Jon Picoult

In 2008-09, during the height of the Great Recession, Hyundai Motors increased its market share by a remarkable 40%. Starbucks lost half its market value during that same economic downturn, yet emerged stronger from the recession, outperforming the S&P 500 by more than six-fold.

Just a few years after the Covid-19 pandemic’s Great Cessation decimated the air travel industry, Delta Airlines bounced back strong, delivering a shareholder return that was more than twice that of its peer group.

These are just three examples of companies that skillfully leveraged Customer Experience strategic principles to not just survive a period of crisis, but to thrive in the aftermath. In this fascinating and timely program, Jon reveals the techniques that smart companies use to strengthen customer loyalty during even the most challenging times.

Topics typically covered in this program include:

• What historical data tells us about how CX-leading companies perform during downturns.
• Why a great CX helps insulate companies from the worst effects of a recession.
• The importance of addressing customers’ emotional (not just rational) needs during crises.
• The remarkable impact of customer advocacy during emotionally-charged times.
• How to cultivate game-changing customer insight that helps drive CX innovation.

If you’re aspiring to satisfy your customers, then you’re aspiring to mediocrity. That’s the intriguing premise behind this keynote, and it will fundamentally change how you think about creating a successful, beloved business.

Jon explains why building customer loyalty requires not just satisfying customers, but impressing them – forging indelible memories that drive repurchase and referral behavior (the lifeblood of any thriving business). With fascinating case studies and engaging stories, Jon shares key elements of his “12 Principle” framework – science-based strategies that legendary companies use to create truly impressive brand experiences…the kind that turn more sales prospects into customers, and more customers into lifelong fans.

Whether you serve external or internal customers, you’ll emerge from this program with specific, actionable ideas for turning your organization’s customer experience into its greatest competitive advantage.

Topics typically covered in this program include:

• What great companies know about the difference between customer experience (CX) and customer service.
• How great experiences boost financial results and accelerate business growth.
• The current state of CX in the marketplace and the competitive opportunity it implies.
• The link between a company’s employee experience and its customer experience.
• The 12 time-tested principles used by legendary companies to differentiate their CX.

The key to delivering a great customer experience?  It’s all in your head!  That’s because creating a great impression on customers isn’t just about shaping their experiences, it’s about shaping their memories.

In this intriguing program, Jon explores a central tenet of his customer experience philosophy – the notion that customers’ memories can be strategically “sculpted” to create competitive advantage. When done correctly, it means people will remember the best parts of their experience with your business, while the less favorable parts will evaporate from their recollection.  It’s a technique that has obvious benefits for how customers perceive a brand, as well as their willingness to engage with it in the future.

How do you create a workplace that works – for both employees and customers?  It requires aligning all of an organization’s “backstage” components (e.g., hiring practices, performance metrics, reward systems, etc.) with the “onstage” customer experience you aspire to deliver. That’s easier said than done – which is why, when businesses achieve such alignment, it creates sustainable competitive advantage.

In this thought-provoking keynote, Jon describes the critical role business leaders play in engineering that alignment, thereby shaping a workplace that fosters customer experience excellence.

Lots of companies fly the “easy to do business with” banner. Few ever actually fulfill that promise, as most consumers can attest.  In this captivating talk, Jon will challenge your audience to raise the bar – showing them how to make it not just easy for customers to do business…but truly effortless.

Using eye-opening statistics and amusing real-world examples, Jon explains why an effortless customer experience is such a rare and powerful competitive differentiator. He describes the two primary sources of loyalty-sapping effort (physical and cognitive) and shares actionable strategies for mitigating both.

Many businesses focus on what they do, but fewer focus on why they do it. In this presentation, Jon opens people’s eyes to the powerful concept of a purpose-driven brand – that is, an organization whose “reason for being” goes well beyond the traditional measures of success (e.g., creating shareholder value or growing revenues).

The purpose-driven approach has worked exceptionally well for companies spanning a variety of industries – Patagonia, USAA, and Southwest Airlines among them. This program includes mini case studies of those organizations and others which have established a compelling brand purpose that engages customers and employees alike.

Topics typically covered in this program include:

• What is “purpose” and how does it differ from “mission”?
• Why is purpose so vital – to leaders, employees and customers.
• Why is purpose good for business?
• How should an organization go about defining its purpose?
• The “5 D’s” – essential principles for creating and fulfilling a purpose-driven brand.

Many businesses are routinely ignoring one of their most important customers. As a result, they’re not only tarnishing their brand, but they’re also losing the war for talent. Learn how you can turn administrative recruiting touchpoints into persuasive marketing opportunities that draw talented people into your organization.

Based on Jon Picoult’s popular New York Times feature, this presentation offers a compelling case for viewing employment candidates as customers. The program also highlights the often overlooked connection between job applicants and actual customers, demonstrating how recruiting interactions can influence your company’s brand and shape consumer perceptions.

Topics typically covered in this program include:

• Why the “applicant experience” is broader and more influential than you think.
• Why talent acquisition is a business like any other – product, provider and customer.
• What job applicants think of companies’ current recruiting experiences.
• What companies have to gain from a great applicant experience.
• How customer experience management principles can be applied to the recruiting arena.