of Brexit!!) or religion, I will always share my opinions on my… → Read More
The current state of Customer Experience in Retail: The ForeSee Experience Index (FXI)
The business world as we have always known it is changing. Many would argue that is always has been – changing that is. Since the dawn of time, human beings have been interacting with each other, exchanging money for goods and services. Only yesterday, a contact of mine shared an article with me about, what is believed to be, the world’s first ever customer complaint….. 4,000 years ago!!… → Read More
The current state of Customer Experience in Retail: The ForeSee Experience Index (FXI)
The business world as we have always known it is changing. Many would argue that is always has been – changing that is. Since the dawn of time, human beings have been interacting with each other, exchanging money for goods and services. Only yesterday, a contact of mine shared an article with me about, what is believed to be, the world’s first ever customer complaint….. 4,000 years ago!!… → Read More
What really makes customers happy?
Over time, several words have been used to describe the organisational focus on customers. They include: * Customer Experience * Customer Focus * Customer Centricity * Customer Service * Customer Success * Customer Outcomes * Customer Relationship Management * Customer Management I am sure you can add more to the list! The fact that there are so many variants, at least demonstrates that the… → Read More
The Power of Partnership: Enabling Action Through Collaboration
This is not the first article I have written about collaboration. Regular followers of my ramblings will have seen the words, “silo” and “cross-functional” woven into many of my written and spoken engagements over the years. I make no secret of the fact that I consider one of the greatest barriers to driving a sustainable focus on customer experience is the inability of organisations to… → Read More
How NOT to survive in a disrupted world – the case study of UK retailer, FatFace
The word ‘disruption’ is one of the most commonly used with reference to business and commerce around the world today. It des not matter which industry your organisation is a part of, every traditional business is being challenged in ways they could never have imagined when they were founded – whether it be as long as one hundred years ago, or as recently as ten years ago. In April 2018 I wrote… → Read More
How NOT to survive in a disrupted world – the case study of UK retailer, FatFace
The word ‘disruption’ is one of the most commonly used with reference to business and commerce around the world today. It des not matter which industry your organisation is a part of, every traditional business is being challenged in ways they could never have imagined when they were founded – whether it be as long as one hundred years ago, or as recently as ten years ago. In April 2018 I wrote… → Read More
Turning Customer Happiness Into A Sustainable Reality For Your Business
The thing a customer is most likely to remember about their experience with an organization is "the way the experience made them feel." → Read More
The Accidental Customer Experience
I often write my blog posts and articles whilst travelling on either a train or an aeroplane. Although I can also be found hunched over my laptop keyboard in hotel rooms at twilight hours, the confined space of a metal tube travelling at high speeds is the perfect environment for me to commit my thoughts into words. The irony (life is full of so many of them) in me choosing to make use of… → Read More
So What?! There are plenty more customers where he came from!
Since I published my new book at the end of April, I have intentionally held off adding to my social media content. In fact this post will be the first in June 2018! The hiatus in my writing does not mean I have run out of things to say on the subject of customer experience (CX) (boo, say some; hurrah, say others!) – far from it! In fact, so much is happening in industries around the world, I… → Read More
Doing the right things the right way. An interview with Genevieve Bruketa-Baskovic
The launch of my first book has finally become a reality! ‘Customer What? The honest and practical guide to customer experience’ was published at the end of April 2018. I would never have been able to achieve my ambition without the support of many people. A significant amount of support came via my crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter. I feel genuinely blessed that so many people believed in… → Read More
Thinking and acting in the interests of the customer. Have you enabled your people to do it?
I first started writing my blog six years ago. Since that time, I have crafted hundreds of articles – producing them, almost religiously, on a weekly basis. Regularly, I am asked how I generate the ideas behind the articles – ‘do I have a plan and schedule for the year?’. No – is the simple answer. When customer experience is your passion; your vocation; and you have a desire to share thought,… → Read More
Transform or Die! Business Transformation is No Longer Optional
We live in a business world full of disruption. Whether you work in financial services, manufacturing, logistics or retail, no business today can ignore the rapid pace of change facing us all. Very much led by the never-ending advancement of digital technology, the business landscape and the challenges facing it, seem to change on a monthly basis. As little as twenty years ago, organisations… → Read More
The realities of life as a Customer Experience Professional – an interview with Richard Shenton
As the launch of my first book get’s ever closer to becoming a reality, my level of personal excitement is almost at its peak!! However, I would never have got to the point of being on the brink of achieving my ambition without the support of many people. A significant amount of support came via my crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter. I feel genuinely blessed that so many people believed in… → Read More
The desire to make a difference in creating a customer-oriented culture – an interview with Kathy van de Laar
This year, Ian Golding (that’s me), will officially become the author of a book. A lifetimes ambition, I am beyond excited!! However, I would never have got to the point of being on the brink of achieving my ambition without the support of many people. A significant amount of support came via my crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter. I feel genuinely blessed that so many people believed in what I… → Read More
Customer unhappiness and how to create it. A masterclass by Emirates
Before I even start this article, I must make it clear that Emirates are not the only airline to make customers unhappy. In fact, they are far from being alone in any industry around the world at creating masterclasses in customer dissatisfaction. The airline industry does seem to excel at providing examples of shocking and inhumane treatment of people – the very people who hand over large sums… → Read More
The Customer Experience Million Dollar Question: Will my customer come back?
I make no secret of my love for all things culinary. In fact, if I did not also have a passion for running, I would quite literally be the size of a rather large house! Like everything else we do as human beings, the ‘eating out’ experience is made up of several stages and touch points – the eating bit is just one of them. Eating in a restaurant is often an indulgent treat – not a necessity –… → Read More
The Interconnected Employee-Customer Chain. Are Your Customer Experiences Supported by ALL Employees, Partners, and Suppliers?
I am extremely fortunate to be afforded the opportunity to share my knowledge and passion all over the world. This year, the number of countries I have worked in over the last 6 years will hit the 40 mark. However, whilst I will never take for granted how lucky I am being able to travel around the globe, it is not quite as glamorous as you might think. Those who have never travelled extensively… → Read More
The customer conniption! Identifying the ‘final straw’ moment
Every day, every week, every month, every year, I learn something new. It is one of the reasons I obsess with calling myself a ‘specialist’, not an ‘expert’. Specialists never stop learning and I am regularly reminded that there nuggets of knowledge waiting around every corner. A few weeks ago, a fellow Customer Experience Specialist – an amazing lady called Jan Richards – passed on one such… → Read More