TedTopping.com - Creative Insights Inc. - Media Interviews, Published Articles and Blog Posts

CREATIVE INSIGHTS INC.

From where you are to where you want to go.

Media Interview

Ted Topping Interview with David Berner

In Search of Superb Customer Service

This fast-paced interview was broadcast several times on Shaw Cable’s Community Channel (Vancouver) in May 2011.

It looks at the customer experience from many angles, including: hiring the right staff, brands such as Disney, Apple and Cirque, and why businesses must get out of the middle and choose a strategy.

Highlights of In Search of Superb Customer Service, part 1
00:00	Theme and introduction
01:55	Updates to our Start and Run a Retail Business book
03:00	Retail is a people business, driven by emotions
04:45	Apple adds the emotional component, earns its premium price
08:20	Service in Canada vs. service in the U.S.
09:08	The “middle” is a terrible place for a business to be
11:18	Target will get a warmer welcome to Canada than Walmart

Highlights of In Search of Superb Customer Service, part 2
01:30	The difficulty training customer service across the age gap
04.00	If value, mission statements do not lead to service standards
07:20	Customer service is even possible in civic government
10:00	People are fundamentally good, want to do a good job
10:45	Perfecting the Customer Experience program
12:35	Benchmarking Disney worthwhile, doesn’t require huge budget

From the Studio: Ted Topping is Guest on The David Berner Show

The final product that television viewers see on their screens is polished, largely through the efforts of the many people who work behind the scenes as camera operators, or in makeup, sound, production and guest services. Michael P. Keeping is the show’s Director.

Vancouver photographer Robert Werner documented the In Search of Superb Customer Service interview and provided these great images:

Host David Berner briefs guest Ted Topping on the format and general theme of the show.

Even before taping starts, the rapport between guest and host is apparent.

With cameras watching from every angle, Ted Topping and David Berner focus on the task of enjoying a fast-paced and interesting conversation.

Ted Topping told host David Berner that “the middle” is a terrible place for a business to be.

Disney Dispatch Interview

Ted Topping on the Disney Customer Experience

Writer Bob McLain asks Ted Topping about how he became interested in the business side of Disney and why it is worthwhile to benchmark that company.

Articles Benchmarking Disney Service, Customer Experience

From www.DisneyDispatch.com

This Disney Queue Music Sets You Soarin’

Ted Topping benchmarks the queue for Soarin' Over California and finds a music loop that touches Guests' hearts, setting them up for the emotional experience of the attraction.

We Became Disney Customers Long Before Purchasing

An amazing customer experience at the departure of Disney Wonder’s end-of-season sailing made Ted Topping a Disney Cruise Line customer without him even buying a ticket.

“Coming Soon” Builds the Disney Relationship

Ted Topping discusses three ways in which Disney uses Coming Soon (normally a way of promoting movies) to create a sale, add value to that sale and then convert it into a long-term relationship.

Park Cleanliness Links Guests Directly to Walt

Ted Topping spilled a half-full coffee cup while waiting for Disney’s Electrical Parade, and began to learn a benchmarking lesson that links park Guests directly to Walt Disney.

Area Music Heightens the Experience

Ted Topping visits Condor Flats in Disney California Adventure and discovers an area music loop so strong it can later invoke the entire customer experience.

Adding Layers to the Customer Experience

Wendy leads the tour, Ophelia delivers the “Wow” and Walt provides the vision as Ted Topping benchmarks Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room.

Crossing Paths with the Disney Legends

The role of the Disney Legends includes telling the company’s story to both internal customers (Cast Members) and external customers (Guests).

Disney’s Service Standards and Values

Once the vision and mission are complete, companies need to translate them into things that management and staff can actually use: service standards and service values.

Disney Wonder Brings “Magic” to Vancouver

There was a certain “magic” in the air for Disney fans in Vancouver, British Columbia on May 3, 2011 as Port Metro Vancouver welcomed the Disney Wonder.

Articles for Small Business

From Retail Connections

Managing the Customer Experience: The Apple Way to Succeed

The focus of retail, especially smaller and specialized retail, has shifted to the total customer experience – the way that everything looks from the customers’ point of view, where the buying decisions are made.

More (opens new window)

From Small Business BC

Competitive Strategies for Retail

Every retail business needs to add value to its products by adopting one of three basic strategies and offering: the greatest assortment, the lowest price or the best service. Although all of these strategies add value, each one meets the needs of different customers.

More (opens new window)

Retailers Need a “Secret Weapon”

The ability to focus resources in a single strategic direction is a big reason why some stores succeed while others fail. The successful stores know where they are going and how to get there. The others lack a viable strategic plan to achieve their goals, and wind up being mediocre at everything.

More (opens new window)

From Bakers Journal

The Psychology of Today’s Customers

In choosing a strategy for growth – or perhaps simply survival – a bakery needs to find the right mixture of utilitarian and hedonic products for its existing and potential customers. Trying to compete in the lowest-price contest is a folly and attempting to sit in the middle of the spectrum is a wasted opportunity to create a point of difference for the business.

More (opens new window)

Finding and Keeping Employees:

Nine ways that small employers can act like they’re big

When the Baby Boomers were young, it made sense to build a staff around “entry level” workers (people approximately 22 years of age). But those days are gone and they will never return. No amount of immigration can offset our lack of young people, so employers simply must find new ways to staff their businesses.

More (opens new window)

Also from Baker’s Journal, the four-part series on the changing labor market by Ted Topping:

Click to open or download as an Adobe Acrobat PDF

Harnessing the Wave of Experience

The time is right to balance your team with older workers

The Fifty-Plus Workforce

How to build a team with older workers

Laying the Foundation for Success

Long-term success with older workers starts with extensive initial training

Older Workers Bring Challenges, Skills

Understanding motivation will make your job as a coach easier