Every business wants happy customers – so why do so many fail?

NEW BOOK: World-leading expert reveals 100 practical tips to create a truly shining customer experience

Why this book matters:

• Studies show that 80% of CEOs believe their company is customer-centric, yet only 8% of customers agree


• Many business leaders see technology such as Web3 and AI as a solution that will allow them to create an outstanding customer experience, but still haven’t got the increasingly valuable human element and company culture right


• Written by world-leading customer experience expert and marketing professor, drawing on 20 years of experience and interviews with thousands of CX professionals to create a practical ‘how to’ guide


• Illustrated with real-life examples from across industries, including Nike, Disney, Ford, Ritz-Carlton and Mr Beast

Prof. Steven Van Belleghem is one of the world's leading experts in customer experience. Over the past 20 years, he has helped to shape the customer experience strategy of some of the world’s most famous brands, including Disney, Microsoft, Google and Booking.com.

He has also sat through countless PowerPoint presentations from CEOs and Marketing Directors all saying how wonderfully customer-focused their company is. Yet for all these positive words about making customers happy, the sad reality is that, in most cases the quality of CX execution is mediocre, or worse. As often quoted, 80% of CEOs think their company is customer-centric, but only 8% of customers agree.

So why is it that so many business leaders repeatedly fail at something they want so badly? And what sets apart the small handful of organisations that are the true shining diamonds of customer experience?

In his new book, A Diamond in the Rough, Steven van Belleghem distils decades of experience and thousands of conversations with CX professionals into simple, practical advice that any company can apply in their day-to-day business. Rather than focus on big picture strategies, it identifies and outlines 100 small changes that will add up to “polish” what your organisation is already doing well, and refine the things that need to be improved.

At a time when technology is dominating many conversations about the relationships between brands and customers, the book not only examines how it can be harnessed, but also highlights how the human element of customer experience continues to increase in value as a result. It is illustrated with entertaining real-life case studies from household names such as Disney, Nike and Mr Beast, and explores changing customer behaviour, company culture and what it really takes to be a shining diamond for customers today.

Although the author may be best-known for his award-winning marketing books, A Diamond in the Rough is also recommended reading for CEOs, HR professionals and entrepreneurs in businesses of all sizes, across all industries.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Steven Van Belleghem is on a mission to inspire companies to become more customer-centric. He believes in combining common sense, new technologies, an empathic human touch and taking social responsibility to win the hearts and business of customers over and over again.

As well as being an entrepreneur and investor, Steven has delivered more than 1500 keynotes across 45 countries, shares ideas on with YouTube channel with more than 8million views, and lectures at Vlerick Business School and London Business School.