By her own admission, First Command Financial Services exec Kellie Richter's official title is a mouthful. It's "EVP, Chief Marketing and Client Experience Officer" — but those aren't empty words to her.
The clients who First Command cares about are military service members, veterans, and their families; even more than a regular financial services customer, Kellie says, "they do their research ... they're protective of their services and they should be."
Having Client Experience in her title gives Kellie an added layer of accountability, and serves as an invitation to anyone researching the privately-owned firm to reach out about their experiences, good or bad.
"A lot of times, it's not about getting a one or a five star," she says. "It's about, are you listening? Are you paying attention to the feedback? And are you responding to that? And that's what people want to see."
Today on Building Better CMOs, Kellie talks with MMA Global CEO Greg Stuart about how First Command's mission motivates its employees, why marketing can't fix a broken client experience, and why she believes some of the best marketers in the business are at Trader Joe's. Plus: What happens to military families during a government shutdown?