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Rebel Rebel Modern Love: Building Customer Loyalty Through Empathy & Trust

By / / Collaboration, Customer experience, Emotional Intelligence, Entrepreneurship, Soft skills

In 30 seconds

Key Takeaways:

The Problem: Automation is eroding human connection. Research shows 68% of customers leave because they feel companies don’t care, not due to product issues or price.

The Shift: From customer acquisition to community cultivation, Bowie built a tribe through BowieNet’s 18-year run (1998-2016), creating deep relationships before “community” became a buzzword. The future belongs to those mastering Human-AI Partnership: AI handles mechanics while humans deepen emotional intelligence and trust.

The Solution: Embed empathy in every interaction through active listening, understanding emotional drivers, and aligning solutions with values. Build advisory relationships prioritising long-term trust over transactions. Leaders must model team empathy, creating psychologically safe spaces where connection flourishes.

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NetPromoterScore-vs-NetEasyScore

NES Outshines NPS: The Key to Customer Loyalty in 2025

By / / Communication, Customer experience, Customer Service

In 30 seconds

The Net Easy Score (NES) has stepped out of the Net Promoter Score’s (NPS) shadow, becoming the key to customer loyalty in 2025. NES measures how easy it is to resolve issues or complete tasks, using a 7-point scale. Unlike NPS’s loyalty focus, NES targets friction reduction, which a 2024 HBR study says drives loyalty 2.4 times more than delight. Companies like MECCA (83% NES) and Bendigo Bank (79% NES) excel by simplifying processes. In 2025, NES is the mindset for lasting customer relationships.

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Looking Beyond “Can I Help You?” – The True Purpose of Retail Sales

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Customer experience, Human-centred, Sales Culture, Sales Skills

In 30 seconds

Retail done right is not about pushing products — it’s about helping people. When we approach customers with genuine curiosity, purposeful care, and acknowledgment, we build trust and meaningful human connection. As Peter Drucker said, the purpose of business is to solve problems; revenue follows naturally. Whether in a pharmacy, hardware store, or camping outlet, retail staff who listen, support, and guide customers are making a real difference. A simple “Can I help you?” becomes a powerful conversation when it comes from a place of empathy. This human-centred mindset turns retail into a rewarding, purpose-driven career.

In 2 …

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I Love Kimmi: A Celebration of Exceptional Service in an Era of Enshittification

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Collaboration, Customer experience, Sales Culture, Sales Relationships

In 30 seconds

Two months ago, I entered Hugo Boss at Chadstone Shopping Centre, seeking a perfect suit. Kimmi, a warm sales associate, showed me a great black suit but promised to source another colour. Her friendliness led us to bond over K-dramas, J-dramas, and styling. I left with a green dress, expecting no follow-up. Yet, Kimmi called—she’d found my suit in Europe. In an era of enshittification, where businesses prioritise profit over service, Kimmi’s proactive care was a revelation. Her human-centric approach built trust and loyalty. Let’s celebrate the Kimmis and demand better than soulless automation.

In 2 minutes

Two months ago, …

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team alignment

Why Team Alignment Is Your Greatest Profit Driver

By / / Blog, Business Growth, Collaboration, Communication, Customer experience, Customer Service, Sales Culture, Soft skills, Teamwork

In 30 seconds

Without alignment and between-team collaboration, companies lose more than revenue—they risk losing clients and employee morale. Miscommunication and silos lead to missed deadlines, poor service, and lower productivity. In today’s competitive market, alignment and building bridges are vital assets. Coordinated teamwork and open communication reduce costly mistakes and drive client satisfaction and profitability. By fostering a culture of collaboration, businesses can unlock the full potential of their teams, creating a high-performance environment that benefits clients, employees, and the bottom line.

In 2 minutes

Miscommunication and lack of coordination between departments are silent profit killers. There’s plenty of research from companies …

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The Pitfalls of AI Chatbots in Customer Service & CX

By / / Communication, Customer experience, Customer Service

In 30 Seconds

In recent years, large corporations have increasingly turned to automation, especially AI chatbots, to manage customer interactions, aiming for greater efficiency. However, this shift, particularly evident in B2C sectors like airlines, banks, telecoms, and energy providers, has led to heightened customer frustration as human representatives become harder to reach.

Automating processes can enhance business efficiency, but not at the expense of customer experience. The Net Easy Score (NES), designed to measure the ease of customer interactions, has ironically turned into a Net Extreme Difficulty Score (NEDS) due to excessive automation. Unlike the collaborative, human-centered approach in B2B markets, B2C …

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Trend 8 – Sales AND Customer Service

By / / Blog, Customer experience, Customer Service, Customer-centric, Sales Trends

This is Trend 8 from Barrett’s 12 Business and Sales Trends for 2024. You can download the full report here.

In 30 seconds

Sales and customer service need to work in harmony for outstanding results and client engagement. Sales drives revenue and provides market insights, and customer service offers client support, ensures quality, and focuses on retention. Their collaboration is vital, ensuring smooth client handovers, a robust feedback loop, and identifying cross-selling opportunities. Together, they cultivate client loyalty, resolve issues efficiently, and uphold a customer-centric approach. This collaboration is the cornerstone for business success, impacting client …

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Is Your Customer Always Right?

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Blog, Brand & Reputation, Customer experience, Customer Service, Customer-centric, Prospecting

In 30 seconds

The quote “the customer is always right” emerged in the early 20th century, sparking debate on its application. Harry Gordon Selfridge, founder of Selfridge’s Department Store, famously said, “The customer is always right in matters of taste,” highlighting the subjective nature of taste. Conversely, César Ritz advocated for immediate resolution of customer complaints, no questions asked. Today, this motto remains contentious, especially in balancing customer satisfaction with employee well-being. Sales teams face challenges like defining “right” in the digital age, leveraging customer data, and guiding customers ethically, even if that means contradicting them. Ultimately, the focus should be …

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Striking Balance – Barrett’s 12 Sales & Business Trends for 2024

By / / Blog, Business Growth, Collaboration, Communication, Customer experience, Customer Service, Customer-centric, Digital credentials, Education in Sales, Emotional Intelligence, Ethics & Values, Human-centred, Hybrid Selling, Leadership, Learning and Development, Opportunity, Sales Consulting, Sales Culture, Sales Driven Organisations, Sales Growth, Sales Leadership, Sales Management, Sales Methodology, Sales Operations, Sales Results, Sales Skills, Sales Strategy, Sales Tips, Sales Training, Sales Trends, Selling Better, Soft skills, Solution Selling, Strategy, Success, Value Based Selling

In December 2023 we published Barrett’s 12 Sales & Business Trends for 2024. This is a summary of that report, in case you missed it.

For decades, the business world has been dominated by what looked like opposites to choose from. You could be a hunter or a gatherer, a manager or a leader.

These concepts have been pitched to the business community as opposing and mutually exclusive choices, forcing a binary mindset. These polarisations don’t apply to modern businesses and sales operations – and they haven’t served us well for some time now.

In 2023 we’ve worked with businesses across industries and …

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Humans at the Centre of Buying & Selling

By / / Blog, Buying, Customer experience, Customer Service, Human-centred, Sales Process Maps, Sales Trends, sales-process-map

Sales Trend 10 of the Barrett 12 Sales Trends Report for 2023 is about the importance of designing human-centred buying-selling-servicing processes.

In 30 seconds

Buying-selling-servicing processes are the collection of interactions that take place between buyers and sellers. In B2B, these processes often lack structure, relying on personalities rather than procedures, risking client retention. B2C giants prioritise digital channels, often neglecting the customer experience.

To address these issues, businesses are embracing human-centred engagement and design. They seek to create less stressful, more meaningful interactions that consider ease and meaning for customers. The Net Easy Score (NES) measures interaction simplicity, while human-centred design focuses on understanding people’s needs and motivations.

These approaches shift away from rigid processes, emphasising human interactions, and balancing digital and in-person engagement.

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