Using Generative AI to Provide a Personalized Customer Experience  Shep Hyken interviews Richard Smullen, CEO of Pypestream, an AI-powered self-service automation platform. He talks about how automation and generative AI can enhance the customer experience and the potential for self-service interactions.  Top Takeaways:    The future of customer service is being transformed by AI-powered technologies that can automate and enhance customer interactions. Technologies, such as ChatGPT and...

How to Use Positive and Negative Feedback as Opportunities to Improve the Customer Experience  Shep Hyken interviews Miika Mäkitalo, CEO of HappyOrNot, a simple, non-intrusive customer feedback platform. He talks about the value of customer feedback and how businesses can benefit from actionable insights.  Top Takeaways:    Customer feedback is crucial for businesses of all industries. By actively seeking and analyzing feedback, businesses can identify areas of improvement, make informed...

How to Apply the Hospitality Mentality to All Industries  Shep Hyken interviews Paul Rutter, global cruise director, speaker, trainer, and the author of You Can't Make This Ship Up: Business Strategies, Life Lessons, and True Stories from Forty Years at Sea. He talks about the hospitality mentality in the cruise industry and how it can be applied to other businesses.  Top Takeaways:    The hospitality mentality is key to creating a great customer experience in any type of business. Industries...

Creating Meaningful Motivation through Understanding Customer Needs  Shep Hyken interviews Aransas Savas, the experience designer at Stone Mantel, and the co-host of the Experience Strategy Podcast. She talks about the transformational experience and creating a more meaningful and valuable relationship between customers and companies.  Top Takeaways:    Transformational experiences involve understanding what truly motivates and inspires customers. This goes beyond mere metrics and focuses on...

How to Get Your CX House in Order  Shep Hyken interviews  Andrew Carothers, CCXP, Digital Customer Experience Leader at Cisco. He talks about delivering seamless experiences that lead to customer satisfaction, loyalty, and revenue growth.  Top Takeaways:    Building a solid customer experience foundation is essential for all businesses, regardless of their industry or target audience.     Andrew shares the four key steps to deliver experiences that lead to customer satisfaction, repeat...

Enhancing Customer Support Efficiency with AI and Human Collaboration  Shep Hyken interviews Peter Mullen, Chief Marketing Officer of Interactions. He talks about the power of AI in customer service and the benefits of integrating human support when necessary.  Top Takeaways:    Conversational AI technology, powered by artificial intelligence, has revolutionized customer support by providing efficient and personalized assistance to customers. This technology can understand customers' queries,...

The Importance of Employee Experience to Customer Experience  Shep Hyken interviews Alex Ross, co-founder and chief operating officer of Hire Horatio. He talks about leveraging customer experience as a competitive advantage and creating a work environment that employees love (beyond the paycheck).  Top Takeaways:    Outsourcing customer service and support functions can be an effective strategy for businesses, especially startups, to offload non-core tasks and focus on their core...

How Increased Tipping Influences Value Perception and Customer Experience  Shep Hyken interviews Forrest Morgeson, Director of Research at the American Customer Satisfaction Index and Associate Professor of Marketing at Michigan State University. He talks about how tipping and "tipflation" impacts customer satisfaction scores and the need for businesses to improve customer service and experience.  Top Takeaways:    The frequency of tipping, or "tipflation," has increased across industries....

The Impact of Speed in Winning and Retaining Clients    Shep Hyken interviews Howard Moodycliffe, Chief Executive Officer of Timetoreply. He talks about how prompt communication can help companies build trust, enhance credibility, and increase customer satisfaction.  Top Takeaways:  In today's fast-paced world, customers expect timely responses across various communication channels. Whether it's email, phone calls, or social media, consistent and efficient interaction is essential to meet...

Leveraging Data to Improve Your Customer Experience Strategy  Shep Hyken interviews Jason Barro, Partner at Bain & Co. and Founder of NPS Prism®. He talks about the importance of measuring and understanding Net Promoter Score (NPS) in improving customer experiences (CX) and driving business growth.  Top Takeaways:  Net Promoter Score (NPS) evaluates customer sentiment and allows companies to compare their data with competitors. It helps identify areas where organizations may be falling...

Why Leadership is Overrated and The Power of an Ego-Free Workplace  Shep Hyken interviews Chris Mefford, CEO of Culture Force and co-author of Leadership Is Overrated: How the Navy SEALs (and Successful Businesses) Create Self-Leading Teams That Win. He discusses creating a safe space for teams to feel engaged and empowered to work at their best.  Top Takeaways:    There is a gap between how leaders perceive employee engagement and how employees actually feel. According to Gallup research,...

Building Authenticity and Trust in Business through Impactful Communication  Shep Hyken interviews Patrick McCullough, president of Hallmark Business Connections. He talks about how businesses can use the power of personalization at scale to strengthen relationships, create emotional connections, and enhance the customer experience.  Top Takeaways:  Authenticity and personalization can strengthen business relationships, build trust, and create emotional connections that lead to repeat...

Meeting Consumer Demand through Amazing Customer Support and Innovation Shep Hyken interviews Mark Ang, CEO and Co-Founder of GoBolt. He talks about taking a proactive approach to customer service and embracing technology to enhance the customer experience. Top Takeaways:    ·      Customer obsession is a crucial aspect of every business, regardless of its size or industry. It should be embraced by everyone in the organization, from senior leaders to frontline employees.   ·      To provide...

Why Marketing and Training Go Hand in Hand in Shaping Customer Perceptions Shep Hyken interviews Barry LaBov, the founder of LABOV Marketing Communications and Training and author of The Power of Differentiation. He discusses the importance of aligning marketing messages with employee training to create a unique and consistent customer experience. Top Takeaways:  Giving employees a sense of meaning and purpose creates excitement and engagement. When employees feel connected to the brand and...

Investing in Customer Experience and Employee Engagement Shep Hyken interviews Alan Masarek, CEO and Board Director of Avaya. He discusses prioritizing customer satisfaction and creating a positive workplace culture. Top Takeaways:  Being a destination workplace requires deliberately building a culture that attracts talented individuals. Organizations should strive to create an environment where employees are proud to work, find meaning in their careers, and have growth opportunities.  In...

Balancing Technology, the Human Touch, and Customer Experience (CX) Shep Hyken interviews Tom Martin, CEO at Glance, a software company focused on helping businesses connect with their customers. He discusses combining technology with human-to-human interactions to create a seamless and personalized customer experience. Top Takeaways:  In the age of advanced technology, it's crucial for businesses to prioritize the overall customer experience. While chatbots and digital solutions are...

How AI is Transforming Customer Communication Shep Hyken interviews Anand Janefalkar, CEO and founder of UJET. He talks about the power of AI enhancing CX and how businesses can leverage it to improve customer support and avoid churn. Top Takeaways:  Customers have so many options and want to get the best out of the money they spend. Since there are many options for companies offering more or less the same services, customer support becomes the differentiator. It comes down to how easy it is...

Creating a Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Workplace That Drives a Better Employee Experience Shep Hyken interviews Philip Mandelbaum, founder, and CEO of Mandelbaum Marketing and Head of Content of Customer Management Practice. He talks about how prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion creates a supportive work environment that drives revenue growth and customer loyalty. Top Takeaways:  Employee experience is the new customer experience. It goes beyond a diverse, inclusive, and...

The Benefits of the As-A-Service Model Shep Hyken interviews Yann Toutant, founder of Black Winch and author of AS A SERVICE: Turn Your Product Based Business Into a Subscription Model. He talks about what an As-A-Service model is and how it impacts the customers, the business, and the environment. Top Takeaways:  Usership means using – not buying – what you need for the experience you want at a specific moment and location. For example, customers who enjoy windsurfing do not need to...

Creating Simple and Convenient Customer Experiences Shep Hyken interviews Ricardo Saltz Gulko, Managing Director of Eglobalis and Co-Founder of the European Customer Experience Organization (ECXO). He shares how brands prioritizing simple and convenient experiences can gain a competitive advantage. Top Takeaways:  A simple and convenient customer experience can be a competitive advantage for brands and companies, whether it’s B2B or B2C. It starts with leadership, where decisions are made and...

Empowering Employees From the First 100 Days and Beyond Shep Hyken interviews Joey Coleman, an award-winning speaker and author of Never Lose an Employee Again: The Simple Path to Remarkable Retention. He shares why employees leave and how organizations can create a meaningful work culture that supports longevity. Top Takeaways:   ·      You can only expect to deliver a remarkable customer experience if you have remarkable employees. People think that customer experience and employee...

Leveraging Content and Social Media to Provide Customer Care Shep Hyken interviews Mich Hancock, CEO of 100th Monkey and the host of MichMash Podcast. She talks about how brands can use digital content and social media to communicate with customers, showcase their values, and enhance customer experience. Top Takeaways:  Social media is called "social" for a reason. It's more than posting branded content. It is about communicating with your customers, getting feedback, responding to comments,...

Delighting Customers Through Effective Communication Shep Hyken interviews Justine Tavares, Director of Customer Success at TextExpander, a productivity tool that automates repetitive tasks and improves communication efficiency. She talks about improving customer relationships through customer-centric, up-to-date, and consistent messaging. Top Takeaways:  TextExpander allows you to access all of the things your team needs at their fingertips. It empowers teams to access the information they...

Happy Employees, Happy Customers Shep Hyken interviews Tiffani Bova, bestselling author and global customer growth and innovation evangelist at Salesforce. She discusses the link between employee experience, customer experience, and company growth. Top Takeaways:  Spending time with your customers is a great opportunity to understand their challenges, share best practices, and learn from them.  Employee experience (EX) has a significant impact not only on customer experience but on overall...

How Brands Can Find a Balance Between Incentives and Emotional Connection Shep Hyken interviews Mark Ross-Smith a.k.a Mr. Loyalty and the CEO and Co-Founder of Loyalty Data Co, the parent company of StatusMatch.com. He talks about the roles of transactional and emotional incentives and how brands must learn to balance the two to build long-term customer loyalty. Top Takeaways:  Loyalty programs are used in different industries to attract new customers and retain existing ones. They typically...