Showing posts with label Kathleen Peterson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kathleen Peterson. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
NACCM 2009: A message from Kathleen Peterson
Kathleen Peterson, the 2009 NACCM: Customers 1st Conference Chair met with us this morning to let us know how the conference was going and what she's looking forward to over the next few days.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Customers 1st 2009 Podcasts: A Conversation with Kathleen Peterson: Part 5
I think it’s really important that we help the attendees understand that this conference covers so many areas that contributes to the human factors side, to the operations side, to the quality side, organizational side, there’s a huge opportunity for people to walk away with not only actions that they can take but also with new networking relationships that they can maintain.
As we get gear up for the 2009 NACCM: Customers 1st Event this year, we're going to be interviewing and getting to know the speakers and sponsors who will bring their perspectives on customer service to you. We recently sat down with chair Kathleen Peterson to talk about the event, both today and what has changed since she first chaired it back in 2003. This podcast is the final recording in the podcast, so check back next week to hear from another speaker from the Customers 1st Conference!
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What are some of the core messages you hope you can instill in attendees as the chair?
Kathleen Peterson: I think the core message of the conference, and as a chair, that’s my roll, is really to inspire. I hate to seem an evangelist about this. I really believe that if the attendee arrives at a conference such as this and is clear about their issues and what they care to learn about then they can design their own experience through the curriculum and through the networking opportunities to walk away with a specific set of action items that they can implement upon return. I think it’s really important that we help the attendees understand that this conference covers so many areas that contributes to the human factors side, to the operations side, to the quality side, organizational side, there’s a huge opportunity for people to walk away with not only actions that they can take but also with new networking relationships that they can maintain. I think a lot of folks that attend this conference are in senior positions and they can crate their own mini networks to challenge and brainstorm with one other. I think the message here is that you have to really understand what the potential for takeaways are. Think in terms of action, learn, participate and connect.
In addition to chairing the event, you’re presenting during a breakout session. What will that be about?
Kathleen Peterson: I am presenting with my colleague Deb Justice on the appropriate development of training curriculum. So not simply, I think the old approach as been “Ok, put your login ID in” people take systems and service and transactions separately within a training development. We are going to be talking about performance based learning. Performance based learning says that teaching needs to reflect the experience a learner is going to have on the job. We’re going to talk about the approach that one takes to that building a model for module development. A look at how to organize content, and then delivery channels around the content. What this does is create a formula, if you will, not only for developing new hire training, but developing ongoing training for the learning population within and enterprise. We’re very excited about it.
We’d like to thank Kathleen Peterson for speaking with us and a very special thank you to our listeners. Be sure to follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/customerworld.
See you in November!
As we get gear up for the 2009 NACCM: Customers 1st Event this year, we're going to be interviewing and getting to know the speakers and sponsors who will bring their perspectives on customer service to you. We recently sat down with chair Kathleen Peterson to talk about the event, both today and what has changed since she first chaired it back in 2003. This podcast is the final recording in the podcast, so check back next week to hear from another speaker from the Customers 1st Conference!
Subscribe Free
Add to my Page
What are some of the core messages you hope you can instill in attendees as the chair?
Kathleen Peterson: I think the core message of the conference, and as a chair, that’s my roll, is really to inspire. I hate to seem an evangelist about this. I really believe that if the attendee arrives at a conference such as this and is clear about their issues and what they care to learn about then they can design their own experience through the curriculum and through the networking opportunities to walk away with a specific set of action items that they can implement upon return. I think it’s really important that we help the attendees understand that this conference covers so many areas that contributes to the human factors side, to the operations side, to the quality side, organizational side, there’s a huge opportunity for people to walk away with not only actions that they can take but also with new networking relationships that they can maintain. I think a lot of folks that attend this conference are in senior positions and they can crate their own mini networks to challenge and brainstorm with one other. I think the message here is that you have to really understand what the potential for takeaways are. Think in terms of action, learn, participate and connect.
In addition to chairing the event, you’re presenting during a breakout session. What will that be about?
Kathleen Peterson: I am presenting with my colleague Deb Justice on the appropriate development of training curriculum. So not simply, I think the old approach as been “Ok, put your login ID in” people take systems and service and transactions separately within a training development. We are going to be talking about performance based learning. Performance based learning says that teaching needs to reflect the experience a learner is going to have on the job. We’re going to talk about the approach that one takes to that building a model for module development. A look at how to organize content, and then delivery channels around the content. What this does is create a formula, if you will, not only for developing new hire training, but developing ongoing training for the learning population within and enterprise. We’re very excited about it.
We’d like to thank Kathleen Peterson for speaking with us and a very special thank you to our listeners. Be sure to follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/customerworld.
See you in November!
Monday, July 27, 2009
Customers 1st 2009 Podcasts: A Conversation with Kathleen Peterson: Part 4
As we get gear up for the 2009 NACCM: Customers 1st Event this year, we're going to be interviewing and getting to know the speakers and sponsors who will bring their perspectives on customer service to you. We recently sat down with chair Kathleen Peterson to talk about the event, both today and what has changed since she first chaired it back in 2003. This podcast will have five parts, so check in next week for the final installment from Kathleen Peterson.
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Question: This year’s NACCM is all about what companies must focus on now, so that when the dust settles, they will emerge on better, stronger, more relevant than ever. It’s about short term actions now for long-term sustainability. Why do you think this focus is on point with what business leaders need now?
Kathleen Peterson: I think really we’re about what we already know, what do we need to know, what are we learning more about, what are we going to do, how did it work and what actions are we taking.
The bottom line comes down to if we don’t do it now, it could be never for some organizations. Because there is no [time], the delay, the analysis, a lot of those things were luxuries that we’re going not necessarily abandon but we’re certainly going to have to look at what has the past five years taught us. In terms of the approach we take to business and to learning. I think one of the number one takeaways from this is what have we learned? Every single day, people should be asking themselves what do I know today that I didn’t know yesterday? What is that, where is that relevant in terms of our short terms action, and how will this impact us over the long term. What do we need to change?
I think the whole concept of bringing people, management and staff members, everyone into the corral so that the energy is being built around what do we all do, how do we all contribute, how do we make all of our jobs easier in some ways. Because I think what we’re learning here, people used to say that their businesses were so complex. And now they’ve realized they’re complicated. We not complex, we’ve just complicated it. As we start to take apart processes, and we learn more about the learning of technology will become infinitely important for anybody in a position looking at marketing or customer centricity, customer service or customer care. We have to be in the process improvement business. If we’re going to be in the pursuit of process improvement, and we’re going to be committed to the a quality experience for our customers while simultaneously doing more with less, then we really need to be partnering with our IT folks about what technologies makes sense for our business. There are enormous promises that will save you money, make you more productive, improve your customer experience I think people need to make sure in this market, a good thing in some ways because we’re not too loose with the pocketbook, we’ve got to really make a case and say an investment here in a particular kind of technology that will enhance process to allow us to better service at a higher level of quality is going to be an investment that will have a significant return to us but I think it takes multiple parties. The days of the learners of the customer contact continuum, everyone has to get their needs clear, and their technology questions answers so they partner with their technical experts within their enterprise to make that work.
When we talk about training in Powerhouse, we talk about learning. Training is an event, but learning is the experience we want people to leave with. So the approaches and techniques and technologies associated with the ability to keep people current, up to date, and consistent in the relationships cross functionally is going to be critical. Because it is so often knowledge errors or communication errors that cause failures within the customer experience that needs to be ironed out. And I think sometimes people look at those, it may be something simple at first, but you realize over the longer term, errors have been reduced, customers need to call has been reduced, subsequently cost has been reduced and contact with customers has a much higher value. Contact with customers because of problem loses value every time they have to call you on that.
Business leaders now are going to have to come to a conference like this to learn what the other are doing, what works, what doesn’t work, how do we improve process, people and communication. And especially how do we improve operations. For years, this has not been sexy. But now, I think it’s going to become a very worthy investment. It’s not the big bang things that people do to make a difference. Now, it’s turning the dials. Making sure that all the dials are turned up, and everyone is marching in the same direction and singing from the same song sheet.
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Question: This year’s NACCM is all about what companies must focus on now, so that when the dust settles, they will emerge on better, stronger, more relevant than ever. It’s about short term actions now for long-term sustainability. Why do you think this focus is on point with what business leaders need now?
Kathleen Peterson: I think really we’re about what we already know, what do we need to know, what are we learning more about, what are we going to do, how did it work and what actions are we taking.
The bottom line comes down to if we don’t do it now, it could be never for some organizations. Because there is no [time], the delay, the analysis, a lot of those things were luxuries that we’re going not necessarily abandon but we’re certainly going to have to look at what has the past five years taught us. In terms of the approach we take to business and to learning. I think one of the number one takeaways from this is what have we learned? Every single day, people should be asking themselves what do I know today that I didn’t know yesterday? What is that, where is that relevant in terms of our short terms action, and how will this impact us over the long term. What do we need to change?
I think the whole concept of bringing people, management and staff members, everyone into the corral so that the energy is being built around what do we all do, how do we all contribute, how do we make all of our jobs easier in some ways. Because I think what we’re learning here, people used to say that their businesses were so complex. And now they’ve realized they’re complicated. We not complex, we’ve just complicated it. As we start to take apart processes, and we learn more about the learning of technology will become infinitely important for anybody in a position looking at marketing or customer centricity, customer service or customer care. We have to be in the process improvement business. If we’re going to be in the pursuit of process improvement, and we’re going to be committed to the a quality experience for our customers while simultaneously doing more with less, then we really need to be partnering with our IT folks about what technologies makes sense for our business. There are enormous promises that will save you money, make you more productive, improve your customer experience I think people need to make sure in this market, a good thing in some ways because we’re not too loose with the pocketbook, we’ve got to really make a case and say an investment here in a particular kind of technology that will enhance process to allow us to better service at a higher level of quality is going to be an investment that will have a significant return to us but I think it takes multiple parties. The days of the learners of the customer contact continuum, everyone has to get their needs clear, and their technology questions answers so they partner with their technical experts within their enterprise to make that work.
When we talk about training in Powerhouse, we talk about learning. Training is an event, but learning is the experience we want people to leave with. So the approaches and techniques and technologies associated with the ability to keep people current, up to date, and consistent in the relationships cross functionally is going to be critical. Because it is so often knowledge errors or communication errors that cause failures within the customer experience that needs to be ironed out. And I think sometimes people look at those, it may be something simple at first, but you realize over the longer term, errors have been reduced, customers need to call has been reduced, subsequently cost has been reduced and contact with customers has a much higher value. Contact with customers because of problem loses value every time they have to call you on that.
Business leaders now are going to have to come to a conference like this to learn what the other are doing, what works, what doesn’t work, how do we improve process, people and communication. And especially how do we improve operations. For years, this has not been sexy. But now, I think it’s going to become a very worthy investment. It’s not the big bang things that people do to make a difference. Now, it’s turning the dials. Making sure that all the dials are turned up, and everyone is marching in the same direction and singing from the same song sheet.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Customers 1st 2009 Podcasts: A Conversation with Kathleen Peterson: Part 3
As we get gear up for the 2009 NACCM: Customers 1st Event this year, we're going to be interviewing and getting to know the speakers and sponsors who will bring their perspectives on customer service to you. We recently sat down with chair Kathleen Peterson to talk about the event, both today and what has changed since she first chaired it back in 2003. This podcast will have six part, so check in next week for part four.
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Question: On the bright side of a downturn, there’s always been innovation, new ideas and growth from strong companies. What do you think will be some of the lessons learned from this downturn?
Kathleen Peterson: I think it’s interesting because it relates to the question we just talked about, when you think about what are some of the lessons that are going to be learned when we come out of this downturn. Some are going to be harsher than others. Some people are going to have to look back and think this is what I could have done. But I think when we talk about looking at strong companies and looking at growth and that survivor instinct, we’re really looking at a situation where less is more has become a reality. When you look at innovation or new ideas, those are very often going to be very much part of the look at how we do things not just what do we do. But how do we do them. How can we do them better? How can we blow them up and change what we’ve done all together? I think innovation really speaks not to how we do things, but how can we do them differently. And that I think is something this conference is giving people an opportunity to look at how other have made improvements or changes so that you maximize your investments in people so that they’re not wasting their time pushing papers or having elements within a processes that don’t add to the quality or experience, they only the cost. So I really think that what we’re looking is becoming more involved, more knowledgeable, and move to a much more collaborative kind of infrastructure in the enterprise. The gap needs to close between strategy and execution, and lot of this is going to happen on an operational basis. I think what we have a chance to do here, I think that one of the realities about this conference that I’ve always experienced that these are senior people. These people who attend have a tolerance for risk. They’re not reckless but they have innovated and launched new ideas successfully so the opportunity to listen to someone the folks and have the balance, against what are the people side of these innovations and opportunities, and that sort of all combines into one experience here and I think it’s an brilliant time for people who need an outlet. They need other people at their level and their experience level, with the same growth issues and maintenance issues. It’s a great opportunity to test the waters and understand what else is going on to help look at how do I make sure that the business part of the operation is in the eyeball of the executive level as a strategic asset instead of a back office overhead cost that’s required to be maintained. Those are the elements on the balance sheet that can be cut, and they can be costing us. Cost can be a noun or a verb. And if your operation is costing more money than it’s delivering in value, then that’s where the ax starts to fall first. I think the ability to innovate, get new ideas, positivity contribute to growth and keep narrowing the gap from strategy to execution. There’s a lot to learn about at this conference from a lot of folks in this capacity.
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Question: On the bright side of a downturn, there’s always been innovation, new ideas and growth from strong companies. What do you think will be some of the lessons learned from this downturn?
Kathleen Peterson: I think it’s interesting because it relates to the question we just talked about, when you think about what are some of the lessons that are going to be learned when we come out of this downturn. Some are going to be harsher than others. Some people are going to have to look back and think this is what I could have done. But I think when we talk about looking at strong companies and looking at growth and that survivor instinct, we’re really looking at a situation where less is more has become a reality. When you look at innovation or new ideas, those are very often going to be very much part of the look at how we do things not just what do we do. But how do we do them. How can we do them better? How can we blow them up and change what we’ve done all together? I think innovation really speaks not to how we do things, but how can we do them differently. And that I think is something this conference is giving people an opportunity to look at how other have made improvements or changes so that you maximize your investments in people so that they’re not wasting their time pushing papers or having elements within a processes that don’t add to the quality or experience, they only the cost. So I really think that what we’re looking is becoming more involved, more knowledgeable, and move to a much more collaborative kind of infrastructure in the enterprise. The gap needs to close between strategy and execution, and lot of this is going to happen on an operational basis. I think what we have a chance to do here, I think that one of the realities about this conference that I’ve always experienced that these are senior people. These people who attend have a tolerance for risk. They’re not reckless but they have innovated and launched new ideas successfully so the opportunity to listen to someone the folks and have the balance, against what are the people side of these innovations and opportunities, and that sort of all combines into one experience here and I think it’s an brilliant time for people who need an outlet. They need other people at their level and their experience level, with the same growth issues and maintenance issues. It’s a great opportunity to test the waters and understand what else is going on to help look at how do I make sure that the business part of the operation is in the eyeball of the executive level as a strategic asset instead of a back office overhead cost that’s required to be maintained. Those are the elements on the balance sheet that can be cut, and they can be costing us. Cost can be a noun or a verb. And if your operation is costing more money than it’s delivering in value, then that’s where the ax starts to fall first. I think the ability to innovate, get new ideas, positivity contribute to growth and keep narrowing the gap from strategy to execution. There’s a lot to learn about at this conference from a lot of folks in this capacity.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Customers 1st 2009 Podcasts: A Conversation with Kathleen Peterson: Part 2
As we get gear up for the 2009 NACCM: Customers 1st Event this year, we're going to be interviewing and getting to know the speakers and sponsors who will bring their perspectives on customer service to you. We recently sat down with chair Kathleen Peterson to talk about the event, both today and what has changed since she first chaired it back in 2003. This podcast will have six part, so check in next week for part three.
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Tell us why you feel this is THE year companies must focus on both their customer AND their people?
Kathleen: Well I think when you look at what’s going on from a strategic perspective, strategies at the senior level have become very customer centric. The strategic perspectives include both top and bottom line growth. The customer is obviously a central part to top line growth: increasing the number of customer we serve, increasing retention and increasing the share of wallet and they are all consideration in growing the top line. But the bottom line is in gaining efficiencies. So how do we contribute to revenue generating opportunities and the only way that has been proven is that we know people have execute strategies. We know in a lot of organizations, there are fewer people than there once were. So when we look at why it is important to both, you can’t focus on one and not the other. Because if you focus on efforts toward attracting and retaining your customers and you don’t allow for the requirements that your people have to execute that you know your efforts are for not. In some ways we were in sort of a “pretty” period, everyone was dancing in the woods and everything was wonderful. But now the excess is gone. And people come to work with brains. Everyone is really capable, I believe, of doing a good job and making a contribution. Our leaders in this business have to become really experts not only on the customer side but what do I need to do to inspire and motivate every single member of the team from top to bottom from cross functionally, cross departments, cross sites and enterprise how ever it’s going to work. From suppliers to customers to billing, everyone has to be on board and everyone has to understand it. Not that we can’t tolerate excesses but we can’t afford them anymore. We are going to look at the people processes in terms of how that supports the customer experiences that we’re committed to strategically.
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Tell us why you feel this is THE year companies must focus on both their customer AND their people?
Kathleen: Well I think when you look at what’s going on from a strategic perspective, strategies at the senior level have become very customer centric. The strategic perspectives include both top and bottom line growth. The customer is obviously a central part to top line growth: increasing the number of customer we serve, increasing retention and increasing the share of wallet and they are all consideration in growing the top line. But the bottom line is in gaining efficiencies. So how do we contribute to revenue generating opportunities and the only way that has been proven is that we know people have execute strategies. We know in a lot of organizations, there are fewer people than there once were. So when we look at why it is important to both, you can’t focus on one and not the other. Because if you focus on efforts toward attracting and retaining your customers and you don’t allow for the requirements that your people have to execute that you know your efforts are for not. In some ways we were in sort of a “pretty” period, everyone was dancing in the woods and everything was wonderful. But now the excess is gone. And people come to work with brains. Everyone is really capable, I believe, of doing a good job and making a contribution. Our leaders in this business have to become really experts not only on the customer side but what do I need to do to inspire and motivate every single member of the team from top to bottom from cross functionally, cross departments, cross sites and enterprise how ever it’s going to work. From suppliers to customers to billing, everyone has to be on board and everyone has to understand it. Not that we can’t tolerate excesses but we can’t afford them anymore. We are going to look at the people processes in terms of how that supports the customer experiences that we’re committed to strategically.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Customers 1st 2009 Podcasts: A Conversation with Kathleen Peterson
As we get gear up for the 2009 NACCM: Customers 1st Event this year, we're going to be interviewing and getting to know the speakers and sponsors who will bring their perspectives on customer service to you. We recently sat down with chair Kathleen Peterson to talk about the event, both today and what has changed since she first chaired it back in 2003. This podcast will have six part, so check in next week for part two.
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When you chaired NACCM last, NACCM has really grown up and evolved with the industry. Now it’s all about the attendee, creating a customizable, interactive experience. Tell us why you’re excited to return as chair this year and why you think this event is a MUST attend for all customer-centric leaders, particularly this year.
Kathleen Peterson:
I’ve always felt that this conference was the most focused experience for customer management leaders. It’s always been about the customer experience across the board and I think that when we look at what this current state that we’re in, it’s become more important than ever for professionals to come together to experience not only the experts but the networking and the one another and the bouncing ideas off of each other. This is really the opportunity for leaders to develop themselves more. A lot of the training and the leadership that these folks provide is often not returned within the enterprise which forces them to seek that kind of learning and overall learning experience externally. And of any conference that anyone could ever go to if the mission is to learn not only what theories are out there, but what realities and what practices have yielded good solid results, this is the only conference to do it at in my experience, and I have seen plenty of them.
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When you chaired NACCM last, NACCM has really grown up and evolved with the industry. Now it’s all about the attendee, creating a customizable, interactive experience. Tell us why you’re excited to return as chair this year and why you think this event is a MUST attend for all customer-centric leaders, particularly this year.
Kathleen Peterson:
I’ve always felt that this conference was the most focused experience for customer management leaders. It’s always been about the customer experience across the board and I think that when we look at what this current state that we’re in, it’s become more important than ever for professionals to come together to experience not only the experts but the networking and the one another and the bouncing ideas off of each other. This is really the opportunity for leaders to develop themselves more. A lot of the training and the leadership that these folks provide is often not returned within the enterprise which forces them to seek that kind of learning and overall learning experience externally. And of any conference that anyone could ever go to if the mission is to learn not only what theories are out there, but what realities and what practices have yielded good solid results, this is the only conference to do it at in my experience, and I have seen plenty of them.
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