In this episode of The Experience Edge, Jon Picoult, author of the bestselling book From Impressed to Obsessed, shares his insights on crafting unforgettable customer experiences.

With over 16 years of consulting C-suite executives through his firm, Watermark Consulting, Jon emphasizes why mere customer satisfaction is a weak benchmark - and why companies must instead strive to create indelible impressions. He explains how impressing customers builds loyalty that drives referrals, repurchase behavior, and ultimately, business growth.

Jon and host Jochem van der Veer dive into how businesses can use psychological principles like the peak-end rule and the perception of control to design memorable episodes across the customer journey. They explore how to evaluate when the basics are truly being met, how to socialize CX insights throughout the organization, and how to build a financial business case for customer experience investment. It’s a strategic conversation that blends theory with actionable advice for CX leaders and executives alike.

Guest Bio

Jon Picoult is the founder of Watermark Consulting and the author of the bestselling book From Impressed to Obsessed. A renowned thought leader in customer experience and leadership, Jon has been featured by outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, NBC News, Fortune, and Forbes. Over his 16-year consultancy career, he has advised some of the world’s foremost brands, helping them leverage customer and employee loyalty for marketplace advantage.

Takeaways

• Satisfaction is not enough - impressed customers drive growth and retention.
• Memory science is key to experience design: aim for peak moments and strong endings.
• Honoring small promises, like follow-up calls, can create powerful impressions.
• CX leaders must master both fundamentals and differentiators - don’t skip the basics.
• Executive teams need to experience their own service firsthand to drive empathy and change.
• Journey mapping is a starting point, not the end game; deep analysis reveals hidden friction.
• Artifacts like confusing bills or broken IVRs make CX challenges tangible to leadership.
• Giving customers a sense of control (e.g., clear expectations) improves their perception.
• Great CX also benefits employees - simplify internal tools to improve delivery.
• Reducing contacts through better communication cuts costs and boosts efficiency.
• CX ROI isn’t always about revenue - start with measurable cost savings.
• When selecting a consultancy, know exactly who will be on your account.

Chapters

00:00 Satisfaction is mediocrity

01:42 Why satisfaction fails to ensure loyalty

03:22 Impressive CX doesn’t require high spend

05:36 Meeting baseline expectations can wow

07:08 Balancing fundamentals and delight

09:21 How to assess readiness for delight

11:59 Executives stepping into customer shoes

14:43 Case example of broken IVR experience

17:14 Socializing CX reality throughout the org

20:10 Defining “what right looks like” in CX

22:46 Journey mapping is a beginning, not the end

24:46 Making CX real with artifacts

28:41 Episodes and peak-end design

32:16 Ending on a high note in every episode

38:20 Perception of control as a CX principle

46:00 How to quantify CX ROI

52:00 Focus first on expense impact

58:00 Where to start building CX business cases

62:00 Choosing the right CX consultancy

LinkedIn

Follow ⁠⁠Jon Picoult⁠⁠ on LinkedIn

Follow ⁠⁠Jochem⁠⁠ on LinkedIn

Links to more

Learn more about Jon and his company, Watermark Consulting.

Read Watermark’s Customer Experience ROI Study.

Learn more about Jon’s book, FROM IMPRESSED TO OBSESSED:  12 Principles For Turning Customers And Employees Into Lifelong Fans.