In this episode of Bytes and Banter, writing expert Leslie O’Flahavan joins us to unpack why great writing is one of the most powerful—and overlooked—tools in tech support. From simple word swaps to game-changing formatting tips, Leslie shares practical ways support teams can write knowledge base content that’s clear, useful, and ready for both humans and AI. If you want your support docs to drive better self-service, reduce ticket volume, and actually help people solve problems—this one’s for you.

✍️ Want to write content people (and AI) can actually use? Visit ewriteonline.com and follow Leslie on LinkedIn for tools, tips, and real-time writing makeovers.

Leslie O’Flahavan has helped thousands of people learn to write well for online readers. As the founder of E-Write, she delivers custom writing workshops for contact center agents, social media teams, and technical staff. Leslie’s expertise spans email, chat, social media, and self-service knowledge articles—and she’s helped major global brands overhaul their entire customer service writing approach. A recognized leader in the space, Leslie was named one of ICMI’s “Top 25 Thought Leaders” in 2024 and has also been featured by Klaus, Netomi, and ProcedureFlow as one of the most influential voices in customer experience. She’s a LinkedIn Learning author of five popular courses and co-author of Clear, Correct, Concise E-Mail: A Writing Workbook for Customer Service Agents.

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HDI Local Chapters is an all volunteer not-for-profit that brings Technical Support professionals together to connect, share and discuss common challenges, and learn from industry innovators and each other --- https://www.hdilocalchapters.org

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Bytes and Banter Podcast Team

Creative Producer/Host: Rocky McGuire - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockymcguire/

Executive Producer: Terri Oropeza - https://www.linkedin.com/in/toropeza/

Associate Producer: Colleen Rush - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-rush-3603241/

Associate Producer - Daniel Guinto - https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-guinto-7b723630/

Technical Producer: Dustin Canter - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustincanter/

Podcast Operating System: https://www.PodTechs.com

Post-Production: https://www.PodTechs.com

In this episode of Bytes and Banter, Nate Brown—Head of Education and Enablement at Metric Sherpa and co-founder of CX Accelerator—joins us to explore what it really takes to build a thriving workplace culture.

From selling postage meters to leading CX transformations, Nate reflects on the mentors, lessons, and frameworks that shaped his journey. At the center of the conversation is the idea of the "servant challenger": a leadership mindset that blends empathy with bold action to drive meaningful change.

We discuss the power of intrinsic motivation, how to measure it using tools like Total Motivation, and why aligning employee values with your brand promise is critical. Nate also shares real-world examples—from upskilling efforts at Warby Parker to leadership models from Beth Jenkins and Tanya Alvarez—showing how organizations can foster innovation and high performance by equipping people with purpose, support, and the right tools.

You’ll hear insights on balancing efficiency with human connection, building community through internal feedback loops, and why celebrating small wins can lead to big gains in team engagement.

Whether you're leading a team or looking to inspire one, this episode is full of fresh ideas and actionable strategies to elevate your workplace culture.

🔗 Learn more about the CX Accelerator community: https://cxaccelerator.com/community

Guest Bio – Nate Brown

Nate Brown is passionate about two things: customer experience and community—and he’s built his career at the intersection of both. He co-founded CX Accelerator in 2018, a vibrant online community of over 4,000 CX professionals supporting one another in building better experiences and stronger careers. Nate also leads Advisory Services at Metric Sherpa, helping organizations transform their customer interactions through strategy, alignment, and culture change.

As a CX executive and consultant, Nate has built contact centers from the ground up, led large-scale service transformations, and worked with organizations across industries including gaming, SaaS, retail, and healthcare—supporting brands like CHEP, WB Games, UL, Bosch, and BMI.

He’s the author of The Ultimate CX Primer, and has been recognized globally as a top CX thought leader by ICMI, MartechVibe, Exceeders, and Netomi. In 2023, Kustomer named him the most impactful influencer in the CX landscape.

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HDI Local Chapters is an all volunteer not-for-profit that brings Technical Support professionals together to connect, share and discuss common challenges, and learn from industry innovators and each other --- https://www.hdilocalchapters.org

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bytes and Banter Podcast Team

Creative Producer/Host: Rocky McGuire - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockymcguire/

Executive Producer: Terri Oropeza - https://www.linkedin.com/in/toropeza/

Associate Producer: Colleen Rush - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-rush-3603241/

Associate Producer - Daniel Guinto - https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-guinto-7b723630/

Technical Producer: Dustin Canter - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustincanter/

Podcast Operating System: https://www.PodTechs.com

Post-Production: https://www.PodTechs.com

Jo McRell is the author of "Making Work Work for You" and an innovative employee experience strategist. She’s helped organizations like Google, Intuit, Meta and Gusto better empower their employees. Through her work and the AI ERA Community she co-founded, Jo equips employees and leaders with the tools to navigate disruptions in employee culture, tech, and work models so they can thrive in the future of work.

www.jomcrell.com

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HDI Local Chapters is an all volunteer not-for-profit that brings Technical Support professionals together to connect, share and discuss common challenges, and learn from industry innovators and each other --- https://www.hdilocalchapters.org

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bytes and Banter Podcast Team

Creative Producer/Host: Rocky McGuire - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rockymcguire/

Executive Producer: Terri Oropeza - https://www.linkedin.com/in/toropeza/

Associate Producer: Colleen Rush - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-rush-3603241/

Associate Producer - Daniel Guinto - https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-guinto-7b723630/

Technical Producer: Dustin Canter - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustincanter/

Podcast Operating System: https://www.PodTechs.com

Post-Production: https://www.PodTechs.com