Experience Action

AI Guardrails For Customer Experience with Brandon McGovern (CX Pulse Check - June 2026)

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 07:00:00 -0500

If you’ve ever shouted “just let me talk to a person” at a chatbot, this one’s for you. Jeannie Walters is joined by special cohost Brandon McGovern, Head of Customer Experience at HP, to pressure-test the biggest question in AI customer service right now: how do we automate without breaking trust?

We start with a headline that feels like a warning label. Norse Atlantic Airways offers dirt-cheap tickets, but customers say there’s a catch: customer support is so locked behind tech that getting help can become impossible. We unpack why this isn’t simply a “tech problem,” but a governance and leadership problem. When companies remove phone numbers, skip the escape hatch, and ignore high-emotion journeys like refunds and disruptions, they don’t just frustrate people, they create financial harm and open the door to fraud.

Then we zoom out to the enterprise reality. Cisco’s line that adopting AI is “like surgery without the drugs” is painfully honest, and it frames the messy middle many CX teams are living through. We talk about why rushing to automate tasks can amplify mistakes, how to redesign workflows around outcomes, and why “faster” is the wrong North Star compared to what’s now possible. Along the way, we dig into authenticity, rising customer expectations, and why AI is killing the illusion of fine print as customers use their own tools to read policies and push back.

If you’re leading CX, contact centers, or digital support, you’ll leave with practical guardrails for pilots, measurement, and intent selection. Subscribe, share this with a teammate, and leave a review with the biggest AI question you’re wrestling with right now.

About Brandon McGovern
Senior Director of Customer Experience at HP

Understanding your customers isn't enough. I build the systems that turn that understanding into outcomes.

I’m a Senior Director of Customer Experience at HP, leading enterprise-wide measurement, analytics, and operations that enable the company to understand and act on customer sentiment in real time. I oversee a global Voice of the Customer ecosystem capturing tens of millions of signals annually, translating them into product, service, digital, and brand strategy decisions across the business.

My work has delivered double-digit NPS improvements and material revenue impact by shifting CX from a reporting function to an operational and strategic capability - powered by data, automation, and applied AI.

Beyond enterprise implementation, I build with AI hands-on - personal projects in game design, product prototyping, and workflow automation using Claude, Lovable, and other tools. Building outside my domain teaches me where AI actually breaks down, which makes me a better architect of AI-powered operating models at work.

I bring engineering depth coupled with business leadership (MBA, MS in Electrical Engineering, Stanford executive education), and I specialize in building scalable CX platforms, driving cultural change, and aligning executives around customer-led transformation.

Follow Brandon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonmcgovern/

Articles Mentioned:
- Norse Atlantic Airways Offers Dirt-Cheap Tickets. There’s a Catch (Wired) -- https://www.wired.com/story/norse-airlines-ftc-complaints-ai-scams/
- Cisco exec says adopting AI is like 'surgery without the drugs' (Business Insider) -- https://www.businessinsider.com/cisco-ai-adoption-customer-service-2026-5
- Dissatisfied: Three-fourths of AI customer service rollouts are a letdown (The Register) -- https://www.theregister.com/ai-ml/2026/05/13/ai-customer-service-bots-get-rolled-back-at-74-of-firms/5239800

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

7 Days To CX Outcomes

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 07:00:00 -0500

Momentum is the thing every CX leader wants and almost nobody hands you. When you’re staring at a 12-month roadmap but drowning in daily requests, it’s easy to feel like you’re working nonstop while nothing actually changes. We built this conversation for that exact moment, and we keep it practical: seven days, one intentional move, and a clear path to visible customer experience impact.

We walk through a simple three-step framework we use with leaders who are trying to turn CX strategy into action. First, we orient before we act by choosing where our energy belongs instead of reacting to whatever is loudest. We talk through a clear set of focus areas and how a quick assessment can highlight the biggest gap between the experience you want to deliver and what’s getting done right now. Then we get real about focus: protecting time, avoiding data rabbit holes, and picking an outcome you can actually ship in a week.

Finally, we make one intentional leadership decision that isn’t driven by urgency or the inbox. That decision might be defining what success looks like, revisiting a customer experience mission statement, or having the buy-in conversation you’ve been avoiding. The goal is not perfection. The goal is momentum you can feel and results you can point to.

If you’re ready to try the seven-day challenge, listen now, share this with a CX peer who feels stuck, and subscribe so you don’t miss what comes next. After you listen, what’s the one move you’ll commit to this week?

Exclusive for podcast listeners: Get your 7-Day Free Trial of CXI Membership

Other Resources Mentioned:
Learn more about the CXI Navigator™ framework -- https://experienceinvestigators.com/our-framework/
Take the CXI Compass™ assessment -- http://CXICompass.com
Order your copy of Experience Is Everything -- http://experienceiseverythingbook.com
Experience Investigators -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Operationalize CX Results: From Strategy to Action

Tue, 26 May 2026 07:00:00 -0500

If your CX work keeps getting reduced to dashboards, survey scores, and “please fix this one issue,” it’s time to change how you lead. We respond to a listener who’s using Experience Is Everything with their team and wants the clearest path from customer experience ideas to real execution. The big theme is simple: structure creates credibility, and credibility creates the room you need to drive meaningful change.

We start with the most powerful foundation you can build fast: a CX mission statement. It aligns mindset across the organization, helps you stop acting like a feedback narrator, and gives your team language they can confidently evangelize. From there, we dig into customer experience strategy, because too many organizations never actually write one down. We walk through how to define success in a way that supports organizational goals so your CX work becomes proactive, intentional, and business-led rather than reactive.

Then we get practical about culture and discipline. Culture is hard to change, so we talk about scoring where you are today, choosing one area you can influence, and re-checking progress over time. We also cover the CX charter, the document that turns your foundation into coordinated efforts with the right people involved, a clear communication cadence, and shared measures of success.

Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a rating and review so more CX leaders can find it.

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Burnout! The Reality of CX Leadership

Tue, 19 May 2026 07:00:00 -0500

Burnout doesn’t come from “not being able to handle it.” It happens when CX work becomes an endless stream of urgent requests with no clear priorities. In this episode, we unpack why customer experience leaders burn out trying to solve everything at once, and how a clear CX mission and strategy create the guardrails to prioritize, push back, and lead proactively instead of reactively.

We also explore what strategy looks like in practice: focusing on outcomes that matter most, aligning CX work to business goals, and building small habits that keep you grounded. If you’re not sure where to start, we walk through a simple reset: picture what “wins” you want one year from now, then work backward into practical next steps. And because CX asks a lot of empathy from you, we close with an essential reminder: show yourself the same compassion you expect your teams to show customers, and build small habits that help you stay centered before taking on one more thing.

If this resonates, share it with a CX leader, subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next, and leave a rating or review to help more leaders find the show.

Resources Mentioned:
Order your copy of Experience Is Everything -- http://experienceiseverythingbook.com
Learn more about CXI Membership™ and apply -- http://CXIMembership.com
Experience Investigators -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX in Emerging Markets

Tue, 12 May 2026 07:00:00 -0500

What does customer centricity really look like in fast-growing emerging markets? In this episode, we answer a listener question from a fintech support professional in the Gambia navigating rapid growth, limited resources, and constantly evolving customer expectations. We explore how organizations can build trust at scale by creating a customer-centric culture rooted in leadership, listening systems, and daily operational discipline. We also discuss why frontline support teams are critical in emerging-market fintech, serving as the real-time voice of the customer and a powerful driver of business insight and loyalty.

If this helps you lead customer experience, subscribe, share the episode with a teammate, and leave a rating or review so more CX leaders can find it.

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

The Future of CX, According to Those Building It (CX Pulse Check - May 2026)

Tue, 05 May 2026 07:00:00 -0500

AI is loud right now, but the real question is quieter: how do we use it to create a better customer experience without losing the human at the center? From the floor of CXPA CX Leaders Advance, Jeannie Walters grabbed a few brilliant minds and asked one simple prompt: What’s the one thing we should be thinking about for the future of CX?

The answers go far beyond any single trend. From evolving skill sets and smarter measurement to human-centered design and change management, this episode brings together a range of perspectives on where CX is heading next.

You’ll hear insights on blending technical and human skills, capturing and acting on customer emotion, grounding strategy in real value, and ensuring teams can actually adopt the changes we design.

If you’re shaping experiences, building journeys, or leading CX transformation, this is a quick hit of perspective to help you focus on what matters most.

Subscribe, share this with a CX leader on your team, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

Episode Guests:

Sasha Fard, MBA, CCXP
Director, Omnichannel Analytics, Assurant
Follow Sasha on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashafard/

Heidi Taylor, PMP, CCXP
Senior Global CX Project Manager, Lenovo
Follow Heidi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidimtaylor/

Emma Winstead, CCXP
Customer Experience Business Partner, Delaware North
Follow Emma on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-winstead-ccxp-90b815172/

Nicole Aguilera, CCXP
Business System Consultant III, Mutual of Omaha
Follow Nicole on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleaguilera/

Scott Lee Holloway, CCXP
Head of Customer Experience, APS Bank
Follow Scott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleeholloway/

Lauren Wier
Customer Experience Business Partner, Delaware North
Follow Lauren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-wier-17448430/

Resources Mentioned:
Order your copy of Experience Is Everything -- experienceiseverythingbook.com
Learn more about CXI Membership™ and apply -- CXIMembership.com
Experience Investigators -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Agentic Orchestration: The Next Step in Customer Experience

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 18:00:00 -0500

Personalization at scale gets pitched like a switch you flip, but the reality is messier and way more human. From Adobe Summit, Jeannie Walters' sits down with IBM leaders to unpack what it takes to deliver customer experience that feels consistent, connected, and genuinely helpful across digital touchpoints even when different teams, tools, and timelines are involved.

First, Betsy Rohtbart, VP, Digital Experience & IBM.com, shares a simple reframing with big implications: start with the task your visitor is trying to complete, then design the experience to make that “pay off” every time. We talk about why customers often feel the gaps instead of the beautiful moments we intended, how secret shopping your own trial and onboarding flow exposes breakpoints fast, and why chasing problems like a “toddler soccer game” creates more friction. The standard is brutal but fair: customers compare you to their last best experience anywhere.

Then Jay Trestain, EMEA Marketing Transformation Lead & Client Partner, breaks down agentic orchestration in plain terms: AI agents that act as domain experts and work together across an enterprise workflow. We dig into what leaders miss when they rush to deploy AI, how a clear North Star vision sharpens decisions about martech, process redesign, and KPIs, and why agentic technology is changing digital discovery by bypassing traditional web real estate. The punchline: governance is not red tape, it’s the engine for rapid, high-quality decisions that help good pilots scale into real value.

Subscribe for more practical customer experience strategy, share this with a teammate leading transformation, and leave a review.

Follow Betsy Rohtbart on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/betsymorserohtbart/

Follow Jay Trestain on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jay-trestain/

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Why Great Customer Experience Transcends Industry

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0500

Customer experience can feel complicated fast, especially when you’re working across completely different industries.

In this episode, we answer a listener question about navigating CX in both insurance and luxury retail. Two worlds that seem totally opposite… until you realize the real challenge isn’t the industry—it’s staying clear on who you are to your customers and the experience you’re actually delivering. Because when you lose that clarity, everything starts to feel fragmented.

We break down what customers really need in each space. In insurance, the best experience is often invisible until something goes wrong. That’s when reassurance becomes everything: clear coverage, confidence in what’s been submitted, and knowing progress is happening without having to chase it. In luxury retail, it’s about high-touch, thoughtful personalization that makes customers feel known and valued. Different context, same underlying goal.

And that’s the big takeaway: great customer experience isn’t about the industry, it’s about how well you deliver on your promise. We’ll walk through what actually carries across both worlds: setting the right expectations, giving customers real choice, and using personalization to make them feel seen, heard, and valued.

If you’ve ever felt pulled in too many directions with your CX strategy, this episode will help you refocus on what matters most.

Subscribe, share with a fellow CX leader, and leave a review to help more people find the show.

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Experience Is Everything with Larissa Salazar (CX Pulse Check - April 2026)

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0500

Customer experience isn’t failing because people don’t care, it fails because teams confuse slogans with systems. Jeannie Walters is joined by Larissa Salazar from Brand Builders Group for a special CX Pulse Check to celebrate the launch of Jeannie’s book, Experience Is Everything: Making Every Moment Count In The Age Of Customer Expectations, and to talk about what it really takes for a message to break through in a noisy world.

We get practical about the shift that changes everything: customer service is reactive, but customer experience must be proactive. If you only show up when something goes wrong, you’re already behind. We talk about designing the end-to-end customer journey with intention, choosing how you want customers to feel, and connecting experience design to the outcomes leaders care about. Along the way, we call out a common trap in CX leadership: treating Net Promoter Score like a strategy instead of a measurement you influence through real changes.

Jeannie also shares the mindset strategy discipline framework from the book, including how a clear customer experience mission statement becomes a usable North Star across teams. Larissa pulls back the curtain on what she sees with experts and first-time authors, why your best knowledge is often the “small steps” you forget to write down, and how templates and frameworks help customer experience change agents take action fast. If you’re trying to operationalize customer-centricity, build a real CX strategy, and move from reactivity to discipline, this conversation is your push to start.

If it helps, subscribe, share this with a change agent on your team, and leave a review so more leaders can find the show.

About Larissa Salazar,
Team Lead & Personal Brand Strategist | Brand Builders Group

Salazar is a highly respected personal brand strategist and speaker at Brand Builders Group, an international personal branding firm and an Inc. 5000 fastest-growing company. As one of the youngest and fastest-rising strategists in the organization, she has quickly built a reputation for helping authors and thought leaders clarify their expertise, define their message, and build brands that create lasting influence.

With a strategic mindset and a deep appreciation for storytelling, Larissa has a unique ability to distill complex ideas into clear, compelling messaging. She doesn’t just help clients communicate their insights—she guides them in developing proprietary intellectual property and signature frameworks that make their teachings memorable, shareable, and scalable. Her approach ensures that thought leaders don’t just teach for the moment, but create content and concepts that spread, endure, and position them as industry authorities.

Follow Larissa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larissa-ann-salazar/
Book a meeting with Larissa: https://freebrandcall.com/ls

Resources Mentioned:
Order your copy of Experience Is Everything -- http://experienceiseverythingbook.com
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

From Feedback to Trust: What Comes Next in Customer Experience

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0500

Are you drowning in feedback and still struggling for progress? In this bonus episode, we're bringing you more conversations from the Qualtrics X4 Summit 2026 in Seattle. These conversations tackle the same problem from different angles: how to turn customer and patient feedback into real operational change, and how to protect trust as AI becomes part of the workflow. If you collect surveys, run a CX program, or lead a healthcare team, this one is about what happens after you hit “export.”

First, we talk with leaders from Trillium Health Partners about redesigning their patient experience measurement: Kerry Kuluski, Research Chair in Patient and Family-Centered Care, and Adam Gdyczynski, Senior Corporate Lead, Patient Experience Measurement and Planning. They share how moving from paper and call-center methods to modern digital surveying helped drive an 880% increase in survey responses, plus what they did next to avoid being buried by the volume. We dig into practical tactics like shorter surveys, QR codes on after visit summaries, and using iPads to improve access in areas with lower electronic response rates. We also get into why equitable care depends on knowing who is responding, and how demographic and cultural insights can inform smarter decisions while supporting patient and family centered care.

Then we shift to the trust layer with Qualtrics Chief Security Officer Assaf Keren. We unpack why trust is more than security, why shortcuts create incidents, and why transparency matters when things go wrong. We also get specific about AI governance: third-party risk, building guardrails, managing data access, and keeping a human in the loop when risk is high or confidence is low.

If you want to turn insights into action without losing the human side, listen now. After you finish, subscribe, share this with a teammate, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.

Follow Kerry Kuluski on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerry-kuluski-a9791b227/

Follow Adam Gdyczynski on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-gdyczynski-mba-che-83100635/

Follow Assaf Keren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/assafkeren/

Resources Mentioned:
Qualtrics -- https://www.qualtrics.com/
Order your copy of Experience Is Everything -- http://experienceiseverythingbook.com
Learn more about CXI Membership™ and apply -- http://CXIMembership.com
Experience Investigators -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Start with the Problem, Not the Technology

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0500

AI is moving fast, but most customer experience programs still get stuck in the same place: teams chase tools, dashboards, and “shiny” promises while the real work and the real problem stay fuzzy. We wanted a grounded conversation about customer experience strategy that actually holds up inside complex organizations, especially when trust, risk, and regulation are part of daily life.

Jeannie Walters is joined by Dr. Elizabeth ErkenBrack, Head of Strategy in the Office of the CEO at Qualtrics. They sat down at the Qualtrics X4 Summit 2026 in Seattle to talk about starting with the outcome you’re trying to achieve, defining who you’re designing for, and mapping the work that needs to change before you ever “plug in” AI. They get specific about where automation helps and where the human touch still matters most, particularly in vulnerable moments like healthcare, financial services, and other deeply personal journeys.

They also dig into the ROI side of experience management: how to shift from CX as a cost center to CX as an investment, how to connect NPS and CSAT to action, and how to tie experience improvements to attributable revenue through churn, retention, conversion, and operational changes. A key takeaway is governance: measurement and execution often sit in different silos, and bringing them into lockstep is an executive decision. If you’re trying to make CX “count” in the C-suite, this gives you language and structure that leaders can align around.

If this helped you rethink how you’re framing your next CX initiative, subscribe, share this episode with a teammate, and leave a review so more people can find it.

Follow Elizabeth ErkenBrack on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-erkenbrack-phd-380b5b30/

Resources Mentioned:
Qualtrics -- https://www.qualtrics.com/
Order your copy of Experience Is Everything -- http://experienceiseverythingbook.com
Learn more about CXI Membership™ and apply -- http://CXIMembership.com
Experience Investigators -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Leading with Curiosity, Commitment, and Connection

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0500

Some of the biggest CX breakthroughs don’t come from bigger budgets, they come from sharper thinking about trust, value, and what people actually feel in the moment. We’re sharing a special Women’s History Month collection of insights from Dr. Amy Climer, Ovetta Sampson, Camille Kremer, Neen James, and Brooke Sellas, each bringing a different lens on customer experience leadership, innovation, and connection.

We start with a future-facing question: when AI shows up on the screens inside our cars, is it there to help the driver or to sell to them? Amy challenges us to treat creativity as “novelty that is valuable,” and to judge value from the customer’s perspective, not the company’s. From there, Ovetta gets candid about generative AI, chatbot hallucinations, and why “set it and forget it” is a fast track to broken customer trust. If you’re building AI into customer support, you’ll hear why rigorous testing and ongoing oversight are now core CX operations.

Camille breaks down expectation setting as the hidden equation behind loyalty: customers invest, brands deliver or don’t, and trust is the outcome. Neen reframes luxury as a mindset where experiences matter more than things, anchored in making people feel seen, heard, and valued. Brooke closes the loop for social media and content marketing: content is the vehicle, emotion is the destination, and connection beats chasing a single “big win.”

If this sparked new ideas for your CX strategy, subscribe, share this with a CX leader on your team, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

Experience Action Episodes Mentioned:
CX Pulse Check – February 2025
CX Pulse Check – May 2025
CX Pulse Check – August 2025
CX Pulse Check – September 2025
CX Pulse Check – November 2025

Resources Mentioned:
Order your copy of Experience Is Everything -- http://experienceiseverythingbook.com
Learn more about CXI Membership™ and apply -- http://CXIMembership.com
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

From Dashboards to Decisions

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0500

A lot of companies say they “listen to the customer” and they do. They survey, they track NPS, they build dashboards, they share reports. But then nothing changes. Today we respond to a sharp question from a listener about what separates organizations that embed customer insights into everyday decision making from those where Voice of the Customer stays stuck as a feedback exercise.

We walk through the mindset shift that turns VoC into real customer experience strategy: using your mission and goals as the lens for what you act on, getting aligned on expectations, and defining a clear customer experience mission statement so improvements aren’t scattered across one-off complaints. When teams fix isolated issues without a unified view of the customer journey, customers feel the inconsistency and trust drops fast.

Then we get practical about execution. Customer insights only matter when they influence decisions across product, operations, communication, and the partners you choose. That requires shared ownership, clear governance, and consistent processes for reporting what you’re doing about the feedback and closing the loop with customers. We also address the “shoot the messenger” trap and how CX leaders can connect the dots to business value so teams understand what’s in it for them.

If you want to turn Voice of the Customer into decision infrastructure and measurable business outcomes, press play. Subscribe, share this with a CX leader on your team, and leave a rating and review so more people can find the show.

Resources Mentioned:
Order your copy of Experience Is Everything -- http://experienceiseverythingbook.com
Learn more about CXI Membership™ and apply -- http://CXIMembership.com
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Why I Wrote Experience Is Everything

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0500

Customer experience doesn’t fall apart because people don’t care. It falls apart because the work stays fragmented, the fixes don’t connect across the customer journey, and teams end up stuck in a reactive loop of complaints, escalations, and fire drills. Jeannie Walters shares why she wrote Experience Is Everything: Making Every Moment Count in the Age of Customer Expectations and what she kept seeing after years of working with leaders who genuinely want to do right by customers and employees.

She digs into the real shift that makes customer experience improvement stick: treating CX as a leadership discipline. That means aligning a shared mindset about who we are to customers, building a clear customer experience strategy tied to outcomes, and committing to the discipline that keeps it real day after day. She also read the final page of the book to underline the heart of the message: progress beats perfection. CX gets better when we act, reflect, adjust, and act again, because small intentional decisions compound over time.

She also talks about the pressure of modern work: customers move faster, organizations move faster, and AI is now part of almost everything we design. Without alignment, that speed can accidentally create broken experiences at scale. If you’re the person who notices the gaps, sees the misalignment, and feels a little alone because you care, this is for you. Subscribe, share this with a fellow change agent, and leave a review so more leaders can build better experiences one moment at a time.

Resources Mentioned:
Order your copy of Experience Is Everything -- http://experienceiseverythingbook.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Why Purpose Must Lead And Tools Must Follow with Deborah Reuben (CX Pulse Check - March 2026)

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0500

When AI can move faster than your team ever could, the real question isn’t “What can we automate?” It’s “What should represent us?” In this CX Pulse Check episode, Jeannie Walters sits down with Deborah Reuben, CEO of Tomorrow Zone and author of Enter the Tomorrow Zone, to unpack how agentic commerce and automation can elevate customer experience only when purpose leads and tools follow.

They dig into the messy middle of AI adoption—from trust gaps and backlash moments to why innovation driven by shiny features often scales the wrong experience. They share a practical blueprint for leaders under pressure to deliver: define a clear CX mission, align success metrics across teams, and identify the high-stakes moments where humans must stay in the loop.

The conversation also explores how organizations can design AI that signals trust through capability, honesty, predictability, and care. As automation expands and bots increasingly interact with bots, they discuss how measurement must evolve beyond traditional engagement metrics to focus on outcomes like resolution confidence, perceived fairness, and clarity of next steps.

If this sparks ideas for your roadmap or raises thorny questions about where humans should stay in the loop, we want to hear from you. Subscribe for more conversations like this, share the episode with your team, and leave a review.

About Deborah Reuben, CLFP
Author | Innovation Strategist | CEO & Founder, TomorrowZone®

Deborah Reuben is an innovation strategist, advisor, and the CEO & Founder of TomorrowZone®. She works with senior leaders across finance and technology to help them navigate complexity, gain clarity, and design future-ready systems.

Her work is grounded in firsthand experience leading and advising complex, large-scale transformation efforts. Deborah is known for helping leaders see patterns they’re too close to notice, and for reframing innovation as a human, systemic practice rather than a technology initiative.

She is the author of Enter the TomorrowZone, which examines why capable leaders get trapped in constant reaction, and how stepping back creates clarity to design what’s next.

Follow Deborah on LinkedIn.
Learn more about Enter the TomorrowZone and Deborah’s work at tomorrowzone.io.
To find out more about the book, visit EnterTheTomorrowZone.com.

Articles Mentioned:
- Own the agentic commerce experience (National Retail Federation) -- https://nrf.com/research/own-the-agentic-commerce-experience
- The 2026 Braze Customer Engagement Review: AI Innovation Meets the Trust Plateau (CMSWire) -- https://www.cmswire.com/the-wire/the-2026-braze-customer-engagement-review-ai-innovation-meets-the-trust-plateau/
- AI Backlash and Public Perception: How AI Strategy Shapes Customer Trust (SupportNinja) -- https://www.supportninja.com/articles/ai-backlash-public-perception-ai-strategy-shapes-customer-trust

Resources Mentioned:
Order your copy of Experience Is Everything -- experienceiseverythingbook.com
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Influence Without Authority: Real CX Leadership

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0600

You don’t need a big title to drive meaningful customer experience change. This episode shows how real CX leadership starts in the middle by turning customer friction into business outcomes executives can’t ignore. We break down how to connect issues like confusing onboarding or stalled conversions to metrics that matter, including call volume, cost to serve, cancellations, and retention, and how to present that story so leaders say yes.

You’ll learn a practical approach you can use immediately: choose one high-impact friction point, build a simple business case with clear baselines, deliver a focused fix, and share the results. These visible micro wins build momentum, credibility, and influence.

We also cover how to lead across and up by partnering with metric owners, framing ideas around shared goals, and communicating in the language of outcomes. If you’re ready to grow your impact and your career, this conversation gives you the tools to lead without a title.

If you found this valuable, follow the show, leave a quick review, and share it with a teammate ready for their next win.

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

From Champions to Change: Building CX That Transforms

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 07:00:00 -0600

The most practical CX breakthroughs are happening in day-to-day choices by leaders who meet their organizations where they are. From the Medallia Experience 2026 conference in Las Vegas, we pull together no-fluff lessons on turning insights into impact, leading with intent, and using AI to accelerate change—without overpromising.

Jeannie talks with Experience Transformation Award winner Paloma Paraja, Customer Experience Manager at Santalucía Seguros, about breaking down silos in a 100-year-old insurer by unifying Voice of Customer, empowering internal champions, and turning feedback into stories teams can act on. She also reconnects with Camille Kremer, Senior Director of Customer Experience at Holiday Inn Club Vacations, for a masterclass in prioritization—using driver modeling and smart experiments to separate noise from real impact, and applying AI to speed service and personalization without eroding trust. Plus, we chat about an Experience Is Everything book club with Deborah Bearden, Enterprise Customer Experience Manager at Simmons Bank.

The theme: progress over perfection. Choose high-impact actions. Test, measure, and scale what works. Let AI amplify a strategy you’ve already defined.

Enjoyed the conversation? Follow the show, share it with a CX friend, and leave a quick review to help more leaders find it. Have a question or story to add? Leave me a voicemail at askjeannie.vip.

Follow our guests on LinkedIn:
Paloma Paraja -- https://www.linkedin.com/in/paloma-paraja/
Camille Kremer -- https://www.linkedin.com/in/camillekremer/
Deborah Bearden -- https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-bearden/

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

When Emotions Run High: Training Frontline Teams for Consistent Hospitality

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 07:00:00 -0600

Stressed arrivals, missed promises, and long check-in lines aren’t surprises. They’re predictable flashpoints in hospitality. In this episode, we answer a listener’s question about training frontline teams for high-emotion moments and share a practical framework for turning tension into trust without burning out your people.

We start by redefining success. Instead of aiming to “make every guest happy,” we focus on a sustainable goal: guide the guest to a better moment than the one they’re in. From there, we identify the biggest hot spots in the journey and outline how proactive planning, clear recovery thresholds, and consistent standards across properties create a reliable brand experience.

Then we get tactical with language that defuses tension, micro-habits for staying calm under pressure, and playbooks that remove hesitation when speed matters. We also explore empowerment tools like room moves, credits, and late checkout, plus the well-being practices that keep teams strong through demanding shifts.

If you lead a hotel, resort, or any high-contact service, this episode delivers actionable steps to strengthen service recovery, customer experience, and employee resilience.

Resources Mentioned:
Order your copy of Experience Is Everything --experienceiseverythingbook.com
Learn more about CXI Membership™ and apply -- CXIMembership.com
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

From Shiny Tools To Trusted Journeys In Customer Experience with Jennie Lewis (CX Pulse Check - February 2026)

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 07:00:00 -0600

What if the fastest answer isn’t the right one? We unpack the tension between speed and resolution in customer experience, exploring why AI bots can erode trust when they chase efficiency instead of fixing the real problem. With guest co-host Jennie Lewis of Airship, we dig into pragmatic ways to use AI as an amplifier for empathy.

We also step into hospitality, where automation has raced ahead with mobile keys, kiosks, and virtual front desks. Convenience is great—until an empty lobby at midnight changes how safe a guest feels. From solo travel realities to on-the-ground service design, we discuss how to widen the journey map beyond “check-in to room” and include the edge cases that define trust.

Then we tackle dynamic pricing. There’s a world of difference between rewarding loyalty and playing whack-a-mole with rates. We call out practices that feel predatory, highlight proactive offers that build goodwill, and suggest clear guardrails that prevent sticker shock.

If you care about CX that feels human and scales gracefully, this conversation will sharpen your playbook. Subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a quick review.

About Jennie Lewis:
Sr Manager, Customer Insights at Airship

Jennie Lewis is a value-focused researcher who transforms complex data into revenue-driving narratives. An expert in quantifying CX ROI, she began as a self-taught coder automating emails for GM before leading agency teams that supported iconic brands like Marriott, Chase, and Marvel. She bridges the gap between technical data and business strategy, managing a portfolio of research results that achieve increased influenced revenue. Certified by Northwestern, eCornell, and Google, Jennie is a recognized thought leader and mentor dedicated to proving that great customer experience is a measurable driver of growth.

Follow Jennie on...
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennie-lewis/

Articles Mentioned:
- Customer service AI bots not ready for prime time, survey suggests (Consumer Affairs)
- Ireckonu- 2025 year in review: What had happenend in the hospitality technology industry? (Breaking Travel News)
- Asda’s unhappy shoppers give boss food for thought (The Times)

Resources Mentioned:
Women In CX Community
Order your copy of Experience Is Everything
Experience Investigators Website

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Innovate Around Experience

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 07:00:00 -0600

What if the fastest way to beat your competitors isn’t a new feature, but a better feeling at every step of the journey? In this episode, we explore how experiential innovation—improving how customers move, decide, and feel—outperforms price wars, builds trust, and turns small moments into big wins.

Using the CXI Navigator, we break down how leaders align clear intent, cultural commitment, and real customer behavior to reduce friction and increase reassurance. From Uber and Netflix to B2B organizations like Vanguard, the pattern is consistent: spot hesitation, simplify paths, and guide people forward with confidence.

With data showing customers will abandon even beloved brands after a single bad experience, the stakes are clear. This conversation shares practical ways to design calmer, clearer journeys that drive loyalty, speed, and long-term growth. Subscribe for more practical experience strategies, share this with a teammate who owns a part of the customer journey, and leave a review.

Resources Mentioned:
Learn more about CXI Membership™ and apply -- CXIMembership.com
Order your copy of Experience Is Everything -- experienceiseverythingbook.com
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Journey Mapping as a Team Sport

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 07:00:00 -0600

Ever feel like your journey map leaves teams on the sidelines? In this episode, we explore a practical way to make customer journey mapping more inclusive without losing the customer’s voice. We reframe journey mapping as a verb—one that engages cross-functional partners, incorporates frontline insight, and is grounded in customer data—while keeping the focus on real customer moments like triggers, actions, emotions, and outcomes (not org chart debates).

From there, we introduce service blueprinting as the execution layer that turns insight into action. You’ll hear how blueprinting clarifies what happens front stage and backstage, and how people, processes, systems, and tools support—or hinder—the experience you’re trying to deliver.

Along the way, we share practical tips for building alignment and shared ownership: inviting stakeholders who felt left out, defining goals that cut across teams, and tying internal decisions to customer outcomes. We also discuss the constraints and gaps that surface when teams blueprint together, plus the kinds of measurable improvements you can expect. Whether you’re refreshing an existing map or pairing it with your first blueprint, this conversation offers grounded guidance for creating clarity, momentum, and more connected CX work.

Have a question you want us to tackle next? Leave it at askjeannie.vip, explore more tools inside our CXI Membership, and pre‑order Experience Is Everything to deepen your practice. If this conversation helped, follow the show, share it with a teammate, and leave a quick review to support the community.

Resources Mentioned:
Learn more about CXI Membership™ and apply -- http://CXIMembership.com
Customer Service Blueprinting [LinkedIn Learning Course] -- https://bit.ly/lilblueprint
Customer Experience: Journey Mapping [LinkedIn Learning Course] -- https://bit.ly/liljourneymap
Order your copy of Experience Is Everything -- http://experienceiseverythingbook.com
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

The Multi-Stakeholder Customer

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 07:00:00 -0600

B2B relationships are rarely simple. Behind every account are buyers, end users, operators, and executives—each with different goals, pressures, and definitions of success. In this episode, we unpack how to design for roles, not just accounts, and how to anchor decisions to a shared definition of success everyone agrees on up front.

We walk through a practical approach to role-based journey mapping, showing how to surface friction, clarify what success looks like for each role, and navigate competing priorities without politics. You’ll hear how to spot misaligned incentives, rebalance when one team bears the cost while another captures the value, and use a clear North Star to make smarter trade-offs. We also get tactical on role-based communication—what executives, buyers, end users, and operators actually need to hear—and why your most important job is acting as a translator between metrics, outcomes, and real business impact.

If you’re juggling competing priorities inside complex B2B relationships, this conversation gives you a repeatable framework for alignment, decision-making, and momentum.

Resources Mentioned:
Take the CXI Compass® assessment -- CXICompass.com
Learn more about CXI Membership™ and apply -- CXIMembership.com
Order your copy of Experience Is Everything -- experienceiseverythingbook.com
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Why Customers Leave: Timing, Truth, and the Cost of Inconsistency

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 07:00:00 -0600

Losing a customer hurts—but missing what their exit can teach you hurts more. In this episode, we unpack a two-phase offboarding feedback strategy that captures the truth twice: immediately after churn and again once customers have settled with a new provider. You’ll learn how to ask hard questions without defensiveness, why timing changes insight quality, and how to turn churn into actionable CX signals.

We cover the exact questions that surface breaking points, broken promises, and hidden process gaps—then show how to translate those patterns into leadership language around risk, speed, and results. Plus, why AI can support workflows but can’t replace trust, adoption, or accountability.

If you’re ready to move from CX heroics to consistent, scalable experience design, this conversation gives you the framing, timing, and questions to start.

Please subscribe, share with a teammate, and leave a review to help other CX leaders find the show.

Resources Mentioned:
Learn more about CXI Membership™ and apply -- http://CXIMembership.com
Order your copy of Experience Is Everything -- http://experienceiseverythingbook.com
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

New Year CX Check-In (CX Pulse Check - January 2026)

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 07:00:00 -0600

Start the year with clarity instead of clutter. We’re sharing five decisive questions that help you cut noise, design automation that still feels human, and align your customer experience strategy with outcomes your executives and your customers actually care about. If AI, tight budgets, and shaky trust are pulling you in every direction, this conversation gives you a practical way to choose what matters and let the rest go.

We dig into where value is truly created across your journey and where activity masquerades as progress. You’ll learn how to build a balance between fast, scalable automation and the empathy customers crave when stakes are high. We talk through using a CX mission and a success blueprint to connect initiatives to revenue, retention, cost to serve, and risk reduction—without resorting to vanity metrics. Along the way, we share how to craft human-centered stories that move leaders, and how to build guardrails so AI augments your team instead of eroding trust.

Customer expectations have shifted, so your insights need to as well. We outline practical methods for refreshing journey maps with real behavior, analytics, and interviews, and we show how co-creating with customers accelerates clarity. Finally, we turn the mission from a poster into an operating system: a tool for prioritizing roadmaps, guiding trade-offs, and running quick post-launch reviews that keep experience quality high. Call this the year of intention—simplify, align, and keep showing up with respect and consistency.

If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a teammate who’s buried in dashboards, and leave a quick review to tell us which question you’ll tackle first. Your feedback helps more leaders find the tools to build trust and deliver results.

Resources Mentioned:
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- https://bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
CX Success Statement Workbook -- https://bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Order your copy of Experience Is Everything -- http://experienceiseverythingbook.com
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Digital Journeys Can Be Human

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 07:00:00 -0600

Clicking “buy now” shouldn’t feel like shouting into the void. In this episode, we explore how digital retail can feel more human by pairing smart personalization with trust-building micromoments. Instead of proving what we know, we focus on what customers need next: clear fit guidance, delivery transparency, and friction-removing policies that build confidence before checkout.

We share practical moves you can use this week—from confirmations that speak to the shopper (not the order number) to shipping updates in plain language, short stylist videos, and behind-the-scenes warehouse moments. We also cover how to use chat well: being upfront about bots, designing warm handoffs to humans, and giving AI a role that feels helpful, not blocking.

Reassurance is the real conversion multiplier. We talk about sizing honesty, responsible return signals, clear expectations on duties and timelines, and how to keep the warmth going after checkout. The simple test we return to again and again: would this message feel kind and useful if you sent it to a friend?

If these ideas help, subscribe for more customer experience strategies, share this episode with your team, and leave a quick review so others can find us. Your feedback shapes what we explore next.

Resources Mentioned:
Order your copy of Experience Is Everything -- http://experienceiseverythingbook.com
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Stop Calling CX ‘Good Service’

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 15:00:00 -0600

What if customer experience stopped living in customer service and started living in the core of your business? We tackle a listener’s challenge and turn it into a practical playbook: define a shared mindset, build a success blueprint tied to revenue and cost, and practice the daily discipline that makes change stick. Along the way, we share the one-line definition leaders can use to rally teams: customer experience is the system we build to deliver on the promises we make.

We start by stripping away the fuzziness around CX. Instead of ten different definitions across the company, we push you to craft a clear CX mission statement that guides choices in sales, product, marketing, operations, and HR. From there, we elevate CX from reactive troubleshooting to proactive design—fixing upstream processes that create downstream tickets, refunds, and churn. The message to skeptics is grounded and simple: fewer service issues, lower cost-to-serve, stronger retention, and more referrals.

Then we map CX to executive priorities with a customer experience success blueprint. We talk through how to align with the CFO’s bottom line, show the CMO how advocacy can lower paid media spend, and help product and operations choose fixes that move the needle. You’ll hear how to translate friction into financial levers, set a tight measurement set that includes outcome, perception, and behavior metrics, and build governance that runs like any other business function. Finally, we offer storytelling tips to earn buy-in, celebrate small wins, and keep momentum through the long, non–light switch journey of change.

If this resonates, share it with a colleague who still thinks CX is a department. Subscribe for more practical plays, leave a quick review to help others find the show, and send us your questions—your challenges fuel the next conversation.

Resources Mentioned:
Order your copy of Experience Is Everything -- experienceiseverythingbook.com
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

The Future of Measuring CX: Beyond Surveys, Scores & Spreadsheets with Rob Markey (CX Pulse Check - December 2025)

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 07:00:00 -0600

The most dangerous number in customer experience isn’t low—it’s shiny. In this CX Pulse Check, we unpack why a single score can seduce teams into storytelling that investors love and customers don’t feel, and we make a case for the harder, more honest work of proving value creation by cohort, not by kudos. With Rob Markey of Bain & Company and Harvard Business School, we discuss whether customer metrics predict growth or distract from it, and we separate real loyalty from repeat purchase.

We go straight at the NPS debate: what the score can predict, where it fails, and how it becomes powerful only as part of a system that links feedback to actions that change renewal, cross-sell, referrals, and cost-to-serve. We talk airlines, captive markets, and the language games behind “loyalty” programs that purchase repetition without building emotional commitment. Then we get practical. You’ll hear a little about how to read interaction telemetry for risk signals, and build models that translate service performance—wait times, abandon rates, repeat contacts—into forward revenue forecasts your CFO will respect.

This is a great listen for leaders who want both heart and proof: real-time feedback to understand emotion and expectation shifts, behavioral data to see what customers actually do, and investor-ready visuals like tenure curves and revenue per customer by acquisition year. If you’ve ever wondered how to tell a CX story that earns budget because it earns returns, tune in to this conversation.

If this resonates, follow the show, share it with your team, and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. Then send in a question you want us to tackle next at askJeannie.vip.

About Rob Markey
Advisory Partner, Bain & Company
Senior Lecturer, Harvard Business School

Rob Markey (https://robmarkey.com) is a Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School and an advisory partner at Bain & Company. The creator of the Net Promoter System, he has spent more than three decades helping companies grow by earning customer loyalty and increasing the value of their customer relationships.

He teaches Managing Service Operations in the MBA program at HBS and hosts the Customer Confidential podcast, where he speaks with leaders building customer-centric businesses.

He is the co-author of The Ultimate Question 2.0 and a leading voice in the movement toward Customer Capitalism.

Follow Rob on...
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robmarkey/

Articles Mentioned:
- The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI): Quarter 3, 2025 - A Threat Potentially More Damaging Than the Great Recession (American Customer Satisfaction Index) -- https://theacsi.org/news-and-resources/press-releases/2025/11/13/press-release-national-acsi-q3-2025/
- CoStar (CSGP) Q3 2025 Earnings Call Transcript (The Motley Fool) -- https://www.fool.com/earnings/call-transcripts/2025/10/28/costar-csgp-q3-2025-earnings-call-transcript/

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

90-Day Customer Loyalty Plan

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 07:00:00 -0600

What if the next 90–180 days could lock in measurable customer loyalty? In this episode, we break down a practical, no-fluff playbook for building a retention strategy that customers actually value—whether you’re serving consumers or complex B2B accounts.

We focus on intentional success and segmentation, identifying high-value customers and the signals that predict renewal, frequency, and advocacy. Then we narrow in on the KPIs that matter most and design loyalty mechanics that make sense: points, tiers, access, bonuses, and earned surprise moments. You’ll learn why swag rarely drives loyalty, how to reduce early friction with smart onboarding, and where re-engagement triggers fit when momentum slows.

We compare B2C and B2B loyalty without clichés. For B2C, convenience, delight, and timely nudges win. For B2B, loyalty must support the whole account through shared benefits like premium support, admin training, success reviews, and milestone-based usage credits. Throughout, we lean on behavioral analytics, automation that enhances relevance, and a communication cadence that drives action without fatigue.

To keep programs fresh, we champion co-creation and experiential innovation—inviting customers into pilots, iterating on perks, and retiring low-impact rewards fast. Ask the Disruption Day question: what will customers need tomorrow, and how can you start building it today? This mindset turns loyalty from a cost center into a growth engine. If this resonates, subscribe, share with a teammate, and leave a quick review.

Resources Mentioned:
Learn more about CXI Membership™ and apply -- http://CXIMembership.com
Order your copy of Experience Is Everything -- http://experienceiseverythingbook.com
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Surveys Aren't Enough

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 07:00:00 -0600

When surveys fall flat, the real story still lives in customer conversations, behaviors, and signals. In this episode, we explore how to move from survey programs to real feedback strategies—ones that capture those signals, connect them to outcomes, and drive action leaders can feel.

You’ll hear how to combine quick, purposeful interviews, observational studies, and analytics for a full picture of what customers think, feel, and do. We also unpack where AI fits in—how NLP, speech analytics, and social listening reveal patterns at scale, while humans still guide the questions and actions.

From frontline insights to early warnings of silent churn, we cover practical ways to detect issues, act fast, and close the loop. You’ll leave with five essentials for building a connected feedback ecosystem and turning listening into lasting improvement.

Resources Mentioned:
Learn more about CXI Membership™ and apply -- http://CXIMembership.com
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Pulse Check - November 2025

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 07:00:00 -0600

Want customers to talk about your brand without being asked? In this CX Pulse Check, we bring on Brooke Sellas, founder of B Squared Media and a leader in social customer care, to unpack how emotion—not content volume—creates durable connection, retention, and revenue. Together we push past vanity metrics and dig into signals that actually matter: the unsolicited thank-yous, the screenshots, the stitches, and the small moments of care customers can’t help but share.

Our conversation moves from principle to practice. We map out how to define success for customers and for the business, then build joy loops that reward participation and make advocacy feel like a feature. We talk candidly about creator care—how high-velocity social teams face relentless expectations and why, in the age of AI, creative risk is the differentiator. We also look inside modern support: when bots deflect FAQs, humans inherit the complex, emotional problems.

We also break down Salesforce’s decision to replace a lightly used help search with AI and the community backlash that followed. The lesson is clear: internal metrics don’t equal external sentiment. Listening publicly, restoring a dedicated search capability, and co-creating with power users can turn friction into fuel.

If you care about customer experience, social strategy, or contact center leadership, you’ll leave with insights for measuring emotion, protecting the people who power your brand, and taking smart risks that cut through AI’s sea of sameness.

If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a teammate, and leave a quick review.

About Brooke Sellas:
Brooke Sellas is shaping the future of digital marketing one conversation at a time. As an award-winning CEO, she leads B Squared Media, a boutique agency redefining 'social care' for brands like Brother International, Miele, and BCU. You can dive into her insights through her book Conversations That Connect, her thought leadership on CMSWire, or her expert-led courses—among them, three digital marketing courses at the University of California, Irvine (one focused on AI & Marketing) and a LinkedIn Learning course on Social Care.

Learn More About B Squared Media at https://bsquared.media/

Follow Brooke on...
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brookebsellas/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HelloBSquared/podcasts

Articles Mentioned:
- To Set Your Brand Apart, Create Moments of Shareable Joy (Harvard Business Review) -- https://hbr.org/2025/09/to-set-your-brand-apart-create-moments-of-shareable-joy
- Duolingo’s Departing Social Media Manager Talks Virality, Anxiety and Mental Health (The Wall Street Journal) -- https://www.wsj.com/articles/duolingos-departing-social-media-manager-talks-virality-anxiety-and-mental-health-63d36f40
- Salesforce Responds to User Backlash Over Replacing Help Search with Agentforce (CX Today) -- https://www.cxtoday.com/crm/salesforce-responds-to-user-backlash-over-replacing-help-search-with-agentforce/

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Personalization That Respects Boundaries In B2B

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 07:00:00 -0500

Personalization in B2B shouldn’t feel invasive—it should feel helpful, timely, and trustworthy. In this episode, we share a practical framework for getting personal the right way: focus on professional goals, public signals, and clear boundaries. Skip the birthday messages and small talk; instead, pay attention to milestones that matter—team expansions, product launches, and regulatory shifts that shape your clients’ priorities.

We dive into tactics for adding warmth to cold communications, from simple follow-ups to plain-language summaries that turn compliance into clarity. You’ll learn how to time outreach, tailor messages by maturity level, and link value to outcomes leaders care about—adoption, risk reduction, and ROI.

Finally, we explore the guardrails that protect trust: respect boundaries, avoid private data, and apply the “leadership test” for tone. Rethink your B2B playbook and build personalization that scales—with relevance, respect, and humanity.

If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a teammate, and leave a quick review so others can find it.

Don’t forget to register for our upcoming webinar, From Assessment to Action: Building Your CX Roadmap, on November 4th via bit.ly/CXAction

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Policy Meets People: The Art of Flexible CX

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 07:00:00 -0500

In this episode, we explore one of the toughest CX challenges: balancing company policies with the flexibility needed to deliver exceptional experiences.

Policies should guide and protect, not block great service. We share how to design rules that empower teams, use exceptions as insights for improvement, and align every decision with your customer experience mission. Plus, we discuss how rethinking outdated policies — like libraries eliminating overdue fines — can strengthen trust and deepen customer relationships.

Tune in to learn how to turn rigid rules into opportunities for better customer experiences — and don’t forget to register for our upcoming webinar, From Assessment to Action: Building Your CX Roadmap, on November 4th via bit.ly/CXAction.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Pitching Customer Interviews, Without the Fluff

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 07:00:00 -0500

Why do leaders hesitate to green-light customer interviews even when everyone agrees they matter? In this episode, we share a fast path to buy-in: lead with business outcomes, start with a small pilot, and turn qualitative insights into measurable ROI. Instead of pitching interviews as an activity, we frame them as a strategic move to reduce churn, fix onboarding friction, and prioritize work that grows loyalty and revenue.

Most importantly, we show how to speak leadership’s language — tying interviews to metrics like time-to-value, adoption, cancellations, and expansion revenue — and how to keep executives engaged with quick updates and short video clips that make customer emotion impossible to ignore. Clear ask, clear scope, clear outcomes. Then scale once the foundation is in place.

Liked what you heard? Subscribe, share with a teammate who needs a pilot plan, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. Got a question for a future episode? Leave a voicemail at askjeannie.vip.

Resources Mentioned:
Get our Customer Interview Guidebook -- bit.ly/ciguidebook
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Pulse Check - October 2025

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 07:00:00 -0500

Customers don’t just want answers. They want action! That’s why agentic AI, the kind that doesn’t just recommend but actually does the work, is reshaping how teams analyze experiences, resolve issues, and connect systems.

In this CX Pulse Check, Jeannie talks with Medallia’s Chief Strategy Officer, Sid Banerjee, about today’s clearest CX use cases and the pitfalls leaders should avoid as agentic AI adoption accelerates across industries like banking, healthcare, retail, and hospitality.

We explore three big patterns:

AI that speeds up insight generation across calls, chats, and surveys
Assistive tools that help agents find and deliver answers in real time
Orchestration that lets AI schedule, submit, and update without piling on handoffs

Voice is making a comeback too, from car dealerships booking recall appointments to restaurants taking phone orders with flawless recall. The key isn’t “more bots,” but better design, continuous coaching, and a balance of speed with trust.

We also cover empathy, accountability, and practical guardrails (like building feedback loops, retraining models, and giving customers clear choices so they never feel trapped by tech).
If you’re evaluating where to deploy AI next or whether your pilots are effective, this conversation provides examples, cautions, and a pragmatic perspective.

About Sid Banerjee, Chief Strategy Officer, Medallia:
Over a nearly 30-year career, Sid has amassed deep skills building companies and solutions based on customer experience, business intelligence, and AI-powered technologies. Sid was the Founder and served as CEO, Chairman, and Chief Strategy Officer at Clarabridge. He most recently served as Chief XM Strategy Officer at Qualtrics. He presently serves as Chairman at Prolific, a high-growth technology company that provides a platform for high-quality, human-derived AI and research models. He was a founding employee of MicroStrategy and founder/CEO of Claraview. He also held executive and management positions at Ernst & Young and Sprint. He holds a BS/MS in Electrical Engineering from MIT.

Learn More About Medallia at https://www.medallia.com/

Follow Sid on...
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sidbanerjeewdc/

Articles Mentioned:
- Marriott checks out AI agents amid technology transformation (CIO Dive) -- https://www.ciodive.com/news/marriott-international-AI-strategy-agentic-cloud-cybersecurity/758922/
- Red Lobster Turns to AI to Power Phone Ordering (Hospitality Technology) -- https://hospitalitytech.com/news-briefs/2025-09-22?article=red-lobster-turns-ai-power-phone-ordering
- Long Island pizzeria goes viral with saucy videos giving bad diners a taste of their own medicine: ‘Go sit down’ (New York Post) -- https://nypost.com/2025/09/22/us-news/long-island-pizzeria-goes-viral-with-saucy-videos-giving-bad-diners-a-taste-of-their-own-medicine-go-sit-down/

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

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Fresh Experiences in B2B CX

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 07:00:00 -0500

Complacency can creep into even the strongest B2B partnerships. This episode shares practical ways to keep long-term relationships fresh, valuable, and resilient—without changing your core product. From proactive reviews and co-created thought leadership to milestone moments and small human gestures, you’ll learn how to spark momentum your clients can feel and measure.

We also explore a “Disruptor Day” exercise to out-innovate yourself, reduce friction, and design micro-surprises that remind clients they’re seen and valued. Through the lenses of goals, fears, and energy, you’ll see how to turn satisfaction into advocacy.

Press play to protect key accounts and strengthen partnerships—and don’t forget to subscribe, share with your team, and leave a review with one change you’ll try this quarter.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

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Start Where You Are

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 07:00:00 -0500

Where do you start with customer experience strategy?

As a CX leader, you’ve probably faced the overwhelming question: Where do I start? In this episode, Jeannie Walters explores this challenge and shares how to find clarity when building a customer experience strategy.

Drawing from real conversations with CX leaders, Jeannie introduces the CXI Navigator Framework, which highlights four essential parts of an effective strategy:

Intentional Success – Defining what success really looks like.
Customer Collaboration – Listening to and engaging with customers meaningfully.
Cultural Commitment – Building a culture where everyone plays a role in CX.
Experiential Innovation – Looking ahead to disrupt and improve through the customer experience.

You’ll also hear how the CXI Compass can help you pinpoint where to begin, whether it’s strengthening culture, refreshing a Voice of the Customer program, or sparking innovation.

If you’ve ever struggled to know the right starting point, this episode offers practical guidance to help you prioritize, define success, and create momentum in your customer experience journey.

Resources Mentioned:
Take the CXI Compass® assessment -- https://CXICompass.com
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Leading and Lagging Indicators in CX

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 07:00:00 -0500

Navigating today’s uncertain business landscape means balancing what’s behind us with what’s ahead. In this episode, we explore how CX leaders can use leading indicators to predict satisfaction while relying on lagging metrics to evaluate performance.

Rather than collecting more data, it’s about collecting the right data—spotting early signals in engagement patterns, service inquiries, and employee feedback before they show up in CSAT or NPS. We also look beyond internal data to market trends, competitor activity, and global behavior shifts to understand evolving customer expectations.

As technology—and customer access to AI—advances, the information gap is shrinking. CX leaders must rethink how they deliver value in this new reality. By blending historical insights with forward-looking indicators, we can move from reporting what happened to shaping what happens next.

What signals are you watching for in your business?

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Pulse Check - September 2025

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 07:00:00 -0500

What does luxury really mean in today's experience economy? The answer might surprise you.

Joining us on this eye-opening CX Pulse Check episode is luxury experience expert Neen James, who shares groundbreaking research revealing that luxury isn't about price tags—it's a mindset with four distinct profiles. Yet regardless of which luxury mindset we embody, we all agree on five essential characteristics: high quality, long-lasting, authentic, unique, and indulgent.

"You don't have to have a luxury product to provide a luxury level of service," Neen explains, unlocking possibilities for businesses across every industry and price point. Her research definitively proves what many have suspected: luxury is increasingly about experiences rather than possessions, and about feeling genuinely seen, heard, and valued.

We explore fascinating real-world applications, from wealthy travelers choosing cooking lessons with Italian grandmothers over five-star hotels to Louis Vuitton's theatrical ship-shaped flagship store in China.

Perhaps most applicable for everyday business is our discussion of Starbucks' ambitious four-minute service goal. As Neen advises, we must "think like a concierge, not a bellhop," transforming transactional relationships into meaningful connections through what she calls "systemized thoughtfulness."

The insights from this conversation apply whether you're running a coffee shop or a luxury retailer.

Don't miss Neen's upcoming book, Exceptional Experiences, launching October 14th with pre-orders available now.

About Neen James:
Neen James (neenjames.com) is a leadership strategist, dynamic keynote speaker, and the author of Folding Time, Attention Pays, and the upcoming Exceptional Experiences. With boundless energy, quick wit, and actionable insights, she serves as a confidante to C-suite leaders to help them elevate experiences and achieve greater focus, communication, and influence. Recently appointed to the board of the World Luxury Chamber of Commerce, James has been named one of the Top 30 Leadership Speakers by Global Gurus multiple years in a row for her work with some of the world’s most prestigious brands, including Viacom, Comcast, Virtuoso Travel, Four Seasons, and the FBI. She empowers individuals to prioritize what matters most so they can create exceptional experiences that drive results and foster lasting connections. Originally from Australia, James is living her best life in Tampa, Florida.

Follow Neen on...
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/neenjames/
Instagram: instagram.com/neenjames
YouTube: youtube.com/user/AussieNeen

Articles Mentioned:
Luxury Travelers Prefer Spending Thousands on Authentic Nonna's Kitchen Over Lavish Hotel Suites (Investopedia)
A luxury experience in China: Global high-end brands bet on conceptual stores to revive sales (Reuters)
Brian Niccol wants your Starbucks drink to be made within 4 minutes of ordering (Yahoo! Finance)

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Are you planning or PLANNING?

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 07:00:00 -0500

Are you planning with a small p or a capital P? This question frames a critical insight for customer experience professionals: the difference between creating lists of activities versus developing strategic initiatives that drive meaningful business outcomes.

Many CX leaders fall into the trap of confusing tactics with impact. They focus on implementing surveys, dashboards, and journey maps without clearly connecting these tools to broader organizational objectives. When customer experience gets stuck at this tactical level, it risks being dismissed as mere overhead rather than a driver of revenue, cost savings, and growth. The solution? Shift your perspective from activity to impact, and ensure every CX initiative ties directly to measurable business outcomes.

Customer experience must be treated as a fundamental business discipline, not a temporary program or isolated department. This means aligning CX initiatives with enterprise-level goals and demonstrating how your work influences metrics executives truly care about: growth, efficiency, risk management, and retention of both customers and employees. By connecting these dots in everything you do, you build a stronger business case for continued investment in CX. Remember that executive buy-in can make or break your success, so make your sponsors look great by delivering results that matter to the organization.

Whether you're a CX leader seeking support or an executive sponsor evaluating CX initiatives, take a step back and consider the strategic value of customer experience work. Ask yourself how your efforts will impact the bottom line, and don't get caught in the activity trap. Ready to start planning with a capital P? Try our CXI Compass to help prioritize your customer experience efforts and determine your next strategic moves.

Resources Mentioned:
Take the CXI Compass® assessment -- CXICompass.com
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Make it Easy to Do Business

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 07:00:00 -0500

What does it really mean to make business easier for your customers? In this engaging exploration of practical customer experience strategies for small business owners, Jeannie Walters responds to Joe, a construction company owner wondering how to create smoother customer interactions.

The journey begins with communication fundamentals—clear, proactive updates that eliminate the need for customers to chase down information. For specialized industries like construction, where clients may be navigating unfamiliar territory, simple "what-to-expect" guides can transform anxiety into confidence. But as Jeannie reveals through a personal anecdote about a cigarette-smelling HVAC technician who cost his company her business, setting expectations only works when your entire organization delivers consistently.

Streamlining paperwork and payment processes emerges as another crucial strategy. Today's customers expect digital options and crystal-clear financial terms. The best business owners also master the art of anticipatory service—identifying when customers typically ask questions and proactively providing updates before anxiety builds. This approach transforms the traditional customer relationship into a true partnership.

Perhaps most powerfully, Jeannie shares the story of a construction company that created meaningful rituals around project milestones, including having stakeholders sign the first beam before construction continued. These thoughtful gestures acknowledge the leap of faith customers take when choosing your business.

The episode culminates with practical guidance on implementing these principles through Experience Investigators' CXI Navigator Framework, which approaches customer experience as a mindset, strategy, and discipline. For small business owners looking to differentiate themselves and build sustainable growth, these accessible strategies can transform customer interactions from merely satisfactory to genuinely remarkable.

Resources Mentioned:
Take the CXI Compass® assessment -- CXICompass.com
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Challenges of Gaining CX Buy-In

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 07:00:00 -0500

Why do customer experience professionals still struggle to get buy-in from leadership—even in small organizations where alignment should be easier? This question from a listener in the UK captures a universal frustration faced by CX champions worldwide.

The challenge isn't about company size or industry. Whether in healthcare, education, or corporate settings, the fundamental issue is the same: creating a cultural shift in how organizations perceive customer experience. Many leaders still view CX as reactive customer service rather than proactive strategy. Others, particularly in non-customer-facing roles, fail to see how their work impacts the end customer. The disconnect between CX metrics and departmental KPIs further complicates the picture.

Breaking through these barriers requires persistent communication, strategic translation, and genuine patience. Success comes from focusing on one department at a time, finding champions who already believe in CX, and making them heroes. When you connect customer experience directly to each leader's specific goals and priorities, you bridge the gap between abstract concepts and concrete business outcomes. Real customer stories—not just data—create the emotional connection that inspires action and commitment.

Cultural transformation is never a light-switch moment; it's a journey that unfolds over years, not weeks. For CX leaders feeling unheard or undervalued, remember to celebrate each small victory and document your progress. Your persistent efforts are creating meaningful change that benefits your organization, your customers, and your employees. The mountain moves one stone at a time—keep going, and eventually, your customer experience parade will grow until the entire organization is marching alongside you.

Resources Mentioned:
CX Success Statement Workbook -- https://bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Keeping the Customer Visible

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 07:00:00 -0500

The delicate balance between business efficiency and customer needs sits at the heart of successful process improvement. When organizations focus solely on internal metrics like cost savings and scalability without considering the customer perspective, they risk creating short-term wins that ultimately damage loyalty and undermine long-term success.

This deep dive into customer-centric process improvement reveals how to maintain customer visibility even when making internal operational changes. We explore the foundation of this approach—establishing a clear mindset about why customers matter in your business processes, rather than simply telling teams to "put the customer first" without proper guidance. By developing a customer experience mission statement and success blueprint, organizations create guardrails that help balance internal needs with customer expectations.

Making customers tangibly present in process discussions transforms decision-making. Whether through starting meetings with relevant customer stories, using journey mapping to visualize the customer perspective, or connecting process metrics directly to customer outcomes—these practical techniques ensure the customer voice isn't lost. The most powerful improvements create a triple win: benefits for customers through better experiences, advantages for the organization through operational efficiency, and improvements for employees through more effective workflows. This holistic approach recognizes that when customers feel lost or neglected due to hyper-efficiency, the consequences ripple through the business in reduced trust, lower retention, and diminished revenue.

Ready to become the bridge between what your business needs and what your customers expect? Subscribe now to continue exploring how to balance business priorities with customer-centricity, and discover how to deliver remarkable experiences while meeting operational goals.

Resources Mentioned:
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- https://bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
CX Success Statement Workbook -- https://bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Pulse Check - August 2025

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 07:00:00 -0500

What's happening in CX today? In this episode, we'll explore the gap between CX ambition and execution. Camille Kremer, Senior Director of Customer Experience at Holiday Inn Club Vacations, joins Jeannie Walters for this CX Pulse Check to share how her team built a comprehensive CX program over five years—drawing on the powerful metaphor of bamboo growth: years of unseen root work before visible success emerges.

With only 17% of executives confident in their CX delivery, despite nearly half calling it a top priority, we unpack what it takes to bridge that divide. Camille walks us through how her team built trust, accountability, and alignment, warning that mismatched expectations are the “rotten tomato” that can spoil even the best CX plans.

We also explore how Verizon is using AI not to replace humans, but to enhance experiences—automating routine tasks while expanding human support.

Throughout, one theme stands out: lasting CX transformation depends on psychological safety. Innovation only happens when teams feel safe enough to try, fail, and learn.

About Camille Kremer:
Camille is the Senior Director of Customer Experience at Holiday Inn Club Vacations. She and her team lead the CX strategy, and drive enterprise-wide improvements based on customer feedback. With 20 years of experience leading large-scale operational and transformational change across multiple industries, she is passionate about turning analytics into meaningful action. Her background in sociology, informatics, quality assurance, and lean continuous improvement fuels her commitment to creating positive change for both businesses and customers.

When she visits her parents in Louisiana, Camille still loves tending to the bees in her father's apiary - a hobby they've done together for 30 years.

Follow Camille on...
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camillekremer/

Articles Mentioned:
- Global execs say CX is crucial to success but most still struggle to optimize its performance (VISION by Protiviti) -- https://vision.protiviti.com/insight/global-execs-say-cx-crucial-success-most-still-struggle-optimize-its-performance
- Marketing Promised. CX Didn’t Deliver. Here’s the Cost. (CMSWire) -- https://www.cmswire.com/customer-experience/marketing-promised-cx-didnt-deliver-heres-the-cost/
- Verizon Announcing AI-Powered 'Customer Experience Transformation' (Newsweek) -- https://www.newsweek.com/verizon-announcing-ai-powered-customer-experience-transformation-2089472

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No One Cares About Your CX Metrics—Let's Fix That

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 07:00:00 -0500

Customer experience pros often face a common challenge: robust metrics like NPS or CSAT fall flat outside the CX team. Why? Because other departments don't see how those numbers connect to their goals.

This episode explores how to bridge that gap by translating CX data into the language of IT, Operations, and Finance. It's not about dumbing down the data. It's about building context. When CX metrics highlight inefficiencies or opportunities for cross-functional wins, they become powerful tools for collaboration.

You'll hear how to align CX insights with departmental priorities so the data speaks to what each team cares about most. We also explore using behavioral and operational data, like service calls, churn rates, or purchase frequency, to demonstrate real business impact. Plus, we introduce the Customer Experience Success Blueprint, a framework designed to help CX initiatives integrate seamlessly with broader organizational goals.

Want your CX initiatives to gain real traction? Start by making the metrics matter to everyone.

Resources Mentioned:
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- https://bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
CX Success Statement Workbook -- https://bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Customer-centric? Or just talk?

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 07:00:00 -0500

What does it really mean to be customer-centric? Too many companies claim the title without living it. In this episode, we explore how to tell the difference between lip service and genuine customer focus. You’ll learn the key signs of authentic customer centricity—like feedback that drives real change, empowered employees who can fix problems, and consistency across every touchpoint.

Jeannie explains why true customer focus requires more than good intentions. It’s about mindset, strategy, and accountability—measured by outcomes, not slogans.

Ask yourself this powerful question: If you noticed something broken in your customer experience today, would you feel empowered to fix it? Your answer reveals volumes about your organization's commitment to being truly customer-centric.

Resources Mentioned:
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- https://bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
CX Success Statement Workbook -- https://bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Learn more about CXI Membership™ and apply -- http://CXIMembership.com
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Surprise, Delight, or Just Get It Right?

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 07:00:00 -0500

Is “surprise and delight” really the secret to customer loyalty, or is reliability your real superpower? In this episode, we challenge one of CX’s biggest myths: that delight always wins.

Many brands, especially in B2B, utilities, or financial services, build trust not through flashy moments but through consistent, dependable service. We explore how neglected touchpoints, like billing or scheduling, can become powerful moments of emotional connection when approached with a bit of personality and care.

You’ll also learn how to build an “emotional bank account” that pays off during service hiccups, and why small, intentional improvements can be more impactful than chasing viral wow moments. Think TSA’s surprisingly fun social media presence as inspiration.

Tune in to rethink what really drives customer trust—and how your brand can strike the right balance between consistency and creativity.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com
What Are Micromoments & Why Are They So Important? -- https://experienceinvestigators.com/customer-journey-maps/tedx-jeannie-walters/
Download the free CX Mission Statement Workbook -- https://bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Pulse Check - July 2025

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 07:00:00 -0500

When half a billion customers interact with your service each year, you gain rare insight into what truly drives—or destroys—customer loyalty. In this CX Pulse Check, Jeannie welcomes Marcus Story, Corporate Director of Customer Experience and Social Customer Care at Delaware North, for a candid conversation about the state of travel and hospitality during the busy summer season.

They take a hard look at American Airlines’ new customer experience advisory board—and the surprising lack of actual customers at the table. Marcus shares why involving real travelers is essential to driving meaningful change, especially as competitors like Delta and United prioritize more customer-focused strategies.

The discussion also explores the evolving role of AI in hospitality. While automation and personalization technologies open new doors, Marcus and Jeannie stress that technology should complement—not replace—genuine human connections. Through personal stories, they highlight how small, thoughtful gestures can leave a lasting impact.

Rounding out the episode, they examine United Airlines’ new airport arrival policy and what it reveals about communication gaps and the overall customer journey. Whether you work in CX or simply love to travel, you’ll walk away with fresh insights on balancing efficiency, innovation, and the timeless value of human touchpoints.

About Marcus Story:

Marcus brings nearly 20 years of experience managing and delivering exceptional customer and guest experiences across hospitality and service industries.

Marcus, who has been a Delaware North team member for 13 years, is the leader of the company’s global customer experience strategy and platform, called GuestPath®. Before Delaware North, Marcus honed his customer experience expertise at well-known organizations like Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and InterContinental Hotels Group.

Aside from his direct experience, Marcus has earned certifications as a Certified Customer Experience Professional (via the Customer Experience Professionals Association) and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. He attended California State University, Sacramento, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, and holds a Master of Science in Hospitality Management from California State University, Long Beach.

Follow Marcus on...
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcusstory/

Articles Mentioned:
- American Airlines names members of new Customer Experience Advisory Board (American Airlines Newsroom) -- https://news.aa.com/news/news-details/2025/American-Airlines-names-members-of-new-Customer-Experience-Advisory-Board-MKG-OTH-06/default.aspx
- How AI-powered CX strategies can better meet guest expectations (Hotel Dive) -- https://www.hoteldive.com/news/artificial-intelligence-cx-strategies-hotel-guest/749477/
- United Passengers Are Required to Check In Earlier Starting June 3 (Condé Nast Traveler) -- https://www.cntraveler.com/story/united-airlines-check-in-time-change

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Getting Other Leaders On Board with CX

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 07:00:00 -0500

Why do so many customer experience initiatives fail to gain traction? Often, the challenge isn't the strategy itself, but how we build bridges with skeptical leaders.

CX leadership requires empathy, strategy, and communication. Stepping into a CX role means asking colleagues to embrace change, which can feel like added pressure. The most successful CX leaders recognize this challenge and approach it with empathy, connecting the dots between customer satisfaction and departmental goals—whether that’s showing finance how retention boosts revenue or demonstrating to operations how journey improvements reduce costs.

Effective CX leaders also make abstract ideas tangible through tools like journey mapping, customer feedback videos, and direct quotes. These bring the customer experience to life, helping leaders understand how their decisions affect the customer. By inviting participation early, you turn resistance into collaboration.

Customer experience is a commitment, not a department. As your initiatives grow, position yourself as a bridge—helping others see how CX can align with their goals—and watch them adopt customer-focused projects on their own.

Curious about where to focus your CX leadership efforts? Visit cxicompass.com to answer 11 simple questions and receive personalized guidance on your next steps. Your journey to organizational alignment starts with understanding that change happens with people, not to them.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com
Ultimate Guide to Customer Journey Maps -- https://experienceinvestigators.com/ultimate-guide-to-customer-journey-maps/
CX Success Statement Workbook -- https://bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Take the CXI Compass™ assessment -- http://cxicompass.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Mistakes We Learn From

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 07:00:00 -0500

Customer experience failures often illuminate the path to real transformation. In this episode, we explore how common CX missteps—from disconnected tools and siloed teams to unused customer data—can undermine trust and stall growth.

The pandemic exposed just how fragile customer loyalty can be. Brands like Peloton had to pivot quickly as expectations shifted overnight, revealing the importance of clear communication and leadership.

True CX success begins with executive alignment, a defined mission, and a strategy that ties customer insights to business outcomes. Empower your teams to challenge assumptions and stay attuned to what matters now—not yesterday.

Ready to transform your approach to customer experience? Take our quick assessment at cxicompass.com to discover your organization's strengths and opportunities. Share this episode with colleagues who are passionate about customer-centricity, and join us in turning experience insights into strategic action.

Resources Mentioned:
Take the CXI Compass™ assessment -- http://cxicompass.com
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Stay Ahead of Customer Expectations

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 07:00:00 -0500

Are you keeping pace with what your customers really expect? Customer behaviors—where they abandon journeys, which tools they use, and how they move between channels—reveal critical, unspoken expectations. Your competition isn’t just your industry; it’s every standout experience your customers have elsewhere.

AI holds powerful potential—but not as just a cost-saver. When applied strategically, it becomes an experience amplifier, enabling personalization, speed, and emotionally intelligent interactions at scale.

Modern customers build their own journeys across brands, platforms, and touchpoints. To stay relevant, CX leaders must respond with modular strategies, real-time responsiveness, and a bold, values-driven identity. The next generation of customers is already telling us: loyalty is earned through alignment, not just convenience.

Curious about where to start? Visit CXIMembership.com for on-demand resources, live events and a community of professionals tackling these same challenges. The future of CX demands we become true experience investigators – approaching our work with both strategic discipline and genuine curiosity about what tomorrow's customers will expect.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators -- https://experienceinvestigators.com
Learn more about CXI Membership™ and apply -- http://CXIMembership.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Pulse Check - June 2025

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 07:00:00 -0500

What happens when we recognize employees as multi-dimensional humans instead of just job titles? The results can transform both customer and employee experience in powerful ways.

In this CX Pulse Check, John Garrett, author of What's Your And?, shares how companies that invest in employee experience see powerful returns—like 28% revenue growth and 50% higher sales from customer-facing teams who feel valued.

From knitting groups at ServiceNow to Starbucks choosing people over AI, we explore how personal passions at work drive connection, loyalty, and business success. John also highlights the need to support high-performing employees to prevent burnout and sustain long-term engagement.

This conversation is a compelling reminder: when people can be themselves at work, everyone wins—employees, customers, and the bottom line.

About John Garrett:
John Garrett—award-winning author and people-centric leadership speaker—is on a mission to create thriving workplaces. What the CPA-turned-professional comedian turned two-time Emmy nominee may do best is champion the human side of professionals, consulting with organizations to develop more productive cultures while shining a light on their people’s rich lives outside of work. And his book, What’s Your “And”?, was named a Distinguished Favorite by the Independent Press Awards and it was recently featured in Forbes.

Learn more about John and "What's Your And?" at https://thejohngarrett.com or https://whatsyourand.com/

Follow John and What's Your And on...
X/Twitter: https://x.com/The_JohnGarrett
X/Twitter: https://x.com/Whats_Your_And
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/John_R_Garrett
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/WhatsYourAnd
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejohngarrett/

Articles Mentioned:
- Why These Companies Let Team Members Share and Explore Personal Passions at Work (Built In Seattle) -- https://www.builtinseattle.com/articles/why-these-companies-let-team-members-share-and-explore-personal-passions-work
- To Leverage Employee Passion, Save It for When It Counts (Harvard Business School) -- https://www.library.hbs.edu/working-knowledge/in-cost-cutting-era-save-passion-for-when-it-counts
- Starbucks doubles down on baristas, not AI, to fix its customer crunch (Business Insider) -- https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-investing-humans-rivals-bet-ai-2025-5

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Marketing to CX Skills

Tue, 27 May 2025 07:00:00 -0500

There's a world of opportunity waiting for marketing professionals looking to pivot into customer experience. In this episode, we tackle a timely question from a recent graduate wondering how to leverage his marketing background to break into CX.

Marketing and customer experience share significant DNA - both focus on understanding customers, building relationships, and communicating value. The key difference? While marketing often zeroes in on conversion, CX professionals must adopt a holistic view of the entire customer journey. Your marketing skills in audience segmentation, messaging, and basic journey mapping provide a solid foundation, but success in CX requires shifting your perspective to consider how customers feel at every touchpoint, from first awareness through ongoing loyalty and even departure. The full customer journey extends far beyond the sale.

You have foundational skills that will set you apart in customer experience, and you're joining a field known for collaboration and knowledge sharing. Connect with the CX community, explore resources like our Learning Center at experienceinvestigators.com, and embrace the journey of continuous growth that defines this dynamic profession.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators -- https://experienceinvestigators.com
Learn more about CXI Membership™ and apply -- http://CXIMembership.com
Take the CXI Compass™ assessment -- http://cxicompass.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

3 Wins for Employee Experience

Tue, 20 May 2025 07:00:00 -0500

What truly creates an exceptional employee experience? The answer goes far beyond competitive compensation and trendy office perks.

Employee and customer experiences are inextricably linked - you simply cannot separate these two crucial elements of business success. When employees feel valued, aligned with purpose, and empowered to make decisions, that positive energy naturally flows through to customer interactions, driving better results for everyone.

The foundation of great employee experience rests on three essential pillars. First, a purpose-driven culture rooted in a clear mission statement gives employees something bigger than themselves to work toward. Second, employees need clarity around what success looks like and how their specific role contributes to it. The third pillar is genuine empowerment through proper tools, training, trust and support.

While benefits and compensation matter, they're merely table stakes. The true elevation of employee experience comes when people connect to purpose and understand that customer experience is everyone's business.

Ready to transform your employee and customer experiences? Visit experienceinvestigators.com for resources or join our membership at cxmembership.com to access on-demand courses that will help you build a truly customer-centric organization from the inside out.

Resources Mentioned:
Download the free CX Mission Statement Workbook -- https://bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
Get the Employee Journey Map Template -- https://bit.ly/ejmtemplate
Learn more about CXI Membership™ and apply -- http://CXIMembership.com
Experience Investigators -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX in the Public Sector

Tue, 13 May 2025 07:00:00 -0500

What happens when customer experience principles meet public service? Jeannie Walters answers a thoughtful question and explores how government agencies and public institutions can create exceptional citizen experiences despite not being driven by traditional profit motives.

The conversation begins with reimagining success metrics beyond customer acquisition and retention. For public sector organizations, value creation takes different forms—like operational efficiencies, higher compliance rates, and broader service accessibility. Jeannie explains how connecting back to purpose through an experience mission statement creates the foundation for meaningful improvements that align with public good.

Journey mapping emerges as a powerful tool for identifying friction points in citizen interactions. By examining specific processes with clear goals and scope, organizations can simplify procedures, humanize interactions, and clarify requirements—addressing common complaints about government bureaucracy.

The podcast explores practical strategies for co-creation with citizens, employee empowerment, and designing for inclusivity. Jeanne shares compelling examples of public institutions that transformed service delivery models to reach underserved populations, demonstrating that creativity and empathy can flourish even within government frameworks. Her insights on communication improvements, measuring meaningful metrics, and sharing success stories provide a roadmap for any public sector organization ready to elevate their citizen experience.

Ready to transform your organization's approach to citizen service? Listen now for actionable strategies that respect people's time, needs, and dignity—ultimately strengthening public trust and delivering on your mission.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Pulse Check - May 2025

Tue, 06 May 2025 07:00:00 -0500

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing customer experience—but are businesses applying it with care? In this compelling episode, CX expert Jeannie Walters sits down with Ovetta Sampson, an AI design leader with a decade of experience at IDEO and Google, to explore how companies can harness AI without compromising trust.

Ovetta challenges common assumptions with a powerful statement: “AI is neither artificial nor intelligent.” From chatbots that fabricate policies to biased algorithms in loan approvals, she shares eye-opening examples of how AI can go wrong—and what to do about it.

Learn why AI needs continuous testing, feedback loops, and what Ovetta calls “Mike Tyson proofing” to avoid delivering broken experiences. She also offers a practical framework for implementation: focus AI efforts on your most frustrating customer touchpoints, not just where it’s easy.

Looking to use AI more effectively in your organization? Ovetta is offering listeners an exclusive discount on to our listeners. Start building smarter, safer customer experiences. Use the coupon code "experience" for a 50% discount on one of the following:

1 hour coaching session ($300 regular price)
1 hour AI Risk Assessment session ($300 regular price)
90-minute CEO lunch ($1500 regular price)

Coupon Code is: experience

Redeem at www.rightainow.com/appointments

About Ovetta Sampson:
Named one of the Top 15 People in Enterprise Artificial Intelligence by Business Insider in 2023, Ovetta Sampson is a tech industry leader who has worked with multiple technologies to help solve some of the biggest problems facing multiple industries. Leading engineers, designers and researchers, at top companies such as Microsoft, IDEO and Capital One, Ovetta has been designing and developing machine learning, artificial intelligence and enterprise software solutions for more than a decade. She left her last job as Director AI and Compute Enablement at Google to found Right AI, a consultancy that helps organizations and businesses minimize the human engagement risks when implementing AI.

Follow Ovetta on...
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ovettasampson/

Articles Mentioned:

A Contact Center Chatbot Invents Company Policies, Now Customers Want Out (CX Today)
When Algorithms Deny Loans: The Fraught Fight to Purge Bias from AI (IoT For All)
Singapore Airlines Elevates Customer Experience With $45 Million Investment In Changi Airport (Breaking Travel News)

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Reflecting the CX Mission in the Employee Experience

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 07:00:00 -0500

Customer experience initiatives aren't delivering the results you expected? The answer might lie in a critical but often overlooked disconnect: the gap between your customer experience mission and your employee experience reality.

In this thought-provoking episode, Jeannie Walters tackles a question about aligning a company's CX mission statement with the actual employee experience. When organizations promise customers convenience, empathy, or frictionless interactions while their employees struggle with clunky systems, bureaucratic processes, or micromanagement, the disconnect creates more than just employee dissatisfaction – it undermines the entire customer experience strategy before it reaches a single customer.

The episode reveals how employee and customer experience together uncovers powerful insights about your organization. By analyzing the connections between employee engagement and customer satisfaction, you can identify patterns that highlight best practices to replicate or problem areas to address. Remember: your CX mission statement exists to help everyone understand their role in providing meaningful experiences – not just to external customers but to internal ones too. When employees feel the values you claim to uphold, they become your most powerful advocates for delivering those same values to customers. Ready to create true alignment between what you say and what you do? Listen now and transform your approach to experience.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Keeping Up with Customer Expectations

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 07:00:00 -0500

Trust is key to managing customer expectations in today’s fast-changing world. While perfection isn’t possible, transparency is—and customers deeply value honesty.

When transparency is your default, disappointments become opportunities for connection. Take the supplement company that added flavoring to an unflavored product: instead of ignoring feedback, they addressed it openly, building stronger relationships. Whether it’s a service delay or a product change, a simple heads-up can turn complaints into appreciation.

Expectations are shaped by every brand interaction—not just yours. That means your competition isn’t just your industry, but every company your customers engage with. Successful businesses continuously revisit promises and review touchpoints to close gaps before they widen.

Empathy is your strongest tool. Change is hard, but clear, compassionate communication—explaining the “why” and how you’ll help—builds trust and respect.

Want to level up your strategy? Take our free CXI Compass assessment at cxicompass.com to find your top priorities. Understanding expectations is the first step to exceeding them.

Resources Mentioned:
Take the CXI Compass™ assessment -- http://cxicompass.com
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

The Art of CX Leadership

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 07:00:00 -0500

Customer experience leadership is not just about gathering insights—it's about securing genuine organizational buy-in. In this special episode of the Experience Action podcast, our host Jeannie Walters sits down with Sasha Fard, Country Lead for Customer Experience Management at Capital One Canada, to reveal the often-overlooked secret to successful CX implementation.

Speaking from the bustling Medallia Experience 2025 event in Las Vegas, Fard dismantles the common misconception that actionable Voice of Customer data alone drives change. The real challenge? Getting cross-functional leaders to not just review customer feedback but commit to acting on it.

What makes this conversation particularly valuable is Fard's practical approach to change management. Following ADKAR principles (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement), he demonstrates how CX professionals must transform themselves into skilled salespeople for their initiatives. "You need to be a good salesperson too," Fard advises, "because you're selling an idea, you're selling an approach." This means understanding stakeholder objectives, speaking their language, and showing how CX directly supports their goals—not overwhelming them with metrics and industry jargon.

The most compelling takeaway? Start small, demonstrate value, and scale gradually. By securing incremental commitments rather than demanding wholesale change, CX leaders can build the credibility needed to expand their influence. This approach earned Capital One the Global CXPA Impact Award, recognizing their success in driving tangible business outcomes through customer experience initiatives. Ready to transform how you approach CX leadership?

Follow Sasha Fard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashafard/

Resources Mentioned:
Medallia Experience -- https://www.medallia.com/experience/
Experience Investigators -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Pulse Check - April 2025

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 07:00:00 -0500

It's time for another CX Pulse Check to discuss current events and innovations in CX. In this illuminating conversation with Enrique Rubio, Founder at Hacking HR and Head of Global Community at Transform, and our host Jeannie Walters, we uncover how innovative organizations are finally bridging this gap through strategic use of data and technology.

Fresh from their encounters at Qualtrics' X4 conference, Enrique and Jeannie explore how our experiences as consumers now directly shape our expectations as employees. They examine Apple's $500 billion US investment through this lens, discussing not just the business implications but what it means for talent development and organizational design. The conversation turns to Ford's data-driven approach to employee experience, revealing how established companies with strong legacies can use analytics to understand workforce needs around career development and digital readiness. Perhaps most provocatively, they challenge prevailing wisdom about remote work.

Discover how connecting the dots between customer and employee experience can create competitive advantage where expectations are constantly evolving.

About Enrique Rubio:

Enrique is an HR, Tech and Future of Work expert, keynote speaker and founder of global communities. Enrique is currently an advisor to the community he built, Hacking HR, a global learning community operating at the intersection of future of work, technology, business and organizations, with thousands of members of all over the world; and the Head of Global Community at Transform, building a global community of local chapters covering every major city and region in the world.

Enrique is one of the top 100 HR global influencers. He was the founder and CEO at Management Consultants, a firmed specialized in Human Resources in Venezuela. Before Management Consultants, Enrique worked in the telecommunications sector as a Senior Project Engineer for Telefonica and several other companies in the early to mid-2000s. Enrique is a guest author in several blogs about innovation, management and human resources. Most recently Enrique worked as an advisor to the Chief Human Resources Officer at the Inter-American Development Bank.

Enrique frequently speaks about topics ranging from DEIB, future of work, HR strategy, employee experience, technology, among others. Additionally, Enrique designs hundreds of learning programs for the HR community in the form of events and short-term programs.

Enrique is a Fulbright Scholar, and Electronic Engineer with an Executive Master’s in Public Administration from Maxwell School at Syracuse University.

Follow Enrique on...
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rubioenrique/

Articles Mentioned:
Apple’s $500 billion U.S. investment: What HR leaders need to know (HR Executive)
Ford's data-driven approach to Employee Experience (Diginomica)

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Turning Employee Insights into Customer Experience Breakthroughs

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 12:00:00 -0500

What happens when you bring together experience leaders from healthcare and elite sports education? You discover powerful insights that transcend industries and reveal universal truths about creating exceptional experiences.

Meet Heather Brace, Chief People Officer at Intermountain Healthcare with its 68,000 employees across six states, and Mike Milliron, Chief Operating Officer at IMG Academy, the world-renowned training ground for elite athletes. Both leaders share a remarkable commitment to turning feedback into action. Our host, Jeannie Walters, had the privilege of interviewing them at the X4 conference hosted by Qualtrics in Salt Lake City in March of 2025.

Their organizations have rejected traditional annual surveys in favor of frequent, targeted listening programs that capture real-time sentiment. As Heather explains, "What does an employee remember? Probably what happened in the last 30 days." Both have created what they call "closed-loop" feedback systems where they not only collect insights but transparently communicate the actions they'll take as a result.

The most compelling revelation? Their data shows that employee engagement hinges on surprisingly simple human elements. At Intermountain Healthcare, they discovered that employees who stay past the four-year mark typically remain for ten years or more. This insight drove them to map the complete employee journey, identifying critical moments where intervention could improve retention.

Meanwhile, IMG Academy has developed highly personalized approaches that align students, parents and staff around individualized development plans. As Mike powerfully states, "We've found you can do more damage than good if you ask for insights and then just sit on it."

Ready to transform your organization's approach to experience? Listen now and discover how these leaders have built cultures where feedback drives meaningful change, accountability matters, and experiences are designed around authentic human needs.

Follow Heather Brace on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-brace/
Follow Mike Milliron on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-milliron-6a234713/

Resources Mentioned:
Qualtrics -- https://www.qualtrics.com/
Experience Investigators -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Event Planning and CX

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 07:00:00 -0500

The magic of attending a truly exceptional event stays with us long after we've returned home. What makes some events so memorable while others fade quickly from memory? In this episode, we tackle a listener question about customer experience best practices for event planners seeking to create standout experiences.

Drawing from her extensive experience as both keynote speaker and attendee, Jeannie walks through practical recommendations that can elevate any event, regardless of size or budget. We start with seemingly small touches that make significant impacts - from double-sided name tags that don't flip around to clear wayfinding that helps attendees navigate unfamiliar venues confidently. These foundational elements create a sense of care and competence that permeates the entire experience.

Beyond logistics, we explore how thoughtful programming, personalized communications, and intentionally curated networking opportunities build meaningful connections between participants. We emphasize the importance of inclusivity through accessibility accommodations, dietary options, and creating sensory-friendly spaces where introverts and others can recharge. Looking toward the future, we imagine how artificial intelligence might transform events through personalized agendas while preserving space for those serendipitous hallway conversations that often become highlights of in-person gatherings.

Have you experienced an event that completely exceeded your expectations? Or perhaps you're planning one yourself? Want to create an unforgettable event experience? Let’s make it happen! Jeannie Walters brings real-world customer experience insights, engaging storytelling, and actionable strategies to help your audience think differently about CX. Whether it’s a keynote, workshop, or panel discussion, we’d love to help make your event stand out. Visit ExperienceInvestigators.com to learn more and to book Jeannie for your next event!

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Build Your CX Scorecard

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 07:00:00 -0500

Customer support leaders are often trapped in a cycle of "number narration" - reporting metrics without connecting them to organizational value. In this insightful episode addressing a listener's question about reporting as a new support leader, Jeannie dives into how to transform your customer support metrics into meaningful business impact stories.

The key isn't just tracking first response time, resolution rates, or customer satisfaction scores - it's understanding why these metrics matter and how they directly contribute to retention, revenue, and organizational success. When leadership doesn't see this connection, customer experience initiatives become vulnerable to cost-cutting measures despite their crucial role in protecting brand reputation and driving business growth.

Whether you're new to leading a support team or looking to more effectively communicate your department's value, this episode provides actionable guidance for building meaningful scorecards that balance performance tracking with strategic business alignment. Ready to stop being a number narrator and start showing real business impact? This episode will show you how.

Resources Mentioned:
CX Success Statement Workbook -- https://bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Take the CXI Compass™ assessment -- http://cxicompass.com
Register for our webinar: What The C-Suite Needs to Know -- https://bit.ly/CXNeedToKnow
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Pulse Check - March 2025

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 07:00:00 -0500

Healthcare and customer experience have more in common than you might think. Brian Carlson, VP of Patient Experience at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, joins Jeannie Walters for a CX Pulse Check to explore these fascinating parallels that are reshaping how we think about caring for patients.

In this episode, they discuss:

A patient satisfaction scoring storyline that provoked strong reactions on HBO's new medical drama "The Pitt"
Lush's bold decision to abandon social media platforms, discovering surprising connections to how healthcare has traditionally built communities
Modern healthcare designs that must consider patients, families, staff, and operational functionality simultaneously

Despite the challenges facing healthcare, Brian's powerful reminder resonates throughout our conversation: "We do far more right than we do wrong." Healthcare professionals perform life-saving, transformative work every day, often in difficult circumstances. The evolution of patient experience isn't about criticizing what's wrong but enhancing the incredible care already happening.

Ready to bridge customer and patient experience in your organization? Connect with Brian on LinkedIn to follow his insights, and explore our resources at experienceinvestigators.com to support your experience journey.

About Brian Carlson:
Brian Carlson has over 20 years of experience in large academic health systems and private group practices. He is currently the Vice President of Patient Experience at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) (http://www.vanderbilthealth.org), where he has significantly improved patient experience and operational efficiency since 2007.

Brian has a proven track record of driving financial and operational success. At VUMC, he enhanced the patient experience percentile rank and developed programs to boost workforce culture and patient engagement. Previously, he served as CEO/COO of Olean Medical Group and Practice Manager for Obstetrics & Gynecology at Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation.

He holds dual master's degrees in Health Services Administration and Business Administration from Xavier University and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Wittenberg University.

Follow Brian on...
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianrcarlson-nashville

Articles Mentioned:
Press Ganey CMO on 'The Pitt': Doctor Report Cards Are Really About Systems (Newsweek) -- https://www.newsweek.com/press-ganey-cmo-pitt-doctor-report-cards-are-really-about-systems-2029009
What Lush learned from three years of being mostly offline (Marketing Brew) -- https://www.marketingbrew.com/stories/2025/02/24/lush-anti-social-media-strategy
AI-driven research uncovers how physician media choice shapes online patient experience (Nevada Today) -- https://www.unr.edu/nevada-today/news/2025/ai-physician-communication

Resources Mentioned:
Take the CXI Compass™ assessment -- http://cxicompass.com
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

What Do Customers Want?

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 07:00:00 -0600

Ready to take your customer experience to the next level? In this episode, we dive deep into the essentials of establishing a proactive feedback strategy that not only gathers insights from customers but also transforms those insights into meaningful actions. Jeannie Walters shares her expertise on the significance of understanding customer sentiment and how to strategically implement feedback to enhance business results.

We explore the common pitfalls companies face when they collect data without a cohesive strategy. Furthermore, we discuss the necessity of a robust feedback loop, where organizations not only analyze customer behaviors but actively inform customers about changes being made based on their input. Trust is essential in fostering a customer-centric culture, and knowing how to close that loop can turn casual customers into loyal advocates.

Are you ready to learn how to refine your customer experience strategy? Tune in for actionable insights that can help you strengthen relationships with your customers, turn insights into actions, and truly understand what your customers are telling you.

Resources Mentioned:
Take the CXI Compass™ assessment -- cxicompass.com
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Get the CX Executive Role

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 07:00:00 -0600

Ready to elevate your customer experience game as a leader? In this engaging episode, we explore the pivotal questions every aspiring CX professional should ask during executive interviews. Jeannie shares practical advice on evaluating success metrics beyond traditional feedback loops, and the importance of resource allocation to drive effective strategy.

Listeners will uncover strategies for assessing an organization's commitment to customer experience, from cultural fit to the resources available for successful execution. Whether you're a seasoned CX leader or looking to break into leadership, this episode is packed with actionable insights that will prepare you for success. Tune in to discover how to turn customer experience discussions into impactful actions and position yourself as a leader who can drive sustainable customer-centric initiatives.

Resources Mentioned:
Take the CXI® Compass assessment -- http://cxicompass.com/
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Storytelling to Connect with Customers

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 07:00:00 -0600

Unlock the potential of storytelling to revolutionize your brand's customer experience. Imagine creating not just a transaction but a true emotional bond with your audience. Join us as we dissect how storytelling transcends raw data and features, transforming them into authentic, relatable narratives. You'll discover how campaigns like Dove's Real Beauty can serve as a powerful blueprint for forming genuine connections. We promise you'll walk away with actionable insights on how to make your brand's story resonate deeply, encouraging customers to see themselves in your journey and inspiring them to take their next step with you.

But storytelling isn’t just for customers—it's a dynamic tool for engaging leaders and teams within your organization as well. This episode offers a glimpse into how storytelling can dismantle silos and foster a culture of connection and success at every level. We'll discuss strategies for using stories to bridge the emotional gap in B2B settings and illustrate potential outcomes that lead to smarter decision-making.

Resources Mentioned:
Sign up for the Weekly Win -- experienceinvestigators.com/newsletter/
Get our Customer Journey Storyboarding Template -- bit.ly/journey-storyboard
Take the CXI® Compass assessment -- cxicompass.com
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Pulse Check - February 2025

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 07:00:00 -0600

It's time for another CX Pulse Check. We're thrilled to have Dr. Amy Climer, a leading expert in creativity and innovation, sharing her insights. Together, we explore tech advancements that are transforming customer experiences and creating new challenges.

We look at how we can navigate the fine line between innovation and distraction as technology evolves, offering a fresh perspective on capturing consumer attention amidst fragmented media consumption. We also delve into the intricacies of consumer data privacy, considering AI as a tool for empowering consumers to manage their data. Tune in for a thought-provoking exploration of the trends redefining commerce and community today.

About Dr. Amy Climer:

Dr. Amy Climer is a speaker, trainer, and coach who teaches teams how to innovate on demand. She developed the Deliberate Creative™ Team Scale to help teams understand how to increase their creativity. She hosts The Deliberate Creative™ podcast and she is the designer of Climer Cards, a creativity and teambuilding tool. Amy has a Ph.D. in Leadership and Change.

Check out Amy's new book, Deliberate Creative Teams, at https://climerconsulting.com/book/.

Follow Amy on...

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/climerconsulting
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyclimer/
X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/amyclimer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amyclimer/

Articles Mentioned:
Turning Screen Time Into Seamless, Personalized Shopping: The Future of in-Car Commerce (PYMNTS) -- https://www.pymnts.com/connectedeconomy/2025/turning-screen-time-into-seamless-personalized-shopping-the-future-of-in-car-commerce/
Your Next Apartment Rental May Also Be a Marketing Campaign (The Wall Street Journal) -- https://www.wsj.com/articles/your-next-apartment-rental-may-also-be-a-marketing-campaign-cdfa339f
Consumer Loyalty 2025: Why Data Transparency Matters More Than Discounts (Ad Age) -- https://adage.com/article/opinion/consumer-loyalty-2025-why-data-transparency-matters-more-discounts/2599816

Resources Mentioned:
Take the CXI® Compass assessment -- CXICompass.com
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Commodities and Customer Experience

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 07:00:00 -0600

What if your commoditized product could command premium pricing and cultivate a loyal customer community? That's exactly what we explore in this episode, as we unlock the secrets of customer experience (CX) as a transformative strategy, even for products as seemingly interchangeable as sugar and coffee beans. We highlight the pivotal role of CX in brand differentiation and perceived value enhancement. With compelling examples, we demonstrate how companies can leverage CX to stand out and thrive.

Join Jeannie Walters as we unpack real-world success stories and provide actionable insights for turning commoditized products into beloved brands. From the power of word-of-mouth referrals to creating standout experiences, we delve into how strategic CX investments can lead to remarkable growth and customer loyalty. Whether you're selling coffee beans or outdoor gear, this episode offers valuable lessons on how to elevate your brand through the full spectrum of customer experience.

Resources Mentioned:
Take the CXI® Compass assessment -- CXICompass.com
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Inclusive Communications and Training

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 07:00:00 -0600

What if your training methods could bridge cultural divides and turn challenges into opportunities for growth? Join me, Jeannie Walters, as we unravel the complexities of creating an inclusive and accessible customer experience that caters to the diverse needs of your team. This episode contains insights into overcoming literacy and tech barriers with empathy, transforming potential roadblocks into pathways for success. We'll explore the power of visual aids, adaptable communication methods, and the recognition of individual learning styles to craft an environment where every team member feels valued and empowered.

Throughout our discussion, we'll delve into practical strategies to ensure your training programs and SOPs resonate across cultural and linguistic backgrounds. By embracing the unique challenges of each team member, we can design initiatives that not only acknowledge diverse viewpoints but also harness them to enhance customer experiences. Whether you're developing new procedures or refining existing ones, discover actionable steps that turn ideas into impactful actions, paving the way for an inclusive workplace culture that thrives on diversity and shared success.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Pulse Check - January 2025

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 07:00:00 -0600

It's time for the first CX Pulse Check of 2025. Special guest co-host Andrew Carothers, CCXP, joins Jeannie Walters to discuss the evolving landscape of customer experience in 2025, highlighting innovative strategies by companies like AT&T and Samsung alongside challenges posed by automation, as seen in the Waymo incident. The discussion emphasizes the need for empathy, proactive engagement, and a comprehensive understanding of customer journeys to foster loyalty in a competitive market.

Through fascinating examples and anecdotes, they highlight how blending digital tools with the human touch is crucial in orchestrating a seamless and superior customer experience.

About Andrew Carothers, CCXP:
Andrew Carothers, CCXP, is a Customer Experience executive known for developing innovative CX strategies that grow revenue, increase renewal rates, and expedite customer adoption. A founding member of Cisco System’s CX function, he helped build the function with a focus on digital experience and partners. He’s a 12-time International Customer Experience award winner, frequently writes and speaks on CX topics, and co-authored The Publicity Handbook (McGraw Hill), a Fortune Book Club selection. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Advisors for the University of San Francisco’s School of Management Strategic Artificial Intelligence program and as a judge for US and international CX competitions.

Follow Andrew on...
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-carothers/

Articles Mentioned:
AT&T Says It Will Now Credit You for Outages and Long Customer Service Wait Times (Gizmodo) -- https://gizmodo.com/att-says-it-will-now-credit-you-for-outages-and-long-customer-service-wait-times-2000547491
Samsung’s smart fridges will use AI to suggest groceries to buy on Instacart (The Verge) -- https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/2/24334411/samsung-instacart-smart-fridge-partnership
LA man nearly misses flight as self-driving Waymo taxi drives around parking lot in circles (CBS News) -- https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/la-man-nearly-misses-flight-as-self-driving-waymo-taxi-drives-around-parking-lot-in-circles/

Resources Mentioned:
Take the CXI® Compass assessment -- CXICompass.com
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Wins from 100 Episodes

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 16:00:00 -0600

Discover the secrets to transforming customer experience from a mere concept into an actionable strategy that propels business success. In our landmark 100th episode of the Experience Action Podcast, I'm thrilled to share the pivotal elements of mindset, strategy, and discipline that can significantly enhance your organization’s customer journey. Together, we'll explore how understanding your customer experience landscape and crafting clear mission statements can align your strategies with organizational objectives. By investing in innovation and recognizing the strategic importance of customer experience, we can elevate it to the forefront of business initiatives, driving not only success but fostering a better world by alleviating customer frustrations.

This milestone is a celebration of YOU—our amazing listeners—who inspire this mission every day. Let’s keep setting bold goals, celebrating wins, and empowering CX leaders everywhere to make a lasting impact. Tune in to take the next step in driving success for your customers, your organization, and beyond!

Episodes Mentioned:
First 100 Days as a CX Leader (Episode 84)
Must-Haves for Success CX Programs (Episode 65)
Customer Experience (CX) Examples in Evolving Industries (Episode 12)
Setting Clear and Actionable Customer Experience Goals (Episode 72)
Management or CX Consulting? (Episode 75)
Cross-Functional Communication (Episode 74)

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube -- youtube.com/@jeanniewalters

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

5 Year-End Reflection Questions

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 07:00:00 -0600

What if you could transform your customer experience strategy to drive tangible business results, like increased revenue and reduced expenses? In this milestone 99th episode of the Experience Action Podcast, we wrap up the year by reflecting on the successes and lessons learned in customer experience. Together, we'll explore five critical questions that will help you evaluate your priorities and achievements this past year. Join Jeannie Walters as we delve into positive customer feedback and uncover stories that can inform us of where future investments should lie. This is your chance to connect the dots between customer experience efforts and real business outcomes, ensuring that your initiatives are both meaningful and beneficial to your bottom line.

Use the insights and questions shared as tools for both reflection and proactive action. Let's prepare for an impactful 2025 by celebrating our successes and identifying areas for growth. Thank you for your dedication to your customers, and here's to a joyous holiday season and a Happy New Year!

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Misaligned Customer Expectations

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 07:00:00 -0600

What if you could transform customer dissatisfaction into a golden opportunity for building trust and loyalty? Join me, Jeannie Walters, on this episode of the Experience Action Podcast, where we explore the art of managing customer expectations and strategies for when reality doesn't quite meet those expectations. We'll discuss how acknowledging and empathizing with your customers can be a game-changer, offering practical communication techniques to bridge gaps and mitigate disappointment. Discover the importance of transparency and honesty, and learn how offering alternatives—even suggesting competitors—can surprisingly strengthen your customer relationships and build unparalleled trust.

Together, we can transform ideas into actionable strategies that elevate your customer experience. Subscribe now and let's embark on this journey to turn challenges into opportunities for excellence.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Pulse Check - December 2024

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 07:00:00 -0600

It's the last CX Pulse Check of 2024! Discover how AI is reshaping the marketing landscape alongside our special guest co-host Andy Crestodina. First, we unravel the secrets behind Taco Bell and KFC's AI-driven marketing success, which not only boosts sales but also enhances personalized communication. However, the episode also offers a reality check for smaller businesses considering AI adoption.

We then spotlight the burgeoning trend of transparency in technology. The conversation parallels AI disclosure with privacy laws, highlighting how this shift could foster trust. The discussion takes a thought-provoking turn as we question AI's capacity for empathy, pondering whether AI can deliver more meaningful experiences than humans.

Our exploration extends into the educational arena, where AI is both a boon and a challenge. AI can enhance learning but also presents obstacles to foundational skill development. We emphasize the vital balance between embracing AI's efficiency and nurturing essential human skills and relationships.

About Andy Crestodina:
Andy Crestodina is a co-founder and CMO of Orbit Media, an award-winning 50-person digital agency in Chicago.

Over the past 24 years, Andy’s provided guidance to 1000+ businesses. He’s written hundreds of articles on content strategy, SEO, GA4, AI and visitor psychology. He’s also the author of Content Chemistry: The Illustrated Handbook for Content Marketing.

Top 10 Online Marketing Experts, Forbes
Top 50 Marketing Influencer, Entrepreneur Magazine
Top 25 Content Marketers, Express Writers/Buzzsumo
Top 10 Social Media Influencers, Social Media Explorer

Follow Andy and Orbit Media on...
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/andycrestodina/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/orbit-media-studios-inc./
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orbitmediastudios
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/crestodina
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/orbiteers
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/Orbitmedia

Articles Mentioned:
Taco Bell and KFC’s Owner Says AI-Driven Marketing Is Boosting Purchases (The Wall Street Journal) -- https://www.wsj.com/articles/taco-bell-and-kfcs-owner-says-ai-driven-marketing-is-boosting-purchases-ab3a5f36
Retailers confront trust issues as generative AI becomes commonplace (CX Dive) -- https://www.customerexperiencedive.com/news/retail-customer-trust-generative-bain-e-commerce/733018/

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Mission and Vision in CX Strategy

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 07:00:00 -0600

If you have an organizational mission statement, do you need an organizational vision statement? What about a customer experience mission statement or a customer experience strategy statement? Craft a customer experience (CX) mission that truly aligns with your organization's vision and mission and puts a focus on the customer! In this episode, Jeannie Walters shares her insights on transforming organizational goals into actionable CX strategies. Hear how to develop a compelling CX mission statement that not only guides employees but also ensures consistent and exceptional customer interactions. Discover how to set measurable goals to assess the success of your CX initiatives, focusing on key metrics like customer retention, referrals, and satisfaction rates.

Together, let's turn your CX aspirations into impactful, strategic actions that deliver meaningful results.

Resources Mentioned:
Learn more about CXI Flight School™ -- cxiflightschool.com
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Turning Negative Feedback Into Actionable Insights

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 07:00:00 -0600

What if you could turn every customer complaint into a stepping stone for innovation? In this episode, we explore the untapped potential of negative feedback to revolutionize your business. Discover how reframing customer complaints can enhance relationships and uncover opportunities for growth. We'll explore some strategies to categorize and analyze feedback, allowing you to pinpoint root causes and prioritize improvements.

Embracing negative feedback isn't just beneficial; it's transformative. By fostering a culture of open communication, businesses can achieve significant improvements for both employees and customers. Join us as we delve into understanding customer emotions and identifying friction points, ultimately aligning feedback with organizational goals for an enhanced customer experience. This isn't just about damage control; it's about creating a win-win-win scenario for everyone involved.

As Jeannie Walters shares her insights, we're eager to hear how you'll implement these strategies and invite you to continue this journey with us, turning what might seem like setbacks into strategic advantages.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube -- youtube.com/@jeanniewalters

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Pulse Check - November 2024

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 07:00:00 -0600

Tune in to this CX Pulse Check as we uncover the vital role of communication in driving customer experience transformation. Tamsen Webster, founder of the Message Design Institute, sits down with Jeannie Walters to reveal how communication missteps often hinder change, drawing insights from Tamsen’s latest book. Through examples across industries, they highlight proactive messaging strategies that build trust, even amid challenges like credit card fraud, and explore how acknowledging customers’ past interactions can lead to a more connected and resilient experience.

The discussion also covers balancing communication frequency to avoid alert fatigue and illustrates how vague communications, like hidden banking fees, can frustrate customers. Discover how aligning employee and customer experiences—starting with frontline involvement—can make change implementation smoother and align with organizational values. Wrapping up with the power of a customer-centered culture in crisis management, this episode promises actionable insights to elevate your communication strategy in customer experience.

About Tamsen Webster, MA, MBA, Founder at the Message Design Institute:
Part message designer, part English-to-English translator, part magpie, Tamsen Webster helps leaders craft their case for large-scale change. In addition to her work in and for major organizations such as Harvard Medical School, Fidelity Investments, and Klaviyo, she’s a judge and mentor for the Harvard Innovation Labs, a professional advisor at the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship, and has spent over 10 years as the Idea Strategist for one of only nine legacy-level TEDx events in the world. She was named to the Thinkers50 Radar in 2022 and is the author of two books, Find Your Red Thread: Make Your Big Ideas Irresistible and Say What They Can't Unhear: The 9 Principles of Lasting Change. She lives in Boston with her husband, two sons, and two brindle Greyhounds, Hazel and Walnut.

Follow Tamsen on...
LinkedIn
X/Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube

Articles Mentioned:

i2c Inc. and PYMNTS Survey Reveals Consumer Expectations for How Banks Respond to Credit Card Fraud (Business Wire)
How The Vitamin Shoppe builds flexible customer experiences (CX Dive)
How Businesses Can Cultivate a Customer-Centric Culture During Natural Disasters (socPub)
Attributes—not skills—determine whether you ‘cut it’ or not (McKinsey & Company)

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Break Down The Silos - or Not?

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 07:00:00 -0500

Breaking down silos while maintaining specialization isn't just a buzzword—it's a necessity for a seamless customer experience. But how can companies, especially within tightly regulated industries like financial services, balance the need for specific expertise with the demand for a unified customer journey? In this episode, an insightful listener question sets the stage for a compelling exploration of cross-functional collaboration. We'll navigate the tension between specialization and an aligned customer vision, revealing how cultural commitment and strategic communication can transform fragmented operations into a cohesive brand experience.

Whether adapting marketing strategies or wrestling with supply chain challenges, tune in to hear some strategies to build customer trust and deliver a seamless interaction that transcends departmental boundaries. Let's turn the dream of a consistent and compelling customer journey into a reality.

Resources Mentioned:
CX Charter Guidebook -- https://bit.ly/cxcharter
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube -- youtube.com/@jeanniewalters

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Get B2B Partners Aligned with CX

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 07:00:00 -0500

What if aligning your vision with your retail partners could transform your B2B customer experience strategy? In this episode of Experience Action Podcast, we explore how B2B suppliers can effectively engage retail partner staff to ensure a seamless customer experience that resonates with everyone involved. Through transparent communication and targeted training, Jeannie uncovers actionable strategies that go beyond traditional sales tactics, emphasizing the value of shared goals and mutual success. Both parties can elevate their operations and achieve better business outcomes.

Whether you're a seasoned B2B supplier or new to the game, this episode provides valuable lessons on fostering robust partnerships that prioritize exceptional customer service. Tune in and discover how to elevate your network and drive success across the board.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com
The CX Value Chain [LinkedIn Learning Course] -- bit.ly/lilcxvalue
CX Operations [LinkedIn Learning Course] – bit.ly/lilcxops
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube -- youtube.com/@jeanniewalters

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Prioritize the Right Things

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 13:00:00 -0500

Ever felt like you're juggling too many priorities and not making the impact you desire? Discover how small teams can master the art of prioritizing impact within the customer experience realm. In this episode, Jeannie Walters guides you through strategies to define clear organizational outcomes and align your efforts with those critical goals. By identifying the root causes of customer issues, like unfulfilled promises affecting contract renewals, we can make more informed decisions that benefit both the organization and its customers. Uncover the power of a solid customer experience strategy success statement that clarifies what success truly looks like and where your investments will yield the highest returns.

Transform your approach to customer experience by finding new strategies to create meaningful interactions that elevate customer value and align with your organizational priorities.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com
CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Take the CXI® Compass assessment -- CXICompass.com
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube -- youtube.com/@jeanniewalters

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Pulse Check - October 2024

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 07:00:00 -0500

This is your October CX Pulse Check. Once a month, we check in to find out what's happening in the world of customer experience and discuss ideas and insights customer experience leaders can learn from.

In this episode, Jeannie Walters is joined by special co-host Rohit Bhargava, Founder & Chief Trend Curator at Non-Obvious Company.

We dissect the evolving retail landscape and examine why major players like Walmart are pushing holiday shopping earlier each year. We also delve into language tactics businesses employ, such as using terms like "inflation-free options" to entice shoppers.

Exploring beyond the aisles, we touch on how technology is redefining the art world and reshaping luxury preferences. We also have fun comparing everyday items like the cult-favorite Scrub Daddy to traditional brands, showing how consumer culture influences even the most mundane products. The conversation expands to the power of understanding people and media narratives, with discussions on trends like "FridgeScaping" and viral challenges.

About Rohit Bhargava:
Rohit Bhargava is on a mission to inspire more non-obvious thinking in the world. He is the 3-time Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of ten books and is widely considered one of the most entertaining and original speakers on trends, innovation and marketing in the world. Rohit has been invited to deliver “non-boring” keynotes and workshops in 32 countries around the world to change the way teams and leaders think at the World Bank, NASA, Intel, LinkedIn, MetLife, Under Armour, Univision, Disney and hundreds of other well-known organizations. Prior to becoming an entrepreneur and founding the Non-Obvious Company and Ideapress Publishing, he spent 15 years leading marketing strategy at Ogilvy and Leo Burnett where he advised global brands on human behavior, marketing and storytelling. Outside his speaking and consulting, Rohit has taught persuasive speaking and global marketing as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University, is frequently quoted in the global media and writes a monthly column on non-obvious ideas for Inc magazine. Rohit lives in the Washington DC area with his wife and is a proud dad of two boys. He loves the Olympics (he’s been to five!) and actively hates cauliflower.

Follow Rohit on...
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohitbhargava
X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitbhargava
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rohitmarketingauthor

Articles Mentioned:
Walmart kicks holiday season off early (Retail Customer Experience)
The Art Market Is Tanking. Sotheby’s Has Even Bigger Problems. (The Wall Street Journal)
The Scrub Daddy Sponge Has a Cult Following. But Is It Better Than This Wirecutter Favorite? (The New York Times: Wirecutter)
Fridgescaping is everywhere. But is it safe? (The Washington Post)

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Small Business CX Advantages

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 07:00:00 -0500

Ever wondered how small businesses can outshine their larger counterparts in customer experience? Hear how journey mapping can transform every touchpoint and why eliminating barriers is crucial to delivering a seamless customer experience. Real-life success stories from companies like Zappos and a local pharmacy illustrate the power of proactive customer care and community building in fostering loyalty and setting your small business apart from the rest.

Join us for an insightful discussion that turns customer experience challenges into opportunities for growth and success.

Resources Mentioned:
National Small Business Association -- nsba.net/
Customer Journey Mapping Workbook -- bit.ly/cjmworkbook
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com
Learn more about CXI Ground School™ -- cxigroundschool.com
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube -- youtube.com/@jeanniewalters

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Insights from Overwhelming Data

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 07:00:00 -0500

What if your customer data could be the key to transforming your business? Join Jeannie Walters as we explore ways to turn overwhelming data into actionable insights. This episode starts with examining your approach to customer data, setting clear objectives like improving customer retention to make your data analysis meaningful and targeted. We tackle the challenge of data silos by exploring Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) such as Telium and Adobe Experience Platform to centralize your data. With your data in one place, discover how AI and machine learning tools like IBM Watson and Salesforce Einstein can reveal patterns and insights that drive business success.

But that's not all—this episode is packed with resources to propel your customer experience strategy to new heights. Tune in and redefine your customer experience strategy today!

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com
Learn more about CXI Ground School™ -- cxigroundschool.com
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube -- youtube.com/@jeanniewalters

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

First 100 Days as a CX Leader

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 07:00:00 -0500

Do you want to make a lasting impact in your first 100 days as a customer experience leader? Discover how to navigate your new role effectively with actionable insights from Jeannie Walters in this episode of the Experience Action Podcast. Hear strategies to help you understand your organization's unique CX landscape, from identifying quick wins to building long-term visions that align with your company's mission and values.

Tune in as we uncover approaches for successful CX leadership, including the importance of stakeholder perspectives and using tools like journey maps to pinpoint areas for immediate improvement. Jeannie emphasizes the necessity of proving ROI and fostering a culture of continuous CX improvement. This episode is a treasure trove of practical advice for new CX leaders eager to make their mark and champion the importance of customer experience within their organizations. Listen now to start turning your CX ideas into impactful actions!

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
CX Charter Guidebook -- bit.ly/cxcharter
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube -- youtube.com/@jeanniewalters

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Pulse Check - September 2024

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 07:00:00 -0500

This is your September CX Pulse Check. Once a month, we check in with news and current events to find out what's happening in the world of customer experience and discuss ideas and insights that we can learn from as CX leaders.

Ever wondered how a company with a loyal customer base could fumble a major app redesign? Get ready to discover the profound impacts of customer feedback – or the lack thereof – as Jeannie Walters and special co-host Karen Lynch, Head of Content at Greenbook, dissect a recent case that saw Sonos face significant backlash. The episode discusses valuable lessons for businesses on the importance of avoiding organizational silos and integrating customer insights consistently.

Next, we shift our focus to a seemingly mundane but crucial aspect of branding strategy: grammar and consistency. We discuss the need for clear and effective communication strategies, particularly during product rollouts. In a timely twist, we tackle the grammatical intricacies of Kamala Harris's name in the context of the 2024 election, illustrating how these details can impact clarity and user experience.

Lastly, we venture into the evolving world of furniture shopping, where technological advancements like augmented reality tools have disrupted how consumers visualize and purchase furniture.

Join us for a holistic exploration of how listening, communication, and technology are reshaping customer experiences and stay tuned for our next CX Pulse Check episode!

About Karen Lynch, Head Of Content at Greenbook:
Karen grew up in the research industry. Before joining Greenbook (https://www.greenbook.org/), she spent 30 years as a full-time qualitative researcher. All the while she dabbled as a part-time writer, earning bylines in mainstream consumer magazines, online publications, and popular anthologies. She merged her two passions when she took the role of Greenbook's Head of Content. In her role, she manages the content strategy and operations across Greenbook's publishing platforms: the Greenbook Blog, Podcast, Newsletter, and Global Events.

Follow Karen on...
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenmlynch/

Articles Mentioned:
Sonos App Redesign Fail: Customer Outrage and Falling Stock Prices (CMSWire) -- https://www.cmswire.com/customer-experience/sonos-app-redesign-fail-customer-outrage-and-falling-stock-prices/
Harris’ or Harris’s? Apostrophe row divides grammar nerds (The Guardian) -- https://www.theguardian.com/science/article/2024/aug/14/kamala-harris-or-harriss-apostrophe-row-grammar-nerds
Customer Journey Insights from 2024 Furniture Shopping Trends Study (Home Furnishings Association) -- https://myhfa.org/customer-journey-insights-from-2024-furniture-shopping-trends-study/

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Synergy with CX, EX, UX

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 12:00:00 -0500

Ever wondered how the intricacies of customer, employee, and user experiences are woven together to create a seamless shopping journey? On this episode of Experience Action, we unpack the delicate balance between CX, EX, and UX, demonstrating how each element influences the other and ultimately shapes your brand's success. We'll dive into the essence of customer experience, every interaction from the first point of contact to fostering long-term loyalty. The focus then shifts to employee experience, emphasizing the need for a supportive environment that boosts productivity and retention. We also touch on user experience and its role in ensuring that products are both usable and satisfying.

Get ready to explore the strategic pathways to crafting an exceptional customer experience with actionable insights from service blueprinting to technology integration. Discover how to identify and alleviate customer pain points, enhance employee tools and processes, and ensure that technological solutions support smooth interactions. You'll also hear about the importance of aligning teams and thinking proactively to maintain synergy, as exemplified by leaders like Peter. By fostering collaboration and empowering teams, you'll learn to not only meet but exceed customer expectations, driving higher satisfaction and better referrals. Join us for a compelling discussion on elevating your organization’s customer-centric strategies.

Resources Mentioned:
Customer Service Blueprinting [LinkedIn Learning Course] -- bit.ly/lilblueprint
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Countdown to CX Day

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 07:00:00 -0500

How can you celebrate CX Day on a limited budget and with a small team? Tune in to hear some ideas for acknowledging your organization's unsung heroes and making this special day truly meaningful. Join Jeannie Walters as she shares innovative and heartfelt ways to celebrate the outstanding work of customer experience professionals, from promoting their efforts in internal communications to surprising them with small tokens of appreciation.

Explore the power of storytelling. By sharing such impactful customer stories, you can humanize your customer experience strategy and underscore your organization's core values. Whether it's hosting virtual panels, organizing fireside chats, or simply treating your team to lunch, discover countless ways to make CX Day unforgettable and shine a spotlight on the dedication of CX professionals worldwide.

Join the 2024 CX Day global celebration on Tuesday, October 1st. (https://www.cxpaglobal.org/get-involved/cxday)

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Turning Negative Touchpoints into Positive Ones

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 07:00:00 -0500

Can sending an invoice actually enhance your customer relationship? Hear how to transform routine tasks into positive touchpoints and memorable experiences. In this episode, Jeannie Walters tackles the often-overlooked touchpoints like invoicing, providing three actionable strategies to infuse positivity and alignment with your brand's promise into these interactions. Whether you're managing a multinational enterprise or a small business, the insights shared will help you ensure that even the most mundane tasks reflect the exceptional service you aim to deliver.

By focusing on the tone and approach, Jeannie explains how you can turn necessary yet often neglected or negative interactions into opportunities for reinforcing customer loyalty. Listen in to hear how to keep your customer experience consistent and positive from start to finish, guaranteeing that every interaction, no matter how routine, leaves your customers feeling valued and satisfied. Don't miss these valuable tips that can help you enhance customer satisfaction and foster lasting loyalty.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

So Many Improvements! Where to Start?

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 07:00:00 -0500

How do you prioritize customer experience improvements in a way that truly makes an impact? Discover the answer as an insightful question from Allison Shapira (www.linkedin.com/in/allisonshapira/) sets the stage for an engaging exploration into aligning customer experience enhancements with your organization's core goals. By mapping out the customer journey, we uncover the pain points and opportunities that matter most, using a combination of customer feedback and operational data to guide our efforts. Hear how to define success with a customer experience mission statement and discover the power of thoughtful touchpoint improvements, such as more efficient invoicing processes.

I'm reaching out to you—our dedicated listeners—to share your thoughts and questions about enhancing customer experiences. Your contributions are invaluable to our mission of making the world a better place by creating fewer ruined days for our customers. Leave a voicemail at askjeannie.vip and join us next week as we continue transforming ideas into actionable strategies.

Resources Mentioned:
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- https://bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
CX Success Statement Workbook -- https://bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Customer Journey Mapping Workbook -- https://bit.ly/cjmworkbook
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Pulse Check - August 2024

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 07:00:00 -0500

Ready for another CX Pulse Check? Special Co-host David Avrin joins Jeannie Walters on Experience Action to highlight current events and innovations in customer experience (CX) and discuss their impact for CX leaders.

What would our world look like if businesses prioritized protecting their service workers from abusive customers? First, we navigate a cultural revolution in Japan, where companies are redefining traditional norms to support their employees. We dive into how global demands for speed and convenience contribute to harsh behaviors, and Jeannie shares a personal story from an ER visit with her son, shedding light on the surprising gratitude service workers express for basic politeness—revealing much about our societal values.

Ever wondered why your favorite childhood snacks just don't feel the same anymore? In this episode, we expose the frustrating realities of skimflation and shrinkflation, using the shrinking Bazooka gum as a stark example. From hidden fees to tipping expectations, we also discuss the transparency customers crave and how businesses can avoid short-term pitfalls for long-term gains.

Lastly, we discuss parallels between Olympians and entrepreneurs. There's always an "audience" and "judges" to compete! This episode is packed with insights to help businesses create smoother, more satisfying customer experiences.

About David Avrin:
One of the most in-demand Customer Experience speakers and consultants in the world today, David Avrin, CSP, Global Speaking Fellow, (www.davidavrin.com) has shared his content-rich, entertaining and actionable presentations with enthusiastic audiences across North America and in 24 countries around the world. David helps organizations better understand and connect with their changing customers and clients to help future-proof their businesses.

David's insights have been featured on thousands of media outlets around the world. He is also the author of seven books including the acclaimed: It's Not Who You Know, It's Who Knows You!, Why Customers Leave (and How to Win Them Back), The Morning Huddle, and his newest book, Ridiculously Easy to Do Business With.

Follow David on...
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidavrin/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavidAvrinFans
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealdavidavrin
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtH4DdaOhbturnA9OI80kPw

Articles Mentioned:
In Japan, Turning the Tables on Rude Customers (The New York Times)
Chipotle customers were right — some restaurants were skimping, CEO says (CBS News)
Parallels Between Olympians and Entrepreneurs (Medium)

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Getting Leaders to CARE about CX

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 07:00:00 -0500

Want to turn your organization into a customer experience powerhouse? Join us on Experience Action as we unpack the secrets to making CX a top priority. Jeannie Walters shares her expert strategies, helping CX change agents like Sue to get their leadership teams genuinely invested in delivering exceptional customer experiences. From crafting a compelling CX mission statement to using storytelling to convey customer feedback, get actionable advice that will help transform you into an effective CX change agent.

Discover the transformative power of empowering CX champions and starting small with pilot programs. Jeannie breaks down an inspiring success story from a logistics company's contact center, showing how a dedicated CX mission can elevate both employee interactions and customer satisfaction. With a focus on the importance of data in correlating service performance with customer sentiment, you'll hear about how to tie every effort back to business outcomes. Plus, explore the rich resources available at experienceinvestigators.com to further elevate your CX strategies.

Resources Mentioned:
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube -- youtube.com/@jeanniewalters

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Customer Service or Customer Experience

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 07:00:00 -0500

Can understanding the difference between customer experience and customer service revolutionize your business strategy? Join me, Jeannie Walters, as we unpack this game-changing distinction and explore why it's so important to have both represented in your organizations in powerful ways. Every single business leader should absolutely care about customer service, but you'll hear why they should care about customer experience as well. We also delve into the critical role of cross-functional leadership in crafting seamless experiences, which ultimately lead to higher retention rates and increased sales.

What can we learn from industry disruptors like Amazon and Uber about customer experience innovation? This episode sheds light on strategic approaches that drive growth and disruption, from making a compelling business case to leveraging emotional customer testimonials. Discover practical steps like forming a cross-functional CX team and utilizing tools such as the Customer Experience Strategy Success Statement to define and achieve success.

Resources Mentioned:
CX Success Strategy Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
CX Charter Guidebook -- bit.ly/cxcharter
Customer Journey Mapping Workbook -- bit.ly/cjmworkbook
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube -- youtube.com/@jeanniewalters

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

AI in the Employee Experience

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 07:00:00 -0500

Ever wondered how artificial intelligence could reshape the way we work? Join us for an exciting conversation as Jeannie Walters answers a question from former Crack the Customer Code podcast partner and current friend Adam Toporek about the transformative power of AI on the employee experience. Gain insights into how AI can boost efficiency, sharpen decision-making, and foster personalized skill development. You'll hear stories about the good, the bad, and the ugly, as we navigate the potential for role displacement and the crucial need for leaders to focus on reskilling and upskilling their teams.

We'll also dive into the ethical maze of AI integration, especially its impact on remote work environments. From concerns about surveillance and privacy to the irreplaceable value of human empathy in customer and employee interactions, listen in as we discuss strategies to support employees who may feel anxious about AI and automation, and how to create moments that make them feel truly valued. Packed with practical tips and forward-thinking strategies, this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of work.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube -- youtube.com/@jeanniewalters

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Pulse Check - July 2024

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 07:00:00 -0500

We unravel how customer success principles are reshaping B2B industries on this CX Pulse Check edition of the Experience Action Podcast with Jeannie Walters and special co-host David Sakamoto. Dive into the fascinating world of AI in the fashion industry, where artificial intelligence is transforming design, marketing, and personalization. We'll illustrate the revolutionary impact of AI on revenue generation, supply chain optimization, and customer service using real-world examples that bridge fashion and other sectors.

Curious about how AI can elevate customer engagement and productivity? We’ll explore the immense potential of AI in leveraging vast data sources for digital engagement, enhancing chatbots, and providing predictive analytics—all while maintaining a genuine human touch. You'll also hear compelling stories from GitLab and the St. Regis Hotel about the power of core values like transparency and collaboration in fostering a cohesive organizational culture. Discover how aligning personal and company values can enrich work experiences and create stronger customer relationships.

Don't miss this insightful conversation packed with actionable takeaways!

About David Sakamoto:
David Sakamoto brings deep passion and experience in leading customer experiences, developing teams, scaling businesses, and optimizing the delivery of products and services to deliver customer outcomes and propel revenue growth. He brings a unique background in customer success, sales, engineering, services (professional, managed, and support), and global operations.

He led the global customer success organization at GitLab, scaling the business from $50M to over $650M quarterly run rate and supporting a successful IPO with a net dollar retention of over 152%. Before GitLab, David built and scaled the Americas Customer Success team at Cisco, managing a $2B book of business that included high/low touch, digital, and partner success. In prior roles at EVault and Cisco, David has also led development teams, cloud operations, and services (professional, managed, and support). Other experiences include CITTIO (early-stage startup), Genentech, Yahoo, and SGI. David holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

Follow David on...
LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/dsakamoto/
X/Twitter at x.com/hapapower
Instagram at instagram.com/hapapower/

Articles Mentioned:
The State of AI in Fashion (Glossy) -- glossy.co/sponsored/the-state-of-ai-in-fashion/
Customer Success Software Market looks to expand its size in Overseas Market (OpenPR) -- openpr.com/news/3546083/customer-success-software-market-looks-to-expand-its-size
Focus on core values improves comp disability outcomes: Risk manager (Business Insurance) -- businessinsurance.com/article/20240507/NEWS06/912364304/Focus-on-core-values-improves-comp-disability-outcomes-Risk-manager

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Cybersecurity and CX

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 07:00:00 -0500

Can transparency and authenticity safeguard your customer relationships during a cybersecurity crisis? In this episode, Jeannie Walters shares vital insights into managing customer experience amid significant cybersecurity incidents. We'll explore the necessity of open, honest communication and how to maintain customer trust even when service disruptions occur. Hear about adapting Voice of the Customer surveys to gather meaningful feedback without directly addressing sensitive incidents, and understand the importance of segmenting these surveys to better manage various stages of the customer journey.

But it doesn't stop there. Discover how strategic, proactive communication can make a world of difference, especially for high-value customers. From executive outreach to enhancing support channels and training staff in empathy—this episode is packed with actionable strategies to navigate and mitigate the impacts of cyber crises. Tune in for tips to turn a potential customer experience nightmare into an opportunity for strengthened loyalty and trust.

Resources Mentioned:
Learn more about CXI Flight School™ -- cxiflightschool.com
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube -- youtube.com/@jeanniewalters

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Management or CX Consulting?

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 07:00:00 -0500

Why do so many businesses fail to connect their overall strategy with the customer experience they provide? Hear some key differences and intersections between customer experience consulting and management or strategy consulting in this eye-opening episode. Your host, Jeannie Walters, will break down how management consulting often zeroes in on broad business strategies and operational efficiencies, while customer experience consulting is all about enhancing those crucial customer interactions that drive business success. We’ll explore tools like service blueprinting and dive deep into the strategic trade-offs that can directly impact customer retention and satisfaction, ultimately boosting your overall business performance.

Your dedication to customer advocacy isn't just appreciated; it's crucial for driving your organization forward. We're grateful for your participation and engagement and eagerly await your next questions as we continue to refine our approach to making customer experience not just a priority but a cornerstone of your business success. Thank you for being a pivotal part of this journey.

Resources Mentioned:
Customer Service Blueprinting [LinkedIn Learning Course] -- bit.ly/lilblueprint
Download the free CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube -- youtube.com/@jeanniewalters

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Cross-Functional Communication

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 07:00:00 -0500

Let's transform customer experience strategies into impactful actions. Have you ever wondered how effective communication could revolutionize your organization's CX initiatives? In this episode, we'll dissect the critical role of clear communication and the importance of promoting and motivating these initiatives throughout your company. Hear how to tackle the challenges faced by cross-functional teams, the significance of setting clear goals, and the power of a customer experience charter document. Discover how productive meetings can be the catalyst for collaboration, accountability, and a stronger connection to your organization's bigger picture.

Resources Mentioned:
CX Charter Guidebook -- bit.ly/cxcharter
CX Meeting Agenda & Guidebook -- bit.ly/cxagenda
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com/learning-center/
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube -- youtube.com/@jeanniewalters

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Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Pulse Check - June 2024

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 07:00:00 -0500

Unlock the secrets to creating truly inclusive customer experiences with insights from Jeannie Walters and special co-host Paige Flenniken, Experience Investigators' Director of Business Development.

Discover how Apple is revolutionizing accessibility with groundbreaking features like eye-tracking and vibration controls, ensuring their devices are universally user-friendly without the need for extra hardware. Explore the ongoing challenges in accessibility awareness and the innovative role of AI in enhancing customer interactions. We’ll delve into the importance of multi-sensory cues in public spaces, making environments like airports more inclusive for everyone.

In another captivating segment, we highlight Starbucks' operational hurdles and the focus on operational efficiency vs. customer experience. We also examine the employee experience and customer experience link.

Finally, learn how Aflac is setting a high bar for customer-centric culture by focusing on emotional needs and consistent service, illustrating why customer experience should be a company-wide priority. Join us for an episode packed with practical strategies and inspiring stories that show the transformative power of genuine care in business.

Articles Mentioned:
Apple's next accessibility features let you control your iPhone and iPad with just your eyes (TechRadar)
40 minutes for Starbucks coffee? Customers and workers are steaming (The Seattle Times)
How Aflac built a customer-centric business culture (CX Dive)

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Setting Clear and Actionable Customer Experience Goals

Tue, 28 May 2024 07:00:00 -0500

Are your customer experience goals too vague or reactive? Uncover the secrets to setting clear, actionable, and measurable CX goals in our latest episode of Experience Action. Join me, Jeannie Walters, as we dissect the common pitfalls in CX goal-setting and learn how to transform feedback into insights that directly support your business objectives. By the end of this episode, you'll know more about aligning your goals with organizational strategies, fostering cohesive efforts across teams, and creating long-term value for both your customers and your business.

Tune in to find out how you can get involved and make a tangible impact in the world of customer experience.

Resources Mentioned:
Download the free CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com/learning-center/
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube -- youtube.com/@jeanniewalters

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Sharing Feedback with Everyone

Tue, 21 May 2024 07:00:00 -0500

Embark on a journey with me, Jeannie Walters, as we tackle the challenge of sharing negative customer feedback without sending your team running for the hills. You'll come away with a toolkit of strategies to not only deliver this feedback constructively but also to turn it into a catalyst for change and improvement across your company. This week's listener question sparked a deep dive into the nuances of internal communication and resistance management.

We explore the art of balancing critique with praise and the importance of recognizing the efforts of those who contribute to positive customer experiences. Learn how to leverage key performance indicators to shine a light on success and maintain ongoing communication that keeps teams engaged and invested in customer experience initiatives. This episode is packed with practical advice for building coalitions, inspiring action, and transforming potential setbacks into opportunities for growth and celebration within your organization.

Resources Mentioned:
Customer Service Blueprinting [LinkedIn Learning Course] -- bit.ly/lilblueprint
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube -- youtube.com/@jeanniewalters

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Gaining Frontline Buy-In

Tue, 14 May 2024 07:00:00 -0500

Unlock the secret to ensuring your customer-facing employees are as invested in your customer experience vision as you are! As your trusted guide, Jeannie Walters is delving into the critical strategies you need to align your frontline team with the customer experience goals that your C-suite has already embraced. We'll dissect the challenges, pinpoint the missteps, and celebrate the successes that come from elevating your brand ambassadors—those who have the power to make or break your customer relationships.

This episode is a goldmine of practical solutions, from the power of clear communication to the magic of recognizing small victories. Jeannie shares how to debunk myths within the workplace and inspire innovation among your employees. Get ready to transform your customer experience mission from mere words into actions that resonate throughout every layer of your company culture. So, tune in, take notes, and let's start building that momentum together!

Resources Mentioned:
Download the free CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
Download the free CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube -- youtube.com/@jeanniewalters

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Pulse Check - April/May 2024

Tue, 07 May 2024 07:00:00 -0500

Discover the future of customer experience as we tap into the wisdom of industry leaders who are redefining the landscape. In this CX Pulse Check, Jeannie Walters asked CX leaders at CXPA CX Leaders Advance and Qualtrics X4: The Experience Management Summit what we should have our finger on the pulse of when it comes to customer experience today. We're peeling back the layers of integrated strategies and customer-first culture, offering you unique perspectives that could very well shape your next move in the world of customer experience.

Suraj 'SUV' Venkitachalam from Cisco emphasizes the untapped potential within the data we already possess. Karen Lynch from Greenbook dissects the evolving role of CX within the corporate structure. Maggie Gentry from Community Health Network and Alpa Vyas from Stanford Healthcare talk about the transformative journey of patient experience. Jignesh Shah from Blackhawk Network chimes in on the art of memorable customer feedback, while Lorraine Schumacher, CX Executive Advisor, and Karyn Furstman of CustomersFurst bring us back to basics, reminding us of the importance of fundamental standards in the era of AI. And last, but not least, Tabitha Dunn from Hitachi chats with us about customer-centered growth.

We're connecting the dots between CX metrics and tangible business outcomes like retention and referrals, ensuring that you walk away with actionable insights for driving loyalty and value.

Guest List:
Tabitha Dunn, CCXP
Head of Global Customer Experience and Sales Technology at Hitachi
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tabithadunn/

Karyn Furstman, CCX, CCXP, XMP
CEO & Chief Experience Officer at CustomersFurst
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karynfurstman/

Lorraine Schumacher, CCXP
CX Executive Advisor
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorraine-schumacher-ccxp-145b6150/

Jignesh Shah
VP of Products & GTM leader at Blackhawk Network
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jshahdc/

Maggie Gentry, CPXP
Director of Experience Analytics at Community Health Network
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggie-gentry-chnw/

Suraj 'SUV' Venkitachalam
Senior Director, Customer Voice Strategy & Execution at Cisco
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/surajsuv/

Alpa Vyas
Senior Vice President, Chief Patient Experience & Operational Performance Officer at Stanford Health Care
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alpa-vyas-healthcare/

Karen Lynch
Head Of Content at Greenbook
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenmlynch/

Access our CX resources at experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Elevating the Event Venue Experience

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 07:00:00 -0500

As the lights dim and the curtains part, understanding the intricate ballet of customer experience (CX) takes center stage. Let's embark on an insightful exploration of CX in the live entertainment industry. In this episode, we tackle the challenge of crafting those electrifying moments that leave audiences craving more and performers feeling right at home. From the very first spark of interest to the warm afterglow that follows an event, we dissect the customer journey, offering strategies to heighten every touchpoint. Get ready to discover how to stand out in a sea of entertainment options and ensure that your customers are embarking on an experience that resonates with your brand's unique story even before the moment tickets are purchased.

Tune in as we elevate the conversation from customer service basics to a comprehensive understanding of what truly makes an event unforgettable.

Resources Mentioned:
Customer Journey Mapping Workbook -- bit.ly/cjmworkbook
Customer Interview Guidebook -- bit.ly/ciguidebook
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
Learn more about CXI Ground School™ and CXI Flight School™ -- cxiflightschool.com
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube -- youtube.com/@jeanniewalters

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Strategically Addressing Low-Volume Customer Concerns

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 07:00:00 -0500

"Where should unique customer experiences fit in our prioritization of projects, and how do we show value in situations where the number of customers impacted may not be high?"

Discover the paramount importance of empathy in crafting a brand's reputation and fostering unwavering customer loyalty, especially through the delicate handling of unique customer issues. Host Jeannie Walters shares compelling strategies for customer experience (and patient experience) leaders to magnify the value of CX within their organizations, even in the small moments. We need to weave the fabric of emotional connection through CX mission alignment, create ROI beyond the balance sheet, and embrace the potent influence of storytelling.

Your journey to elevating customer experience starts with real-world applications and continuous dialogue to keep your strategies at the forefront of innovation.

Resources Mentioned:
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Article: Is Customer Experience Worth It? And How Much Should You Invest? -- experienceinvestigators.com/take-action/customer-experience-value
Learn more about CXI Ground School™ and CXI Flight School™ -- cxiflightschool.com
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube -- youtube.com/@jeanniewalters

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Customer-Facing Employees and CX Buy-In

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 07:00:00 -0500

Unlock the full potential of your customer-facing team and watch your customer satisfaction soar! Let's transform the frontline of your business into a powerhouse for customer loyalty. On this episode of the Experience Action Podcast, we're tackling a golden question: How do we get our customer-facing employees just as invested in the customer experience as we are? You asked, and now I'm delivering a treasure trove of strategies that catapult customer buy-in from a wishful thought to a tangible reality.

Listen up as we explore how to effectively communicate the 'why' behind your customer experience goals, aligning your team with the company's vision and their pivotal role within it. We'll navigate through the creation of a 'Service Code', the impact of ongoing training, and the amazing power of recognizing and rewarding those who go above and beyond for customers. This isn't about ticking boxes; it's about empowering your team to be the best for your customers. Together, we'll discover how to turn employees into passionate advocates of your brand, ensuring that every customer interaction is an opportunity to strengthen loyalty and drive business success.

Resources Mentioned:
Download the free CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
Article: How a Service Code Empowers Employees to Deliver Exceptional Experiences -- experienceinvestigators.com/customer-centric-culture/customer-experience-service-code/
Learn more about CXI Flight School™ -- cxiflightschool.com
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube -- youtube.com/@jeanniewalters

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Must-Haves for Successful CX Programs

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 07:00:00 -0500

Embark on a journey with Jeannie Walters as we unlock the secrets to customer experience success that transcend industries. There are aspects to managing the customer experience in an intentional and proactive way that are true no matter the size of the organization, the leadership, the industry, you name it. We're exploring the must-have elements as opposed to nice-to-haves and mentioning some things you might want to actively ignore.

Join the conversation and discover how customer experience can elevate your business.

Resources Mentioned:
Download the free CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
Download the free CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com
Learn more about CXI Flight School™ -- cxiflightschool.com
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube -- youtube.com/@jeanniewalters

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Pulse Check - March 2024

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 07:00:00 -0500

Unlock the future of customer experience as I, Jeannie Walters, team up with Greg Kihlström from the Agile brand to dissect the fascinating blend of strategy and technology that's shaping how we interact with businesses today. Prepare to have your perspective radically shifted as we examine a bank's strategy to merge in-person banking with digital tool education. Will this approach truly empower customers or is it merely a stepping stone to a fully digital future? We debate the nuances of real-time digital guidance and its potential to revolutionize customer autonomy and behavior across their preferred channels.

Venture further into the realm of engagement with us as we spotlight the trend of shoppable video content. We're not just talking about the immediate click-to-buy; we're navigating the deeper waters of brand storytelling and authenticity. The potential for B2B markets to embrace this trend sparks a thought-provoking discussion. Additionally, we unpack expectations for New York state’s first chief customer experience officer.

Join us for an episode that promises to be an eye-opener for the ever-evolving customer interaction landscape.

About Greg Kihlström:
Greg Kihlström is a best-selling author, speaker, and entrepreneur, and serves as an advisor and consultant to some of the world's top brands on marketing technology, marketing operations, and digital transformation initiatives. He speaks 3 times weekly with executives and leaders from Fortune 500 companies and top marketing technology platforms on his podcast, The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström. He is a multiple-time co-founder and C-level executive, leading several acquisitions and currently sits on the board of a martech startup. Additionally he is a faculty member on the Association of National Advertisers School of Marketing, and is a doctoral candidate with a focus on business intelligence.

Check out The Agile Brand at theagilebrand.com/
Follow Greg on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom
Follow Greg on X/Twitter at twitter.com/gregkihlstrom
Follow The Agile Brand on Instagram at instagram.com/theagilebrand

Articles Mentioned:
Santander evolves in-person bank format in Hoboken with new experience to meet customer needs (ROI - NJ)
Shoptalk 2024 Day Four: Innovation for Innovation’s Sake? (Coresight Research)
Meet New York’s Chief Customer Experience Officer (StateScoop)

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Balancing Policy with Personalized Experiences

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 07:00:00 -0500

Struggling to balance strict company policies with the need for out-of-the-ordinary customer experiences? Fear not! As your guide, Jeannie Walters lays out the roadmap for customer experience leaders to find that sweet spot. In this episode, we tackle a quandary presented by a CX leader looking for ways to empower her team to navigate the tricky terrain where unique customer needs clash with the rulebook.

We uncover strategies to provide flexibility without compromising on policy integrity, ensuring your customer interactions are not just by the book, but also by the heart. We delve into actionable advice for fostering a culture where employees are encouraged to voice concerns and suggest improvements, ultimately paving the way for a customer journey that's as smooth as it is compliant. Get ready to equip your team with the tools they need to excel in this challenging yet rewarding aspect of customer experience leadership.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com
Learn more about CXI Flight School™ -- cxiflightschool.com
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube -- youtube.com/@jeanniewalters

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

When Loyalty Programs Go Wrong

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 07:00:00 -0500

Ever found yourself excited about a loyalty program only to be let down by the redemption process? You're not alone, and this episode is dedicated to unraveling the complexities of these programs that can enhance or hinder the customer experience. Jeannie Walters dissects the frustrations many face and shares insights on creating a seamless reward system that delivers on its promises. We dive into why it's vital for businesses to not only attract new customers with shiny offers but also to maintain and deepen existing relationships through reliable and meaningful engagement.

This conversation isn't just a critique, it's a roadmap to excellence in loyalty program implementation. From the necessity of thorough testing to the importance of equipping staff with the right training, Jeannie emphasizes that the backbone of a successful program is its dependability. We look at the tactical impact these programs have on customer retention and why showing authentic appreciation goes a long way in building lasting brand loyalty.

Tune in and learn how to transform your loyalty program from a mere marketing tool to a genuine expression of gratitude toward your devoted customers.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube -- youtube.com/@jeanniewalters

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Those Needy Customers!!

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 07:00:00 -0600

Ever felt like you're walking a tightrope trying to satisfy high-maintenance clients while keeping your team's spirits high? You're not alone, and in this episode, we're tackling that very challenge. Prepare to unlock the secrets of preempting client anxiety with proactive communication, and discover how a Customer Experience Mission Statement can become your North Star, guiding every client interaction to reflect your company's core values. We'll reveal how to navigate the customer journey with foresight and finesse, ensuring that your clients feel heard, valued, and—most importantly—cared for without draining your precious resources.

Then, we switch gears to celebrate the heartening bonds we forge with our clients. It's a deep dive into the art of empathy, where compassion meets curiosity, creating partnerships that are more than just business transactions—they're collaborative adventures. And yes, we even touch on our first 'bleep' moment, a candid question that opens up a treasure trove of insights. This episode is an invitation to reflect on your approach to client relationships and to enhance the way we all craft exceptional experiences. So, buckle up, and let's embark on this enlightening journey together.

Remember, your questions at askjeannie.vip are the fuel that keeps our conversations engaging, and for that extra bit of guidance, don't forget to visit experienceinvestigators.com.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube -- youtube.com/@jeanniewalters

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Pulse Check - February 2024

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 07:00:00 -0600

Discover the transformative power of AI in shaping customer experiences as Maria Villablanca, CEO of the Future Insights Network, joins us to break down the evolving relationship between supply chain management and customer satisfaction. As we navigate the era of 'machine customers,' we need to understand how our businesses can adapt to meet the demands of an audience that expects instant gratification. Delve into AI's ripple effects on customer service roles, where efficiency gains are weighed against the potential for job displacement, and explore how historical economic shifts can inspire optimism for a workforce braced for change.

Unpack an intriguing case study where a brand's bold pricing and production strategy turns the supply chain playbook on its head, offering unique insights into consumer trust and the anticipation of demand. This episode takes you through the crucial balance of meeting customer needs while navigating the complexities of AI-driven markets. Join us for a conversation that will leave you with a richer understanding of the AI revolution in customer experience and ready to embrace the future of innovation and opportunity.

About Maria Villablanca:
Maria Villablanca (mariavillablanca.com), the creator of The Transform Talks Podcast and The "Voices in Transformation" interview series, is considered one of the leading creators and influencers in the supply chain and business transformation space. Setting out to cut through the hype and noise around supply chain and business transformation many years ago, Maria has interviewed hundreds of senior leaders from some of the world's most admired organisations to this date, with her contributions seeing her gain recognition as a highly acclaimed, influential, empowering and inspiring supply chain, logistics and procurement thought-leader, entrepreneur and woman in business and a LinkedIn Top Voice in the leadership category. Maria is an official Gartner Peer Community and Sustainable Procurement Pledge Ambassador and furthers the supply chain and manufacturing industry by mentoring and advising technology and solution providers (Brinc's Oxagon x McLaren Accelerator and 3SC respectively) and leading one of the world's biggest and fastest-growing supply chain and manufacturing networks, Future Insights Network, as CEO and Co-founder.

Follow Maria on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/mariavillablanca/
Follow Maria on YouTube at youtube.com/@MariaPVillablanca

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube -- youtube.com/@jeanniewalters

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

How Much Data Is Too Much?

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 07:00:00 -0600

Ever been swamped with data but starved for insights? Our latest episode is a game-changer for CX leaders aiming to harness the power of customer journey mapping. Jeannie Walters takes a burning question from CXI Flight School™ and propels it into a strategic discussion teeming with actionable takeaways. We navigate the complexities of integrating operational data into journey maps, ensuring you walk away equipped to craft insightful paths without data overload.

This isn't just about creating customer journey maps; it's about painting a story that resonates with customers and drives your business forward. The insights here promise to refine your approach, striking a balance between intricate detail and overarching vision. Strap in for a session that's all about turning the cacophony of customer interactions into a symphony of strategic action.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com
Learn more about CXI Flight School™ -- cxiflightschool.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Navigating Customer Expectations: Strategies to Weather the Storm and Excel in CX

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 07:00:00 -0600

Ready to navigate the choppy waters of customer expectations? Take a seat with Jeannie Walters as we chart a course through the complex seas of customer experience management challenges.

In this episode of Experience Action, we tackle the pressing issue of meeting and exceeding client expectations, even when industry woes like staff shortages and technology hiccups threaten to sink our ships. We're not just talking about avoiding disappointments here; we're focused on turning potential letdowns into opportunities for delight and loyalty. We look candidly at the real-world repercussions of failing to fulfill promises. We're sharing the tools and mindset shifts necessary to ensure your customers feel seen, heard, and, most importantly, satisfied—even when the going gets tough.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com
Article: How a Service Code Empowers Employees to Deliver Exceptional Experiences -- https://experienceinvestigators.com/customer-centric-culture/customer-experience-service-code/

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Right and Wrong Ways to Use AI in CX

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 07:00:00 -0600

Explore the horizon where artificial intelligence meets human touch in customer experiences with our host, Jeannie Walters. We're traversing the fine line between the innovative prowess of AI and the essential need for empathy in customer service. Get ready to unlock the secrets of AI that don't just streamline processes but fundamentally enhance the quality of customer interactions. From personalized service to predicting needs and the seamless operation of chatbots and virtual assistants, we're delving into how these tools should be aligned with your brand's heart and soul, all while safeguarding the sanctity of customer privacy.

Join us for a conversation that promises to empower your organization with AI while keeping the customer relationship at the core.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com
Learn more about CXI Flight School™ -- cxiflightschool.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Pulse Check - January 2024

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 07:00:00 -0600

Get ready to navigate the cutting-edge of customer experience (CX) with Jeannie Walters and special co-host Michelle Morris - Associate Director of CX Business Transformation at Verizon Connect. We're peeling back the curtain on Sam's Club's groundbreaking AI-based receipt verification system and exploring the ripple effects on the future of retail. Discover how this innovation could transform the checkout experience, tackle theft, and what it means for customer engagement.

Switching lanes, we delve into the government's customer experience revolution, with a spotlight on the USDA's recent initiatives. Reflect on the executive order that's shaking up agency status quos and the newfound trust blooming between citizens and their government.

This isn't just a conversation about technology; it's about humanizing the automated, ensuring accuracy, and strategically mapping the customer journey to adapt to this new frontier. We're also confronting CX blind spots regarding AI integration and the declining comfort customers feel around these tools.

Tune in for a thought-provoking session that promises to leave you with a fresh perspective on AI's role in our lives and a renewed passion for excellence in customer experience across all sectors.

About Michelle Morris:
Michelle Morris is the Associate Director of CX Transformation at Verizon Connect. She is a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP) as well as a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (LSSBB). Michelle is a former board member for the CXPA (Customer Experience Professionals Association). In previous roles, Michelle developed and led two CX practices in the Professional Services (Crowe) and Printing/Manufacturing (Lexmark) industries and was a CX Design consultant and the Sr. Manager of Contact Center Sales for Verizon Business. Prior to starting her CX adventures, she spent 15 years in Product Development, designing laser printing devices. Michelle holds 6 U.S. Patents for her work as an engineer.

Follow Michelle on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/morrismichellek/.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube -- youtube.com/@jeanniewalters

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

How Do You Balance Innovation and Simplicity?

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 07:00:00 -0600

Unlock the secrets to a customer experience that's both innovative and effortless. On this episode of Experience Action, Jeannie Walters peels back the layers on how to introduce new features and services without overwhelming your customers. Discover how customer-centric design and clear communication can make all the difference, as she offers up actionable strategies rooted in understanding customer pain points and the art of incremental changes. Get ready to learn the importance of accessible tutorials, demos, and why fostering feedback loops is your ticket to continuous improvement and customer satisfaction.

Join the conversation as we tackle the challenge of balancing simplicity with cutting-edge innovation. With insights gathered from years of expertise and real-world examples, this episode is a treasure trove for those passionate about enhancing the customer journey. We're not just talking about customer experience—we're transforming ideas into impactful action. So, if you're ready to elevate your strategy and drive tangible business results, this is the episode you won't want to miss.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

What Influences All Leaders To Care About Customer Experience?

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 07:00:00 -0600

Could transforming your organization into a customer-first powerhouse be the key to unlocking unprecedented growth and loyalty? On this episode of Experience Action, Jeannie Walters engages with a truly insightful listener question, exploring how to permeate a customer-first mindset throughout every leadership tier. She dissects the vital necessity for senior leadership's committed involvement and its ripple effect on a company's success. You'll gain strategic insights on fostering this commitment, from establishing 'Customer Days' for direct interaction to integrating customer feedback into the business strategy.

Prepare to be equipped with practical advice, as you hear about the importance of continuous education and training to prevent customer experience from fading into the realm of corporate jargon. Jeannie shares stories and strategies that will empower your team to bring forth ideas that enhance the customer journey and ensure these suggestions are woven into the very fabric of your organization's objectives. Whether you're at the helm of the C-suite or on the front lines of management, this episode is brimming with actionable guidance to help you champion a customer-first ethos that reverberates through every facet of your company. Tune in and let's move from talk to action in creating exceptional customer experiences.

Resources Mentioned:
Jeannie’s LinkedIn Learning Courses -- bit.ly/jeannie-lil
CX Charter Guidebook -- bit.ly/cxcharter
CX Meeting Agenda & Guidebook -- bit.ly/cxagenda
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

What is the Value of Customer Feedback?

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 07:00:00 -0600

Ever wondered why negative customer feedback, as prickly as it can be, might actually be the secret weapon to your business's success? In this episode, our host, Jeannie Walters, peels back the layers of this complex but vital aspect of customer experience management. We dive into the heart of the matter, debunking the myth that only positive feedback should get the spotlight. We explore the hidden value in those tough-to-hear comments and how they can become the catalysts for transforming your services and delighting your customers in ways you never imagined.

Join the discussion about the importance of an integrated feedback approach, where the good, the bad, and the innovative come together to give a 360-degree view of what your customers truly experience. Jeannie shares actionable insights on how to foster a culture that sees feedback as a gift—a chance to learn, grow, and excel. So, if you're ready to turn the tide on negative feedback and use it to your organization's advantage, this conversation is a must-listen. Tune in and empower yourself with strategies that ensure every piece of feedback is a stepping stone to elevating your customer experience.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

5 Must-Do's to End the Year Strong

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 07:00:00 -0600

Are you ready to end the year with gusto, and enter the next with a customer-centered game plan? This special episode will guide you through five essential actions every customer-focused leader must take to finish the year strong. Join me, Jeannie Walters, as we reflect on the highs, lows, and even the whimsical customer requests of the past year. We’ll discuss how to gather, categorize, and utilize feedback to identify areas of improvement and celebrate successes. Let's strategize for the upcoming year, dream big, and map out how to make those customer dreams come true. I even share my thoughts on creating a customer experience boot camp to prep your team for the new year. But what's a year-end without some celebration? We'll also be paying tribute to your organization's unsung heroes who consistently go above and beyond in enhancing customer experience.

As we close out this year, let's take a moment to rejoice in our shared progress in the customer experience realm. You, our listeners, are the true catalysts of change. Your questions, comments, and experiences have shaped our discussions and we eagerly anticipate more. As we bid adieu to this year, we are excited to see what achievements the upcoming year has in store for you. So, come wrap up the year with us and gear up for an even more customer-focused year ahead. Thank you for accompanying us on this journey. We’ll see you after the holiday break, refreshed and ready to continue making our customers' wildest wishes a reality!

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Balancing Humans and AI in CX

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 07:00:00 -0600

Are you ready to uncover the secret to balancing human touch with the scalability of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Customer Experience (CX)? Tune in and join Jeannie Walters on an insightful journey that takes us to the meeting point of tech and touch, where we examine the delicate dance between personalization and privacy. As we embark on this exploration, we draw inspiration from the likes of Amazon, Chewy, and Zappos, giants who have successfully integrated AI to create a human-centered experience on a mammoth scale. The role of consistency, authenticity, and the human-AI equilibrium in building solid customer relationships won't escape our analysis.

Venturing further, we delve into the transformative power of AI and its potential to make customer experiences proactive rather than reactive. As we navigate the ethically charged waters of AI implementation, we'll ponder on how to maintain balance and trust. Most importantly, you are encouraged to think about how AI can enrich human elements in customer experience and why ethical considerations should be your compass in these decisions. Buckle up for an exhilarating ride into the world where technology and human experiences intersect.

Thank you to Bryan Kramer (bryankramer.com) for the great question!

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Pulse Check - November 2023

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 07:00:00 -0600

Ready to decode the new age of customer experience? Join Jeannie and her insightful guest Nate Brown, co-founder of CX Accelerator, as they decode the latest customer experience trends in the face of evolving consumer behavior. They uncover the mysteries of the "hermit consumer" - a seismic $600 billion shift in consumer behavior brought about by the pandemic. Listen in as they discuss its impact on industries like entertainment and dining and how businesses can adapt to lure customers back into physical spaces.

Ever wondered why some businesses are just a joy to deal with? They reveal the secret sauce - simplicity. Tune in as they dissect how straightforward customer experience can outshine competitors and why it's crucial to consider every touchpoint in the customer journey. Discover the intimate connection between customer satisfaction and the longing for community. They also put the spotlight on Duolingo's bold logo change, sparking the conversation on how such alterations can impact customer perception. Buckle up for an episode filled with insights, discussions, and the cold hard truth about the world of customer experience.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Your CX Library

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 07:00:00 -0600

Is your bookshelf begging for some enlightening CX literature? Ready for some compelling reads that will amp up your customer experience game? Listen in as we journey through the world of CX books that will satiate your curiosity and boost your knowledge of customer experience strategy, design, and measurement. From the classics like "Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping" by Paco Underhill and "Chief Customer Officer 2.0" by Jeanne Bliss to newer gems like "A Diamond in the Rough" by Steven Van Belleghem, we've got a treasure trove of insights to excavate.

But we aren't just listing books here. Jeannie Walters shares the invaluable nuggets of wisdom that she's gleaned from each book and how they can be applied to your organization. Whether you're a seasoned CX professional or just starting out on your CX journey, you're sure to find a book recommendation that will resonate with you. So tune in, and let's turn knowledge into power, inspiration, and intentional action that can catapult your customer experience strategy to unparalleled heights. Bottom line - It's time to elevate your CX game!

Books Mentioned:
"Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping" by Paco Underhill
"Chief Customer Officer 2.0" by Jeanne Bliss
"Outside In" by Harley Manning and Kerry Bodine [Correction]
"Delivering Happiness" by Tony Hsieh
"A Diamond in the Rough" by Steven Van Belleghem
"Empathy in Action" by Tony Bates and Dr Natalie Petouhoff
"The Digital-First Customer Experience" by Joe Wheeler
"Employalty" by Joe Mull

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Getting Part-Time Employees to Embrace CX

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 07:00:00 -0600

Are your part-time employees delivering the customer experience you want? They can be! In this episode, Jeannie Walters shares actionable strategies to help your part-time workforce understand the importance of a top-notch customer experience. From fostering a culture of customer feedback to implementing a Service Code, she guides you through the process of aligning your customer service with your overall customer experience mission.

Have you ever wondered what makes a customer feel valued and cared for? Hear how to integrate your customer experience standards into your hiring, onboarding, coaching, and performance reviews, ensuring that your team knows exactly what is expected of them.

Tune in to discover how you can transform your part-time workforce into customer experience superstars. Trust us, you don't want to miss this one!

Resources Mentioned:
What's a Service Code and How Do We Use It? [Experience Action Podcast] -- experienceactionpod.com/2092963/12581385
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

A Scary CX Story

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 07:00:00 -0500

Get set for a chilling tale that will make your hair stand on end. Imagine a billing issue so terrifyingly complex it spanned three generations! Yes, you heard it right. That's the horror our host, Jeannie Walters, unravels on this Halloween special episode of Experience Action. She not only narrates the spine-chilling saga but also provides insightful solutions.

Are you unintentionally crafting a customer experience nightmare? Jeannie's got you covered. She underscores the importance of proactivity and intentionality in designing delightful customer experiences. Learn from Jeannie as she guides us through the labyrinthine process of defining excellent customer experience, creating an effective customer journey map, and much more.

Tune in, absorb the wisdom, and ensure your customers' journey is as sweet as a Halloween treat.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Pulse Check #2

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 07:00:00 -0500

Are you ready for another CX Pulse Check? Join Jeannie and Paige, as they talk about what's happening right now in Customer Experience (CX).

What if you could tap into the secrets of how top retailers are adapting to the transforming world of customer behavior? Imagine the insights you could gain if you knew how these businesses are enticing customers with exciting new offerings like curbside delivery, sample boxes, and impulse purchases. The discussion in this episode delves into these innovative strategies, exploring how they're changing the way customers shop.

We also turn our spotlight on Lumin Fitness, a pioneering player in the fitness industry that's breaking boundaries with its AI gyms and virtual trainers. Get ready to discover the potential of this fresh approach to redefining the customer experience.

Have you ever wondered what would happen if customer feedback could be harnessed for a greater cause? We bring you the intriguing story of VOTO, a company that's doing just that by combining customer engagement with a social cause. It's a fantastic example of a business exhibiting its values and connecting with customers on a deeper level. We discuss the importance of such gestures, and how they can significantly enhance an organization's image and foster customer loyalty.

Tune in to be inspired and empowered to really look to the future about what customers want.

Resources Mentioned:
Learn more about CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.com
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Customer Experience VS. Member Experience

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 07:00:00 -0500

❔"Are there differences in how to approach member experience versus customer experience?"❔

Are you ready to define what customer experience success means for a nonprofit organization, association, or even a professional development organization? In this enlightening episode, Jeannie Walters places a spotlight on customer experience (CX) in member-based organizations and shows how you can use best practices and tools from the CX toolkit.

With a focus on the individuals your organization serves, let's navigate the member experience journey and discover how CX can help you understand and fulfill the promise that you've made to your members. Anybody who calls themselves a member of something feels a certain sense of belonging. We want to respect that and make sure that we are inviting them to belong in all the right ways. Together, we'll tackle the conventional ways of tracking success and uncover why they may or may not be the best fit for your organization. Tune in, engage, and let's revolutionize your member experience.

Resources Mentioned:
Learn more about CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.com
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Acting on Negative Feedback

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 07:00:00 -0500

Ever feel like your customer feedback is being dismissed or ignored? Can negative comments be transformed into something that propels growth and change? In our latest episode, we tackle these questions and more. Discover how creating an effective action plan, gaining support from leaders and teams, and utilizing technology can transform negative feedback into actionable tasks. We examine the power of prioritization in addressing persistent issues and underscore the value of viewing criticism as an opportunity for improvement rather than a personal affront.

But the conversation doesn't end there. We dive deeper into the steps you can take to handle negative feedback in a way that not only provides a solution but also enhances the overall customer experience. We emphasize the importance of respectful acknowledgment, an authentic apology, clear communication about resolution efforts, offering compensation, and demonstrating commitment through follow-up. Learn how negative feedback can be a catalyst for process improvements, employee training, and product enhancements. As we wrap up, we explore the profound impact of a mindset shift, and how establishing the right strategy and tools can lead to an optimum customer experience. Tune in and gain valuable insights to better understand your customers, their experiences, and how to turn criticism into positive change.

Resources Mentioned:
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
Learn more about CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.com
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Updating CX Foundations

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 07:00:00 -0500

Ever wonder about the optimal frequency to revisit your customer experience mission statement, success statement, and team charter? We've got you covered! This week, our host, Jeannie Walters, founder of Experience Investigators, answers this very question from one of our listeners. You'll hear some insights and practical advice on why and when to refresh these important tools.

In this episode, Jeannie stresses the importance of aligning your success statement with your organization's goals to reap the outcomes you're after. We also venture into the realm of customer collaboration and the vital role of customer feedback in experiential innovation. Whether you're at the drawing board stage or looking for a fresh perspective, this episode is brimming with actionable advice guaranteed to elevate your customer experience strategy. Tune in and get ready - it's time to put ideas into action!

Resources Mentioned:
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
CX Charter Guidebook -- bit.ly/cxcharter
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Pulse Check

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 07:00:00 -0500

What's going on right now in Customer Experience (CX)? We're doing something a little different, a little new in this Experience Action episode. This CX Pulse Check is your ticket to understanding the customer experience economy today, so you can plan for future success! You'll come away from this episode knowing more about how to leverage behavioral data and technology to create personalized, efficient experiences, and more. Fasten your seat belts!

We've brought in a special guest to add richness to this conversation: Experience Investigators' Director of Business Development, Paige.

In this episode, you'll hear real-life examples from Mcdonald's, Taco Bell, Chick-fil-A, Chipotle, and Portillo's, specifically how they're all revving up their drive-through models. We'll also take an exciting trek into the strategy of Lego's adult-targeted, high-tech journey, Delta Air Lines loyalty offerings, and Amazon's latest offering - end-to-end supply chain management.

This is the new age of customer experience, and we don’t want anyone to be left behind. Let's turn ideas into action!

Resources Mentioned:
Join the Waitlist for the CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.com
Article: Is Customer Experience Worth It? And How Much Should You Invest? -- experienceinvestigators.com/take-action/customer-experience-value/
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Prioritizing with a CX Charter

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 07:00:00 -0500

❔"How does the CX Charter address potential conflicts or challenges? And, does it provide guidelines for resolution that prioritizes the customer's experience?"❔

A Customer Experience (CX) Charter is a document to help your team deliver results more efficiently and effectively. It helps ensure you're all on the same page (pun intended). A CX Charter is key for cross-functional support. In this episode, Jeannie Walters shares six questions you can use to build your own CX Charter and addresses how it can proactively prevent issues so you can accomplish your goals. Tune in to hear how a CX Charter can help change influence into authority.

Resources Mentioned:
CX Charter Guidebook -- bit.ly/cxcharter
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Join the Waitlist for the CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.com
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Performance Reviews & CX

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 07:00:00 -0500

❔"Can we discuss how to conduct an annual performance review for a customer experience professional? What should that look like? What measurements should we be looking at?" How do we define success?"❔

Performance reviews can be rough from both sides of the table. They are often full of assumptions and expectations. However, these hard conversations are necessary. Jeannie Walters suggests that first you must look at what it means to be a customer experience professional in your organization. The answer will vary depending on your job description and your organization's customer experience goals. Speaking of goals, three critical areas for any performance review are values, mission, and alignment. We dive into each in this episode. Tune in to hear about defining customer experience success and measurements to explore.

Resources Mentioned:
SMIRC Goals Checklist -- bit.ly/smirc-checklist
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Focus Groups and Feedback

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 07:00:00 -0500

❔"My organization is looking at starting focus groups or other avenues to bring in more of the customer experience perspective. What are your recommendations for getting started? How do we decide who to include? What other things should we consider? I'd love to hear your feedback."❔

Traditional focus groups have been popular for gathering real-time customer feedback for decades. However, our host, Jeannie Walters, has seen too many focus groups go awry. In this episode, Jeannie goes over some pros and cons of traditional focus groups. She also shares some additional ways to gather the customer feedback you are looking for, such as customer interviews, co-creation sessions, and customer advisory boards. For any of these methods, proactive steps are needed to set your initiatives up for success. Tune in to hear what you need to get insights, not just answers.

Resources Mentioned:
Customer Interview Guidebook -- bit.ly/ciguidebook
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Customer Service vs Customer Experience

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 07:00:00 -0500

❔"I love how you discuss the difference between customer service and customer experience. I work with people who really believe they understand customer service so there's nothing to worry about. How do I get them to see that we should focus on customer experience, not just customer service?"❔

We need both customer service and customer experience to have a successful business. Customer service is essentially a reactive process. Customer experience is about being proactive and intentional. It's about designing the journey for our customers so they can get what they need and achieve their goals in the most delightful and effortless way possible. When we do this well, we all win – customers and businesses! Customer service is just one piece of the puzzle. In this episode, Jeannie Walters shares how you can help your colleagues understand that customer experience is a fundamental business strategy that provides a holistic approach beyond reactive problem-solving.

Resources Mentioned:
YouTube: Jeannie Walters at Experience Investigators -- bit.ly/jeannieyt
Get the Weekly Letter: bit.ly/jeannie-letter
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Am I the Only One Who Cares?

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 12:00:00 -0500

❔"I'm new to the idea of customer experience, and while I think it's great, I can't seem to get others at my software startup to really get it. I do what I can by bringing up the customer whenever I can, but I don't really know how to get others to care about it. Any ideas you can share?" ❔

We are so excited to have a new Customer Experience (CX) Change Agent in the world! Someone who has started connecting the dots between why CX is so important, what they can do about it, and what it can achieve — results like improved retention and referrals, increased revenue, reduced costs, and competitive advantages. Helping others in your organization understand the power of CX can be a challenge. In this episode, Jeannie Walters, CCXP shares some ideas about how to talk about CX and tools you can use to get others on board.

Resources Mentioned:
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
Customer Journey Mapping Workbook -- bit.ly/cjmworkbook
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Find Your CX Budget

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 07:00:00 -0500

❔"How do you find the budget for customer experience initiatives, and who owns it? And how do other companies do this?"❔

Customer experience is not just a 'nice to have,' even though that's how it's viewed in many organizations. It really is a must-have in today's competitive, digital world. Customers have more choices and more expectations than ever before. If we don't make customer experience a strategic priority and a source of competitive advantage, somebody else will. Customer is also not a one-time project or department, but sometimes that's where we have to start. In this episode, Jeannie Walters discusses building a case for investing in customer experience and thinking like a business leader. This investment will have a positive impact on the bottom line and the long-term growth of your organization. She shares a few ideas for securing a CX budget, so you can get the resources you need to succeed.

Resources Mentioned:
CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Getting Serious about CX

Tue, 08 Aug 2023 07:00:00 -0500

❔"Our organization has talked a lot about customer experience, and we always say that the customer comes first. We want to get more intentional, more serious about [CX], but we're not really sure where to get started. Do we need to hire someone who is just focused on CX and can lead our organization in building customer experience initiatives and activities, or is there a way for us to do this more organically with the team that we have? ...Once we start to get people aligned, where do we begin? How do we make [CX] something that is impactful for our business?" ❔

These are great questions! Jeannie Walters says that if you are not asking these questions, then you are probably just coasting. As she walks through some of the ways to address CX leadership and strategy, think about where you are with your organization. Examine if you are being as intentional and proactive as you could be around customer experience strategy – and if not, what's stopping you. In this episode, Jeannie outlines some steps to take and people to include to get you set in the right direction toward successful CX. Be that CX Change Agent – you can move forward with CX wherever you are in your organization!

Resources Mentioned:
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX as a Brand Differentiator

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 07:00:00 -0500

❔"I was talking to a colleague of mine in the marketing department, and we had a question for you: could the customer experience that our company delivers be used as a brand differentiator? If so, what would you recommend?"❔

Shoutout to all the Chief Marketing Officers and Marketing Leaders who have been "gifted" the role of leading Customer Experience. Our host, Jeannie Walters, knows a lot of marketing leaders are looking for ways to lead CX and get those marketing benefits, like brand differentiation. In this episode, Jeannie talks about using CX as a brand differentiator and the astounding results that can come from making CX a focus. Studies show brands that focus on customer experience throughout the customer journey are more successful than brands that don't. Tune in for more!

Resources Mentioned:
Customer Journey Mapping Workbook -- bit.ly/cjmworkbook
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Employee Experience ROI

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 20:00:00 -0500

❔"My employee experience team is on the right track, and I'm really excited about the progress we are making. I want to ensure we can continue our projects, but I'm concerned about the company budget. Do you have any tips for approaching this and staying ahead?"❔

The employee experience and the customer experience are tightly linked. How do we make sure our leaders know that? In this episode, Jeannie Walters answers how we can show our leaders that investing in employee experience is a true return on investment of time, money, resources, people, etc. It all starts with having a holistic view of what employee experience really means. Then it comes down to defining our goals, defining what success looks like, and making sure we are collaborating with the very people we are trying to serve.

Resources Mentioned:
Employee Journey Map Template -- bit.ly/ejmtemplate
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Investigating Customer Experiences

Tue, 18 Jul 2023 07:00:00 -0500

❔"What does CXI® stand for? What does it mean?"❔

What a fun, quick question! All of us, as experience investigators, are looking for things. We are investigating, exploring, and evaluating all the time. Our registered trademark, above all, stands for Customer Experience Investigation. However, the "I" in CXI® can mean so much more. Tune in to find out!

BONUS: In this episode, Jeannie shares three methods CX leaders often overlook when investigating the customer experience.

Resources Mentioned:
CXI® Navigator -- experienceinvestigators.com/#framework
Take the CXI® Compass assessment -- CXICompass.com
Learn more about CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.com
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

More than NPS

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 07:00:00 -0500

❔"I represent CX in my organization. Although I try to be a change agent regarding the CX perspective, my organization continues to use NPS as a KPI (Key Performance Indicator) for the entire organization. What are your recommendations for promoting change in an organization where there is a high focus on the NPS and a lack of openness to alternate thinking?"❔

If you are asking this question, you are already on the right track. Often when we talk about customer experience (CX), the first instinct is to measure. From surveys to feedback, many CX leaders are looking for that one magic metric. It just doesn't exist. We are dealing with complex humans, and reducing their experience to one metric misses out on huge opportunities to look at nuance and discover wonderful ways that we can really deliver for customers.

In this episode, Jeannie Walters talks about:
• Getting people on your team to buy into a cross-functional, holistic view of CX
• What NPS (Net Promoter Score) means, and how it can be used to change the conversation
• Creating a new formula for CX success and better business results

Resources Mentioned:
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com
Learn more about CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Measuring and Communicating Improvements

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 07:00:00 -0500

❔"Many times, we will get feedback from our customers about a pain point. We'll map their journey, identify opportunities for improvement and even implement changes. But then what?"❔

When making changes to better the customer experience, we want to make sure they are actually working for our customers. Monitoring the impact of changes is often where organizations fall short, and yet it's such a vital part of the whole idea of customer experience (CX)! In this episode, Jeannie Walters shares some recommendations and best practices regarding monitoring and measuring the effectiveness of improvements. Implementing changes is more than just about monitoring. Jeannie addresses the importance of communicating with customers and closing the loop on any feedback that puts your changes into motion.

Resources Mentioned:
Learn more about CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.com
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Shift Siloed CX To Connected CX

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 07:00:00 -0500

❔"I work for a large company. We have several individuals that have CX in their title and are doing work, but it's siloed and not connected. Each person has a journey that applies to their own perspective. How can we become better connected?" ❔

This is something that a lot of customer experience leaders and teams really struggle with. When we encounter siloed organizations, there are often three challenges that leaders face: a focus on tactics over strategy, process maps vs. the actual customer journey, and connecting CX people and data across departments. In this episode, Jeannie Walters addresses each of these challenges. She shows you ways to look at CX as a mindset, strategy, and business discipline. Let's break down those silos and build bridges!

Resources Mentioned:
Article: How to Run an Effective Customer Experience Team Meeting -- experienceinvestigators.com/customer-centric-culture/customer-experience-team-meeting/
Take the CXI® Compass assessment -- CXICompass.com
Join the Waitlist for the CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.com
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Tech Tool Talk

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 07:00:00 -0500

❔"What platforms are worth using for small to medium enterprises so that they can manage omnichannel communications with customers (email, phone call, social media, etc.) that are also integrated with a CRM?"❔

Keeping track of various customer communications, especially as you grow from a small to medium size business, is something many organizations struggle with. There is a dizzying array of technology options out there. Our host Jeannie Walters rarely makes specific recommendations about technology or platforms because the effectiveness of the same tool changes from client to client. There is no one perfect solution yet. In this episode, Jeannie helps you hone in on what you want from these tools to make the best choices based on your business needs, limitations, and requirements. Tune in for some examples and features to think about.

Resources Mentioned:
Join the Waitlist for the CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.com
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Step into CX Leadership

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 07:00:00 -0500

❔"I find myself in operations, and I keep helping other departments with their CX. I'm looking to join another company where their CX strategy isn't that solid yet, and I want to place myself in a position to run that for them. I've learned a lot, and I know I can learn a lot more. What's the best way to present myself in that scenario where I can help them take their CX journey to the next level?"❔

One of the most frustrating things about walking into a leadership role of any kind in customer experience (CX) at any organization is that the playbook is somewhat different depending on their CX maturity level and how they define CX leadership and success. In this episode, Jeannie Walters explains how to step back to understand CX management in an organization to figure out where they need to start or how to get to the next level with realistic and aligned goals. Tune in for some examples, insights, and challenging questions to ask. You are invested in success, and we love that!

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com
Article: Your 2023 Customer Experience Plan: Strategies, Videos, & Resources -- bit.ly/2023cxplan
SMIRC Goals Checklist -- bit.ly/smirc-checklist
Take the CXI® Compass assessment -- CXICompass.com
Join the Waitlist for the CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

The Case of Missing CX

Tue, 30 May 2023 07:00:00 -0500

Are you ready to investigate what is missing in your organization to make things better for your customers? We wanted to have some fun to mark the 6th month anniversary of the Experience Action Podcast, so we've put a true crime spin on this episode. Crack the case with Chief Experience Investigator Jeannie Walters and tune in to this first edition of CX Chronicles: Unmaking the Secrets of Customer Experience.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com
Join the Waitlist for the CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Get that CX Job!

Tue, 23 May 2023 07:00:00 -0500

❔"Do you have any advice on how to prepare for a CX interview? As someone being interviewed for a new CX role, what should I bring up?"❔

Often in CX, the interview can be daunting because the job description, roles, and titles might not add up to what you were expecting. That's what makes the interview process so important! Jeannie shares an exciting way to think about the interview in this episode. It's a chance for you to see if the organization has the right expectations around customer experience and an opportunity to explore possible changes you can make to improve not just the lives of customers but the all-important business results.

Tune in for some questions you can ask and red flags to look for in your next interview. As you jot down the questions, make sure to note what answers would be most meaningful to you.

Resources Mentioned:
Download the free CX Charter Guidebook -- bit.ly/cxcharter
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com
Join the Waitlist for the CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Be a Lifelong CX Learner

Tue, 16 May 2023 07:00:00 -0500

❔"What's the best way to learn CX, and what kind of certification should I get?"❔

Customer Experience (CX) is bigger than a business degree, and there are so many learning options available. There is no one perfect approach. In this episode, Jeannie Walters shares what the focus of CX learning should be so you can get the most out of it. She discusses customer experience as a discipline, strategy, and mindset.

This industry is ever-evolving and requires you to be a lifelong learner. So even if you are a seasoned professional, stay a student of CX. Keep learning and looking for ways to sharpen your tools.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com
Join the Waitlist for the CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.com
Take the CXI® Compass assessment -- CXICompass.com
Customer Experience Professional Association™ -- cxpa.org

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Getting Data Right

Tue, 09 May 2023 07:00:00 -0500

❔"What do you recommend to organizations who have customer pain points but do not have the necessary data? ... How should someone representing CX pursue resolution of the pain points when facing limited data? And, should these pain points go unanswered or be addressed later when data maturity allows for it?"❔

While it may be the logical approach for leaders to ask us to justify everything we do for customer experience (CX) with appropriate data or at least include the data to make decisions, it often limits our actions. To expand our options, we must open our minds to what data can be. Let's get creative!

In this episode, Jeannie talks about:
- building a case for anecdotal data and storytelling
- examining the goals of data gathering
- helpful tools for data collection and organization
- prioritizing CX goals and efforts

Resources Mentioned:
Article: How to Use Imperfect Data to Deliver a Perfect Customer Experience -- bit.ly/imperfectdataforCX
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Join the Waitlist for the CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.com
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Starbucks CEO in the Store

Tue, 02 May 2023 07:00:00 -0500

❔"What do you think about how the new Starbucks CEO said he'd work 4 hours a month as a barista in different stores? Is this a good move or just a PR stunt?"❔

Let's talk about employee experience! So many leaders that Jeannie speaks with talk about how important it is to understand the front line. In many organizations, the higher up you get on the org chart - the less likely you are to deal directly with customers. In this episode, Jeannie talks about some significant changes that are coming from a few leaders taking steps to interact with customers directly and to understand the day-to-day efforts of front-line employees. She also discusses steps you can take to connect the C-Suite to the perspective of front-line employees.

Resources Mentioned:
Join the Waitlist for the CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.com
Get the Employee Journey Map Template -- bit.ly/ejmtemplate
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Is my CX Role In Jeopardy?

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 07:00:00 -0500

❔"All the talk about a possible recession has those of use in the CX department a little worried about our job security. Is there anything we could be doing now to demonstrate how valuable we are to the company and encourage higher-ups to view our job as non-negotiable?"❔

The work you are doing as a Customer Experience (CX) Leader and CX Change Agent is important. It is work that will move your organization forward. Tune in to hear some ideas to make you more valuable, so you are seen as indispensable and non-negotiable.

In this episode, Jeannie talks about:
- clearly aligning CX goals
- intentionally investing in proactive CX
- strategically winning the skeptics over

Resources Mentioned:
Article: Your 2023 Customer Experience Plan: Strategies, Videos, & Resources -- bit.ly/2023cxplan
SMIRC Goals Checklist -- bit.ly/smirc-checklist
CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Innovate with CX

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 07:00:00 -0500

❔"I've heard you say that customer experience (CX) can help an organization innovate, but CX seems really reactive. Can you share any ways to tie CX with innovation?"❔

In this episode, Jeannie Walters shares some great examples of CX innovators and disruptors in response to this excellent question. You can connect innovation and stay ahead of the competitive market by investing in the right areas of customer experience in both B2C and B2B. Tune in to learn more about experiential innovation and find out what questions you should be asking to connect CX to innovation in your organization. We hope it inspires you to think BIG!

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome in CX Careers

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 07:00:00 -0500

❔"Have you ever dealt with imposter syndrome, and how can I overcome it in the customer experience (CX) consulting world?"❔

While imposter syndrome isn't a specific CX career issue, our host Jeannie knows it's challenging in the CX world. There is so much to cover in CX and more than one way to do something.

Entrepreneurs, speakers, really anyone who goes out in front of people and says, "I can help you," has experienced some form of imposter syndrome at some point. In any industry, expert status is about more than just testing your abilities. It's about experience, paying attention to the world, keeping your own education up, learning from others, and reviewing best practices.

In this episode, Jeannie Walters discusses her experience with imposter syndrome and talks about:
- Reviewing your goals for your chosen path
- Looking at the evidence of what you've accomplished
- Being humble and honest about your thoughts
- Sharing your unique perspective

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com
Customer Experience Professional Association™ -- cxpa.org

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

What's a Service Code and How Do We Use It?

Tue, 04 Apr 2023 07:00:00 -0500

❔"I've heard you talk about a Service Code as a tool for front-line customer service...what is it and how would I use one?"❔

A Service Code defines what good customer service means in your organization for those front-line workers, from cashiers to contact center agents to those going out on house calls. It connects training manuals and protocols to our CX goals and outlines how we want our customers to feel. Instead of relying on "just be nice to the customer," a service code allows you to get intentional. CX leaders need to start sharing the standards, expectations, and language around your customer experience.

In this episode, Jeannie Walters talks about how a Service Code can help create meaningful experiences that consistently deliver for your customers and your organization. She shares real-life examples and outlines steps to develop and use your own universal Service Code.

Resources Mentioned:
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
Article: How a Service Code Empowers Employees to Deliver Exceptional Experiences -- experienceinvestigators.com/customer-centric-culture/customer-experience-service-code/
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Journey Mapping - What's Next!?

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 07:00:00 -0500

❔After we create a customer journey map, what's the next step? How should we use it?❔

When we are talking about customer journey maps, we are talking about everything from the customer's point of view - not process maps or journeys by org chart.

Journey mapping can enlighten you, shift your perspective and motivate you to talk action in your organization. Our host Jeannie Walters, CCXP, says, "We need to treat journey mapping as a verb, not a noun." We need to create journey maps for action and use them as tools, not relics. They can be extraordinarily impactful on how your organization approaches your products, services, interactions, improvements, and innovations.

In this episode, Jeannie talks about:
- Setting goals for and with your journey map
- Identifying common challenges, pain points, and missed opportunities from your journey map
- Socializing what you've learned from your journey map

Resources Mentioned:
Customer Journey Mapping Workbook -- bit.ly/cjmworkbook
Interactive Customer Journey Mapping Template -- bit.ly/cjm-template
Jeannie's LinkedIn Learning Courses -- bit.ly/jeannie-lil
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX Budget for Growing Businesses

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 07:00:00 -0500

❔"Are there guidelines for how much a small firm should spend in an area like CX?"❔

In any client meeting, in any situation, you can almost always ask the question, "Yes, but how will this affect the budget?" Especially if you are a small business or in a growth stage, budgets and goals are very important. Our host, Jeannie Walters, CCXP, is ready to provide a few guidelines for investing in customer experience (CX).

In this episode, Jeannie talks about:
- Investing in both new AND long-term customer experiences
- Thinking about CX beyond tools and technology
- Examining the employee experience
- Establishing CX Foundations

Resources Mentioned:
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
CX Charter Guidebook -- bit.ly/cxcharter
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

WHY Align CX with Business Goals?

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 07:00:00 -0500

❔If we align our customer experience to the goals and ambitions of the business, where do our customers fit into the strategy?❔

Customer experience is exciting! Yet, when we start approaching customer experience thinking solely about making customers happy, we often don't know where to invest our time, resources, and efforts in the right ways. Of course, we want to treat our customers well and ensure their moments on the journey are magical and wonderful. However, if we ONLY did that, we wouldn't be running our business and organizations very long. At the end of the day, we need to have a successful organization to continue serving our customers. So, while customer experience is squarely focused on the customer, it's also about the organization and helping it succeed.

In this episode, Jeannie talks about:
- balancing what's right for the customer and what's right for the organization
- defining how your customer experience efforts will serve your company's larger objectives
- tracking the success of your customer experience program

Resources Mentioned:
CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

CX and EX At Once

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 07:00:00 -0600

❔Is it possible for a company to work on both customer experience and employee experience at the same time?❔

One of Jeannie's core beliefs is that you can't authentically deliver a great customer experience without aligning that experience with your employee experience. Sometimes, Human Resource teams, departments and leaders are focused on process, procedure and operations, and they don't see their role as part of developing, nurturing and cultivating the right kind of employee experience. This is where customer experience best practices can really come in handy. The same best practices can help you create an amazing employee experience, which in turn will drive better customer experiences.

In this episode, Jeannie talks about:
- benefits of genuine employee referrals
- creating a culture of collaboration
- empowering employees to feel aligned with your mission
- advantages of defining success in your organization

Resources Mentioned:
Employee Journey Map Template -- bit.ly/ejmtemplate
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Becoming Customer-Centric

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 07:00:00 -0600

❔How do we link all the areas in our organization together for a better customer experience? How do we really become customer-centric? ❔

When discussing customer experience, we often start with tactics (surveys, data collection, etc.) and don't connect them to the big picture. When customer experience is not connected to the organization as a whole, it can be challenging. It's all about cultural commitment, which starts with leaders. Wherever you sit as a customer experience change agent, you are a leader! You can be someone who makes changes.

In this episode, Jeannie shares some recommendations for becoming customer-centric. Tune in to hear more about:
- defining goals around customer experience and business outcomes
- creating a feedback strategy
- understanding customers beyond surveys

Resources Mentioned:
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
CX Charter Guidebook -- bit.ly/cxcharter
Experience Investigators Website -- www.experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Customer Experience (CX) Examples in Evolving Industries

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 07:00:00 -0600

Let's get into some real-life examples of customer experience (CX) improvements in action! This week we're focusing on a couple of constantly evolving industries: air travel and consumer packaged goods (CPG). Even if you are not in these industries, you can use these examples as inspiration to generate your own ideas. Let's learn from each other!

In this episode, Jeannie discusses some best practices and dives into why looking at CX as a strategy is vital for any organization in any industry. We hope these examples can help you elevate your CX strategy to the same level as other efforts in your organization.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Managing Change with Customers

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 07:00:00 -0600

This week's question comes to us from a Customer Experience challenge one of our listeners faced. They piloted an enhancement customers wanted, but it never really turned out to be possible for the organization. So, how do they communicate those results to their customers in a way that says, "I heard you, we tried, but it's not going to work out." ❔

This is something that Jeannie can relate to on both sides - from the customer's point of view and as a business owner. In this episode, she explains that our job as CX Leaders is to be honest, proactive, and intentional about changes to customer experiences.

Tune in to learn more about:
- Setting expectations and being honest if we can't live up to them
- Balancing pros and cons for both the organization and your customers
- Driving long-term change

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Top 10 Ways Customer Experience (CX) Makes a Better World

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 07:00:00 -0600

We have a special edition this week to celebrate our tenth episode. Thank you for listening and for asking great questions!

In this episode, we're presenting the top ten ways Customer Experience (CX) makes a better world, which relates directly to Jeannie's mission To Create Fewer Ruined Days for Customers™. Tune in for the countdown!

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Customer Experience (CX) Value Creation

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 07:00:00 -0600

❔"How do you define value creation from customer experience?"❔

This is a multi-million dollar question depending on the industry that you are in and the organization that you are talking about. This is something that plagues Customer Experience (CX) leadership and management: when people start asking, "Is customer experience, you know, worth it?"

C-level leaders to customer-focused employees, even organizations who are running pretty mature CX programs, often start wondering how their efforts are paying off. This is something that we have to talk about more. Wherever you sit in your organization, there are ways to connect the dots to real value creation.

Customer experience can absolutely be tied to three areas of specific tangible returns on the investment - creating that value for your organization:
1. Higher retention rates and lower customer churn lead to real value.
2. Customers who stay longer with your brand also spend more with your brand.
3. Customer referrals lead to immediate returns

We'll tackle each of these in this episode.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com
Free CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Characteristics of Great Customer Experience (CX)

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 07:00:00 -0600

❔"What are the main characteristics that make up a good customer experience?"❔

This question could be answered in a multitude of ways because Customer Experience (CX) is complex. When we talk about CX, there are many different parts. It needs to factor in the end-to-end customer journey, every single interaction, including moments when customers feel like they've been let down or when they were surprised and delighted.

When working with CX change agents and leaders, Jeannie focuses on three main macro factors for creating an exceptional customer experience. She explores each in more detail in this episode:
- The vision and the promise of your customer experience
- Empowered employees who feel valued and heard
- Not just listening but acting

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Process Improvement VS. Customer Experience

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 07:00:00 -0600

❔"Is customer experience and process improvement the same thing?" ❔

This is a very interesting question! For starters, we need to think of it as a "yes, and" scenario. Business plans tend to focus on what's happening INSIDE the organization, while customer experience is often happening outside what you do. Customer experience is the end-to-end experience that the customer is having with your brand, and it's happening if you're being intentional or not. So let's be intentional!

In this episode, Jeannie talks about
- Business processes and customer experience management
- Where our focus needs to be for CX and business processes
- Reviewing business goals in relation to customer experience
- How to get this outside lens of what's happening with your business

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com
Customer Service Blueprinting [LinkedIn Learning Course] -- bit.ly/lilblueprint
Article: Service Blueprinting and the Next Normal -- experienceinvestigators.com/service-blueprint-how-to/

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Defining Customer Experience

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 08:00:00 -0600

❔"How do we define what customer experience truly is?"❔

Another AMAZING question 💪 Defining what customer experience (CX) means to your organization is essential. It's often presented as a very vague concept, which can lead everyone to make assumptions about goals and outcomes and leaves the door open for a lot of guessing from all parties. We need to remember that whether or not we are being intentional about customer experience or our CX programs, our customers are ALREADY having an experience.

This week, Jeannie aims to help you define what customer experience means to your organization. She takes a look at key factors like...
- Aligning with customer expectations
- Tying strategy into the overall success of your CX program
- Action you can take to create a customer experience plan
- Why having a customer experience plan is important for your business

She also provides some FREE resources you can use to help get everyone aligned with the plan, which includes a handy formula to help you along.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com
Free CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
Free CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Free CX Charter Guidebook -- bit.ly/cxcharter

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

5 Questions for Customer Experience (CX) Leaders

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 07:00:00 -0600

❔"How do I evaluate how well we've done as far as customer experience goes?"❔

This is an amazing question, and a common one... many of the customer experience goals our company leaders set are vague and hard to get solid numbers on. So how do we know how well we did? It's a harder question than it should be.

Thankfully, Jeannie has 5 questions to help you reflect on how well you did on your customer experience goals. You can use these questions anytime you need to evaluate your company CX plan. As always, Jeannie gives her tried and true tips on how to use customer feedback. You're going to want to write these down.

So, how did you do on your Customer Experience Goals?

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- www.experienceinvestigators.com
Get a year of free Customer Experience Resources – www.YearofCX.com
CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbook

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

How To Use a Customer Experience (CX) Mission

Tue, 27 Dec 2022 07:00:00 -0600

❔"How do you use a customer experience (CX) mission statement?"❔

This question is near and dear to Jeannie's heart. In fact, Jeannie and Experience Investigators were so passionate about CX Mission Statements that they created a system to help fill the gaps they frequently saw in many CX plans. They saw that many existing company mission statements didn't take into account the customer as a whole.

In this week's episode, Jeannie talks about all things CX Mission Statement...

her favorite ways to use a CX Mission Statement
places a CX Mission Statement is used
how to keep the CX mission statement top of mind
getting employees involved in using the tool
tips and tricks to take action

Thanks for helping Jeannie on her mission to create fewer ruined days for customers. Don't forget to grab your FREE CX Mission Statement Workbook below!

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- www.experienceinvestigators.com
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
Get a year of free Customer Experience Resources -- www.YearofCX.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Customer Experience (CX) Training

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 07:00:00 -0600

❔ "Is customer experience training a one time process or is it ongoing?" ❔

Sounds like this one will have a pretty simple answer, right? As with all things in business, ongoing training is always beneficial. For customer experience (CX) training, this sometimes isn't as straightforward as other types of on-the-job training. We talk about CX and our goals, but we don't take the time to connect those with other departments, which can leave our CX programs feeling disjointed.

In this week's episode, Jeannie dives into this seemingly easy question in more detail. She talks about how having a pervasive view of customer experience in your company culture creates the best environment for CX to thrive. Listen for actionable tips and suggestions that you can implement within your company to improve your customer experience (and employee experience), from training onward.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- https://www.experienceinvestigators.com
Get a year of free Customer Experience Resources -- https://www.YearofCX.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Leadership Buy In

Tue, 13 Dec 2022 07:00:00 -0600

❔"How do we get leadership or executive sponsorship for CX initiatives that we want to tackle?" ❔

This is an AMAZING QUESTION! And a Jeannie favorite. The key to this answer is leadership buy-in.

As a Customer Experience Leader, we know that investing in and executing customer experience is a winning strategy for business goals and objectives. But if company leadership isn't invested, all of our efforts can seem like they aren't working.

In this week's episode, Jeannie talks about actionable ways that you can speak to your business leaders about customer experience, tips for getting them to buy-in and ways you can help achieve your business goals at your company. Remember, we're all in this together!

Resources Mentioned:
Download the free CX Charter Guidebook -- https://bit.ly/cxcharter
Get a year of free Customer Experience Resources -- https://www.YearofCX.com
Experience Investigators Website -- https://www.experienceinvestigators.com

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)

Welcome to the Podcast

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 12:00:00 -0600

Welcome everyone to our very first episode of Experience Action! A customer experience podcast where we turn ideas into action. We hope that you are as excited to be here as Jeannie is!

With over 20 years investigating the best and worst in customer experience, Jeannie Walters has heard A LOT of questions. In DMs, emails and voicemails, Jeannie has heard it all... and now she's here to give you the answers you need!

Whether you need help with...
- customer experience
- employee experience
- the experience of leaders
- creating a holistic customer experience
- getting teams and leaders onboard

Jeannie has an answer for you.

So... how do we do this CX thing anyway?

Join Jeannie as she gives real answers to real questions in handy, bite-sized audio nuggets (mmm... nuggets)!

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Leave your review at ratethispodcast.com/xact.

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie Walters, CCXP, CSP on LinkedIn!)