An interview with 2015 Emergenetics Brain Summit Keynote Speaker Andre Wiringa.

1. What exactly is “reverse thinking” or “reverse engineering”?

Creating a consistent and memorable customer/guest experience is key. And that is exactly where some brands are successful, yet most struggle. People are the brand, which is the main reason behind the success of game changers such as Apple, Lush, Nepresso, CitizenM, Cirque du Soleil…

Many companies state they put their customer/guest-centric first, which in reality often is not the case. If one really cares about the customer/guest experience, this should be the starting point for everything one does. Creating a customer/guest experience (on- and off-line) that is consistently exceeding expectations and is therefore shared with others requires Reverse Thinking or Reverse Engineering.

Don’t think Process, think Reverse starting with the desired customer/guest experience. Engineer the desired experience into desired behavior, a stimulating working climate, facilitating leadership, differentiating processes and a distinguishing product. Appeal to customers/guests who will feel at home within your brand. Reverse thinking exclusively captures, develops, and spreads desired culture. Reverse engineering contributes to consistent and memorable experiences, every day in every channel, and on every touch point. It builds a community of Raving Fans.

Reverse engineering is a revolutionary new learning & development program that will help change the landscape of (customer/guest) experience. It offers the opportunity to brand the desired experience, develop it, and make it grow into a desired culture, a culture matching with the brand promise.

reverse thinking

2. Why do you think these concepts or ideas are so powerful?

  • Because it will help create/deliver consistently memorable experiences every day and on every touch point.
  • Because it will help close the gap between what marketing promises and what guests/customers really experience.
  • Because you will build a community of free Ambassadors and Raving Fans.
  • And ultimately, because it will contribute to a financial stability.

You can’t create a distinguishing experience by scripting behaviour. Memorable experiences only happen when employees feel at home in the right context in a stimulating working climate. Employees will unleash a desired behaviour in a stimulating working climate. Who we are and what we stand for (context) is decisive for how we do things (process) and what we need to have (content). The desired experience will be a starting point, a mutual context for all employees. The mutual context will contribute to a stimulating working climate, resulting in desired & consistent behaviour. A strong, collective, and supported working climate will generate energy. Therefore, we create a powerful context in which employees can generate their own, unique behaviour.

3. How do you utilize these ideas in your company or companies?

Our reason for being Experience Engineers is to spread delight by creating positive productive, and memorable experiences for our clients, their teams and their customers. In fact, we are on a mission to create Raving Fans for both our business partners and ourselves.

As Experience Engineers, we refer to our desired customer experience as ‘FEED to Grow’:

  • Free to have FUN
  • Energized to ENGAGE
  • Encouraged to EMPOWER
  • Dedicated to making a DIFFERENCE

We transform companies in a FUN way, by ENGAGING people, which EMPOWERS them to make a DIFFERENCE.

4. What results does “reverse engineering” bring to an organization?

The Reverse approach:

  • (Re)defines the WHY and WHO of your organization/brand
  • Builds alignment on the HOW and WHAT of your organization/brand
  • Defines desired (customer/guest) experience
  • Designs your optimal staff behavior, working climate, and leadership
  • Defines the gap between current reality and desired future
  • Transforms employees into ambassadors
  • Transforms customers/guests into Raving Fans

5. What kinds of results do you see in countries all over the world?

Our Reverse Approach helps teams and their leaders in transforming each touch point into a genuine experience by bringing your brand values to life. This will have a direct and positive impact on:

  • NPS (Net Promoter Score)
  • Brand awareness
  • Customer Loyalty & Satisfaction
  • Financial Outcome
  • Benchmarks
  • Employee Engagement, Loyalty & Satisfaction
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