It's All About The Experience

A blog about managing and improving customer experience and improving profits.

Ron Ryan

Ron Ryan is the founder and owner of Ron Ryan and Associates, a management consulting firm based in Knoxville, TN. Mr. Ryan’s practice has specialized in marketing, product management, operations, and profitability improvement.

Before founding his consulting business, Mr. Ryan held VP of Operations and SVP Product Management roles at Answer Financial, Inc. Acquired in 2009 by Allstate, Answer Financial is a comparison shopping company and sister company to an online auto insurer, Esurance.

Mr. Ryan began his career as a management consultant for The MAC Group. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and later in Rome, Italy, and London, England, Mr. Ryan consulted with government entities, technology companies, central clearing banks, insurance companies, and international brokerage firms throughout the United States, Latin America, and Europe.

Mr. Ryan received a Bachelor’s degree in History and Literature cum laude from Harvard College with an honors (magna cum laude) thesis in History and Literature. Mr. Ryan holds an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Ryan is also named inventor for several issued US patents relating to financial services systems. Mr. Ryan is a licensed insurance producer in the State of Tennessee.

To give back, Mr. Ryan is a member of the University of South Florida Advisory Panel on Customer Experience and a part-time Adjunct Instructor in management, Project Management, and Marketing at Remington College.

24 Examples of Social Media Advertising Campaigns Small Businesses Can Use To Build Their Brands

On November 30, 2023 in Branding, Content Development, Conversion, Customer Complaints, New Product Development, SEO, Social Media by Ron Ryan

24 Examples of Social Media Advertising Campaigns Small Businesses Can Use To Build Their Brands

Social media is one of the most influential elements of modern advertising. It has arisen from a trendy curiosity to a mainstay of consumer marketing. See 24 Examples of Great Campaigns You Can Copy.

Tagged With: Branding, Case Studies, Marketing, Social Media Marketing

The Difference Between Primary, Secondary, and Peer-Reviewed Sources (And Where Chatbots And AI Fit In)

On October 2, 2023 in New Product Development, Online Learning, Research by Ron Ryan

The Difference Between Primary, Secondary, and Peer-Reviewed Sources (And Where Chatbots And AI Fit In)

A Management Consultant and Adjunct College Instructor reflects on the changing nature of research in light of the advancement of AI and Chatbots.

Tagged With: Research, Bard, Bing, Chat Gpt, Chatbots, Information Authority, Microsoft Bing Chat, Online Learning, Peer-Reviewed, Primary Sources, Search Engines, Secondary Sources

Buying and Delivery Preference -- The New Battleground?

On March 15, 2023 in Conversion Improvement, Customer Complaints, customer experience, Customer Relationship Management, New Product Development by Ron Ryan

Buying and Delivery Preference -- The New Battleground?

Pandemic stay-at-home rules forced users to experiment with new product and service delivery mechanisms. This need, in turn, has driven business leaders to quickly adapt and focus on consumer buying preferences and behavioral segmentations. New segments pop up almost monthly as consumers explore, then expect, alternative buying and delivery channels for goods and services. What to do?

Tagged With: Buying Habits, Distribution, Marketing Channels, Product Innovation, Purchase Preference, Segmentation

Managing Board Room Biases

On February 22, 2023 in Board Management by Ron Ryan

Decision-making biases can lead boards to make the wrong decisions. Here we identify seven of the most common biases and explain how to immunize your board against them.

Tagged With: Biases, Board of Directors, Decision-making, Managing Biases

Viral Videos That Build Brands (And How To Make Them)

On November 29, 2022 in Branding, Content Development, customer experience, Video by Ron Ryan

Viral Videos That Build Brands (And How To Make Them)

A terrific way to affordably build your brand is by developing viral content, most specifically shareable videos, that support your brand. But recommending a company create a viral video is like telling a baseball player to "just" hit a home run. This post will review my personal hall of fame of viral videos, then dig into some of the key elements that these videos share.

Tagged With: Brand Development, Branding, Viral Video

How Controversy Can Be Good For Your Brand

On November 18, 2022 in Branding, Content Development, Conversion Improvement by Ron Ryan

Controversy, if appropriately handled, increases brand awareness and improves brand equity. As marketing genius PT Barnum once famously said, there is no such thing as bad publicity. We list six companies embroiled in controversies that they ultimately managed in their favor. Consumers can show grace for brands with moral lapses, but only if they move swiftly to do the right thing.

Tagged With: Tennessee Football, Brand Development, Branding, Controversy, Georgia Football, Heisman Trophy

9 Ways To Build A Small Business Brand

On November 15, 2022 in Branding, Content Development, Customer Complaints, customer experience, Customer Service by Ron Ryan

Following our previous blog about the crucial link between a strong brand and high profits, we share nine ways even smaller companies can build their brands. Social Media, Sponsorships, 'Ninja' Advertising, Parades, and growing digital 'word-of-mouth' are among the techniques we explore.

Tagged With: Brand Building, Branding, Marketing

Six Ways A Strong Brand Improves Profits

On November 8, 2022 in Content Development, Conversion Improvement, Product Management, Profit Improvement by Ron Ryan

Most of us find the notion of "brand" hard to define, but we know a strong brand when we see one. How does a strong brand make a company better off? Here are six common-sense ways a strong brand can improve profits.