The Path Forward: Customer Experience in the Age of the Unexpected

Greg Verdino

Tuesday, August 11 | 12:00pm – 12:45pm

Nobody had a novel coronavirus on their digital transformation BINGO card. And yet, it was the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic turmoil — rather than AI, blockchain, cloud or the Internet of Things (or competitive pressure from Airbnb, Uber, Tesla, Lemonade or even Amazon) — that drove a host of both small and sweeping changes in how business gets done, practically overnight.

Modern, flexible, scalable IT was important pre-pandemic. Post-pandemic, it’s vital. A digital-enabled customer experience was already a strategic differentiator. Today, it’s everything. And Support Center teams sit at the intersection of the technologies that shape the ways we live and work, and the humanity that truly sets organizations apart.

In his SupportWorld Live keynote, business futurist and digital transformation expert Greg Verdino will explore how the new normal we’re living through today will usher in wave after wave of disruption in technology, the economy and society. He will discuss how these changes force us to reimagine work, reinvent business, and rethink how our own organizations prepare for and respond to digital change. And he will highlight the outsized opportunity support center and service team leaders have to deliver the stability, certainty, excellence and innovation their companies and their customers need in order to thrive in an age when everything is unexpected.

About the Speaker

Greg Verdino is a highly regarded authority on the digital future who helps leaders build thriving 21st century organizations. He is known for his uncanny ability to forecast trends, spot the difference between fads and the future, and apply his understanding of the rapidly changing global landscape to solve pressing client challenges. His perspectives have been shaped by 20+ years working at the forefront of marketing, media and technology change. Prior to starting his own consultancy, Greg was Executive Vice President at social business firm Dachis Group, where he helped BIC, Citibank, Fidelity, GE, Michaels Stores, Nestle and others formulate and execute best-in-class digital strategies.

Building Emotional Vitality to Thrive Through Crisis

Sara Ross

Wednesday, August 12 | 12:00pm – 12:45pm

When there’s no playbook, being tasked with leading teams virtually, determining how to bring people back to work safely, supporting those still working from home, and making decisions about the future of the business is a heavy burden!

Managing stress and energy, while creating environments for others to do the same is perhaps more important today than ever. Those best meeting the challenges are recognizing the power of Emotional Vitality, which is the combination of emotional intelligence and energy management.

If you and your team seem to be running on fumes, this session will provide leadership-focused, brain-based strategies to get you back on the path to firing on all cylinders.

1. How to use Emotional Intelligence (EQ) to buffer stress, manage difficult emotions and find positivity and possibility in the midst of challenge and uncertainty.
2. Brain-based strategies to set boundaries and address “Digital Depletion,” brought on by remote work and virtual collaboration and leadership.
3. Strategy-focused practices to cultivate Vitality Intelligence (VQ), helping leaders and their team manage energy with a tool to identify when healthy challenge tips into unhealthy stress.
4. Three quick tips to balance empathy and accountability to help leaders manage their emotional exhaustion and their team feel supported, capable, and confident.

You’ll leave with a blueprint of actionable strategies to help ensure both and you and your teams can not just survive, but thrive through these unprecedented times.

About the Speaker

Sara Ross is the Chief Vitality Officer at BrainAMPED, a research and strategy firm dedicated to redefining how we succeed at work and thrive in life by sharing brain-based, vitality-enhancing strategies to create healthier, happier, high performing leaders and workplaces. Before founding her company, Sara spent a decade with the Institute for Health and Human Potential, formerly serving as their Vice President and Global Head of Leadership Innovation. Balancing relevance and practicality with a contagious energy, Sara integrates cutting-edge science with real-life stories of success and failures. Her approach is guaranteed to challenge the status quo, provide new insights and inspiration, and most importantly, leave audiences with a blueprint of actionable strategies.