Search...

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

June 30, 2025 | 4 Mins Read

What Does It Take to Thrive Vs. Merely Survive in the Experience Economy?

June 30, 2025 | 4 Mins Read

What Does It Take to Thrive Vs. Merely Survive in the Experience Economy?

Share

By Sarah Nicastro, Founder and Editor in Chief, Future of Field Service

The Experience Economy was first published by B. Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore in 1999, describing the emergence of experiences as distinct economic offerings and the next step (beyond services) in the progression of economic value. Pine, who was a guest on the podcast in 2019, has said that great experiences begin with, but don’t end at, great service.

While there are countless examples of consumer brands that have mastered, or were even born of, the experience economy, from my point of view, the experience economy remains somewhat of an enigma in the B2B realm. We talk often about companies struggling to move beyond a product focus to seize the potential of service, and embracing experiences is a significant step further.

Now I do believe most companies recognize the importance of the “experience” aspect of what they deliver, which is why leaders are quick to emphasize that “service is a people business.” But is this lens too narrow through which to view the full experience opportunity? As is, the relevance of experiences is constrained to a box to check within their current value propositions and processes versus its own potential strategic driver.

Beyond Customer-Centric Service

While focused on consumer spend, this article from McKinsey shows an interesting trend that, despite an overall pessimistic view on the economy, in the U.S. that isn’t correlating to spending less. Instead, there’s a trend of economizing on ‘lower value’ items to afford to splurge on those deemed ‘high value.’ This Forbes article underscores the importance of B2B brands creating a unique experience that companies associate with the company. And I find the premise of this article especially intriguing, which is proposing that the era of B2B is giving way to that of H2H (human-to-human).

So, with the experience economy being a long-proven concept and such relevant supporting evidence of its potential, why then haven’t more companies learned to thrive versus survive?

I don’t think the issue is understanding – there’s a strong consensus around the value of experiences. The understanding is overshadowed, however, by some of the complexities orienting around the experience economy presents to businesses – especially those with a legacy.

First, experiences are intangible. To deliver valuable experiences, you must deeply understand your customers and what they need, want, enjoy, and care about. What often makes an experience an experience, in other words memorable or special, is immaterial – it’s a feeling. And most businesses aren’t adept at dealing in intangibles.

Experience Management: More Than a Mindset Shift

The second hurdle here is that how success defined and measured in the experience economy is far different from how businesses are accustomed to measuring success in a product or service-centric environment. It’s a new language fraught with a number of myths and falsifications.

I recently invited Alan Nance, a strategic technology leader and pioneer of XLAs (Experience Level Agreements), to join me for a podcast deep-dive on XM (experience management) and XLAs. Alan is recognized for his transformative work in digital experience management and had a wealth of knowledge to share on how to consider the shift from service economy to experience economy.

One of the major myths that Alan clarifies is that the experience economy will replace the service economy. “I’ve lived through a number of these shifts, and in my experience the old economy doesn’t go away – it just gets absorbed,” he says. “But there are a lot of people today who have put their kids through college or plan for their retirement based on their ability to do service management. A lot of those people will tell me that we can just add experience to service management, and we’ll be fine. They miscalculate the change that’s actually occurring. This isn’t about adding a sentiment score to your uptime – that’s not going to bring you where you need to be.”

Over the two-part discussion, Alan and I dig into a variety of topics related to what it will take for companies to move from surviving to thriving in the experience economy, including:

  • The Evolution from Service to Experience Economy
  • Other Common Misconceptions about Experience Management
  • The Core Elements of XLAs
  • The Role of Enlightened Leaders
  • A Critical Distinction Between Productivity and Efficiency
  • The Importance of Ecosystems in the Experience Economy
  • And much more!

If you’d like to listen to learn more, check out part one and part two of our conversation as well as the work Alan and his team do at xla.institute.

June 25, 2025 | 1 Mins Read

Are XLAs the Key Metric You’re Missing? Part Two

June 25, 2025 | 1 Mins Read

Are XLAs the Key Metric You’re Missing? Part Two

Share

Episode 322

In this episode of UNSCRIPTED, host Sarah Nicastro welcomes Alan Nance, a strategic technology leader and pioneer of XLAs (Experience Level Agreements), recognized for his transformative work in digital experience management. As an inductee into the ITSM Hall of Fame and HDI Top 25 thought leader, Alan brings decades of expertise in technology management and human-centric design to the field of service delivery. Sarah and Alan explore how the shift from service economy to experience economy is revolutionizing how organizations measure and deliver value by shifting focus from service metrics to human experience outcomes.

If you missed Part One of this discussion, be sure to listen as we cover:

  • Intro: Experience Level Agreements - The Missing Metric?
  • Evolution from Service to Experience Economy
  • Common Misconceptions About Experience Management
  • The Core Elements of Experience Level Agreements

Part two includes:

  • The Core Elements of Experience Level Agreements (continued)
  • Leadership Challenges in the Experience Economy
  • Productivity vs Efficiency: A Critical Distinction
  • The Starbucks Story: When Optimization Goes Wrong
  • AI's Role in Enhancing Human Experiences
  • Building Ecosystems in the Experience Economy
  • The Camelot Experience: Lessons in Team Alignment
  • Closing Thoughts & Looking Ahead

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Also, subscribe to our newsletter right here.

Watch on YouTube:

Most Recent

June 23, 2025 | 5 Mins Read

Automation vs. Autonomy: 4 Ways to Ease Concerns Around AI in Field Service

June 23, 2025 | 5 Mins Read

Automation vs. Autonomy: 4 Ways to Ease Concerns Around AI in Field Service

Share

By Sarah Nicastro, Founder and Editor in Chief, Future of Field Service

At our recent Future of Field Service Meet-Up in Nashville, a question was raised about how service leaders balance the mandate to increase automation with the employees’ desire to maintain autonomy. I think this is a point that deserves more reflection, because both technological innovation and employee satisfaction are imperative.

The example used during the discussion was automated scheduling. An AI-based scheduling optimization tool takes many factors into real-time consideration to produce an outcome aligned to the company’s set objectives (often efficiency). When a company first introduces such a tool, it usually takes the place of a manual process where technicians have had anywhere from some to full control over their own schedules.

The answer can’t be to avoid leveraging technology that can save organizations significant time and money, as well as positively impacting customer satisfaction. On the other hand, talent challenges are real and companies prioritizing employee engagement and satisfaction see how doing so pays off in performance. Ignoring the employees’ frustration around losing autonomy also isn’t wise, so what’s a leader to do? Here are four suggestions.

Be Transparent with Your Service Automation Strategy

First and foremost, as you define your plans to incorporate AI and increase automation in field service, you need to be up front and honest with your employees. It’s important to keep in mind that there’s often an element of fear to frontline employees’ resistance, because they are afraid AI is here to take away their livelihood.

Now maybe you’d agree with many (most) of the service leaders I talk to that AI will not replace field technicians. If that’s the case, be sure you tell them! Moreover, give as many specifics as you can – why, then, automation is important. What you have in mind, how it will change their day-to-day but also what you will ensure remains the same. Information is power, in this case to put them at ease.

But perhaps you aren’t sure what the ultimate impact of AI will be on the role of the field technician in your organization, and that’s fair too. In this instance, I suggest sharing what you do know and being honest about what you don’t know. Being doom and gloom isn’t the goal, but neither is painting an unrealistic rosy picture. If it’s applicable, explain that as things evolve the company is committed to upskilling and reskilling technicians as needed. Some technicians may not appreciate that offer, but many will – and looking at the change you’re introducing through the lens of being surer of their future will be helpful.

Put Your Frontline Workers in the Drivers’ Seat

Most service organizations have a lot of opportunity to automate – meaning, very little already is. This might mean that you could consider starting with what your employees do want to automate, building comfort and acceptance with change before you move on to further phases that they find less appealing.

Giving employees a voice in the service automation strategy could have a couple of benefits. While it isn’t autonomy per se, it does give them a sense of control over what’s happening. Ask what they’d like to automate if they could, and if the suggestions make sense, see if you can start there. You’ll be alleviating friction points in their work days while building acceptance around the role automation has in your service operations.

Take Time to Understand Their Objections

If you have an initiative underway where it isn’t feasible to put your employees in the drivers’ seat, take the time to truly understand their objections. We talk a lot about “communicating the why,” and that’s an important step. But even before that step, it’s important understand their why – and far fewer leaders take the time to do this. Uncovering the root cause of why they are frustrated about the change you’re proposing gives you what you need to work toward adoption versus relying on being able to force compliance.

Take the automated scheduling example – what is it about the autonomy of creating their own schedule that they’re so upset about losing? Perhaps it’s something logistical – a quick stop to drop the kids off at school or a favorite coffee shop they like to stop at. Or it could be emotional – being “controlled” makes them feel like they aren’t respected or trusted. The root cause may or may not be something you’re willing to address, but again – information is power.

If we desire empowered employees, we must understand that the mentality of catching them doing something they shouldn’t be doing or the idea of wringing every last ounce of productivity out of them isn’t aligned to that goal. Instead, we should care enough to as leaders to understand what it is they are feeling or needing and then make an informed decision about whether that’s possible to provide. When this type of care is applied, along with honest communication, you’re creating a culture where employees feel heard and valued which often is enough in and of itself to overcome concerns and increase acceptance.  

Share the Gains of Field Service Efficiency to Increase Buy-In

Most of the service leaders I talk to are looking at service as a competitive differentiator or growth opportunity and, as such, want frontline employees who are highly engaged, feel a sense of ownership in their work, and are committed to delivering customer outcomes. If that’s what you’re looking for, something like an automated scheduling tool is being applied because it’s a more sophisticated way of planning and executing work – not because you don’t trust your employees to spend time wisely or do right by the company.

If this type of employee/leader/company relationship is what you’re after, you may want to consider how you can share the benefits of automation with your employees. I’ve heard more and more examples of this recently – leaders and organizations understanding that the benefits of adopting more AI and further automation are real, but so is the need to treat employees well if you’re after highly engaged, effective talent.

These companies, who have realized benefits from automation, are looking at how to offer greater flexibility or even share some of the efficiency gains with employees. For instance, if the technology introduced is saving a technician five hours per week, three of those hours can be put back into work for a company efficiency gain and two can be theirs. While there’s no universal formula for what this looks like for each business, considering the concept is not only worthwhile but (I believe) important.

Most Recent

June 18, 2025 | 3 Mins Read

Are XLAs the Key Metric You’re Missing? Part One

June 18, 2025 | 3 Mins Read

Are XLAs the Key Metric You’re Missing? Part One

Share

Episode 321

What if you could transform your service metrics to truly capture customer experience? In this episode of UNSCRIPTED, host Sarah Nicastro sits down with Alan Nance, pioneer of Experience Level Agreements (XLAs) and ITSM Hall of Fame inductee, to explore why traditional service metrics fall short, how to shift from efficiency to productivity mindsets, and why measuring experience is crucial in today's economy. Whether you're struggling with customer retention or seeking to differentiate your service offering, this conversation delivers practical insights on moving beyond conventional SLAs to create meaningful experiences. Tune in to discover why the most successful organizations are focusing on experience over optimization and how to lead this transformation in your business.

Summary

Experience Level Agreements (XLAs) are revolutionizing how organizations measure and deliver value by shifting focus from service metrics to human experience outcomes.

In this episode of UNSCRIPTED, host Sarah Nicastro welcomes Alan Nance, a strategic technology leader and pioneer of Experience Level Agreements, to explore how the shift from service economy to experience economy is transforming business metrics and customer relationships.

What You'll Learn:

  • How to distinguish between the service economy (efficiency-focused) and experience economy (value of time-focused)
  • Why traditional Service Level Agreements fail to capture true customer satisfaction and business value
  • The "Experience Reference Matrix" framework for measuring and improving stakeholder experiences
  • How to balance AI implementation with maintaining authentic human connections
  • Why empowering employees is crucial for delivering exceptional customer experiences
  • The "Camelot Moment" principle for creating transformative team alignment and innovation
  • How to build effective ecosystems for delivering modern business value propositions
  • Why measuring sentiment alone isn't enough - understanding the rationale behind it is crucial
  • The critical difference between productivity (doing more with the same) and efficiency (doing the same with less)
  • How to avoid over-optimizing experiences at the expense of human connection

About the Guest(s)

Alan Nance is a strategic technology leader and pioneer of Experience Level Agreements (XLAs), recognized for his transformative work in digital experience management. As an inductee into the ITSM Hall of Fame and HDI Top 25 thought leader, Alan brings decades of expertise in technology management and human-centric design to the field of service delivery. With a unique background combining sociology and technology leadership, he has been instrumental in reshaping how organizations measure and deliver experiences, including his notable role as a keynote speaker at the 1992 launch of ITIL. In this episode, Alan shares crucial insights on the shift from service economy to experience economy, offering strategic guidance for service leaders looking to implement experience-based measurements and governance. His work with the XLA Institute continues to influence how global organizations approach experience management, making him a leading voice in the evolution of service delivery and customer experience measurement.

Part One includes:

[00:00] Intro: Experience Level Agreements - The Missing Metric?

[08:43] Evolution from Service to Experience Economy

[15:04] Common Misconceptions About Experience Management

[26:31] The Core Elements of Experience Level Agreements

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Also, subscribe to our newsletter right here.

Watch on YouTube:

Most Recent

June 16, 2025 | 2 Mins Read

My Thoughts on Modern Leadership: Curiosity, Community and Change

June 16, 2025 | 2 Mins Read

My Thoughts on Modern Leadership: Curiosity, Community and Change

Share

By Sarah Nicastro, Founder and Editor in Chief, Future of Field Service

After hosting more than 320 podcasts, I’ve grown quite comfortable interviewing individuals of all walks of life. It isn’t too often I appear on the other side of the mic, and I’ll admit being the guest versus the host is an experience I find enjoyable but far less comfortable. I had an opportunity recently to exercise those muscles as a guest on the Bytes and Banter podcast.

Bytes and Banter is created by HDI Local Chapters, a non-profit volunteer organization committed to empowering the tech community through knowledge and innovation. The host, Rocky McGuire, Head of North America Service Desk & Experience Evangelist at Unisys, is a fellow HDI Top 25 Thought Leader of 2025. He has interviewed a variety of guests in the IT space discussing topics ranging from employee experience and the skills gap to cybersecurity and imposter syndrome, among many others. Moreover, as is the case with UNSCRIPTED, the guests often share their own inspiring stories that leave a lasting impact.

Storytelling as a Core Leadership Skill

Despite my uncharacteristic nerves as we got the conversation started (seriously, you’d have thought I’d never used a microphone before!), we ended up having a lively discussion that delved into quite a few topics. I first shared the story of my foray into field service, and then Rocky asked some great questions that prompted discussion around:

  • A humbling experience from my very early career that sparked my commitment to curiosity and quelled my fear of seeming “not smart enough”
  • How and why I fell in love with service and my passion for what service represents in the broader business realm
  • The importance of being yourself and believing in yourself
  • My observations on both the power and complexity of change and what shift in mindset is essential for leaders today
  • The criticality of authentic leaders in the AI era & what mindset I believe is most productive as leaders carve their AI strategies
  • Storytelling as a core leadership skill and what I’ve learned is the basis of every good story
  • How a leader will know whether they’ve created a good culture among their team
  • My investment in and gratitude for community

If any of this sparks your interest, I’d love for you to tune in to my episode of Bytes and Banter, which you can find on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.

Most Recent

June 9, 2025 | 3 Mins Read

Save Us from Ourselves: Breaking Industry Echo Chambers

June 9, 2025 | 3 Mins Read

Save Us from Ourselves: Breaking Industry Echo Chambers

Share

By Sarah Nicastro, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Future of Field Service

I spent last week in Nashville for the Future of Field Service Leadership Meet-Up and then IFS Connect. While I recorded a highlights podcast to share on UNSCRIPTED this week, there’s a point that has stood out in my mind enough that I felt it deserved its own permanent spot in the articles archive.

That point was made by David Lukcic, Vice President of Technology at Tampa Electric, who spoke on day two of IFS Connect about the company’s digital journey. David had many great points, but the one that I loved most was that he shared, “We’re looking to our partners to save us from ourselves,” he said. “We loved to be challenged because that’s what helps us to learn from others’ experiences.”

He shared that when Tampa Electric is aiming to be the best at something, they don’t feel it’s always enough to be the best in their industry. With data, for example, he shared that utilities aren’t known for their innovative approach to leveraging data – so striving to be the best within utilities simply won’t do – they need to look outside their own industry for inspiration.

There’s a lot of wisdom in what David is saying. First, this idea of welcoming different perspectives – of understanding the risk of the default, internal view – is so powerful. All too often companies are overly protective of what they know, what they’ve decided, what they do well that they don’t allow themselves to remain open to alternative opinions – let alone welcome them. This “save us from ourselves” mentality is, in my opinion, a path to competitive advantage.

Service Innovation Requires Challenging the Status Quo

The mentality also reminded me of my recent conversation with Michael Potts of ACCO, when he said that “as a leader, I feel it’s my responsibility to challenge the status quo. How could I possibly do that well if I don’t invite others to challenge me?” There’s a release of ego evident in both statements – and that allows in more curiosity, more openness, and ultimately, I think will lead to more success.

David’s calling out of the importance of seeking insight and inspiration beyond your own industry is also a belief I couldn’t agree with more. Not only is the premise really of Future of Field Service, but I’ve witness firsthand countless times in my career the power of sharing knowledge on common challenges, opportunities, and trends across industries. While you won’t gain a blueprint to success, the lightbulb moments that can come from these conversations are priceless.

As consumer expectations creep further into the business-to-business realm, companies can’t afford not to seek ideas from beyond their own industry. We’ve been referring to “the Amazon effect” or “Uberization” for years already, but how many service organizations have actually caught up to being able to execute experiences like those? Moreover, how far are they falling behind the moving target of what customers will expect next? Seeking examples outside of your own industry is necessary to remaining relevant and competitive in the digital age.

There are many options for how to seek inspiration from outside your own industry, including:

  • Maintaining an open mind when you read news headlines about what companies nothing like yours are doing that’s working well
  • Attending an event outside of your core industry – one that brings multiple industries together where you can gain new perspectives
  • Press on your technology providers to get involved in cross-industry customer interactions (at IFS I created the CollABoratives to serve this purpose) and to learn from best practices they see holistically
  • Use LinkedIn – many leaders openly share a lot of great content and food-for-though; you’d be surprised how much you can learn from spending a few minutes each day engaging
  • Network there, too! This type of curiosity and awareness of what can be gained from these cross-industry discussions is shared and you may find some great new contacts (and insights) simply by reaching out and asking to chat

What would you add to this list? I’d love to hear from you!

Most Recent

June 4, 2025 | 2 Mins Read

Ecolab’s Remote Service Strategy

June 4, 2025 | 2 Mins Read

Ecolab’s Remote Service Strategy

Share

Episode 319

Remote service capabilities are revolutionizing field service delivery, creating new opportunities for efficiency while maintaining essential human connections.

In this episode of UNSCRIPTED, host Sarah Nicastro speaks with Cob Mencarini, Program Manager for Remote Service at Ecolab, about their innovative approach to remote service implementation and how it's transforming both customer experience and operational efficiency. Drawing from his 26-year Navy submarine career, Cob shares insights on leading this strategic transformation.

What You'll Learn:

  • How to leverage remote capabilities to empower customers and reduce unnecessary field visits
  • Why a "hub" approach creates the perfect balance between technology automation and human support
  • The impact of remote service on first-visit resolution rates and how it drives 20% improvement in success rates
  • How to drive organizational change and adoption of remote service capabilities across different stakeholder groups
  • Why hiring external talent with technical aptitude can outperform internal hires for remote support roles
  • How to maintain the human element while implementing automated and remote solutions
  • The importance of flexible customer engagement channels to meet varying preferences and needs
  • Why data collection and storytelling are crucial for demonstrating remote service ROI and driving adoption

About the Guest(s)

Cob Mencarini is the Program Manager for Remote Service at Ecolab, where he leads the company's global remote assist program and installation/repair initiatives. With 26 years of experience in the US Navy submarines, Cob brings unique expertise in program management and leading teams in high-stress environments to his current role. Since joining Ecolab in 2019, he has been instrumental in transforming their service delivery model through remote capabilities, achieving a 20% increase in first-visit resolution rates and maintaining a 4.6/5 customer satisfaction rating. In this episode, Cob shares valuable insights on implementing and scaling remote service strategies, discussing how organizations can effectively balance technology adoption with maintaining essential human connections in service delivery. His innovative approach to remote service as a "hub" for customer interaction and field team support offers practical guidance for service leaders looking to modernize their operations while enhancing customer experience.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Also, subscribe to our newsletter right here.

Watch the episode here:

Most Recent

June 2, 2025 | 5 Mins Read

How Alcon is Strategically Approaching AI in Field Service (and Beyond)

June 2, 2025 | 5 Mins Read

How Alcon is Strategically Approaching AI in Field Service (and Beyond)

Share

By Sarah Nicastro, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Future of Field Service

In a recent podcast, Kenny Brown, the Senior Director of Global Surgical and Vision Care Franchise Business Technology at Alcon, shared the story of Alcon’s service overhaul. This journey was one that included the transition from viewing service as a cost-center to seeing its strategic value, an organizational restructuring to align to this new vision, global standardization centered around greater customer centricity, and the modernization of core technologies.

While Alcon’s achievements in this large-scale business transformation are impressive, the company’s journey is far from over. Like any organization with a mission to thrive in today’s world of nonstop change, Alcon is shifting gears to understand how best to navigate the next phases of digital transformation while maintaining its focus on customer experience and value. Kenny shares, “I’d love to say that the heavy lifting is behind us, but the next chapter is just going to be a different type of work than what we’ve done so far. As we move ahead, we rely on our three pillars to guide what we do: make the best products in the market, be the best service organization out there, and embrace cutting-edge digital innovation.”

4 Initial AI Use Cases to Level Up Service Innovation

Alcon’s next chapter centers around applying the power of AI to its successful service-centric business transformation. Kenny, who is leading Alcon’s GenAI Go-To-Market Strategy, is focusing first on practical use cases that demonstrate clear value to employees. The initial four areas Alcon is looking to leverage AI are:

  1. Creating Smarter Customer Interactions. “We are aiming to personalize that touch,” Kenny explains. “We have a lot of data around our customers; I think GenAI can really help us to put that data to work. We have on what customers need, what their previous experiences have been, and so on, and GenAI will allow employees to tailor recommendations, offer more engaging experiences, and more.”
  2. Moving Toward Proactive Service. “We don’t want to wait for a customer to call us and tell us their equipment is down,” says Kenny. “We know there’s an opportunity to look at issues before they pop up – to understand the trends that can create potential downtime. Sending data from our devices into a rules-based approach that feeds suggestions to the action takers, or even back into the equipment, can help us increase customer satisfaction.”
  3. Automating Routine Tasks. “I’m not sure if this is GenAI or just traditional AI, but by automating routine tasks we free up teams to focus on more complex and high-value work,” says Kenny. “The engineer's least favorite thing about their job is entering in information into the service management system; let’s automate that task for them.”
  4. Gaining Deeper Insights. “The fourth area is around using AI to create advanced analytics,” explains Kenny. “Using the intelligence to spot trends, optimize processes, and make smarter decisions as a business – faster.”

5 Areas of Focus for Effective AI Execution

To ensure Alcon achieves success in its incorporation of AI, Kenny is calling on his experience with the company’s global service transformation. Alcon has set its sights first on using GenAI within the business before taking it customer-facing. “The idea of our go-to-market at this point in time is for the enterprise; determining how we bring GenAI to life at Alcon,” says Kenny. “We have a lot of strong pilots and use cases that are already offering value. But, in a company of 25,000 people, we need to make sure the approach doesn’t feel fragmented.”

Here are Alcon’s five areas of focus for AI execution:

  1. Governance. “On the AI journey, I think you have to start with governance,” urges Kenny. “Building that framework of governance clearly defines who is responsible for what, and ensures efforts are safe, ethical and aligned to our values. We have a dedicated AI team to oversee this and ensure they are the center of any innovation, building that framework and those parameters around what we do and what we don’t do.”
  2. Start Small, Learn Fast. “We've had some pilot projects in very focused areas,” says Kenny. “We want to test those, learn from those, refine them, and build up scale from there. If we go tackle every single idea and problem that are out there, it won't build the experience enough to build advocacy and really get it going.”
  3. Value Tracking. “We must ensure we track each of these use cases in a way that we can monitor our return on investment,” explains Kenny. “This is important to build excitement with our leadership, to continue to get investment in this space, and ultimately to return the value back to our business.”
  4. Dedicated Ownership. In our podcast discussion, Kenny explained the creation of a role of an RPO (regional process owner) to own the transformation in each region of the business – he envisions something similar for AI. “We’re not there yet, but we could use the same RPO idea for GenAI,” says Kenny. “This helps to build the community of super users and create best practices in the regions.”  
  5. Strong Communication. “We need a robust communication plan with regular updates, giving people tips and tricks, sharing what's coming,” says Kenny. “It’s important to keep everyone informed and engaged in a creative way, but it can also be overwhelming. We need it to be useful and relevant; effective communication is a big lever for us to focus on as we continue this journey.”

On the topic of communication, I asked Kenny if they’ve experienced any fear from employees of AI taking their jobs and, if so, how they’ve managed that. He explained that he echoes the sentiment of the quote, “GenAI won’t take your job, but those who know how to use GenAI will.” He believes its important to help employees see how the use cases can help them, train them on new functionality being introduced, and be open in your communication. “We’ve begun to see the guard coming down by addressing concerns and introducing use cases relevant to their roles,” says Kenny. “When you make it applicable to their life, suddenly they’re like – ‘OK, I’m in. I want some of that!’”

Most Recent

May 28, 2025 | 2 Mins Read

Alcon’s Service Overhaul – And What Comes Next

May 28, 2025 | 2 Mins Read

Alcon’s Service Overhaul – And What Comes Next

Share

Episode 318

A transformative service overhaul at Alcon demonstrates how shifting from a cost-center mindset to viewing service as a strategic lever can revolutionize business operations and customer experience.
In this episode of UNSCRIPTED, host Sarah Nicastro speaks with Kenny Brown, Senior Director of Global Surgical and Vision Care Franchise Business Technology at Alcon, about the company's comprehensive service transformation journey and their strategic approach to implementing AI and other emerging technologies.

What You'll Learn

  • How to transition service from a cost center to a strategic business driver
  • Why employee engagement must precede customer experience initiatives
  • The Disney-inspired framework for creating consistent global service standards
  • How to build effective regional process ownership for sustainable change management
  • Why standardization and measurement systems are crucial for service transformation
  • The four-pillar approach to implementing GenAI in service operations
  • How to maintain employee trust and engagement while introducing AI technologies
  • The critical balance between technological innovation and customer-centricity in healthcare

About the Guest(s)

Kenny Brown is the Senior Director of Global Surgical and Vision Care Franchise Business Technology at Alcon, bringing over 20 years of experience in healthcare technology and service transformation. With a diverse background spanning IT, R&D, operational excellence, and global service operations, Kenny has been instrumental in leading Alcon's comprehensive service overhaul, transitioning the organization from a cost-centered to a strategic-value approach. In this episode, he shares valuable insights on executing large-scale business transformation, standardizing global operations, and leveraging new technologies like GenAI to enhance service delivery. As the current leader of Alcon's GenAI go-to-market strategy, Kenny's expertise in combining technological innovation with customer-centric service makes him a valuable voice for service leaders navigating digital transformation while maintaining focus on customer value.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Also, subscribe to our newsletter right here.

Watch the episode here:

Most Recent

May 21, 2025 | 1 Mins Read

The Stand Out 50 Leadership Awards Are Back for 2025

May 21, 2025 | 1 Mins Read

The Stand Out 50 Leadership Awards Are Back for 2025

Share

Episode 317

Want to celebrate and recognize the outstanding leaders shaping the future of service? In this episode of UNSCRIPTED, host Sarah Nicastro announces the return of the Future of Field Service Standout 50 Leadership Awards for 2025, highlighting what makes service leaders truly exceptional. From driving innovation and authentic leadership to flawless execution, learn how you can nominate inspiring individuals who are transforming the service landscape. Tune in to hear about the distinguished judging panel and important dates for this important opportunity to recognize service leaders.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Also, subscribe to our newsletter right here.

Watch the episode here:

Most Recent