Podcasts about Customer experience

When 62% of your customers are making decisions based on deals and discounts, is investing in premium customer experience a luxury you can still afford, or is it the only thing that can actually save you? Agility requires brands to move beyond seasonal planning and into a state of continuous listening. It's about having the insight and infrastructure to pivot your customer experience strategy in real-time based on economic signals and shifting consumer priorities. Today, we're going to talk about decoding the often-conflicting signals consumers sent during the last holiday season. Five9 posted some of their findings in a report that we'll link out to in the show notes. We'll explore how deep-seated economic pressures are reshaping shopping habits, and how AI is moving from a back-office tool to a front-line differentiator that can deliver both the savings customers crave and the experiences that build loyalty. To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Jenn Edwards, VP of Customer Experience at Five9. About Jenn Edwards Jenn Edwards is an accomplished professional in customer experience and marketing, currently serving as the VP of Customer Experience at Five9. With a robust background that includes roles such as Marketing and Customer Experience Advisor at JME Consulting and Co-Founder of Community Art Collaborative, Jennifer has demonstrated strong leadership and innovative thinking. Previously, Jennifer held the position of Americas Field Marketing Leader at Cisco and served as VP Global Demand at WalkMe™. Educationally, Jennifer holds a Master of Science in Telecommunications Management from UCL and a Bachelor of Science in Marketing/International Business from Manhattan College. Jenn Edwards on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermaciveredwards/ Resources Five9: https://www.five9.com/ The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow Drive your customers to new horizons at the premier retail event of the year for Retail and Brand marketers. Learn more at CRMC 2026, June 1-3. https://www.thecrmc.com/ Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://ratethispodcast.com/agileConnect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Customer satisfaction has barely moved in over 30 years — despite enormous investment in Customer Experience. In this episode of The Intuitive Customer, Professor Ryan Hamilton and Morgan Ward speak with Forrest Morgeson from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). ACSI has tracked customer satisfaction continuously since 1994 using the same questions and methodology across the entire US economy. And the long-term data tells a story that challenges many comfortable CX assumptions. Rather than steadily improving as CX practices mature, customer satisfaction rises and falls in cycles — heavily influenced by pricing, profitability, cost-cutting, and broader economic forces. This episode explores why satisfaction scores stagnate, why record profits often coincide with declining customer satisfaction, and why CX leaders need to think beyond journey maps and empathy training. Best Quote from the Episode "Customer satisfaction isn't a straight line. It moves in cycles — and when companies start squeezing for profit, customers feel it." Forrest Morgeson, American Custoimer Satisfaction Index Why You Should Listen? If you work in customer experience, marketing, or leadership, this episode will challenge some of the most widely held beliefs in CX. You'll gain: A data-led perspective grounded in 30 years of evidence A clearer understanding of why satisfaction scores fall despite CX investment Practical insight into the economic forces shaping customer experience A more realistic way to think about CX performance and ROI   Resources Mentioned  American Customer Satisfaction Index: https://theacsi.org/the-acsi-difference/us-overall-customer-satisfaction/  Forrest Morgeson - https://www.linkedin.com/in/forrestmorgeson/   About the Hosts: Ryan Hamilton is a Professor of Marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and co-author of 'The Intuitive Customer' book. An award-winning teacher and researcher in consumer psychology, he has been named one of Poets & Quants' "World's Best 40 B-School Profs Under 40." His research focuses on how brands, prices, and choice architecture influence shopper decision-making, and his findings have been published in top academic journals and covered by major media outlets like The New York Times and CNN. His work highlights how psychology can help firms better understand and serve their customers. Ryan has a new book launch in June 2025 called "The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things" Harvard Business Press Follow Ryan on LinkedIn.  Morgan Ward is an adjunct marketing professor, weekly expert guest on The Take—11Alive's in-depth news program that explores timely stories through expert insight—With over 20 years of experience advising clients ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500s and publishing in top academic journals, she's passionate about decoding the symbolic and cultural forces that shape consumer behavior. Her work focuses on status, identity, and decision-making across sectors like luxury, retail, and tech. Beyond consulting, Morgan serves as an expert witness in branding and advertising litigation, bringing academic rigor to questions of perception, distinctiveness, and influence. Follow Morgan on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgankward-phd/)   Subscribe & Follow  Apple Podcasts Spotify  

In this episode of the AI for Sales podcast, host Chad Burmeister speaks with Sid Bonatou, founder and CEO of Aira, a personal shopping AI that learns user preferences to enhance the shopping experience. They discuss how AI is transforming customer experiences, the importance of aligning business models with consumer interests, and the ethical considerations surrounding data privacy. Sid shares insights on the future of AI in shopping, the misconceptions about AI, and the skills sales professionals need in this evolving landscape. Takeaways Aira is a personal shopping AI that learns user preferences. AI is transforming shopping from a fragmented experience to a continuous one. The incentive model should align with consumer interests, not advertisers. Memory is crucial for enhancing user experience in shopping. Aira's AI companions will help users find the best deals and products. Ethics in AI revolves around transparency and consumer privacy. Sales professionals need to focus on understanding customer problems. Automation should enhance personalization in the shopping experience. Emerging AI technologies are reshaping consumer interactions. The future of shopping will prioritize user trust and data protection. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Aira and Its Vision 02:32 Transforming Customer Experience with AI 07:15 Case Studies and Success Stories 08:18 Understanding AIRA: The Meaning Behind the Name 09:44 Market Trends and Business Models 11:39 AI Misconceptions and Innovations 14:37 Balancing Automation with Personal Touch 16:57 Emerging AI Technologies 19:07 Ethics in AI 22:02 Skills for Sales Professionals in the AI Era 23:16 Conclusion and Final Thoughts 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.

AI is everywhere, but most teams are stuck talking about efficiency and headcount. In this episode, Dave Edelman, executive advisor and best selling author, shares a sharper lens, how to use AI to create real customer value and real growth.We get into the high road vs low road of AI, what personalization should look like now, and why data has to become an enterprise asset, not a bunch of disconnected departmental files.Key Takeaways• Efficiency is table stakes, the real win is using AI to build new experiences that customers actually want• Start with customer friction, find the biggest compromises and frustrations in your category, then design around that• Personalization is no longer limited by content scale in the same way, AI changes the economics of tailoring experiences• You do not always need one giant database, modern tools can pull and connect data across systems in real time• Treat data as an enterprise resource, getting cross functional alignment is often the hardest and most important stepTimestamped Highlights• 00:46 Dave's origin story, from early loyalty programs to Segment of One marketing• 03:33 The high road and low road of AI, growth experiences vs spam at scale• 06:51 Where to start, map the biggest customer frustrations, then build use cases from there• 16:31 The data myth, why you may not need a single mega database to get value from AI• 21:31 Data as a leadership problem, shifting from functional ownership to enterprise ownership• 25:14 Strategy that actually sticks, balancing bottom up automation with top down customer led directionA line worth stealing“Use those efficiencies to invest in growth.”Pro Tips you can apply this week• List the top five customer frustrations in your category, pick one and design an AI powered fix that removes a compromise• Audit your data reality, identify where the same customer facts live in multiple places, then decide what must be unified first• Run a simple test and learn loop, create multiple variations of one experience, measure what works, and keep iterating• Put strategy on the calendar, make room for a recurring discussion that is not just metrics and cost cuttingCall to ActionIf this episode helped you think differently about AI and growth, follow the show, leave a quick rating, and share it with one operator who is building product, data, or customer experience right now.

SUMMARY: In this episode of Ops Experts, Aaron Hovivian and Terryn Turner break down the anatomy of a smooth-running business by outlining five core systems that operations leaders must own to support scale. They focus on how operators can cut through noise, support high-vision entrepreneurs, and move from reactive triage to proactive structure. The conversation centers on creating clarity, protecting focus, and building foundations that allow visionaries to move fast without breaking the business. The five systems covered include metrics and visibility, task and project management, internal communications, hiring and onboarding, and fulfillment. Aaron and Terryn explain how clear dashboards, disciplined project tools, defined communication lanes, repeatable hiring processes, and tight fulfillment systems reduce friction across teams and improve customer experience. The episode provides a practical framework for operators who want to regain control, create leverage, and build businesses that scale without chaos.   Minute by Minute:  00:00 Introduction and Daily Routines 02:02 The Anatomy of a Smooth Running Business 05:06 Metrics and Visibility 09:46 Task and Project Management 13:24 Internal Communications 17:13 Hiring and Onboarding 21:06 Fulfillment and Customer Experience

Empathy is a powerful force for helping us see the world through the eyes of others. Within that broad set of others, there is one "other" that we empathize with far more than anyone else. Knowing this will help you improve your customer experienceConnect 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.

⭐⭐⭐⭐Please take 12 seconds to rate and review the podcast because it helps us find new listeners ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐FREE RESOURCES✅ Get a free digital copy of my bestselling book for a limited time, Choice Hacking: How to use psychology and behavioral science to create an experience that sings. Get it here: https://www.choicehacking.com/free-book/ ✅ Get FREE weekly buyer psychology insights when you join my newsletter, Choice Hacking Ideas: Join the 10k+ people getting daily insights on how to 2x their marketing effectiveness (so sales and profit 2x, too) using buyer psychology. Join here: https://www.choicehacking.com/read/✅ Connect with host Jennifer Clinehens on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok @ChoiceHacking and @BuildwithChoiceHackingWORK WITH ME✅ Corporate Training: Get your team up-skilled marketing psychology and behavioral science with a workshop or training session. Choice Hacking has worked with brands like Microsoft, T-Mobile, and McDonalds to help their teams apply behavioral science and marketing psychology.Learn more here, and get in touch using the contact form at the bottom of the page: https://www.choicehacking.com/training/✅ Get your own Chief Marketing Copilot for your business when you my new program. Get live Skill Sessions, Implementation Sessions, and one-on-one time with me.Learn more here: https://choicehacking.academy/pro/✅ Buy my book in Kindle, paperback, or audiobook form: "Choice Hacking: How to use psychology and behavioral science to create an experience that sings": https://choicehacking.com/PodBook/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Mark Fithian is the cofounder of WideOpen, a consultancy that helps organizations achieve sustainable growth through strategic customer experience. Mark's expertise in CX is informed by more than thirty years of work across industries, partnering with leading brands such as Providence, SAP, PayPal, Optum, IBM, BMW, the American Cancer Society, and Microsoft. Before founding WideOpen, he held leadership roles on both the client and agency sides, as well as in strategic consultancies.Mentioned on the ShowRead Mark's profile on the WideOpen website: https://www.thisiswideopen.com/our-teamConnect with Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markfithian/Get Mark's book, The CX Imperative: https://a.co/d/316xGzXO'Brien and Mark discussed the book Good Strategy, Bad Strategy by Richard Rumelt: https://a.co/d/9GSTIfN Timestamps(00:00:00) Welcome to People Business with O'Brien McMahon(00:01:45) What is the difference between customer experience and user experience?(00:02:22) And how did you get into this work in the first place? (00:07:24) What is the purpose of business? (00:08:35) Why do businesses struggle with customer experience? (00:11:24) "The Great Distancing": what it is and why it hurts customer experience(00:13:44) What makes good incentives in customer experience? (00:15:15) How does a business know when they are doing CX well?(00:20:08) How does executive leadership get involved in good CX?(00:32:49) Who should be responsible for customer experience?(00:40:41) Mark's 5 Pillars of Customer Experience(00:44:19) What does strategy mean to you? (00:55:21) How to get started with customer experience and how to contact Mark Fithian.

In this episode of The CX Tipping Point Podcast, Martha Dorris talks with Mark Forman about the evolution of digital government and e-government initiatives, with a focus on the groundbreaking Quicksilver project of the early 2000s. Mark shares how Quicksilver identified 24 priority initiatives across four portfolios to improve service delivery and reduce transaction costs—and what he would do differently if leading similar efforts today.Drawing from his experience leading the 2001 Quicksilver digital transformation initiative, Mark discusses building a cross-agency task force of seasoned government reformers, navigating collaboration and funding challenges, and ensuring long-term sustainability. Together, Martha and Mark explore the ongoing burden of government transactions, the complexities of organizing services around a citizen-centric model, and the lessons still shaping government CX today. The conversation concludes with Mark's vision for “New Federalism 2.0” and how better technology integration could transform citizen services.Thank you for listening to this episode of The CX Tipping Point Podcast! If you enjoyed it, please consider subscribing, rating, and leaving a review on your favorite podcast platform. Your support helps us reach more listeners! Stay Connected: Follow us on social media: LinkedIn: @DorrisConsultingInternational Twitter: @DorrisConsultng Facebook: @DCInternational Resources Mentioned: Citizen Services Newsletter 2024 Service to the Citizen Awards Nomination Form

Dealer Pay Live “The Customer Experience” Welcome to the Car Guy Coffee Podcast. Kickstart your day the right way  and join us as we tap into the brightest minds and most passionate voices across the automotive world to bring you the education, motivation, and inspiration you need to thrive. From the showroom floor to the service lane, prepare to Upshift and Uplift your perspective. In this episode Lou Ramirez and Fred Leonard are excited to welcome Julie Douglas, President and CEO of Dealer Pay, to discuss the importance of customer experience in the automotive industry. Julie shares insights on creating smooth workflows, enhancing payment processes, and the significance of evolving with technology to meet consumer needs. The episode dives into how dealerships can prepare for 2026 by embracing change and improving their systems for a better customer experience. Tune in to learn how to keep your dealership ahead in the rapidly changing automotive landscape.

What if the customer experience principles behind Disney-level service and NASA-grade operational excellence could be applied to your business, without increasing your costs? In this episode of the Grownlearn Podcast, host Zorina Dimitrova, Investment Matchmaker & Strategic Growth Advisor, sits down with Vance Morris, a customer experience expert who has worked with Disney, NASA, and the Kennedy Center.

Bashify founder Bre Giglio turned a party-planning side hustle into a $600,000 balloon brand by starting small and leaning into social content. In this interview, she shares how trust, transparency, and customer experience fueled Bashify's growth.For more on Bashify and show notes click here Subscribe and watch Shopify Masters on YouTube!Sign up for your FREE Shopify Trial here.

Summary In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution podcast, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius discuss five essential customer experience strategies for 2026. They explore the concept of a customer service recession, the importance of hiring for service aptitude, the effectiveness of micro learning in training, the need to rethink customer feedback mechanisms, and the critical connection between employee experience and customer experience. They also touch on the role of AI in enhancing customer interactions while maintaining the human element. The conversation emphasizes actionable strategies for leaders to create loyalty and improve service without relying on discounts or gimmicks. Takeaways: Companies must build measurable, coachable, and consistent customer experience strategies. The customer service recession presents an opportunity for competitive advantage. Hiring for service aptitude is more important than ever due to declining soft skills. Micro learning is an effective way to reinforce training and improve retention. Surveys are becoming less effective; businesses should measure actual customer behavior instead. Employee experience directly impacts customer experience; leaders must prioritize both. Recognition and appreciation are crucial for employee retention. Investing in learning and development increases employee loyalty. AI can enhance efficiency but should not replace human interaction in customer service. Leaders should focus on fixing broken promises in their service delivery. Chapters: 00:00Navigating the Customer Service Recession 07:00Hiring for Service Aptitude 16:18Micro Learning: The Future of Training 23:01Rethinking Customer Feedback 30:58The Employee Experience Connection 41:07AI's Role in Customer Experience Links: Interview Questions: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/interview-questions-2/ Micro-learning example 1 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/c4NU69YcPz8?feature=share Micro-learning example 2 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NgpJXbGonpc?feature=share 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/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Experience Revolution Membership:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books:  https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts:  Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com   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.

Why it's so important to make agreements with your colleagues about how you'll work together.Allison Shields on LinkedInConnect 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.

In this episode of Builders Wanted, we're joined by Michelle Suzuki, Chief Marketing Officer at Commerce. Kailey and Michelle delve into the impact of agentic commerce, the evolution of AI in customer engagement, and strategies for maintaining consistency and relevance in marketing. Michelle also shares insights on the challenges and opportunities in rebranding and driving data-driven marketing.-------------------Key Takeaways:Embracing change and leveraging data-driven insights are essential for marketers to stay relevant and effective in a rapidly evolving commerce landscape.The most successful marketing strategies combine creative brand-building with rigorous data analysis, ensuring that emotional connection and measurable outcomes drive growth.Truly understanding your audience and meeting them where they are enables organizations to deliver more personalized, impactful experiences.-------------------“ The front end and the back end, it's sort of like that brand and demand element is how do you make this holistic ecosystem that is really productive for the experience and really driving what that looks like as you put together your overall strategy.  It's so important to think holistically about what it is that you're meaning to deliver and incorporating all of those elements together so that there aren't jagged, hard edges between them. But it's all one entire ecosystem that presents something that is more comfortable and relative to what it is that the user is hoping to experience with you.” – Michelle Suzuki-------------------Episode Timestamps:‍*(01:56) - What being a builder means to Michelle ‍*(06:07) - The shift most critical for brands right now‍*(13:05) - Bridging the gap between data-driven and creative marketing‍*(27:30) - Lessons from rebranding‍*(33:04) - Building teams for speed and effectiveness‍*(35:13) - Quick hits-------------------Links:Connect with Michelle on LinkedInConnect with Kailey on LinkedInLearn more about Caspian Studios-------------------SponsorBuilders Wanted is brought to you by Twilio – the Customer Engagement Platform that helps builders turn real-time data into meaningful customer experiences. More than 320,000 businesses trust Twilio to transform signals into connections—and connections into revenue. Ready to build what's next? Learn more at twilio.com. 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 Eye on AI, Craig Smith sits down with Anurag Dhingra, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Cisco, to explore where AI is actually creating value inside the enterprise. Rather than focusing on flashy demos or speculative futures, this conversation goes deep into the invisible layer powering modern AI: infrastructure. Anurag breaks down how AI is being embedded into enterprise networking, security, observability, and collaboration systems to solve real operational problems at scale.  From self-healing networks and agentic AI to edge computing, robotics, and domain-specific models, this episode reveals why the next phase of AI innovation is less about chatbots and more about resilient systems that quietly make everything work better. This episodeis perfect for enterprise leaders, AI practitioners, infrastructure teams, and anyone trying to understand how AI moves from theory into production. Stay Updated: Craig Smith on X: https://x.com/craigss Eye on A.I. on X: https://x.com/EyeOn_AI (00:00) Why AI Only Matters If the Infrastructure Works (01:22) Cisco's Evolution (04:39) Connecting Networks, People, and Experiences at Scale (09:31) How AI Is Transforming Enterprise Networking (12:00) Edge AI, Robotics, and Real-World Reliability (14:18) Security Challenges in an Agent-Driven Enterprise (15:28) What Agentic AI Really Means (Beyond Automation) (20:51) The Rise of Hybrid AI: Cloud Models vs Edge Models (24:30) Why Small, Purpose-Built Models Are So Powerful (29:19) Open Ecosystems and Agent-to-Agent Collaboration (33:32) How Enterprises Actually Adopt AI in Practice (35:58) Building AI-Ready Infrastructure for the Long Term (40:14) AI in Customer Experience and Contact Centers (44:14) The Real Opportunity of AI and What Comes Next

Luxury Outdoor Living Podcast, hosted by Mike and Trey Farley of Farley Pool Designs, features Andrew Cook, an expert in European greenhouses. The episode delves into the evolution and intricacies of setting up greenhouses. They discuss design trends, common misconceptions, and unique structures such as polycarbonate and glass greenhouses. Andrew highlights the importance of climate control and building permits, while providing insider tips on greenhouse maintenance, optimal orientation, and the benefits of different greenhouse materials. This episode offers valuable insights for homeowners looking to transform their backyards into productive and beautiful retreats.   Discover more: https://exaco.com/ https://www.farleypooldesigns.com/ https://www.instagram.com/farleydesigns/ https://www.instagram.com/luxuryoutdoorlivingpodcast/ https://www.instagram.com/poolzila/   00:00 Welcome to Luxury Outdoor Living 01:17 Meet Our Special Guest: Andrew Cook 01:36 Andrew's Journey: From the Netherlands to the USA 02:52 The Evolution of EXCO Trading 05:40 Understanding Greenhouses: Basics and Misconceptions 06:55 Greenhouse Materials: Glass vs. Polycarbonate 10:42 Challenges and Solutions in Greenhouse Design 11:48 Customer Experiences and Common Issues 15:07 Greenhouse Maintenance and Practical Tips 19:45 Special Structures and Custom Designs 39:14 Orientation and Climate Considerations 44:15 Manual vs. Automatic Greenhouse Openers 46:14 High-End Greenhouse Options 47:52 Unique Greenhouse Designs 50:19 Popular Greenhouse Sizes and Uses 54:30 Greenhouse Shelving and Hail Resistance 01:00:43 Permit Requirements and HOA Challenges 01:06:35 Greenhouse Resale and Expansion 01:10:29 Personal Insights and Final Thoughts  

Building a Culture Where Customers and Employees Want to Stay   Shep interviews David Fuhr, Sweetwater's Chief Sales Officer. He talks about creating remarkable customer experiences through personalized service, passionate employees, and living the company's core values in every interaction.  This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:    How does additional generosity impact customer loyalty?  Why is personalizing customer interactions important in today's business environment?  How does a company's culture influence its service and customer retention?  How can companies prevent recurring customer complaints based on feedback analysis?  Why should businesses focus on solving customer issues rather than just addressing problems?  Top Takeaways:    Additional generosity goes a long way in customer experience. It does not have to be expensive or flashy. When you add a small, unexpected touch to a customer interaction, you create a memorable moment. Any brand can show appreciation and stand out by doing a little more than expected. (Sweetwater includes a small bag of candy with every order. Sweet!)  Hiring employees who are truly passionate about what they do makes a big difference. If your team genuinely loves the industry they work in and believes in the products they sell, it shows in the way they interact with and help customers.  Match customers with employees who are genuinely interested in and knowledgeable about the products they sell. This builds trust by creating interactions in which the advice customers receive feels more valuable because it is personalized.   Training never stops. When hiring new employees, equip them with the knowledge they need to excel through immersive training. Once they are working with customers, empower them by providing continuous training that keeps everyone updated and motivated.   Listening to customer feedback leads to better service. Encouraging honest opinions, both good and bad, helps you find out what customers truly care about.  It's important to have a system for collecting this information and then actually acting on it.   Mistakes are learning opportunities. When something goes wrong, the real test is how a company reacts and focuses on "solving the customer,” not just the problem. Communicate with customers quickly, fix what went wrong, and then look deeper to stop the issue from happening to others.   Plus, Shep and David discuss Sweetwater's emphasis on company culture and community. Tune in!  Quote:   "Additional generosity means doing something a little unexpected for the customers. It is a way of saying thank you for thinking of us and giving us the opportunity to earn their business."  About:    David Fuhr is the Chief Sales Officer at Sweetwater, where he leads the company's renowned sales team. Since joining the company over five years ago, he has held key leadership positions, including SVP of Customer Experience, focusing on delivering the Sweetwater Difference for both customers and staff.  Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us a textIn this episode of Navigating the Customer Experience, we sit down with Jeremie Kubicek, a powerful communicator, serial entrepreneur, and co-founder of GiANT, a global leadership development company. Jeremie is the author of several influential leadership books, including 5 Voices, 5 Gears, The 100X Leader, The Peace Index, and his newest release, The Voice-Driven Leader.Jeremie shares his entrepreneurial journey and explains how years of building businesses taught him a critical lesson: while business plans and financial plans matter, it is the people plan that most often determines success or failure. Early in his career, he realized that people were often treated as liabilities rather than assets. This insight led him to dedicate his work to helping leaders understand, develop, and empower people so they can truly thrive.At the heart of the conversation is Jeremie's new book, The Voice-Driven Leader. He explains that the most important role in any organization is the team leader—the person who leads people day-to-day. Using the metaphor of a “Sherpa,” Jeremie emphasizes that when a leader is healthy and self-aware, the team they lead is far more likely to be healthy as well. The book helps leaders understand their own voice, personality, and wiring, as well as the voices of those they lead, so they can communicate more effectively and create meaningful development plans.Jeremie outlines several core leadership principles, especially for those transitioning from peer to leader. These include learning to “speak the language” of others rather than forcing them to adapt to your style, clearly defining expectations and development paths, and guiding people through the discomfort of learning—what he calls the “pit of despair.” By understanding how people are wired and how they respond under stress, leaders can better support growth and avoid unnecessary breakdowns.The conversation also explores how communication has evolved, particularly across generations, and how small misunderstandings—tone, emojis, or short messages—can unintentionally damage relationships if leaders are not intentional and aware.Jeremie shares what excites him most right now: his focus on the idea that peace is power. He explains that leaders cannot give what they do not possess. If a leader is not at peace internally, their leadership and customer experience efforts will feel transactional rather than authentic. He introduces The Peace Index, a practical framework that helps individuals assess peace across five areas of life, reinforcing the idea that personal well-being directly impacts professional effectiveness.Listeners also hear about the tool Jeremie uses daily—the 5 Voices App, an AI-powered resource designed to help people navigate communication, relationships, and leadership based on personality dynamics. He recommends Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara as a book that deeply influenced his thinking on journeys, employee experience, and customer experience.Jeremie closes by sharing simple yet powerful phrases he uses during challenging times, including “Choose joy” and “Call up, not out,” reminding us that leadership begins within. This episode is a compelling reminder that great customer experiences start with healthy, self-aware leaders who are alive, at peace, and intentional about how they show up every day.Connect with Jeremie Kubicekwww.jeremiekubicek.com

The marketing landscape is changing faster than ever—and the marketers who treat their work like product and embrace AI will win.   This week, Leader Generation host Tessa Burg talks with Alan Kipust, Mod Op's Executive in Residence and a leader in product management, to discuss how AI is fundamentally reshaping what marketing teams can accomplish and how they should think about their work.  You'll learn which AI applications actually move the needle, the power of a good hackathon and the skills every marketer needs to master. Wherever you are in your career, this episode will change how you approach your work tomorrow.  Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. About Alan Kipust: Alan Kipust is a senior product management executive with a distinguished track record building and scaling digital, logistics, and customer-centric businesses for some of the world's most recognizable brands. Over a fifteen-year career at Amazon, Uber, Chewy and Ford Motor Company, he has led transformative initiatives across e-commerce, mobility, customer operations, and subscription ecosystems. Most recently, as Senior Director of Product Management for Ford's Digital Experience organization, Kipust oversaw the company's subscription commerce and advanced Ford's global data privacy and commitments. Prior to Ford, he served as Senior Director of Customer Experience at Chewy, driving enterprise-wide customer experience strategy, deploying proprietary CRM systems, and helping maintain the brand's industry-leading satisfaction rating. With deep expertise in scaled operations, platform design, and technology-driven transformation, Kipust has shaped the digital and operational backbone behind major global businesses. At Uber, he served as Global Head of Vehicle Product Management, directing the product and fleet strategy for a 60,000-vehicle program that supplied a significant share of global driver availability. Earlier in his career, he spent seven years at Amazon, where he launched Amazon Flex and built Amazon Logistics' first integrated customer-and-driver support operation. A holder of multiple U.S. patents and an advisor to several high-growth companies, Kipust is known for his product vision, operational rigor, and ability to build high-performing teams in complex, rapidly evolving environments. He can be reached on LinkedIn or at Alan.Kipust@modop.com. About Tessa Burg: Tessa is the Chief Technology Officer at Mod Op and Host of the Leader Generation podcast. She has led both technology and marketing teams for 15+ years. Tessa initiated and now leads Mod Op's AI/ML Pilot Team, AI Council and Innovation Pipeline. She started her career in IT and development before following her love for data and strategy into digital marketing. Tessa has held roles on both the consulting and client sides of the business for domestic and international brands, including American Greetings, Amazon, Nestlé, Anlene, Moen and many more. Tessa can be reached on LinkedIn or at Tessa.Burg@ModOp.com.

SEASON 9 COMING JANUARY 6TH, 2025 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Please take 12 seconds to rate and review the podcast because it helps us find new listeners ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐FREE RESOURCES✅ Get a free digital copy of my bestselling book for a limited time, Choice Hacking: How to use psychology and behavioral science to create an experience that sings. Get it here: https://www.choicehacking.com/free-book/ ✅ Get FREE weekly marketing psychology insights when you join my newsletter, Choice Hacking Ideas: Join the 10k+ people getting daily insights on how to 2x their marketing effectiveness (so sales and profit 2x, too) using buyer psychology. Join here: https://www.choicehacking.com/read/✅ Connect with host Jennifer Clinehens on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok @ChoiceHacking and @BuildwithChoiceHackingWORK WITH ME✅ Corporate Training: Get your team up-skilled marketing psychology and behavioral science with a workshop or training session. Choice Hacking has worked with brands like Microsoft, T-Mobile, and McDonalds to help their teams apply behavioral science and marketing psychology.Learn more here, and get in touch using the contact form at the bottom of the page: https://www.choicehacking.com/training/✅ Get your own Chief Marketing Copilot for your business when you my new program. Get live Skill Sessions, Implementation Sessions, and one-on-one time with me.Learn more here: https://choicehacking.academy/pro/✅ Buy my book in Kindle, paperback, or audiobook form: "Choice Hacking: How to use psychology and behavioral science to create an experience that sings": https://choicehacking.com/PodBook/ ★ Support this podcast ★

SEASON 9 COMING JANUARY 6TH, 2025 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Please take 12 seconds to rate and review the podcast because it helps us find new listeners ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐FREE RESOURCES✅ Get a free digital copy of my bestselling book for a limited time, Choice Hacking: How to use psychology and behavioral science to create an experience that sings. Get it here: https://www.choicehacking.com/free-book/ ✅ Get FREE weekly marketing psychology insights when you join my newsletter, Choice Hacking Ideas: Join the 10k+ people getting daily insights on how to 2x their marketing effectiveness (so sales and profit 2x, too) using buyer psychology. Join here: https://www.choicehacking.com/read/✅ Connect with host Jennifer Clinehens on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok @ChoiceHacking and @BuildwithChoiceHackingWORK WITH ME✅ Corporate Training: Get your team up-skilled marketing psychology and behavioral science with a workshop or training session. Choice Hacking has worked with brands like Microsoft, T-Mobile, and McDonalds to help their teams apply behavioral science and marketing psychology.Learn more here, and get in touch using the contact form at the bottom of the page: https://www.choicehacking.com/training/✅ Get your own Chief Marketing Copilot for your business when you my new program. Get live Skill Sessions, Implementation Sessions, and one-on-one time with me.Learn more here: https://choicehacking.academy/pro/✅ Buy my book in Kindle, paperback, or audiobook form: "Choice Hacking: How to use psychology and behavioral science to create an experience that sings": https://choicehacking.com/PodBook/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Cleaning issues, last-minute cancellations, and unreliable contractors are some of the biggest threats to STR performance. Chris Rule, VP of Customer Experience at Turno, joins the show to explain how top operators are solving these problems—and what's coming next for the industry.Chris shares how Turno is helping hosts and property managers eliminate turnover chaos by connecting guest cleanliness reviews directly to cleaners, automating scheduling, and creating real accountability at scale. The conversation dives deep into why turnovers are one of the most stressful (and most overlooked) parts of short-term rental operations, and how better systems lead to better reviews, happier guests, and fewer late-night emergencies.We also explore Turno's rapidly expanding ecosystem, including global contractor coverage, cleaner guarantees, faster payouts, tax compliance, and what's next beyond cleaning—including maintenance and handyman services designed specifically for STR operators.Whether you're managing one property or hundreds, this episode breaks down how professional operators are building reliable, scalable systems that protect performance and peace of mind.Topics covered:Why turnovers make or break guest experienceHow guest cleanliness reviews create real cleaner accountabilityPreventing last-minute no-shows and operational emergenciesScaling cleaning and maintenance without growing headachesTurno's expansion into maintenance and contractor servicesWhat STR operators should expect in 2026 and beyondIf you're serious about running a high-performing short-term rental, this is a must-listen episode.Get in touch with Chris:LinkedIn: Chris Rule Sign up at Turno here today!__Episode Sponsored By:STR SearchSTR Search is the industry leading property finder service. They've helped investors acquire over 325+ profitable STRs across the US. If you'd like the data professionals to help you find your next STR, reach out to STRsearch.com

As we head into 2026, leaders are facing a familiar challenge in a new form. Expectations are higher. Attention spans are shorter. Technology is accelerating. And yet, the differentiator hasn't changed. In this episode I talk about what is needed to drive employee experience, customer experience, and hospitality to drive business results. In this episode, you'll learn: • Why leadership, hospitality, and CX are no longer separate conversations • How employee experience directly shapes customer behavior and loyalty • Why hospitality is a strategic growth lever, not a "soft" skill • The rise of premiumization and intentional moments that matter • How technology should enable humanity, not replace it • The leadership behaviors that will differentiate brands in 2026 • Practical questions every leader should be asking right now Perfect for: hospitality leaders, business owners, CEOS, COOs, CX/EX professionals, operational managers, retail and service teams, training and development leaders, and anyone responsible for people and performance (and sales growth) in 2026. If you are ready to start 2026 with clarity, confidence, and momentum, this episode is your launch point. Book time with me to learn about our speaking, training, and consulting services: https://calendly.com/thetonyjohnson/strategy  Links & Resources:

SEASON 9 COMING JANUARY 6TH, 2025 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Please take 12 seconds to rate and review the podcast because it helps us find new listeners ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐FREE RESOURCES✅ Get a free digital copy of my bestselling book for a limited time, Choice Hacking: How to use psychology and behavioral science to create an experience that sings. Get it here: https://www.choicehacking.com/free-book/ ✅ Get FREE weekly marketing psychology insights when you join my newsletter, Choice Hacking Ideas: Join the 10k+ people getting daily insights on how to 2x their marketing effectiveness (so sales and profit 2x, too) using buyer psychology. Join here: https://www.choicehacking.com/read/✅ Connect with host Jennifer Clinehens on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok @ChoiceHacking and @BuildwithChoiceHackingWORK WITH ME✅ Corporate Training: Get your team up-skilled marketing psychology and behavioral science with a workshop or training session. Choice Hacking has worked with brands like Microsoft, T-Mobile, and McDonalds to help their teams apply behavioral science and marketing psychology.Learn more here, and get in touch using the contact form at the bottom of the page: https://www.choicehacking.com/training/✅ Get your own Chief Marketing Copilot for your business when you my new program. Get live Skill Sessions, Implementation Sessions, and one-on-one time with me.Learn more here: https://choicehacking.academy/pro/✅ Buy my book in Kindle, paperback, or audiobook form: "Choice Hacking: How to use psychology and behavioral science to create an experience that sings": https://choicehacking.com/PodBook/ ★ Support this podcast ★

" I love shining a light on escape room creators and telling their stories." For the last 10 years, Lisa Spira of Room Escape Artist has been tracking the growth of the US Escape Room industry and publishing industry reports. For our Season 10 finale episode, Lisa joins us to talk about this year's annual report. New this year is a collaboration with previous REPOD sponsor Morty, an app that tracks individual games as well as escape room companies. Through this collaboration, Lisa was able to look at additional metrics, including revenue. The 2025 Industry report is available on the Room Escape Artist website, and Lisa shares deeper analysis on this episode. Some interesting trends noted include consolidation of ownership, and expansion of immersive gaming business models. We also talk about some interesting stats, including which days might be better for an escape room company to go dark; it's not what you would expect! We close out the episode with some musings on exciting new design trends in escape room design, trends we don't care for, and where we think the escape room industry is headed. Whether you're an escape room owner, aspiring to work in the escape room industry, work in the immersive entertainment field, or just a data-loving enthusiast, the REA US Escape Room Industry Report is a must-read. This is the last episode of Season 10. Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back with a new season of REPOD in the spring of 2026. Meanwhile, consider joining our Patreon for access to our library of Bonus Aftershows and Spoilers Club episodes.   Episode Sponsors We are immensely grateful to our sponsors this season: REA Patreon Backers, PG's Playhouse, Buzzshot, and COGS. We truly appreciate your support of our mission to promote and improve the immersive gaming community.   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.   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.   COGS COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.   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  

Lessons on Humanity, Technology, and Leadership from a Pioneer of Customer Experience  Shep interviews Bruce Temkin, host of Humanity at Scale: Redefining Leadership. He talks about how AI is reshaping business and why human connection remains essential for both customers and employees.  This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:    What is the difference between customer experience and customer service?  Why is the concept "the customer is always right" often considered misguided?  How can companies benefit from shifting their focus from internal processes to customer-centric thinking?  What role does behavioral science play in improving customer experience?  How is artificial intelligence affecting customer service and employee roles in modern organizations?  Top Takeaways:    Customer experience isn't just a buzzword or a fancy way of saying customer service. It is not just about the moments where the customer needs help. It is about every interaction throughout the entire customer journey.  Customers are not always right, but they are always the customer. Customers sometimes have complaints or requests that don't align with the business's offerings, especially if they're not the target audience. Treat everyone with respect, even when you can't give them exactly what they want. Even when they are wrong, let them be wrong with dignity and keep the relationship open for the future as much as possible.  Behavioral science helps explain why customers act the way they do, make certain choices, and even how they respond to situations. Knowledge about how humans think and feel is just as essential as knowing how to organize teams or create new products. Understanding human behavior helps leaders make decisions that truly connect with employees and customers.  Success isn't just about financial results, but also about making life better for people inside and outside the company. Leaders who keep the well-being of employees, customers, and communities in mind make decisions that will have a positive impact on everyone.   AI is changing how work gets done, especially in customer service. AI helps humans do higher-level, creative, and caring work. AI can handle simple tasks, so humans can focus on building real relationships and solving complex problems.  Technology creates new opportunities. AI will not replace humans. It will change the type of work that humans do. Just like how the internet created tons of new jobs, AI will reshape the workplace and introduce new careers.   Plus, Shep and Bruce discuss why it is important for individuals and companies to make sure they are always moving towards their "North Star." Tune in!  Quote:   "One of the absolute misguided beliefs is that the customer is always right. They aren't. All you have to do is look at yourself in the mirror. Everyone's been a customer and not always been right when they've complained or seen a problem."  About:    Bruce Temkin is widely recognized as the "Godfather of Customer Experience," helping to shape customer and employee experience and advising leaders on how to keep people at the center of their organizational processes. He is the host of the podcast, Humanity at Scale: Redefining Leadership.    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

In this episode of Predictable B2B Success, Vinay Koshy interviews Adam Callinan, a serial entrepreneur who built Bottle Keeper from the ground up to over $8 million in revenue without employees or debt, secured a “Shark Tank” deal, and achieved a successful acquisition. As the founder of Pentane, Adam now focuses on simplifying profitability for e-commerce and consumer brands. Adam Callinan discusses the origins of his “profitability first” approach and how automation and data-driven decision-making have shaped his success. He shares lessons on avoiding distractions, leveraging KPIs for real-time guidance, and recognizing the risks of unchecked growth. The conversation includes practical strategies for operational clarity, determining when to automate or hire, and delivering exceptional customer experiences. This episode offers candid stories and actionable insights to challenge your perspective on growth and profitability, providing strategies to help you drive your business forward with purpose. Some topics we explore in this episode include: Genesis of Pentane: How Adam Callinan's Bottle Keeper experience led to creating a profitability platform for e-commerce.Financial Pitfalls for Startups: Common reasons startups fail and how Pentane addresses cash flow and financial clarity.Intentional Business Operations: The importance of using structure, math, and process over guesswork for growth and profitability.Managing Operating Expenses: Dangers of adding headcount and expenses without understanding their impact.Automation vs. Hiring: Scaling with automation, Adam Callinan's “hire nobody” strategy, and knowing when tech hits its limits.Rejecting ‘Growth at All Costs': Why sustainable, profitable growth matters more than chasing scale blindly.Real-Time, Actionable Data: Using leading indicators and live dashboards (like Pentane) for smarter decisions.Customer Experience with Automation: Ensuring quality and a “wow” experience, even in highly automated businesses.Pricing and Gross Margin Strategy: Data-driven approaches to pricing, margin, and customer acquisition cost.Go-to-Market & Partnerships: Driving growth through agency partnerships, customer education, and personal brand-building.And much, much more...

At the heart of The Prophets' vision are “The 24 Essential Supply Chain Processes.” What are they? Find out, and see the future yourself. Click here As 2025 wraps up, the Auto Supply Chain Prophets podcast looks back on its journey and shares thoughts about what's next. Hosts Jan Griffiths, Jim Liegghio, and Terry Onica take a moment to celebrate the podcast's impact, highlighting 15,000 downloads in over 20 countries, and look forward to their 100th episode in 2026, a milestone only a few podcasts achieve.Jim encourages listeners to revisit past episodes to hear how industry leaders think, solve problems, and approach supply chain challenges. Terry shares her retirement from QAD after 23 years, celebrating a career spent promoting supply chain excellence and promising to continue contributing to projects she loves.Jan confirms the podcast isn't going anywhere. In 2026, it will return with a refreshed format and new energy. For now, listeners can check out past episodes, dive deeper into the content on the website, and follow along as the hosts continue sharing conversations that shape the automotive supply chain.Featured on this episode: Name: Jan GriffithsTitle: President and Founder, Gravitas Detroit About: Jan is the architect of cultural change in the automotive industry. As the President & Founder of Gravitas Detroit, Jan brings a wealth of expertise and a passion for transforming company cultures. Additionally, she is the host of the Automotive Leaders Podcast, where she shares insightful conversations with industry visionaries. Jan is also the author of AutoCulture 2.0, a groundbreaking book that challenges the traditional leadership model prevalent in the automotive world. With her extensive experience and commitment to fostering positive change, Jan is at the forefront of revolutionizing the automotive landscape.Connect: LinkedInName: James “Jim” LiegghioTitle: Manager, Customer Experience & Engagement, Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG)About: Jim is a seasoned supply chain leader with over 25 years of experience, particularly in the automotive sector. His expertise spans a wide range of areas, from hands-on plant-level material and production control to high-level corporate logistics roles at major OEMs like FCA. He has navigated the complexities of international logistics, trade compliance, and cross-functional collaboration, gaining a global perspective that enhances his approach to supply chain management. He excels at working across departments to achieve strategic goals, with a strong focus on optimizing operations and fostering relationships. His work isn't just about logistics; it's about cultivating a culture of continuous improvement, community, and diversity. Throughout his career, Jim has remained committed to lifelong learning, driven by a genuine curiosity and a passion for leadership.Connect: LinkedInName: Terry OnicaTitle: Director, Automotive at

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Please take 12 seconds to rate and review the podcast because it helps us find new listeners ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐FREE RESOURCES✅ Get a free digital copy of my bestselling book for a limited time, Choice Hacking: How to use psychology and behavioral science to create an experience that sings. Get it here: https://www.choicehacking.com/free-book/ ✅ Get FREE weekly marketing psychology insights when you join my newsletter, Choice Hacking Ideas: Join the 10k+ people getting daily insights on how to 2x their marketing effectiveness (so sales and profit 2x, too) using buyer psychology. Join here: https://www.choicehacking.com/read/✅ Connect with host Jennifer Clinehens on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok @ChoiceHacking and @BuildwithChoiceHackingWORK WITH ME✅ Corporate Training: Get your team up-skilled marketing psychology and behavioral science with a workshop or training session. Choice Hacking has worked with brands like Microsoft, T-Mobile, and McDonalds to help their teams apply behavioral science and marketing psychology.Learn more here, and get in touch using the contact form at the bottom of the page: https://www.choicehacking.com/training/✅ Get your own Chief Marketing Copilot for your business when you my new program. Get live Skill Sessions, Implementation Sessions, and one-on-one time with me.Learn more here: https://choicehacking.academy/pro/✅ Buy my book in Kindle, paperback, or audiobook form: "Choice Hacking: How to use psychology and behavioral science to create an experience that sings": https://choicehacking.com/PodBook/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Summary In this episode of the AI for Sales podcast, host Chad Burmeister speaks with Ken Tucker, a marketing solution architect and founder of Chainscape Web. They discuss the transformative impact of AI on digital marketing, emphasizing the balance between human expertise and AI efficiency. Ken shares insights on optimizing for search engines, enhancing customer experience through AI, and the importance of quick response times in sales. He also provides case studies on AI voice solutions and highlights the integration of various AI tools to streamline business processes. The conversation concludes with a look at the future of AI in sales and marketing. Takeaways AI is reshaping the landscape of digital marketing. Human expertise remains crucial in AI-driven solutions. Speed of response is vital for winning business. AI can enhance customer experience when used correctly. Optimizing for both Google and Bing is essential. Structured questions improve SEO and customer engagement. AI can help pre-qualify leads for sales teams. Video AI solutions can amplify marketing efforts. AI tools can streamline business processes effectively. The future of sales will heavily involve AI technologies. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to AI in Marketing 01:01 The Role of AI in Digital Marketing 05:38 Customer Experience and AI 10:17 Case Studies in AI Voice Solutions 15:24 Integrating AI Solutions for Efficiency 20:13 Conclusion and Future of AI in Sales 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.

In this episode, Joe sits down with Joey Ferreyra, Manager of Aviation Sales & Customer Experience at Garmin, for a deep dive into the future of cockpit technology. Together, they explore the newest advancements in avionics, including FAA Datacom, Smart Charts, and the latest in autopilot automation. Joey breaks down how these cutting-edge tools streamline pilot workload, improve situational awareness, enhance communication, and ultimately make flying safer, smarter, and more intuitive. Whether you're flying a PA46 or just passionate about aviation tech, this conversation offers valuable insight into where avionics are headed—and how Garmin is leading the way.Did you hear the news? Joe just released his very first book! You can grab your copy of Long Story Short: Stories From a Lifetime in the Cockpit on Amazon: https://a.co/d/4JGtIgq

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Please take 12 seconds to rate and review the podcast because it helps us find new listeners ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐FREE RESOURCES✅ Get a free digital copy of my bestselling book for a limited time, Choice Hacking: How to use psychology and behavioral science to create an experience that sings. Get it here: https://www.choicehacking.com/free-book/ ✅ Get FREE weekly marketing psychology insights when you join my newsletter, Choice Hacking Ideas: Join the 10k+ people getting daily insights on how to 2x their marketing effectiveness (so sales and profit 2x, too) using buyer psychology. Join here: https://www.choicehacking.com/read/✅ Connect with host Jennifer Clinehens on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok @ChoiceHacking and @BuildwithChoiceHackingWORK WITH ME✅ Corporate Training: Get your team up-skilled marketing psychology and behavioral science with a workshop or training session. Choice Hacking has worked with brands like Microsoft, T-Mobile, and McDonalds to help their teams apply behavioral science and marketing psychology.Learn more here, and get in touch using the contact form at the bottom of the page: https://www.choicehacking.com/training/✅ Get your own Chief Marketing Copilot for your business when you my new program. Get live Skill Sessions, Implementation Sessions, and one-on-one time with me.Learn more here: https://choicehacking.academy/pro/✅ Buy my book in Kindle, paperback, or audiobook form: "Choice Hacking: How to use psychology and behavioral science to create an experience that sings": https://choicehacking.com/PodBook/ ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of Disruption/Interruption, host KJ sits down with Jayesh Kumar, Co-Founder at Aonami. Discover how legacy systems are being disrupted, the challenges of digital transformation, and why true innovation means building solutions that give time back to people. Four Key Takeaways: The Problem with Legacy Systems [6:10]Banks and healthcare institutions are bogged down by dozens of outdated, patchwork systems, making innovation slow and compliance difficult. Meeting Clients Where They Are [14:54]True disruption comes from understanding a client’s current state and building solutions that fit their unique needs, rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all approach. The Human Side of B2B Sales [20:03]Selling transformative technology to large organizations is about building relationships and convincing multiple teams, not just one decision-maker. The Real Goal of Technology [28:47]The ultimate aim of innovation should be to give people time back, making work more productive, creative, and compassionate. Quote of the Show (34:23):"True disruption really happens not by doing a lot of work, but by doing less in a much smarter way. You should be building systems that start giving time back to people." – Jayesh Kumar Join our Anti-PR newsletter where we’re keeping a watchful and clever eye on PR trends, PR fails, and interesting news in tech so you don't have to. You're welcome. Want PR that actually matters? Get 30 minutes of expert advice in a fast-paced, zero-nonsense session from Karla Jo Helms, a veteran Crisis PR and Anti-PR Strategist who knows how to tell your story in the best possible light and get the exposure you need to disrupt your industry. Click here to book your call: https://info.jotopr.com/free-anti-pr-eval Ways to connect with Jayesh Kumar: LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jayeshrout Company Website: https://aonamitech.com How to get more Disruption/Interruption: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/eccda84d-4d5b-4c52-ba54-7fd8af3cbe87/disruption-interruption Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disruption-interruption/id1581985755 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6yGSwcSp8J354awJkCmJlDSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Happy holidays once again! This is being aired the day after Christmas, or on Boxing Day for those who are in places that do a thing called Boxing Day. I guess it has something to do with giving boxes, or having boxes, or maybe relatives boxing one another after spending time together over the holidays. Whatever it is, hope you have a happy one. The actual origins, according to Wikipedia, seems to be around the mid 1700s when “traditionally on this day tradespeople, employees, etc., would receive presents or gratuities (a ‘Christmas box') from their customers or employers.” So maybe one of the earlier manifestations of customer and employee experience. One of the things that I love about doing experience design is how relatively small things can make someone feel like a superhero. Little acts of experience design can make a big difference in people's days and even their lives. And isn't that what it is all about, including the holidays? Whatever you believe or don't believe regarding the holidays, being mindful of extending small acts of kindness or doing something that is relatively simple to make a huge impact. Which is a perfect thing to keep in mind for our show today. My guest on Experience by Design is Erika Sinner. Erika brings a lot of compassion and empathy to the world. In fact, she prefers the title of Chief Empathy Officer. Her book Pets are Family emphasizes the importance of pet bereavement policies in organizations. This is just one part of her efforts to bring more empathy to the workplace. She also is the CEO and Founder of Directorie, “a(n) agency that connects seasoned commercial, marketing, and market access experts” with organizations that are under-resourced and overworked. If that wasn't enough, she now is the Chief Empathy Officer of Tiny Super Heroes, which makes children who are facing unique medical challenges to feel like the superheroes that they are. As their website states, “We're setting out to transform hospital culture - one hospital at a time - because every child's clinical journey should be filled with strength, hope, and a little more fun.”As part of Tiny Super Heroes, children get their own superhero capes and get badges to mark the medical treatments they receive as well as other accomplishments. It is all at no cost, and made possible through the donations of individuals and organizations, and aims to reach all 226 children's hospitals in the country.We talk about Erika's personal journey and struggles that led her to her work as a founder Directorie and now CEO of Tiny Super Heroes. We also talk about the importance of play in the workplace as a way of creating a sense of safety and trust. Talking about culture as a leader isn't enough; leaders need to take the necessary steps to create a place where employees don't dread Sunday nights because they have to go to work on Monday. She discusses the importance of company culture and employee commitment in attracting top talent, especially for Gen Z and Gen Alpha who prioritize making a difference.Erika discusses the positive impact of the Tiny Super Heroes program on children with medical conditions, highlighting how it helps reduce anxiety and improve clinical outcomes by transforming medical experiences into fun missions. The program has online support groups for parents, which currently have around 60,000 members. Healthcare providers also benefit from the program by creating a more positive and playful environment in hospitals. In this way, it is really an experience design that impacts the healthcare ecosystem.So on this Boxing Day, you can listen to this episode and head over to the Tiny Super Heroes website to give a gift that can make all the difference.Erika Sinner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikasinner/Erika Sinner Website: https://www.erikasinner.org/“Pets are Family” Book: https://www.erikasinner.org/for-bookstoreDirectorie: https://www.directorie.com/Tiny Super Heroes: https://tinysuperheroes.com/

From all of us at Cloud Realities, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! Back in our December 2022 Christmas special, we explored the far reaches of reality, asking whether we live in a simulation and if that even matters. Now, we return to that question with fresh perspectives and new challenges…In this last Cloud Realities podcast of 2025, Dave, Esmee and Rob return to the simulation with Anders Indset, philosopher, author, and long-time friend of the show, revisiting a question that's been quietly running underneath everything we've discussed since 2022: If reality itself is information and what does that mean for being human? TLDR:00:58 – It's Christmas!08:32 – Major announcement and reflections on the Cloud Realities podcast journey15:32 – Celebrating three big wins: B2B Marketing Awards (Best Content, Best Customer Retention) and The Drum (Best Creative Audio)22:55 – Is there a next thing?23:30 – Welcoming Anders Indset, who shares his vision for practical philosophy and the future of human/AI co-evolution32:02 – Exploring the Quantum Economy and the Singularity Paradox58:10 – Deep dive into the Simulation Hypothesis, revisiting the 2022 discussion and Rob is again confused...01:27:45 – Anders enjoying Christmas in the Norwegian wilderness01:29:40 – Edit pointGuestAnders Indset: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andersindset/ or andersindset.comAdditional information: thequantumeconomy.com and tomorrowmensch.comHostsDave Chapmanger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chapmandr/Esmee van de Gluhwein: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esmeevandegiessen/Rob Snowmananahan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-kernahan/ProductionDr Mike van Der Buabbles: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcel-vd-burg/Dave Chapmanger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chapmandr/ SoundBen Jingle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-corbett-3b6a11135/Louis Snow:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/louis-corbett-087250264/ 'Cloud Realities' is an original podcast from Capgemini

These “small” places can hold big lessons.It's easy to overlook the little things that truly build culture and connection in the workplace, but this episode is a great reminder that the way teams interact can have a big impact—on each other and on customers.3 Takeaways from the Diner Experience:Community Over Task: The staff worked together seamlessly, jumping in wherever needed. They didn't just stick to rigid roles—everyone helped out, which created a real sense of community (and made the place run like clockwork).Empathy & Intrinsic Motivation Matter: Genuine care for each other and pride in their work were obvious, regardless of pay or job title. These “softer” skills—empathy and motivation—were crucial to a positive environment and high performance.Customer Experience is Energy: Because the workforce felt connected, customers left their phones in their pockets and engaged with each other—and even strangers. The result was more than just a meal; it was a feeling of belonging and genuine connection.In each episode, Jeff and Eric will talk about what emotional intelligence, or understanding your emotions, can do for you in your daily and work life. For more information, contact Eric or Jeff at info@spiritofeq.com, or go to their website, Spirit of EQ.You can follow The Spirit of EQ Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Android, or on your favorite podcast player.New episodes are available on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays every month!Please review our podcast on iTunes. Click on the link for an easy, step-by-step tutorial.Music from Uppbeathttps://uppbeat.io/t/roo-walker/deeperLicense code: PEYKDJHQNGSZXDUESpirit of EQ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/We hope you enjoy the podcast. Hopefully, you're tuning in on a regular basis. We'd love it if you would give us a great review on whatever platform you're listening to the podcast. It's so appreciative and helps us as we try to get more exposure for the work we do and the episodes that we publish. We're grateful to you as a listener. Secondly, our content is for educational purposes only. It's not intended by any stretch to diagnose or treat anything that may be occurring in your life or anyone else's life that you may be connected to through the podcast. And as always, we look forward to the next time that we're together. Take care.Mentioned in this episode:Thanks for listening to Spirit of EQThis podcast was created to be a tool to primarily help you to discover and grow your EQ. Science and our own lived experiences confirm that the better we are at managing our emotions, the better we're going to be at making decisions. Which leads to a better life. And that's something we all want. We're glad that you've taken the time today to listen. We hope that something you hear will lead to a breakthrough. We'd really appreciate a review on your podcast platform. Please leave some comments about what you heard today, as well as follow and subscribe to the podcast. That way, you won't miss a single episode as we continue this journey.SEQ Development ReportThe SEQ Development Report is an innovative...

This holiday re-broadcast brings back one of our most downloaded episodes — and one of the clearest real-world playbooks for how a traditional winery can modernize its marketing without spending more money.In this episode, Aly Wente, fifth-generation vintner and SVP of Marketing and Customer Experience at Wente Family Vineyards, breaks down how America's oldest continuously operated family-owned winery (founded in 1883) successfully reoriented its marketing toward Millennials and Gen Z — while keeping its legacy consumers and staying true to its heritage.The headline insight for winery leaders: Wente didn't increase its marketing budget. It reallocated it — away from low-ROI tactics and toward channels, content, and messages that could be measured and optimized.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Please take 12 seconds to rate and review the podcast because it helps us find new listeners ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐FREE RESOURCES✅ Get a free digital copy of my bestselling book for a limited time, Choice Hacking: How to use psychology and behavioral science to create an experience that sings. Get it here: https://www.choicehacking.com/free-book/ ✅ Get FREE weekly marketing psychology insights when you join my newsletter, Choice Hacking Ideas: Join the 10k+ people getting daily insights on how to 2x their marketing effectiveness (so sales and profit 2x, too) using buyer psychology. Join here: https://www.choicehacking.com/read/✅ Connect with host Jennifer Clinehens on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok @ChoiceHacking and @BuildwithChoiceHackingWORK WITH ME✅ Corporate Training: Get your team up-skilled marketing psychology and behavioral science with a workshop or training session. Choice Hacking has worked with brands like Microsoft, T-Mobile, and McDonalds to help their teams apply behavioral science and marketing psychology.Learn more here, and get in touch using the contact form at the bottom of the page: https://www.choicehacking.com/training/✅ Get your own Chief Marketing Copilot for your business when you my new program. Get live Skill Sessions, Implementation Sessions, and one-on-one time with me.Learn more here: https://choicehacking.academy/pro/✅ Buy my book in Kindle, paperback, or audiobook form: "Choice Hacking: How to use psychology and behavioral science to create an experience that sings": https://choicehacking.com/PodBook/ ★ Support this podcast ★

How Royal Caribbean Creates an Unbelievable (WOW) Guest Experience  Shep interviews Richard Fain, chairman of Royal Caribbean Group. He talks about his new book, Delivering the Wow, and creating a customer-focused culture through continuous improvement, empowered employees, and attention to every detail.  This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:    How does a hospitality mindset impact customer experience in the service industry?  How can organizations create a culture that motivates employees to go above and beyond for customers?  Why is employee engagement important in delivering outstanding service experiences?  Why is continuous improvement important for building a customer-focused culture?  What is the role of leadership in sustaining a service-driven culture?  Top Takeaways:    Creating an incredible experience starts with a hospitality mindset. It's not enough for a company just to have beautiful products or spaces. Every employee, from top management to behind-the-scenes team members, must aim to deliver a "wow" experience that gives customers something exciting to talk about with their family and friends.  The hospitality mentality doesn't just belong in a hotel or restaurant. It applies to every business that wants loyal customers. Every single person in an organization has an impact on the customer experience. When every employee, not just the frontlines, is aligned with this mentality, the whole organization can deliver standout experiences.  A “wow” company culture must be lived every day. A strong customer experience culture empowers every employee to work with intention and passion. It makes every member of the team love what they do and inspires others.  When employees are happy at work, they do a better job, and customers notice the difference. The best organizations hire for passion as well as skills.   You can't improve what you don't measure. Keeping track of the metrics that matter, like customer satisfaction and employee engagement, gives the team a target to work toward and motivates them to do their best.  Repeat business is the best feedback. High ratings and reviews are great, but repeat business is the best measurement of whether you delivered a “wow” experience that customers want to come back for.  Good enough is not good enough. The most successful teams and businesses push for constant, even dramatic, improvement that makes their customer's experience unbelievably better.   Plus, Shep and Richard discuss the mantras that help Royal Caribbean achieve quantum leaps in delivering “wow” experiences for its customers. Tune in!  Quote:   "Every once in a while, you hear executives say things like, 'It's just part of our DNA.' But culture isn't automatic. It requires intentionality every single day to truly focus on the customer and keep getting better."  About:    Richard Fain is the chairman and former CEO of the Royal Caribbean Group. He is the bestselling author of Delivering the Wow: Culture as Catalyst for Lasting Success. Under his leadership, the company transformed from a small cruise line into one of the most successful and renowned vacation brands in the world.    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

Recorded live at SocialWest 2025 in Calgary, this episode of the Marketing News Canada podcast features guest host Laila Hobbs in conversation with Julie Ogilvie, Executive Director of the Kentville Business Community and Founder of Julie Ogilvie Consulting.Julie shares how small businesses and solo founders can build customer journeys that convert, without burning out or spending all their time on marketing. The conversation breaks down what a customer journey really is, why it extends far beyond the point of purchase, and how brands can turn customers into long-term advocates through thoughtful post-purchase experiences.From balancing passion with profitability to focusing on the most overlooked stages of the customer journey, this episode offers practical, grounded advice for marketers, founders, and business owners looking to build sustainable growth.

For the first episode in our 2025 Holiday Series we are looking back at our conversation with Augie Ray, Senior Research Analyst and Executive Advisor of Customer Experience at Gartner, about how CX is the most important aspect of marketing and how to focus on customers' unmet needs.

Hello and welcome back to First Principles. This is the part 2 of the 49th episode since we started, or the 8th episode of season 3.In this episode, I sit down with Aloke Bajpai, Group CEO of Ixigo, one of India's fastest-growing and most downloaded travel platforms. While most Indian OTAs followed the Western template of flights-first followed by hotels, Aloke and his co-founder Rajnish took a radically different path. The one that would take nearly 14 years before Ixigo became a full-blown OTA.Aloke takes us through Ixigo's unconventional journey, starting as a meta-search engine in 2007 that couldn't raise funding for over a year. We explore how the insight that 96% of Indians don't fly, led them to build a train-first platform, spending four years creating utility features without any monetization. He breaks down the technical innovation behind solving India-specific problems. Right from predicting waitlist confirmations using machine learning to creating a crowdsourced running status system using cell tower IDs when GPS and internet failed along railway tracks.A central theme is resilience through empathy. Aloke shares how near-death experiences during the 2008 global financial crisis and COVID-19 shaped Ixigo's culture. We discuss the founder's decision to go to zero salary, the whiteboard moment where the entire team transparently decided on salary cuts, and the contrarian choice to proactively refund customers during COVID even when the company was running out of money. Finally, Aloke argues that peace of mind, not tickets, is what travel companies should really be selling. First Principles has been named one of the best shows of 2025 on Apple Podcasts India! Every listen and every share is what keeps us going. We get to dive into these conversations because you show up for them. Thank you for being part of this journey with us. Check out all other episodes here.

As a final send-off to the year, host Nicole Silberstein shares some off-the-cuff thoughts on something we forgot to talk enough about this year — the irreplaceable pleasure of shopping in stores, and why AI won't change that.Happy Holidays from your friends at Retail Remix — see you in 2026!Key TakeawaysMaybe what we all need a little more of right now is in-person shoppingRelated LinksEpisode 258 - Redesigning with Reverence: Inside the New MoMA Design Store ExperienceEpisode 253 - How Primark Is Rewriting the Rules of Value Fashion in the U.S. Related reading: How Printemps' New NYC Store Supports ‘Democratic Luxury' with Subtle TechnologySubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix

In this episode of the Grow A Small Business Podcast, host Troy Vance Morris, the founder of Deliver Service Now institute, joins the podcast to share his journey from a decade at Disney to building and scaling multiple successful home service businesses. He talks about creating premium customer experiences, growing his companies to a point where he now works only 90 minutes a week on operations, and the strategies he uses to retain loyal clients. Vance also explains how he transitioned from employee to entrepreneur, overcame major financial challenges, and built a strong team culture. His story highlights resilience, smart marketing, and the power of systems in business growth. Why would you wait any longer to start living the lifestyle you signed up for? Balance your health, wealth, relationships and business growth. And focus your time and energy and make the most of this year. Let's get into it by clicking here. Troy delves into our guest's startup journey, their perception of success, industry reconsideration, and the pivotal stress point during business expansion. They discuss the joys of small business growth, vital entrepreneurial habits, and strategies for team building, encompassing wins, blunders, and invaluable advice. And a snapshot of the final five Grow A Small Business Questions: 1. What do you think is the hardest thing in growing a small business? Vance Morris has shared that the hardest thing is simply sticking with it. Most people give up too early when they hit financial pressure, setbacks, or slow periods, but long-term success comes from pushing through those tough moments. 2. What's your favorite business book that has helped you the most? Vance Morris has shared that his most valuable business book is "The Ultimate Sales Letter" by Dan Kennedy, which transformed how he approaches marketing and communication with customers. 3. Are there any great podcasts or online learning resources you'd recommend to help grow a small business? Vance Morris has shared that he regularly uses MasterClass for high-level learning from experts, and finds it extremely useful for expanding mindset and gaining inspiration from top performers in different fields. 4. What tool or resource would you recommend to grow a small business? Vance Morris has shared that every small business must have a CRM (Customer Relationship Management system) to track clients, marketing, and follow-ups — it becomes essential once your customer base grows. 5. What advice would you give yourself on day one of starting out in business? Vance Morris has shared that he would tell himself "Don't give up." There were many moments when quitting seemed easier, but staying persistent through financial challenges is what led to long-term success. Book a 20-minute Growth Chat with Troy Trewin to see if you qualify for our upcoming course. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take your small business to new heights! Enjoyed the podcast? Please leave a review on iTunes or your preferred platform. Your feedback helps more small business owners discover our podcast and embark on their business growth journey.     Quotable quotes from our special Grow A Small Business podcast guest: Deliver an experience your competitors can't copy and your customers won't forget — Vance Morris You can't grow a business you're not measuring every single day — Vance Morris Freedom in business comes from systems, not from working more hours — Vance Morris      

The most future-ready marketing leaders aren't the ones chasing trends… they're the ones who can reinvent themselves every time the industry changes.Michelle Huff, Chief Marketing Officer at Alteryx, joins Marketing Trends to break down the mindset that kept her relevant through every major tech revolution, from Web1 to cloud, SaaS, PLG, and now AI. She explains how to balance curiosity with focus, why AI is really about automating judgment (not just tasks), and how she's redesigning her marketing org around agents, automation, and new workflows.Michelle also shares early results from Alteryx's AI experiments, how she's rebuilding a 700,000-person community, and why great leaders still start with the end user even as their buyer audiences expand. Key Moments:  00:00 – How to Stay Relevant Through Every Tech Shift03:42 – A Career Spanning Web1, Cloud, SaaS, and AI06:58 – Curiosity Is the Ultimate Career Advantage10:12 – When Leaders Should Tinker and When to Delegate13:28 – Building a Marketing Culture That Experiments16:41 – Why AI Is About Judgment, Not Just Automation20:07 – Inside an AI-Powered SDR Outbound Workflow23:34 – Do AI Agents Replace People or Elevate Them26:58 – Upskilling Teams in an AI-Driven Organization30:17 – Why Most AI Content Fails to Break Through33:36 – How to Stand Out in a Noisy B2B Market36:52 – Why Enterprise Brands Lose Touch With End Users39:48 – How Alteryx Built a 700,000-Person Community43:06 – Turning Community Into Competition and Learning46:32 – Early AI Wins That Drive Real Pipeline Impact  This episode is brought to you by Lightricks. LTX is the all-in-one creative suite for AI-driven video production; built by Lightricks to take you from idea to final 4K render in one streamlined workspace.Powered by LTX-2, our next-generation creative engine, LTX lets you move faster, collaborate seamlessly, and deliver studio-quality results without compromise. Try it today at ltx.studio Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this special episode of Builders Wanted, recorded live from Twilio Transform in New York City, we're joined by Rikki Singh, Twilio's VP of R&D for Emerging Technologies. Rikki explores groundbreaking advancements in AI, security, and communications, touching on the evolution of technology and customer expectations as we approach 2026. The conversation delves into the role of AI in software engineering, the importance of trust and privacy by design, changes in customer engagement, and the future of agentic workflows.-------------------Key Takeaways:Building robust systems and prioritizing speed empowers organizations to drive innovation rapidly while maintaining high standards of quality.Reliable, well-structured data and clearly defined, measurable objectives are critical for achieving success in AI and analytics initiatives.The most impactful product enhancements stem from actively listening to customers, understanding their challenges, and reimagining features as needed.-------------------“ The fact that we want to give you contextual memory that is able to capture communication, that matters. Because that's where you're expressing your satisfaction, your happiness, your joys. So how do we take that and then use that to help you rather than microsegment you on demographics and target you? I think that's the positive pivot I hope we make as this technology allows for that.” – Rikki Singh-------------------Episode Timestamps:‍*(01:48) - What excites Rikki heading into 2026‍*(02:54) - What feels different about today compared to a year ago‍*(07:14) - Themes shaping the next 12 months for builders‍*(19:43) - What's evolving fastest: the tech stack, the buyer, or the org chart?‍*(27:50) - What builders underestimate about AI and where it's going‍*(43:36) - Quick hits-------------------Links:Connect with Rikki on LinkedInConnect with Kailey on LinkedInLearn more about Caspian Studios-------------------SponsorBuilders Wanted is brought to you by Twilio – the Customer Engagement Platform that helps builders turn real-time data into meaningful customer experiences. More than 320,000 businesses trust Twilio to transform signals into connections—and connections into revenue. Ready to build what's next? Learn more at twilio.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

More money. More time. Or both.If what you offer helps people get one or both, demand should not be the problem. When it is, the issue is rarely the product. It is how the value is communicated. The problem is most businesses bury that value under features, specs, and what I call “knowledge vomit” and then wonder why buyers do not move.In this episode, I break down why marketing fails when it cannot clearly validate outcomes. Buyers do not struggle with features or specs. They struggle with confusion. If your message does not quickly show how you help them make money, save time, or both, they will move on, even if what you offer is genuinely strong.We walk through how value gets buried under “impressive” language, why clear always beats clever, and how small disconnects in messaging and experience quietly erode trust and revenue. This is not about hype or shortcuts. It is about making the value obvious at every touchpoint.In this episode, you will learn how to:Translate features into outcomes buyers actually care aboutClarify whether your offer makes money, saves time, or does bothSimplify messaging so decision makers instantly understand the valueFix marketing that looks polished but fails to convertImprove customer experience through small, intentional momentsAlign product, marketing, and leadership around one clear value storyThis episode is for founders, marketers, product leaders, and decision makers who are tired of guessing why marketing is not working. If your marketing cannot clearly prove value, you will not win. When it can, growth becomes more predictable, more sustainable, and far less complicated.Beyond The Episode Gems:Subscribe To My New Weekly LinkedIn Newsletter: Strategize. Market. Grow.Buy My Book, Strategize Up: The Blueprint To Scale Your Business: StrategizeUpBook.comDiscover All Podcasts On The HubSpot Podcast NetworkGet Free HubSpot Marketing Tools To Help You Grow Your BusinessGrow Your Business Faster Using HubSpot's CRM PlatformSupport The Podcast & Connect With Troy: Rate & Review iDigress: iDigress.fm/ReviewsFollow Troy's Socials @FindTroy: LinkedIn, Instagram, Threads, TikTokSubscribe to Troy's YouTube Channel For Strategy Videos & See Masterclass EpisodesNeed Growth Strategy, A Keynote Speaker, Or Want To Sponsor The Podcast? Go To FindTroy.com

" I appreciated your janitor's slow decline into madness." BLOT needs our help! The Bureau of Legitimate and Otherworldly Troubles has suffered a breach in their laboratory, and they need someone to clean up the mess. In the lab, there's a chalkboard to the left,  a table with beakers and test tubes to the right and a small computer desk. The room is covered with a strange, gunky substance all over the walls and floor. What would you like to do? BLOT was the official game for RECON Remote 25, available to play for all Community, Pro, and Champion ticket holders who opted in. It was created and run by Mark Larson, who was a guest on REPOD S5E11. On this episode, Yannick Trapman-O'Brien and Lyra Levin join us to play BLOT. Lyra was a featured speaker for RECON Remote 25 with her talk, Make Stuff Fast: Rapid Prototyping for Interactive Experiences, now available on YouTube. Yannick originally appeared on REPOD S8E7 to talk about his incredible show for one, Undersigned. They joined us on REPOD for an actual play of BLOT. Lyra and Yannick are both experienced improvisers, and I'd never laughed so hard watching a play-through. Scroll down to the timestamps to follow along with game images. If you missed playing this game during RECON Remote 25, or if you want to relive your glory moments, join us for this final play-through of BLOT.     Episode Sponsors We are immensely grateful to our sponsors this season: REA Patreon Backers, PG's Playhouse, Buzzshot, and COGS. We truly appreciate your support of our mission to promote and improve the immersive gaming community.   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.   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.   COGS COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.   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  

Collecting and Using Data Ethically to Create Customer Delight  Shep interviews Phyllis Fang, Head of Marketing at Transcend. She talks about the importance of personalization and how companies can ethically collect, unify, and use customer data to create seamless, trust-building interactions.  This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:    How can companies ethically collect and use customer data without crossing privacy boundaries?  Why is transparency important when asking customers for permission to use their data?  How can brands strike the right balance between personalization and avoiding being perceived as intrusive or "creepy"?  What are the best practices for building trust with customers through data collection and usage?  How does unified customer identity across digital and real-world touchpoints improve the overall customer journey?  Top Takeaways:    Customers are willing to share information, but only if they get something valuable in return. When a company uses customer preferences to recommend something relevant at the right time, customers are more willing to engage. On the other hand, when the connection feels forced or overwhelming, it can make customers stop buying and look for other companies that will respect their trust.  Customers feel better when companies are upfront about what data they're collecting and how it will be used. When a brand is transparent with why they need information and asks for permission, customers feel respected and safe. Giving customers options about how their data is used makes them more likely to share details.  Businesses should focus on getting only getting the information they need to start doing business with a customer. Then, gradually over time, the business can learn more.   Ethical use of data builds trust. Just because a business can use a customer's data does not mean it always should. It's important for companies to explain how they use customer information, and to give customers choices. When customers know what's happening and have control, they are more likely to trust a brand with their information and their business.  Some customers want weekly emails or product updates, while others just want order confirmations or receipts. Give your customers a way to choose the kind of information they receive and how often they want it, and make setting this up easy.  Better business practices lead to loyal customers. When companies focus on giving people what they want, respecting their choices, and treating data carefully, customers become fans who keep coming back.  Personalization isn't just about online shopping. It can happen in real life too. Imagine walking into a store and the salesperson remembers what you like, what you bought before, and even your favorite colors. This shows how connecting customer history, identity, and preferences creates a great experience both digitally and face-to-face.   Plus, Shep and Phyllis discuss the importance of making sure customers understand what they are saying yes to, such as cookie banners and opt-in forms. Tune in!  Quote:   “When customers share information, they often want control over how and where it's used. A company needs to respect those preferences and enforce them consistently.”  About:    Phyllis Fang is the Head of Marketing at Transcend, where she helps brands grow through customer trust, personalization, and digital transformation. Before working at Transcend, she drove key product marketing initiatives at Uber and has a strong background in e-commerce and digital marketing.    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