Podcasts about Customer experience

In this episode of The Dirt on Flowers, Lyndsay and Shannon discuss how incorporating artisan and local vendors can elevate farm events. They share personal experiences transitioning from frequent open farm days to fewer, more curated events featuring vendors, food trucks, and activities. Key topics include vendor curation, communication strategies, pricing models, administrative workload, and the marketing benefits vendors bring. Both hosts emphasize the importance of aligning vendors with the farm's brand, careful vetting, and prioritizing the customer experience to create memorable, profitable events.Be in the know for DirtCon 2027If you want to dive in deeper with us each month, join our membership group - The Dirt on Flowers Insiders! So if you love the podcast and want to dig deeper with us, head over to www.thedirtonflowers.com/membership to join now.Did you love today's episode?Take a screenshot and share it in your IG stories. Don't forget to tag @dirtonflowers!Leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts!Head to www.thedirtonflowers.com to sign up for our newsletter and become a Dirt on Flowers insider!Want to learn more about your hosts? Follow us on Instagram!Lyndsay @wildroot_flowercoShannon @bloomhillfarm

Hey CX Nation,In this week's episode of The CXChronicles Podcast #282, we welcomed Bryan McAnulty Founder of Heights Platform and LatchLoop based in Austin, TX.Bryan has helped thousands of creators across 100+ countries transform their knowledge into thriving businesses. As a creator himself, he has been committed to empowering those with a passion for creation to learn and grow online.In this episode, Bryan and Adrian chat through the Four CX Pillars: Team, Tools, Process & Feedback. Plus share some of the ideas that his team think through on a daily basis to build world class customer experiences.**Episode #282 Highlight Reel:**1.  Focusing on being proactive with all of your customers, regardless of LTV2. Pro's & Con's of AI-driven customer support3. Why customers value speed to solution more than anything Click here to learn more about Bryan McAnultyClick here to learn more about Heights PlatformClick here to learn more about LatchLoopHuge thanks to Bryan for coming on The CXChronicles Podcast and featuring his work and efforts in pushing the customer experience & contact center space into the future. For all of our Apple & Spotify podcast listener friends, make sure you are following CXC & please leave a 5 star review so we can find new members of the "CX Nation". You know what would be even better?Go tell your friends or teammates about CXC's custom content, strategic partner solutions (Hubspot, Intercom, & Freshworks) & On-Demand services & invite them to join the CX Nation, a community of 15K+ customer focused business leaders!Want to see how your customer experience compares to the world's top-performing customer focused companies? Thanks to all of you for being apart of the "CX Nation" and helping customer focused business leaders across the world make happiness a habit!Reach Out To CXC Today!Support the showContact CXChronicles TodayTweet us @cxchroniclesCheck out our Instagram @cxchroniclesClick here to checkout the CXC websiteEmail us at info@cxchronicles.com Remember To Make Happiness A Habit!!

AI and automation are transforming businesses, but the real competitive advantage lies in knowing where to integrate technology for efficiency and where to prioritize human touch for deeper connections. In this episode, I'm diving into why the businesses that master both will win in today's fast-moving digital world and how mastering the intersection of AI, automation and the human touch will set you apart from the rest of the pack. I will also share examples of where I've structured my own business to be both streamlined and highly personal, leveraging automation to enhance workflow and increase human interaction to drive loyalty, retention, and increased revenue. If you want to stand out in an increasingly automated world, this episode will show you exactly how to do it. Enjoy!   Mentioned in this episode Subscribe to Email List Leave a Podcast Review Work/Connect with me: Offer Optimization Scorecard Book a Call   Tune in to start taking your business and life to the next level today and don't forget to subscribe or follow the podcast to make sure you don't miss any future episodes. Visit https://jessicamillercoaching.com/ to learn more. You can also follow me on Instagram (@jessicadioguardimiller) and Facebook.

 "Pick an immersive subgenre, and I think that it can be made better by the escape room model." For the Season 11 finale of Reality Escape Pod, we're turning the spotlight inward. After years of writing reviews, producing podcasts, running RECON, hosting Tours, and building a community around immersive experiences, we asked our audience a simple question "What do you think?" Hundreds of you responded to the Room Escape Artist audience census, sharing how you engage with our work, what you want more of, and where we can improve. Lisa Spira, editor-in-chief of Room Escape Artist, data wizard, and David's wife, joins us on the podcast to for a deep dive into the census results. We received over 200 responses to our massive audience survey covering topics ranging from audience demographics and favorite content formats to the future of escape rooms, the rise of immersive experiences, community feedback, and some honest critiques. We gained perspective on what our audience enjoys, their awareness of REA content, and how they consume immersive experiences. Some results were truly surprising, including how many escape rooms the average participant plays per year. We also asked for your feedback, critiques, and worries. We addressed many of the criticisms with honest and candid replies about why some aspects of Room Escape Artist have changed over the years. We also acknowledged times when we got things wrong and explained the reasoning behind the editorial schedule and structure. I really enjoyed sharing this behind-the-scenes look at Room Escape Artist. I thought the most interesting parts of this episode were seeing how much thought goes into the choices behind the content we put out, why certain reviews get written, why some trends excite us, and how difficult it is to serve a global community with wildly different interests. This was a conversation about growth, and the future of Room Escape Artist, REPOD, and the escape room industry. When it comes to escape rooms, there is room for different kinds of play. We're seeing experiences that blur the lines between escape rooms, theater, games, and adventure. As David puts it, "The medium continues to evolve, and that's exactly what makes it exciting." I couldn't agree more. Whether you found us through reviews, podcasts, RECON, Tours, or somewhere else entirely, we appreciate being part of your escape room journey. Thank you to everyone who took the time to fill out the census and share feedback, and to those who support our community and continue listening.     Episode Sponsors We are immensely grateful to our sponsors this season: REA Patreon Backers, PG's Playhouse, Buzzshot, and the Reality Escape Convention. We truly appreciate your support of our mission to promote and improve the immersive gaming community.   Buzzshot Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.   Support Us On Patreon Today Love escape rooms as much as we do? At Room Escape Artist, we've been analyzing, reviewing, and exploring the world of immersive games since 2014. We help players find the best experiences, and push the industry forward with well-researched, rational, and reasonably humorous escape room and immersive gaming content and events. By becoming a Patreon supporter, you're not just backing a blog — you're fueling a mission to make the escape room and immersive gaming community stronger, more thoughtful, and more connected. Access exclusive Patreon content such as: The Bonus Aftershow The Spoilers Club Early access to escape room Tour tickets and REA articles. Your Patreon support goes toward our mission: paying our contributors, funding our infrastructure, and supporting deep research and industry advocacy.   PG's Playhouse If you love wordplay, puzzles, and trivia, this is the podcast for you! PG's Playhouse recreates a fun game night, all in a short, 30-minute format. Of course, what's game night without making new friends? We bring on different guests for the different episodes. Each episode features a puzzle packed with wordplay and trivia, a short chat with the guest, and a segment exploring an interesting topic. I hope you'll take a listen and play along with us at PG's Playhouse.   Reality Escape Convention Our convention, RECON, will be in Laval, Quebec Canada on August 16th & 17th, 2026. RECON offers a curated collection of talks and experiences exploring the business and art of escape room and immersive game creation. All are welcome at this event that is crafted around professionals and aspiring professionals.   Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Theresa Piazza Supported by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht

How Unconscious Experiences Shape Customer Loyalty  Shep interviews Lou Carbone, Founder and CEO (Chief Experience Officer) of Experience Engineering®, Inc. He talks about how emotionally resonant experiences create customer loyalty and distinctive brand value.  This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:    How does emotional impact influence customer loyalty?  Why is distinctive value vital for exceptional customer service?  What effects do sensory details have on memorable experiences?  How can integrating technology improve customer experiences?  How can businesses engineer repeat customer experiences?  Top Takeaways:    The power of a great experience is that the magic doesn't end when the moment does. The emotional imprint that a great experience creates is what keeps customers coming back. It can influence the way customers feel about a brand even years later.   Magic lies in the details. Purposeful, repetitive clues create emotional resonance that emotionally bonds customers to a brand. Carefully embedded signals are like "pixie dust" (think Disney) that trigger unconscious perceptions, shape how people value a brand, and build a strong brand ethos that customers want to be part of.  Distinctive value means being irreplaceable. It is when a company delivers experiences that are so emotionally resonant that customers cannot imagine living without them. It goes beyond simply solving problems or meeting expectations. Some organizations create deep, memorable connections that feel essential to customers' lives.  Trust grows when experiences are predictable and consistent. When customers know what to expect and consistently get it, they feel safe and comfortable with a brand. Consistency should be embedded into every part of a customer's journey.  Many organizations approach customer experience by reacting to problems instead of proactively engineering experiences that deliver emotionally impactful value. Companies that stand out are those that design experiences with intention.  Plus, Lou shares insights from Disney and his book, Clued In: How to Keep Customers Coming Back Again and Again. Tune in! Quote:   "The currency of experiences is memories which are unconscious and are imprinted emotionally."  About:    Lou Carbone is the Founder and Chief Experience Officer of Experience Engineering®, Inc., recognized globally as a pioneer and leading innovator in experience management since the late 1980s. He is a best-selling author of Clued In – How to Keep Customers Coming Back Again and Again.  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

A CMO Confidential Interview with Drew Pinto, EVP and Chief Revenue and Technology Officer of Marriott International. Drew discusses the concept that architecture and data should be viewed as a means to an end, methods for assessing legacy systems, and why tech is critical to customer experience.Key topics include: - Why he believes in "built to change”- Ways to assess your data- Why marketers shouldn't get "enamored by solutions- The idea of "buying commodities" vs. building everything yourselfTune in to hear a discussion about "data puddles," and why marketers should take their tech partners to dinner.⏱️ Chapters1:12 - Introduction and Guest Welcome2:32 -Defining Data Architecture5:00 - Evaluating Legacy Systems12:51 - Sponsor Message: Typeface ARC Agents13:55 - Built to Change vs. Built to Last17:15 - Tech Sourcing: Build vs. Buy21:11 - Customer Experience and Data Management27:54 - Common Mistakes and Advice for Marketers30:44 - Closing Remarks and Final ThoughtsThis episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo. Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.#CMOConfidential, #MarketingLeadership, #BrandStrategy, #CorporateActivism, #MarketingStrategy, #CMO, #AIinMarketing, #ExecutiveLeadership, #BrandReputation, #ConsumerTrust, #DigitalMarketing, #MarketingInsights, #ThoughtLeadership, #BusinessStrategy, #CustomerCentricSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/2zzEE8PxY64  Partnership, innovation, and a people-first approach are essential to creating meaningful change and lasting success. In this episode of Stories from the River, Wes Dudley, Senior Vice President of Customer Experience at Broad River Retail, sits down with Abe Barghouti, Senior Account Director at Zoom; Krista Hentz, Senior Sales Leader at Zoom; Drew Gorringe, Head of CX Consulting at C-Lect Consulting; and Anita Harris, Director of Customer Experience Operations & Specialty at Broad River Retail. Together, they discuss the implementation of the Zoom Contact Center platform and the strategic thinking behind the transition. The conversation explores the importance of building strong partnerships, finding technology solutions that align with company values, and creating systems that better support both Memory Makers and guests. Visit https://www.storiesfromtheriver.com for more episodes.    Broad River Retail brought this show to you. Visit https://BroadRiverRetail.com    Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/broad-river-retail 

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Lamar Tyler.

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Lamar Tyler.

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Lamar Tyler.

Retail media has quickly become one of retail's most important growth engines, but Ace Hardware is taking a different approach. One that's built around local ownership, community relevance and real-world customer needs.In this episode of Retail Remix, Kate Robertson speaks with Molly Hjelm, CVP of RedVest Media, Ace Hardware's retail media network, about launching a full-funnel RMN in just six months and what makes the co-op retailer uniquely positioned in the space. Molly shares how Ace is leveraging its network of 5,200 independently owned stores, 70 million loyalty members and deep first-party data to create measurable advertising solutions. She also explains how weather-triggered media, retailer-focused advertising tools and localized customer insights are helping brands connect with shoppers at exactly the right moment.Key TakeawaysHow Ace Hardware launched RedVest Media in just six months by focusing on measurable, full-funnel advertising solutions  Why Ace's co-op structure creates unique opportunities (and challenges) for retail media innovation  How weather-triggered advertising helps brands align messaging with real-time customer needs, from snowstorms to hurricane season  What makes Retailer Reach, Ace's retailer-focused advertising platform, different from traditional retail media offerings  Why first-party data, in-store relationships and local relevance remain critical as retail media evolves alongside AI and changing consumer behavior  Related LinksLearn how RedVest Media helps brands reach Ace Hardware customers through localized, data-driven retail media.Learn more about Ace Hardware and its community-focused retail modelGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix

Jamie Domenici, CMO of Klaviyo, joins us to discuss why customer experience has become one of the most powerful drivers of growth. Drawing on lessons from nearly a decade at Salesforce and her experience joining Klaviyo just months before its IPO, Jamie shares how great brands create loyalty by obsessing over the customer.We explore what marketers can learn from customer success teams, why events like Dreamforce are so memorable, and how Klaviyo has repositioned itself while building a competitive moat in an increasingly crowded market.Jamie also shares her views on AI, the future workforce, the skills tomorrow's CMOs will need, and the difference between good marketing leaders and truly great ones.Timestamps00:00 - Start01:05 - Jamie's strange first job02:26 - Best and worst customer experiences05:56 - The power of a good customer experience08:45 - Marketing lessons from customer success11:48 - Marketing lessons from 10 years at Salesforce13:05 - Why Dreamforce was a great example of good customer experience14:46 - The key to a great keynote21:56 - Joining Klaviyo just months before an IPO24:28 - Repositioning a company25:45 - How does B2C differ to B2B when it comes to CRM?28:41 - How Klaviyo are building their moat30:51 - Where is AI going to have the biggest impact?32:19 - How are Klaviyo using AI in their product?34:14 - How AI is going to change the workforce35:42 - What skills will future CMOs be hiring for?37:31 - The difference between a good CMO and a great CMO39:17 - Why Klaviyo invest a lot in events40:52 - The best advice Jamie has ever received

Recorded at Cisco Live, this episode features Mark Broderick, Senior Network Engineer at Room & Board. This furniture retailer has built its reputation around design expertise, long-term customer relationships, and personalized service. While many retailers focus on transactions, Room & Board takes a different approach, helping customers make decisions about products they may live with for years or even decades. During our conversation, Mark explains how technology is helping the company meet customers wherever they are. Whether someone visits a showroom, works with a designer remotely, or schedules a virtual consultation from home, the goal remains the same: deliver a consistent experience that feels personal, thoughtful, and easy. We discuss how customer expectations have changed in recent years and why retailers must support both physical and digital experiences without compromising quality. Mark shares how Room & Board expanded from thinking about dozens of retail locations to supporting a workforce that can effectively serve customers from almost anywhere. The conversation also explores the realities of running modern IT operations with a lean team. Mark explains how a small group of engineers supports networking, wireless connectivity, security, collaboration tools, and business operations across the company. We discuss the value of visibility, the role of automation, and why reducing operational complexity allows teams to spend more time supporting business outcomes rather than managing infrastructure. Looking ahead, we examine the growing role of AI in IT operations. Rather than viewing AI as a replacement for skilled professionals, Mark sees agentic technologies as digital coworkers that can help teams find information, handle routine tasks, and accelerate troubleshooting. The result is more time spent focusing on customers, employees, and strategic priorities. What stood out throughout this discussion was a simple philosophy: the best technology is often the technology nobody notices. When systems work as intended, customers can focus on designing their homes, employees can focus on helping them, and technology quietly does its job in the background. As customer expectations continue to evolve, how can organizations leverage technology to deliver better experiences without losing the human connection customers value most?

Japan has one of the lowest average NPS scores in the world, and the reason is cultural: Japanese customers expect more.Daniel Orenes Ferrández, Senior Manager of Customer Experience at Uber, discusses Omotenashi, the Japanese philosophy of anticipating customer needs and apologising sincerely before resolving a problem.Daniel has lived and worked in Japan for over a decade, including five years leading conversational AI initiatives at Rakuten. He explains why the Japanese language has between ten and fifteen ways of saying sorry, why choosing the right level matters as much as solving the issue, and how generative AI prompts can now select an apology tone based on contact type and severity, something fixed NLU responses could never do.The conversation covers Aimai, the Japanese concept of ambiguity used to maintain conversational harmony. Japanese speakers rarely say no directly, and AI systems need specific prompting to catch these signals in sentiment analysis. We also discuss the escalation strategy, digital mascots, integration with the Japanese messaging app Line, and practical guidance for global brands deploying conversational AI in Japan.Show notes
Read Daniel's Substack, Japan CX Insider: https://danielferrandez.substack.com/Follow Daniel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielorenesferrandez/
Follow Kane on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kanesimms
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Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming retail, but are retailers giving away too much decision-making power to algorithms? On this episode of The Voice of Retail, host Michael LeBlanc welcomes back retail strategist, educator, speaker and author Carl Boutet to the podcast to discuss his latest book, The Flip. Drawing on more than three decades of retail experience and his work advising organizations around the world, Carl offers a thought-provoking perspective on how AI is reshaping retail strategy, customer engagement and business leadership. The conversation begins with Carl's unique vantage point as a global retail observer. Fresh off another teaching engagement at the Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok, Carl shares insights from Southeast Asia's rapidly evolving retail landscape. From super apps and mobile commerce to experiential shopping destinations and high-energy retail environments, he explains why emerging markets are often leapfrogging traditional retail models and creating new opportunities for customer engagement. Michael and Carl then explore one of the most important topics facing retailers today: the growing influence of artificial intelligence on decision-making. Carl argues that while AI can dramatically improve efficiency, it also poses the risk that businesses become increasingly dependent on algorithmic recommendations, potentially sacrificing the creativity, differentiation, and strategic judgment that make brands unique. At the center of the discussion is Carl's new framework outlined in The Flip. He introduces the four forces that he believes are fundamentally reshaping commerce: automation, optimization, contextualization and immersion. Together, these forces are changing how retailers attract customers, personalize experiences, manage operations and compete in increasingly digital environments. The discussion extends beyond technology into the future of retail itself. Carl shares observations from his travels across Asia, highlighting how retailers are creating energy-rich destinations that blend shopping, entertainment, food and community. These experiences offer important lessons for North American retailers seeking to remain relevant in a world where consumers increasingly have unlimited digital choices at their fingertips. Michael and Carl also examine the rise of AI-powered customer discovery, the future of search and marketing, the growing importance of trust, and why retailers must think carefully about where human value creation fits inside increasingly automated organizations. Carl explains why curiosity, organizational adaptability and a relentless focus on core business fundamentals remain essential leadership capabilities despite the rapid pace of technological change. Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur. He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025 and 2026. Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail. If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael's cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world.

Why AI, automation, and self-service only improve customer experience when they reduce effort without removing humanity. Summary n this episode of The Customer Service Revolution Podcast, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius challenge one of the biggest assumptions in business today: that modernizing service delivery automatically improves the customer experience. Companies are investing heavily in AI, automation, chatbots, self-service tools, and digital-first platforms. But customers are still frustrated, stuck in loops, repeating themselves, and fighting to reach a real person. The problem is not service innovation itself. The problem is bad customer service disguised as innovation. John explains how leaders should evaluate whether a new service model is actually better for the customer, not just faster or cheaper for the company. He discusses why high-stakes moments, complaint situations, financial concerns, health issues, and grudge-buy experiences still require human judgment, empathy, and service recovery skills. This conversation also explores why weak culture shows up through strong technology, why employees need transparency during AI transformation, and why companies must beta test new service tools before rolling them out broadly. The real future of customer experience will not belong to the companies that automate the most. It will belong to the companies that use innovation to make customers feel known, valued, heard, and helped. Takeaways Service innovation does not automatically create better service. A process can become faster and still feel worse to the customer. Customers are not rejecting technology. They are rejecting automation that feels like deflection, abandonment, or extra work. Efficiency and experience are not the same thing. A service model is only better if it is easier and more reassuring from the customer's point of view. High-stakes moments still require human judgment. Health, finance, complaints, service recovery, and emotionally charged situations should not be fully automated. Every company has a grudge-buy moment. Even pleasure-based businesses become grudge-buy businesses when something goes wrong. Technology exposes culture. If employees are fearful, undertrained, or disconnected, new tools will amplify those issues. AI transformation requires transparency. Employees need to know whether technology is designed to help them, replace them, or reshape their roles. Soft launches matter. Companies should crawl, walk, and run before rolling out new technology to the full customer base. The best service innovation helps both customers and employees. It removes friction, reduces repetitive work, and preserves the human option when it matters. The winner is not the fastest company. The winner is the company that gets the experience right. Quotes "Customers are not rejecting innovation. They are rejecting bad customer service disguised as innovation." "A faster service process can still create a terrible customer experience." "We can't only look at ease of business from our side." "The human option cannot go away when the issue is stressful, complicated, or emotional." "Every company has a grudge-buy component when a customer has a complaint." "The unknown is worse than the known. Employees need transparency around AI." "No employee likes to be caught off guard and become the punching bag for customer frustration." "The quickest company is not the winner. The company that gets there correctly is." Chapters List 00:00 — Introduction: Service Innovation vs. Customer Frustration 01:51 — Good News and Cleveland Summer 03:09 — Efficiency vs. Better Customer Experience 05:13 — What Customers Feel When Service Improves 06:24 — Warning Signs the Relationship Is Getting Weaker 07:55 — AI Support Failures and High-Stakes Service Moments 10:53 — Trust, AI, and Accuracy 13:10 — When Automation Is Too Risky 15:00 — Why Every Business Has a Grudge-Buy Moment 17:51 — What Must Be in Place Before New Service Technology Works 18:55 — How Weak Culture Shows Up Through Strong Technology 21:14 — AI Anxiety, Employee Fear, and Leadership Transparency 24:20 — Human Touch vs. Efficiency 26:33 — Where Leaders Should Start When Transformation Is Not Working 27:44 — The Future of Digital-First Service 28:24 — Final Advice: Crawl, Walk, Run 29:24 — CTA and Closing Links: 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/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ 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.  

By Doug Green “The best learning is actually to learn by doing.” In this episode of the Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green speaks with Carlos Pereira, Cisco Fellow and Chief Architect, Customer Experience, about Cisco IQ and how Cisco is using AI, lifecycle intelligence and customer experience to help enterprises better understand, secure and future-proof their environments. Pereira says Cisco IQ reflects a broader shift in how customer experience is being delivered. At Cisco, CX is not treated as something that begins after a product is deployed. It spans the full lifecycle: land, adopt, expand and renew, with support embedded throughout. That lifecycle view is especially important because more than 95% of Cisco's business is indirect through partners, and more than half of Cisco's revenue is recurring. Cisco IQ, which became generally available in April, is designed to give customers visibility across the Cisco assets they own, including devices that may be approaching or past end of sale or end of support. Pereira notes that many Cisco products remain in production for years because they are reliable, but long-running environments can create risk if older software, unsupported assets or unpatched vulnerabilities remain in place. With Cisco IQ, customers can see more of their environment, understand lifecycle status, assess security exposure and receive AI-driven insights tied to their own deployments. Pereira says that visibility becomes more important as AI accelerates the speed of both operations and threats. “The speed has changed because the adversary is now faster than what you think your ability to move,” Pereira says. The podcast also looks at how Cisco IQ fits with Cisco Cloud Control, announced at Cisco Live. Pereira explains that Cisco Cloud Control brings product operations together through an agentic interface, while Cisco IQ focuses on lifecycle visibility, entitlement, assets, security assessments, performance and operational insight. Together, the two offerings reflect Cisco's effort to combine AI-driven operations with full lifecycle intelligence. A major theme of the conversation is future-proofing the enterprise. Pereira says Cisco IQ can help customers identify assets that may pose security or operational risks, including devices past last day of support or software exposed to newly discovered vulnerabilities. Cisco IQ can also support assessments around emerging concerns such as quantum readiness, including hardware, software and cryptographic materials. Pereira also discusses why Cisco designed Cisco IQ to support multiple deployment models from the beginning. Cisco IQ can run as SaaS, on-premises tethered, or on-premises air-gapped. That matters for customers with government, sovereignty, security or isolation requirements who still need AI-driven insight without compromising deployment constraints. For partners, Cisco IQ creates a new way to engage customers around lifecycle management, security posture, renewals and modernization. Instead of waiting for problems to emerge, partners can use Cisco IQ to help customers understand what they have, where risks exist and how to prioritize action. Looking ahead, Pereira says the second half of 2026 will be less about AI hype and more about applying AI to business workflows with measurable ROI. In areas such as security and identity operations, the need for speed, visibility and lifecycle intelligence will only increase. Pereira encourages Cisco customers with support entitlements to begin using Cisco IQ directly at iq.cisco.com. Because Cisco IQ includes personalized, AI-driven documentation and insights, he says the best way to understand the platform is to self-onboard and begin using it. Learn more at cisco.com Cisco IQ: iq.cisco.com  

Life sciences are at a critical inflection point, where scientific innovation, regulatory demands, and patient expectations converge with advances in data and artificial intelligence, positioning IT as a central driver of faster and more effective drug discovery and clinical development.This week, Dave and Rob continue with part 2 off the Life Sciences mini-series with Dr. Alex Zhavoronkov founder and CEO of Insilico Medicine to exploring how drug discovery and clinical development can become faster and more effective, and the role of AI in that process.  TLDR00:40 – Introduction01:00 – Hang out: Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2 03:07 – Dig in: Life Sciences mini-series, Part 2 06:43 – Conversation with Dr Alex Zhavoronkov 42:12 – The future of AI in drug discovery and a new paradigm for pharma GuestDr. Alex Zhavoronkov: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zhavoronkov/ HostsDave Chapman:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chapmandr/Esmee van de Giessen:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/esmeevandegiessen/Rob Kernahan:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-kernahan/ ProductionMarcel van der Burg:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcel-vd-burg/Dave Chapman:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chapmandr/ SoundBen Corbett:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-corbett-3b6a11135/Louis Corbett:   https://www.linkedin.com/in/louis-corbett-087250264/ 'Realities Remixed' is an original podcast from Capgemini

John Rockhold on LinkedInSpotlightConnect with Sam on LinkedIn - I share customer experience content multiple times a week, and love hearing from listeners with questions or ideas for topics.Subscribe to my newsletter, Customer Experience Patterns - I publish a new edition with each episode of the podcast.My LinkedIn Learning courses: Customer Experience: 6 Essential Foundations For Lasting Loyalty, How To Create Great Customer Experiences & Build A Customer-Centric Culture. In-depth video series that teach you how to create great experiences, and build customer-centric cultuers.Thanks to my talented colleague Emily Tolmer for the cover art. Thanks to my friends at Moon Island for the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“When I do see really powerful sonic branding, it's impressive. It stands out, you know? There was one I looked at, it was a luxury airline, or it was a luxury-like experience, I want to say. They sold, like, really specific vacations to remote parts of the world that were really luxury experiences and really interesting, and they had a really cohesive sonic branding that wasn't music. It was just an intentional sound design approach where they had a lot of the sounds of the place, and they really focused on a sense of place. So when it was in Japan, it would be the sound of that water bamboo thing, you know, really magnified. And then the sound of an old wooden gate closing, and then the sound of someone folding a paper crane, like really delicate, beautifully recorded sounds that they would shape into the commercial. And so that wasn't music, but every single ad had the same kind of vibe of this really intentional, beautiful sound design that evoked a sense of place. And that was just so cool. And so, when I see something like that, I'm like, ‘That's what you can do. Why are you doing random samples when you could have a really nice effect and memorable impression?'" – Caitlyn TrevorThis episode is the second half of my chat with sonic UX researcher Caitlyn Trevor as we discuss how culture can dramatically change UX impressions, the value of sound in strengthening brand, and her “Sound Effects” series on LinkedIn, exploring the link between sound and behavior.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you're welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you'll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you're getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I'd love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast's main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – Making the Most of a Sonic ImpressionThe second half of our conversation begins with Caitlyn's findings when it comes to improving on-hold UX phone design, including her discovery that less is more when it comes to automated voice updates and commercials. “You're like, ‘Oh, thank God,'" she recalls from her research results, “But if it's just, ‘We want to tell you about our special new…' You're like, ‘Oh.' And so it was a stress thing for them every time they heard a voice, they thought, ‘Oh, someone's answering.' And then when it was a commercial, they were extra annoyed by the commercial.” We talk about some other sound design elements that defy common sense, such as research showing that fire alarms aren't very well attuned to the human brain. “I found that the typical fire alarm is not the most effective,” she tells us. “You know, this kind of house alarm, like, it's at around 3,000 Hz, really high-pitched. This is not great. A lower-pitched one around, I think it was 500 Hz, is actually more effective at waking people up.”(15:00) – How Sound Changes the Customer ExperienceCaitlyn tells us more about the unexpected results of research into our relationship with sound, including our smartphones. “When you turn off notifications completely,” she notes, “you actually check your phone more than if you leave them on because you have this like, fear of missing out… People who had their phones on mute picked up their phones 48 more times per day and spent 52 extra minutes on their phones.” We talk about what that research means for audio branding and making a positive customer impression, and we discuss the powerful, often-overlooked impact of sonic logos. “There's an IPSO study as well,” Caitlyn recalls, “that wasn't actually about sonic branding specifically, but the results were really flattering for sonic branding. It was something like if you have a sonic logo, it increases brand recall by, I think it was like 96%. It was really crazy.”(21:40) – The Future of Audio BrandingOur conversation comes to a close as Caitlyn shares her thoughts on the power of sound and what her research has shown about its impact on the human mind. “I think sometimes, you know, sound is such an afterthought,” she explains, “and people don't remember that it actually has a really big impact on the experience. I think that's becoming a bit clearer with people caring more about neurodivergence and sound sensitivity.” She tells listeners how they can get in touch, and adds her advice on how brands can make the strongest and most consistent sonic impression on their customer base. “The more time you spend with stimuli,” she notes, “whatever it is, a song, a picture, the longer you look at it, hear it, the more you like it. So when you're doing ratings of emotion or, I don't know, familiarity, likability, that's going to affect it. But, you know, we know this, and somehow we don't use it sometimes.”Episode SummaryCaitlin discusses the impact of sonic branding on client relationships.The impact of sound on brand perception, ratings, and customer loyalty.How Caitlin's research is redefining audio branding and marketing.Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

In this episode, we're excited to welcome back the Brooke Sellas, CEO and founder of B Squared Media. Join us as we dive deep into the evolving landscape of marketing in the age of AI, exploring how it intersects with social media and customer experience.Brooke shares her invaluable insights on the importance of maintaining a human connection amidst the rise of automation. She discusses how AI can be a powerful tool for analysis and efficiency behind the scenes, but emphasizes that it should never replace the genuine relationships brands build with their customers. The conversation also touches on the pitfalls marketers face when over-automating and the necessity of keeping the human touch alive in customer interactions.Listeners will gain practical strategies for leveraging AI without sacrificing the authenticity that drives customer loyalty and trust. Brooke's unique perspective as both a thought leader and educator provides a fresh take on navigating the complexities of modern marketing.Key takeaways...- Balance is Key: Utilize AI for data analysis and insights but ensure that human interaction remains at the forefront of customer relationships.- Guardrails Matter: Set clear parameters when using AI tools to prevent outputs that don't align with your brand voice.- Focus on Experience: Prioritize customer experience over sheer automation to foster genuine connections and loyalty.- Engage Authentically: Encourage meaningful conversations on social media rather than just focusing on content creation.Join us for this enlightening discussion filled with practical tips and thought-provoking insights as we explore the future of marketing in a tech-driven world.Our guest...Brooke Sellas is a leading expert in social media marketing and customer care. As the founder of B Squared Media, she has dedicated over 15 years to pioneering innovative strategies that prioritize authentic customer engagement. A sought-after speaker and educator, Brooke also teaches social media studies at New York University and other prestigious institutions, sharing her knowledge and passion for building meaningful connections in the digital age.~._.*._.~Making a Marketer is brought to you by Powers of Marketing - providing exceptional podcast experiences & online and in-person events since 2013. Check out episode 191, and if our show moves you, please share it and let us know your thoughts!Take our LISTENER Community Survey!!! HERE** Our editor Avri makes amazing music! Check out his music on Spotify! **

Joe Hamilton, President & CEO of Vortex Optics, helped build one of the outdoor industry's most recognized and fiercely loyal brands by treating service as a competitive weapon, not an afterthought. In this episode, Joe unpacks the CARE Movement (Create A Rare Experience), why hiring people who already share your values is the foundation of delivering it, and why being genuinely human is the rarest advantage a business can have in 2026.Watch the video recordingAbout the EpisodeHost: Jay Goninen, WrenchWay, jayg@wrenchway.comGuest: Joe Hamilton, Vortex Optics, jhamilton@vortexoptics.comLinks & ResourcesGet notified of new episodes --> Join our email listJoin the ASE Connects CommunityASE Connects brings shops, dealerships, and schools together in one structured network to strengthen the technician pipeline. By making it easier to connect, collaborate, and support students through job shadows, internships, and classroom engagement, ASE Connects helps schools build stronger programs and helps shops develop a more consistent, local source of future technicians. Learn more:ASE Connects Memberships for Shops & DealersASE Connects Memberships for Schools (Free!)Connect with us on social:FacebookInstagramXLinkedInYouTubeTikTok

Geschätzte Lesedauer: 8 Minuten Es gibt Vertriebsfehler, die Aufträge kosten — und einer davon ist so alltäglich, dass ihn fast jeder täglich begeht. Hunderte Male. Ohne es zu merken. Genauer gesagt: Es ist eine einzige Nachricht. Sie killt mehr Deals als jeder Preiseinwand. Mehr als jeder Wettbewerber. Mehr als jede verpatzte Kaltakquise. Und zwar alle zusammen. Ich spreche konkret vom Autoresponder. Der klassischen „Bin dann mal weg"-Mail. Vielleicht denkst du jetzt: „Christopher, das ist doch Standard. Jeder hat eine Abwesenheitsnotiz." Genau das ist aber das Problem. Weil sie Standard ist, denkt niemand darüber nach. Was sie eigentlich kommuniziert. Und vor allem: was sie kostet. Eine Geschichte, die sich so zugetragen hat Um Ostern herum hat mich ein Kunde um Hilfe gebeten. Es ging um die Auswahl eines CRM-Systems. Wer sowas schon mal gemacht hat, weiß: Das ist nervenaufreibend. Und verdammt wichtig. Schließlich ist das CRM das digitale Rückgrat deines gesamten Vertriebs. Wir hatten zwei Anbieter in der engeren Auswahl. Zwei starke Lösungen. Zwei motivierte Sales-Teams. Vor Ostern liefen die Drähte heiß. Denn es ging auf eine Entscheidung zu. Die Nerven waren blank. Kurz vor dem Finale schickte der Projektleiter noch eine letzte Frage. Gleiche Mail. Gleiche Uhrzeit. An beide Anbieter. Bei Anbieter A kam zurück: ein Autoresponder. „Ich bin bis zum 30. im Urlaub. In dringenden Fällen wenden Sie sich an meinen Kollegen XY." Der Projektleiter war fassungslos. Der Vertriebler war einfach weg. Ohne Vorankündigung. Ohne Übergabe. Er schrieb den Vertriebsleiter an. Auch von dem: Autoresponder. „Bin ebenfalls nicht erreichbar. Meine Assistentin hilft weiter." In diesem Moment klingelte sein Handy. Mitten in die Wut hinein. Anbieter B. Jemand sagte: „Herr Mayer hier. Mein Kollege ist heute leider nicht da — aber ich habe Ihre Nachricht gesehen und bin direkt ins System. Ihre Antwort habe ich vorbereitet. Wollen wir kurz sprechen?" Die Entscheidung war damit gefallen. Nicht wegen des Preises. Nicht wegen der Features. Sondern weil einer einfach da war. Der andere nicht. Ein Autoresponder hat diesen Deal gekillt. Und das in weniger als fünf Sekunden. Daran siehst du also: Es geht nicht um große Strategie — sondern um solche kleinen, alltäglichen Vertriebsfehler die Aufträge kosten. Was dein Kunde wirklich will — und was ihn zum Abbruch bringt McKinsey hat Ende 2025 über 3.600 B2B-Einkäufer befragt. Das Ergebnis ist brutal ehrlich. Die wichtigsten Gründe, warum Einkäufer einen Lieferanten verlassen: 52 %: Verschiedene Teams geben widersprüchliche Informationen zu Preis, Verfügbarkeit oder Lieferzeit. 52 %: Ich kann die Person mit dem richtigen Wissen nicht erreichen. 51 %: Der Lieferant kann nicht kanalübergreifend kommunizieren. 50 %: Keine auf mein Geschäft zugeschnittene Vertriebserfahrung. Merkst du was? Keiner dieser Gründe hat mit Preis oder Produkt zu tun. Es geht ausschließlich um Erreichbarkeit und Reibungslosigkeit. Das nennt man Customer Effort. Der Kunde will nämlich gar nicht „begeistert" werden. Er will einfach keine Steine im Weg. Die Harvard Business Review hat das schon 2010 gezeigt. Nicht Begeisterung treibt Loyalität. Sondern wie einfach der Kunde sein Problem lösen kann. Deshalb bestätigt Gartner das auch: Kunden mit nur einer schwierigen Interaktion haben eine viermal niedrigere Loyalität. Schlimmer noch: 81 Prozent verbreiten danach negative Mundpropaganda. Ein Autoresponder ist die Definition einer schwierigen Interaktion. Vertriebsfehler die Aufträge kosten: Die drei Szenarien, in denen dein Autoresponder zuschlägt 1. Der Neukunde Stell dir vor: Jemand wurde dir empfohlen. „Sprich mal mit dem Account Manager da. Der ist super." Der Interessent schreibt dir eine Mail. Vielleicht der wichtigste Neukunde des Jahres. Und was kommt zurück? „Bin im Urlaub. Melden Sie sich bei..." Glaubst du wirklich, der ruft jetzt einen fremden Kollegen an? Und erklärt dem alles nochmal von vorne? Vergiss es. Der hat nämlich nicht nur dich angeschrieben. Sondern zwei, drei andere auch. Außerdem zeigt die Studie von Drift: Wer zuerst antwortet, hat eine über 50 Prozent höhere Chance auf den Auftrag. Völlig unabhängig von Preis und Leistung. Dein Autoresponder hat dir diesen Vorsprung genommen. Und zwar endgültig. 2. Der Kunde im Angebotsprozess Noch schmerzhafter. Du hast Wochen investiert. Präsentationen gehalten. Referenzen geschickt. Der Kunde ist heiß. Er will abschließen. Und hat noch eine letzte Frage. Du bist im Urlaub. Dein Autoresponder sagt: „Kümmer dich selbst." Zwei Wochen später fragst du dich: „Was ist eigentlich aus dem Angebot geworden? Der Kunde meldet sich einfach nicht mehr." Doch. Hat er. Du hast nur nicht geantwortet. 3. Der treue Bestandskunde Der, der seit Jahren bei dir kauft. Der ein Problem hat und schnell Hilfe braucht. Dein Autoresponder signalisiert ihm: „Meine Freizeit ist wichtiger als dein Problem." Dazu fällt mir Anthony Iannarino ein. Einer der klügsten Sales-Köpfe der USA. Er bringt es auf den Punkt: „Abwesenheit lässt die Zuneigung nicht wachsen. Sie lässt sie abwandern. Mehr Kunden gehen durch Vernachlässigung verloren als durch jede andere Ursache." Vernachlässigung. Genau das tut dein Autoresponder. „Aber ich habe doch ein Recht auf Urlaub!" Ja, hast du. Absolut. Darum geht es aber gar nicht. Es geht nämlich um den Unterschied zwischen Person und Firma. Dein Kunde will etwas von deinem Unternehmen. Und dein Unternehmen muss dafür sorgen, dass seine Customer Experience einfach und schnell ist. Völlig egal, ob du gerade am Strand liegst. Sam Walton, der Gründer von Walmart, hat es einmal so gesagt: „Es gibt nur einen Chef — den Kunden. Und der kann jeden im Unternehmen feuern. Vom Vorstand abwärts. Einfach indem er sein Geld woanders ausgibt." Der Kunde muss sich nicht um deine interne Organisation kümmern. Er muss nicht warten. Und vor allem: Er muss nicht dreimal nachfragen. Im Gegenteil: Seine Aufgabe endet, sobald er auf „Senden" klickt. Ab da ist es deine Bringschuld. Punkt. So machst du es besser: Drei Stufen der Vertriebs-Erreichbarkeit Stufe 1: Proaktiv kommunizieren (kostet nichts) Wenn du länger als zwei, drei Tage weg bist: Informiere deine wichtigsten Kunden. Und zwar vor deiner Abreise. Nicht durch einen Autoresponder — sondern proaktiv. „Hallo Herr Kunde, ich bin von Donnerstag bis Dienstag auf einer Familienfeier. Kein Problem — mein Kollege Peter Mayer übernimmt. Er ist komplett eingearbeitet und kann jede Frage sofort beantworten. Sie erreichen ihn unter [Durchwahl/Mail]." Am besten stellst du den Kollegen vorher schon vor. In einem gemeinsamen Call oder per Mail. Dann kennt der Kunde ihn nämlich. Und fühlt sich nicht abgeschoben. Stufe 2: Echte Übergabe mit Substanz (braucht Struktur) Telefon umstellen. E-Mail-Zugriff für die Vertretung. Und vor allem: Das CRM so pflegen, dass jeder Kollege innerhalb von 30 Sekunden versteht, was Phase ist. Wenn ein Kunde anruft und du nicht da bist, sollte nicht der Praktikant rangehen. Der dann sagt: „Äh, der Herr Müller ist nicht da. Keine Ahnung, worum es geht. Soll er zurückrufen?" Besser so: „Herr Mayer hier, Kollege von Herrn Müller. Ich sehe gerade im System: Es geht um den Projektabschluss Phase 2. Angebot vom 12. Juni. Hier ist Ihre Antwort. Wollen wir's kurz besprechen?" Das ist 2026 übrigens kein Hexenwerk mehr. CRM-Systeme. Cloud-Telefonanlagen. Shared Inboxes. Das kostet nämlich nur ein paar Euro im Monat. Und spart dir hunderttausende an verlorenen Deals. Stufe 3: Hyperpersonalisierung (der echte Wettbewerbsvorteil) Die Top-Performer im B2B-Vertrieb gehen noch weiter. McKinsey zeigt nämlich: Diese Unternehmen wachsen 15 Prozent schneller als der Durchschnitt. Die anderen schaffen nur 7 Prozent. Was heißt das konkret? Ein Dealroom für jeden Kunden. Eine gemeinsame Projektseite. Alle Ansprechpartner sichtbar — inklusive Verfügbarkeitsstatus. Alle Dokumente und der aktuelle Stand an einem Ort. Der Kunde sieht sofort: Wer ist da? Wen spreche ich an? Und für Routinefragen findet er die Antwort vielleicht sogar direkt auf der Seite. Ohne überhaupt jemanden zu kontaktieren. Das ist längst keine Science-Fiction mehr. Es gibt Standardsoftware, die das abbildet. Und Kunden lieben es. Denn sie bekommen damit endlich, was sie wirklich wollen: Kontrolle und Geschwindigkeit. Quick Takeaways Dein Autoresponder tötet Deals. Jeden Tag. Auch wenn du es nicht mitbekommst. Der Kunde will keine Begeisterung — er will keine Hindernisse. Customer Effort ist der Loyalitätstreiber Nr. 1. Jeder Kundenkontakt ist ein „Moment der Wahrheit" (Jan Carlzon). Ein Autoresponder ist immer ein negativer Moment. 50 % der Einkäufer verlassen einen Lieferanten, weil sie die richtige Person nicht erreichen (McKinsey 2025). Proaktive Abwesenheits-Kommunikation kostet dich 2 Minuten. Einen verlorenen Kunden reinzuholen kostet dich dagegen Wochen. Eine echte Urlaubsvertretung braucht CRM-Zugriff und Telefonumstellung. Nicht „ruf doch mal den Soundso an". Dealrooms und Hyperpersonalisierung sind keine Spielerei — sie bringen 15 % mehr Wachstum als der Durchschnitt. FAQ: Häufige Fragen zum Autoresponder Warum ist ein Autoresponder schädlich für den Vertrieb? Er signalisiert: „Meine Abwesenheit ist wichtiger als dein Anliegen." Der Kunde soll einen fremden Kollegen anrufen und alles nochmal erklären. Die meisten tun das nicht. Sie gehen zum Wettbewerber. Schnelle Reaktion ist der wichtigste Conversion-Faktor — ein Autoresponder macht das unmöglich. Was ist die beste Alternative zur klassischen Abwesenheitsnotiz? Die proaktive Kommunikation vor der Abwesenheit. Informiere aktive Kunden und Interessenten, bevor du gehst. Stelle außerdem eine echte Vertretung vor — jemanden, der das CRM kennt und sofort antworten kann. Ideal ist ein Dealroom. Oder eine Projektseite. Dort sehen Kunden, wer verfügbar ist. Und finden direkt Antworten. Wie richte ich eine professionelle Urlaubsvertretung im Vertrieb ein? Erstens: CRM und E-Mail-Zugriff für die Vertretung sicherstellen. Zweitens: Telefon auf den Kollegen umstellen. Drittens: Die Vertretung proaktiv beim Kunden vorstellen — am besten noch vor der Abreise. Außerdem alle offenen Vorgänge dokumentieren. Mit Status und nächsten Schritten. So kann der Vertreter selbstständig antworten. Was kostet ein verlorener Kunde durch schlechte Erreichbarkeit? McKinsey beziffert die Wahrscheinlichkeit eines Lieferantenwechsels bei schlechter Erreichbarkeit auf über 50 Prozent. Dazu kommt nämlich: Negative Kundenerfahrungen führen zu viermal niedrigerer Loyalität. Und 81 Prozent verbreiten danach negative Mundpropaganda. Ein verpasster Anruf kostet also nicht nur den aktuellen Deal. Sondern auch zukünftige — durch Reputationsverlust. Kann ich im Urlaub komplett abschalten, ohne Kunden zu verlieren? Ja — mit dem richtigen System. Der Schlüssel: Das Unternehmen bleibt erreichbar, nicht die Person. Dafür brauchst du drei Dinge. Erstens: einen gut eingearbeiteten Vertreter. Zweitens: ein CRM mit vollständiger Dokumentation. Drittens: eine gemeinsame Projektseite als Dealroom. So bekommen Kunden jederzeit Antworten — während du völlig offline bist. Entscheidend ist die Vorbereitung. Wer im CRM nur Stichworte hinterlässt, kann keine saubere Übergabe erwarten. Anleitung: Bessere Erreichbarkeit in 6 Schritten So verhinderst du ab sofort, dass deine Abwesenheit Kunden kostet. CRM-Check: Sind alle offenen Vorgänge aktuell dokumentiert? Kann ein Kollege innerhalb von 30 Sekunden verstehen, was Phase ist? Wenn nicht: nacharbeiten. Telefonanlage prüfen: Rufumleitung auf Vertretung einrichten. Keine Weiterleitung ins Leere. Idealerweise mit Rufnummernerkennung, die sofort den Kundendatensatz öffnet. Proaktiv informieren: Drei Tage vor Abwesenheit alle aktiven Kontakte per Mail anschreiben. Vertretung namentlich vorstellen. Erreichbarkeit nennen. Übergabestatus bestätigen. Außerdem: ruhig auch anrufen, nicht nur mailen. Vertretung briefen: 30-Minuten-Call mit dem Kollegen. Durchgehen: Welche Deals sind heiß? Welche Kunden brauchen besondere Aufmerksamkeit? Wo liegen die Antworten? Eigene Abwesenheitsnotiz optimieren: Falls du doch eine brauchst: Kein „ich bin nicht da". Sondern konkrete Vertretung mit Namen und Durchwahl. Mit dem Hinweis, dass die Vertretung bereits informiert ist. Rückkehr-Check: Nach dem Urlaub prüfen: Welche Kunden haben sich gemeldet? Wurden alle Anfragen beantwortet? Was kannst du beim nächsten Mal noch besser machen? Schließlich geht es um kontinuierliche Verbesserung.

Agentic storefronts attract divided opinions. From early adopters convinced they're an innovative way to service online customers who need a deeper level of assistance, akin to an in-store sales assistant, to cynics who see this as a distraction from fixing your main website.That's why we invited Jojo Regan, co-founder at Manors Golf, to join us and explain how & why they've launched an agentic storefront to complement the main website. As a self-confessed early adopter of technology, Jojo offers an interesting perspective on the role agentic storefronts can play within an ecommerce strategy.In Jojo's opinion, some brands are missing a huge opportunity by sticking to static, traditional ecommerce experiences. We explore how leveraging AI-driven, conversation-based storefronts can transform customer engagement and boost sales.His vision is for a golf apparel brand that lets customers chat, discover and personalise their shopping journey in real-time, without the limitations of static pages. Jojo explains how Manners Golf is pioneering this shift by integrating an agentic storefront powered by large language models (LLMs). He discusses the strategic thinking behind enhancing traditional online stores with dynamic, interactive experiences that mimic walking into a physical shop, where personalised recommendations and discovery happen naturally.Tune in for the following:The way early adoption of innovative tech like agentic storefronts keeps Manors ahead of the curve in ecommerce.The impact of conversational experiences on key metric, such as a 54% reduction in return rate.The future of AI-enabled shopping: personalisedand highly engaging environments that anticipate consumer expectations.Why early investment in these technologies positions brands as industry leaders in the coming AI-driven retail landscape.How Manors Golf employs a team with creative and technical expertise to produce viral content that drives a top-of-funnel strategy without heavy paid marketing.It's still very early days for agentic storefronts, so real-world case studies will help you build your understanding of what is possible, and what is relevant.

AI agents are already shopping, comparing, booking, and contacting support for the customers we've spent decades trying to understand. That means customer experience is no longer judged only by what a person feels in the moment, it's also scored by what an AI can find about your brand across policies, pricing, FAQs, reviews, and the broader web. If that idea makes you a little uneasy, good. It's the wake-up call CX leaders need right now. I break down what “agentic AI” changes in the customer journey and why it creates a world with no fine print. When an agent can surface your warranty terms, return rules, delivery performance, and reputation signals in seconds, the gaps between your brand promise and real experience become impossible to hide. We talk about the trust signals AI is likely to reward, including transparent pricing, clear and consistent policies, accurate product information, reliable delivery, and responsive customer service. Consistency stops being a nice-to-have and becomes the proof your brand can be trusted. And we don't lose the human part. Emotions still drive loyalty because people still make the final decision about who they trust. I share why a clear customer experience mission statement matters more than ever, especially if you're training internal teams and tools around a defined promise of how you want customers to feel. You'll leave with practical next steps: experiment with AI like a customer, audit your digital experience, remove hidden friction, and tighten the public signals that shape recommendations. If an AI agent evaluated your brand today, what would it say about your customer experience? Listen now, then subscribe, share with a CX leader, and leave a review.Resources Mentioned:Order your copy of Experience Is Everything -- http://experienceiseverythingbook.comLearn more about CXI Membership™ and apply -- http://CXIMembership.comExperience Investigators -- https://experienceinvestigators.comEnjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Insurance leaders who use AI strategically to reduce administrative burdens, streamline workflows, and surface better insights can empower employees to deliver faster, smarter, and more empathetic customer experiences. … Read More » The post AI’s Biggest Customer Experience Win? Eliminating Friction, Not Replacing People appeared first on Insurance Journal TV.

À 3 000 € le vélo, le paiement devient un sujet central pour Gaya.Et le parcours d'achat ajoute encore une couche de complexité...Un client découvre un vélo dans un showroom. Il l'essaie, rentre chez lui, poursuit sa réflexion, revient sur le site quelques jours plus tard, choisit son modèle, ses accessoires, son mode de financement, puis finalise sa commande.Ce parcours peut sembler fluide. Il mobilise pourtant bien plus qu'un simple acte d'achat. Le vélo doit être configuré, le budget trouvé ou parfois financé, et la commande peut se construire à différents endroits, à différents moments, avant d'aboutir.  Sur un achat comme celui-là, le paiement ne surgit pas au dernier moment.Il arrive quand on se demande combien on peut mettre, comment on va payer et si c'est le bon choix pour se lancer.C'est le sujet de cet épisode enregistré avec Lucie Brouhard, Head of Customer Experience & Operations chez Gaya, et Paul-Louis Bénard, Head of Alliances Ecommerce chez Payplug.Gaya est une marque française de vélos électriques pensée pour les usages familiaux et urbains. Son modèle concentre une grande partie des enjeux actuels du commerce : panier élevé, parcours omnicanal, financement, personnalisation et services associés.Avec mes invités, nous regardons comment le paiement s'est installé bien plus tôt dans le parcours d'achat, jusqu'à peser sur la conversion bien avant l'encaissement.Bonne écoute, toujours sans coupure !Pour suivre Les Digital Doers :LinkedIn | Insta | Facebook | Tiktok | WhatsApp | Site webHébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

"The connection between the solver and the setter is really important." If you're a daily puzzle lover, your morning might start something like mine: pouring a cup of coffee and jumpstarting the brain with my favorite snack-sized games. Chief among those are the snappy games at LinkedIn, such as Queens, Zip, Tango, and Patches. The man behind this collection of puzzles powering LinkedIn's Games section is Thomas Snyder. Thomas Snyder is a three-time World Sudoku Champion, co-author of the foundational puzzle design book Puzzlecraft, and Principal Puzzle Master at LinkedIn Games. A Harvard trained chemist, Thomas is a scientist at heart. He has a methodical approach to puzzle solving and puzzle crafting that makes for satisfying logic puzzles. However, there's also a lot of artistry to the puzzles Thomas designs. Throughout the conversation, he emphasizes that each puzzle put out by LinkedIn is handcrafted. There is a playfulness and inventiveness to the layout and solve path. There's a dance between the puzzle creator and the solver. Thomas posts videos on LinkedIn of his solve path for the games, and he talks to us about the conversation that sparks. In fact, the whole reason behind the puzzle offerings at LinkedIn was to create opportunities for users to connect socially and bond over the games. I especially appreciated talking about puzzles that empathize with the solver and how to create approachable puzzles that can still delight expert players. LinkedIn just launched their newest game Wend, which is Thomas's take on a word search puzzle. We also played a game I wrote, which Thomas solved embarrassingly (for me) quickly, but we had fun, which is the whole point. If you enjoy zippy puzzle games, check out the LinkedIn Collection, and for even more fun games-on-the-go, listen to PG's Playhouse.     Episode Sponsors We are immensely grateful to our sponsors this season: REA Patreon Backers, PG's Playhouse, Buzzshot, and the Reality Escape Convention. We truly appreciate your support of our mission to promote and improve the immersive gaming community.   Buzzshot Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.   Support Us On Patreon Today Love escape rooms as much as we do? At Room Escape Artist, we've been analyzing, reviewing, and exploring the world of immersive games since 2014. We help players find the best experiences, and push the industry forward with well-researched, rational, and reasonably humorous escape room and immersive gaming content and events. By becoming a Patreon supporter, you're not just backing a blog — you're fueling a mission to make the escape room and immersive gaming community stronger, more thoughtful, and more connected. Access exclusive Patreon content such as: The Bonus Aftershow The Spoilers Club Early access to escape room Tour tickets and REA articles. Your Patreon support goes toward our mission: paying our contributors, funding our infrastructure, and supporting deep research and industry advocacy.   PG's Playhouse If you love wordplay, puzzles, and trivia, this is the podcast for you! PG's Playhouse recreates a fun game night, all in a short, 30-minute format. Of course, what's game night without making new friends? We bring on different guests for the different episodes. Each episode features a puzzle packed with wordplay and trivia, a short chat with the guest, and a segment exploring an interesting topic. I hope you'll take a listen and play along with us at PG's Playhouse.   Reality Escape Convention Our convention, RECON, will be in Laval, Quebec Canada on August 16th & 17th, 2026. RECON offers a curated collection of talks and experiences exploring the business and art of escape room and immersive game creation. All are welcome at this event that is crafted around professionals and aspiring professionals.   Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Theresa Piazza Supported by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht

As AI-generated content floods the internet, shoppers are increasingly looking for something harder to fake: real human opinions.In this episode of Retail Remix, Kate Robertson speaks with Anna Haffner, Senior Director of Large Customer Sales at Reddit, about how the platform is becoming a powerful force in retail discovery and commerce. Anna explains why shoppers are turning to Reddit for trusted recommendations; how brands and retailers such as Walmart, Home Depot, Dove and MAC Cosmetics are showing up authentically in community conversations; and why Reddit's advertising products are evolving to complement the user experience.Key TakeawaysWhy Reddit has become a trusted discovery channel for shoppers researching products and brands  How retailers can participate in Reddit communities without relying on overly polished or disruptive advertising  What campaigns from brands like Walmart, MAC, Home Depot and Dove reveal about Reddit's retail marketing potential  How Reddit's Shopify integration and dynamic product ads are reducing friction for retail advertisers  Why human conversation may become even more valuable as AI reshapes product discovery and searchRelated LinksExplore Reddit's advertising tools for retail brandsGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix

تواصل معانا وشاركنا افكاركهل من الممكن أن تكون شركتك تخسر جزءًا كبيرًا من مبيعاتها بينما تعتقد أن كل شيء يسير بشكل جيد؟في هذه الحلقة من بزنس بالعربي بودكاست، يكشف المهندس محمد المصري، الشريك المؤسس والرئيس التنفيذي لشركة Tactful AI، كيف تخسر الشركات فرص بيع حقيقية كل يوم بسبب أخطاء في إدارة رحلة العميل، وضعف استغلال البيانات، وبطء الاستجابة للعملاء.للحديث عن العلاقة المباشرة بين تجربة العميل (Customer Experience) ونمو المبيعات والاحتفاظ بالعملاء والتحول الرقمي باستخدام الذكاء الاصطناعي.ستتعرف في هذه الحلقة على:

Most unhappy guests will never complain. They will just leave.And if your team is not paying attention, you may not know there was a problem until the review shows up or the guest never comes back.In this episode, Chris breaks down how to spot guest issues before they are spoken and how to handle complaints in the moment.Because a guest who complains is not always the problem.Sometimes they are giving you one last chance to fix it.If your team is not reading the room or asking better questions, you are probably missing patterns that cost you repeat business.Bad nights happen. But bad nights handled well can become loyalty stories.

What happens when a digital strategist stops fighting reality and starts leading from it.There are conversations that feel like a strategy session and a therapy session at the same time. This one was both. Mary Brodie came into the Power Lounge and did something rare. She made acceptance sound like the most powerful leadership move you can make.If you work in digital, lead a team, or run your own business, you know the pressure to chase the aspirational audience, the perfect product, the frictionless experience. Mary has spent over 20 years helping companies stop chasing and start seeing. And what she has found is that the women in digital who thrive are the ones who learn to work with what is, not just what they wish were true.Mary Brodie is the Founder and Digital Experience Strategist at Gearmark, a consultancy she has built over two decades across apps, websites, content strategy, lead generation, and full digital experience design. She holds a BA and MA from Simmons College, a certificate from MIT, and an Executive Master's in Corporate Communications from IE University in Madrid. She is currently pursuing her doctorate at Case Western Reserve University, where her research explores how B2B buying teams build relationships with supplier salespeople.Key TakeawaysAcceptance is not passive. It is the foundation of every smart business decision, from knowing your real customers to building a team that actually trusts each other.Your digital experience reflects your internal experience. If your employees are disengaged, that bleeds into every customer touchpoint, every chatbot, every support call.Women in digital and female entrepreneurs online often chase aspirational audiences instead of maximizing the ones they already have. The brands that win know exactly who their customer is and own it.AI is a tool, not a replacement. Using it well means knowing what question you are actually trying to answer and what data you are feeding it.The most underrated skill in women leadership and digital marketing for women is listening. Not the performative kind. The kind where you feel something shift in the room.Mary Brodie said, "Accept yourself and make sure that you're happy with what you're doing and what your output is. Not your perfect foot. Your best foot."Mary Brodie said, "Once you accept that we don't all share the same values, the world becomes a very different place. And it's not a scary place. It's just a different place. And a lot of the world becomes a lot clearer."Timestamps00:00 Welcome to the Power Lounge.01:51 Twenty years of entrepreneurship. What keeps Mary going.04:26 Why Mary kept going back to school, MIT, Simmons, Madrid.07:37 Being the only American in the room. What that taught her.09:41 Customer experience and employee experience are the same problem.13:10 How to know if your company actually has a digital experience.16:33 AI and digital strategy. Tool or replacement.21:00 What gets in the way of leaders communicating their vision clearly.26:54 What a broken internal experience is costing your organization right now.31:08 The Art of Acceptance. What it means as a leadership practice.40:04 What Mary looks for before any strategy or deliverable.41:19 One shift for every woman in the audience.42:37 Power Round. Rapid fire with Mary Brodie.Connect with Mary BrodieEmail: mfbrodie@gearmark.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marybrodieWebsite: gearmark.comSupport the show

Send us Fan MailWant to see our faces? Watch on YouTube.AI is rapidly reshaping customer experience, contact centers, and the way businesses engage with customers. In this episode of Cavell Cloud Conversations, we sit down with experts from Five9 to explore how organisations are moving beyond AI pilots and towards measurable business outcomes.Featuring:- Ty Stephens, Director, Channel Sales, Five9- Steve Blood, VP for Market Intelligence & Evangelism, Five9- Finbarr Begley, Senior CX Analyst, Cavell- Patrick Watson, Director of Research, CavellFrom AI-powered customer insights and automation to trust, data quality, and the evolving role of channel partners, we discuss the opportunities and challenges facing the industry as AI adoption accelerates.Whether you're a service provider, channel partner, contact center leader, or simply interested in the future of customer experience, this conversation provides practical insights into how AI is transforming both customer and employee experiences.

Summary In this episode of the AI for Sales podcast, Chad Burmeister interviews Mark Walker, CEO of Nue, discussing the transformative impact of AI on sales processes, customer experiences, and the evolution of CPQ systems. They explore the role of agentic AI, ethical considerations in AI deployment, and the skills necessary for professionals in the AI landscape. Mark shares insights on how AI is reshaping customer behavior, enhancing self-service capabilities, and the importance of balancing technology with human interaction. Takeaways AI is changing customer behavior and expectations. Generative AI allows for more sophisticated self-service environments. CPQ is evolving into a broader revenue lifecycle management process. Agentic AI can perform tasks traditionally done by humans, often more efficiently. Building trust with customers takes time and meaningful interaction. Security is a top priority when implementing AI solutions. Understanding and utilizing AI tools is essential for modern professionals. Ethical considerations are crucial in AI deployment. AI can enhance communication and summarization in team settings. The landscape of AI is rapidly evolving, requiring continuous learning and adaptation. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to AI in Sales 01:12 AI's Impact on Customer Experience 04:11 Case Studies in AI Deployment 06:43 Understanding CPQ and Its Evolution 10:03 The Role of Agentic AI 13:24 Balancing AI and Human Interaction 17:30 Ethical Considerations in AI 19:53 Skills for the Future of AI 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.

On this episode of The Buzz, Scott Luton is joined by special co-host Dr. Muddassir Ahmed and special guest Anthony Reeves, Vice President of Global Brand & Creative at Kohler and author of Eat the Donkey: Why Great Companies Embrace Discomfort. Together, they explore the realities of AI adoption, decision-making optimization, innovation, leadership, and what separates organizations that thrive from those that struggle to keep pace. As supply chains continue to evolve in the age of AI, organizations face critical decisions about technology adoption, data quality, change management, and leadership. Scott, Muddassir, and Anthony examine why many AI initiatives fail, what companies can learn from both successes and setbacks, and why strong decision-making remains one of the most valuable competitive advantages. The conversation also explores the growing importance of human connection, brand differentiation, organizational culture, and the willingness to embrace discomfort in pursuit of long-term growth. Drawing on experiences from Amazon, Kohler, Starbucks, and other global brands, Anthony shares powerful lessons on innovation, leadership, and staying true to what makes an organization unique. Key Takeaways: AI success depends as much on adoption, change management, and leadership as it does on technology. High-quality, contextualized data remains the foundation for effective AI implementation. Organizations must learn from failed initiatives just as much as successful ones. Soft skills, emotional intelligence, and human connection will become increasingly valuable as AI handles more routine work. Strong brands remain differentiated by purpose, customer experience, and authenticity—not technology alone. Great leaders make difficult decisions early rather than delaying action until opportunities have passed. Whether you're leading a supply chain transformation, evaluating AI investments, or building a stronger organization, this episode offers practical insights from leaders who have navigated innovation at the highest levels. You'll walk away with actionable advice on decision-making, change management, leadership, and creating organizations that can thrive amid constant disruption. Additional Links & Resources: Guest LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyreeves/ Guest Instagram Handle: @anthony.j.reeves Guest Company Website: anthonyreeves.co APL Logistics: https://www.apllogistics.com/ With That Said: https://bit.ly/WTS-7JUN2026 The Corner Market: https://bit.ly/The-Corner-Market Exclusive: Starbucks scraps AI inventory tool across North America: https://reut.rs/4vuPSkR 4 Supply Chain and AI Predictions for 2026: https://bit.ly/AI-Predictions-2026 AI Strategy Takes A Data Foundation That Cleansing Can't Provide: https://bit.ly/Paul-Noble-Gartner2026-Takeaways 5 Signs Your Supply Chain Has Outgrown How It's Managed Today: https://bit.ly/5-signs-your-SC-has-outgrown-mgmt Eat the Donkey: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G97CHK9F When Safety Technologies Backfire and How Managers Can Prevent It: https://bit.ly/When-Safety-Tech-Backfires Upcoming Live Programming:  https://supplychainnow.com/upcoming-live-programming/ Supply Chain Now Resource Hub: https://supplychainnow.com/resource-hub/ Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyreeves/ SCMDOJO: https://sensei.scmdojo.com/ Connect with Muddassir on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/muddassirism/ Follow Scott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottwindonluton/ WEBINAR- Amazon Supply Chain 101: Enabling efficiency and growth for businesses everywhere–and everywhere they sell: https://bit.ly/49r8N7D WEBINAR- The Expanding Role of Supply Chain Optimization Teams in Driving Business Impact: https://bit.ly/3PHRAAf WEBINAR- AI that moves at velocity: Cut through latency with agentic workflows: https://bit.ly/4x4626t This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Dr. Mudassir Ahmed. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/buzz-ai-adoption-brand-differentiation-embracing-comfort-1595 The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of TECHtonic, host Thomas Lah, EVP and Executive Director of TSIA, sits down with Agam Vasani, former SVP of Customer Experience at LeanData, to explore what it actually takes to build an AI-driven post-sale organization. Agam shares how his team was drowning in over 40 fragmented customer health signals, leaving CSMs spending more time assembling data than acting on it. He then reveals how they used AI to consolidate those signals into a single, coherent view that reps could actually use.He also breaks down the SIGNAL framework, a six-part filter he developed to cut through a crowded AI vendor market and evaluate tools on source of truth, intelligence quality, go-to action, workflow fit, team-wide adoption, and continuous learning.Discover how peer-driven "AI jams" drove grassroots adoption where top-down mandates failed, and why most AI tools fall short because they're sold like SaaS when AI behaves nothing like it. Don't miss this candid conversation on what separates AI deployments that move the needle from ones that just add another tool to the stack.

In this very special live edition of The Voice of Retail podcast — the first live recording in nearly 550 episodes on the main-stage at Retaiul Council of Canada's STORE conference — host Michael LeBlanc takes the stage at Retail Council of Canada's STORE Conference in Toronto with three of Canadian retail's most compelling leaders: Julia Freeman, CEO of The Jilly Box, David Brownstein, President of Browns Shoes, and back on the podcast for his third visit Selwyn Crittendon, CEO of IKEA Canada and newly appointed Chair of the Retail Council of Canada Board of Directors. Julia Freeman shares the remarkable story of The Jilly Box, co-founded by content creator Jillian Harris — fresh off her Independent Retail Ambassador of the Year 2026 award — which sells 20,000 surprise subscription boxes in under 24 hours, 27 seasons in a row, while championing small Canadian, women-owned and equity-deserving brands. Julia offers a candid assessment of the state of Canadian e-commerce, the patriotic "shop Canadian" wave reshaping consumer behaviour post-tariffs, and how The Market by The Jilly Box marketplace is delivering industry-leading conversion with four units per basket. David Brownstein, fourth-generation leader of Montreal-based Browns Shoes, celebrates a banner week as his father, CEO Michael Brownstein, received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Excellence in Retailing Awards Gala. David reveals the store design philosophy behind Browns' 71 locations — wide entrances, best merchandise up front, AI-embedded traffic counting — plus why Browns has never hired a store leader from outside in 86 years, and why brand partners like On, Birkenstock and UGG are complements, not competitors. Selwyn Crittendon lays out IKEA Canada's grounded AI philosophy: better retailing, better operational efficiency, and better jobs — built on clean data, mandatory AI literacy training for 7,200 coworkers, and a firm commitment that AI augments rather than replaces people. He also unpacks IKEA's small-format expansion strategy, from plan and order points pioneered in Canada to the new London, Ontario store and IKEA's bold SoHo move in New York, and explains why sustainability paired with affordability is "the new superpower of retail." The conversation ranges from family business dynamics and talent retention to influencer marketing strategy — including Julia's advice that your associates and small business partners may be your most powerful untapped brand ambassadors — and wraps with David's three keys to retail success today: empower frontline employees to make customer-service decisions, break down organizational silos to stay agile in the AI era, and invest relentlessly in retaining great people. Recorded in front of a live studio audience — complete with a surprise Jilly Box giveaway featuring the sold-out first-ever men's box — this episode captures the energy, optimism and hard-won wisdom of Canadian retail's best, and Selwyn's reflections on why he stepped up to chair the RCC board during turbulent times. Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur. He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025 and 2026. Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail. If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael's cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world.

Today's episode of the Punk CX podcast features a chat I had with Andrew Bialecki, the co-founder and co-CEO of Klaviyo, the autonomous B2C CRM that helps brands understand who their customers actually are – so every interaction feels personal. We talk about how customer experience is becoming autonomous, why every brand is becoming a service company, what organizations will need to do to make that shift, why the future is agent-to-agent, what the implications for brands are, and how we are also moving from vibe coding to vibe marketing. This interview follows on from my recent interview – Speed without alignment creates experience debt – Interview with Jamie Homen of Mural – and is number 590 in the series of interviews with authors and business leaders who are doing great things, providing valuable insights, helping businesses innovate and delivering great service and experience to both their customers and their employees.

Innovation isn't about funding, it's about how organisations are built and led. Progress comes from cutting bureaucracy, empowering mission-led teams, and asking the right questions to unlock bold breakthroughs. This week, Dave, Esmee and Rob are joined again by André Loesekrug-Pietri, Chair and Scientific Director of the Joint European Disruptive Initiative (JEDI, Europe's ARPA) to explore how Europe can turn moonshot ambitions into reality by building the right people, culture and operating models for future-shaping organisations. TLDR00:41 – Introduction01:14 – Hang out: Esmee returns and the missing API has been found!05:14 – Dig in: Staying in step with global innovation12:57 – Conversation with André Loesekrug-Pietri1:02:26 – Roland Garros tennis, and unlocking creative energy GuestAndre Loeskrug-Petri: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrepietri/X: @eurojediwww.jedi.foundation HostsDave Chapman:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chapmandr/Esmee van de Giessen:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/esmeevandegiessen/Rob Kernahan:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-kernahan/ ProductionMarcel van der Burg:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcel-vd-burg/Dave Chapman:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chapmandr/ SoundBen Corbett:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-corbett-3b6a11135/Louis Corbett:   https://www.linkedin.com/in/louis-corbett-087250264/ 'Realities Remixed' is an original podcast from Capgemini

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" There are three defining characteristics of a Sauve Qui Peut game: an unusual underlying concept, commitment to the bit, and beautifully painted murals." They do things a little differently around here. That's been Steven Keller's personal design philosophy ever since he started making his first escape rooms at his company, Sauve Qui Peut, located in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu in Quebec, Canada. If you've ever played games at this company, you'd know the house style is that there is no house style. Every game feels distinct and different, almost like they were designed by different people. And yet Steven is the mad genius behind it all. Steven is one of the most instinct-driven designers I've encountered in this industry. He designed his first three rooms within five months of having the idea, before he'd even signed a lease. He deliberately avoided playing other escape rooms early on so he wouldn't get influenced. However, he eventually abandoned this philosophy when he realized that Egyptian-themed rooms were not, in fact, his invention. What hasn't changed is his core approach: start with one really cool thing, build around it, and figure out the story last. Like I said, they do things a little differently around here. However, Steve doesn't do it alone. Shawn Mercier is Steven's right hand man, and he joins us also to give us the nuts and bolts perspective. He started as a gamemaster, began quietly fixing and improving mechanisms, and pretty soon made himself indispensable. Shawn introduced more sophisticated and reliable tech to Sauve Qui Peut's rooms. He helps keep everything running smoothly, all before he turned 26! We know, because he celebrated his birthday with us on the day of our recording. Together, Steve and Shawn are responsible for some of the most inventive and, yes, slightly unhinged escape room design in Quebec. I really appreciated hearing Steven talk about his design process. There's a madcap creative improv quality to it, and it's part of what makes their games so quirky and memorable. If you enjoyed this conversation and want to check out the games at Sauve Qui Peut, consider joining us on one of our future Escape, Immerse, Explore tours to the Montreal area.   Full Show Notes   Episode Sponsors We are immensely grateful to our sponsors this season: REA Patreon Backers, PG's Playhouse, Buzzshot, and the Reality Escape Convention. We truly appreciate your support of our mission to promote and improve the immersive gaming community.   Buzzshot Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.   Support Us On Patreon Today Love escape rooms as much as we do? At Room Escape Artist, we've been analyzing, reviewing, and exploring the world of immersive games since 2014. We help players find the best experiences, and push the industry forward with well-researched, rational, and reasonably humorous escape room and immersive gaming content and events. By becoming a Patreon supporter, you're not just backing a blog — you're fueling a mission to make the escape room and immersive gaming community stronger, more thoughtful, and more connected. Access exclusive Patreon content such as: The Bonus Aftershow The Spoilers Club Early access to escape room Tour tickets and REA articles. Your Patreon support goes toward our mission: paying our contributors, funding our infrastructure, and supporting deep research and industry advocacy.   PG's Playhouse If you love wordplay, puzzles, and trivia, this is the podcast for you! PG's Playhouse recreates a fun game night, all in a short, 30-minute format. Of course, what's game night without making new friends? We bring on different guests for the different episodes. Each episode features a puzzle packed with wordplay and trivia, a short chat with the guest, and a segment exploring an interesting topic. I hope you'll take a listen and play along with us at PG's Playhouse.   Reality Escape Convention Our convention, RECON, will be in Laval, Quebec Canada on August 16th & 17th, 2026. RECON offers a curated collection of talks and experiences exploring the business and art of escape room and immersive game creation. All are welcome at this event that is crafted around professionals and aspiring professionals.   Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Theresa Piazza Supported by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht

Most leaders think they are delivering a great customer experience. Pierre Charchaflian of IBM says they are delivering yesterday's version. The new standard is not fixing problems when customers report them. It is knowing about the problem before the customer does, and solving it before they have to ask. That shift, from reactive to anticipatory, is what separates the brands that customers stay loyal to from those they leave without explanation. The technology to do it exists right now. Most companies are not using it. Pierre has spent 25 years at the intersection of data, technology, and customer experience, and he says this transformation is unlike anything he has seen before. The window to act is open. It will not stay that way. What You Will Learn About Anticipating Customer Needs With AI: What agentic AI actually is in plain language, why it is fundamentally different from prior AI capabilities, and what it means for your CX strategy starting now Why IBM's research found that technology stack limitations, not budget or talent, are the number one barrier preventing CMOs from delivering the customer experience they already know they need to deliver How agentic search engines are becoming a direct threat to brand digital presence, and what leaders need to do before their customers' AI agents start bypassing them entirely Why anticipating a customer's need before they express it is now a measurable competitive advantage, and what separates the companies building that capability from the ones still reacting How AI can read sentiment, detect frustration signals across structured and unstructured data, and trigger a response before a customer decides to leave Why conversion is the metric that tells the truth about whether your customer experience is actually working, and what NPS and CSAT consistently miss Download IBM's Win the Moment report now: https://www.ibm.com/thought-leadership/institute-business-value/en-us/report/customer-intent?utm_id=Stacy-Sherman-AdobeSummit-LinkedIn-IBVCMOStudy-04-16-26 #IBMPartner Have a question or thoughts to share? Leave a voice message: https://www.speakpipe.com/StacySherman Learn more at DoingCXRight.com and subscribe to the newsletter for more actionable strategies.

Send us Fan MailNAVIGATING THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE Episode 274 | Lead With Clarity: Burnout, Cultural Intelligence, and the Strategy Every Leader NeedsWhat happens to your customers when the leader serving them is running on empty? In this episode, Yanique Grant sits down with Dr. Kerriann M. Peart, organizational psychologist, executive coach, and founder of Island Rooted Co., for a conversation that connects leadership well-being directly to customer experience outcomes.Dr. Peart brings over 20 years of experience in organizational psychology, public health, and executive coaching, and her work challenges the idea that high performance should come at the expense of people. Drawing on her own journey as a Caribbean woman who navigated three cycles of burnout while building her consulting practice in corporate America, she offers leaders a grounded, practical framework for leading with clarity, cultural intelligence, and personal strategy.WHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS EPISODEHow burned-out leaders show up to customers in three distinct patterns, and which one is the rarest and most powerfulWhy happy employees are defined by competence AND capacity, and how both translate directly to the customer experienceHow the anchored bias of "this is how we have always done it" is damaging customer interactions in Caribbean businessesThe difference between a growth mindset and an agile mindset, and why leaders in culturally diverse environments need the latterWhy humble leaders go further and last longer than those who demand to be followedThe one personal strategy shift that will change how customer experience professionals show up, even on their hardest daysBOOKS MENTIONEDThe Prophet by Kahlil GibranThe 48 Laws of Power by Robert GreeneThe Power of Now by Eckhart TolleCONNECT WITH DR. PEARTLinkedIn: Search Kerriann PeartWebsite: peartconsulting.orgFOLLOW NAVIGATING THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCEX: @NavigatingCXFacebook: Navigating the Customer Experience CommunityLinkedIn: Yanique GrantWebsite: yaniquegrant.com/podcasts

What You'll Learn in This Episode:In this episode, Catherine McDonald and Shayne Daughenbaugh discuss the practical realities of capturing, creating, and deploying Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in fast-growing organizations. Drawing from Shayne's experience leading SOP standardization across multiple locations, they explore how businesses can create consistency while maintaining a human-centered approach.The conversation highlights why SOPs are more than compliance documents. They serve as the foundation for customer experience, employee training, and continuous improvement. Shayne shares a step-by-step framework for identifying priority processes, working with subject matter experts, and leveraging video recordings and AI tools to simplify documentation and accelerate SOP creation.If your organization struggles with inconsistent processes, scattered documentation, or SOPs that nobody uses, this episode offers practical strategies for building documentation that is both useful and sustainable.Key Takeaways:1. SOPs should create consistency across locations to deliver a reliable customer experience.2. Video-based process capture preserves valuable expertise, context, and real-world best practices better than traditional written documentation.3. AI and transcription tools can significantly speed up SOP creation while reducing administrative effort.4. SOPs are most effective when treated as living documents that support continuous improvement, not just compliance or record-keeping.Links: Lean Solutions Summit Lean Solutions Website

Let's describe the experience you want your customer to have to keep them coming back! gigstrategic.com seancastrina.com

In this episode, Bradley sits down with Daniel Daly, founder of Aim High Now, who spent 20 years in automotive retail and helped scale a dealership group to $700 million in annual revenue. Daniel breaks down what customer service actually looks like as an operating system, not a personality trait.They discuss how to train a team around two focused behaviors, how a single feedback call can diagnose 80% of your service failures, and how tiered incentives move culture faster than accountability alone.This conversation goes beyond tactics and into discipline. What are the two things your team could do consistently that would change how customers talk about you? And how do you build standards that actually hold? If you want customer experience to work as a real competitive advantage, this conversation is for you.Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop.Learn more about Daniel Daly and Aim High Now: aimhighnow.comConnect with Daniel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-daly1/ Thanks to our sponsorsCoach P ConsultingCoach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at:https://www.coachpconsulting.comBe sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast.Autopilot RecruitingAutopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every business day, optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities.https://www.autopilotrecruiting.comMention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out.Direct ClicksDirect Clicks is built by business owners, for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that drive real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, they provide comprehensive digital marketing support to help your business grow.Exclusive offer for listeners:https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusinessGet a free marketing campaign audit and actionable recommendations.About Above The BusinessAbove The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale.

If your customer buys from your Amazon listing, your website, and walks into a store all on the same Sunday, and none of those experiences connect, you've got a problem. Omnichannel isn't about having multiple channels, it's about those channels talking to each other to deliver a seamless customer experience. Neil Twa breaks down what omnichannel really means and why it's crucial for your brand's success. He shares insights from an operator running a solid brand doing around $40,000 a month on Amazon, with a Shopify store and a new retail presence. Neil outlines three actionable moves you can start today to improve your customer journey, regardless of your business size. It's about having an operator mindset, not a massive budget. Tune in to The High Voltage Business Builders Podcast to learn how to identify gaps in your business and fix them. Ready to audit your AI readiness? Take the free 5-question assessment: voltagedm.com/aiquiz?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep291 Get the complete Almost Automated Income Blueprint for $27 at voltagedm.com/blueprint: https://voltagedm.com/blueprint?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=ep291

AI is changing how people discover, evaluate, trust, buy, create, hire, and compete. The bigger question is whether your business model is built to survive a future where attention is fragmented, trust is harder to earn, execution is easier to automate, and buyers have more options than ever. Learn how to activate the M.A.S.S. Effect Business Model, a strategic ecosystem built around: • Media to create attention, trust, authority, and discoverability • Assets to create scalability, leverage, and income beyond your direct time • Strategy to create clarity, alignment, interpretation, and better decisions • Systems to reduce friction, support consistency, and keep the business moving Many businesses are addicted to acquisition because they never built retention. In an AI accelerated world, that becomes dangerous because information is easier to access, skills are being compressed, and execution is becoming automated. The real value now shifts toward trust, experience, clarity, influence, systems, and community. The future belongs to adaptive businesses that can evolve with the market, keep customers connected, turn trust into retention, and scale without breaking the founder, team, or customer experience. If your business grew tomorrow, could it actually hold the growth, or would the model collapse under the weight of what you asked for? Beyond The Episode Gems: Buy Troy's Book, Strategize Up: The Blueprint To Scale Your Business StrategizeUpBook.com Discover All Podcasts On The HubSpot Podcast Network Get Free HubSpot Marketing Tools To Help You Grow Your Business Grow Your Business Faster Using HubSpot's CRM Platform Support The Podcast & Connect With Troy:  Rate & Review iDigress: iDigress.fm/Reviews Follow Troy's Socials @FindTroy: LinkedIn, Instagram, Threads, TikTok Subscribe to Troy's YouTube Channel For Strategy Videos & See Masterclass Episodes Need Growth Strategy, A Keynote Speaker, Or Want To Sponsor The Podcast? Go To FindTroy.com

Marketing leaders are being asked to drive more growth with less budget, fewer resources, tighter timelines, and more pressure from every direction while AI is being treated like the shortcut to replace entire marketing teams. But AI will not fix bad strategy, weak alignment, poor customer understanding, or broken marketing fundamentals. In part two of this master class conversation with Matt Hummel, CMO of Pipeline360, the focus moves into what it really takes to become the kind of CMO AI cannot replace. Not by chasing every new tool, adding more MarTech, or hiding behind automation, but by understanding the business as a whole, building trust across departments, speaking the language of revenue, and creating alignment between marketing, sales, product, leadership, and the customer. To lead marketing in a volatile market where expectations keep rising and the old playbook is no longer enough, you need to know how to: • Make sales an ally instead of your bitter rival • Build shared pipeline ownership across marketing and sales  • Communicate risk without becoming defensive • Connect marketing decisions to the larger goals of the business • Set clearer expectations with your team and leadership • Understand resource constraints without using them as excuses • Stay close to customers while leading strategy • Create momentum without pretending there is an easy button The best marketing leaders are not just managing campaigns, tools, reports, and dashboards. They are translating complexity into strategy the business can trust. The reminder is clear: AI will not fix bad strategy. More MarTech will not fix bad marketing. The CMO AI cannot replace is the one who understands the business, earns trust, aligns with sales, leads the team, knows the customer, and gets back to real marketing when everyone else is hiding behind tools. (P.S. If you haven't, listen to Ep. 149 for part one of this masterclass episode) Beyond The Episode Gems: Connect With Matt Hummel on LinkedIn Listen To Troy On Matt's Podcast, Pipeline Brew: The Evolving Role of CMOs & Community Building Visit Pipeline360 website to learn more about how they solve B2B marketers' biggest headaches Buy Troy's Book, Strategize Up: The Blueprint To Scale Your Business StrategizeUpBook.com Discover All Podcasts On The HubSpot Podcast Network Get Free HubSpot Marketing Tools To Help You Grow Your Business Grow Your Business Faster Using HubSpot's CRM Platform Support The Podcast & Connect With Troy:  Rate & Review iDigress: iDigress.fm/Reviews Follow Troy's Socials @FindTroy: LinkedIn, Instagram, Threads, TikTok Subscribe to Troy's YouTube Channel For Strategy Videos & See Masterclass Episodes Need Growth Strategy, A Keynote Speaker, Or Want To Sponsor The Podcast? Go To FindTroy.com  

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