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Tag: customer experience

  • How Gartner’s 2026 Tech Trends May Impact Customer Experience

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    The technology landscape is rapidly changing due to AI advancements and increased global connectivity. Gartner’s 2026 Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends highlight how organizations are addressing these shifts. At the core of these trends is AI’s accelerated maturity, moving from experimental to foundational business capability, significantly impacting customer interactions. For customer experience (CX) professionals, some of these advancements mean more learning, and some bring better efficiencies. All bring a degree of change in practice and thought.  

    The AI engine driving CX innovation 

    CX must adapt to new ways of working with customers as the next wave of AI will impact many standard practices. Static playbooks will evolve into fluid workflows, boosting efficiency and insight into customer needs while also changing how people work. At a recent conference, I heard talk of new CX roles emerging to build with AI for customers. 

    The Gartner trends specifically affect CX in different ways, and understanding these differences is key. 

    1. AI-Native Development Platforms and AI Supercomputing Platforms provide the infrastructure for rapid deployment of sophisticated AI models. This enables real-time analysis of customer data, leading to hyper-personalized service and automatically scalable playbooks. Some legacy companies are even rebuilding on AI-native platforms to achieve all of the scale possible. 
    2. Multiagent Systems will transform customer service. Instead of a single AI, interactions will be managed by specialized AIs for sentiment, knowledge, and negotiation. I saw these agents developed by industry leaders like Gainsight and ChurnZero at recent conferences. 
    3. Domain-Specific Language Models allow AI to be trained on industry-specific jargon, resulting in more accurate and nuanced conversational AI. Imagine if your AI agent knows not only your help center data but your company and customer lingo too. 
    4. Confidential Computing secures sensitive customer data in encrypted environments, even in the cloud, building trust. AI Security Platforms also protect AI models from compromise. While these are not the most forward-facing, they offer high rewards. 
    5. Digital Provenance verifies the authenticity of AI-generated content, reassuring customers about information accuracy and allowing for more confidence in tools. AI is still mistrusted by many, which is something this trend aims to change. 
    6. AI Security Platforms will help keep products stable, driving better customer value through less disruptions. In the world of CX, battling malfunctions can be more challenging than customers.  

    The physical and global impact 

    Two trends bridge the digital and physical world of products—and global and local as well:  

    • Physical AI integrates AI into the real world via robotics and connected devices, impacting CX through autonomous delivery, smart retail, and AI-powered maintenance bots. Many CX professionals have seen how physical tools can touch on customers’ needs. 
    • Geopatriation addresses data localization, geopolitical risk, and supply chain complexities. For CX, this means leaning into flexible experiences that comply with diverse regulations while maintaining a consistent global brand. 

    The 2026 Gartner Trends paint a picture of a super intelligent, yet more secure and deeply integrated, technology ecosystem—perhaps a bit of a dream state. However, for CX leaders, this is the time to pivot strategy. They must focus not just on what the customer sees but on the whole ecosystem of how the customer engages. From onboarding to renewal, from first touch to satisfaction survey, and from support to product, there are many ways the new trends will change how CX works.  

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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    Parul Bhandari

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  • Two sides of the coin: Smarsh’s approach to AI

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    AI-driven communication compliance company Smarsh’s approach to AI is twofold: it builds proprietary AI technology for regulated industries while also outsourcing its AI-driven customer service capabilities.  Smarsh offers AI-driven platforms that monitor, collect, manage and analyze communication data within regulated industries, including financial services, Chief Customer Officer Rohit Khanna told FinAi News.   For example, […]

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    Whitney McDonald

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  • How My Dishwasher Hunt at Lowe’s Became a Master Class in Missed Moments

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    There was a time when shopping in person meant something. You’d get eye contact, maybe even a smile. Someone might care whether you walked away satisfied or at least, with what you came for. Lately, retail feels like an archaeological dig site for customer service. I was reminded of this during a recent trip to Lowe’s, which began as a simple errand and ended as a case study in how customer experience dies—not from one big failure, but from a thousand small indifferences. 

    The spark of hope 

    It started promisingly. I was on the hunt for a new dishwasher. The store was busy, but one associate went above and beyond. He didn’t just point me to the appliance aisle, but he walked with me, asked a few smart questions about my kitchen setup, and even flagged a clearance model that checked every box: black finish, energy-efficient, and a serious deal. 

    He was one of those rare employees who got it. The kind who doesn’t just follow the process but thinks creatively. The unit was slightly taller than my counter opening, but instead of dismissing the problem, he brainstormed a workaround—adjusting the leveling legs, tweaking the height, even offering double-check specs. I was impressed. This was the kind of customer service and interaction that restores faith in retail—real human effort, genuine interest, and problem-solving in motion. 

    When the system takes over 

    Then came the moment to pay. That’s when things went sideways. Apparently, the dishwasher wasn’t “in stock” according to the computer system, even though I was staring right at it. The barcode wasn’t scanning properly, and the helpful associate couldn’t override it. So he called for the manager. Bye bye customer service.

    Enter Karen. Karen arrived with that brisk, confident energy of someone ready to fix things. She typed, clicked, and frowned. She tried again, then again, and then she sighed audibly. 

    “This isn’t supposed to happen,” she said to the screen. She called another manager. One was “at lunch.” The other was “in a meeting.” So, she gathered reinforcements—five other employees, each trying to diagnose the mystery of the ghost dishwasher. 

    For the next 30 minutes, I stood there while this ad hoc task force hovered around the terminal, discussing possible fixes, store policies, and, eventually, unrelated topics—upcoming vacations, a broken printer, and someone’s lunch order. I might as well have been invisible. I received zero updates, no estimated timeframe, and no reassurance. Instead, I just stood in quiet frustration amidst inside chatter while I waited, holding my credit card, wondering if anyone remembered I was still there. 

    The fix without influence 

    Eventually, someone found a workaround. The transaction went through. I signed the slip and walked away with my receipt and a strange feeling: relief, not satisfaction. Here’s what struck me most. The outcome was fine. The problem was resolved, but the experience was awful. I had no control, no communication, and no participation. The helpful associate who started strong was sidelined. The manager who tried to help got lost in her own process. I, the customer, had zero influence in shaping the journey. That’s the modern retail paradox. The system works—just not for the customer. 

    Process over people 

    Modern culture has optimized retail to death. Every transaction, approval, and exception flows through a maze of systems and rules. Employees follow scripts instead of using judgment. Managers focus on compliance over connection. While technology was supposed to make things smoother, it’s often just created new friction points no one feels empowered to solve. 

    When the system doesn’t allow for flexibility, people stop thinking creatively. They stop owning the experience. The “Karen” at Lowe’s wasn’t incompetent, but she was constrained. Trained to follow procedure, not to lead a customer through uncertainty. 

    The forgotten human element 

    Customer service used to be about helping people. Now it’s about people managing systems, and that shift has quietly gutted the emotional core of the in-store experience. Customers don’t expect perfection. They expect acknowledgment. They expect to be seen, heard, and informed. A simple, “Hey, this might take a few minutes, but we’ll get it sorted out,” would have changed everything. Instead, the silence spoke volumes. 

    What retail can learn 

    The lesson here isn’t about dishwashers but about design. Companies need to rethink customer experience as something that happens between people, not just through systems. Empower front-line employees to own outcomes. Encourage managers to communicate transparently, even when they don’t have all the answers. Most importantly, remember that every customer interaction is a story in progress. Whether it ends as a tale of frustration or delight depends on how much agency the customer feels they have in shaping it. 

    That day at Lowe’s could have been a shining example of service recovery done right. Instead, it became a microcosm of retail’s biggest challenge: confusing process for progress. Because the truth is, customer experience isn’t measured by how efficiently a system runs. It’s measured by how human it feels when things don’t go according to plan. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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    Andrea Olson

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  • The Secret Reason Delta’s Partnership with YouTube Is Smarter Than You Think

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    In an email to SkyMiles members, Delta just announced a partnership with YouTube that will let passengers stream ad-free videos on flights and unlock a free two-week trial of YouTube Premium simply by logging in with their account. On the surface, it looks like just another in-flight entertainment perk. But the more you think about it, the clearer it becomes that this isn’t about watching cat videos at 35,000 feet—it’s about turning YouTube into Delta’s secret weapon.

    Look, for the most part, the thing you want to do on an airplane is pass the time by checking your brain out while you get to wherever you’re going. Maybe that means taking a nap or reading a book. For some people, it means watching a movie or live TV. For others, it’s endlessly scrolling on their phone until the pilot announces the descent.

    That said, there is probably no better platform for wasting a large amount of time than YouTube. If you’ve ever gone down the rabbit hole of suggested videos, you know how easy it is to lose an hour—or three. YouTube isn’t just the world’s largest video platform, it’s basically the most effective time machine on the internet. Blink once, and your flight is halfway over.

    Now, to be clear, no one buys a plane ticket because you can watch YouTube. That’s not how people choose airlines. You buy a plane ticket because of price, or schedule, or loyalty points. Entertainment is just a bonus. Besides, if you’re on a flight with Delta’s free Wi-Fi, you can already watch YouTube from your phone or laptop.

    So, if that’s true, why would Delta announce a big partnership with YouTube? Why does it matter?

    It turns out, it’s not about watching YouTube. Sure, there’s a curated collection of YouTube content available on the seatback experience. But the real move here is about YouTube Premium. Delta is offering passengers a two-week free trial of YouTube Premium if they sign in with their SkyMiles account. If you’re already a member, you unlock it just by logging in. If you’re not a member, you can become one right there on the plane.

    That’s the real play.

    Think about it: for Delta, whatever it’s paying YouTube to give away free Premium is basically just a customer acquisition cost. It’s a way to get people to sign up for SkyMiles. After all, airlines make more profit on their loyalty programs than on flying planes. Getting people to join SkyMiles isn’t just about keeping them on Delta flights—it’s about getting them into Delta’s entire ecosystem, from credit cards to co-branded offers to upgrades and perks. Every new member is long-term value.

    What better way to get someone to sign up than to offer them the single most universal entertainment perk? Everyone loves YouTube. Almost everyone uses it. And yet, once you experience YouTube Premium, you realize it’s infinitely better.

    I think you could make the case that YouTube Premium is the most no-brainer entertainment subscription there is. If you made me give up one of the services I pay for, I’d cancel all of them before I gave up Premium. Not because YouTube’s content is inherently better than Netflix, Disney+, or Spotify, but because there are no ads.

    That’s it. That’s the whole thing. No ads. Okay, technically, YouTube Premium includes other benefits like YouTube Music, but the no ads thing is the reason it’s worth paying for.

    It changes the experience so dramatically that it’s hard to go back once you’ve tried it. Ads on YouTube are relentless—sometimes three in a row before your video even starts. Once they’re gone, you realize how much brain space you were wasting on interruptions. Premium is less about adding features and more about taking away the one thing that drives people crazy.

    Delta is banking on exactly that. The free trial onboard is a taste test. You’re sitting in your seat, you log into Wi-Fi, you click on YouTube, and suddenly you’re in the ad-free world. If you’ve never tried it before, you’ll wonder why you waited this long. That’s when YouTube—and by extension, Delta—wins.

    Because here’s the thing: once you associate that premium, uninterrupted experience with signing into SkyMiles, you’ve just built a connection in the customer’s mind. Delta isn’t just an airline; it’s the company that gave you better YouTube.

    From Delta’s perspective, the cost of subsidizing YouTube Premium trials is probably negligible compared to the lifetime value of a SkyMiles member. And for YouTube, it’s a distribution play. It’s hard to think of a better way to put YouTube Premium in front of millions of people than during a captive moment at 35,000 feet?

    That’s why this is so smart. Delta figured out how to turn downtime into a loyalty engine. Airlines spend a lot of time trying to differentiate themselves in ways most passengers don’t notice. But the smartest moves are the ones that connect convenience with loyalty in a way that feels obvious. This is one of those moves.

    Delta didn’t invent YouTube. It didn’t invent Premium. But it figured out how to use both to make SkyMiles more valuable, and to make flying Delta feel a little less painful. That’s a win for the airline, a win for YouTube, and—at least for a few hours in the air—a win for passengers.

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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    Jason Aten

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  • Starbucks announces significant store closures and layoffs

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    Starbucks is taking “significant action” to turn around its struggling business, closing a large number of cafés and announcing a second round of layoffs at its headquarters as part of CEO Brian Niccol’s efforts to resuscitate the troubled chain.Niccol announced Thursday that Starbucks will close hundreds of stores this month, or about 1% of its locations. The company had 18,734 North American locations at the end of June, and the company said it will end September with 18,300 stores.The company expects its restructuring efforts will cost $1 billion. Shares of Starbucks were flat in premarket trading.In a letter to employees, Niccol said the company underwent a review of its footprint and the locations that will close were ones “unable to create the physical environment our customers and partners expect, or where we don’t see a path to financial performance.”Starbucks often closes locations for a variety of reasons, including underperformance. But Niccol said this larger-scale effort is more substantial.”This is a more significant action that we understand will impact partners and customers. Our coffeehouses are centers of the community, and closing any location is difficult,” he said.Despite the hundreds of closures, which will take place before the end of the company’s fiscal year next week, Starbucks said it will return to growth mode, and it also plans to remodel more than 1,000 locations. The new look for Starbucks features cozier chairs, more power outlets and warmer colors.In addition to the store closures, Starbucks announced an additional 900 corporate layoffs, on top of the roughly 1,000 layoffs in February. Affected employees will be notified on Friday and will receive “generous severance and support packages.” Also, “many” open positions will be closed, he announced.”I know these decisions impact our partners and their families, and we did not make them lightly,” Niccol wrote. “I believe these steps are necessary to build a better, stronger and more resilient Starbucks that deepens its impact on the world and creates more opportunities for our partners, suppliers and the communities we serve.”One year onNiccol joined Starbucks about a year ago, hoping to revive the storied coffee chain. However, the financial results haven’t come to fruition, with the stock down about 12% and sales haven’t turned around.He’s pared back the menu by about 30%, while also introducing new items to keep the brand on trend, like protein toppings and coconut water. Food is also getting a revamp, with new croissants and baked goods being rolled out.In addition to remodels, smaller touches have been integrated, like bringing back self-serve milk and sugar stations as well as doodles on coffee cups. The company also tweaked its name to “Starbucks Coffee Company” to reinforce its coffee roots.However, his changes have butted heads with some baristas, including uniform changes that sparked a lawsuit. And some new drinks are causing stress for baristas because they are overcomplicated to make during peak times.

    Starbucks is taking “significant action” to turn around its struggling business, closing a large number of cafés and announcing a second round of layoffs at its headquarters as part of CEO Brian Niccol’s efforts to resuscitate the troubled chain.

    Niccol announced Thursday that Starbucks will close hundreds of stores this month, or about 1% of its locations. The company had 18,734 North American locations at the end of June, and the company said it will end September with 18,300 stores.

    The company expects its restructuring efforts will cost $1 billion. Shares of Starbucks were flat in premarket trading.

    In a letter to employees, Niccol said the company underwent a review of its footprint and the locations that will close were ones “unable to create the physical environment our customers and partners expect, or where we don’t see a path to financial performance.”

    Starbucks often closes locations for a variety of reasons, including underperformance. But Niccol said this larger-scale effort is more substantial.

    “This is a more significant action that we understand will impact partners and customers. Our coffeehouses are centers of the community, and closing any location is difficult,” he said.

    Despite the hundreds of closures, which will take place before the end of the company’s fiscal year next week, Starbucks said it will return to growth mode, and it also plans to remodel more than 1,000 locations. The new look for Starbucks features cozier chairs, more power outlets and warmer colors.

    In addition to the store closures, Starbucks announced an additional 900 corporate layoffs, on top of the roughly 1,000 layoffs in February. Affected employees will be notified on Friday and will receive “generous severance and support packages.” Also, “many” open positions will be closed, he announced.

    “I know these decisions impact our partners and their families, and we did not make them lightly,” Niccol wrote. “I believe these steps are necessary to build a better, stronger and more resilient Starbucks that deepens its impact on the world and creates more opportunities for our partners, suppliers and the communities we serve.”

    One year on

    Niccol joined Starbucks about a year ago, hoping to revive the storied coffee chain. However, the financial results haven’t come to fruition, with the stock down about 12% and sales haven’t turned around.

    He’s pared back the menu by about 30%, while also introducing new items to keep the brand on trend, like protein toppings and coconut water. Food is also getting a revamp, with new croissants and baked goods being rolled out.

    In addition to remodels, smaller touches have been integrated, like bringing back self-serve milk and sugar stations as well as doodles on coffee cups. The company also tweaked its name to “Starbucks Coffee Company” to reinforce its coffee roots.

    However, his changes have butted heads with some baristas, including uniform changes that sparked a lawsuit. And some new drinks are causing stress for baristas because they are overcomplicated to make during peak times.

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  • Food Trucks Turn Dining Into a Live Reality Show Experience | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Chris Brown doesn’t just run food trucks. He runs a broadcast studio on wheels.

    At World Famous, every truck doubles as a stage, outfitted with cameras, livestreams and even Ring doorbell cameras. Brown, who calls himself “China Man Live” when streaming, oversees five food trucks along with four restaurant locations across Florida and Georgia.

    Customers don’t just line up for food; they put on a show for his cameras. Some dance. Some rap. One woman even played the harmonica. Brown turned those moments into the “Chat with China Man” giveaway, a bracket-style competition where fans compete on camera for a $10,000 prize. The result is part restaurant, part reality show.

    “It’s showtime,” Brown says. “You gotta put on something. People come out because they’ve been hearing about me for so long. The experience has to be there.”

    That experience feels more like an amusement park ride than a quick bite to eat. Fans wait in lines for over an hour, excited for the Championship Egg Roll Food Truck Tour.

    Brown himself compares it to a ride at Disney World. Behind the scenes, he has built the infrastructure to make the magic possible. His trucks carry 4K cameras, BirdDog joysticks and AI-driven meeting cameras that let him virtually appear at any location.

    From his broadcast control center, he merges internet systems and drops into different sites in real time, greeting crowds as if he cloned himself.

    The setup recalls a national news network, except the subject is egg rolls. Customers don’t just order food, they join a live broadcast watched by thousands online. When Brown shows up in person, the energy multiplies. “I’m like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny everywhere I go,” he laughs, showing off the sparkly grill on his teeth.

    For Brown, selling egg rolls is only half the story. The other half is creating a spectacle big enough to match the name World Famous.

    Related: This Global Beverage Giant Will Help Market Your Restaurant — For Free. Here Are the Details.

    An accidental superpower

    Brown never planned to run a restaurant. His first attempt nearly collapsed.

    When he opened a small takeout spot almost a decade ago, he hired cooks to run the kitchen while he handled the business side. It fell apart. “They were just taking me for a paycheck, taking me for a ride,” he admits. Right before closing the doors, his wife asked what was next. Brown’s answer surprised even himself: He would step into the kitchen.

    What he found there changed everything. “I realized I have a superpower like an X-Man,” he says. That superpower was a sharp palate and a knack for creativity. He experimented with oxtail fat burgers and scratch-made sauces, but knew burgers and wings would only carry him so far. To stand out, he turned to egg rolls.

    Related: He Went from Tech CEO to Dishwasher. Now, He’s Behind 320 Restaurants and $750 Million in Assets.

    His first flavors, including Philly cheesesteak, chicken Philly and his yin-yang sauce, were instant hits. Soon he was competing in food festivals across Florida, beating Italian restaurants at Magic City Casino and winning first place with his Cuban-inspired “croquette roll.” He didn’t just enter competitions; he dominated them.

    Crowds followed. At food truck roundups, Brown’s lines stretched so long that other vendors complained. Rather than back down, he leaned into the demand and created the Championship Egg Roll Food Truck Tour, a traveling circuit that draws thousands each weekend.

    Expansion soon followed with restaurants, commissaries and fleets of trucks across Florida and Georgia. Through it all, Brown has been relentless about consistency. “I’m like [Gordon] Ramsay on steroids in my commissary,” he says. “I just want everything to come out perfect.”

    Now that same obsession fuels his technology. From 4K cameras to AI-driven systems, Brown has turned food trucks into a connected network of kitchens and studios. Every egg roll is made to standard, every interaction is captured on camera, and every customer becomes part of the show. For Brown, food and broadcast are inseparable, and together, they just might make World Famous live up to its name.

    Related: People Line Up Down the Block to Try This Iconic NYC Pizza. Now, It Could Be Coming to Your City.

    About Restaurant Influencers

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    Shawn P. Walchef

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  • How Cava Grew From One to 380 Locations | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Ted Xenohristos, co-founder and chief concept officer of Cava, drew inspiration from his immigrant parents’ Greek heritage and the food he ate growing up. What began as a humble restaurant inside an old Russian bakery in Rockville, Maryland, blossomed into a national brand with 380 locations across 28 states and Washington, D.C.

    “We wanted to do it for an affordable price and [offer] something that people could share,” Xenohristos says. “We built that first restaurant with our bare hands. Everything [was] from the Dollar Store, Target, Home Goods.”

    The first few weeks of business were filled with uncertainty and long hours. Xenohristos and Cava CEO Brett Schulman poured their energy into constructing the brand’s first location, building it from the ground up. Without a marketing budget, they relied instead on something more powerful: authenticity and hospitality.

    Related: He Grew His Small Business to a $25 Million Operation By Following These 5 Principles

    “We used our Mediterranean hospitality that we grew up knowing, without a marketing budget, without signs outside, without a POS system,” Xenohristos says. “We gave people free things — free drinks, free food, free dessert — and they eventually told other people, and before you knew it, that little restaurant had a really long line.”

    As word spread and momentum built, the founders realized they had tapped into something much bigger than a single restaurant. In just over six months, they opened a second location and expanded operations to include a retail line of dips and spreads, bringing Mediterranean flavors into grocery stores.

    Despite its rapid rise as one of Yelp’s fastest-growing brands of 2025, Cava never strayed from its core values of generosity and Mediterranean hospitality.

    “One of the reasons we started this business was to take care of people and to change the culture,” Xenohristos says. “We love food, we wanted to share it, but we really wanted to change how people were treated. It starts with that.”

    The brand’s mission statement is “to bring heart, health and humanity to food.”

    The company’s leaders demonstrate heart by caring for guests and staff, health through fresh Mediterranean ingredients and humanity by fostering connection and community inside and outside the company.

    “All those things together keep that culture alive,” Xenohristos says. “We still work hard to execute on that dream, to have a greater culture and restaurant.”

    Related: These Brothers Turned a 2-Man Operation Into One of the Most Trusted Companies in Their Area. Here’s How.

    Making culture a cornerstone of the business includes providing meaningful employee benefits, such as tuition discounts, family planning assistance, accessible healthcare and mental health resources. Cava also hosts an annual conference designed to foster connection and collaboration among general managers.

    This culture extends to the customer experience. Even in the fast-casual dining space, Cava’s team finds ways to create meaningful human connections. One such initiative is the “love button,” a tool that empowers employees to cover a customer’s meal if they notice someone having a rough day.

    Xenohristos says this initiative is all about “giving our team members the tools to be able to share that generosity that’s ingrained in us and our culture.”

    While no journey is without its challenges, Cava’s values continue to push the brand forward, redefining how guests experience food and hospitality. “As we continue to grow, the more we can do what we set out to do, which was change the restaurant industry,” Xenohristos says.

    His advice for current and future business leaders is clear:

    • Lead with purpose and heart. Building a business rooted in hospitality, care and connection creates lasting impact — for both your team and your customers.
    • Make culture your cornerstone. A thoughtful employee experience does more than retain talent; it distinguishes your brand.
    • Grow without losing your roots. No matter how big you scale, stay grounded in the mission that started it all. Authenticity is your most valuable asset.
    • Empower generosity. Give your team tools to care about their work, people and purpose. Small acts of kindness create big ripple effects.
    • Don’t just follow the industry — change it. Cava didn’t just open restaurants. It built a movement around food, humanity and culture, proving that chains can be both scalable and mission-driven.

    Related: Two Industry Leaders Share Their Best Advice for Restaurant Owners – And Reveal the Exact Amount You Can Raise Prices Without Losing Customers

    Watch the episode above to hear directly from Xenohristos, and subscribe to Behind the Review for more from new business owners and reviewers every Wednesday.

    Editorial contributions by Jiah Choe and Kristi Lindahl

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    Emily Washcovick

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  • Your Ads Won’t Matter if Customers Hate the Experience | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    When business leaders consider brand building, they often think of traditional promotion, like print and digital advertising, or maybe a well-placed radio commercial to attract their target audience. They spend massive amounts of ad dollars to build brand awareness. But for most private businesses, brand building isn’t about throwing more money at advertising. It’s about creating an organization that engages, delivers on promise, and perhaps most of all, provides exceptional customer experience.

    According to a recent PwC Future of Customer Experience Survey, 65% of customers say a positive experience with a brand is more influential to them than great advertising. This is not to say there isn’t a place for advertising. But an engaging customer experience can be profoundly more impactful.

    Brands that crushed it with little advertising

    There are notably some massively successful brands that simply don’t advertise. In the B2B sector, have you ever seen an ad for McKinsey Consulting? Or consider Trader Joe’s, a grocery store chain with more than 600 locations and an incredibly loyal customer base. They don’t spend a dime on traditional advertising. Or think back to TGI Fridays in its heyday. Customers flocked to the casual dining hotspots, attracted by charming décor, a crowd-pleasing menu and its signature flair bartending that almost defined the era. While revenue was in the billions, TGI Friday’s focused on experience, not ad dollars, to create loyalty and buzz around the brand.

    Zappos is another excellent example of a brand that was built mostly on customer experience rather than big ad budgets. While the online shoe seller does advertise, the company is most recognized for delivering high-impact customer service.

    Former Zappos CEO, the late Tony Hsieh, was a trailblazer in the customer loyalty space and famously said, “Customer service shouldn’t just be a department, it should be the entire company.” Under Hsieh, Zappos implemented legendary practices like its 365-day return policy, unscripted customer service reps with no call time limits and surprise free overnight shipping upgrades. Imagine expecting the delivery of your new boots in a week, only for them to be waiting on your doorstep the very next day.

    Hsieh also wisely once said, “People may not remember exactly what you did or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.”

    Are you more likely to trust an ad in a magazine or the company that just delivered your package a week early?

    Related: How to Earn Customer Trust and Boost Sales Without Big Ad Budgets

    Misalignment can kill a brand

    What happens when a brand underwhelms, angers or alienates the very customers it intended to serve? Misalignment between brand messaging and customer experience turns once-loyal customers into disillusioned doubters who eventually turn to the competition to better suit their needs.

    Branding misalignment can take many forms. A hotel that advertises luxury accommodations has stained carpets and low water pressure in the shower. A software company that promises seamless integration has customers waiting hours for help desk support.

    A restaurant that advertises itself as a culinary delight serves up wilted salads by moody waiters. A supplier delivers low-grade stainless-steel parts that were promised to be titanium.

    When your marketing and advertising make promises that your operations are unable to satisfy, the business loses credibility, customers and ultimately money.

    The power of word-of-mouth marketing

    Most of us don’t make buying decisions in a vacuum. We search the internet, scour reviews and compare competing goods, services and suppliers. But the most significant green flags for purchasers are recommendations from people we know and respect. According to a 2012 Nielsen Global Trust in Advertising Report, 92% of consumers find more value in recommendations from people they know than any form of advertising. When a brand delivers an experience worth talking about, happy customers become their word-of-mouth marketing and are more persuasive than a two-dimensional ad could ever be.

    When was the last time you recommended a business or brand to a friend or colleague? While your endorsement may have been partly due to price, chances are there was something more to the experience that made the brand worth sharing. Your advocacy wasn’t due to a shiny ad, but rather how your customer experience made you feel respected, cared for and valued.

    Now those are impressions worth sharing.

    Related: Harness the Power of the 5 Senses to Make Your Brand Better

    Happy customers are your most powerful marketers

    By giving your customer a positively memorable experience, you transform that person into a brand ambassador willing to shout their support from the rooftops, and without ever dipping into your advertising budget. Word-of-mouth marketing scales organically when you consistently exceed customer expectations. So, give them something to talk about and see how that brand ambassadorship multiplies by dozens, hundreds or even thousands of raving fans eager to champion your business.

    Keep in mind that negative experiences are just as likely, if not more so, to spread like wildfire and scorch the brand you worked so hard to build. You have surely witnessed devastating brand damage from a single viral video posted to social media by an unhappy patron. Even more reason to ensure your customer experience goes above and beyond. Always.

    When business leaders consider brand building, they often think of traditional promotion, like print and digital advertising, or maybe a well-placed radio commercial to attract their target audience. They spend massive amounts of ad dollars to build brand awareness. But for most private businesses, brand building isn’t about throwing more money at advertising. It’s about creating an organization that engages, delivers on promise, and perhaps most of all, provides exceptional customer experience.

    According to a recent PwC Future of Customer Experience Survey, 65% of customers say a positive experience with a brand is more influential to them than great advertising. This is not to say there isn’t a place for advertising. But an engaging customer experience can be profoundly more impactful.

    Brands that crushed it with little advertising

    The rest of this article is locked.

    Join Entrepreneur+ today for access.

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    Jason Zickerman

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  • How to Transform Your Real Estate Business With a Customer-Centric Approach | Entrepreneur

    How to Transform Your Real Estate Business With a Customer-Centric Approach | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Success in real estate, and many other industries, is often determined by one key factor: customer service. While AI, technology and data analytics have become increasingly important, the human component remains the driving force behind long-term business success. Adopting a customer-centric approach is essential for cultivating lasting client relationships, while staying competitive.

    The power of exceptional customer service

    At the core of any successful real estate business is a commitment to exceptional customer service. Beyond just answering calls promptly or organizing smooth viewings, it’s about truly understanding clients’ deeper motivations and needs. Great agents don’t just complete transactions; they build trust. In an industry where emotions and finances are often deeply intertwined, clients want to feel understood, respected and prioritized.

    Exceptional customer service means consistently anticipating clients’ needs and acting in their best interests. When clients feel cared for and valued, they’re more likely to return for future transactions. They also become advocates who recommend your services to others. This is particularly important in an era when word-of-mouth referrals and personal recommendations carry significant weight. Studies have shown that personal referrals can be a key driver of business growth in real estate and other service industries.

    Related: Customer Centricity: What It Is, Why It Matters and How to Improve Yours

    Building long-term relationships, not just transactions

    One of the biggest mistakes real estate professionals can make is to treat each transaction as an isolated event. While closing deals quickly may seem efficient, it can lead to missed opportunities for growth and relationship-building. A customer-centric mindset means seeing each client interaction as an opportunity to establish long-term trust and rapport.

    This mindset shift transforms the relationship from a one-time transaction into a lasting partnership. For example, clients who are treated with care and attention are more likely to seek your services again when they’re ready for their next property investment. Furthermore, understanding a client’s long-term goals helps agents provide better, more tailored advice, leading to greater client satisfaction and loyalty.

    In real estate, like in any customer-focused business, building relationships means going the extra mile — whether it’s providing market insights long after a transaction has closed or offering ongoing support with property management. Clients who feel supported beyond the sale will return and refer new clients, expanding your network and creating new opportunities for success.

    Attention to detail makes all the difference

    The importance of attention to detail cannot be overstated. In real estate, small details, like remembering a client’s specific design preferences or scheduling viewings at times that suit their needs, can make all the difference. Successful agents know that every client interaction is an opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to delivering value and ensuring a seamless experience.

    In many cases, it’s the attention to detail that transforms a stressful process, like buying a home, into a positive and rewarding experience. This level of care helps differentiate customer-focused agents from their competitors and creates an emotional connection with clients, further deepening the relationship.

    The business case for a service-oriented mindset

    A customer-centric approach is a proven strategy for business growth. Research by PwC shows that 73% of consumers say customer experience is a critical factor in their purchasing decisions. This is especially true in the real estate industry, where both financial and emotional investments are significant. By prioritizing client experience, businesses differentiate themselves in the marketplace and position themselves for long-term success.

    Putting people first leads to better outcomes for everyone. By delivering exceptional service, businesses can cultivate relationships that yield repeat business, generate valuable referrals and enhance their reputation. A strong focus on customer service ultimately leads to higher client satisfaction, which directly impacts revenue growth and brand loyalty.

    Related: Good Customer Service is a Disappearing Art — Here’s How You Can Be Different

    Automation and data are becoming increasingly prevalent, yet human connection remains irreplaceable. The real estate industry, in particular, is built on relationships and trust. By focusing on exceptional customer service and prioritizing the needs of clients, professionals can build lasting partnerships that go beyond the scope of a single transaction.

    Adopting a customer-centric approach in real estate, and in any industry, means recognizing that success isn’t just about the numbers; it’s about the people behind the transactions. When clients feel cared for and valued, they will return, refer others and contribute to the long-term growth and sustainability of your business.

    By emphasizing a client-first approach, real estate and other industry professionals can create thriving businesses that deliver value and build lasting relationships, all while standing out in a competitive and tech-driven market.

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    Ugo Arinzeh

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  • Gen AI to boost customer loyalty, Forrester says

    Gen AI to boost customer loyalty, Forrester says

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    Financial services providers are exploring generative AI uses for coding, customer service and document automation and FIs are looking to the evolving tech to increase customer loyalty.  Banks can use gen AI to provide personalized services and data-driven offerings to deepen customer relationships, Alyson Clarke, principal analyst at think tank Forrester, told Bank Automation News. […]

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    Vaidik Trivedi

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  • 78% of regional FIs say AI can help find new business

    78% of regional FIs say AI can help find new business

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    Regional and community banks are investing in AI for new business opportunities, revenue growth and efficiency gains.   “Financial institutions are quite bullish when it comes to AI,” Allison Cerra, chief marketing officer at fintech Alkami, told Bank Automation News. “They’re looking at this as kind of a broader catch-all of business opportunities, not necessarily […]

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    Vaidik Trivedi

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  • Aviation Festival Americas 2024 Has Partnered With RozieAI for a Smarter Event Experience

    Aviation Festival Americas 2024 Has Partnered With RozieAI for a Smarter Event Experience

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    DURHAM, N.C., May 13, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    RozieAI proudly announces its partnership with Aviation Festival Americas 2024, where it will serve as the AI partner, showcasing cutting-edge AI to enhance the event experience. By delivering real-time insights, concise summaries, and key themes, the RozieAI Synopsis for Events solution is ready to reimagine the conference experience at the festival.

    “Our goal was to supercharge attendee engagement and extract real-time insights from speakers and discussions,” says Lochlainn Byrne, Business Development Manager, Aviation Festival Americas. “We wanted attendees to effortlessly revisit key takeaways, solidify their learning, and enhance event value by facilitating seamless sharing of insights within organizations.”

    “To achieve these objectives, we partnered with RozieAI to tailor their Synopsis for Events solution. Leveraging pre-built language AI services that power enterprise CX innovation – from self-service to smart contact centers – the RozieAI team customized the solution within a mere two weeks,” he added.

    At the core of RozieAI‘s Synopsis for Events solution lies the ELSA – Experience Language Services and Applications platform that promises simplified Generative AI integration, reduced innovation costs, faster time to market, and a unified engagement context. This platform enables organizations to create experiences while prioritizing responsible, managed, and configurable AI practices.

    “Generative AI enables organizations to enhance and scale personalized travel experiences, optimizing business value and lowering cost,” explains Vijay Dheap, Chief Solutions Officer, RozieAI. “To realize its true potential though, brands need to be empowered to innovate confidently, leveraging the evolving tech. Inertia often stems from diverse tech options and the need to prevent siloed experiences. RozieAI‘s ELSA – Experience Language Services and Applications, is designed to abstract out the technical complexity, while still offering choice and reducing the time-to-market to introduce innovative AI experiences for travel.”

    RozieAI’s ELSA platform brings a portfolio of benefits to the table. From pre-built language AI services to low-code and no-code tools for streamlined implementation, organizations achieve complete control over their AI experience. Scalability and cost-effectiveness are paramount, ensuring maximum value for partners.

    As the aviation industry gears up for another milestone event, RozieAI looks to redefine the boundaries of CX innovation. Join us at Aviation Festival Americas 2024 and experience the future of events, powered by AI.

    For media inquiries or further information, please contact:
    Shreya Kothari Sawala 
    Marketing Lead 
    hello@rozie.ai

    About RozieAI 
    RozieAI partners with organizations to deliver personalized experiences at scale. Specializing in experience design, digital engagement, and smart contact center solutions, we apply artificial intelligence and behavioral science principles to create a smarter, kinder future through customer experience innovation. Whether you are laying the foundation for your CX transformation strategy or looking to elevate your AI capabilities, we provide plug-and-play solutions, operations best practices, and experience innovation consulting to help you achieve CX excellence.

    Source: RozieAI

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  • 3 Effective Ways to Connect With Your Customers | Entrepreneur

    3 Effective Ways to Connect With Your Customers | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    In today’s market, the bond between founders and customers is more than a transaction; it’s the cornerstone of sustainable growth and brand loyalty. Modern consumers want authenticity more than ever. They find it difficult to connect with faceless entities and want to follow people rather than businesses.

    This shift towards personal connection in marketing stems from a saturated market where consumers are bombarded with choices and advertisements daily. Personal stories and authentic interactions cut through the noise in this crowded space, creating a memorable impression. Consumers crave realness and transparency at a time when these qualities are scarce in the world of business.

    So, how do you go about deepening your connection with your target audience? Here are three strategies that can turn your customer interactions into a powerful engine for sales growth.

    1. Personalize your approach with behind-the-scenes storytelling

    It’s one thing to sell a product. It’s another to tell a story and share fascinating details that resonate.

    Imagine a founder sharing their journey, the highs and lows, through a series of behind-the-scenes content. This narrative isn’t about humanizing the brand; it’s about creating a shared experience. When customers see the sweat and tears behind a product, they’re not just buying an item; they’re investing in a piece of your process and founder’s story.

    So, how do you start?

    Weekly emails or social media posts that peel back the curtain on your process make customers feel like they’re part of your journey. To do this effectively, begin by mapping out key milestones in your company’s history or product development process. For each milestone, identify a story or challenge you faced and how you overcame it. These stories form the basis of your content.

    Next, use visuals like photos, videos, or even simple sketches to bring these stories to life. Visual content not only increases engagement but also helps to humanize your brand further.

    In your communication, be transparent about the obstacles you’ve encountered and how you’ve addressed them. This transparency fosters trust and relatability. Moreover, invite your audience to contribute their thoughts or similar experiences through comments or direct messages, turning your storytelling into a two-way conversation.

    Publicly tell people the “why” behind your products, services, and company by integrating customer testimonials or user-generated content that aligns with your narrative. This validates your claims and amplifies your community’s voice, making your brand’s story part of their own stories.

    Like successful pitch decks showcase the story behind your brand, so should your content marketing and advertisements. Bringing the “real” to your business breeds authenticity, and that authentic connection will drive your business’s growth. Remember, the goal is to broadcast and engage in meaningful conversations that build long-term relationships.

    Related: 8 Effective Ways to Connect With Your Customers

    2. Leverage technology for personal connections

    AI tools are booming, so personal connection using automation seems like an oxymoron. Yet, technology can be the very tool that brings you closer to your ICP.

    Consider implementing AI chatbots that do more than answer queries. Work with tools, consultants, and language model professionals to custom-tailor AI to chat with your customers.

    Implement these chatbots on your company website and train them to initiate conversations based on customer behavior. Offer personalized recommendations or even simply check in with website visitors. Sometimes, a simple “How are things going?” goes a long way, and this part of your customer experience can be automated.

    This approach won’t replace human interaction, of course, but it will enhance it by making your brand present and proactive in your customer’s lives.

    The key? Ensure these AI communications feel personal and specific, not just like another automated message in their inbox or as a popup. This takes a bit more effort to implement, but the investment is worth it for the long-term growth of your brand and business.

    Related: 6 Ways Connections Create a Sense of Belonging Anywhere With Any Workplace

    3. Create exclusive communities

    Imagine a space where your customers can gather to discuss your product and share their stories, challenges and triumphs.

    There’s a particular company on the rise called Skool, which enables businesses and personal brands alike to do just this. Other great platform choices, such as Circle, Mighty Networks or Kajabi, enable seamless community building. These platforms allow you to make posts and help your customers, but they also give users the flexibility to post and communicate with each other.

    An exclusive community for customer discussion could take many other forms as well: a Facebook group, a Slack channel or a dedicated forum on your website.

    The goal for your community is to foster a sense of belonging and mutual support, turning your customer base into a tight-knit community. Offer insider access, sneak peeks, and the opportunity for feedback. The more valued and listened that customers feel, the more likely they are to advocate for your brand organically.

    Over the long term, these communities become a word-of-mouth marketing machine.

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    Thomas Strider

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  • First Financial Bank posts 27% increase in CDs using AI | Bank Automation News

    First Financial Bank posts 27% increase in CDs using AI | Bank Automation News

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    First Financial Bank has grown its operations and attracted new customers through implementation of an AI-driven digital assistant.   The $4.8 billion FFB teamed up with AI-driven tech provider Kasisto toward the end of 2022 to launch a digital assistant, according to a Feb. 22 case study by Kasisto.  The digital assistant, Gabby, can help […]

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    Vaidik Trivedi

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  • How Customer Success Can Supercharge Your Revenue | Entrepreneur

    How Customer Success Can Supercharge Your Revenue | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Today’s business environment is tough — as such, customer success has become a crucial aspect of generating revenue. It’s no longer enough to simply acquire new customers; retaining and expanding existing customers is equally important for sustainable growth.

    In this article, we’ll explore how customer success can drive revenue and provide strategies for maximizing its impact on your bottom line.

    Related: The How-To: Delivering Great Customer Service

    Understanding customer success

    Before we dive into how customer success can propel revenue forward, let’s first define what it is. Customer success is the process of ensuring that your customers achieve their desired outcomes while using your product or service.

    It involves proactively engaging with customers, understanding their needs and providing them with the resources and support they need to be successful, which in turn increases customer loyalty.

    The importance of retention revenue

    One of the key ways that customer success management can stimulate growth is through customer retention. Retention revenue refers to the revenue generated from existing customers who continue to use your product or service. We all know that net new customer acquisition costs more, yet so many companies insist on following this playbook. However, today’s investors are paying closer attention to retention rates and churn rates than ever before.

    According to research by Bain & Company, increasing customer retention rates by just 5% can increase profits by 25% to 95%. This is because loyal customers are more likely to make repeat purchases and are also more likely to refer others to your business.

    By focusing on customer success and ensuring that your customers are achieving their desired outcomes, you can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, leading to higher retention rates and, ultimately, more revenue. There is no more compelling reason to introduce a solid customer success strategy.

    The power of expansion revenue

    Another growth strategy is through expansion revenue. This refers to the additional revenue generated from existing customer relationships through upselling, cross-selling and renewals.

    By proactively engaging with customers and understanding their needs, you can identify opportunities for upselling and cross-selling. This not only increases revenue but also strengthens the relationship with your customers by providing them with additional value, so bake this into your customer onboarding processes.

    The key here is ensuring your customer success team is a part of the revenue team, aligning it with sales (and also marketing) and making it responsible for part of the financial targets. Not only does this spread your revenue risk, but you’re also putting the customer experience front and center. No one wants to be chased by a salesperson they haven’t spoken to in a year for a renewal — a sale is far more likely to convert if driven by a trusted advisor who’s built a relationship with the account. According to Forrester research, trust is the most important brand attribute for buyers — so lean into it.

    Related: 3 Pillars of Client Retention Every Brand Needs to Implement

    Strategies for driving revenue through customer success

    Proactive engagement and personalization

    Proactively engaging with customers and providing personalized support is crucial for growth via customer success. By regularly checking in with your customers and understanding how their business needs may be shifting (aka really knowing them), you can identify opportunities for that all-important upselling and cross-selling. The best companies, however, will plan this as part of the customer lifecycle and lifetime value. It can be usage-driven for SAAS companies and service-driven for business services; wherever an opportunity is available, you should have a natural progression plan.

    Additionally, personalized support can help customers achieve their desired outcomes, leading to higher satisfaction and retention rates. This can be achieved through personalized onboarding, regular check-ins and tailored resources and support.

    So much of content marketing is focused on bringing new customers on board, that existing ones often get overlooked. That playbook is dead. It costs more and doesn’t have great ROI — it’s time to flip the script. This is why customer success and marketing teams must work together to build more long-term client relationships and achieve negative churn.

    Utilizing customer data

    Data and the resulting insights are another powerful tool. By analyzing customer data, you can identify patterns and trends that can help you better understand your customers’ needs and behaviors. For example, by tracking customer usage data, you can identify which features are most popular and which are underutilized. This can help you tailor your upselling and cross-selling efforts to offer customers the features they need and are most likely to purchase. It will help you identify what features, additional products or services to develop based on the most desired outcomes of your customers.

    It can also help with churn. We recently implemented a Net Promoter Score process for a client who’d never done one before. When low scores came in from several customers, it was a wake-up call for the team, who had thought everything was ticking along just fine. This allowed them to react, drill into the issues and save the accounts.

    With metrics and insights in place, you become proactive instead of reactive by keeping a regular pulse on your customers. Note: You should implement a 360-view of them across one CRM to facilitate this and achieve the best results.

    Collaboration between customer success and sales teams

    As highlighted above, collaboration between customer success and sales teams is crucial for driving revenue growth and a seamless customer experience. For example, the former can provide sales teams with insights into customer must-haves and behaviors, helping them tailor their pitches.

    According to Gartner, 43% of vendor-related regret happens at the handoff between sales and implementation. Why? Many teams still work in silos, and as such, there tends to be a gap in communication and handover — allowing for buyer remorse and worry about big-ticket investment. By working cross-functionally, you can nip this in the bud and ensure a smooth transition.

    Leveraging technology

    Technology can play a significant role here as well. For example, a customer success platform can track usage data and trigger automated emails or notifications when a customer reaches a certain usage threshold, indicating an opportunity for upselling. You can also build automated workflows within your CRM, ensuring those valuable check-ins and customer satisfaction surveys aren’t missed — achieving a level of personalization at scale.

    Related: How to Measure Your Customers’ Happiness Score (and Why That Matters)

    Times are tougher than ever, and buyers are in the driving seat. Therefore, customer success is even more crucial for nailing those sales targets. You can win bigger and maximize this team’s impact on your bottom line if you, 1) tear down those team silos and start working together and 2) be proactive instead of reactive by using technology, data insights and good old-fashioned relationship building.

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    Paul Sullivan

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  • Boost Your Bottom Line with These 4 Revenue Growth Secrets | Entrepreneur

    Boost Your Bottom Line with These 4 Revenue Growth Secrets | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    There’s something every executive is itching to discover: how to turbocharge revenue growth. In today’s challenging business landscape, where finding top-notch talent is a struggle, foot traffic of new customers is down, marketing budgets are shrinking, and cost pressures are relentless, the quest for growth seems like an uphill battle.

    The answer, in simplified terms, lies in selling more to existing opportunities and attracting new customers — or ideally, a blend of both. Here are four secrets to growth that you must know.

    Related: Why Customer Experience is the Secret to Revenue Growth and Business Success

    1. Know what your customers want — then go way beyond

    It starts with this: Make your customers feel welcome; show genuine enthusiasm for your job; be attentive; exhibit empathy, care and enthusiasm; possess expert knowledge; and leave them feeling great. Remember, it’s all about them, not you.

    But here’s the challenge: Give customers a voice to tell you the truth about what’s really going on. You need a daily measure of how well your team delivers on this from your customers’ perspectives.

    When asking customers about their experience, separate the “service” from “sales” related behaviors. Identify how your teams apply their product knowledge and recommendation solutions to solve problems. The best team members are patient to understand needs, appear to anticipate everything customers might need and always recommend the full solution. They explain the “why” and have customers’ best interests at heart. You must invite customers to tell you what happened in their own words, and not in a tick-and-flick survey. It really frustrates customers when they can’t tell you in their own words what happened, why they felt the way they did and what next.

    Related: 7 Business Growth Secrets From Successful Entrepreneurs

    2. Never cut corners on the demonstration step of the sale

    While industry-specific factors exist, high performers are skillful in the demonstration stage. Our data reveals that customer expectations are high around wanting to receive a full and thorough demonstration of your product or service. Team members who assume customers “already know that so I won’t bother” are losing sales. Customers are well-researched — they want you to understand their problems and needs and to build trust and rapport, but they expect you to show them the full solution.

    Revisit training provided so they never compromise this step. They need skills to be confident in how to do it with different types of customers (e.g. time poor or short attention spans). Build their confidence in suggesting everything, ensure they know how to add value and explain the value in choosing your company over your competitors. Go beyond training features/benefits. Customers must feel they are dealing with an expert and have a means to tell you exactly what happened.

    3. Have a laser focus on any problems via customer feedback

    If you present people with a list of 10 things to focus on, most will struggle to excel in any one of them. The starting point is to identify the No. 1 priority for each person. Here’s something you can do around this point: Invite customers to provide feedback about the experience with the specific team member. From those results, identify the behavior patterns and then provide skill coaching in the moment. If a team member serves 10 customers but misses a subtle but crucial part of the process (e.g. cuts corners in the demonstration stage) then team-based reporting at the end of the week or month is a waste of time. The (not so) secret is having a “laser focus” on what happened, eliminating wasted effort and starting to focus on one thing per person per quarter.

    As team members have better focus, they start to realize they can achieve more with less wasted effort. It’s about developing new habits to improve customer experiences.

    Related: The Simple Secrets of Business Growth People Forget

    4. Stop chasing scores and focus on engagement

    This secret may sound controversial but I need to tell you straight — stop chasing scores. Time and again we see executives bonused on CX scores but a distinct lack of engagement with frontline team members responsible for delivering the customer experiences. Customers also don’t care about your scores. They want to be heard, to see you improve and have great experiences they can share on social media.

    Managers get so distracted trying to chase scores, but they have no idea how to move from a seven to an eight out of 10 — and I’m not suggesting that data isn’t important. What I’m saying is: If you can’t take the guesswork out of why and have a clear plan for what to do and how to drive improvement then chasing scores will not get you there.

    Here are a few suggestions: When you attend meetings, note the first thing that is discussed. Is it operational, sales figures, customer complaints, etc.? Great teams go straight to a recent customer success story. They amplify the behaviors we want to see more of and hold people accountable for action plans to address performance gaps. Notice I didn’t say they ask about NPS or CSAT as these are outcomes.

    You should reinforce these points: What are you working on to improve? What barriers do you need to overcome? What skill gaps do we have? Who can help us? Now, let’s review your plan.

    The secrets above may sound simple but they are not always easy to implement.

    Ask yourself, are we truly putting our customers at the center of everything you do? Is every decision about improving their experience with us? The secret to achieving more growth with less effort is within reach. By prioritizing customer experience, focusing on the right behaviors and aligning your team’s efforts with customer expectations, you can achieve remarkable growth even in challenging times.

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    Phil Prosser

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  • Deutsche Bank looks to gen AI | Bank Automation News

    Deutsche Bank looks to gen AI | Bank Automation News

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    Deutsche Bank is exploring generative AI within its operations as it looks to third-party startups to develop the technology.  “Artificial intelligence is one of the most important technology trends for the financial industry, with significant potential to make business processes more efficient,” a Deutsche Bank spokesperson told Bank Automation News. “We expect that in future, […]

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    Vaidik Trivedi

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  • The Customer Isn’t Always Right, But They Should Be Treated Right — Here’s Why It Really Matters (and How to Keep Them Happy) | Entrepreneur

    The Customer Isn’t Always Right, But They Should Be Treated Right — Here’s Why It Really Matters (and How to Keep Them Happy) | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    This might be triggering for some of you, and believe me, it does bring a few interesting moments to mind. But one thing as business owners — especially in service-based industries — we must learn is how to practice treating all clients with the same respect, integrity and urgency in our work.

    I can hear the murmuring in your heads as you read this. You might say, “But this client was a real jerk!” Or, “Well, this client doesn’t pay as much, so it’s less important.” I hear you — and there are plenty of other reasons why some clients or customers really bug us. The reality is, these are just people who work for other people who need to impress other people so they can make other people happy. You see? It’s the circle of business life. We are all just people in this thing together.

    More importantly, we are people who help other people, whether it’s in the immediate moment or 12 months down the road. And you never know who you’ve impacted along the way in those quiet moments who might be the one who opens doors for you later.

    In my experience running a PR agency, we have worked with brands of all types of budgets, from our earliest days taking on small projects, to six-figure contracts today. Here’s a little secret: Those small projects that we took on (and may or may not have lost money) — those clients trusted us so much that they often made introductions that led to bigger projects. And we’re grateful for that because we’ve grown almost exclusively by word-of-mouth.

    It really comes down to perspective. Are we able to view people that we meet as more than just dollars and cents? Are we capable of seeing ourselves in their shoes? Can we remember where we came from and how we started? Does any of this matter? Well, that’s a loaded question I’m not prepared to answer. But I do know that we can at least consider thinking about the way we think about our clients and how they’re treated.

    Related: You Can’t Have a Thriving Business Without Happy Customers. Here’s How to Keep Them in Your Corner.

    R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Just a little bit

    We absolutely have to show respect to our clients. Big or small. A nuisance or not. Why? Because if you believe the only thing about your business that they’ll remember is the work you did and not a foul attitude, think again. In fact, think three times. People remember how they’re treated, and they’ll tell others about it. About 61% of customers would be ready to jump ship after a single bad experience. Also, showing respect is just a good thing to practice. Give respect, get respect. That’s just how it works. I don’t make the rules.

    Your team will learn from your actions. So, treating people right really starts at the top of your organization.

    Integrity builds trust

    We need to maintain integrity with everyone we work with. That’s it. That’s all I have to say about that. Alright, don’t pull my leg — I have plenty more to say about this. But to be brief, integrity with clients (and everyone) says more for you than the work you do. It establishes trust but not the I-trust-my-mechanic-because-he-has-skills-that-I-don’t-have kind of trust. It’s more like the I’d-let-this-mechanic-build-a-car-for-my-sixteen-year-old’s-first-car kind of trust we aim for. My kids are only nine and ten, so I have some time to worry about that.

    The point is, your clients need to be able to trust you when they are not watching. In fact, 96% of customers say great service builds trust. I’ve encouraged my team to be comfortable admitting when something isn’t working with the client’s project. Tell them you’re struggling. Let them know what’s going on, good and bad so they don’t have to find out. The beautiful thing about people is that most of the time, we listen. And if you’re open and honest with clients, they’ll know they can take your word even in tough situations.

    Related: 3 Simple Ways to Use Trust and Transparency to Foster Long-Term Success for Your Business

    Urgency, because nobody likes to wait

    Seriously — customers are becoming increasingly impatient in recent years. So, we should act with urgency on projects for our clients. It’s easy to put things off because “it’s not worth the time or money.” But we cannot view our clients that way. I can hear you again (I should be a psychic!). Time is money — this is true, and I wouldn’t want any of you hard-working people out there wasting your time. However, think about an experience where you waited for a small service or project to get done and you had the thought, “This is probably a small project for them, so I’m probably not top of mind.” Has anyone else ever felt that? If it’s just me, then I have bigger problems to figure out.

    Anyway, this goes back to what I stated earlier: People will remember how they were treated. If you’re treating your clients or customers like their problem isn’t important enough for your attention — an email, a meeting, a callback and so on — you can only hope the work is so good that they’ll say, “That was worth the wait!” Otherwise, you may have lost any chance of repeat business.

    Of course, we all face varying situations with some being more complicated than others. How much more do you feel like reading? Because I could tell some stories about tough situations! And I’ve been told that things change with more age and experience (but I’m a vampire, and I don’t age — so there’s that). Here’s the thing: I’ve witnessed the ways some leaders choose to deal with clients. I’ve been in the room with folks who explain how they prioritize projects based on size or prestige, and maybe I’m just a soft pile of mush, but I always think about being on the receiving end of that type of treatment. Yes, I have actually been on that end. It stinks. Let’s collectively try not to stink.

    When we don’t stink, we can grow and profit, and the people are all happy, and a new circle of business begins! It’s great! In the next couple of days after you’ve read this and are no longer irritated by my pro-customer mindset (I can speak directly to your team for more tips if you’d like?), I’d love to hear how your perspective changes or how you might handle a pressing situation. When it’s all over, the end goal is for us to have happy clients and a happy bottom line.

    Related: How to Keep Your Customers Happy (Even If They’re Wrong)

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    DeAnna Spoerl

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  • The roots of customer trust are more varied than you think

    The roots of customer trust are more varied than you think

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    The roots of consumer trust in financial services firms can vary depending on the community, writes Domarina Oshana.

    Pixelbliss – stock.adobe.com

    Here’s a brain bender: We can share the same values, but not completely trust each other.

    Humans hold complicated and sometimes contradicting emotions, so skepticism can exist even when there is alignment in deeply held beliefs. There’s a complexity about trust that is reminiscent of the duality that exists between joy and grief. As Proverbs 14:13 puts it, “Even in laughter the heart may ache.”

    At The American College Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics in Financial Services, we wanted to better understand the dynamics of trust in the financial industry so we could uncover these contradictory dynamics. Our inaugural Trust in Financial Services Study underscored the dualities of trust. As one consumer put it, “You can hold the same values as me and still screw something up. Just because you love animals like I do, doesn’t mean that you’re not going to steal my money.”

    That consumer’s remark underscores a key takeaway from our research — consumers hold complex beliefs about financial companies. We found that for seven in 10 consumers (67%) alignment around values is key to understanding the mechanics of consumer trust. Today’s financial services professionals need to know the consumer values that influence company use. Why? Because understanding consumers’ values can help financial companies build trust with consumers.

    Yet, awareness of, or even alignment with, consumer values is not enough to win consumer trust. What’s needed is an understanding of consumers’ unique reasons for trust, as this can help financial companies to close gaps in trust, and, thereby, build their trustworthiness. First, let’s unpack the values.

    There is a spectrum of values that influence company use. These “influential values” include “hot-button issues” such as company contributions to social justice and diversity, treatment of employees, community involvement, customer service and honesty/transparency. There are also more mundane values such as price/perceived value of a product or service and the convenience of accessing money.

    While consumers desire values alignment, they are also cognizant of tradeoffs they must make due to practical considerations such as price, convenience and lack of choice. For instance, sometimes short-term budgetary constraints or maintaining longer-term financial goals take precedence over core values such as social justice and environmentalism. Much like the scenario that plays out with utility companies, it can be difficult for some consumers to completely avoid companies that don’t align with their core values, as they may not be able to find a particular product or service otherwise. Yet, one deal breaker for consumers seems to be instances where they see a company treating people unfairly.

    Consumers want companies to not discriminate and to treat all customers fairly. Some consumers will actively avoid using companies that they feel do not treat everyone fairly, though they acknowledge it can be difficult to completely bypass them.

    As the financial industry considers how to manage the changing U.S. demographic landscape, understanding the nuanced trends in consumer viewpoints can inform efforts to close gaps in trust. Financial companies can position themselves as trustworthy to consumers by acting on what is important to them when it comes to placing their trust in a financial company.

    For instance, from our research, we learned that financial companies could stand out as trustworthy to communities of color by acting on their differentiating reasons for trust. These are (in order of importance): provide a website/app with detailed information on products and services; train employees to understand different ethnicities and backgrounds, and to check on them throughout the year; have advertising that shows the company cares about people like them; demonstrate that employees share their personal values; offer services that are nearby, and that are used by those known in the community; and guide decision-making with pros and cons. African American consumers are significantly more likely to trust for this last reason than other consumers.

    To benefit from financial products and services, consumers need to feel good about the institutions and professionals entrusted with their money. Leaders can develop an awareness of trust’s relational and situational nature. It’s a building block to gaining perspective on what motivates consumers’ behaviors and their feelings about the trustworthiness of the financial institutions with which they have relationships.

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    Domarina Oshana

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  • How to Ensure Your Website Succeeds in the Experience Economy | Entrepreneur

    How to Ensure Your Website Succeeds in the Experience Economy | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    In an era where consumer expectations are perpetually in a state of renewal, products and services can no longer afford to be just functional or aesthetically pleasing; they must also deliver exceptional experiences. In the age of the experience economy, a period where the line between the tangible and the intangible has blurred, the spotlight is squarely on the experience that a brand can offer.

    Consumers are no longer simply purchasing a product but investing in experiences that can shape perceptions, evoke emotions and foster long-lasting relationships. The shift is irrevocable and brings new challenges and opportunities for digital designers.

    Related: The New Rules Of Customer Experience

    What is the experience economy?

    The experience economy is transforming how we interact with physical and digital environments. This lens focuses on the entire ecosystem of experiences that surround our actions. When you step into a café, for instance, you’re not just purchasing a latte — you’re stepping into a crafted ambiance that encapsulates the aroma of freshly ground coffee, the comfortable seating, the curated playlist and even the art on the walls. It’s this broader experience that you’re buying into, not just a simple transaction for goods or services.

    The experience economy doesn’t just stop at physical spaces. Its principles extend into the digital realm, fundamentally altering how websites, apps and technologies are designed. User experience (UX) and user interface (UI) designers at our own agency have advocated for building and designing experiences as opposed to solely designing a website or digital interface. With user-centric design, there is a greater emphasis on the emotions and immersive feeling that users feel on their user journey.

    Essentially, in the experience economy, designers are not just shaping products or services; they are shaping the experiences that resonate on a deep, emotional level with consumers. Whether it’s the ease of navigating a mobile app or the visual splendor of an interactive website, each element is fulfilling a memorable experience. How can one ensure their website is up-to-par with the experience economy?

    Create immersive and dynamic visuals

    User participation should factor in to ensure that your users can undergo an experience. Users are actively participating simply by navigating the website itself, however, incorporating immersive and dynamic features can elevate that experience to greater heights. To craft an immersive and dynamic website, designers must leverage a blend of animations, user interactions, microinteractions and other engaging elements. Thoughtfully executed animations can bring a site to life, guiding users’ attention and offering smooth transitions between sections.

    Interactive elements — such as hover effects, parallax scrolling and responsive buttons — enhance user engagement, ensuring that every click, swipe or scroll is met with a satisfying response. Layered with high-quality imagery, video backgrounds, and adaptive typography, these features contribute to a fluid user experience that not only retains visitor attention but also makes navigation intuitive and immersive. The key lies in ensuring these elements are cohesively integrated and allow the user to feel as though they are running their own experience. Consider if your website attains these key factors to increase the interest of your users, and create a new layer of memorability for your company’s digital presence.

    Related: How You Can Turn Your Website Into a Web Experience

    Attain a cohesive theme

    A huge factor that plays into an experience is if the experience itself feels cohesive and polished and has a theme or over-arching cohesive elements. According to an article by The Harvard Business Review, a purposefully curated theme drives the overall experience toward something integrated. As the article states, “An effective theme is concise and compelling. It is not a corporate mission statement or a marketing tagline. It needn’t be publicly articulated in writing. But the theme must drive all the design elements and staged events of the experience toward a unified storyline that wholly captivates the customer.”

    Regarding web experiences, you want to ensure that your website or digital product is cohesive with a seamless “theme” or a design language. Effective design captures the essence of immersion, evoking strong emotions and engagement. A unified visual and narrative presentation enhances memorability, reinforcing your brand’s story. Moreover, ensuring that your digital product aligns harmoniously with other branding materials and your social media presence amplifies this sense of cohesion, creating an even more impactful experience for your audience.

    Bridge an emotional connection

    Today’s users expect digital interactions tailored to their preferences, needs and behaviors. Personalization transcends merely addressing a user by their first name; it’s about curating content, design elements and user pathways that resonate on an individual level. Achieving this requires a combination of data analytics to understand user behaviors, AI-driven algorithms for dynamic content suggestions and user-centric design principles. As businesses invest in creating personalized web experiences, they not only foster deeper connections with their audience but also position themselves advantageously in a competitive digital marketplace.

    Not only does a personalized website feel much more catered to users’ needs quickly and effectively, but it also furthers the experience aspect because it feels personalized to the individual. The Harvard Business Review states, “…Experiences are inherently personal, existing only in the mind of an individual who has been engaged on an emotional, physical, intellectual, or even spiritual level. Thus, no two people can have the same experience.” Experiences are personal because of how they make the user feel, and they attach emotions, connotations and associations, particularly when an experience feels made for their personal enjoyment.

    To make your website feel personalized to cater to human emotion, there are many small design approaches to consider. This includes dynamic content display by presenting content tailored to individual users or segments. For example, a shopping site might showcase products based on browsing history.

    Through adaptive design, cohesive themes and a genuine emotional connection, websites can truly become more than digital platforms — they can become experiences that shape perceptions and foster loyalty.

    Related: Use These Web Design Tricks to Grow Your Business Exponentially

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    Goran Paun

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