#71: The Contagious Enthusiasm and Customer Intimacy Quadrant with Mary Poppen

The Delighted Customers Podcast with Mark Slatin

Employee experience and customer experience outcomes are inextricably linked. That data (going back to the Service Profit Chain) provides evidence of that correlation. But there's a lot of confusion about the difference between employee experience and employee engagement and the impact that each has on CX. Employee Engagement is too often overlooked in terms of it's importance to the customer experience and financial performance. In this episode with Employee Engagement expert, Mary Poppen, President, Employee Experience Division, HRizons, and Professor of Practice, CXM Master's program at Michigan State University, unpacks how to get to the magical state where "contagious enthusiasm and customer intimacy live." Also in this episode:

• Defining and differentiating employee experience and engagement
• Avoiding Engagement Pitfalls: Learn how to navigate common mistakes like uniform incentive structures and insufficient listening channels that undermine true connection with your workforce.
• Building Virtual Bridges: In a remote work era, one-on-one meetings are more than just touchpoints; they are lifelines that foster support and connection amidst isolation.
• The Intimacy Factor**: Explore how trust and understanding in professional relationships enhance recognition and nurture a supportive work environment.

Meet Mary Mary Poppen is President of HRIZONS Employee Experience and Professor of Practice at Michigan State University teaching in the Customer Experience Management (CXM) Master’s Degree program. She is also a CS Angel investor. Prior to her current focus, Mary was Glint’s Chief Customer Officer at LinkedIn and Chief Customer Officer for SAP’s Global Cloud business before that. Mary holds a Master’s Degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and has over 20 years of customer delivery, business consulting and executive leadership experience. She is a well-recognized customer and employee experience thought leader, speaking at global events and authoring several publications in this space. She recently published a book entitled “Goodbye, Churn. Hello, Growth!” In addition to her current roles, Mary enjoys serving as a Board Advisor and executive coach, and has a passion for giving back through female mentorship programs. In her spare time, Mary enjoys traveling with her husband and two sons, playing Pickleball, and wine-tasting with friends.

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