Over the last decade, Shaun has been a key catalyst in expanding management focus from the tactical issues of customer service to the much wider and strategic issue of customer experience. He has developed some of the latest thinking and practice around this subject, helping organisations world-wide to create a compelling customer experience that achieves brand differentiation and long-term customer loyalty.

He is co-author of three critically-acclaimed business books. His first book 'Uncommon Practice', researched and written in partnership with Interbrand, examines those companies that create exceptional customer experiences. His second book 'Managing the Customer Experience', reveals how leaders can build this kind of competitive advantage for their own organisations. Shaun's latest book 'See, Feel, Think, Do – the power of instinct in business' co-authored with Andy Milligan of Interbrand, explores how highly successful business leaders and entrepreneurs use the power of instinct to achieve results.

Shaun is also contributing author to The Economist's Brands and Branding and author of the Organisational Alignment Survey (OAS™) and the Customer Experience Management+™ survey (CEM+™) - research tools that enable organisations to evaluate and improve their customer experience and align their people with company values and strategy.

Shaun began his career in the airline industry working with British Airways in a number of senior customer service and operations roles. He became Head of Customer Service, Sales and Marketing Training worldwide for British Airways at the time the airline was becoming privatised in the mid-1980's and was one of four senior executives on the Steering Group that managed the highly regarded 'Putting People First' initiative. He later moved to Hong Kong as Managing Director of Cathay Performa Consulting (a subsidiary of The Swire Group) where he led a team consulting with major organisations throughout Asia in the area of service strategy.

Shaun later took on the role of Group Advisor to Inchcape Group, working with over 30 business units covering marketing services, retailing, shipping services and motor distribution to help them move from competing on price and product to competing on customer service. Over the next five years he was responsible for designing and leading deployment worldwide, working closely with the individual BU Managing Directors and their teams.

He returned to the UK in the late 1990s as Senior Vice President of the Forum Corporation, a leading provider of workplace learning where he was instrumental in developing Forum's consulting practice in the area of customer experience.

Shaun now runs his own customer experience consultancy, Smith+co, which is firmly rooted in the 'keep it simple' ethos. He doesn't talk paradigms, complex methodologies or seven magic bullets; instead his approach is refreshingly straightforward, always pragmatic and at times, controversial.

Over the last 25 years, he has built up a wealth of practical experience with organisations throughout Europe, Asia Pacific and the US, working with senior executive teams on key issues such as brand strategy and implementation, leadership, customer experience and organisational alignment. Shaun has worked within a diverse range of sectors, including both business-to-business and business-to-consumer organisations. These include retail, telecoms, travel, leisure, professional and financial services, technology, automotive, manufacturing and the public sector.

Shaun has featured a number of times on the 'Ask the Expert' programme on CNBC and is sought after to speak internationally on key business issues such as Brand Leadership and differentiation; The Alignment of Marketing, Customer Service and HR to create customer-focused change; Motivating and Training Employees to Deliver the Brand. He is a Fellow of the Professional Speakers Association and a Member of the International Federation for Professional Speakers. Shaun was recently voted one of the top business speakers in the UK and has appeared three times at the prestigious London Business Forum. To see an extract from Shaun's latest forum see:

http://www.londonbusinessforum.com/events/uncommon_practice

To view his show-reel click here:

http://www.shaunsmithco.com/index.php/speaking/customer-experience-speakers/