95: How Connections Fuel Customer Experience (CX) with Richard Shapiro

In this episode, Dan connects with a true architect of modern Customer Experience (CX) and a man who can claim more than most to be a relationship innovator, the founder and CEO of The Center for Client Retention (TCFCR), Richard Shapiro. 

A former VP of Customer Satisfaction and Client Retention at ADP, Rich joins Dan to discuss his passion for developing relationships, the way his early experiences in retail with his father played a role in the trajectory of his life and career, and how he’s acted as a trailblazer in the industry for customer experience. Rich has pioneered a unique path for businesses to maximize growth and revenue potential by returning to the fundamental truth of the customer experience – that customers are people first and customers second. 

Today, Dan and Rich discuss Rich’s people-first approach to customer service, how his time at ADP influenced his ideas for shifting how businesses can enrich the customer experience, the ins and outs of his book,  The Endangered Customer: 8 Steps to Guarantee Repeat Business, and how the lessons from his book are applicable to all forms of relationships. 

Notable Quotes

• “The strongest bond in any relationship or business is between two people. Whether you have an e-commerce business or have a brick-and-mortar store or a medical practice – it’s all about the 1:1 relationships. People like to feel like somebody else really cares about them, and you can’t really care about someone unless you get to know them.” (1:01:29)

In This Episode

• (02:50) Richard’s story - from his father’s partner to trailblazing a new approach to the customer experience
• (06:38) Human connection in the corporate world
• (13:15) The evolution of the customer experience throughout the decades
• (19:32) Meaningful relationships are a pillar of the customer experience
• (26:24) The levels of customer service using a people-first approach
• (30:05) Richard breaks down his 8-step process for building brand loyalty
• (36:07) Using the invite to return instead of saying no to the customer. 
• (39:48) Treating customers like people even in frustrating situations to build trust
• (43:20) The 8 steps are all about relationships
• (51:01) Richard’s personal growth in building relationships using his 8-step process 
• (55:20) Genuine curiosity and sincerity are a necessity for building relationships
• (58:45) The key to customer service: people are people, not transactions

About Richard

Richard Shapiro is the Founder and President of The Center For Client Retention (TCFCR). He is an author and mentor with expertise in brand loyalty, customer experience, and customer retention. His upbringing, paired with his time in the corporate world, shaped Richard’s ideas for how powerful the customer experience is for improving customer retention. Richard believes by taking a people-first customer–second approach, customers will enter your business as a stranger but leave as a friend, eager to return. Richard is a renowned author of books such as “The Endangered Customer: 8 Steps to Guarantee Repeat Business” and “The Welcomer Edge: Unlocking the Secrets to Repeat Business.” Richard enjoys making new friends, mentoring others, and doing architectural tours.

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Dan Nestle

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Richard Shapiro

• Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardrshapiro/?locale=es_ES
• Richard on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RichardRShapiro
• The Center for Client Retention: https://www.tcfcr.com/
• The Endangered Customer on Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/Endangered-Customer-Guarantee-Repeat-Business/dp/099800300X