Connect With the Experts at #ModernCX

Set against the glittering backdrop of Las Vegas, the Modern Customer Experience (#ModernCX) brings CX leaders together for one expansive event.  Thousands of like-minded professionals will convene April 25-27 to explore the latest technology innovations designed to differentiate brands on the CX battleground. 

Modern CX, split into functional tracks like Modern Marketing, Modern Service, etc, delivers business and industry intelligence through keynote speakers (including celebrity guests), focused breakout sessions and personalized formats like the Wizard Bar.

Located in the Marketing section of the Exhibit Experience, the Wizard Bar offers dedicated 1:1 time with Oracle product experts. I spoke to three past and future Wizards, who shared their insights and advice for maximizing time at the Wizard Bar and getting the most out of #ModernCX.

The Panel

Lisa Black - Lisa is Senior Manager of Product Management and frequent contributor to the Social Spotlight blog. She has been with Oracle for "almost exactly" four years. This will be her third trip to Modern CX. 

T.J. Fields - T.J, a Principal Product Manager, joined Oracle with the Eloqua acquisition in 2013 and has attended every Modern CX event including its Marketing-specific predecessor, the Eloqua Experience. In his tenure, he has had the pleasure of witnessing first-time customer attendees grow into Platinum-level sponsors. 

Preston Jones - The newest member of the Wizard Bar, Preston joined Oracle as a Senior Principal Consultant mere months ago, but boasts extensive product experience as a DMP customer. 

The Advice 

“If you’ve never been to Modern CX, it’s hard to explain,” warns T.J. Fields. “Expect a lot of excitement.”

Why not take a break from the keynotes, concerts and breakout sessions by reserving 30 minutes to connect directly with an Oracle product expert? Besides mitigating some of the overwhelm, meeting with a Wizard is your chance to get inspired and learn new ways to solve problems. If you’re unsure about what you’d ask, the Wizards have a few suggestions:

Offer Feedback

The Wizard Bar is designed for a two-way conversation, and Wizards love the opportunity to speak directly with the customers who use the products they help build. Share your thoughts about the obstacles you deal with every day; if you think something could be better, say so! 

Users' thoughtful questions and comments inspire ideas for product enhancements that haven’t been explored. “I want to know the things we haven’t thought of yet,” says T.J. Fields.

Get Technical

This is your chance to get face to face with the people who actually build Oracle tools, so go ahead and ask that question that might have been too in-depth for the last check-in with your CSM. Bring your deep-dives, but Fields advises to keep them focused. A 30-minute appointment will fly by; optimize your time with a clear question and a result in mind. 

Modern CX offers plenty of opportunities to engage with experts, so balance your Wizard session with a trip to a demo pod to see the tools in action and keep the conversation going. Lisa Black extolls the virtues of Modern CX as an incubator for ideas and an opportunity for customers to get ‘unstuck’ from obstacles and return to work as heroes with fresh Oracle solutions straight from the source. 

Ask for Advice

No two companies use the same software the exact same way. If you have a unique use case that could be addressed with Oracle tools - but you’re not sure how to execute -  the Wizard Bar is the place to ask. 

Lisa Black, who will help guests check in to the Bar this year, appreciates how the Wizard Bar opens a dialogue between customer and product manager. She wants to hear about the unexpected ways customers use technology to solve problems, asserting that Modern CX “is the chance to start a discussion around how customers could be maximizing other areas of the product.” 

Explore Untapped Potential

As a Senior Principal Consultant, Preston Jones spends his days providing advice, training and configuration directly to customers. As a power user himself, he hopes to spend his time at the Bar exploring customer’s journeys. That means going beyond just solving short-term issues, and getting to the point of discussing actual digital transformation. Unsurprisingly, Preston is unafraid of “big picture” questions like leveraging cross-platform integrations, exploring AI or proving business value to stakeholders. 

“No question is off limits,” he urges. "Don’t be afraid to go there."

Make a Friend

Sometimes what happens in Vegas doesn’t have to stay there. Leave a business card; your Wizard might want to follow up and see how you’re doing. Lisa Black urges interested customers ask their Wizards about partnering with Oracle product groups for early adopter programs, case studies and dual-marketing opportunities. 

Meeting with a Wizard can go beyond just the product to elevate the relationship too. Case in point - the Markie Awards prove how building strong relationships can bring about positive (and shiny!) results. 

Win a Prize

The Wizard Bar offers more than just great conversations, advice and problem solving. Participants can leave feedback and enter to win prizes like a $50 gift card. 

We can’t wait to see you at the Wizard Bar in Las Vegas. If you haven’t registered for Modern CX yet, it’s not too late! Register today. 

Once you’re registered, click below to reserve your spot at the Wizard Bar.

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