Podcasts about Customer experience

Human connection is becoming a competitive advantage for brands in a world shaped by screens, algorithms and always-on content. On this episode of Brand Slam, hosts Steve Rosa and Mary Sadlier explore how artists, entrepreneurs and event creators are redesigning familiar experiences around presence, connection and shared experience.The episode looks at four examples, beginning with the multigenerational energy of a recent Bruno Mars concert and the way Anderson .Paak moves between identities, from opening as DJ Pee .Wee to performing alongside Mars as part of Silk Sonic. From there, the conversation explores the rise of phone-free parties, Earlybirds Club rethinking nightlife for women and Lenny Pearce turning children's songs into Toddler Techno for parents and kids.What connects these stories is a shift toward experiences that feel more personal, intentional and connected to the way people want to spend their time. Each one takes something familiar and reshapes it around changing habits, expectations and lifestyles.For marketers, the lesson is clear: relevance comes from understanding what audiences already value and creating experiences that feel more useful, authentic and human.Have an idea for a guest? Reach out at brandslam@addventures.com.

Tom Brown didn't grow up farming. After studying anthropology and horticulture at Kansas State, he spent roughly 15 years living and working in Pakistan and Afghanistan, where he gained experience in agribusiness development, seed production, horticulture, and helping farmers improve their operations. When he eventually returned to the United States, the desire to build a farm of his own was still there.Instead of starting with what he wanted to grow, Tom started by asking potential customers what they wanted to buy. The answer was fresh, pick-your-own peaches. He intentionally searched within a 30-minute drive of Wichita and purchased 80 acres in 2010 for $225,000.00. Today, Meadowlark includes roughly 18 acres of peaches, 17–18 acres of apples, two acres of strawberries, two acres of pumpkins, and a hard cider business. Tom explains how agritourism changes the way a farmer thinks about everything from orchard layout and parking to crop selection and customer experience. Feedback from families helped drive Meadowlark's expansion into apples, while fallen fruit that could have become waste created an additional opportunity through hard cider. The result is a business built around multiple revenue streams rather than production alone. The conversation also gets into the numbers. Tom uses Ambrook to help track the finances of a complicated operation with multiple enterprises and direct costs. As the orchard approaches its physical production limits, he sees future growth coming primarily from cider sales and on-farm experiences, which he believes could significantly increase gross revenue over the next five years. His biggest lesson applies well beyond specialty crops: farming changes slowly, mistakes are expensive, and “every lesson takes a year.” Want Farm4Profit Merch? Custom order your favorite items today!https://farmfocused.com/farm-4profit/ Don't forget to like the podcast on all platforms and leave a review where ever you listen! Website: www.Farm4Profit.comShareable episode link: https://intro-to-farm4profit.simplecast.comEmail address: Farm4profitllc@gmail.comCall/Text: 515.207.9640Subscribe to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSR8c1BrCjNDDI_Acku5XqwFollow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@farm4profitllc Connect with us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Farm4ProfitLLC/Farm4Profit Media is not a financial, legal, or tax advisor. Content is provided for informational purposes only, and we serve solely as a platform for third-party opinions. Any actions taken based on this content are at your own risk. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What makes a customer experience memorable? Learn more at https://justcreative.com/podcast In this episode, Jacob Cass speaks with customer experience expert and author Si Elliott about the psychology behind how people experience, perceive and remember brands. Drawing from his book, Customer Experience Thinking, Si explains how behavioural science can help brands create stronger customer relationships. They explore the role of expectations, emotion, identity, effort, personalisation and control, along with the small details that can shape an entire experience. They also unpack some of the behavioural biases every brand strategist should understand, including loss aversion, framing, anchoring, social proof, the paradox of choice and the peak-end rule. You'll discover: • Why a customer's memory of an experience may matter more than the experience itself • How first impressions influence everything that follows • Why offering more choice can make an experience worse • The difference between being personal and being personalised • How emotion and identity shape brand preference • Where AI can improve customer experience and where humans should lead If you want to create brand experiences that feel more human, valuable and memorable, this conversation will change how you think about every customer interaction.

Sizing may not get the same attention as assortment planning, allocation or inventory optimization, but getting it wrong can have a significant impact on retail margins. When core sizes sell out while others linger on clearance racks, retailers face lost sales, excess inventory and frustrated customers. In this special Retail Remix Deep Dive, host Kate Robertson sits down with James Theuerkauf, VP of Product at Anaplan and Co-founder of Syrup Tech, which Anaplan acquired in 2025. They explore whether sizing has become more challenging — and not because of the high uptake of GLP-1 weight loss drugs — as well as how advances in data and AI are helping retailers make more granular decisions and why better sizing can improve everything from full-price sell-through and customer loyalty to sustainability.Key TakeawaysWhy apparel sizing remains an overlooked source of margin erosion despite its impact on stockouts, overstocks and customer loyaltyHow rapidly changing trends, increasingly complex assortments and shifting consumer preferences are making historical size curves less reliableWhy retailers should be cautious about blaming GLP-1 adoption for broad shifts in sizing demand and instead focus on their own customer and product dataHow advances in AI and granular data are helping planners build smarter size curves while keeping human expertise at the center of decision makingWhy more accurate size planning can reduce overproduction, markdowns and excess inventory while creating a more sustainable apparel supply chainRelated Links⁠Learn more about AnaplanGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail RemixRead: Torrid, Circana and PwC Executives Discuss How GLP-1s Are Impacting Retail

Michael Sorg and Katie Dudas are joined by Sam Eitzen, CEO of Snapbar, for a deep dive into how artificial intelligence is changing experiential marketing, trade shows, conferences, brand activations, and the humble photo booth. Sam explains how Snapbar evolved from physically hauling hundreds of photo booths to events into building a web-based platform that lets brands create interactive experiences accessible from an iPad, touchscreen, QR code, or an attendee's own phone. What started as a necessary pandemic pivot has developed into AI photo experiences, highly personalized AI Stories, and new ways for brands to combine entertainment with lead generation. The conversation also gets beyond the AI hype. Sam discusses the unpredictability of image models, why prompt engineering still requires humans, how Snapbar tests and switches between different AI models, and why brands need to understand that generative AI is not simply automated Photoshop. Snapbar's system remains cloud-based, meaning connectivity and third-party model reliability are still real considerations for live events. Topics and products discussed: What experiential marketing actually means: Sam distinguishes traditional broadcast and digital advertising from interactive marketing designed to bring the audience into the experience through participation. Snapbar's origin story: The company began as a side-gig photo booth business before moving from weddings into conferences, trade shows, sporting events, product launches, festivals, and other B2B activations. The pandemic pivot: When physical events disappeared in 2020, a client asked whether Snapbar could bring its photo experiences online. That request became the foundation of the company's current web-based platform. World Cup fan activations: Sam describes branded soccer experiences that let attendees transform themselves into stylized or animated fans and players without improperly copying team intellectual property. QR codes instead of long lines: Experiences can run on event iPads while also letting thousands of attendees participate from their own phones by scanning a QR code. Understanding the audience: A soccer activation that works at the World Cup may flop at a legal conference. Sam says cybersecurity audiences, for example, often respond particularly well to gaming, fantasy, and trading-card concepts. Digital experiences as event swag: The group discusses whether personalized digital content can become an alternative to another pile of branded pens, bottles, and promotional giveaways. Snapbar's planned digital spinner wheel: Sam explains a digital version of the familiar trade-show prize wheel with customizable branding, prize probabilities, inventory management, QR control, redemption codes, and lead capture. The rise of the AI photo booth: Early image generation was unreliable, producing extra arms, heads, and other artifacts. As models improved, AI photo experiences became one of Snapbar's biggest products. AI Stories: Snapbar adds Mad Libs-like personalization to AI-generated experiences, allowing attendees to influence the resulting scene while brands maintain controls over the experience. Taking event tech into unusual environments: Sam recalls activations at music festivals, on boats, and experiences that attendees could even access while traveling because everything is web-based. Working across AI providers: Rather than building its own image models, Snapbar evaluates available third-party systems and can shift between models depending on prompt adherence, realism, animation style, and client needs. Why testing matters: AI models can regress or behave differently after updates. Snapbar's team tests experiences ahead of events, attempts to break them, adjusts prompts, and can intervene while an activation is live. Treat AI like a new team member: Sam suggests thinking of AI less like an infallible machine and more like a new employee that needs context, supervision, defined permissions, and an understanding of what it does well. AI is not automated Photoshop: Clients sometimes expect pixel-perfect control, but generative systems still involve prompting, probabilities, and outputs that cannot always be completely dictated. Why AI may not magically fix event networking: Sam pushes back on the idea that feeding hobbies and job titles into an AI matchmaking system automatically creates meaningful human connections. Event attendees ultimately want genuine personal and professional connection. The danger of easy AI startups: AI makes prototypes and products dramatically easier to build, but that also means competitors can build similar products just as quickly. Distribution becomes the advantage: Sam argues that customer relationships, audience access, SEO/AEO, reputation, and reaching the right buyers become even more important when everyone has access to powerful AI tools. Learn more about Snapbar at https://snapbar.com, which Sam specifically shares at the end of the interview.

We regularly update our phones, laptops and software to keep pace with changing demands. Yet many organisations are still trying to deliver customer experiences using operating systems designed for a different era.As customer expectations evolve and organisations progress in their customer experience maturity, businesses must continuously adapt the way their people, processes, measures and culture work together. The organisations that succeed won't simply have the best products or services. They'll have the strongest customer-centric foundations.In this episode of The Experience Perspective, Helen Bywater-Smith speaks with Mickael Subileau , Global Customer Experience Manager, Janice Kaiser, Customer Experience Project Manager, and Eva Rodriguez, Customer & Organisational Excellence Manager at Jungheinrich, a leading global provider of material handling equipment, warehouse technology and automated intralogistics solutions. Together, they share how they are transforming a traditionally product-centric organisation into one that places customers at the heart of decision-making, leadership and culture, with a clear ambition: to Transform Customers Into Fans. Their story is not about launching another CX initiative. It's about creating the governance, sponsorship, accountability and organisational alignment needed to embed customer centricity across a global business. From connecting customer experience with employee experience, to breaking down silos, improving responsiveness, and turning customer feedback into meaningful action, they reveal what it takes to drive lasting change at scale. Recognising that customer emotions are a key driver of loyalty, they also share how they have used the Ipsos Forces of CX framework to better understand customer needs and inform business decisions.This conversation makes one thing clear: customer centricity is more than a dashboard, programme or project. It's an organisational operating system. The invisible infrastructure of behaviours, processes and decisions that shapes every interaction and every outcome.The organisations that thrive in the future won't necessarily be those with the best products. They'll be the ones that place customer experience at the centre of how the entire organisation operates.

L'esperienza si vive o si costruisce? E cosa si intende per Experience Design?In questo episodio esploriamo insieme a Ivano Masiero e Alessandra Granaudo che cos'è l'Experience Design e in quali ambiti può tornare utile.Capiamo cosa si intende per esperienza, quali tipi di esperienze possiamo individuare e come il design ci aiuta a pensare per esperienze al fine di connettere persone, innescare relazioni profonde e abilitare al cambiamento.Conosciamo insieme gli strumenti a disposizione del progettista e capiamo che cos'è l'Experience Design Workshop, un corso di un giorno per immergersi nella progettazione di esperienze.

Shamir Duverseau, co-founder of Smart Panda Labs and former marketing leader for brands including Disney, Marriott, Southwest Airlines, and NBC Universal, discusses how organizations can dramatically improve digital marketing performance by focusing on the often-overlooked post-click experience. Duverseau explains that while many companies invest heavily in advertising and customer acquisition, conversions are won or lost after consumers arrive on a website, where poor user experience, organizational silos, and misalignment between marketing, IT, product, and data teams create friction that drives potential customers away. He explores the “Bermuda Triangle” challenge of cross-functional collaboration, the growing impact of AI on customer experience, and why achieving an “Amazon-level experience” requires strategic communication, technical integration, and continuous optimization, along with insights on customer journey optimization, conversion rate improvement, digital transformation, marketing technology, and user experience strategy.

Your customer experience metrics might be accurate and still fail to move the people who control budget, headcount, and priorities. We're tackling the uncomfortable truth: when CX leaders lead with NPS, journey maps, sentiment analysis, or dashboard reporting, executives often hear “interesting CX update” instead of “material business risk.” The fix is not more slides. It's learning to walk into every room as a business leader first.We break down three shifts you can use immediately. First, we flip the sentence so outcomes lead and metrics follow: renewal risk, retention risk, growth impact, and cost to serve become the headline, with NPS and CX data as proof. We also talk through why vague requests like “we need more empathy” can backfire with a CFO or CRO unless you connect the effort to fewer repeat calls, fewer refunds, and less negative word of mouth. Then we zoom out to what's crowding CX out of the spotlight right now: operational efficiency, cost optimization, digital acceleration, and the push for AI transformation and AI engagement.Next, we get practical about proving value. If you can't answer “How much is a customer worth?” or “What does a 1% retention lift mean in revenue?” it's time to partner with finance, use industry benchmarks, and make assumptions you can refine. Finally, we close with the mindset piece: owning your worth as a CX leader who brings both empathy and business acumen and can spot problems before the numbers scream.Subscribe, share this with a CX leader who needs a stronger executive voice, and leave a quick review so more people can find the show.Resources Mentioned:Order your copy of Experience Is Everything -- http://experienceiseverythingbook.comLearn more about CXI Membership™ and apply -- http://CXIMembership.comWant to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

In dieser Folge von CX-Talks spreche ich mit Maurice Gonzenbach, Mitbegründer und CEO von Caplena, über die technologische Revolution in der Analyse unstrukturierter Kundendaten. Wir klären, wie moderne Large Language Models und Transformer-Modelle die Art und Weise verändern, wie wir Kundenfeedback verstehen. Maurice erklärt, warum das bloße Zählen von Begriffen oft in die Irre führt und wie Unternehmen durch intelligente Treiberanalysen echte strategische Erkenntnisse gewinnen. Wir diskutieren zudem, wie KI-Agenten den Zugang zu Insights demokratisieren und warum die Qualität des Codebooks nach wie vor das Fundament jeder Analyse bildet. Weitere Themen: Funktionsweise von Embeddings und Transformer-Modellen Die Rolle von Kontext bei der Sentimentanalyse Herausforderungen bei der Markenbekanntheitsforschung Der Einsatz von KI-Agenten in der Praxis Abgrenzung von professioneller Enterprise-Software zu Consumer-LLMs ▿ Alle Links und mehr Informationen findest du auf der Website www.cx-talks.com und in den ►Shownotes auf Spotify (Abonnenten des Podcasts), Apple ("Website der Episode"), alternativ auf https://cx-talks.podigee.io

In this episode, we dive into the hidden costs of ecommerce growth and why static product pages are no longer enough to convert shoppers.  Unnikrshnan Kurup, Director of Client Consulting and Strategy at Theorem, shares how video commerce helps brands bridge the customer confidence gap by replacing outdated text descriptions with interactive, decision-focused content.  He also reveals strategies for lowering customer acquisition costs, using AI to scale video creation without expensive shoots, and measuring true conversion metrics instead of vanity views.  Topics discussed in this episode:Why traffic alone no longer drives e-commerce growth. How confidence gaps cause hidden shopper drop-offs. What differentiates video commerce from video assets.  How video bridges product page information gaps. Why video belongs near the buying decision point.   What video metrics matter beyond basic views. How video commerce reduces expensive support costs.   Why AI simplifies scaling existing video content. How testing hero product pages boosts conversions.   What makes video commerce distinct from live selling.   Links & Resources Website: https://theorem.digital/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/unni-kurup-breakthrough/X/Twitter: https://x.com/theoremincGet access to more free resources by visiting the show notes at https://tinyurl.com/mrmm9u6n______________________________________________________ Our Sponsors Xero is cloud-based accounting software that helps small businesses, including ecommerce sellers and DTC brands - manage invoicing, cash flow, bank reconciliation, and reporting from one place, on any device. Get 90% off for 6 months. Learn more at https://referrals.xero.com/ecb - T&Cs apply.Bizrate Insights: Star ratings tell you how customers feel. Bizrate Insights reveals what's driving those ratings, helping ecommerce brands create smoother shopping journeys, inspire confident purchases, and build lasting loyalty. Turn verified shopper feedback into clear priorities and better customer experiences. Learn more at bizrateinsights.com/coffee ______________________________________________________LOVE THE SHOW? HERE ARE THE NEXT STEPS!Follow the podcast to get every bonus episode. Tap follow now and don't miss out!  Rate & Review: Help others discover the show by rating the show on Apple Podcasts at https://tinyurl.com/ecb-apple-podcasts   Join our Free Newsletter: https://newsletter.ecommercecoffeebreak.com/   Partner with us: https://ecommercecoffeebreak.com/partner-with-us/

This episode is brought to you by Lightspeed.The baking aisle has been dominated by the same legacy brands for decades. But Lindsay Hancock, Founder of My Better Batch, saw an opportunity hiding between value-focused mixes and highly specialized products: a premium shortcut that could deliver the taste and experience of homemade without the work of baking from scratch.After helping to build Creative Snacks and eventually selling the company to KIND, Lindsay took what she learned about retail-first strategy and applied it to a new venture. In just a year, My Better Batch has grown from roughly 75 stores to more than 3,500 retail locations and 6,000+ points of distribution. In this episode of Retail Remix, Lindsay joins host and Retail TouchPoints Editor-in-Chief Kate Robertson to share what it takes to break into a crowded category, earn retailer support and, most importantly, turn shelf space into sustainable growth.Key TakeawaysHow Lindsay Hancock identified untapped white space in the baking aisle and built My Better Batch around a new definition of premiumWhy Lindsay chose a retail-first growth strategy and scaled from roughly 75 stores to more than 3,500 locations in just one yearHow distinctive packaging and shelf presence can help emerging brands compete for attention alongside dominant legacy playersWhy relationships, persistence and creative outreach have been critical to My Better Batch's rapid retail expansionHow My Better Batch is turning distribution into long-term growth by investing in brand awareness, trial and sustained shelf velocityRelated LinksLearn more about My Better BatchConnect with Lindsay HancockGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix ----Ready to make smarter inventory, merchandising and buying decisions? Discover how Lightspeed helps retailers streamline operations, manage inventory and stay ahead of changing customer demand at lightspeedhq.com/pos/retail 

Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton tackle the two processes that decide everything in customer experience: how memories get in, and how they get out. If you haven't heard Parts 1 and 2, start there — Colin and Ryan build on the "memories are structured like fishing nets" idea throughout. Here's the uncomfortable truth at the center of this episode: a customer's memory of your experience isn't a recording you can trust. It's reconstructed, emotional, and easy to distort — and most organizations are accidentally reinforcing the worst version of it. In this episode, Colin and Ryan cover: Storing memories — why memories live in network structures Retrieval — the Zeigarnik effect (why an active goal sharpens memory, and why it vanishes once the goal is met), Forgetting — storage decay, the biology of chemical traces The danger zone: misinformation — Elizabeth Loftus's famous "smashed vs. hit" car-crash study The "So What" — why making customers repeat their complaint makes worse memories,  Key quote: "We don't choose between experiences. We choose between the memory of an experience." — Professor Daniel Kahneman Resources mentioned: Elizabeth Loftus on the misinformation effect: SimplyPsychology Learn about Memory Maker Training and customer science: email contact@beyondphilosophy.com Explore all episodes, free tools, and resources: beyondphilosophy.com/podcast About the Hosts: Colin Shaw is a LinkedIn 'Top Voice' with a massive 286,000 followers and 87,000 subscribers to his 'Why Customers Buy' newsletter. Shaw is named one of the world's 'Top 150 Business Influencers' by LinkedIn. His company, Beyond Philosophy LLC, has been selected four times by the Financial Times as a top management consultancy. Shaw is co-host of the top 1.5% podcast 'The Intuitive Customer'—with over 700,000 downloads—and author of eight best-sellers on customer experience. Shaw is a sought-after keynote speaker. Follow Colin on LinkedIn. Ryan Hamilton is a Professor of Marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and co-author of 'The Intuitive Customer' book. An award-winning teacher and researcher in consumer psychology, he has been named one of Poets & Quants' "World's Best 40 B-School Profs Under 40." His research focuses on how brands, prices, and choice architecture influence shopper decision-making, and his findings have been published in top academic journals and covered by major media outlets like The New York Times and CNN. His work highlights how psychology can help firms better understand and serve their customers. Ryan has a new book launch in June 2025 called "The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things" Harvard Business Press Follow Ryan on LinkedIn. Subscribe & Follow Apple Podcasts Spotify  

Key TopicsAI's impact on customer experienceEffective AI project strategiesAI governance and securityPrompt engineering for businessHigh ROI AI initiativesChapters00:00 Introduction to Lukas Hertig and his AI journey02:09 Lukas describes himself as a strong executor in AI04:00 Understanding customer readiness and signals06:07 Success rates of AI projects and key factors08:06 Approaching AI implementation: audits and impact analysis09:59 Building AI skills and connectors for enterprise use12:07 Security, governance, and compliance in AI projects13:55 Misconceptions about AI replacing humans16:11 Future of open-source and self-hosted AI models17:58 Key questions for AI project planning19:50 Using AI to improve sales and marketing workflows22:09 Real-world examples: call recording and data privacy23:56 Dictation and unique human insights with AI25:51 Questions for expanding AI in customer service27:55 Integrating AI with existing CRM and systems30:06 Data privacy, GDPR, and European regulations32:03 Avoiding pitfalls: data leaks and governance issues34:11 How to engage with Lukas Hertig and his team35:06 Key takeaways: focus on high ROI AI projects35:51 Closing remarks and future AI opportunities The AI for Sales Podcast is brought to you by BDR.ai, Nooks.ai, and ZoomInfo—the go-to-market intelligence platform that accelerates revenue growth.Skip the forms and website hunting—Chad will connect you directly with the right person at any of these companies.

Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton tackle the two processes that decide everything in customer experience: how memories get in, and how they get out. If you haven't heard Parts 1 and 2, start there — Colin and Ryan build on the "memories are structured like fishing nets" idea throughout. Here's the uncomfortable truth at the center of this episode: a customer's memory of your experience isn't a recording you can trust. It's reconstructed, emotional, and easy to distort — and most organizations are accidentally reinforcing the worst version of it. In this episode, Colin and Ryan cover: Storing memories — why memories live in network structures Retrieval — the Zeigarnik effect (why an active goal sharpens memory, and why it vanishes once the goal is met), Forgetting — storage decay, the biology of chemical traces The danger zone: misinformation — Elizabeth Loftus's famous "smashed vs. hit" car-crash study The "So What" — why making customers repeat their complaint makes worse memories,  Key quote: "We don't choose between experiences. We choose between the memory of an experience." — Professor Daniel Kahneman Resources mentioned: Elizabeth Loftus on the misinformation effect: SimplyPsychology Learn about Memory Maker Training and customer science: email contact@beyondphilosophy.com Explore all episodes, free tools, and resources: beyondphilosophy.com/podcast About the Hosts: Colin Shaw is a LinkedIn 'Top Voice' with a massive 286,000 followers and 87,000 subscribers to his 'Why Customers Buy' newsletter. Shaw is named one of the world's 'Top 150 Business Influencers' by LinkedIn. His company, Beyond Philosophy LLC, has been selected four times by the Financial Times as a top management consultancy. Shaw is co-host of the top 1.5% podcast 'The Intuitive Customer'—with over 700,000 downloads—and author of eight best-sellers on customer experience. Shaw is a sought-after keynote speaker. Follow Colin on LinkedIn. Ryan Hamilton is a Professor of Marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and co-author of 'The Intuitive Customer' book. An award-winning teacher and researcher in consumer psychology, he has been named one of Poets & Quants' "World's Best 40 B-School Profs Under 40." His research focuses on how brands, prices, and choice architecture influence shopper decision-making, and his findings have been published in top academic journals and covered by major media outlets like The New York Times and CNN. His work highlights how psychology can help firms better understand and serve their customers. Ryan has a new book launch in June 2025 called "The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things" Harvard Business Press Follow Ryan on LinkedIn. Subscribe & Follow Apple Podcasts Spotify  

Thanks for listening, and please follow us on Insta @NHPTalent and www.youtube.com/thePOZcastFor all episodes, please check out www.thePOZcast.com#thePOZcast is proud to welcome Dalia as our newest partner. Dalia helps employers convert more career-site traffic into qualified applicants by giving job seekers a universal candidate profile that eliminates repetitive applications and streamlines the application process. Learn more (link below)https://www.dalia.co/audit?utm_source=pos Key Topics:- The founding and design of the Apple Store- The importance of human connection in retail- Lessons from Ron Johnson's career at Target and Apple- The impact of AI on retail and customer experience- Failures and lessons learned from JC Penney- Timeless principles of store design and customer engagementChapters00:00 Introduction to Ron Johnson and his journey02:04 Early influences and childhood lessons04:05 Career shift from finance to retail passion08:12 Joining Target and pioneering design in retail12:03 Meeting Steve Jobs and the Apple Store vision19:46 Design principles of the first Apple Store29:56 The role of human connection in retail success35:56 Lessons from JC Penney's challenges and failures45:01 Reflections on leadership, presence, and success51:55 The future of retail and Apple in an AI world

Andy Lee's leadership journey traces a through-line from being a curious 21-year-old on a factory floor, to leading 100,000 people at Alorica.Fuelled by the persistent pursuit of ‘better', he's now building Crescendo at the frontier of AI and customer experience. Andy shares what broken customer experiences really reveal about the companies behind them, how founders must evolve as their organisations scale, and why AI is less a threat to jobs and more an invitation to rethink how we serve. Lee and Andy discuss:The Power of Curiosity and Pattern-SeekingCustomer Experience as a Mirror to your BusinessScaling Leadership and Letting GoCulture, Partnership, and Making Lives BetterThe Next Chapter of Customer ExperienceAndy Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-lee-b367595/Aloricahttps://www.linkedin.com/company/alorica/Crescendohttps://www.linkedin.com/company/crescendocx/Send us Fan MailGet in touch: lee@extrology.comExtrology:https://www.extrology.com/https://www.instagram.com/extrologypodcast/https://www.tiktok.com/@extrologyhttps://substack.com/@extrologyhttps://www.youtube.com/@extrologyLee Cooper:https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecooperrecruiter/

Send us Fan MailAI won't replace your people. It will replace the ones acting like robots.Returning guest Jeff Toister, best-selling author of Human Service: The Skills AI Can't Replace, joins Yanique Grant to unpack where humans still win in a world racing to automate. Drawing on new research spanning more than 370,000 phone calls and 400-plus face-to-face interactions, Jeff makes the data-backed case for connection, understanding, and advocacy, the three human skills AI simply can't provide.In this episode:- Why connection is efficient: warm rapport makes calls 16% shorter - Understanding and advocacy, the skills that beat automation on complex issues - The greeting research: 12% better first-contact resolution and warmer customers - Why AI replaces the transactional employee, not the true expert - How to simplify your service strategy heading into 2027Featured resources:Book: Human Service: The Skills AI Can't Replace by Jeff ToisterBook: The Service Culture Handbook by Jeff ToisterZoom (video conferencing Jeff uses daily, while noting no single tool is truly indispensable)LinkedIn Learning (home to Jeff's training courses, taken by 5 million-plus learners)Customer Service Tip of the Week (Jeff's free weekly email with content to share with your team)Connect with the guest: Human Service book (download the first chapter free): humanservicebook.com Customer Service Tip of the Week (free weekly research and tips): toistersolutions.com/tips Reply directly to any weekly email and it goes straight to JeffFollow the show: X @NavigatingCX and join our private Facebook group, Navigating the Customer Experience Community. Hosted by Yanique Grant.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Chuck Ulie (left) talks with Brian Sardelich (right), president of ExtraMile Convenience Stores, about the convenience-store being a finalist in CSP and Intouch Insight's Mystery Shop audit. The two spoke Aug. 4 at CSP and Informa Connect's Outlook Leadership event, held in Rancho Palos Verdes, California.Pleasanton, California-based ExtraMile had a near-perfect score, 99%, in the employees section of the revealed audit of the Mystery Shop contest—and the two discuss why people should want to work at ExtraMile and what the company's strategy is for retaining such an excellent score.“Customer experience is paramount to everything we do,” Sardelich said on the podcast. “We got to deliver great customer experience, and that really starts with, number one, how the store is kept. But, secondly, the cashier behind the counter—how are they interacting with the consumer, ensuring that they're meeting those standards that we've set for themselves, and they hold themselves accountable?”On the podcast, the two also discuss hiring people with the right attitude, the company's great scores in sandwich cooler, fountain drinks, restrooms, reasonable noise level—and more. 

Should your CX mission statement stay behind the curtain or belong in the hands of the people who actually deliver your customer experience? We tackle a sharp listener question: in a B2B organization with an exclusive customer relationship, can sharing your customer experience mission statement improve alignment, especially when that customer shows up as your retail front line? We start with what a CX Mission Statement is really for: a universal, aligned internal language that acts as a North Star for decisions and behavior. I explain why strong mission statements avoid corporate jargon, internal acronyms, and empty superlatives like “best” or “greatest,” and why the focus has to move beyond products and services to the real outcomes customers need. Then we dig into the risk of sharing it externally. If the mission is even slightly aspirational, customers can treat it like a promise and hold you to it when you're not meeting it perfectly. But partnerships change the equation. When a distributor, channel partner, or exclusive customer is helping deliver the experience, we can't leave them out. I share a practical way to bring partners into alignment: identify overlapping moments in the journey, translate the mission into clear expectations, and provide “mission moments” that show what the mission looks like in real life. We also connect the dots to B2B buyer trust, where competence matters most and consistency and dependability sit right behind it. Subscribe, share this with your team, and leave a quick review so more CX leaders can find the show.Resources Mentioned:Order your copy of Experience Is Everything -- http://experienceiseverythingbook.comLearn more about CXI Membership™ and apply -- http://CXIMembership.comWant to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Today we are talking about "How to Measure Customer Experience!" gigstrategic.com seancastrina.com

What if zirconia could look even more like natural teeth? According to Dr. Ed McLaren, “Of all the zirconia's he's tested, the optical properties of Ivoclar's e.max zirconia are the closest to natural teeth.” (And I second that with everything I've see – if Barb does the read) Discover what's redefining the possibilities with IPS e.max Zirconia. Join Dr. Ed McLaren for Zirconia Reimagined—an informative webinar exploring the latest advancements, clinical insights, and practical applications of zirconia in modern dentistry. October 5th @ 7:00 pm. Register today at Vivalearning.com As full-arch dentistry continues to grow, so do the demands on today's dental laboratories. That's why Knight Dental recently launched SimplyARCH Studio, a dedicated production environment built exclusively for full-arch restorations. To support this specialized workflow, Knight invested in an XTCERA milling system and carefully evaluated multiple CAM software solutions before choosing hyperDENT. The decision came down to exceptional milling quality, minimal hand finishing, and impressive production efficiency. But what truly set hyperDENT apart was the implementation process. From the very beginning, the team provided more than software training—they shared the knowledge and experience needed to build an optimized workflow for complex full-arch cases. With proven expertise in advanced milling strategies and laboratory production, hyperDENT helped ensure SimplyARCH Studio was designed for long-term success from day one. What happens when you combine a family-run software company, decades of dental laboratory experience, and a mission to make labs run smarter? You get Magic Touch Software. In this episode, Elvis sits down with Dan Sinclair and Amir Bagheri to dig into the history, philosophy, and technology behind Magic Touch and find out why they believe a laboratory management system should do a whole lot more than just track cases through production. Dan shares his unexpected journey back to Magic Touch after leaving the company, while Amir takes us all the way back to the 1990s and the origins of the software, including how his father, Gary, helped develop what would eventually become the foundation of Magic Touch through his work with Glidewell. The conversation dives into the evolution from production-focused LMS platforms to complete business management systems that bring customer management, accounting, inventory, automation, digital case entry, integrations, reporting, and production workflows together in one place. We also get into one of the biggest challenges facing modern dental labs: digital case entry and the ever-growing pile of scanner portals and inboxes. Amir and Dan explain how Magic Touch can automate that process, reduce manual entry, minimize missed cases and errors, and give lab teams more time to actually work on cases instead of hunting them down. And if you've ever wondered how much time and money a lab can lose by having a collection of disconnected systems, this conversation makes a pretty compelling case for consolidation. But perhaps the biggest theme of the episode is that Magic Touch doesn't want to be just another software vendor. Their approach is built around implementation, consultation, process improvement, and helping labs understand what they actually want their business to look like before configuring the system to get them there. From breaking old habits to building super users, testing changes before they go live, and using data to identify where a lab needs to improve, the goal is to create a system that grows and changes with the business. Hey, listeners—ever wonder what Elvis is doing when he's not recording Voices from the Bench? He's a client rep for Derby Dental Laboratory, out in the field every day doing chairside visits and building relationships. His job is simple—keep doctors happy and keep them coming back. And he couldn't do it without iCortica. Right from his phone, Elvis can see sales, remake rates, account notes, risks, and cross-sell opportunities—even before he walks through the door. No spreadsheets. No surprises. Just the info he needs to grow accounts. Stop digging for data and start taking action. Head to icortica.com and schedule your demo today. Dental lab owners and managers — are you spending too much time chasing paperwork, checking portals, tracking cases, and answering doctors asking, “Is my crown done yet?” You didn't start a dental lab to become a full-time paperwork wrangler. LabNCloud is the all-in-one, cloud-based platform built by techs, for techs, with 90+ features to streamline your entire lab — from case tracking and invoicing to shipping, time tracking, doctor portals, and automatic digital file routing. Stop managing chaos and start managing your lab. Visit LabNCloud.com to book your free personalized demo. And mention “Elvis is Handsome” to get your first month free. LabNCloud — the operating system for dental labs. Built by techs, for techs.Special Guests: Amir Bagheri and Dan Sinclair.

What happens when your website gets traffic but not results?In this episode of Tech Diva Biz Talks, Audrey “Tech Diva” Wiggins talks with Brett Duncan, author of The AI-Powered Business and creator of the MobileWise AI Voice System, about why so many websites fail to convert and what AI can do to help.From mobile user behavior and bounce rate to testimonials, trust, and lead capture, this episode explores how businesses can stop losing visitors and start thinking more strategically about conversion.Learn more: FreeMobileReport.comSend us a messageBuzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!Start for FREEDesignrr for eBooks, BlogsCreate eBooks, Blogs, Lead Magnets and more! Riverside.fm Your Own Virtual StudioProfessional Virtual StudioAltogether Domains, Hosting and MoreBringing your business online - domain names, web design, branded email, security, hosting and more.Digital Business CardsLet's speed up your follow up. Get a digital business card.Small Business Legal ServicesYour Small Business Legal Plan can help with any business legal matter.Mens and Womens HatsSince 1972, American Hat Makers has been dedicated to the art of fine hat making.Digital Marketing PlatformContent Creator Machine - The integrated all-in-one online marketing platform.Professional Development and AI TrainingKeep current with continuing education from Altogether Learning Academy | Altogether Marketing LLC.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showWant to be a guest on Tech Diva Biz Talks? Send Audrey Wiggins a message on PodMatch, here: podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/audreywiggins

AI Can Accelerate Your Strategy—But It Cannot Choose Your Direction Before You Implement AI, Align the Experience Companies are moving quickly to implement artificial intelligence, automation and new digital tools. But speed without alignment can create a more efficient version of the wrong customer experience. Before an organization decides what AI should do, its leaders and employees must agree on the experience they are trying to create. A Customer Experience Action Statement, or CXAS, provides that direction. It translates an organization's broad mission, purpose and values into a clear standard employees can intentionally deliver during every customer interaction. In a newly recorded opening to this encore episode, Denise Thompson explains why the topic is especially important now: Before companies implement AI, their employees, departments and leaders must be aligned around the experience the technology is supposed to help deliver. Then, in the original conversation, Denise and customer service authority John DiJulius explain how to create a Customer Experience Action Statement, the three pillars that support it and the systems required to keep it alive long after the launch. What Is a Customer Experience Action Statement? A Customer Experience Action Statement defines what every employee should intentionally achieve whenever they interact with a customer, client, patient, guest or colleague. Unlike a mission statement, it must be actionable, observable and relevant during even the smallest interaction. John explains why a CXAS is not another slogan for the breakroom wall. It is the behavioral North Star that helps employees make consistent decisions, creates organizational alignment and turns a desired customer experience into something leaders can teach, coach and reinforce. The Three Pillars of a Strong CXAS Every effective Customer Experience Action Statement is supported by three memorable pillars: 1. Expertise Employees must be brilliant at the basics. They should have the knowledge, consistency and operational excellence required to help the customer confidently. 2. Human Interaction Customers want to feel seen, heard and cared about—not processed as the next transaction. This pillar defines how employees should intentionally make people feel. 3. Above and Beyond When an opportunity presents itself, employees should be empowered to own the experience, solve a problem or create a memorable moment. John shares examples from The DiJulius Group, KeyBank, Starbucks, Superior Glove, Domino's and John Roberts Spa to demonstrate how organizations turn these pillars into clear, repeatable behaviors. Why a CXAS Must Come Before AI AI can accelerate decisions, communications and service delivery, but it cannot decide what your brand should stand for. Without a shared Customer Experience Action Statement, departments may automate different priorities and customers may receive a faster—but increasingly inconsistent—experience. A CXAS gives leaders a standard against which every AI use case can be evaluated: Does this technology help us deliver the experience we have promised, or does it merely make an internal process more efficient? Creating a Statement Is Only the Beginning The episode also explores why successful customer experience strategies require more than a launch. Organizations must certify employees, measure execution, recognize examples, refresh the language through microlearning and keep the CXAS visible long after the initial excitement disappears. As John explains, world-class customer experience is not a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The statement becomes transformational only when it remains top of mind and influences daily behavior. Work Directly With John DiJulius and Dave Murray on September 14 On September 14 from noon to 2:00 p.m. Eastern, John DiJulius and Dave Murray will lead a live, interactive Experience Revolution Membership session focused on creating and implementing a Customer Experience Action Statement that is actionable, observable and capable of driving consistent results. Participants will have the opportunity to work directly with John and Dave to develop or strengthen their organization's CXAS. Register or join the Experience Revolution Membership: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Key Takeaways AI will accelerate whatever direction an organization is already heading, including the wrong one. A Customer Experience Action Statement should guide how every employee approaches every interaction. A CXAS must be actionable, observable, memorable and relevant to daily work. Mission statements and purpose statements are important, but they do not tell frontline employees exactly how to behave. A strong CXAS is supported by three pillars: expertise, human interaction and above-and-beyond service. Operational excellence and human connection must happen consistently; above-and-beyond moments happen when the opportunity presents itself. Three pillars are easier for employees to remember, apply and reinforce. A CXAS should guide employees internally rather than operate as an external advertising slogan. Launching the CXAS is the easy part; certification, accountability, measurement and reinforcement make it sustainable. Every proposed AI application should be evaluated against the experience the organization has committed to delivering. Quotes From the Episode "The Customer Experience Action Statement is what each and every employee should intentionally be doing every time they interact with someone else." —John DiJulius "This changes the culture. This is transformational." —John DiJulius "The only thing my employees better know verbatim is the Customer Experience Action Statement." —John DiJulius "I want someone that makes me feel like a human being—not next, not a transaction. I feel seen and heard." —John DiJulius "The first two have to happen every time: Be brilliant at the basics, and make me feel like a human being." —John DiJulius "There's magic in three." —John DiJulius "Achieving world-class status is not a ribbon-cutting ceremony." —John DiJulius "The Customer Experience Action Statement and pillars are a game changer. They ignite your revolution." —John DiJulius Chapters 00:00 Introduction to The Customer Service Revolution 03:30 Denise and John Reconnect 03:58 Creating Sandals' Customer Experience Action Statement 04:16 What Is a Customer Experience Action Statement? 05:51 Why Mission Statements and Core Values Are Not Enough 09:05 The Structure of a CXAS 12:28 Why Every CXAS Needs Three Pillars 13:15 Examples From TDG, Superior Glove and KeyBank 18:18 How to Start Creating Your CXAS 20:40 The Six Steps Required to Sustain It 22:45 Keeping the CXAS Visible and Top of Mind 26:07 Drawing a Line in the Sand for Customer Experience 26:31 Kindness, Human Connection and Final Thoughts   Links: Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Company Service Aptitude Test:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/c-sat-forms/individual-c-sat/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors:  tdg.click/claudia Ask John!  Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode:  tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com If you want to learn how world-class organizations build cultures customers cannot live without, explore The Experience Revolution Membership. Inside the membership you'll gain access to livestream workshops, practical frameworks, and proven strategies used by organizations around the world. Learn more at https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Learn More If your organization is working to improve customer experience but struggling to connect it to measurable business outcomes, The DiJulius Group can help. Visit: https://thedijuliusgroup.com Listen to more episodes: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/the-customer-service-revolution-podcast/ Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.  

Across Cisco's partner ecosystem, AI adoption isn't new — it's already happening at scale. So how do partners turn that momentum into trusted, real-world outcomes for their customers?  In this episode of Scaling AI in the Enterprise, we bring together an all-star partner panel featuring Trace3, Worldwide Technology (WWT), and Presidio to tackle the real challenges of scaling AI: the shift from dashboards to semantic layers, the discipline of clean data and governance, the balance between automation and human judgment, and why adoption is as much about culture and trust as it is about technology.   Host: Emma Carpenter, SVP Recurring Revenue Acceleration, Cisco Customer Experience    Guests:   Josh Lindstrom, Sr. Director, Data and Analytics, Trace3   Surbhi Kaul, VP CX Product Management, Cisco Customer Experience     Kevin Corace, SVP Software and Services Lifecycle, Presidio    Laura Kuehner, VP Customer Experience, WWT    Learn more about Cisco Customer Experience; read our blogs and visit Cisco.com.

Show notes:What is it really like to run a wedding venue in the middle of a wild animal park?In this episode, I'm chatting to Stephanie Betts, Wedding & Event Sales Manager at Port Lympne Reserve in Kent, an award-winning wedding venue with a seriously unique USP. I was lucky enough to visit Port Lympne myself. From safari experiences and a stunning private orangery to exceptional customer service and a carefully curated recommended supplier list, there's plenty that wedding businesses can learn from the way Port Lympne approaches its guest experience.Time stamps:00:12 - Introduction to Wedding Marketing05:34 - The Uniqueness of Portland's Wedding Experience21:51 - Adapting to Changing Wedding Trends30:02 - The Rise of Intimate Weddings45:53 - Understanding Supplier Relationships in Event Management01:01:29 - The Importance of Customer Experience in Weddings

In the travel world, getting someone to click "book" is only the start of the journey. The true test of brand loyalty — the moment where a consumer becomes a lifelong advocate — happens when they step through the front doors of their hotel. For a global leader managing 28 distinct brands, delivering a consistently exceptional experience for millions of travelers every night requires a delicate balance of deep data and authentic human emotion.In this episode of Campaign Chemistry, Dan Reynolds, SVP of global marketing at Hilton, reveals how the hospitality powerhouse crafts stays that resonate long after checkout. Reynolds walks through how Hilton leverages algorithmic insights to surprise and delight guests, turning routine travel into meaningful personal connections. He pulls back the curtain on their boldest cultural plays, from a two-decade-long partnership with McLaren and unique activations like the Waldorf Astoria Racquet Club to headline-grabbing campaigns with Paris Hilton and Lando Norris. Beyond virality, Reynolds addresses the hard business of marketing: bridging social media engagement with direct bookings, navigating brand consistency across human and digital touchpoints and drawing endless creative fuel from real customer stories. campaignlive.com Music - Take you Out by Lucid Tides, courtesy of Triple Scoop. What we know about advertising, you should know about advertising. Start your 1-month FREE trial to Campaign US. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Instacart's Laura Jones returns to share practical lessons from Instacart's brand transformation, including prioritising effectiveness, brand-first marketing strategy, partnerships, Instacart's chase to win a Cannes Lion and much more. Guests: Laura Jones, Chief Marketing Officer, Instacart Ann Marie Kerwin, Americas Editor, WARC Chapters: [00:00] Introduction: Instacart's marketing transformation project [01:36] Building the Instacart brand: From performance-pnly to full-funnel marketing [03:47] Balancing functional messaging and emotional storytelling [05:24] Redefining marketing measurement: From last-touch ROAS to portfolio impact [08:02] Explaining marketing effectiveness to the C-suite [09:25] Scaling an in-house creative agency [12:31] Instacart's 2026 Super Bowl campaign [16:41] Brand-building partnerships: WNBA and Feeding America [19:27] Brand stewardship: A new view on marketing effectiveness [21:22] Embedding brand across product, CX and culture [21:33] Learning from Cannes Lions and Raising the Creative Bar For 40 years, WARC has been providing the marketing industry with rigorous, unbiased evidence and expert effectiveness guidance. The WARC Podcast publishes a new episode every Tuesday and Thursday. Subscribe to The WARC Podcast here: https://www.warc.com/en/warc-podcasts Sign up to daily WARC News for free: https://www.warc.com/en/latest Book a demo: https://www.warc.com/en/subscribe

Send us Fan MailArtificial intelligence has transformed the way businesses create content, but has it also made marketing less human?In this episode of Joey Pinz Discipline Conversations, Joey sits down with marketing strategist Jiun Liao, founder of Lobo Media Marketing and host of the Anti-Viral Podcast, to explore why authentic relationships still outperform algorithms, automation, and endless content creation.Jiun shares his philosophy of Human Marketing—the belief that businesses grow through trust, meaningful conversations, and genuine connection rather than manipulation, advertising tricks, or chasing viral moments. From growing up in Ecuador before the internet to building businesses in Canada, he explains why slowing down, telling better stories, and focusing on people creates lasting success.The conversation also explores AI's role in marketing, the surprising lessons learned from publishing a print magazine in 2026, why businesses abandon relationships when they start marketing, and how discipline allows entrepreneurs to stay true to their values in a rapidly changing digital world.

Customer experience expert Jay Baer is stepping away from the keynote stage after 17 years and moving deeper into the world of tequila. He joins Jim Marous for a Banking Transformed conversation centered on five pours and five customer-experience questions for banks and credit unions. Tequilas tasted, in order: → Nosotros Blanco → Lost Lore Joven → Arette Reposado → Wild Common Añejo → Cazcáñes #7 Extra Añejo Each tequila opens a different discussion: first impressions, disconnected experiences across channels, the role of AI and automation, the difference between satisfaction and loyalty, and the advice Jay wants financial leaders to carry into the next decade. Jay explains why connected customer experience is usually a culture and leadership challenge rather than a technology problem. He also argues that as AI tools become widely available, the human touch becomes more valuable, especially when something goes wrong. His parting warning is direct: the more customers are treated like numbers, the more they will treat their financial institution as replaceable. Jay Baer is the author of Talk Triggers and Hug Your Haters and co-founder of The Tequila Report.

Send us Fan MailYour business does not rise and fall on your spreadsheets, it rises and falls on what your people do every day. We're kicking off a new era of The Brian Wright Show with a fresh format and a clear promise: simplify growth without shrinking your ambition. The foundation is Five To Thrive, our five essential transformations for dominating the new economy: leadership, culture, sales, hospitality, and marketing.Part 2: Leadership Influence & Alignment: Five Essentials for Business GrowthWelcome to The Brian Wright Show:Brian Wright works closely with executives, entrepreneurs, small business owners and executives in five areas essential to thrive in the new economy: Leadership, Culture, Sales, Hospitality & Marketing. He calls it, "The Five to Thrive." You have come to the right place If you want to grow your business and surpass goals unlike ever beforeIn this video you'll learn powerful business growth and efficiency strategies broken down into five categories that transform:✔ Leadership✔ Culture ✔ Sales ✔ Hospitality✔ MarketingThanks to our Sponsors:New Patient GroupWrightChatThrive Consulting GroupClick here to Schedule a Free Business ConsultationToday's EpisodeWe start where most companies leak the most: leadership. I lay out a practical definition that has nothing to do with title, rank, or authority, and I tell a story from my childhood that proves it. Then we get into the shift that changes how you run meetings, set goals, and coach your team: stop chasing finite outcomes you cannot control and start mastering the controllables that create them. If you've been living and dying by dashboards, this will feel like a reset in the best way.From there, we dive into the first core dimension of leadership: vision and strategy. I break down why vision is future-focused and never fully “accomplished,” why it should not be a number, and why it should not just describe what you sell. We also talk strategy as execution, not ideas, including why “quick fixes” backfire, how change management really works, and how to protect your long-term vision with short-term, actionable, controllable goals.If you want a leadership framework you can actually apply, subscribe, share this with a teammate, and leave a quick review so more leaders can find the Five To Thrive series. What's one controllable you can improve this week?

Everyone says they're "customer-obsessed" — but Tom Vander Well has actually listened, to more than 100,000 real business phone calls over 30+ years. In this episode of That Will Nevr Work, Maurice (a call-center veteran himself) sits down with Tom — founder of Intelligentics and author of the Amazon International Bestseller This Call May Be Monitored — for a funny, sharp, and surprisingly moving conversation about where the truth of any business really lives.Tom makes his contrarian case: the real story isn't in the boardroom, it's on the front line, where a company's promises either come true or fall apart in real time. He shares the exact moments trust gets built or broken, why excellence is never created by dashboards or flavor-of-the-month initiatives, and how the same skills that win customers for life also transform your marriage, your family, and your friendships. If you lead people, serve customers, or just want to become a better listener, this one will stick with you.

The show has a new name, and it's the kind of change that brings everything into focus. We're now Experience Is Everything: The CX Podcast, because “experience” is bigger than a customer touchpoint and more demanding than a quarterly metric. It's the thread that connects what your customers feel, what your employees carry, what your partners deliver, and what your leaders tolerate.We talk through what stays the same and what the new name signals: a clearer alignment with the book and the work, and a renewed commitment to a practical customer experience (CX) approach. My mission doesn't shift one inch: create fewer ruined days for customers. That means giving you the information, resources, tools, and ideas to show up in the best possible way for your customers, your organization, your colleagues, and yourself. Experience management takes the right mindset, a real CX strategy, and the discipline to back it up.You'll still find weekly conversations and the CX Pulse Check format, where special co-hosts help us look at what's happening right now in the world of customer expectations. I also want to hear from you, because your real questions keep this show honest and useful. Send a voicemail or question at askjeannie.vip and it may get answered on a future episode.If this resonates, subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review so more CX leaders can find the show.Resources Mentioned:Sign up for our newsletter -- https://experienceinvestigators.com/newsletter/Order your copy of Experience Is Everything -- http://experienceiseverythingbook.comLearn more about CXI Membership™ and apply -- http://CXIMembership.comWant to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Mark Young is the CEO of Ryze Agency, where he helps brands scale through world-class marketing, sharp product positioning, and operational clarity. Mark has built multiple successful businesses and has become a trusted advisor for founders looking to break through plateaus and expand into new markets.  He has recently published a series of 5 books titled the Ecommerce Brand Guide to the Galaxy with Benjamin Hardy.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Differences between selling on Amazon and Shopify, focusing on intent-based versus cold traffic marketing.Common misconceptions brands have about marketing metrics, particularly the focus on ROAS.Importance of understanding customer acquisition cost (CAC), lifetime value (LTV), and average order value (AOV) for sustainable growth.Strategies for increasing average order value through upsells and bundles.The significance of customer experience and retention marketing on Shopify compared to Amazon.The role of storytelling and brand identity in engaging customers on Shopify.Examples of successful and unsuccessful brand strategies in e-commerce.Actionable takeaways for brands looking to scale on Shopify.The impact of brand loyalty and customer relationships on long-term success.Recommendations for influential books and tools in the e-commerce space.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley speaks with Mark Young, CEO of Ryze Agency, about scaling DTC brands on Shopify. Mark explains the fundamental differences between Amazon's intent-based selling and Shopify's cold traffic environment, emphasizing the need for brand storytelling. He challenges the common obsession with ROAS, introducing the "holy trinity" of metrics: Customer Acquisition Cost, Lifetime Value, and Average Order Value. Mark also highlights the importance of retention marketing and authentic customer relationships, sharing real success and failure stories to illustrate how strategy, not tactics, drives sustainable e-commerce growth.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Shift from “conversion” to “connection” Stop treating Shopify like Amazon. Build demand through storytelling, content, and brand experience—optimize for trust and engagement before expecting conversions.Scale with the right metrics (not ROAS) Track and optimize your CAC:LTV:AOV triangle. Aim for a 1:3 CAC:LTV ratio, and be willing to accept lower short-term ROAS to acquire high-value customers.Increase AOV + retention to unlock profit Bundle products, upsell, and improve post-purchase experience. Focus on repeat buyers (email/SMS, loyalty, CX) to maximize LTV and make your paid acquisition sustainable.Timestamps:00:00:38 Introduction to the E-comm Breakthrough PodcastThe announcer introduces the podcast, aimed at helping seven-figure e-commerce business owners unlock their full potential and growth.00:00:52 Host's Introduction and Guest WelcomeHost Josh Hadley introduces himself and the episode's guest, Mark Young, CEO of Ryze Agency and author.00:02:12 The Challenge of Scaling from Amazon to ShopifyMark discusses why brands successful on Amazon often struggle on Shopify, highlighting the fundamental differences between the platforms.00:04:15 Amazon vs. Shopify: Intent vs. Cold TrafficA breakdown of how Amazon is an intent-based platform, while Shopify requires cold traffic marketing and brand storytelling.00:05:57 Common Misconceptions Brands Have with AgenciesMark explains the two types of clients he encounters: startups who think they know everything and brands with agency trauma.00:08:20 The Problem with Over-relying on ROASMark details why Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) is a "fool's metric" and how agencies can manipulate it.00:11:02 The Holy Trinity of E-commerce MetricsMark explains the three core KPIs brands should focus on: Lifetime Value (LTV), Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), and Average Order Value (AOV).00:18:24 The Importance of Average Order Value (AOV)Discussion on why an AOV of at least $50-$100 is crucial for profitability due to shipping costs and consumer psychology.00:21:09 Focusing on Customer Experience and RetentionMark argues that brands focus too much on acquisition and not enough on creating an impressive backend customer experience.00:24:49 The Mindset Shift from Amazon to ShopifyBrands moving from Amazon must learn to focus on customer experience and brand storytelling, which Amazon handles for them.00:28:11 Building a Relational BrandThe importance of creating a personal, relational brand on Shopify, as opposed to Amazon's transactional nature. People buy from people.00:33:19 Be the Guide, Not the HeroUsing the "StoryBrand" framework, Mark explains that brands should act as the guide (Gandalf) for their customer (Frodo).00:35:09 Case Study: A Successful Skincare BrandA brand succeeded by understanding its brand voice, embracing omnichannel marketing, and defining clear goals for its agency partnership.00:38:00 Case Study: A Failed BrandA brand failed due to a reactive CEO, a singular focus on top-line revenue, and training customers to expect constant discounts.00:41:38 Three Actionable TakeawaysJosh Hadley summarizes the key lessons: understand your brand story, focus on LTV over ROAS, and prioritize customer retention.00:44:03 Mark's Most Influential BooksMark shares his favorite and most influential books, including works by Donald Miller, Will Guidara, and Stephen Covey.00:45:12 Leveraging AI in BusinessMark discusses how his agency uses AI, specifically "Claude bots," to imagine a new kind of business, not just automate tasks.00:48:08 Who to Follow in the E-comm SpaceMark recommends following Alex Hormozi and Donald Miller and emphasizes the value of nano and micro-influencers over macro-influencers.00:49:16 How to Connect with Mark YoungMark shares where listeners can find him, his books, and his agency, and discusses his passion for helping entrepreneurs.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comTools and Websites  "Ryze Agency": "00:02:01"  "Shopify": "00:02:55"  "

Why isn't Fixed Ops saving dealerships while vehicle sales and front-end gross are falling? In Service Drive Revolution #374, Chris, Hogi and Adam examine why service and parts departments are remaining flat when they should be carrying dealership overhead. Customers are keeping vehicles longer and driving more, yet many stores are booked out for weeks, losing customer-pay work and allowing independent shops to capture market share. The team identifies technician capacity as the primary constraint. When warranty repair orders begin matching or exceeding customer-pay ROs, it may reveal that customers who have a choice are going elsewhere. Chris explains why dealers must add technicians before the shop feels ready, price labor correctly and stop waiting for the mythical "unicorn" tech. They also challenge leaders to mystery-shop their own appointment process, reinvest in customer experience and replace systems that have barely evolved in a century. Plus: Is the AI bubble finally popping? The crew discusses failed AI phone systems, advisor kiosks and why AI works best as a tool that amplifies expertise—not as a replacement for human relationships. KEY TAKEAWAYS * Fixed Ops Should Carry the Store: When sales decline, service and parts should protect dealership profitability. * Capacity Is the Constraint: Being booked out sends urgent customer-pay work to competitors. * Watch the RO Mix: Warranty ROs exceeding customer-pay ROs can reveal technician shortages and lost retention. * Hire Before It Feels Comfortable: More technicians can improve work distribution, efficiency and available capacity. * Price Labor for Reality: Labor rates should reflect technician compensation, demand and the cost of timely service. * AI Should Amplify Talent: It can accelerate research, coding & internal systems, but cannot replace customer connection.  * Mystery-Shop the Process: Leaders often don't know how difficult their own BDC & appointment experience has become. FAQ Q: Why isn't Fixed Ops saving struggling dealerships? A: Many departments lack technician capacity, lose customer-pay work, use outdated systems and underinvest in retention and customer experience. Q: What does it mean when warranty ROs exceed customer-pay ROs? A: Warranty customers must return to the brand, while customer-pay clients can leave. A rising warranty mix may mean customers with choices are defecting. Q: Should a dealership hire technicians before its current techs are fully efficient? A: Yes. Additional capacity can improve workflow and efficiency while allowing the dealership to capture more work. Q: Should higher technician pay reduce service gross? A: It does not have to. Labor rates can be adjusted to reflect technician wages, market demand and the cost of timely service. Q: Can AI replace Service Advisors or the BDC? A: The team says current AI is better used as support. Advisors create trust, validation and relationships that automation cannot reproduce. Chapters 0:00 Live From Indiana 1:45 Why Isn't Fixed Ops Saving Dealerships? 2:35 Summer, Boats and Power-Sports Dealers 8:30 Buying Without a Test Drive 9:25 The Power-Sports Technician Shortage 1 0:20 Seasonal Service and Motorcycle Storage 17:55 Power-Sports Absorption 19:20 Parts and Service Between Two Flames 22:35 Is the AI Bubble Popping? 24:00 Tablets, Kiosks and Digital Inspection Hype 26:35 Why AI Phone Systems Are Failing 27:20 Where AI Actually Saves Time 30:40 AI vs. Human Customer Service 33:20 Use AI to Amplify Expertise 36:50 AI Is Changing Search 37:50 Why Fixed Ops Historically Carried Dealerships 40:55 Falling Sales and Flat Fixed Ops 44:00 Technician Capacity Is the First Problem 44:30 Warranty vs. Customer-Pay ROs 46:00 Add Capacity Before the Constraint 47:00 Why Independents Are Gaining Market Share 48:40 Mystery-Shop Your Dealership 50:40 Paying More for Technicians 53:25 Antiquated Dealership Systems 54:00 Consolidation and Customer Experience 57:20 Fixed Ops as a Force Multiplier 59:00 Dealership Leadership Needs Fixed Ops Experience 1:00:40 Final Thoughts

John continues his conversation with Alice Sesay Pope about how AI is changing business, leadership, and entrepreneurship. Alice explains how Generative and Agentic AI can help entrepreneurs and small businesses work faster, save money, and grow without huge teams. They also talk about trust, guardrails, and how to wisely use AI. About Alice Sesay Pope: Alice Pope is a Fortune 100 Customer Experience and Operations executive who helps enterprise organizations transform CX into a measurable driver of revenue, retention, and loyalty — while modernizing cost-to-serve through digital enablement, automation, and Generative AI. She leads at the intersection of customer trust, operational excellence, and innovation — because the organizations that win at scale don't choose between efficiency and empathy. They build intelligent systems that deliver both. With more than 30 years of executive leadership in complex, global environments, Alice has led large-scale transformations that connect the full CX ecosystem — product, engineering, analytics, care, and field operations — turning customer insight into sustained business performance. Listen to this episode to learn more: [00:00] - How The Trust Algorithm can help entrepreneurs [04:17] - Being a conduit [06:03] - What leaders should think about before implementing Agentic AI [08:00] - Every business starts with people [09:15] - What does it take to be a great leader in the AI age? [12:22] - Utilizing AI from day one when starting a new business [17:10] - How Alice's faith impacts her business [19:33] - Alice's definition of success [20:07] - The most valuable skill sets in the AI era [22:35] - Traits of a great leader [23:23] - #1 daily habit [24:23] - The legacy Alice wants to leave behind [26:11] - Book recommendations [28:17] - How Alice invests in her marriage [29:34] - Circle 10 and why this program is important to her [32:31] - Best way to connect with Alice [35:18] - Wrap-up NOTABLE QUOTES: "Don't take everything that a Generative AI gives you as gospel. Still inspect, still conduct your audit." "Life and business are all about relationships. There's nothing before that. There's nothing after that." "Every business is a problem solver of some kind." "Success is utilizing your God-given talents to make the world a better place. So, when you go to bed at night, you feel good about what you do." "You can have an advisor, or a coach, Generative AI. But there's nothing more powerful than a real person who could be a coach, who can exchange an idea with you, who can feel your pain when you've had a failure, and help you say, 'Get back up again,' and encourage you." "There will be people who embrace the tools that will build wealth in ways that we've never seen before … but, at the same time, there are people that will be too scared of it … and it will widen the wealth gap." "Don't just launch a generative AI solution just to be launching it … Start with your customer. What can you solve for your customer faster? Will it reduce customer effort? Will it increase loyalty?" "There's something that's still powerful about a human connection and I hope our world doesn't lose that." BOOK MENTIONED: Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap ... and Others Don't by James C. Collins (https://a.co/d/0aXgmwDX) USEFUL LINKS: https://alicesesaypope.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicesesaypope/ https://www.instagram.com/alicesesaypope/ https://x.com/Alicesesaypope https://www.youtube.com/@alicesesaypope The Trust Algorithm: How Leaders Build Trust with Generative AI - https://a.co/d/0aKOKLBw Transformation From The Inside Out - https://a.co/d/0esUYdS0 CONNECT WITH JOHN Website - https://iamjohnhulen.com    LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhulen Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnhulen    Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/johnhulen    X - https://x.com/johnhulen    YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@iamjohnhulen    EPISODE CREDITS Intro and Outro music provided by Jeff Scheetz - https://jeffscheetz.com/ 

In the landmark 450th episode of DisrupTV, hosts Vala Afshar and R "Ray" Wang bring together two guests who illuminate the future of work from opposite ends — one from the front lines of AI-powered customer experience, one from the science of what makes teams truly exceptional — and find a coherent argument running through both: the organizations that win will be those that combine disciplined AI deployment with the human habits that turn good teams into great ones. Dave Rhodes, CEO of Verint, shares what AI transformation actually looks like at the scale of 14,000 customers and tens of millions of contact center agents worldwide. He explains why the $700 billion in human capital powering the contact center industry is not a cost to be eliminated but a capability to be amplified — and why AI deployed surgically can become a retention strategy as much as an efficiency play. He walks through the wrap-up bot as one of AI's clearest enterprise wins, shares a product intelligence story about detecting a bad manufacturing batch through conversation intelligence before most customers even called, and makes the case that CX data is becoming a strategic sensing layer for the entire organization, not just a contact center metric. Ron Friedman, psychologist and author of Superteams, shares findings from his study of more than 6,000 workers that identified the 8% of teams that qualify as truly high-performing — and the specific habits that separate them from everyone else. He breaks down how super teams manage time, energy, and attention differently; the one question great leaders ask in meetings that transforms them from status updates into collaborative problem-solving; why video calls may be costing you more cognitive energy than they are worth; why members of super teams exercise 84 more minutes per week; and what his latest research reveals about how super teams use AI twice as often as average teams — but smarter. Whether you lead a customer experience organization, build high-performing teams, or are simply trying to figure out how to use AI in a way that actually moves the needle, this milestone episode offers one of DisrupTV's most practical and grounded conversations yet.

When you are doing a PhD dissertation, or writing a book, or working on some major project that takes a lot of your time, attention, and emotional energy, there is a tendency to start to resent that thing. I guess it is a natural outcome of all that investment. While I may have resented the dissertation process, I never really resented my dissertation topic because it focused on the ways in which commerce brings together people who might not otherwise come into contact. Those Metropolitan Detroit corner convenience stores that I was doing fieldwork in were not just places of business, but also of community and cultural connection. After all, we can look at the entire history of humanity and see how trade and commerce were the primary vehicles through which people come into contact with one another. From those contacts comes evolution and growth. While commerce is global, it is also local. While it might have shared characteristics in some ways, it also is going to be distinctive in other ways. And that's the beauty of culture. Whether it is food, music, art, architecture, language, or business, the same idea is going to be executed in different ways. Whether the differences are great or small, it is important to recognize and appreciate them. By understanding those differences, it might just inspire us to do what we do with more creativity. That's why I'm lucky to welcome Bruno Guimarães to Experience by Design podcast. Bruno is one of the leading voices of customer experience in Brazil, and beyond. He has been named one of the top influential CX professionals in the world, with a mission to inspire and assist individuals and companies in achieving excellence in CX. He has worked with companies in Brazil to bring customer experience to that country, adding the unique Brazilian flavor to a global profession. This includes being a CX Solution Strategist for Brazil and Southern Latin America. He also is the Founder of Amigos do CX, a community for CX practitioners not only in Brazil, but anywhere. We explore his journey to CX through marketing, advertising, and sales. He lays out the early origins of organizing a CX community to create a space for professionals to share support and knowledge. He describes how Brazil is a CX hotspot at the moment, with more and more companies trying to find a path to excellence in CX. However, as he points out, a limiting factor can be practitioners not understanding the businesses and industries they are trying to support. Thus, along with a strong foundation in CX, professionals also need to have a strong foundation in business as well. We also talk about his work to bring other global CX voices together through his LinkedIn daily posting project, where he invites CX professionals from around the world to share their work and wisdom about CX. This has resulted in great collections on What I Learned, now in its third year. We also talk about his marathon training, which I am happy to report resulted in a personal best time at the Boston Marathon in 2026. Bruno Guimarães Website: https://www.brunoguimaraescx.com.br/ Bruno Guimarães LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brunorguimaraes/ Amigos do CX: https://www.amigosdocx.com.br/

In this episode, host Greg sits down with Oban MacTavish, CEO and co-founder of Spade, an intelligence company transforming how financial institutions leverage their payments data. Oban explains how transaction data represents the highest throughput information banks have about their customers, yet remains largely untapped due to poor data quality and outdated payment infrastructure dating back to the 1960s. He discusses how Spade addresses this challenge by creating a comprehensive merchant graph covering 99.9% of businesses across the United States and Canada, enabling banks to understand exactly where their customers spend money in under 40 milliseconds.The conversation explores the delicate balance between personalization and privacy in banking. Oban argues that personalization doesn't have to feel creepy when done right—citing examples like banks no longer requiring travel notifications and suggesting that offering relevant products based on customer behavior can actually enhance trust rather than diminish it. He emphasizes that banks are uniquely positioned to leverage customer data effectively, as consumers already expect their financial institutions to understand their spending patterns and needs. The key is meeting customers where they are with relevant products at the right time, rather than making irrelevant offers that erode trust.Looking ahead, Oban shares his vision for the future of banking, predicting that financial services will increasingly run on verticalized AI models specifically designed for the industry's unique data challenges. He pushes back against the hype around AI agents replacing human customer service, arguing that the real opportunity lies in using AI to enhance customer experiences and drive revenue through better underwriting and personalization. Despite predictions of disruption, Oban maintains that traditional banks aren't going anywhere—instead, the winners will be those institutions that successfully compete on user experience and leverage their data assets to provide truly personalized service.More info:Spade: https://spade.com/ ; https://www.linkedin.com/company/spadedata/Oban MacTavish: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oban/Greg Palmer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregbpalmer/Finovate: https://www.finovate.com; https://www.linkedin.com/company/finovate-conference-series/FinovateFall: https://informaconnect.com/finovatefall/#Finovate #FinovateFall #fintech #financialinstitutions #creditunions #AI #modernization #technology #strategy #fintechstrategy #personalization #data #transactiondata #digitaladoption #podcast #fintechpodcast #financialservices #innovation #cx #digitraltransformation #fintech #finserv

Connect With ChazClifton Muckenfuss co-founded a residential construction company in 2010 knowing nothing about construction. By the time he exited in 2021, 60 to 62 percent of his business was repeat and referral. He spent less than 1 percent of top-line revenue on direct response marketing. His Google reviews went from 3 in the first six years to over 100. None of that happened because of a marketing agency. It happened because Clifton built a system for expressing gratitude that turned satisfied clients into raving fans.In this conversation with Chaz Wolfe, Clifton breaks down the raving fan framework he now teaches business owners across the country, why a satisfied customer is actually a liability not an asset, the four-letter word that should alarm any contractor, and why the most expensive mistake most business owners make is stopping the relationship the moment the job is done.Clifton also shares the personal story behind why he built this in the first place. Multiple arrests. Aggravated assault charges. Drug sales and consumption. And a wife who looked him in the eye before the company existed and said: I don't know, but I believe in you. That one sentence changed everything.Key Takeaways:A raving fan is not just a happy customer. It is someone so obsessive about your people, your culture, your product, and your experience that they cannot wait to tell anyone who will listen.A satisfied customer is a liability. Fine is the four-letter word that should alarm you. Fine means something is wrong and they do not trust you enough to say what it is.It is not your customer's job to remember you. It is your job to make sure they cannot forget you. Most contractors complete the job and go find the next one. That is the gap.The biggest mistake most entrepreneurs make: they are too focused on the next opportunity and not focused enough on the key relationships that already exist. Your past customers know you, like you, and trust you. They are the easiest sale you will ever make.Clifton called a past client to thank them for a referral and casually asked about the windows. The client said do you do windows? Clifton had replaced their roof, deck, and siding. The client had no idea. That moment became the entire company philosophy.Referrals close at a higher rate. They buy at a higher price. They have fewer objections. And they lower your marketing costs. The gap between what you are currently spending on digital marketing and what you could spend by activating your existing relationships is almost entirely profit.Post-fulfillment follow-up is where most businesses fall apart. Right after a job is completed, when the client is at peak satisfaction, is the exact right moment to ask for a review, a video testimonial, and two or three referrals. Most business owners are too scared to ask because they are afraid something went wrong.If something went wrong, you want to know. A broken process that you cannot see cannot be fixed. The client who says fine and never calls again is more dangerous than the one who tells you exactly what went wrong.Express gratitude consistently and systematically. Relationship marketing is not a tactic. It is a philosophy that has to be built into every touch point before, during, and after the transaction.Internal raving fans matter just as much as external ones. Your employees and team members need to feel the same love and appreciation as your clients. The same gratitude framework applies to both.If you are a contractor business owner doing $1M+ and you feel stuck in the day-to-day, we built GTK for you.Through peer mastermind and 1:1 coaching, we help you:increase profitinstall real systemsbuild a team that runs the businessget your time backVisit www.gatheringthekings.com for information on how to apply.Connect with Chaz Wolfe (Host):WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInYouTubeProfit Starts with Better Books!Clean books. Clear reports. Monthly bookkeeping built by business owners, for business owners.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showLike what you heard? Share this episode with a friend and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Join the conversation by visiting GatheringTheKings.com and apply to connect with other high-performing entrepreneurs and their families.

How AI and Behavioral Science Are Transforming Customer Experience    Shep interviews Roger Dooley, keynote speaker and author of The Persuasion Engine. He talks about how AI and neuromarketing tools help businesses predict consumer behavior, measure emotional reactions, and avoid costly customer experience mistakes.     This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:     How can businesses use AI to predict customer behavior accurately?   How can companies use AI and behavioral science to eliminate customer friction?     In what ways can companies use behavioral science to improve customer loyalty?   How do customer expectations directly shape customer experience?   How can predictive AI prevent negative customer reactions during policy or product changes?    Top Takeaways:      AI in customer service has moved beyond automation and support. Today, successful companies use AI to understand customer behavior. By tracking engagement like website clicks or scrolling patterns, companies can determine what customers like and dislike.    Technology such as eye-tracking, biometric sensors, and AI-powered simulators, at one time available only to a limited number of companies due to cost, is now more accessible to businesses of any size.     Customer experience and marketing are deeply connected. Understanding and predicting customer desires isn't just a marketing strategy. It is an important part of delivering a frictionless, positive experience.    Customer expectations strongly influence how they perceive the experience. For example, when the average customer is told that a bottle of wine is expensive, they tend to enjoy it more. This is seen in their feedback and even in their brain activity.    Small details can have a big impact when it comes to connecting with your customers. When companies remove small perks their customers are used to, the change might put off some loyal customers. Don't underestimate how small gestures can build long-term emotional loyalty.     Plus, Shep and Roger talk about insights from The Persuasion Engine. Tune in!    Quote:     "AI is better than most humans at predicting how people will react emotionally to any communication. Whether you change your loyalty program or alter your customer experience in some way, AI can predict and even prevent negative blowback."        About:      Roger Dooley is an author, speaker, and McCombs Business School lecturer known for bestselling books like Brainfluence and Friction. His newest book, The Persuasion Engine, discusses how AI democratizes powerful marketing tools for organizations of any size.    Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us Fan MailWhere should AI stop and a human step in? Rebecca Stone has spent 20 plus years finding the line.Rebecca Stone, Chief Customer and Marketing Officer at Plume, joins Yanique Grant to unpack why clean, centralized data is the real foundation of customer experience, and where AI should augment the journey versus where a human relationship has to show up. From the name problem that makes one customer look like four, to using AI to carry context across every support tier, to building high performing teams, Rebecca shares practical moves any leader can use.In this episode:- The first move to make when your customer data is messy - Where AI ends and human connection has to begin - Using AI to carry customer context across every support tier - The tools Rebecca can't live without: Claude, Gong, Salesforce, Marketo - Building high performing teams with The Five Dysfunctions of a Team - The Colin Powell quote that keeps her on trackFeatured resources:Book: Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan HeathBook: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick LencioniClaude (AI for building presentations and freeing up time)Gong (conversation intelligence and customer context)Salesforce (CRM and customer data)Marketo (marketing automation)Connect with the guest:LinkedIn: Rebecca Stone, connect and send her a messageCompany: PlumeFollow the show: X @NavigatingCX and join our private Facebook group, Navigating the Customer Experience Community. Hosted by Yanique Grant.

In this episode, we dive into why website analytics and star ratings fail to show the full customer journey.  Cheryl Zajac, VP of Client Insights at Bizrate Insights, shares how collecting pre-purchase and post-delivery feedback helps brands fix friction points and boost conversions.  She also reveals how to capture non-buyer insights, use targeted survey triggers, and balance AI data with human understanding to drive true growth. Topics discussed in this episode:  How star ratings hide critical checkout friction.What 98 percent of non-buying traffic reveals.Why pre-purchase surveys capture lost revenue.How targeted triggers improve response rates.What custom questions uncover about intent.Why small sample sizes deliver actionable insights.How post-delivery data boosts buyer retention.What drives shoppers to competitor websites.Why human empathy beats AI data analysis.How real customer feedback fixes site drop-offs.Star ratings tell you how customers feel. Bizrate Insights reveals what's driving those ratings, helping ecommerce brands create smoother shopping journeys, inspire confident purchases, and build lasting loyalty. Turn verified shopper feedback into clear priorities and better customer experiences. Learn more at bizrateinsights.com/coffee Links & ResourcesWebsite: https://bizrateinsights.com/coffee/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bizrateinsights/X/Twitter: https://x.com/bizrateinsightsGet access to more free resources by visiting the show notes at https://tinyurl.com/yuhp9nv6______________________________________________________LOVE THE SHOW? HERE ARE THE NEXT STEPS!Follow the podcast to get every bonus episode. Tap follow now and don't miss out!   Rate & Review: Help others discover the show by rating the show on Apple Podcasts at https://tinyurl.com/ecb-apple-podcasts   Join our Free Newsletter: https://newsletter.ecommercecoffeebreak.com/   Support The Show On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/EcommerceCoffeeBreak   Partner with us: https://ecommercecoffeebreak.com/partner-with-us/

This episode is brought to you by Lightspeed.Parents are paying closer attention than ever to what goes into their children's food, but making healthier options accessible at scale remains one of the industry's biggest challenges.In this episode of Retail Remix, Kate Robertson sits down with Katie Marston, Chief Marketing Officer of Once Upon a Farm, to discuss the company's recent IPO, its mission to transform children's nutrition and how it's balancing purpose with growth. Katie shares how the brand is making fresh, organic kids' food more accessible through retail innovation, why refrigerated merchandising has become a competitive advantage and what she's learned about storytelling, leadership and purpose from co-founder and actor Jennifer Garner. Key TakeawaysHow Once Upon a Farm is using its recent IPO to scale its mission of making nutritious children's food more accessible Why the brand's refrigerated merchandising strategy is helping transform the baby food aisle and drive new customer acquisition How Once Upon a Farm is navigating inflation through broader retail distribution, value-focused packaging and programs like WIC Why creating systemic change in children's nutrition requires long-term investment in accessibility, clean ingredients and trusted partnerships What Jennifer Garner's leadership has taught Katie about authentic storytelling, mission-driven marketing and building a values-first brandRelated LinksExplore Once Upon a Farm's fresh, organic snacks and meals for kidsGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix ----Ready to make smarter inventory, merchandising and buying decisions? Discover how Lightspeed helps retailers streamline operations, manage inventory and stay ahead of changing customer demand at lightspeedhq.com/pos/retail 

John talks with Alice Sesay Pope about building trust with customers and employees, Agentic AI and Generative AI, and why we shouldn't be afraid of AI. Alice also talks about her newly released book The Trust Algorithm: How Leaders Build Trust with Generative AI. About Alice Sesay Pope: Alice Pope is a Fortune 100 Customer Experience and Operations executive who helps enterprise organizations transform CX into a measurable driver of revenue, retention, and loyalty — while modernizing cost-to-serve through digital enablement, automation, and GenAI. She leads at the intersection of customer trust, operational excellence, and innovation — because the organizations that win at scale don't choose between efficiency and empathy. They build intelligent systems that deliver both. With more than 30 years of executive leadership in complex, global environments, Alice has led large-scale transformations that connect the full CX ecosystem — product, engineering, analytics, care, and field operations — turning customer insight into sustained business performance. Listen to this episode to learn more: [00:00] - Intro [00:52] - Alice's bio & backstory [04:00] - Why companies must care for employees first to truly serve customers [05:56] - How feeling excluded earlier in life shaped her leadership style [07:15] - Ritz-Carlton example of empowerment and kindness [09:30] - Agentic AI and Generative AI [10:56] - Should we be afraid of AI? [12:44] - How to use AI tools to grow your career [16:47] - Why our education system needs to evolve with AI [20:44] - Normalize failing as a learning tool [22:55] - What are the best ways to build trust? [25:56] - How dynamic pricing and algorithms affect trust [28:57] - Why is building trust so difficult? [30:34] - Why trust is the currency in the AI era [32:44] - The Trust Algorithm book NOTABLE QUOTES: "Experience is the best teacher." "If you're not taking care of your people first, you're not going to have a company in order to help customers." "Agentic AI tools can make decisions for customers, but sometimes they don't understand those moments that matter, and they don't rarely understand the human touch. And that's why I believe humans are still important to delivering a great experience." "There's a human component to trust that just can't be made." "Customers won't leave a brand that they trust. Instead, they will increase their overall loyalty." "When you do the right thing for your employees, they will go to heights you can't even imagine to do the right thing for customers and to represent a company." "There are various companies that may or may not invest in the time or the money that it takes to reskill associates. So we all have to take control of our careers. We have to be more deliberate about how we think about how we want our careers to be." "Our educational system has to change. It must change, especially in the world of AI. Our education system has to evolve to teach students to be critical thinkers, and also to be more creative to generate new ideas, processes that perhaps don't exist today." "There are some schools that say they ban AI tools. I believe that's wrong, because in the real world, people are using them. There's so much value to utilizing these tools to accomplish so much more, faster." "Generative AI can be a very good thing if it is implemented in a fair and ethical way." "We can't resist the change. The change is here. Can't resist it, but we can implement it in a way that's value-driven." USEFUL LINKS: https://alicesesaypope.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicesesaypope/ https://www.instagram.com/alicesesaypope/ https://x.com/Alicesesaypope https://www.youtube.com/@alicesesaypope The Trust Algorithm: How Leaders Build Trust with Generative AI - https://a.co/d/0aKOKLBw Transformation From The Inside Out - https://a.co/d/0esUYdS0 CONNECT WITH JOHN Website - https://iamjohnhulen.com    LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhulen Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnhulen    Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/johnhulen    X - https://x.com/johnhulen    YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@iamjohnhulen    EPISODE CREDITS Intro and Outro music provided by Jeff Scheetz - https://jeffscheetz.com/ 

In this engaging episode of the Finovate podcast, host Greg sits down with Derek Corcoran, VP of Strategy at Accutive and author of "Designing for Need: The New Rules of Customer Experience in Banking." Derek shares his remarkable journey from software developer to fintech evangelist, reflecting on his tenure at Avoca, where he helped build the company from employee number eight or nine to its eventual acquisition by Temenos in 2018.He credits four key factors for Avoca's success: an incredible team, unwavering support from his wife during their relocation from Australia to Colorado, early clients who took a chance on the startup, and the transformative impact of Finovate itself, which helped them refine their messaging and presentation skills that translated into every subsequent sales meeting.Derek offers invaluable advice for this year's FinovateFall demoers, emphasizing the importance of getting into the software quickly, avoiding buzzwords, and engaging the audience first before educating them. He advocates for a two-person demo approach with one person narrating and another driving the demonstration, and stresses the need to put the audience in the driver's seat through day-in-the-life scenarios.His book introduces a unique perspective on customer experience, arguing that it should be treated as two distinct disciplines: experiences for things people want to do (like vacations and fine dining) versus things they need to do (like banking and paying taxes). For need-based experiences, Derek contends that customers prioritize speed and efficiency over delight, wanting to complete necessary tasks quickly to free up time for more enjoyable activities.Looking at the current state of fintech, Derek expresses both surprise and optimism about several trends. He's amazed that checks are still in use in the United States and sees tremendous potential in AI, particularly in accelerating product development, though he remains cautiously skeptical about certain applications like agentic banking for investment decisions. Most encouragingly, he's witnessing a resurgence among community banks and credit unions, which are increasingly investing in technology to compete with digital-first challengers like Chime. While acknowledging that the US has a disproportionate number of financial institutions (9,500 out of 44,000 worldwide), Derek emphasizes the critical importance of maintaining community-based institutions that support local businesses and communities, provided they can achieve a better balance between branch and digital technology investments.More info:Derek Corcoran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekcorcoran/Greg Palmer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregbpalmer/Finovate: https://www.finovate.com; https://www.linkedin.com/company/finovate-conference-series/FinovateFall: https://informaconnect.com/finovatefall/#Finovate #FinovateFall #fintech #financialinstitutions #creditunions #AI #modernization #technology #strategy #fintechstrategy #CU #design #author #book #digitaladoption #podcast #fintechpodcast #financialservices #innovation #digitraltransformation #fintech #finserv