Radically Personal

Unleashing AI to Scale Happiness and Loyalty at BARK

On this special episode of Radically Personal, we sit down with not one but two amazing guests, Nari Sitaraman and Hernan Giraldo of BARK. Together we dig into how BARK’s mission to make all dogs happy starts with the people who love them, and how a strong partnership between IT and customer service ensures no dog — or dog parent — is left behind.

Zenni Optical’s 20/20 Vision for Exceptional Customer Service

On this episode of Radically Personal, we hear from Brian Kershon, Director of Global Customer Service at Zenni Optical. He discusses the work he and his team are doing that has landed the company a place on Newsweek’s list of top customer service companies five years in a row. 

Stellar Service and Resiliency Guide Farmgirl Flowers

In this Gladly podcast episode, hear from Founder & CEO of Farmgirl Flowers, Christina Stembel, on the brands’ success in powering customer acquisition through customer service, on how prioritizing loyalty is the future of commerce, and more. 

How KURU Footwear Provides World-Class Anticipatory Experiences

During this episode, President & Integrator of KURU Footwear, Sean McGinnis and I talk about how they provide world-class anticipatory experiences for their customers, what it means to serve with empathy and so much more.

How Breeze Airways Merges Technology with Kindness to Transform the Airline Industry

With the slogan "Seriously Nice", Breeze Airways is reimagining customer service for brands and businesses to be the best part of a customer’s day. So, what does it look like to be Seriously Nice?

In this episode, Vice President of Guest Experiences, Danny Cox shares what it means to be Seriously Nice, how they raise the bar for guest experiences, and why they decided to omit voice as a primary channel for customer service.

How Ulta Beauty’s Guest-Centered Approach Transforms the Beauty Industry

Ulta Beauty has redefined beauty shopping for nearly three decades with the promise, "all things beauty, all in one place." 

 

On this episode of Radically Personal, I speak with my friend Adam Seede, Director of Guest Services at Ulta Beauty. Adam reveals the visionary grit of this retail powerhouse. Hear how Ulta Beauty weathers retail closures during the pandemic, turn guest services into a revenue driver, and continue to remain customer-focused during an accelerated shift to digital. 

TUMI: Designing for World-class Experiences

You might know TUMI best for introducing their stylish, ultra-functional, black-on-black ballistic nylon travel bag that you see on the streets and in airports worldwide, but they are known for much more than that.

TUMI anchors superior quality and functionality to technical innovation and design excellence. They also provide world-class customer experiences that inspire the industry. According to Victor Sanz, Creative Director for the brand, if your question starts with, "Can you help? The answer is always yes.” TUMI relishes the opportunity to offer customers unparalleled support when things go wrong. That mindset is deeply attractive to customers and makes a brand powerful.

During this episode, Victor & I chat about what it means to understand the customer, what drives brand loyalty, and how to provide the same level of service and experiences no matter where in the world you are.

CHUBBIES: Building a Community of Advocates and Creating Customers for Life

Chubbies, the brand that’s all about building that Friday at 5pm feeling, is not only known for their bright colored, retro-style shorts, but more importantly, their close-knit community of advocates and loyal fans.  According to Tom Montgomery, Co-Founder & Chief Digital Officer, "if you think about community, we really think about community and our customers as the 5th co-founder of the business. We could not have gotten anywhere without them."

 

During this episode, Tom & I talked about the power of building community amongst your customer base, how text message is becoming the channel of choice, and so much more.  

CRATE & BARREL: Driving Revenue Through the Contact Center in Today's Digital World

What happens when you, and the rest of the world, are forced to shut the doors to all your retail shops with a day’s notice? According to Kate Showalter, Senior Director of Customer Service at Crate & Barrel Holdings, “when you take away what you have deemed impossible, you realize what you can really do.” 

In this episode, my conversation with Kate spanned across tons of interesting and though-provoking topics—from turning your contact center into a revenue center, customer service innovation and most notably, how COVID-19 has impacted their business and accelerated their digital transformation. 

 

"We believe that if you focus really strongly on the top three pillars, if you really focus on the customer, and the associate, and the brand, that the financial strength pillar will take care of itself."– Kate Showalter, Senior Director of Customer Service, Crate & Barrel

ALLBIRDS: Changing the World, One Step at a Time - Bonus Episode

We’ve got a treat for you! Allbirds is back with bonus episode and this time Joey Zwillinger, Co-Founder and CEO of Allbirds is spilling the beans on their greater mission to combat climate change and why Joey himself got where he is today. Hear Joey’s thoughts on entrepreneurship and why he became an entrepreneur himself, Allbird's approach to promoting sustainability while still making more great products and so much more.