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DESIGNING FOR MORE CUSTOMER DELIGHT
Edition 038
Jessica Murray
June 05, 2025
Our featured article either offers a behind-the-scenes look at what we’re up to at Empower or provides a fresh lens on how to grow, operate or think differently about business.
RECENT NOTES ON CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿-𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 60% 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗿 than those that fail to focus here.
I’ve been in the weeds (the good kind) on customer experience (CX) lately. If you’ve followed along for a while, you know it’s a drum I beat often. The stat above always grounds me in one reason why.
It’s generally been the case, but even more so in the current climate, that designing standout experiences is how you rise above the noise. Bottom line: how you make people feel when they interact with your business, products or services matters.
Lately, I’ve been doubling down on this work for a couple of reasons:
I’ve partnered with a new business on a CX optimization project.
I’m preparing for a live workshop next week with Melissa Jones of 3816 Creative.
Needless to say, the customer truly is at the center of a lot of my thinking right now. What’s also been top of mind is how to make the quick, incremental improvements that drive impact fast, while also working on the medium-to-long-term strategy in parallel.
Five simple steps
Image generated by ChatGPT
Whether you’re actively refining your customer journey or about ready to be more intentional about your approach, here are five quick and effective reminders.
Keep it simple: A great customer experience doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes, focusing on the basics and doing them exceptionally can be the key to success.
Give your customers the tools for success: Clear onboarding, surfacing the right information at the right time, proactive touchpoints. These seemingly small things make a difference.
Put yourself in the customer mindset: Build empathy, go through the experience yourself and be honest about where things fall short.
Pick 1-2 friction points first: The goal isn’t to solve everything at once. Start with one thing that confuses or frustrates your customers the most and clean it up.
Consistency beats flash: Customers expect things to work the way you tell them they will, every time.
You’re not alone if customer experience is a big focus for you right now. If Empower can help, reply and let me know. And, if you happen to be in Nashville next week, join me and Melissa. More info in this week’s “Just Because.”
A peek into another entrepreneurial journey. The wins, challenges, pivots and lessons.
MEET PATRICK STERN, CO-FOUNDER - GROWTH & PARTNERSHIPS OF BRODERICK & CO.
Q: When did you know you were destined to build a business?
A: “As a kid growing up, my dad owned his own landscape company in Hawaii.”
Q: What’s the most unexpected thing (+/-) that’s happened along your entrepreneurial journey?
A: “The amount of failures I have had in my life.”
Q: When did you hit your first scaling challenge and how did you overcome it?
A: “When we moved 24 55-gallon jugs into a 300-square-foot space.”
Q: If you were starting all over, what’s one piece of advice you would give yourself?
A: “Pay yourself first before you hire.”
Q: Do you have one ask or offer you would like to share with the Empower community?
A: “Taste or share one of our cocktail flights, let us know what you think!”
Q: A fun one, what’s your all-time favorite restaurant and where is it located?
A: “NOPA, in San Francisco.”
Want to learn more?
Check out the Broderick & Co. and Uncle Tim’s websites. You can also follow both on Instagram at @broderickandco and @uncletimscocktails.
As an aside, I got to meet Patrick at the very beginning of the Uncle Tim’s journey when he was conducting product research. It’s been fun to get to know him better over the years and watch the business evolve. To this day, Uncle Tim’s is one of the few bottled cocktails I’ve enjoyed drinking.
An approachable tip designed for incremental improvement with outsized impact.
Give first. You’ll receive later.
With a month of new partner wins (yay!) and a lot of reps at events (just got back from three days at New York Tech Week), I’m doubling down on this one.
When you’re building a business, time is your most precious asset. And when time feels scarce, it’s easy to approach interactions through the lens of “What’s in it for me?” You’re juggling multiple hats, chasing traction and trying to optimize for the highest ROI.
That’s why networking often feels transactional: “I’ll help you if you help me.”
But, the truth is, the best connections I’ve made in the past year of building Empower haven’t come from being transactional. They’ve surfaced when I’ve been my authentic self and given without expecting anything in return.
Your move
At the next coffee chat, virtual event or conference, lead with curiosity. Look for one genuine way to be helpful. Maybe it’s a resource. Maybe it’s a thoughtful introduction. Maybe it’s just listening and asking good questions.
It may not yield an immediate return. But over time? Those relationships are the ones that open doors you didn’t even know existed.
Curated reads or listens to spark new ideas or expand your thinking.
Open AI Academy
TL;DR
In Edition 037, I focused on my mindset shift when it comes to AI, and how I’m more convinced than ever that it’s fundamentally changing (and going to continue to change) how businesses are built, team structures and what it will take to compete for the long-term.
To piggyback on that topic and provide tools for enablement, I’m highlighting OpenAI Academy this week. OpenAI launched this learning hub as a free resource to anyone trying to learn and implement AI tools. There’s a wide range of content, so I encourage you to bookmark it and use it as a helpful resource on your AI journey.
Playful and purely for enjoyment.
DID YOU HEAR? THERE’S A WORKSHOP IN NASHVILLE NEXT WEEK.
If you’re in town, there’s still time to RSVP!
If you’re not in Nashville, but are interested in what we’ll discuss, reply to this newsletter and I’ll make sure you get the bonus materials!
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If you’re ready to take the step, reach out to discuss how we can support your goals.
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