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  • Zan Compute: IoT - Show Me The ROI

    Customers love proof. Nothing cements a potential relationship more effectively than being able to demonstrate value and a return on investment. We all remember when Tom Cruise was shouting “Show me the money” in the movie Jerry McGuire. It was that quintessential moment of proof rather than promises that every business has had to overcome. Zan Compute is a great example of harnessing the power of case studies and storytelling to highlight their value in the marketplace. Anyone can make claims, but businesses that can utilize social proof, testimonials, and real-world examples are a powerful force in this competitive marketplace. "92% of customers trust positive recommendations from others." (Nielson) Think about the last time you were on an airplane. Travel has become more difficult with more friction points for customers than ever before – and couple that with the labor and product shortages that we are all working through, it adds another layer of complexity. Friction points are anything that can impede an outstanding customer experience, and they are typically small moments that are neglected by businesses. A small dose of intentionality – fueled by practical technology – can go a long way toward removing hassles for customers and clients. Going back to our airline example, there are key moments that can help smooth out the passenger journey. Imagine you are trying to make a tight connection and as you visit a bathroom on the way to your next flight you find empty paper towels and soap – along with full trash receptacles and unhygienic facilities? It isn’t a pleasant thought, but we’ve all been there. It can make a stressful situation even worse. This was exactly the situation that Zan encountered with a client when they implemented their Zanitor solution. Occupant Feedback Displays were installed at the exit of restrooms and allowed passengers to provide feedback for cleaning and maintenance conditions. The feedback was combined with sensor data collected from the paper dispensers and trash bins and processed in real-time. The results tell the story of success (in this example): 11,000+ alerts each month that otherwise would have gone unnoticed 45 minutes of custodian time saved per employee each shift $200,000 in labor savings annually $70,000 in reduced consumable costs each year Let’s look at another example. Healthcare met unprecedented challenges over the past 2 years and was on the front line of the Covid-19 pandemic as it unfolded. This is a space where the stakes continue to increase and where consumer demands are higher than ever before. Imagine you were visiting a hospital or doctor’s office and found that the bathrooms were neglected and dirty – how would that impact your confidence in the care you were about to receive? Customers look at the small things when they make decisions on the overall trust they put in a company (or healthcare provider). The reason is that if the little details that you can see are well in hand, then the big stuff you can’t see likely is under control as well. Zan also helps you ensure that you deliver on your sanitation, safety, and hygiene promises by ensuring that your customers never run out of the consumables that enable safety at a base level. Deploying smart restroom sensors and monitoring systems is key to delivering on this promise of dependability. “The more detail oriented an organization, the quicker they can build trust with their customers.” One of the most common touchpoints within any business is the bathrooms, and healthcare is no exception. Zan installed sensors within 2 hospitals to monitor garbage bins, toilet paper dispensers, paper towels, and soap. They also installed feedback displays and traffic sensors for occupancy monitoring. The information that was collected and analyzed helped allocate resources and decrease operational costs. They found that one hospital had 38% more traffic than the other and that their traffic flow was concentrated within an 8-hour window. This is another benefit of space utilization tracking – the ability to understand your traffic flow in real-time. "By capturing this data, and acting on the findings, there was the potential to increase labor efficiency by up to 83% and decrease paper waste by 24%." These are the kinds of statistics that bring value to businesses and the end user – reduced labor expense, improved sustainability practices, higher productivity, and lower customer friction. The office real estate space has seen dramatic evolution as the pandemic has stretched on. It has forced organizations to look at work in new ways and find innovative ideas to utilize their office space. "Facilities management within a large commercial office space is expensive, complex, and often inefficient." The square footage, consumables, and cost of labor make it a significant source of overhead to those in the real estate space. Zan partnered with a large commercial office building to implement consumable monitoring, smart washroom sensors, and privacy-enabled traffic flow sensors within their spaces. This smart restroom monitoring system captured traffic patterns, created predictive maintenance schedules, and measured personal hygiene by correlating faucet and flush activations. Not only was the company able to redeploy labor where it was needed and when it was needed, but they were also able to reduce their labor spend by 35% annually. Couple that with a 15% reduction in consumables and that led to over $900,000 in annualized savings. This is all possible because not only does Zan Compute have the technology and capabilities to capture this data, but the tools and expertise to use it to make decisions "Without context and the ability to layer in customer feedback in real-time, all the data in the world is meaningless." This combination of world-class A.I., a predictive approach, and a team that can support you along the way is a true game-changer when it comes to implementing and sustaining a great experience for your clients and customers. To learn more about Zan Compute and their Smart Bathroom Technology, contact us today to set up an introductory conversation. We believe this can add significant value to your business and your customer experience. Connect and discuss how smart restroom technology, occupancy monitoring, or any of our technology-enabled solutions are designed to improve the lives of your customers, clients, and building occupants. Zan Compute: Safety | Efficiency | Visibility DOWNLOAD information on Zan Compute set up a DEMO, or you can email us today to set up an introductory exploration at-hello@4xiconsulting.com At 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions, we’re dedicated to the quest of driving a better Human Experience (Hx) and exploring alternative ways to operate better, be more efficient, and drive better experiences. To that end, we believe Zan Compute is the perfect solution to deliver an elevated occupant and visitor experience by driving efficiency and at the same time reducing cost. 4xi: Inspiring the future, together. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side creating an impact in the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy, whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy, Design & Operations Human Experience: Customer (CX) & Employee (EX) Training & Development TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

  • TRUE NORTH© Podcast with Simon Elliot and Ed Snowden

    Listen to the Customer Service Academy hosted by Tony Johnson with guests, Simon Elliot and Ed Snowden from 4xi Global Consulting talk about customer success and strategic partnerships. Winning better and retaining better business is driven by a changed mindset. The first step in changing behaviors is to change that mindset. TRUE NORTH© Strategic Partnerships & Growth Academy is a set of learning modules designed to actively engage participants and enable them to see themselves and your business differently. TRUE NORTH© is the first step on your journey toward winning better and retaining better business. Simon Elliot is Managing Partner and co-founder of 4xi Global Consulting and has a world of experience across 6 continents working with organizations to improve business and growth performance. Ed Snowden has 40+ years of experience leading strategic partnerships, retention, and growth with FORTUNE 500 companies. Ed is also the co-author of 4xi's TRUE NORTH© Strategic Partnerships and Growth Academy. TRUE NORTH© Strategic Partnerships & Growth Academy has been created on the foundation of decades of experience working with large organizations globally, winning better and retaining better business. TRUE NORTH© is focused on helping sales and retention teams and is divided into 6 modules of in-person or virtual training and coaching, including: 1. TRUST: The foundation of Strategic Partnerships 2. PORTFOLIO: Assessing your current portfolio of business and/or opportunities 3. STRATEGIC ACCOUNT PLANS: Critical information into an actionable framework 4. COLLABORATIVE SOLUTIONING: The principles of solving client challenges 5. ARCHITECTURE OF PARTNERSHIP: How to set the stage for Strategic Partnership 6. GROWTH LEADERSHIP: Personal development for growth leaders The 4xi team has decades of experience designing and implementing Strategic Partnership frameworks and strategies to help businesses win better, retain better business. To learn more about TRUE NORTH©, email us at: hello@4xiconsulting.com Inspiring a brighter future, together. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side creating an impact in the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy, whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy, Design & Operations Human Experience: Customer (CX) & Employee (EX) Training & Development TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking Our Strength is in the Power of Our Collective. 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

  • 4xi Innovation Partner: Zan Compute - It Goes Beyond Clean, It's About Trust

    Safety and sanitation have become the watchwords in the ever-evolving sense of “place.” While always a priority, the pandemic has changed both employee and customer perceptions of cleanliness and safety. Many great organizations such as Disney have long embedded the idea of safety throughout their organization – and giving it more than just cursory lip service. It truly is a part of their everyday work and exists not as a nice-to-have, but as the baseline standard when it comes to the employee, and guest experience. That was the journey organizations embarked upon over a decade ago – how to go beyond platitudes to a true culture of safety where employees went home in the same shape they reported to work and where customers felt comfortable within the walls of a shop, store, or restaurant. Then enter COVID-19 and the global pandemic that will continue to ripple through our collective consciousness for decades to come. This will continue to impact the workplace as employers grapple with team experience and the potential for bringing employees back to physical workspaces in varying forms in the coming year. “We believe COVID will transition to an endemic state, potentially by 2024.” - Nanette Cocero, Global President of Pfizer Vaccines That’s a big change from the elimination strategy that existed early in the pandemic. The expectation was that we would eradicate coronavirus completely, but now we are gearing up to accept it as a part of daily life, much like the annual flu or cold cycles to which we have become accustomed. That shines a spotlight on the idea of sanitation within physical spaces that will be the price of entry when it comes to recruiting talent and retaining customers. After all, if you look at the hierarchy of needs, the ability to protect one’s health and safety is at the top of the heap. If you can’t guarantee that, nothing else really matters. Zan Compute has long understood that clean = safe and reliable in the eyes of customers and employees. When bathrooms, common areas, conference rooms, and workspaces are clean that creates a sense of wellbeing that extends across the entire hospitality and work experience. "Zan Compute pioneered the idea of creating a Cleansparency, available in an easy-to-deploy technology that monitors the cleaning and disinfecting of any given area." SAFETY: is the ability for a customer or employee being able to scan a QR code and see the details of the cleaning and safety standards in place – allowing them to know that they are in good hands when it comes to cleaning and sanitizing. This not only gives peace of mind to enjoy the space they are in, but it builds trust in your brand. That is the building block of every relationship, just as cleaning is the foundation of hygiene. QUALITY: is acheieved by creating an interactive relationship between building and “user.” Whether you are a building occupant such as an employee for a tenant or a customer visiting a retail space or conference facility, you can provide real time feedback as well. That same QR code that allowed you to see the cleaning schedule and validation will also allow you to leave feedback to the building management about the quality of the facilities. PARTNERSHIPS: are created by the use of these types of “safe to enter” indicators, as well as a feedback loop, between building and user, and helps customers to protect their own experience. One of the outcomes of the pandemic was the increased comfort customers have with self-service – and this is an extension of this evolving consumer trend. As a building or facility manager, this creates a situation where all data points are measured in real-time. Not only can you determine the usage of space and tie that back to weather patterns, facility schedule, flight arrivals, and average daily traffic patterns, but you can also overlay the feedback from customers to create a labor and scheduling model that drives value and efficiency. How does this impact the employee, customer, and occupant experience within a building or space? Transparency with the cleaning and sanitizing process builds comfort, confidence, and trust with building occupants, and users. Engaging building occupants in the feedback and monitoring process gives them a perceived sense of ownership in their experience. Building pattern monitoring and space utilization tracking allows for proper people counting, occupancy levels, distancing, and labor scheduling. The best part of all of this is that no matter what kind of data you want to collect, Zan Compute’s proprietary AI platform can integrate it to help you make the best decisions. And if you have holes in your data capture, such as traffic patterns, throughput, or occupancy levels, Zan can install the sensors you need to capture that information. Zan also helps you ensure that you deliver on your sanitation, safety, and hygiene promises by ensuring that your customers never run out of the consumables that enable safety at a base level. Deploying smart restroom sensors and monitoring systems is key to delivering on this promise of dependability. “94% of U.S. adults said they would avoid a business in the future if they experienced a dirty restroom.” - Harris Interactive It is hard to help your building occupants and visitors stay safe if they are out of soap, sanitizer, paper towels, or toilet tissue. Providing these products when needed helps your building occupants protect themselves against the spread of bacteria, disease, COVID-19, the flu, or whatever may come next. You may have already brought your teams back to work or you may have it scheduled for early in the new year. You may be worried about the latest iteration of coronavirus or even looking further down the road to future health challenges. We have entered a time when we must be ready for whatever health and safety obstacles come our way, and the basics such as handwashing and hand sanitizing will continue to be an important part of creating a culture of personal safety. We look forward to discussing smart restroom technology, occupancy monitoring, or any of our technology-enabled solutions to improve the lives of your customers, clients, and building occupants. Zan Compute: Safety | Efficiency | Visibility To learn more about Zan Compute, contact us today and we can set up an introductory exploration and you can learn why we believe this can add significant value to your business and your customer experience. At 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions, we’re dedicated to the quest of driving a better Human Experience (Hx), and exploring alternative ways to, operate better, be more efficient, and drive better experiences. To that end, we believe Zan Compute is the perfect solution to deliver an elevated occupant and visitor experience by driving efficiency and at the same time reducing cost. DOWNLOAD information on Zan Compute set up a DEMO, or you can email us today to set up an introductory exploration at hello@4xiconsulting.com. 4xi: Inspiring the future, together. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side creating an impact on the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy, whether client, employee or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory Amenities, Design & Operations Customer Experience (CX) Training & Development Strategic Partnership & Growth Innovation Solutions & Support Our Strength is in the Power of Our Collective. 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

  • Institute of Directors: Simon Elliot FIoD: Change is the only constant.

    “Change is the only constant, and it has never been truer than it is today” Simon Elliot FIoD, Managing Partner, 4xi Institute of Directors | BLOG | 11 May 2022 Based in San Francisco, IoD Fellow Simon Elliot, managing partner of boutique Global Consulting firm 4xi talks about the future of work, and how we’ll work tomorrow. Future of Work In San Francisco and the Silicon Valley, change has been the driver, a fuel for decades, as people and organizations entire focus has been to disrupt the status quo and challenge the paradigms of today while shaping the pathway to the future. With over 200 Venture Capital firms investing over $2 Billion every year, California is synonymous with invention and progress. Elliot moved from the UK thirteen years ago and now calls San Francisco and the Bay Area home. Organizations from all sectors and industries are still trying to work out what the future holds – what will it look like? Well, no one really knows but here are some clues Elliot shares from his own experiences: Accelerators of change Unfortunately, catastrophe is often the catalyst and an accelerator of change, and we are experiencing this in the wake of the global pandemic. We have seen the impact on the future of work – it's no longer about when we’ll return to normal, but more about what will the new normal look like. Pre-pandemic, underlying fault lines existed: pressure on bricks and mortar retail, employees disenfranchised with pointless, arduous, and often expensive commutes. The importance of technology and connectivity, of collaboration, and community. The Gig Economy has been talked about for many years, as has flexible and remote working. Flexibility, convenience, and choice are not just terms associated with work but in every aspect of our lives today. Issues that have risen to the top include wellness and wellbeing, mental health, loneliness, hiring challenges, and personal flexibility. Employees have more choice than ever before Thankfully for most, long gone are the days of a 2-hour commute each way, a cubicle in an office with no window, a stale sandwich with the crusts curled up and a cold cup of coffee to swill it down with, and the long commute back home, Monday to Friday, 48 weeks a year. Today, for some, workers can be located almost anywhere, where they choose to be, at home, co-working, but also where the catchment of where they live have become greater too. Across the United States, New York, San Francisco, and the Silicon Valley for example are reporting an exodus from these expensive cities to less costly locations like Florida and Texas where you can get twice the property, often for a third of the price. The key is employees now have the power to choose. We’ve proven we can work remotely We now know that “heads down” work can be done anywhere and probably done more efficiently in a place/space with fewer distractions. The purpose of physical places of work has shifted dramatically over the past 2 years. Companies are struggling with balancing the work from home and in-office equation. They need to create a compelling environment and reasons to collaborate and connect. We’ve spent the time hunkered down for the most part, we’ve worked out that video conferencing is an effective method of communication, and a better use of time than spending hours in a car, on a train, or flying from one side of the country to another, never mind the cost, time, and carbon footprint we use to expend. “The range of return-to-work strategies has been well covered as have the limited levels of success.” - Simon Elliot Magnetization of the physical place Transforming spaces into places where people choose to be has become a priority for organizations wanting their employees to return to work. This is where Experience Design has become more important than ever before – not just a place of work, or a token ping pong table in the corner, but a genuine commitment and investment in creating a magnetized experience and how it makes their employees feel. The new workplace experience needs to be designed beyond the physical place, but what goes on inside it – what are the attractions you create, the opportunities for interaction, connectivity, and maybe even fun? What are the technologies that can be adopted to facilitate this new, more transient community? How can you activate your spaces and turn them into places where people choose to be? Did people become more empathetic? With all the various points of personal and professional pain, with the loss, isolation, shutdowns, and suffering on various levels, did we all of a sudden become more considerate and empathetic towards others? Do clients understand financial pain more today? Do people understand that workers need to earn a proper living wage? Do they care more about things that aren’t necessarily occurring in their own backyard? Our planet and future generations As the impact of centuries of industrialization and human abuse of our planet has become more visible and apparent, today’s youth are experiencing what could easily be termed a pandemic of anxiousness. What can we do in business, and as leaders, and what contribution and impact can we drive to make a real difference and secure our planet for future generations to come? People Matter, Experience Matters Culture as a Strategy (CaaS) is a new buzzword. We’ve been talking about it for decades, but today it's more critical than ever to make sure your organization is connected to your people. This is not only an employee handbook, or manual, not just an onboarding process, or annual review, but understanding how your workforce really feels, how their work experience makes them feel, and what impact does that have on your top line, bottom line, your loyalty, and retention. Designing and implementing a people-first strategy is an absolute imperative for all organizations, large or small, no matter your industry or sector. “Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.” - Dr Suess Investment and Materiality There are not many (if any) CEOs who would say their people are not important. There are not many CFOs who’ll say that money isn’t important, and of course, there are no CXOs that will say the experience isn’t important, but one thing to potentially satisfy all three is the question of investment and materiality. How much does employee turnover cost your organization? What value is it to you to have engaged and motivated employees to excel at new customer acquisitions and retention? What value is it to have an enthusiastic workforce fueling enthusiastic customers? What are the upsides to your top and bottom line? Then consider your overall payroll costs, including salaries and benefits. So, what do you come up with? How much of an investment would it take to access the potential returns? Is it $1 per employee per day? $2, $5, $10, or more? AND, how material is that investment to your organization versus the rewards? Whatever the answer to this puzzle is for your organization, things have changed, changed forever, the question is, are you ready to change them for GOOD? READ THE ARTICLE ON THE IOD WEBSITE HERE Simon Elliot is Managing Partner of boutique firm 4xi Global Consulting. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Directors, and Chair for NORAM of WORKTECH Academy, an industry and academic think tank on the future of work. Simon has traveled, lived, and worked globally in the UK, Europe, Asia, Australasia, Africa, and South, and North America, helping organizations design and execute their work experience strategies. Simon lives across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco in Northern California. e: simonelliot@4xiconsulting.com 4xi: Inspiring a brighter future, together. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side creating an impact on the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy, whether client, employee or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy, Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Philadelphia | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Dallas | Santiago | London | Tokyo

  • The best reason to go carbon neutral isn’t what you think...

    We’re all well aware of the climate imperative - or if you prefer, climate emergency - and how all segments of society need to lower our use of fossil fuel resources. But there may be a better reason to do something than exercising environmental stewardship. Companies that have declared their commitment to being carbon neutral are reviewing their energy bills, fleet contracts, and lunch options. On a market basket basis, their commitments could be cost-neutral or better. But cost savings isn’t why this movement has gained so much steam either. Your immediate business case for making a commitment is, simply, talent attraction and retention. This issue is a starting point for the most qualified talent you want as employees. They want to work for companies that get it, and they are looking to leave companies that don’t. As you compete for talent, you must offer a competitive wage package, a non-discrimination policy, and, now, a serious commitment to a stable climate. "Sponsoring the community’s softball league is great but no longer sufficient. As people work remotely and travel for business, they have broadened their definition of community." Whether you view this perspective as altruistic, selfish, or a little of both, it’s no longer relevant for your public commitments not to be science-based, public-facing, with clearly enumerated goals whose progress is reported regularly. Where to begin? We're happy to support you with Sustainability Simplified©. 4xi: Our strength is in the power of our collective Helene York is an environmental and sustainability supply chain expert, adding her talents in strategic sourcing on a global level to 4xi's capabilities under our banner of Sustainability Simplified©. To learn more about Helene download her BIO, or you can contact Helene directly at helene@4xiconsulting.com 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side creating an impact in the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy, whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy, Design & Operations Human Experience: Customer (CX) & Employee (EX) Training & Development TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

  • Social Sales Link Masterclass with 4xi's Simon Elliot and Ed Snowden

    4xi's Simon Elliot and Ed Snowden join this discussion on winning better, retaining better business hosted by Social Sales Link - an organization focused on leveraging LinkedIn for your growth activities and success. TRUE NORTH© is 4xi's Strategic Partnerships & Growth Learning Academy built upon the principles of transforming behaviors and creating a growth culture - everyone sells, and every action, each step, and every perception is critical as you build long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships from Purpose, Mission, Vision, and Values to differentiation, and how to effectively compete in business today. Simon and Ed step the audience through some of the most important principles of the TRUE NORTH© philosophy built from many years of experience in Strategic Account Management including winning better and retaining better business. This is a fascinating conversation around the many different facets of being successful in your growth and retention efforts. WATCH AND LISTEN TO THE CONVERSATION HERE: "Back to the fundamentals that go back to the beginning of humankind - you don't catch Rainbow Trout mid-day, in the middle of the Atlantic, using nets - the wrong tackle, the wrong bait, in the wrong place, and at the wrong time." Simon Elliot. TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnerships Organizational Learning & Leadership Academy Supporting organizations and teams to win better, retain better business through strategic partnerships and development: MARKET MATCH©: Our proprietary process of identifying ideal client characterization, ideal client profiles, and target lists. STAR PAGE: We take clients through a process of condensing down your value proposition into a STAR PAGE summary which forms the foundation of your go-to-market approach. Easy to understand, jargon-free, consumable, and easy to articulate. LEARNING ACADEMY: Extensive 6-module virtual or in-person learning academy on the foundations of build a Strategic Partnerships culture. PARTNERSHIPS SUMMIT: Structured processes for existing or new partnerships to get on the same page and aligned to mutual success. STRATEGIC ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT & DEVELOPMENT: Our team of Strategic Account Management professionals will help, support and implement your structured SAM approach, and provide ongoing support, coaching, and measurement of success. "Deep, honest, self-reflection is of critical importance in every aspect of business no less so than in assessing your own competitive position but also the strengths and weaknesses of your own portfolio performance." Ed Snowden. Thanks to Brynne Tillman and Bob Woods, and the entire Social Sales Link Community - Thank you! To learn more about how TRUE NORTH© can help transform your organization's growth and retention performance, or to connect with Simon or Ed, you can reach them at hello@4xiconsulting.com Our Strength is in the Power of Our Collective 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side creating an impact on the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy, whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx) Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX) Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy, Design & Operations TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Philadelphia | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Dallas | Santiago | Lisbon | London | Tokyo

  • #InsightsIn5: Customer Experience is more than just being nice

    Last week’s #GlobalHangout was co-hosted by Transition AMP and 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions, chaired by Jackie Cupper, and moderated by Karen Turton. Guest speaker, 4xi's Customer Experience Officer, Tony Johnson discussed how standards and processes protect your customer experience and brand standards. Here's some of his pearls of wisdom: "I believe that everyone should work in a restaurant for a month to hone their leadership, service, and attention to detail." - Tony Johnson My time in the retail and hospitality spaces are foundational moments for me where I learned to handle stress, take care of people, and keep things clean! And those were just the skills I learned at 16 years of age as the top tier drive-thru attendant at the Decatur, Indiana Taco Bell. Organizations that win with customer experience have come to see that without systems, accountability, and process, there can be no sustainable CX culture. "Friendly teams that cannot deliver quality become nice people delivering mediocrity." The key is to see experience as an intersection of touchpoints that deliver loyalty -building guest moments – and it comes down to who, what, where, and how. We can label these People, Place, Product, and Process – and they are key drivers of customer experience. Notice that we are not talking about “service” but rather “experience”, as they are very different when it comes to scope. PEOPLE: The leaders and team who care for customers in person, on the phone, or via chat. PLACE: The solution for your customer’s problems. PRODUCT: Where your team meets their guests – this could be live, virtually or via A.I. PROCESS: How things get done safely and in a repeatable manner When we talk about Customer Experience (CX), it considers everything that touches customers, guests, and consumers as they interact with an organization. Let’s dig in on 5 key components of leading experience. These are crucial to not only protecting your customer experience, but the overall perception of your brand: Standards Build Consistency Standards are seen by many as limiting, but they set up the guardrails that define the “must-haves” for any brand. When an organization has the right standards in place to delight their guests, then it becomes a matter of aligning the organization around them through training and leadership development activities. But the training must be focused on what matters most, not on the whims of all organizational constituencies or silos. Too often training becomes muddled with pet-projects and factional priorities rather than aligning what customers want with employee enablement and empowerment. If you Ignore It, You've Endorsed It! I had a fantastic leader when I started my journey in management. Mark was adamant that those who worked for him knew every corner of the operation so they could understand the challenges of front line employees and use their creativity to help inspire solutions. Mark also impressed upon me that if I walked by something that did not live up to our standards, I was telling every employee that we were okay with those lapses. If we ignored a customer who appeared to need help, a dirty table of dishes, or a sticky beverage area, we were implicitly saying that it was just fine for others to do the same. "This is valuable lesson for any leader in any industry. If you don’t wear your name badge, pick up trash, talk to customers, or respect those you interact with – good luck getting anyone on your team to do those things either." Performance Management All too often, organizations let underperforming employees stick around in the wrong roles much too long. That is a fact of leadership that remains a struggle for all levels of organizations. There are two key reason why: 1. It is hard to tell people they aren’t doing a good job! 2. Leaders immediately think about termination as the only alternative! This is why regular feedback to employees is so important. Daily team conversations and monthly check-ins allow for an open communication loop that reinforces what is going well and provides coaching where improvement is needed. Every organization is primarily fueled by middle-performers (it’s just simple math) – and that requires ongoing leadership, motivation, and training. Leaders must also think about how to move team members into alternative roles where they can find success. That will require that managers know their teams and stay connected throughout their organization. You cannot understand where a team member could potentially thrive if you don’t know them and you can’t help them find new opportunities if you stay siloed inside your particular part of the organization. Employee Recognition Not all performance management is about improvement. Recognition is all about calling out the great work of team members in an intentional way that inspires them to repeat the behaviors. Recognition remains an overlooked piece of leadership responsibility and has become even more challenging when you factor in the remote and virtual work streams that have been established during the pandemic. But the basics never go out of style – the best recognition is timely, specific, and intentional. Target what you want teams to repeat, do so quickly, and then call out the behavior that is earned the praise. This makes it more likely that the team member will repeat the activity in the future. Pre-Shift Huddles are Catalysts for CX The best pre-shift huddles I have ever witnessed came courtesy of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). When I used to fly out of Detroit Metro Airport weekly, I can remember seeing the TSA conducting team meetings during shift change. They discussed what went well and what could have been better on the last shift. They were talking about policy changes and trends in passenger flow. It was pre-shift huddle 101 and covered all the basics. These daily meetings are crucial for any business, but particularly if you are serving customers directly in a physical storefront or contact center. Getting your team aligned each day and communicating with them in a meaningful way will keep them energized with their purpose and customer focus. They also have the added benefit of getting important information out quickly to your team without having to repeat yourself a dozen or more times. You may have noticed that these are all driven by leadership behaviors, training, and team engagement. That is by design. Organizations don’t often find trouble because they have lackluster brand standards – it is more often that they haven’t translated those into actionable steps or don’t validate them in an intentional manner. There is no substitute for alignment and validation. Standards that are aligned throughout the organization are powerful – and even more powerful when leaders are visible in the business walking their dirt and coaching teams in real time. "A checklist never improved anything – but a set of brand standards in the hands of engaged leaders with a passion for people can’t help but drive success." Tony Johnson, Founder of Ignite Your Service Training and 4xi Customer Experience Consultant and strategist, lives in Central Florida, the hospitality capital of North America. He can help your organization create customer experience strategies and training with a future looking mindset. Tony has extensive experience in higher education, healthcare, business and industry, restaurants, sports and entertainment, and leisure, helping organizations: Map their customer journey and identify improvements Create, implement, and sustain their customer experience strategies and programs Create leadership development and workplace culture initiatives Implement Voice of the Customer (VOC) programs Create front line employee and leadership training programs Connect their brand vision into operational behaviors and tactics Come join the conversation! Investing in Your Customers for Your Future Success. Tony Johnson has a background in hospitality and retail management – leading large and diverse teams to grow sales and delight customers over 2 decades. He served as Customer Experience Officer for 4 years with Aramark Corporation, leading their global CX strategy and deployment for their food and facilities businesses. Tony is now the owner of Ignite Your Service Training and Strategy, where he is proud to partner with 4xi Global Consulting as CXO and CX strategist. The power of the 4xi collective allows Tony’s customer centric approach to seamlessly integrate and complement the host of other experts available to help your business thrive and inspire the future of work, together. To learn more about how Tony and 4xi can help you build your Customer Experience Journey for the future, contact Tony at TonyJohnson@4xiConsulting.com 4xi Global Workplace Consulting & Solutions provides a range of services to support Corporations, Service Providers, Innovators, and Accelerators to navigate the world of work. Inspiring the future of work, together. 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Santiago | London | Porto | Tokyo

  • Hunger Relief and Food Waste: Should we be donating excess food?

    Even the least altruistic among us agree that the nearly 50 million people who go to bed hungry every night in the United States, or 1 in 7 Americans, should be well nourished. But is the best way to help them to donate excess food? Or should a company focus its efforts on reducing waste upstream and possibly donate money to relief organizations? What's a responsible corporation to do? Since the onset of COVID, when the hungry among us soared, and many of the newly unemployed people were hospitality colleagues, the pendulum has been swinging in favor of making sure that donating food is part of the corporate responsibility platform. At the same time, companies have stepped up their efforts to reduce food waste significantly. These goals aren’t as opposed as they might seem at first, but care should be given to message the goals right, ensure good practices are in place, and the best community partners have chosen to ensure effective strategies are executed well. Where to begin? We're happy to support you with Sustainability Simplified©. Helene York is an environmental and sustainability supply chain expert, adding her talents in strategic sourcing on a global level to 4xi's capabilities. To learn more about Helene download her BIO, or you can contact Helene directly at helene@4xiconsulting.com 4xi: Inspiring a brighter future, together. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side creating an impact on the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy, whether client, employee or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy, Design & Operations Human Experience: Customer (CX) & Employee (EX) Training & Development TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Philadelphia | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

  • Does Your Company Culture Look Towards The Forest or The Tree?

    DEFINITION: cul·ture /ˈkəlCHər/ Culture is the collective customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or another social group. When you create a culture in your company one of the most vital pieces needed for success is the shared respect and consideration of the beliefs, tenets, and values of the collective. In support of Arbor Day, please enjoy the story that I told my grandson via Facetime, to help foster his environmental conscientiousness and a shared sense of accountability for all. Running in the early hours heals my soul and invigorates my heart and mind. The soft sound of the nearby babbling creek, with sunshine, glittering through the trees; the sun rising swiftly is always such a gift. Slowing down, I make a quick turn into a hidden wooded copse. Father Oak and his family’s whispering tones caught my ear. Padding along the pathway to the thicket where my beloved ‘other’ family lives, I give my old friend a pat and ask for his news. Father Oak has been busy chaperoning the underlings coming up through the forest floor; keeping Beulah and the Beech Belles from arguing too loudly and darling Miss Magnolia from having her Mint Julep too early in the day. The tall willowy pines wave graciously overhead as the trees chatter way. I laugh at the antics of the woods in my absence. On a more somber note, my old friend whispers that tree cutters abound; some fallen friends will need to be removed to make way for sunshine to enter the canopy and the floor below. Humans prefer a particular order it seems, not the natural decay of life. I rest my cheek against his rough bark and feel his pain. His roots speak to all here in these woods, a complex communication language of sharing and collaboration, never of harm or hurt. The fallen friends know it is their time but still, the heart aches. The trunks of my wooded family stand steadfast despite the actions unwelcomed perpetrated against them. What can I do, I ask? The story of trees needs to be shared; our presence is a reminder of all that is good. Each day we can but wake up and keep trying always to help; to be a gift to the planet even when there are fewer of us to do the work. You are always in my heart I tell my friend, and the trees always are. May I close with, that on April 29, 2022, Arbor Day, Father Oak reminds us all to take a moment to admire a tree; hug a tree, plant a tree, trim a tree, or just send your love to a tree, for without them the world would be a very sad place, indeed! Dina Wiltshire is 4xi's Strategic Partnerships & Growth lead - she works with clients who are seeking opportunities to improve, grow, and thrive. In addition to growth, Dina has a wealth of experience in a number of areas of business from leading call centers and call center design, to operations, and project management. Dina and the entire team at 4xi are here to help you drive positive change and impact. To learn more about Dina download her BIO, or you can contact her directly at dina@4xiconsulting.com 4xi: Inspiring a brighter future, together. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side creating an impact on the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy, whether client, employee or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy, Design & Operations Human Experience: Customer (CX) & Employee (EX) Training & Development TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Philadelphia | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

  • Can hospitality incorporate sustainable practices, without being forced to comply?

    The classic view is that environmentally friendly practices are perceived by guests to be “cheaping out” - the opposite of luxury. As I write, I’m looking out of a third-floor window in a US hotel that seems to be stuck in another era. Janitors are erecting a mound of clear garbage bags full of single-use items including nearly full rolls of toilet paper and complimentary slippers used only once, all in full view of their guests. The only thing unusual about this practice is that they let their guests see their trash. Each year as Earth Day approaches, companies recommit to lofty environmental values, but often without a strategy or an action plan to achieve any significant or lasting change. Regulators are taking notice. In early March 2022, 175 nations agreed to begin writing a global treaty that would restrict the explosive growth of plastic pollution. The agreement commits nations to work on a legally binding treaty to improve recycling, clean up the world’s plastic waste, and impose curbs on plastics production. Measures to ban single-use plastics would logically follow. At the same time, companies have stepped up their efforts to reduce food waste significantly. These goals aren’t as opposed as they might seem at first, but care should be given to message the goals right, ensure good practices are in place, and the best community partners have chosen to ensure effective strategies are executed well. Customers are taking notice, too. Today’s travelers, restaurant patrons, and shoppers care about sustainability. Millennials and Generation Z will pay more for products and services that don’t harm the environment. According to a recent Nielson study, nearly 75% of the respondents from younger generations are willing to spend thier dollars in support of sustainable products and services. What’s ironic is that most consumers will pay more, yet most environmentally conscious actions save operators money. Improving your environmental profile with a clear and consistent strategy, then, should have a very positive effect on your bottom line. On this Earth Day, consider what you want to report to your stakeholders next year. Imagine telling your board and employees that you used significantly fewer natural resources, supported your brand identification and competitive positioning, saved money, and had the metrics to prove it. In this scenario, Mother Earth wins, and you do too. Where to begin? We're happy to support you with Sustainability Simplified©. Helene York is an environmental and sustainability supply chain expert, adding her talents in strategic sourcing on a global level to 4xi's capabilities. To learn more about Helene download her BIO, or you can contact Helene directly at helene@4xiconsulting.com 4xi: Inspiring a brighter future, together. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side creating an impact on the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy, whether client, employee or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy, Design & Operations Human Experience: Customer (CX) & Employee (EX) Training & Development TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Philadelphia | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

  • Employee Experience (EX) as a Springboard for Growth

    Today’s journey of experience is ever-evolving and that is what makes it such an opportunity for differentiation. As we move out of pandemic mode into something more familiar, we are visited by the Ghost of Christmas past. The economy has become a challenge, and we are all trying to find our way within supply chain shortages, rising prices, and staffing challenges. It’s possible we need to take a step back and ask the fundamental questions: "Why should anyone care about customer experience and how does employee experience factor in?" Because experience drives sales? It helps retain customers and employees– and that’s more cost-effective than finding new ones? Happy customers and employees recommend you and defend you in the marketplace? "If you provide great customer experiences you will find that your customers spend more and more often, that you retain customers instead of having to chase as many new ones, and that happy customers will recommend you to their friends and colleagues." All of that will help your top and bottom lines. But as most businesses are fighting for survival, they are ill-equipped to serve customers. There are struggles with recruiting that make staffing shifts a nightmare. The answer for many has been to post a sign. You’ve likely seen them. They usually read: THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AS WE ARE VERY UNDERSTAFFED Now the funny part is that the shop where I get my hair cut has been understaffed for 3 years because the managers are mean and the pay is terrible. Why would anyone work there when they can’t post a schedule on time, manipulate their tips, and never give them their breaks? "But now they have an excuse – a crutch – a magic sign written in crayon on the front door making their incompetence acceptable." So let’s talk about the link between customer experience and employee experience – and yes, I know you have heard this principle more and more over the past 5 years. It is generally accepted that a great employee experience will lead to great customer experiences, but no one ever talks about the how and the why. There is a reason for that – most of the folks you read out there who talk about customer experience have never really led a team. And if they did it was decades ago for a small company that no one ever heard of. I’m going to share with you my tactics to improve customer experience through employee engagement. This comes from decades of leading teams, developing managers, and fixing businesses that were fundamentally broken from a people perspective. These elements are fundamental to the employee journey. Much as you can map the touchpoints your customers go through to do business with you, this is a chance to understand how employees feel about working in your business and where you might be able to take action to improve. FOCUS ON PEOPLE The foundational element of this principle is that it comes back to human beings, not robots or widgets. When you put people at the center of everything, the most amazing things are possible. That fundamental belief will give you and your team permission to think about things differently, and with intention. DO YOUR EMPLOYEES LIKE WORKING THERE? The pandemic fundamentally challenged the dynamic between employers and businesses. Employers in certain sectors didn’t treat their employees very well and certainly didn’t value competitive pay, because there were more employees than jobs. And if your organization was one people fancied to have on their resumes, chances are you took even more liberties. That led to the still present staffing shortages in hotels, restaurants, and theme parks. No one wants to work in places where you can’t get your breaks, there is no place to store your personal items, you get pestered on vacation, or never hear a thank you. There is also a premium from employees on flexibility and autonomy, as the pandemic reinforced the case that remote work can be rewarding and productive if leaders engage their teams in the right ways. GRATITUDE MATTERS That leads us neatly into recognition. Employees consistently share that they don’t feel like they receive enough recognition from their managers. A Gallup Survey reported that recognizing employees about once a week was best for engagement. That is a little depressing since a survey from Authentic Recognition showed that only about 11% of employees received that much-needed morale boost each week. Gratitude isn’t just the right thing to do, it is a business essential. What you recognize will get repeated and what better way to get your team to do the things you most want them to do. Not to mention that well-engaged employees are safer, more productive, and stay with your organization longer. MIND YOUR RECRUITMENT PROCESS How hard or easy is it for talent to apply to your jobs? There was a thought that making it easy to apply wasn’t a good thing because you wanted folks who really “want” to work there. What a short-sited approach. You want as many people as possible to be able to easily apply to your jobs so you have the pick of the best talent. Also, you need to balance a thorough interview process with what is reasonable. During the pandemic, I engaged with an employer who had a 10 interview process, background check, final panel interview, and a project as a part of the process. It felt an awful lot like a company trying to get free work. You should also be sure your ATS (Automated Tracking System) isn’t kicking qualified applicants out of your system because of resume formatting or because of system limitations. Case in point, most outplacement agencies spend an inordinate amount of time on resume formatting and keywords just to get past the bots. How much star talent are you missing out on? PRIORITIZE ONBOARDING AND TRAINING As you bring new team members on board, you have a lot on the line. This is their first interaction with the organization shows how much training is valued. This is the place to be intentional and make sure new team members get off on the right foot. That means having a plan and being able to validate where a new employee is within the process. Too often onboarding is unfocused and there is no rigor behind the new employee's journey. Think about what they need to know right away and what can be completed farther down the road. Never let new team members arrive without the basics in hand – name badge, access cards, systems access, computer, parking, and an understanding of expectations. Often the little things make a big difference here, such as introducing them to the team, touring them around the location, and pairing them up with a more senior employee to help them and perhaps even mentor them a bit as they come on board. You only get one chance to get this right and if you do, you’ll find that their initial performance and productivity are significantly better. This also applies to current team members – you must keep their skills sharp through coaching and training. So take the time to make sure they have both the hard and soft skills training they need to do their jobs. This is everything from training job duties to improving their customer service skills. Your training likely needs a dust off since most organizations didn’t put a lot of resources into development during the pandemic. Now is the time to make sure it is engaging, impactful, and easily put into action. PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT MATTERS Once you have the right team on the ground you have to manage your team’s performance every day. When we talk about performance management, however, it isn’t just about understanding your team’s high, middle, and low performers – it is about understanding them as individuals. This requires you dedicating time to meet with your team (or ensure that your managers do so) on a regular basis. Understanding their struggles, their wins, and needs will help you build relationships that lead to higher quality and productivity – which are drivers of guest satisfaction and business health. Your regular touchpoints with your team give you a chance to establish a dialogue with them and then take action on their needs to make their lives easier at work. They will certainly pass that ease along to the customers they serve. PATH FOR DEVELOPMENT No one stays long in a dead-end job and that means providing a path for advancement (or at least change). You will have employees who are intent on advancement and want to understand the runway to make it happen. You will also have team members who may not want to move up, but still want to be challenged with interesting new work or different roles along their current level. No one’s career path is the same and that means understanding what your employees are looking for and how you can help them find the highest level of satisfaction within their chosen path. Giving regular development opportunities, training, upskilling, and reskilling are all ways to accomplish this, but they are just tools. The true measure of success here is the time you take to engage your team around what they want and create personalized plans that show them a postcard from the future. The key is to remember that people are the catalyst for your customer loyalty and your business growth. Prioritizing your team experience in a purposeful way will drive the customer experience that is crucial to your success. 4xi’s Evolving Experiences© Practice is your resource for employee experience strategies, training, and measurement. We also provide advisory services for customer experience, leadership development, and onsite coaching services. Get in touch and see how we can help you on your Evolving Experiences journey. Tony Johnson Chief Experience Officer Contact Tony today to engage him to build your CX strategy, train your front-line employees, or develop your leaders with his signature keynotes and workshops. To learn more about 4xi, you can contact Tony directly at: tonyjohnson@4xiconsulting.com 4xi: Inspiring a brighter future, together. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side creating an impact on the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy, whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory Amenities, Design & Operations Customer Experience (CX) Training & Development Strategic Partnership & Growth Innovation Solutions & Support Our Strength is in the Power of Our Collective. 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

  • Sustainability is no longer a ‘nice to have’... it’s GOOD business.

    Helen York, Sustainability Simplified©, 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions As the world returns to work, many pre-pandemic assumptions are unwittingly coming back with us. We talk about how important sustainability is but, for many, it continues to be relegated to discussions about compliance, cost, and marketing - in summary, an afterthought. Alternatively, sustainability should be viewed as an untapped opportunity to drive happy customers (and employees), healthy business, and improve profits. Here are some questions to consider: Who is your sustainability lead? Someone who gathers metrics to feed into an annual report, or someone who reviews every offering with an eye toward making it more holistic, robust, and customer-focused? How do you define sustainability? As a commitment to reduce single-use plastics used by customers, or to achieve a significant reduction in overall materials usage (and cost) over a sustained period of time? Does your commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) include #12, Ensure Responsible Consumption and Production? Food waste reduction commitments are great, but only a first step: how are you using behavioral science to drive satisfying consumer choices that support an overall goal of using fewer resources to begin with? "There is an increasing generational concern - even anxiety - around preserving natural resources and ensuring social responsibility." Millennial and Generation Z consumers will pay more for products and services that don’t harm the environment, and they want to work for companies with a similar commitment, yet the vast majority of operators view environmentally conscious actions and purchases as driving up costs rather than driving value which, in so many cases, would actually save them money. A sustainability strategy, and focus, is a path to increasing your value to consumers, increasing sales, and your profits, as well as reducing your costs to serve. How can 4xi help you turn your ESG goals into a reality? Helene York Sustainability, Supply Chain, Innovation Leadership in Sustainability and how through Supply Chain and Innovation, organizations can make better decisions and drive impact.​ To learn more about Helene download her BIO, or you can contact Helene directly at helene@4xiconsulting.com 4xi: Our strength is in the power of our collective 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side creating an impact in the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy, whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design Global Amenities Strategy, Design & Operations Human Experience: Customer (CX) & Employee (EX) Training & Development TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation Market Research Reports & Benchmarking 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo

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