The conversation begins with Jeff detailing his excitement about the customer experience’s potential to drive growth. Through brand marketing, Jeff found that one way to strengthen a brand’s influence was to curate customer interactions. He and Andy discuss the skills and mindsets that companies should be adopting to deliver incredible customer experiences, and Jeff stresses the importance of marrying the art and science of understanding consumers. They also dissect the relationship between the customer experience and the employee experience. The conversation concludes as Jeff fields questions from Molly Rapert’s Walton College students and shares closing thoughts.

Key Takeaways:

0:43 - Introduction to Jeff Swearingen and the episode ahead

2:20 - Jeff describes when his excitement for customer experience began

3:36 - What new customer-centric skills and mindsets companies will need to adopt

8:58 - How Jeff balances dissatisfiers and creating new experiences

14:20 - communicating the importance of customer experience without a clear ROI

19:15 - The relationship between the employee and the customer experience

23:26 - COVID’s potential effects on marketing and what students can do to prepare

27:56 - Jeff’s favorite role with PepsiCo 

35:18 - The measure and definition of success and how it has changed

40:12 - Balancing your achievements and your true north as a leader

Links:

Learn more about Jeff Swearingen.

Learn more about Andy Murray.

Learn more about the It’s a Customer’s World podcast.

Learn more about the University of Arkansas and its Customer Centric Leadership Initiative.

Learn more about the University of Arkansas’ business school, Walton College.