The Intuitive Customer - Helping You Improve Your Customer Experience To Gain Growth
The Intuitive Customer is a business podcast hosted by Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton that explores how to improve customer experience and drive business growth. Each episode combines psychology, behavioral economics, and practical business insights, delivered with a sense of humor. The hosts discuss the emotional and intuitive side of customer behavior and how companies can apply these lessons to build better customer relationships and increase sales. It is aimed at business leaders, marketers, and anyone interested in customer experience.
Episodes
The Missing Link in AI That's Quietly Destroying Your Customer Experience
Before his first trip to Japan, Colin asked his mobile provider's chatbot one simple question — and the confident answer it gave him could have cost him a small fortune. It's a two-minute story, and it cracks open something much bigger. In this episode, Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton dig into why so many AI rollouts quietly make the customer experience worse, not better. Colin is convince
The AI Backlash Is Here — And It's Coming for Your Customer Experience
Colin asked his AI assistant one simple question — what time the film started — and it answered, confidently, wrong. A small thing. But it's the crack that reveals something much bigger. A backlash against AI is building: data-center protests, job fears, "AI slop" everywhere. In this episode, Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton ask the question most leaders are missing — what happens when that
Are You Making One Of The Most Expensive Mistakes In Customer Experience?
Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton tackle the two processes that decide everything in customer experience: how memories get in, and how they get out. If you haven't heard Parts 1 and 2, start there — Colin and Ryan build on the "memories are structured like fishing nets" idea throughout. Here's the uncomfortable truth at the center of this episode: a customer's memory of your experience isn't
The Hidden Tax That's Quietly Costing Your Business a Fortune
Silos are the silent killer of customer experience — but for years we've only argued that from one side of the coin: the customer's. This episode flips it over. Colin and Ryan are joined by Dan O'Connell, CEO of Front, to look at silos from the side that actually moves a boardroom — the cost. Front's new research, the Coordination Tax, surveyed B2B customer service, operations, and account managem
Your AI Is Engineering The Perfect Forgettable Experience; Was That The Plan?
In this episode of The Intuitive Customer, Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton continue their deep dive into memory — arguably the most underused idea in customer experience. Because here's the uncomfortable truth: customers don't act on the experience you give them. They act on the memory of it. Ryan introduces a brilliant analogy: memory works like a fishing net. Pull up one memory and you dr
Why Memory Matters More Than Your Customer Experience - Part 1
Nobel laureate Professor Daniel Kahneman said we don't choose between experiences; we choose between the memory of an experience. If that's true — and the science says it is — then most organizations are investing in the wrong thing. In this episode, Colin and Ryan explore how memories are actually formed, the difference between short-term (working) and long-term memory, and why your brand is real
Five Rules for Building Customer Trust — And Why Most Companies Break All of Them
Episode Summary Trust is the foundation of every customer relationship. But here's the uncomfortable truth: most businesses assume they have it when they don't. PwC's latest research found that 90% of executives believe their customers trust them highly — yet only 30% of customers actually do. That's a 60-point gap. And it's growing. In this episode, Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton from Emo
AI-First Is Smart. AI-Only Is A Slow Motion Mistake.
After more than a decade of companies pouring money, technology, and consultants into customer experience, US customer satisfaction sits almost exactly where it did in 2013. Flat. Now AI arrives as the promised cavalry — and leaders are racing to bolt it onto everything before they understand what they're actually trying to fix. In this episode, Colin and Ryan separate the smart play from the slow
Is AI Making Brands Lose Their Souls?
Summary Artificial Intelligence is transforming marketing faster than almost any technology before it. Brands can now create professional-quality advertisements in hours rather than months and at a fraction of the cost. But as AI-generated creative becomes more common, an important question is emerging: Are brands becoming more efficient while losing some of the humanity that customers value? In t
Why We Miss The "Old Days" Even If They Were Bad: What Does It Mean For Customer Experience?
Nostalgia isn't just "remembering the good old days." It's a bittersweet emotion—the strange mix of warmth, loss, pride, and longing that can make you feel good… even when the memory you're describing sounds objectively terrible. In this episode, Colin and Ryan dig into why nostalgia is so powerful (and why it's everywhere right now). They explore the paradox: people don't just get nostalgic about
How To Decide When Top Use a Human vs AI - A Decision Making Framework
Everyone's racing to be "AI-first." The problem? Customers didn't vote for it. In this episode, we unpack a practical decision framework for when AI should lead, when humans must lead, and how to avoid automating the very moments that drive loyalty (or churn). We also get into a surprising twist: why AI can sometimes sound more empathetic than people—and what that says about how most service teams
The Customer Experience Paradigm Has Hit Its Limits. What Comes Next?
Customer Experience isn't short of activity—it's short of new ideas that actually land. In this episode, Colin and Ryan dig into why genuinely fresh thinking in CX struggles to break through, how industries get stuck in "normal science," and why it feels like we're doing more measurement… without more progress. They explore what a real disruption looks like, the warning signs that a paradigm is re
Your Customer Experience Is Held Together By Invisible Scripts—and Tech Is Breaking Them!
In this episode, Ryan Hamilton and I dig into the invisible "scripts" that hold everyday customer experiences together—those unwritten psychological expectations about what happens next, what signals mean, and how both customers and employees coordinate without even thinking about it. The trouble is: when technology (like mobile payments, kiosks, or automation) changes the steps, it can quietly br
Are Companies Profiting From Your Anger?
Why do we actively seek out content that makes us angry? In this episode, Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton explore the idea of consuming anger as an emotional experience. From doomscrolling and rage-bait headlines to viral customer complaints and outrage-driven media, they unpack why anger is such a powerful, bonding, and profitable emotion — and what this means for Customer Experience. Best
Segments of One: The Promise, the Peril, and the Practicality of Micro-Targeting
Your Customers Are Deciding What AI Decides. Are You Ready for That?
How will customers decide which decisions to hand over to AI? As AI agents move to the front of the customer journey, brands are no longer competing for attention. They're competing for selection. And in many cases, they don't even realize they're being bypassed. This conversation goes beyond tools and technology to examine the psychology of decision-making, trust, empathy, and what happens when A
The Big Problem! What Happens When AI Becomes The Customer?
What does customer experience look like when AI starts acting on behalf of the customer? As AI agents increasingly understand customer context, remember past behavior, and reduce friction, they begin to insert themselves between companies and customers. That shift has major implications for CX, branding, differentiation, and how organizations stay relevant when customers stop visiting websites, ap
Most People Think They Use AI Well; Many Are Mistaken! Are You?
How are you really using AI — and how does that compare to others? In this episode, Colin Shaw introduces a simple behavioural framework for understanding how people are actually using AI today — not in theory, but in practice — and why this matters enormously for the future of Customer Experience. Rather than treating AI as a technology maturity model, Colin reframes it as a behavioural curve, sh
Uncomfortable Truth: The Focus on Customer Experience Hasn't Paid Off, Why?
Customer satisfaction has barely moved in over 30 years — despite enormous investment in Customer Experience. In this episode of The Intuitive Customer, Professor Ryan Hamilton and Morgan Ward speak with Forrest Morgeson from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). ACSI has tracked customer satisfaction continuously since 1994 using the same questions and methodology across the entire US
The Rise of Synthetic Audiences: Fast, Cheap… but Believable?
In this episode of The Intuitive Customer, Professor Ryan Hamilton is joined by Ben Shaw, seasoned brand strategist, to unpack the promises and pitfalls of synthetic audiences - AI-driven research used for faster, cheaper market research. Synthetic audiences, powered by large language models (LLMs), can replicate customer segments and respond to creative concepts or product questions at scale cutt
Are Your Salespeople Sabotaging Your Customer Experience?
Sales and Customer Experience—two critical functions that should work together, but too often operate at odds. This week, Colin and Ryan explore how traditional sales tactics can undermine long-term loyalty and create organisational silos. They share personal stories (including Colin's car-buying nightmare) and practical advice for aligning sales with your desired customer experience. If you want
The New Currency of Customer Experience: 'People Like Me'
Trust in traditional institutions is eroding. As customers lose faith in advertising, government and even online reviews, they're turning to voices that feel most relatable: peers and communities. Edelman's latest Trust Barometer shows the most credible spokesperson for a company is now "people like me." Ben Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton explore the decline of influencer credibility, the rise
Good Friction, Bad Friction: Why a Little Effort Makes Customers Care
Episode Overview When everything is one-click easy, do we lose something meaningful? Guest host Dr. Morgan Ward joins Dr. Ryan Hamilton to explore how the right amount of friction in the consumption experience can boost connection, meaning, and long-term use of the product—while the wrong kind just gets in the way. Quote of the Episode "Consumption, in some ways, has just gotten too easy." — Dr.
I Signed a 'Gag Order'. Here's What It Taught Me About Organizations
In this episode, Colin Shaw shares a recent personal experience with a major brand that imposed a 'gag order' (NDA) after a poor service experience — and how this reflects a deeper organizational issue: silos. Together with Professor Ryan Hamilton, Colin explores why siloed thinking leads to incoherent customer experiences, how internal motivations can conflict with CX goals, and what leaders must
The Thrill of the Chase: Why Anticipation Beats Ownership
Episode Overview Ever buy something you couldn't wait to get—and then let it sit in the box for days (or weeks)? You're not alone. Guest host Morgan Ward joins Ryan Hamilton to explore why we often love the pursuit of products more than the possession of them. From unopened tools and "someday" sweaters to the viral Stanley Cup craze, they unpack the psychology of anticipation, dopamine, and why th
When Rebrands Go Wrong: Lessons for Customer Experience Leaders
In this episode of The Intuitive Customer, Professor Ryan Hamilton is joined by guest host Ben Shaw to explore the high-stakes world of rebranding. From Cracker Barrel's logo backlash to Jaguar's radical design overhaul, they unpack what happens when brands chase new audiences at the expense of their loyal customers. The conversation dives into the tension between rebranding vs. repositioning, wh
AI That Listens: Why Real-Time Feedback is the Future of Customer Experience
Summary Traditional customer feedback is broken. Post-call surveys and quarterly reports are too slow, cumbersome, and overly focused on the company's needs rather than the customer's reality. By the time insights land on a dashboard, the customer has already left—or worse, lost trust. In this episode of The Intuitive Customer, I (Colin Shaw) and Professor Ryan Hamilton sit down with Devidas Desai
Brand Archetypes: Straightjacket or Springboard for CX?
In this episode of The Intuitive Customer, Professor Ryan Hamilton is joined by guest co-host Ben Shaw, Chief Strategy Officer at MullenLowe, to explore the enduring role of brand archetypes in marketing and customer experience. They revisit the origins of archetypes in Jungian psychology and the influential book The Hero and the Outlaw (Pearson & Mark), before debating how useful the framework re
Your Customers are Lazy... and Bored: How to Use That to Your Advantage
Your Customers are Lazy... and Bored: How to Use That to Your Advantage Show Notes: This week on The Intuitive Customer, Colin takes a step back and welcomes guest host Morgan Ward to explore one of psychology's favourite contradictions: why customers cling to the familiar, yet crave novelty. From music playlists to yogurt purchases, from comfort food to product design, Colin and Morgan unpack wh
Why Customer Satisfaction Hasn't Budged in 30 Years: Two new guest experts tell us why
In this milestone episode, The Intuitive Customer undergoes a transformation. Colin Shaw announces a step back from the regular hosting role, prompting a fresh chapter in the podcast's evolution. Hosts Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton introduce two new expert contributors — Dr. Morgan Ward, a consumer psychologist, and Ben Shaw, a brand strategist — to bring fresh perspectives on customer be
From Legacy to Loyalty: The Practical CX Playbook That Drives a 90 NPS
You can theorise about Customer Experience all day, but gaining a Net Promoter score of 90 is not a theory. It shows a great focus and implementation of Customer Experience. This week, we are exploring how this was achieved with Kamron Kunce, VP of Marketing & Customer Experience at RJ Young. https://www.rjyoung.com/ RJ Young has been in business for over 70 years and boasts a world-class NPS scor
How To Make AI Work in the Real World of CX
In this episode of The Intuitive Customer, Colin Shaw speaks with Andy Traba, VP of Product Marketing at NICE, about the company's new mission: Creating a NiCE World. This isn't just a rebranding message — it's a strategic shift toward unified, proactive, and AI-enabled customer experiences. Andy and Colin explore why AI alone isn't enough, the dangers of siloed implementations, and why leading or
AI vs. Human: Are You Making The Right Choice or a BIG Mistake!
AI is taking over—well, at least some parts of customer service. But how do you know when to automate and when to stick with the good old-fashioned human touch? In this episode, we dive into one of the most crucial decisions organizations are making today: When should you use AI, and when do customers actually need a human? Spoiler alert: If you let AI handle everything, you might save money—but y
The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things
How do you grow your revenues without upsetting your existing customers? In this episode, Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton dive into the new book he has written with Anne Wilson, Senior Lecturer at Wharton. Published by Harvard Business Review Press, the book is called: The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things Available here: https://bit.ly/3Z
What Customers Really Think About Your AI Experience: Academic Research Reveals the Truth.
Have you ever said "thank you" to a chatbot or Chat GPT? Well, you're not alone—and you might just be weirder than you think. It turns out AI can be more empathic than people. But what do Customers think of AI experiences? Academic research reveals the answers we discuss in this show. In this special live-recorded episode from the SOCAP Conference, Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton explore t
The Brand Builds The Promise; Customer Experience DOES NOT Deliver! Why?
How happy are you when you buy auto insurance? If your answer is anything other than thrilled, you're not alone. In fact, years ago, a UK insurance company tried to convince us otherwise with their tagline "Quote Me Happy." Spoiler alert: Nobody was happy. This raises a fascinating question: What role does advertising play in the customer experience, and why is there such a massive disconnect betw
AI Won't Save Your Customer Experience—But This Might...
Episode Summary: Everyone's talking about AI like it's some kind of CX fairy godmother—"Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo! Your NPS just went up 50 points!" Spoiler alert: it doesn't work like that. In this episode, Colin and Ryan are joined by Frederic Durand, CEO of Diabolocom, and Collin D. Ehret, Senior Enterprise Sales Director (yes, another Collin… brace yourself), for a no-fluff, practical, and slightly
🎉 400th Episode Of The Intuitive Customer Podcast! - These Are Our Biggest CX Lessons
Eight years, 750,000 downloads, and 400 episodes later, The Intuitive Customer is celebrating this major milestone! In this episode, Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton reflect on what has changed in customer experience over the years and share their biggest learnings. 📊 The Reality of Podcasting: Podcasting is booming, with 546 million listeners worldwide. 47% of the U.S. population (12+)
How Your Customers Judge You Before You Even Open Your Mouth
First impressions aren't just important—they're everything. Research shows that customers, clients, and even your colleagues are forming opinions about you, your brand, and your business in mere seconds—often before you even get a chance to introduce yourself! In this episode, Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton dive deep into the psychology of first impressions, exploring the fascinating (and
10 Proven Ways Guaranteed To Build Trust In Your Customers!
Trust: it's the glue that holds relationships together—both personal and professional. Yet, so many businesses get it wrong. In this special milestone episode (yes, 400 episodes!), Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton break down why trust is the foundation of every great customer experience and, more importantly, how you can earn it, keep it, and leverage it to drive growth. From sneaky fees tha
Why Short-Form Content & Thinking is Destroying Your Customer Experience And Your Career.
Are we thinking less in the age of information overload? In this episode of The Intuitive Customer, Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton discuss the hidden dangers of short-term thinking in customer experience. Businesses are obsessed with quick fixes, but is this addiction to fast results actually damaging long-term success? Join us as we explore why short-form content gives the illusion of lea
Tiny Tweaks That Can Have a BIG Effect (And Why They Sometimes Don't)
🔹 Ever wonder why you always end up choosing the medium popcorn, even when you weren't hungry? Or why some websites magically guide you toward the "best" deal? That's not luck—it's behavioral science in action. In this episode of The Intuitive Customer, Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton reveal the power of nudging—tiny tweaks that subtly influence decisions without forcing them. But here's th
The Psychology Of Discounts: Are You Inadvertently Training Your Customers?
Discounting—it feels like a surefire way to attract customers, right? Everyone loves a good bargain. But what happens when discounts stop being a tool and start becoming an expectation? In this episode, Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton dive into the dangerous addiction of price discounting—how it lures in customers, why businesses struggle to stop, and the long-term damage it can do to your
7 Ways To Break Organizational Silos; The Silent Killer Of Customer Experience
🚀 Are your departments working together or just co-existing in polite chaos? Organizational silos are the silent killer of customer experience. Sales, Marketing, Customer Service, IT, Finance, HR—they all have their own priorities, their own goals, and their own version of success. But do those priorities align? More often than not, they don't, and the result is a disjointed, frustrating experienc
Psychological Pricing: 7 Practical Tips You Can Use Today to Boost Sales
Pricing. It's one of the most critical decisions your business will ever make, yet most people approach it like a finger-in-the-air guessing game. But what if you could tap into psychological principles to not just set prices, but make your customers feel they're getting a great deal? That's what this episode of The Intuitive Customer is all about. Join Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton as th
How to Evoke Emotions That Make Customers Come Back for More
Episode Summary: Are you evoking the right emotions in your customers, or are you unknowingly driving them away? In this episode, Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton dive deep into the fascinating (and often overlooked) world of customer emotions. Emotions are at the heart of every customer experience—from frustration and neglect to trust and happiness, and they're driving your bottom line. Co
Silence Is Killing Your Business: The Innovation Cost of Quiet Teams
Episode Summary: How can you create an environment where your team feels safe to speak their minds without fear of judgment or reprisal? In this episode, Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton are joined by Gary Keogh, an expert in psychological safety and a former corporate leader turned coach. Together, they dive into why fostering openness in teams is more than just a buzzword—it's the secret s
10 Career Lessons You Need to Thrive in 2025
Episode Summary How do you set yourself apart in an ever-evolving professional landscape? In this episode of The Intuitive Customer, Colin Shaw and Ryan Hamilton dive deep into the career lessons they've learned over decades of navigating the twists and turns of professional life. This isn't just another list of career tips—it's a roadmap for thriving in 2025 and beyond. From mastering long-term p
Breaking the Routine: How to Help Customers Form New Habits
Episode Summary In this episode of The Intuitive Customer, Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton delve into the fascinating world of customer habits. Colin shares his recent experiences shopping at Publix, Aldi, and Whole Foods, uncovering how deeply ingrained habits shape our decisions as customers. The discussion explores the psychology behind habit formation, the challenges businesses face whe
Tariffs, Technology, and Trends: What 2025 Means For You and Your Customers
Episode Summary In this episode of The Intuitive Customer, Colin Shaw and Ryan Hamilton dive into the predictions shaping 2025 and their implications for customer experience. From economic uncertainty and its emotional impacts to the rise of AI in search behavior, they explore how these trends will influence customer decisions and business strategies. The conversation also delves into the unintend
5 Ways You Can Tell When You Are Being Ripped Off! ...And What To Do About It!
Quote of the Episode "If something feels off, it probably is. Trust your instincts and push for clarity—because informed customers are empowered customers." Episode Summary In this episode of The Intuitive Customer, Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton discuss the all-too-common experience of feeling ripped off. Drawing on Colin's personal experiences with home repairs and unexpected costs, th
Discover the key insight from 2024 and a plan for how to progress in 2025!
Episode Summary: In this special end-of-year episode, Colin Shaw and Professor Ryan Hamilton reflect on 2024, sharing personal and professional lessons learned throughout the year. The conversation dives into themes of resilience in both life and customer experience, the vital role of community, the need for balance, and the hype surrounding AI. Key Takeaways: Resilience Matters: Colin discusse
Here is How to Get Your Organization to Be More Customer-Centric
We are frustrated. Despite years of effort across industries, customer satisfaction has only seen marginal improvement since the 1990s. By marginal improvement, we mean it went up four points. That's right, four. This stagnation suggests a need for deeper cultural and operational changes to prioritize customer experiences truly. Our discussion in this episode revolves around four key customer-cen
How to Avoid Conflict Between Your Customer Segments to Gain Growth
Growth is essential for businesses. However, new customers with varying needs, preferences, and identities often accompany growth. Worse, these new customers can annoy or alienate your current customers. So, how do you grow without making your current business blow? Today, we explore the central challenge of growth: expanding your customer base without sparking conflicts between different customer
When Is The Right Time To Implement A Customer Loyalty Scheme?
Deborah has a pickle. She is considering implementing a Loyalty Scheme but isn't sure when and how to do so. She thought we could help. We can help. The first question, then, is easy. Now. These things work. They don't create real loyalty, but they get people to keep buying from you, giving you more chances to earn loyalty. It's the second question, how, that's a little trickier. Many companies
Why Do Customers Tell Me One Thing But Give Me Feedback That Is Different?
Why do customers tell you everything is fine when you ask them face-to-face but then give you a less-than-optimal rating later in a survey? Is everyone duplicitous, or are customers stricken with experience amnesia as soon as they make it to the car park? It turns out that it is neither a character flaw nor a medical condition that causes it. We explore what does in this episode. Let's face it. I
Why Government Regulation of Some Aspects of a Customer's Experience is a Good Thing
Let's talk about government and Customer Experience. It might surprise you that government and Customer Experience have a tighter relationship than you think. Many organizations, particularly in the private sector, recognize the importance of providing great experiences to keep customers satisfied and loyal. But should governments do the same for their citizens? Can a well-run government improve
Are We Reaching a Turning Point in the AI Hype Cycle?
Taking unproven routes can lead to exciting new possibilities. However, it could also lead to potential failure. That's what makes life interesting, isn't it? Optimistic thinking has led to groundbreaking achievements, like the moon landing in the 1960s. However, it's important to strike a balance between hope and realism. In today's episode, we explore the concept of optimism bias and how it pl
How Acting on Case Studies Can Irrevocably Damage Your Career
Over the course of three years, Maersk Line improved its Net Promoter Score (NPS) by an impressive 40 points, resulting in a 10% increase in shipping volumes. Even more remarkable, this growth occurred during a global shipping decline. But can other companies replicate Maersk's success? Or are case studies like this more cautionary tales than roadmaps? We explore the value of case studies in busi
The Three Most Exciting Pieces of Research That No One Knows About!
If there is one thing that academics know how to do, it's publish new research. It seems that umpteen studies are published every hour. It can be overwhelming to keep up with it all. So, we undertook it to help you with this week's episode. We explore three fascinating studies in the realm of consumer behavior with insights from Dr. Morgan Ward, a Professor of Consumer Behavior at Emory Universi
The Powerful Influence Superstition Plays in Customer Decision-Making
Colin doesn't sit in aisle 13 when he flies on an airline. It's silly but true. He also fancies his red knickers on days when he is speaking in front of large crowds. While this errs on the side of too much information, it also foretells the topic of this week's episode: superstitions and how they influence our decisions as customers and otherwise. Many of us hold on to irrational beliefs that
My House Was Recently Flooded! This Taught Me How to Treat Customers in Distress
Hurricane Debbie dumped 17 inches of water in Colin's home. It was a traumatic experience, from wading through the murky water to the neighbor's house—hoping not to encounter the alligators that usually hang out nearby—to watching a team of 12 recovery professionals sweeping through and gutting what remained inside after the water subsided. The experience has been emotionally draining, especially
Discover The Secret of How to Gain Actionable Customer Insights
Customer feedback is critical to managing and improving your customer experience but it isn't easy to get. Worse, it isn't always useful and enlightening on what you are doing well, or perhaps more importantly, not so well. In this episode, we tackle a common problem many businesses face: how to get more actionable customer feedback. Our guest, Tim Waterton, Chief Revenue Officer of HappyOrNot®,
Great Tips on How to Run a Successful Workshop and Motivate Your Audience
One of the benefits of being in business and academia for years is that we have a lot of experience running workshops. This episode is a brain dump of all the stuff you won't learn in a book but is critical to the successful outcome of your program. The first and perhaps most critical step is breaking the ice. By setting a relaxed and open tone, you ease participants into the session, ensuring the
Managing Rising Customer Expectations With Limited Resources
Claire Dunwood has a pickle. She wants to know how to manage rising customer expectations with fewer resources than she used to have. This episode seeks to help her—and you—do exactly that. It's pretty common to hear problems like this today. Responding to rising expectations is easy when there is no limit to the resources you can throw at it. Doing that same thing on a budget is a different kettl
Personalization with Graham Hill
Personalization is a developing area in Customer Experiences. With AI driving what could be possible, many of you might be wondering how you can best leverage its capability in yours. To that end, we invited our special guest, Graham Hill, Ph.D., to explore the rapidly evolving field of Personalization in Customer Experiences. With decades of experience in customer relationship management (CRM) an
Why People Make So Many Crazy Excuses and What This Means for You
Fair Warning: this episode regarding excuses was prompted by recent experiences with tradespeople during Colin's kitchen renovation. No one likes excuses, least of all your customers. Lately, Colin has been hearing many amazing excuses about why something can or cannot be done in his kitchen project. It got him thinking about excuses and why people make them. Today's episode explores the ideas of
Is Marketing Ethical? A Deep Dive into Scarcity Tactics and Ethics
In this episode, we tackle a thought-provoking question from one of our listeners: Is it ethical to use urgency as a marketing tactic? This question sparked a deep conversation about the ethics of digital marketing, particularly the use of scarcity to drive sales. We feature insights from Daniel Bisett, partner and CXO at WeRock DM, and Marketing Professor at UT McCombs, who shares his thoughts
Is Empathy Over-Hyped? What is Its Role? Why Bother?
In this episode, we dive deep into the concept of empathy and its significance in Customer Experience Management. We challenge common perceptions of empathy, explore its connection to emotional intelligence, and examine how both concepts can enhance your experience management efforts. We begin with a discussion on the importance of Emotional Intelligence (EQ), referencing some compelling statistic
Rules To Help You Decide When To Fire Your Customers To Increase Profit
In this episode, we challenge the conventional wisdom of customer-centricity and discuss why firing a customer is sometimes necessary. While it may seem counterintuitive, knowing when to let go of a customer can benefit your business in the long run. We outline five critical rules to help you determine when it's time to part ways with a customer: Rule #1: Fire customers if they cost too much. Som
How Do We Marry AI And The Human Interaction To Create A Great Experience?
In this episode, we explore the role of AI in customer experiences and whether it will replace human interaction. Ali Cudby, CEO of Alignment Growth Strategies, shares insights on leveraging AI to build customer relationships effectively. We discuss practical AI tools that enhance customer experiences and streamline efficiency. There are a couple of helpful AI tools Cudby mentions. For example, S
Friction in Customer Experience is Not Always a Bad Thing; Here's Why
Friction occurs when a customer has to work or think hard during an experience. Many times, friction is accidental or the result of organizational apathy. In these instances, friction is a bad thing. Friction is rarely a good thing in a Customer Experience. However, there are times when it can be beneficial. For example, when your bank uses two-factor authentication to ensure you are who you
Why Trades People Have Such A Poor Reputation And What To Do About It
Colin has a bone to pick. No, it's not with cable providers this time. It's with the tradespeople involved in his latest home reno project. They are living up to the poor reputation that precedes them, and he has a list of complaints. Key problems included inaccurate pricing, disdain for previous workers' efforts, lack of collaboration, excessive use of jargon, and poor time management. The dis
Unleash the Amazing Power of Mental Models to Decode Customer Behavior | Master Class Part 8: Unlocking the Psychology of Customer Experience
Did you ever have an imaginary friend? If so, you already have a leg up on this week's episode. Chances are you created a mental model of your imaginary friend and could predict with 100 percent accuracy how they might react to a given situation. A mental model is a detailed creation of an imaginary customer that helps you determine how a real-life customer might react to a given situation. How
How to Boost Productivity and Morale by Eliminating Workplace Friction
You know that friction in a Customer Experience is a problem that needs fixing. However, do you have that same perception of workplace friction? If you feel the friction at work, you probably do. But if you don't, you likely think little of it, if at all. Doing work for money requires a certain amount of friction, right? However, if the friction impacts employees and decreases employee morale, it
How to Understand Your Customers Hidden Motivations to Gain ROI Sub Title: Master Class Part 7: Unlocking the Psychology of Customer Experience
Customers can tell you why they do something, But they might be wrong. It's not that customers are stupid. No, it is quite the contrary. Customers' thinking and decision-making are complicated; multiple things happen simultaneously. Sometimes, the reason customers do things is hidden, even from the customers themselves. In our penultimate masterclass episode, we explore how you can get at th
As a Boardroom Veteran, Here Are My Secrets of Gaining C-Suite Support
Sanjay Patel faces a challenge many of us can relate to: how to get senior executives to buy into your program. Dealing with senior management can be nerve-wracking, as I learned twenty years ago when my heart rate spiked during a presentation to the CEO and C-suite. Today, I've mastered strategies for these situations. In this episode, we discuss how to deal with them effectively and get wh
How We Weigh Risk In Buying Decisions, The Answer Is Counter-Intuitive. Master Class Part 6: Unlocking the Psychology of Customer Experience
This episode is the sixth in an eight-part series on Unlocking the Psychology of Customer Experience. Here, we explore the psychology we have regarding how human beings deal with predicting unpredictable outcomes. The discussion focuses on biases that influence how people perceive and assess probability and risk, impacting their judgment and decision-making processes. We begin with a common bias
The Surprising Truth About Economic Decision-Making: Why Your Logic Might be Flawed. Masterclass Part 5: Unlocking the Psychology of Customer Experience
Regarding Customer Experiences and the behavioral sciences, there is seldom only one thing happening at a time. There are usually a lot of things happening at once. This masterclass episode, the fifth in a series of eight, explores economic biases and how they create flaws in our decision-making logic. For example, one key bias discussed is the Sunken Cost Fallacy, where people need help to wal
Is Surge Pricing a Game-Changer or Deal-Breaker for Customers?
Surge pricing, a form of dynamic pricing, involves raising prices during spikes in demand to balance supply and demand. It is a rational economic solution to manage demand effectively, but it can generate negative emotions among consumers who feel they're being unfairly charged. Surge pricing is a specific flavor of dynamic pricing or, depending on your perspective, price discrimination. Surge P
