2017
Join the one-on-one interview with Ken Schmidt, former Director of Communications for Harley-Davidson Motor Company. Schmidt sat down with host Jeffrey Hayzlett to discuss how in order to create demand while restoring a brand's image, you have to be not just different but original. They also discussed how companies need to be at the forefront of the marketplace and how they can achieve that by controlling the narrative, especially when looking to restore their image. Schmidt tells Hayzlett, "Creating demand is what business is for." As a former communications director for a well-known brand, he discovered the hard way how brands and companies alike need to be original. He added that if people don't see something inherently different from a product or service, they take their business elsewhere. In order for a brand to be successful, customers need to see a significant effort being made to gain their loyalty, because at the end of the day, people have a choice about who they do business with. Schmidt says, "We're going to seek out and do business with people we like." Brands and companies walk a thin line when it comes to changing their image, especially when it's a recognizable brand. Schmidt says people tend to listen to what a brand says when they recognize it. However, the narrative might be a bit harder to control. He tells Hayzlett of two ways he views narrative as: 1) when the marketplace controls the narrative and people can say whatever they want, and 2) when the business owns the narrative, which helps them drive it and define it more strategically. Companies should always strive to help define what they want the public to say about them.
Wed, Jun 6, 2018
Jim Amos, Founder and Chairman Emeritus, Mailboxes, etc., sat down with host Jeffrey Hayzlett at the C-Suite Network Conference in Dallas to talk about rebranding, his formula for success and the complexities of leadership. As the Chairman Emeritus for Mailboxes, Etc., which was bought by UPS, he took on the enormous task of having to rebrand two already well-known companies. Hayzlett asked Amos what does he tell other leaders when it comes to making the transition into rebranding, he said, "the passion that you bring to the business, the enterprise that you're in, is extraordinarily important."
Wed, Jun 13, 2018
Peter Friedman, Chairman and CEO of LiveWorld, sat down with host Jeffrey Hayzlett at the C-Suite Network Conference in Dallas to discuss the relationship between a customer and organizations in the modern world and how important technology has become in keeping these relationships on good terms. They further discussed what the status of this correspondence will become as technology continues to evolve.
Wed, Jun 20, 2018
Sudhir Kulkarni, President of Sales at Persistent Systems, sat down with host Jeffrey Hayzlett to talk about the current state of technology and what companies need to do to have a successful digital transformation. Kulkarni says that "disruption is here to stay and it will only keep enhancing and increasing," but also emphasizes that humans aren't being taken out of the equation. Moreso, humans are being made more intelligent by the use of machines, creating more of a hybrid approach to digital transformation. In order for digital transformation to have an impact on customers, companies need to create experiences that are immediate, interconnected and that involve the community. Kulkarni tells Hayzlett that companies need to engage with both their customers and employees in order to be more forward-thinking and that disruption will continue happening. He adds, "Either you disrupt to prevent going to an extinction mode or you disrupt to be able to go into a new market."
Wed, Jun 27, 2018
Randall Bell, socio-economist and CEO of Landmark Research Group, sat down with host Jeffrey Hayzlett to discuss measuring success, his work on disaster cases such as the crash of Flight 93, Hurricane Katrina, the OJ Simpson case and the nuclear testing at Bikini Atoll. As a socio-economist, he has seen his fair share of disasters and how these affect the people involved, some for the better, some not so much. He adds that in any crisis there are three options: dive, survive or thrive. As people react in different ways through a crisis, Bell mentions 'post-traumatics' thriving which refers to respecting the tragedy that just happened, but not wallowing in it and moving forward when ready. His experiences with tragedies led him to write a book, Me, We, Do, Be: The Four Cornerstones of Success, which is aimed at people who are looking for real and simple solutions for real problems and can be applied to everyone - from CEOs to people going through a rough patch. It's a one-size-fits-all, but with scale. Bell said, "With the four cornerstones we can lay out a solid foundation and with a solid foundation, you can build anything you want." He adds that all quadrants are important because "if you have one cornerstone missing from the building, you're going to topple over."
Wed, Jul 4, 2018
The banking industry is known for being highly regulated and rigid in its ways. However, times are changing and customers are demanding that these giant institutions pay attention to them and Capital One is listening to those demands. Greg Chalker, Head of Emerging Channels at Capital One Spark Business Card, sat down with host Jeffrey Hayzlett to discuss the changes taking place in the industry as well as how a bank can come from almost nowhere to become a well known international name in a short amount of time. In order to fulfill their customers' needs, Chalker tells Hayzlett about the two things his team primarily focuses on: person-to-person marketing channels and business development/partnerships. Innovation and technology has made it possible to deliver a high level of transparency to customers as well as take care of their needs, with programs such as the "surprise delight" program. This initiative empowers the customer service team to exceed expectations and go above and beyond and focus on "first call resolution." Chalker added that, "Technology is at the core of how customers wants to interact" and that Capital One's main focus is 'doing the right thing.' So much so that they view regulation as a good thing for the banking industry because it helps people who are doing the right things stand out from those who aren't.