Outlook

I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For:

In business, as in life, there is an intrinsic fear of becoming obsolete. This fear creates a drive to label things as "innovative." It's an adjective I see everywhere, both in the technology world and elsewhere.

Benchmark

Tapping Into Customer-Driven Innovation:

Companies that are truly customer-centric balance internally generated innovation with new ideas and advances from customers themselves.

Milestones in Modern Customer Experience:

Download the PDF to see the most important inventions and discoveries that have impacted the customer experience over the past 150 years.

Perspectives

A Lesson from Google on Marketing Innovation:

Google Vice President of Sales and Service Jim Lecinski spends much of his time exploring innovation within the realm of marketing. As he sees it, the ultimate goal of marketing is steadfast—gather insights about customers and the market, then act based on those insights in a way that drives ideal consumer behavior. Innovation lies in how that idea is put into practice.

Learning Innovation: Moving Away from Normalcy:

Many businesses recognize that when implemented well, new tools and technologies can drastically improve customer experience. However, many business leaders are still reluctant to recognize that the same tools can transform employee training. It’s a new world, yet many are still using old-fashioned methodologies for employee training.

There’s No One Way to Innovate:

Innovation at Google requires a mix of industry and technological experts, right- and left-brained thinking, and innate curiosity to be ready to move on the next big thing.

Customer Experience Innovation: No Genius Required:

If you want to create a new market like Apple, or “only” have a 97 percent to 98 percent year-over-year customer retention rate like USAA, you don’t need to find a CEO who’s an inspirational genius. Instead, you need to incorporate sound, repeatable customer experience practices into your business.

Mastering the Art of Scientific Marketing:

Few marketing leaders take a deliberate and systematic approach to plan, execute, and review the success of their marketing activities. Even fewer truly understand the underlying reasons for their successes or failures. Management by “gut feel,” prior experience, or pure luck is still widespread among marketers. So why are they surprised when they must fight to win the support of the CEO and other senior management?

Case Studies

la Caixa Shares Three Drivers of Customer Innovation:

Innovation is not just a means to an end. Instead, innovation is an attitude that has to be ingrained within the core of a company. That is what leaders at Spanish bank la Caixa believe. For the bank, innovation is an attitude at work.

Innovating in a Multichannel Environment:

la Caixa strives to be constantly ahead of the curve, providing customers with novel service channels.

Microsoft Looks to the Cloud to Build Customer Relationships :

Microsoft is innovating once again. The software giant is beginning a transformation from a product-led culture to one designed around service.

C-Suite Strategy

Getting Behind the Wheel of Innovation:

Ford CTO Paul Mascarenas talks about how Ford listens to customers to determine their needs and get new ideas, how the organization puts the power of choice in the hands of customers, and how the company invests in research to remain innovative.

Innovate Beyond Cool to Sustain Growth:

Du Chief Strategy & Investments Officer Raghu Venkataraman says that innovation means empowering customers and keeping your sights on what really matters to core business operations.

Patient-Centric Innovation Leads the Fight Against Cancer:

When centered on patient innovation, healthcare providers anywhere in the world can operate successfully, exceed financial goals, and deliver patient expectations. Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) is one healthcare organization that has implemented several enterprisewide innovative practices for listening to its customers, empowering employees, and rewarding them for meeting customers’ needs.

Proof Points

1to1 Customer Champions Share Customer Innovation Trends:

Representing a variety of industries, from retail and media to automotive and B2B client service, each 1to1 Customer Champion shares a unique perspective on the role innovation plays at their companies.

Strategy Speaks

Twenty Years Later, Customer Trust Is Even More Important:

The new "One to One Future"embraces the idea of strong customer relationships built on trust.

Industry Insight

Creating a 5-Star Health Insurer:

Innovation in the healthcare industry typically refers to new treatment strategies or breakthrough drugs. But for some health insurance companies, innovation can mean something different. Improving operations, efficiencies, and the overall customer experience can have an immediate impact on consumers as well as the balance sheet.

The Added Benefits of 5 Stars:

While bonus payouts are a great incentive to improve the Medicare patient experience, there are other benefits to a five-star rating from CMS.

What’s Keeping Banks From Reaching Their Innovation Potential in Social Media?:

It’s time for banks to dip more than a toe in the water if they want to reap the potential rewards of social media strategy.

Social Media Energizes Traditional Banking Strategy:

Boubyan Bank Deputy CEO Abdullah Al Najran shares his thoughts on the intersection of traditional and innovative forms of customer strategy, specifically social media.

Study Shows Potential for Social Media in Emerging Markets :

When it comes to banking, the study shows that there is opportunity to increase consumer awareness and engagement.

Here and “Wow”: How Superior Customer Experience Drives Retention:

We talked to senior leaders at companies known for their customer experience excellence to find out what “wows” their customers and how that impacts their overall business.