Joe Ruiz

About Joe Ruiz

Joseph Ruiz is an expert in Customer Experience Marketing. Joseph is President of Strategic Marketing Solutions, a full-service marketing and consulting firm specializing in web-based integrated Relationship Marketing. Joseph thrives on the ever-changing nature of marketing in the digital age, embracing interactive opportunities, while applying three decades of hands-on expertise in online and traditional marketing. When he’s not helping business-makers navigate through complex marketing challenges, Joseph enjoys reading, working out and traveling just about anywhere…anywhere you can get a digital signal, that is.

5 Ways Panera Bread Creates an Engaging Customer Experience – A Case Study

Panera Bread wants to be a comfortable place for their customers to gather. Their stores have been designed to invite and welcome customers to enjoy relaxing, conversation, reading; all in a casual atmosphere. Panera has built a successful business based on providing an experience that was aligned with their mission; until it wasn’t. The brand…

6 Internal Gaps that Disrupt the Customer Experience

Gaps contribute to poor customer experiences. I have written about these in the past. I have also written about customer experience tools that can help brands close or eliminate these gaps. The stakes are high! A customer is 4 times more likely to buy from a competitor if the problem is service related vs. price or product…

Do You know Your Customer’s Expectations? – 25 Important Stats to Consider

Customer expectations are high, and growing! To provide a differentiating customer experience, you must exceed, or at least meet expectations. Survey data indicates many brands are now focusing on the customer experience. Reaching mobile consumers requires a whole new mindset; brands are increasingly relying on customer-centric strategies and tactics. They are creating personas and journey maps to…

5 Amazingly Simple Customer Experience Dashboard Hacks

You don’t have to look too far to find customer relationship management software systems; most are designed to track customer purchase behaviors. Some of the more sophisticated products are capable of tracking pre and post-purchase behaviors. It’s no secret that the customer experience is key to attracting and retaining customers. Consumers are quick to share…

3 Critical Characteristics of Values-Based Marketing

Values-based leadership is an effective model for creating a climate where individual and corporate values are aligned. The single greatest predictor of relational longevity is aligned values. It’s true in marriage and it’s true in business. I believe values-based marketing can be equally important. I define the concept here. In this post, I am not…

10 Key Customer Experience Design Factors to Consider

We live in a world where change is the new normal. Just about anyone in business these days has to be able to deal with change on an increasingly frequent basis. Customers now have a growing number of options, from new start-ups to consumer packaged goods giants; everyone is recognizing the value of focusing on…

3 Dimensions that Drive a Differentiating Customer Experience

We like to do business with people we _______. When I ask this as a question the answer is almost always a single word – trust. Edelman has created a Trust Barometer. It’s an annual study to examine the impact of trust on businesses. The most recent survey indicates that trust is down in many…

5 Ways to Engage Employees To Build A Better Customer Experience

People say they will pay more for a better customer experience. More importantly, they will leave to go to a competitor after a bad experience. 86% of people will pay more for a better customer experience, and 89% will go to a competitor after a bad one. Source State of Marketing Report 2015 In that…

6 Essential Customer Experience Questions You Must Answer

Think about a recent mediocre customer experience, if you are struggling with this, think about a bad one. What made it less than ideal? Now think about a product or service you love, love enough to recommend. Why do you love it? Most people are to able come up with at least one brand in…