Welcome back to CX Leadership Talks! In a refreshing role reversal, today Nienke Bloem - your host - takes the guest seat, joining host Adam Dorrell for a conversation you don’t want to miss. Known for her infectious energy and practical approach to driving real change, Nienke opens up about what it really means to “spice up” customer experience - hint: it starts with leadership. 

Together, Adam and Nienke cut through CX industry jargon and get real about the challenges of building a customer-centric culture, balancing strategy with fast, practical action, and learning to love tough customer feedback. Nienke shares colorful stories from her career journey - from small island beginnings in Texel to leading CX for telecom giant KPN - and introduces refreshing concepts like “truth makers” vs. “truth seekers” and the art of “friction hunting.” 

This episode is packed with hands-on leadership tips, memorable metaphors (ever heard of CX cosplay or fire prevention in CX?), and candid discussions on building true authority and resilience as a CX leader. Whether you’re looking to energize your CX strategy or need inspiration to face tough boardroom conversations, this conversation delivers insights you can act on right away. 

Tune in for Nienke’s spicy perspectives and practical advice, and learn how to bring more heart - and action - into your customer experience leadership. 

Timestamped overview:  

00:00 Enhancing leadership for impact 

05:04 Early risers' varied workday 

09:19 Truth makers vs. truth seekers 

12:34 Truth makers triumph over seekers 

16:10 Slow processes in Customer Experience 

17:56 Pilgrimage as strategic journey 

23:30 Customer-Centric strategy execution 

27:25 Urgent need for improved CX 

29:13 Engage, don't convince, in CX 

32:54 Prioritize understanding, avoid judgement 

35:21 CX leadership strategies & stories 

39:37 Costly advertising and low conversion rates 

41:55 Mastering NPS for CX leaders 

46:26 From conflict to connection 

47:44 CX Program improvement suggestion 

Extra information:  

Connect with Adam on LinkedIn.

Booktip: Winning on Purpose  

About Nienke:  

Nienke Bloem is often called the Customer Experience speaker in the blue dress.   

She's a global CX thought leader, educator and a global keynote speaker who inspires audiences with best practices and proven methodologies. She leads a speaking practice, a CX game company and a training business; she breathes Customer Experiences and is author of two CX books.  

Her two-day Customer Experience Masterclass is known as the best program to prepare for your CCXP and she is the go-to person for CX leaders who want to advance their leadership and bring direct results from their Customer Experience transformation programs. Since 2020, she hosts a CX Leadership Masterminds program and helps leaders spice up their leadership and deliver an engaging CX Story including a solid CX Strategy. Besides, she is a modern-day pilgrim and found the parallel with leading customer centric transformations.   

With her over 20 years of corporate experience, she speaks the business language. Her keynotes and education programs in Customer Experience are inspiring and hands-on. She is one of the few Recognized Training Partners of the CXPA and it is her mission to Make Customer Experience Work and help you deliver business results. Subscribe to her weekly CX Greetz to stay tuned.