Leading With “Wow Moments” — A Q&A With Keira Warren

For many of us, pets are like family. That’s why finding a pet business that genuinely cares and celebrates every milestone moment with you is important. Not every CX leader goes the extra mile to provide a custom pet portrait for a new fur parent or to pick out a wedding gift for a dashing dachshund groomsman — but Keira Warren, Vice President of Customer Experience at Australia’s biggest online pet store, Pet Circle, sure does.

During a Q&A with Gladly, Warren offers insights into her glass-ceiling-shattering career journey and shares techniques for overcoming resistance to change, driving successful technology adoption, and more.

Keira Warren’s Rise to CX Leadership

Warren’s journey to the top is nothing short of extraordinary. By placing the customer at the center of her work and leveraging surprise and delight moments to foster lifelong loyalty, Warren has not only achieved her current role but continues to shine at a leadership level.

1. You’ve had an outstanding career trajectory. You transitioned from Customer Experience Manager at Pet Circle to your current role as VP. What shifts in mindset and skills were needed to evolve into your VP role?

Before becoming VP, I grew up in customer experience roles ranging from customer-facing to leading global contact centers, always heavily focused on operational delivery of the day-to-day. Previously, a successful day meant diving into operational tasks and soaring through a to-do list, something I thrived on.

As a VP, the focus shifted to strategic thinking – researching, analyzing trends, and crafting a long-term vision. My mindset needed to change on what a great day of work looked like. It definitely took time to adjust, as my sense of accomplishment was previously tied to tackling day-to-day challenges. But now I see my focus on our strategic approach ensures we stay ahead of the curve and gives my team the space to lead daily operations.

Recommended Learning Course: Goal Setting For Business Leaders And Executives

2. What does being a challenger in the CX industry mean to you?

Being a CX challenger means relentlessly championing the customer’s voice, ensuring their needs shape every decision, and making them the cornerstone of our strategy. This focus requires challenging the status quo and constantly pushing boundaries to redefine exceptional customer experiences in an ever-evolving landscape.

“Being a CX challenger means relentlessly championing the customer’s voice, ensuring their needs shape every decision, and making them the cornerstone of our strategy.”

Keira Warren

VP of Customer Experience, Pet Circle

3. How do you ensure new technologies align with your organization’s CX strategy and goals? What leadership techniques or approaches do you use to overcome resistance to change and drive successful technology adoption?

We see new tech through the customer experience lens. Tech for us isn’t just the latest gadget. It’s about finding the perfect tools and partners to level up the customer experience. “How will this benefit our customers?” is always the first question. This keeps us laser-focused on our CX strategy.

When introducing new technologies, change management is crucial. We combat potential resistance with clear two-way communication, a defined plan, and early stakeholder involvement. This two-way dialogue not only minimizes initial pushback but can also reveal hidden opportunities for improvement or further education. Transparency and collaboration are the lifeblood of our CX team. We share information early and often, including the decision-making process and the “why” behind it. We actively seek challenges and feedback from our CXers – their input is often the unlock we need.

“We see new tech through the customer experience lens. Tech for us isn’t just the latest gadget. It’s about finding the perfect tools and partners to level up the customer experience.”

Keira Warren

VP of Customer Experience, Pet Circle

4. Last year, your team at Pet Circle won two incredible awards — Best Customer Service Team for Inside Australia and Top Loyalty Program for Power Retail. And this year, you were shortlisted for two Inside Australia 2024 Retailer awards. That’s huge! Tell us about the WOW Moments Initiative and how it came to be.

The WOW Moments initiative isn’t just a program — it’s a two-year journey of surprising customers with heartwarming gestures. Imagine a pet portrait for a new customer, tennis balls for a Labrador, a wedding gift for a groomsman dachshund, or a heartfelt card expressing sympathy during a loss. We are incredibly lucky that the Pet Circle leadership team is so customer-focused and never hesitates to back these non-conventional initiatives we come up with in CX!

This initiative organically grew from our genuine connection with customers. As we built relationships, they began sharing life stories, both joyful and heartbreaking. We wanted them to know we truly care beyond just the transaction. Our goal is to create unforgettable moments that make a difference.

Customer response has been incredible. They’re amazed by the thoughtfulness, leaving them touched and often moved to tears (of joy). These moments forge a lasting bond, setting us apart from the competition. We have had what we call reverse WOW moments, where customers have, in turn, created a moment for one of our CX team, sending in books, knitted socks, and even wedding invites!

“As we built relationships, they began sharing life stories, both joyful and heartbreaking. We wanted them to know we truly care beyond just the transaction. Our goal is to create unforgettable moments that make a difference.”

Keira Warren

VP of Customer Experience, Pet Circle

Recommended Reading: How to Surprise and Delight Customers to Earn Their Loyalty

5. How does recognition for these awards impact Pet Circle’s future customer experience and loyalty program strategies?

These awards are a tremendous honor and serve as valuable external validation that we are on the right path for our customers and to attract future customers. Internally, the awards motivate our team and reinforce the importance of our customer-centric approach. This inspires us to continuously refine and improve our strategies to ensure we consistently deliver memorable experiences and build stronger connections with our pet owner community. Specifically, the awards have fueled further growth of our WOW program (now affectionately known as our Tailwaggers program), encouraging the creation of even more personalized and impactful moments that surprise and delight customers.

By leveraging the recognition as a springboard for further improvement, Pet Circle can continue to be a market leader in delivering a unique and impactful customer experience.

Recommended Viewing: Winning in the Loyalty-Driven Economy

Warren Provides a Template for Women in CX

Warren’s story serves as a reminder that a genuine passion for listening to the customer, providing personalized customer experiences, and engaging the support team will always be the most significant career accelerator in the CX industry.

As the CX space evolves and captivating voices like Warren’s emerge, make sure you’re actively engaged in these narratives by joining the Gladly Connect Community today. Together, the CX community can share opinions, learn from one another, and create a more thriving and vibrant support center for the future.

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