Nick Glimsdahl: Welcome to the Press 1 for Nick podcast my name is Nick Glimsdahl, though, and I guess I'm the guest this week.
Nick Glimsdahl: My the host of today's podcast will be Neil tough, he is the founder and CEO Callzilla he also has the podcast fireside chats without the fires, without further ado I'm pushing the host responsibility to Neil Topf.
Neal Topf: Nick Thank you so much for allowing me to come back to your podcast I had the distinct honor and privilege of being.
Neal Topf: The first person to be interviewed on press one for next, and here I get to have the privilege, I believe this is the hundredth or just after the.
Neal Topf: interview, so I get to interview The interviewer and come back and it's like an old home week for me it's a pleasure to be here Thank you so much, this is a true honor.
Nick Glimsdahl: yeah absolutely That was the That was the thing that I asked, I was people wanted me to to do a podcast on the hundredth episode and I was like well what would be the best person to interview me.
Nick Glimsdahl: I was like well somebody gave me a chance at the very beginning, this Neil tough guy I think it'd be fun to have a go from one to 100.
Nick Glimsdahl: And and kind of breakdown, I have have you be the interview he said, especially since you have the podcast on your side, and you know you're doing so i'm giving you the reins today.
Neal Topf: awesome true honor and privilege really Thank you so much, so let's get right into it we're going to go from one to 100, as you just said.
Neal Topf: I am so curious, by the way, about your responses, because as a podcast host and creator i've had my own journey and experience.
Neal Topf: of things i've loved things i'm curious about things like question, but this is particularly why i'm really interested in seeing your answers here we are at 100 number 100 let's jump into it question number one for you, here it comes what made you want to start this podcast.
Neal Topf: And what did you learn as a podcaster.
Nick Glimsdahl: yeah I mean at the very beginning, obviously this is in the middle of the beginning of the pandemic and everything was getting shut down, and I was like what in the world, am I going to do, I can have coffees lunches.
Nick Glimsdahl: Meetings etc in person, how do I find ways to add value and instead of just pushing out content via blog post or.
Nick Glimsdahl: You know, sending an email or calling because everybody's going to get bombarded with with with valuable quote unquote content.
Nick Glimsdahl: And the best thing I can come up with at the time was well I could probably start a podcast I had the group customer experience cx FM.
Nick Glimsdahl: group out of Michigan reached out to me, I was on their podcast they had Ping me about.
Nick Glimsdahl: The February, so a few months prior and said hey do you want to start a podcast and the first answer was no i'm super busy I don't have time to do that.
Nick Glimsdahl: And they came actually came back and asked me again and I said, you know funny enough I started thinking about it and it might be a good fit now I I.
Nick Glimsdahl: Surprisingly, have this bandwidth that I that I can work with you know when it comes to what I learned about with with the podcast there was there was a bunch I had a.
Nick Glimsdahl: At the very beginning, I didn't have a speaker I kind of had a speaker box, I had my my computer video, so it wasn't the best quality.
Nick Glimsdahl: wasn't really prepared a whole lot for for the guests, I didn't do my research funny enough just being fully transparent like it was being it was weird for me to be recorded and having this my voice in the the information that i'm putting out consistently put out there and kind of.
Nick Glimsdahl: put on a platform forever, and so the first five episodes I was semi uncomfortable like I.
Nick Glimsdahl: was telling a buddy of mine that I was like sweaty sweating through my my shorts and it wasn't nervous really I didn't think I was nervous, but I was like sweating through my shorts and all sorts of crazy stuff but, at the end of the day.
Nick Glimsdahl: I learned that I needed to just be myself and be genuine and have fun doing it, and that was the process so so that's today it's it's all about.
Nick Glimsdahl: understanding what the guests, where they've spoken the past what content they're putting out there if it's a book or.
Nick Glimsdahl: a keynote or a webinar making sure that I can invest in the time because I think the more than I am fast prior to the interview, the more that the quality, the higher quality that that interview is.
Neal Topf: I love that preparation is really key right it's possible to literally just show up and press record.
Neal Topf: But I think you've alluded to the fact that I found this that the more you prepare the more you organize the more reading you do in advance of interviewing someone usually, the better it turns out right.
Nick Glimsdahl: yeah I think that's 100% right but it's also.
Nick Glimsdahl: If somebody's willing to jump on my podcast as a guest i'm taking away their time of doing something else, and so, how do I value their time and.
Nick Glimsdahl: Make sure that I appreciate it as well, so they can tell that i'm putting in that investment and i'm prepping prior and i'm asking them questions we're scheduling time to talk.
Nick Glimsdahl: And it's hopefully a different experience and then, then what they have on the majority of the other podcasts that they've done on today yeah.
Neal Topf: So true.
Neal Topf: i'm curious about this one, so I am Sir that there has been an explosion of cx podcast, by the way, not just in the US, but abroad, this is a global phenomenon people in this profession.
Neal Topf: for whatever reason, like to have podcast i've been known to describe it as everyone and their mother now how they see X podcast i'm curious, what do you think makes press one for Nick different and better than the rest of them.
Nick Glimsdahl: So i'm not going to pretend, I have this wwe cx belt saying i'm the best podcast out there, I think.
Nick Glimsdahl: perception is the reality.
Nick Glimsdahl: One thing that I can tell you that our goal or my goal is.
Nick Glimsdahl: is to focus on customer experience customer service, you know culture insights employee engagement HR business objectives and I try to ask the questions that my listeners hopefully would want to ask.
Nick Glimsdahl: And I also try to kind of step out of the box, a little bit in in not just keep it in cx or customer service, so the thought leaders of.
Nick Glimsdahl: The authors of the keynotes or the practitioners, but bring on guests from like Disney that the head of Disney at the magic Kingdom or.
Nick Glimsdahl: International hostage negotiators or semi pro baseball team owners, along with the cx and customer service professionals and an ask them the additional questions that maybe.
Nick Glimsdahl: Some potentially don't at the at a very high level.
Neal Topf: love your answer I know i'm not supposed to answer your question, but I did have you, but if I were to answer the server at this from your podcast you offer an.
Neal Topf: array of variety and diversity, and you do change things up, I think that is one of the great things that makes you stand out and brings to quality of your program, thank you for answering that.
Neal Topf: yeah.
let's remember that.
Neal Topf: yeah well it's true, I mean, is there a reason why you've been able to get to 100 episodes that people actually listen to him that's that's one of them let's go to question number three.
Neal Topf: And so curious going back to part of what you just answered about the diversity of your guests, what do you look for in the guests that you.
Neal Topf: wind up inviting people to do is just spend a lot of time researching and evaluating this one worth it it's not worth it, what is it that you really truly look for before hitting that sand or making that phone call to invite someone to be under your podcast.
Nick Glimsdahl: yeah it's at the end of the day, it's not necessarily the title, obviously, if Jeff bezos is calling me up and saying hey can there be on your podcast I would.
Nick Glimsdahl: jump at the opportunity but it's not necessarily the the title or the the C suite or the VP of this or the cx of that it's it's more about.
Nick Glimsdahl: I try to pay attention to what my what my listeners are are interacting with and what they're commenting on how they act when a specific guest comes on.
Nick Glimsdahl: And i'm trying to figure out is this is this guest or would this potential guests bring value to them.
Nick Glimsdahl: Because, if not, they are my lifeblood they're the ones that listen to the podcast so they're ones that I also i'd be speaking into a void of nothing, and I just put it put this out for record for me to me to listen to and i'd have one one listener per month, which would be myself.
Nick Glimsdahl: But it's it's How are they a little bit different in this space, what are they what questions are they asking, and how are they responding to the questions that are being asked of them.
Nick Glimsdahl: And if I can, if I can think that they are they're adding enough value to the current medium that they're on.
Nick Glimsdahl: Oh i'll do more research and then i'll ask those thoughtful questions and and I always kind of interview 30 or have a 30 minute call with most of my guests prior to the call.
Nick Glimsdahl: Just to get to know them and from there i'm able to ask additional questions here what they're saying, maybe what they're what they're not saying.
Nick Glimsdahl: and pull out the questions that I think are the right fit for them and then it's up to them, and up to me if I think if if we collectively think it's the right fit to be to do a podcast together and.
Nick Glimsdahl: You know, at the end of the day, like I said, if it's not about if there are adding value to to my listeners and they're just a name it's not just about clicks or listens or downloads but it's about adding value to the people who are investing in me.
Neal Topf: The old adage of quality over quantity absolutely.
Neal Topf: i'm curious about this one every guest that comes on your podcast you ask them the same thing, and that is if you can leave a note to all customer service professionals and it's going to hit everyone's desk at 8am.
Neal Topf: What would it say let the question you asked.
again.
Neal Topf: Which of those notes that your guests are shared is your favorite.
Nick Glimsdahl: And there is hard to just pick one, and there are a bunch of them that I could probably pull from I have a list that's actually going on.
Nick Glimsdahl: That I created it's kind of a not necessarily a book it's more of a PDF document and i'll put a note in the show notes, so you can kind of take a peek at it and have it as a resource, but.
Nick Glimsdahl: and give you the ability to pick your own favorites, but I can just go through a few of them that I have top of mind.
Nick Glimsdahl: You know, James dawkins he said, most of your potential customers will form an opinion of you before they ever interact with your company it's kind of a gut check right it's it's how, how are you keeping an eye on.
Nick Glimsdahl: Your potential customers, not necessarily your your current customers ship, I can always told me that fine is the F bomb of customer service find his average mediocre and mundane.
Nick Glimsdahl: Derek gone to he was one of the hostage negotiators, I had him and his partner, Chris boss on one as well, but he says stay curious accept the fact that your job is a difficult one.
Nick Glimsdahl: Understand it's not about you, but the person calling in so be ready to demonstrate that you get where they're coming from don't be in a hurry to resolve it early because unaddressed emotions never die.
Nick Glimsdahl: And I love the fact that he comes in and talks about it from the consumers perspective if you're not addressing the emotions that they're at today inside the customer service.
Nick Glimsdahl: And hearing them out and acknowledging where they're at and then addressing their problem they're not gonna they're not going to be satisfied as a as an organization, there was a customer.
Nick Glimsdahl: Dan cockerel he's the he's the one of the the VP and leader of magic Kingdom at Disney he's talking about talks about empathy he says, be empathetic be more thoughtful.
Nick Glimsdahl: Take more interest in your people when you connect with your employees, they feel respected and they and like they matter, they are much more likely to deliver over the top experiences.
Nick Glimsdahl: It kind of it's the old adage and we'll talk about that in a minute, but employee experience equals customer experience kind of think of if there's any another one that just came to mind.
Nick Glimsdahl: I was actually at most, one of the more.
Nick Glimsdahl: Recent interviews is a guy from TIM kite he's the CEO focus three company here in Columbus and he talks about his response, or his note would be.
Nick Glimsdahl: He has an equation called E plus R equals O and it's the event, plus response equals the outcome, and he calls it, the R factor, which is the most important part of that out of that equation is response and he said.
Nick Glimsdahl: He would say inside the note, he goes today I get to work with purpose serve people solve problems and bring energy man I love my job.
Nick Glimsdahl: And he's like what how important how cool would that be, if every single customer service REP every single day stood up.
Nick Glimsdahl: Looked at his note in read that out loud every day how much how much better would customer service be that that day, and I can go on and on and on there's a whole whole lot of lists, but those are kind of the ones that stick out today.
Neal Topf: there's some good themes here the importance of employee experience the importance of customer perception.
Neal Topf: little bit about metrics and they're right given way that people to find different metrics.
Neal Topf: Quality the importance of quality men.
Neal Topf: I love.
Neal Topf: chef is very quotable.
Neal Topf: Fine, is the F bomb, what does it's fine as the F bomb of.
Neal Topf: customer service a mystery yeah.
Neal Topf: Right.
Nick Glimsdahl: yeah it's it's employee experience equals customer experience you know I think somebody wants that if it was, I think it was Nicole eisler That said, you know you don't have to be amazing you just have to be beat the dmv.
Nick Glimsdahl: I thought that was funny.
Nick Glimsdahl: A lot of it was talking about effort, but actually yeah.
Nick Glimsdahl: yeah talk about effort empathy taking action, I think, more often than not, the importance of gaining this information that you get from your customers good better and different.
Nick Glimsdahl: Retaining that feedback and then taking action and then aligning that that future state with business objectives.
Nick Glimsdahl: Because there's there's so many times in customer service or customer experience, where it's not online and you're kind of running.
Nick Glimsdahl: Running in your own lane and you're not necessarily focused on the overall holistic organization and I think that is a that is a theme or that is a fail for for some organizations.
Neal Topf: So curious that all these people you've interviewed now certainly 100 on your podcast and you come into contact with so many people.
Neal Topf: throughout your work life, and your your your non podcasting hours how have you evolved in your own personal view of cx have you evolved.
Neal Topf: or so on and so how.
Nick Glimsdahl: yeah it's a great question I would say that I have a vote because i've done more research than i've ever done.
Nick Glimsdahl: i've kept an eye on the market, the industry's the trends what thought leaders are saying and what they're not saying.
Nick Glimsdahl: i've come to I don't know how much have has become my own, I would say that the more that i've read.
Nick Glimsdahl: It gives me the ability to learn from others either of what to do, or what not to do and when it comes to.
Nick Glimsdahl: You know I think a lot of these are our amazing thought leaders and have a lot of great things to say, but.
Nick Glimsdahl: You know there's a lot of information out there there's a lot of data at the end of the day it comes down to storytelling for me like how how am I telling the story.
Nick Glimsdahl: Of the data and information that I have today and it if you're not listening to what people are saying, taking that information and then providing the story back to them or to the marketplace.
Nick Glimsdahl: that's that's kind of what podcast for me is all about is we're telling stories lessons learned some fun facts.
Nick Glimsdahl: You know, things that are valuable to my listeners, and I think the more information I think we're all growing to be thought leaders.
Nick Glimsdahl: In one way or another, somebody once said.
Nick Glimsdahl: I said Oh, this was before I had a podcast and I started talking about oh i'm i'm doing this and doing that and I said but I kind of put a caveat or an Asterix on there, and I said Oh, but i'm but i'm not a thought leader and she was she's an SVP of a cx group.
Nick Glimsdahl: And the large bank and she's like you know pause pause right there Nick she's like I don't do those things i'm not I don't write I don't talk I don't.
Nick Glimsdahl: Have a podcast I don't do any of that and she's like stop telling yourself that you're you're not a thought leader start telling yourself that you are one and then.
Nick Glimsdahl: do something about it don't just say that you are a thought leader but actually do something about it and continue to do it and adaptable.
Neal Topf: and love it, so this is, this is my only kind of hard hitting questions that I have coming up, I wanted to ask you is.
Neal Topf: Do you even believe in thought leaders anymore, like, I think you just answered it, but I want to give you the chance to certainly just respond directly sounds like you do believe in them.
Nick Glimsdahl: So it depends on what your perspective is of a thought leader, are there, people who put out valuable content around customer service and customer experience or it for that matter any industry, the answer is yes.
Nick Glimsdahl: I think there are more thought leaders than what we what we see online, some are better at marketing themselves and others and building that brand.
Nick Glimsdahl: But it comes down to like I said it's the it's the storytelling of the data that we have.
Nick Glimsdahl: So I think I think the answer is yes, but.
Nick Glimsdahl: We all have more in common with a thought leaders that we see visibly then we then we believe.
Nick Glimsdahl: Like a.
Neal Topf: thought provoking response.
Neal Topf: Well done well crafted.
Neal Topf: wasn't easy to come up with, I think that that's I like that I think your audience.
Obviously appreciates that.
Neal Topf: i'm so curious about this, the answer to this question.
Neal Topf: you've already described the amount of time that goes into preparing for a podcast and individual podcast.
Neal Topf: Time preparation leading thinking reflecting probably modifying the agenda you're speaking to your guests ahead of time you're setting questions.
Neal Topf: Why do you do this, why do we commit time to creating a podcast if you're like me, I guess, your pockets aren't live yet from podcasting, it is not necessarily a lucrative exercise, which is fine it's an immense time commitment why the heck Do you still commit the time to doing this.
Nick Glimsdahl: yeah it is, it is a lot of time and I think the more that I see in the market and the more that's possible.
Nick Glimsdahl: I think that I can I continue to invest more time or.
Nick Glimsdahl: Bring on more people would bring on people to to help on that journey, I would say that the easiest answer is, is because I enjoy it.
Nick Glimsdahl: I really have fun bringing on the people in the guests, that I have in the conversation that I built in the the relationships that i've built.
Nick Glimsdahl: Before and after the podcast and consistently over the last hundred episodes it's really fun to hear what people are saying.
Nick Glimsdahl: Either on reviews or on social media or direct messaging me saying man, I really love that how you how you asked that question I can't believe that you had this person on.
Nick Glimsdahl: I love the fact that you did X y&z whatever that amount is and it's enjoyable to go through that process.
Nick Glimsdahl: If I didn't if I didn't enjoy it, this would be a painstaking and it wouldn't be any fun and I wouldn't last 100 episodes I think the average.
Nick Glimsdahl: podcast last about seven episodes is the make or break section so i've surpassed that and I think I, I look forward to the next hundred because.
Nick Glimsdahl: i'm adding I believe i'm adding valued valuable information to the people that are listening and the people that will listen in the future, and so.
Nick Glimsdahl: If they are depending on me to provide the thought leadership and the content, the quality content to ask these these leaders in the industry, thoughtful questions.
Nick Glimsdahl: i'm going to same the same reason why I did it with my guests, where i'm investing the time because they're investing time with me the same is true with my audience.
Nick Glimsdahl: If if they're committing an hour a half hour two hours, whatever that amount of time is every week every month it's important to me.
Nick Glimsdahl: To do the same and invest in making sure that that quality is there, and you know i'm kind of going back and forth of what's the best fit for for the audience but.
Nick Glimsdahl: i'm i'm growing as well as an individual it's not just about the podcast for me professionally even personally like what questions, am I asking.
Nick Glimsdahl: People and when do I just stop and listen to them and hear what they're saying and what they're not saying and then ask that follow up question I think it's helped me become a better human.
Neal Topf: I got a good one final question for you what what is next.
Nick Glimsdahl: Man there's there's a lot that I could do there's a lot that's possible like I said there's with podcasting you can you can invest in all sorts of things.
Nick Glimsdahl: I would say the a few things that come to mind, I would like to do more, video and you'll see that here coming up, you know, Jim nights coming up with with a video that just released last week chef Pike and will be coming up.
Nick Glimsdahl: Next week.
Nick Glimsdahl: With there's more videos that's the YouTube it'll be YouTube flush slash the podcast so you kind of have the channel of your choice to listen to i'm interested in getting more into linkedin live seeing if that's a that's something that my audience is interested in.
Nick Glimsdahl: You know I guess.
Nick Glimsdahl: At the end of the day, it's i'd love to hear from my listeners perspective, one thing that I want to do and plan to push out as a survey and we'll put it in the show notes, but.
Nick Glimsdahl: You know I created a quick seven question survey and i'd love to learn more about you how you heard about the podcast your favorite episodes and likes and dislikes and I think that will help me guide the podcast and the flavor.
Nick Glimsdahl: Of the podcast in the future, I plan to also do some more replays and and what I mean by that is I don't want.
Nick Glimsdahl: I don't want episodes like episode number one Neil tough I don't want to get that get stuck on the bottom and have people.
Nick Glimsdahl: not listening to that valuable content, because I think there is a ton of value on the first episodes, even though I had a ton of arms and ahhs and.
Nick Glimsdahl: sweat it through my shirts so i'm going to do some replays where i'll do two episodes a month or two episodes a week, but one of those episodes will be a replay from a previous episode and you're just kind of get swept it to the top some more people get that visibility.
Nick Glimsdahl: i'd say there's there's probably more to but i'll leave it at that.
Neal Topf: you've got a ton to look forward to your listeners are in for a treat your listeners, but we are well earned.
Neal Topf: You deserve a congratulations you're right about seven eight episodes like that's kind of the threshold, where a lot of people just kind of drop off they get bored they get frustrated they don't know how to do it.
Neal Topf: They stumbled a fall and then they don't push through you are now if I did my math correctly you're just over 14 times that.
Neal Topf: 100 plus.
Neal Topf: kudos to you yeah graduations.
Neal Topf: You are putting out a product, you are telling stories you're providing a place and medium for stories to be told and and they're important stories that's just the quality of your guests, that the content that they're sharing and you.
Neal Topf: are a very important player.
Nick Glimsdahl: In this space, whether we'd like to use the term thought leader or not you combine all the thing is you just described yourself.
Neal Topf: You are excellent marketing yourself on the podcast you are, I thought leader, because you're organizing and telling those stories.
Neal Topf: And you're putting it forth in a way that is easy to consume it's consistent people can rely on it, you have a brand.
Neal Topf: They liked your brand they like to consume it it's easy to consume their trade in front of you and the things you described in your answers two last questions are certainly things to look forward to video people will video.
Neal Topf: I think he create more and more opportunities and make it easier for people to consume it's just going to continue to grow, I will.
Neal Topf: Before I finally shut up here i'll say one last thing is, it was a great privilege being the first person to be interviewed by you, I did not know you sweat it through your shirt I had no idea I.
Neal Topf: don't know that it's not apparent to us and you kept out a good secrets.
Neal Topf: And it was really fun to come back here and get a chance to interview you I get to interview, a lot of people and I, and I, like you, I really enjoy it.
Neal Topf: This was really fun, can I get to learn from you also I learned, I listened, and I promise i'm not going to steal any of your ideas for the podcast that I do I want I just like all respects the bar, oh no i'm just kidding.
Neal Topf: It was really fun to share the time with you, Nick Thank you and.
Neal Topf: When we get to episode 200 hopefully at least have me back and ask you some questions and so be part of it it's fun to watch this fun to cheer you on.
Neal Topf: it's going to compete, maybe just a little bit against you and we're not really competing in the CS podcast space, but we pay attention to you because you're doing great things and it's fun to observe and like I said cheering you on looking forward to the next hundred episodes and congratulations.
Nick Glimsdahl: yeah Thank you so much, now that means the world to me, the one thing, the last thing I want to say is, thank you to my listeners without you guys I just be like I said talking into the void, it would be it'd be quite embarrassing and.
Nick Glimsdahl: hang out with a billboard kind of saying hey please listen to me and.
Nick Glimsdahl: it's because of you guys that i'm putting out content than I am and and I looking forward to that next 100 so Neil thanks so much for taking that time to to be the host of the hundredth episode and.
Nick Glimsdahl: You know I wish you the best of luck to you know we may compete, but I think on the back end where we're always learning and best practices and sharing sharing everything possible I don't think there's a.
Nick Glimsdahl: there's anybody else that would would would say that the opposite of that, so thank you so much, and looking forward to having you back on episode 200.
Neal Topf: Thank you, same here, thank you listeners.
