Bill was one of those people whether you met them online or in person, he would make you smile with his genuine enthusiasm and youth.  I first met Bill five years ago, when he was hosting an ICSA conference down in Florida.  While I was just a session speaker, he appeared so happy to have me as a guest and a speaker.  Since then, I had spoke at other conferences for Bill, and always felt the same appreciation.  When I became President of the NECCF, I was able to host Bill a number of times at our events in here in Massachusetts.  We started to have consistent bi-weekly calls about the industry, brands, and potential clients.  Bill was a leader in the customer service and experience industry, and he was an even better person to know and call a friend.

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- Michael P

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I knew Bill only for a short time, but he was so warm, open-minded, and curious that he made me feel like an old friend. Bill communicated “we,” not “I.” He’ll be remembered as a friend and a true leader in our community.​

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- Leslie O

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One of the truly great things about #ICMIChat, #CXChat, and the CXAccelerator Slack community is the opportunity to meet and collaborate with amazing thought leaders and innovators in our space. Bill Gessert was one of those people and I had the true privilege of interacting with him and learning from him. I'm grateful for those interactions and wish his family and close friends all the best during this time.

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- Jeremy W

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I knew Bill virtually, but that didn’t take anything away from his big personality. Every interaction I had with him, he exuded kindness, warmth and caring. He was everybody’s cheerleader and positive voice in our industry. He encouraged and supported. And, could always be counted on for a “mic drop” moment, sharing some of his own deep knowledge and experience, but always in a way that helped others grow. Bill will be missed. 

I pray for peace and comfort for his loved ones.

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- Debbie S

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I know Bill from the #ICMIChat Community. Bill not only worked to guide others on the importance of the customer experience, but he also carried this with him in all of his connections, even if virtually. He was always a supporter - sharing, collaborating and inspiring. Bill's kind heart will always be remembered.

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- Jenny D

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I met Bill virtually through #ICMIchat and was so excited to meet him IRL and present with him during a panel session at ICMI Contact Center Demo next month. Bill was passionate, thoughtful, creative, smart, helpful, and a role model to so many. During my interactions with him, he spoke often about his wife, children, grandkids, and beloved dog. He oozed positivity. Exchanging a few tweets with Bill was sure to brighten your day. Sending thoughts and prayers to his family during this difficult time. Bill will be missed!

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- Erica M

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I met Bill in 2007.  We hired him to speak at my sales and service leadership meeting in San Francisco. Long before we called it Customer Experience, Bill was showing companies how focusing on your customer would set you apart from your competitors. Bill and I stayed in touch for a few years after that meeting, at first geeking out on customer service topics and then getting to know one another more and geeking out on his running and my cycling. 

We hadn’t talked for a few years until I found him on Twitter (on #ICMIchat) in 2017. It was great re-connecting with him and seeing where our careers had taken us. When I told him I had signed up for my first marathon he was thrilled. Although I had some great local support, it truly was Bill that was my best coach through the final several weeks of my training. When I finally crossed the finish line, with my family there waiting for me, it was Bill that got the first message. He said he was proud of me and I felt like a million bucks! Much like his style of dispensing CX wisdom, Bill didn’t push his advice on me... but I am wiser for having soaked it up. 

I’ll miss his wit, his wisdom, his curiosity. I’ll miss our phone conversations, his friendship and his insight. This November, Sheri Kendall-DuPont and I were to join Bill on a panel at ICMI CCDemo. I’m sad that I won’t get to see him.

My thoughts are with his family and the rest of the CX community.

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- Matt B

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Bill was so kind to me from the first minute we met.  I could tell immediately that we had a tremendous amount in common.  It's funny how CX brings folks of a certain type together.  I've looked up to Bill and his insatiable energy very much over these past couple of years.  While his voice will be missed, it will never be forgotten.

 

- Nate B

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I haven’t known Bill as long as most. But I remember when Annette and I first started CXChat, he was one of our early supporters and advocates. Bill and my first commonality was employee engagement. We were stalwart advocates that engaging employees had to come first before CX. He supported my work. I supported his. We were talking about putting a white paper together on employee engagement and co-presenting at CX conferences. My regret is we didn’t get to do that.

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Bill embodied what it is to be a CX professional - he didn’t just talk the talk, he walked the walk. He was the CX professional’s CX professional. A powerful and influential CX voice who led by example.

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Happy trails, my friend. You will be missed.

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-Sue D

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