Speaking & Events
Inspiring keynote talks that transform the way people think about customer service.
Practical, energetic and packed with real-world examples, our Training Director Marie Cross helps audiences rethink customer experience and leave with ideas they can use immediately.
An accomplished keynote speaker and passionate advocate for world-class customer service, Marie shares practical ideas, proven strategies and memorable stories that inspire you and your people to stand out like a “Purple Cow” in your field – where you are so unique and remarkable that customers can’t help but take notice.
If you’d like to book Marie for your next event, let’s talk.
Keynote Speaking
In her keynote speech WOW! That’s What I Call Purple Cow Customer Service, Marie uncovers those easy to implement low-cost/no-cost strategies that can be quickly transferred into our daily conversations with prospects and customers alike.
In her talk, Marie explores:
- Choosing your attitude each day
- How to develop a language of influence
- Building rapport and trust
- Delivering bad news whilst maintaining rapport (yes it can be done)
- Effective questioning and probing to control conversations
- Active listening – it’s not waiting for our turn to speak
It’s all about developing your people to enhance your customers’ experience.
Marie focuses on helping customers define, develop and implement real cultural and behavioural change throughout their organisations, delivering results such as:
"196% improvement in first-time call resolution"
"27% increase in customer engagement"
"18% improvement in abandonment rates"
"40% reduction in complaints"
"40% increase in positive customer feedback"
It’s results like this that make her one of the UK’s leading authorities on developing a world-class culture on your frontline.
Published Author
Marie goes even further in her published book, Make Their Day: Awesome Ways to Wow Your Customers, available on Amazon here in paperback and Kindle edition.
Packed full of practical, useful hints, tips and ideas, Make Their Day will help you delight your customers and turn them into raving fans of your business.
Interested in booking Marie?
If you’d like to book Marie for your next event then please get in touch.
Distinctions
Her passion and enthusiasm for her subject sees Marie regularly invited to judge a range of prestigious award programmes over the years including:
- UK Employee Experience Awards
- UK Business Awards
- UK Customer Experience Awards
She’s been on the receiving end of a few accolades herself including:
- European Contact Centre and Customer Service Awards
– Finalist for Customer Service Training Programme of the Year
– Finalist for Most Effective Learning & Development Programme - UK Business Awards
– Bronze winner for Customer Centric Organisation
– Gold winner for Professional Services - UK Customer Experience Awards
– Finalist for Customer Experience Training of the Year - Customer Experience Magazine (CXM) Top 50 CX Stars
– Rated Top 50 Global CX Influencer 2026 - UK Employee Experience Awards 2026
– Finalist for Judge of the Decade - Entrepreneurs Circle
– Entrepreneur of the Month, March 2026 - National Entrepreneur Awards 2026
– Most Inspiring Entrepreneur of the Year (Just heard we’ve made it to the final 8 selected from over 100 entries – the biggest response across all award categories. Watch this space to see if we’re winners!)
Career
Marie started her customer service career as an assistant at Babettes Hairdressers in South London waaaay back in the ’70s where she quickly learned that delivering great service had a positive impact on the amount of customer tips she received. It was a lesson that was to serve her well throughout her career.
Her first role in the Corporate world was as a telemarketing executive for a Private Healthcare company, before progressing into her lifelong passion (some say, obsession) in L&D, where she was responsible for the training and development of customer service and telesales teams across the UK during this time.
Gaining valuable operational experience in general consultancy as a Senior Training Consultant and then into the FMCG sector as Head of Customer Service & Sales Support, Marie then took the bold and courageous step into her entrepreneurial journey in 1989.
Her passion to really make a difference saw her create her own sole-trader CX consultancy business, before going on to launch First Impression Training on Valentine’s Day 2001, with her life and business partner, David – building a multi-award-winning consultancy, with an enviable reputation across the spectrum of industry.
Fondly known as the UK’s Queen of Customer Service, Marie continues to fulfil her lifelong mission, helping frontline teams and leaders stretch beyond their comfort zones to achieve their true potential.
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