Annette Franz
CMSWire.com
California, United States
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Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
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Past articles by Annette:
Customer Data: 8 Rights Don't Make It Wrong
How do you deliver and design a great connected customer experience? You gotta have the "right" data. → Read More
Making Decisions Through the Lens of Your Core Values
Organizations that leverage values-based decision making can walk away with a lot of benefits. → Read More
Connected Customers, Connected Data, Connected Journeys
To understand and cater to today’s constantly-connected customers, brands must look at the entire connected customer journey, not just individual touchpoints. → Read More
Four Inputs of a Customer-Centric Culture Transformation
I originally wrote today’s post for Shep Hyken’s blog. It appeared on his site on May 29, 2020. There’s a lot of talk about customer-centricity and customer-centric organizations, but what does that really mean? Sadly, many people think that it’s all about just giving the customer what she wants, saying “yes,” and bending over backwards for her. That’s not it at all. If your business is… → Read More
Prioritization and Decision-Making Tools: The Eisenhower Matrix
Decisions, decisions, decisions. As customer experience professionals, we have decisions to make; we need to help our executives make decisions; and prioritization is an important part of our decision-making process. Tools to be more efficient and effective with our time and our efforts are priceless! I’ve written before about prioritizing your customer experience improvement initiatives using… → Read More
Seven Elements Needed To Refresh Your Brand
I originally published today’s post on Forbes. It appeared on their site on April 27, 2020. Is it time for a brand refresh? I know that’s probably not top of mind for you at this very moment, given the current crisis facing the world, but maybe it should be. Business will be back to normal again in the near future. Don’t put off thinking about how you’ll come out of this or how you should be… → Read More
Customer-Centricity: Principles, Practices, and Outcomes
I originally published today’s post on Forbes. This is a modified version of the post that appeared on their site on February 18, 2020. Customer-centricity is an often misused term, but it actually has a pretty straightforward definition: put the customer at the center of all the business does. (It does not mean that we will always say “Yes” to everything the customer asks for, nor does it mean… → Read More
CX Journey™ Musings: On the Basis of CX
Ruth Bader Ginsburg: “A court ought not be affected by the weather of the day, but will be by the climate of the era.” Martin Ginsburg: “The law is never finished. It is a work in progress, and ever will be.” (On the Basis of Sex, 2018) Just like your customer experience journey. In a world where products and services are becoming more and more commoditized every day, customer experience is… → Read More
Influencer Marketing’s Huge Impact on Customer Experience
I’m pleased to share another guest post by Lexie Lu of Design Roast. Influencers help people better understand the product you’re selling. The customer sees videos and photos or gets tips on how to use the item before purchasing it. This information provides a mini-training session on how to use the purchase and improves the customer experience (CX) because consumers go into the situation with… → Read More
Defining and Communicating Your Intended Customer Experience
I originally wrote today’s post for the CXPA. It appeared on the CXPA site on April 15, 2020, as part of a series on CX as a Strategy for Resilience. Be sure to check out the entire series. Emotions play a huge role in the overall customer experience. Many would argue that emotions are really the foundation of the experience and drive advocacy and future purchase decisions. I’m fully on board… → Read More
Defining and Communicating Your Intended Customer Experience
I originally wrote today’s post for the CXPA. It appeared on the CXPA site on April 15, 2020, as part of a series on CX as a Strategy for Resilience. Be sure to check out the entire series. Emotions play a huge role in the overall customer experience. Many would argue that emotions are really the foundation of the experience and drive advocacy and future purchase decisions. I’m fully on board… → Read More
Journey Mapping Workshops: Do You Have the Right Participants?
Do you have the right people in the room for your journey mapping workshops? I’m often asked about who should participate in journey mapping workshops. The obvious answer is the customer – or so you’d think. Let’s take a look at who should be in the room (in-person or virtual). Workshop Attendees Next, you’ve got to determine who will participate in the workshop. Besides the core CX team, there… → Read More
3 Areas Marketers Must Focus on in the Age of the Connected Customer
I originally published today’s post for Oracle CX. It appeared on their site on March 20, 2019. The connected customer is always consuming information and leaving digital fingerprints, providing two data streams that modern marketers must access and then integrate into their planning. As the connected customer peruses apps and channels, posts content, and plans purchases, marketers need to meet… → Read More
5+ Ways to Socialize and Operationalize Your Core Values
I originally published today’s post on Forbes. It appeared on their site on November 18, 2019. I’ve made some additions and edits since writing the original, so this is a slightly modified version of that post. Whether your business is large medium, or small, when it comes to developing a customer-centric organization, the soul of that transformation journey really is your corporate culture.… → Read More
5+ Ways to Socialize and Operationalize Your Core Values
I originally published today’s post on Forbes. It appeared on their site on November 18, 2019. I’ve made some additions and edits since writing the original, so this is a slightly modified version of that post. Whether your business is large, medium, or small, when it comes to developing a customer-centric organization, the soul of that transformation journey really is your corporate culture.… → Read More
In Business, They Are All Uncertain Times
I recently listened to an Inc.com RealTalk Business Reboot webinar with Simon Sinek in which he talked about how leaders inspire, even in times of crisis. He talked about how some folks have asked him questions about leadership and what to do in “these uncertain times.” I loved his response: “They are ALL uncertain times!“ If you’re a business owner – especially a small business owner – you know… → Read More
Customer Experience: Communication in Times of Uncertainty (and Beyond)
I originally wrote today’s post for CCW Digital. It appeared on their site on March 18, 2020. I’ve updated it to reflect some things we’ve seen and learned since then. Employee experience and customer experience are always important, but how brands approach them – how they demonstrate that they are all about people first – during times of uncertainty can really showcase who the people-centric… → Read More
10 Ways to Create a Sustainable Business Model Your Customers Will Want to Support
I’m pleased to share another guest post by Lexie Lu of Design Roast. More than 90% of sustainably marketed products have outpaced sales growth in their respective categories between 2013 and 2018. On average, these products grow 5.6 times faster than conventionally marketed goods. Consumers want to support companies that show social and environmental responsibility — and they’re voting with… → Read More
Unified CX: Real World Examples
A couple weeks ago, Sarah Simon shared her thoughts on warring factions experienced within many corporations around the world, specifically, the lack of unity between CX teams and other parts of the organization that are also trying to understand the customer and deliver a better experience. Her key takeaway was spot on: > Stop arguing about which of you is the “real” CX team. The customer… → Read More
Proactive or Reactive CX? CX Strategy and Skills “Then” vs. Now
In this week’s guest post, we continue the series with five customer experience industry veterans sharing their experiences from previous crises to help get through the current crisis. This post was written by Stephanie Thum, CCXP – with contributions from Jeannie Walters, CCXP; Karyn Furstman, CCXP; Ingrid Lindberg; and yours truly. Being proactive rather than reactive is usually how most… → Read More