CX Pulse Podcast | Insights on Customer Experience, AI, WFM, Customer Service, Customer Satisfaction & Contact Centers

On this episode, Amelia welcomes Omer Minkara, VP and Principal Analyst of Aberdeen Strategy & Research, for an in-depth exploration of Customer Experience (CX) influenced by AI and other technological advancements. Omer shares insights from his latest comprehensive study on CX trends, revealing the truth about what keeps CX leaders up at night and how AI is reshaping customer interactions and business strategies. Key Takeaways: (01:02) How companies interact with their customers and the trends shaping these interactions. (02:06) Top concerns for CX leaders today: unpredictable economic environments, rising costs and supply chain disruptions. (04:07) Strategic priorities for CX leaders: cost reduction and enhancing customer satisfaction. (06:27) The significant role of AI and other technologies in driving intelligent and timely customer interactions. (08:05) The importance of data quality and ethical AI in achieving accurate and beneficial AI outputs. (10:27) How AI impacts CX results: improved customer satisfaction, financial performance and employee engagement. (12:48) Recommendations for CX leaders embarking on their AI and digital journey, emphasizing a strategic, step-by-step approach and the augmentation of human capabilities with AI. Resources Mentioned: Omer Minkara - https://www.linkedin.com/in/omerminkara/ Aberdeen Strategy & Research - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aberdeenstrategyandresearch/ Aberdeen - https://www.aberdeen.com Spiceworks Community - https://community.spiceworks.com/ This podcast is brought to you by NICE, the world’s leading cloud CX platform. Go to nice.com to learn more about our innovative and comprehensive end-to-end CX solutions. #CXO #CX #ContactCenter #CustomerService #CustomerExperience

On this episode, Amelia is joined by Dan Gingiss, Chief Experience Officer of The Experience Maker, LLC and Author of "The Experience Maker," to explore the transformative power of exceptional customer experience (CX) and the role of digital transformation in today's customer service. Key Takeaways: (00:25) Introduction to Dan Gingiss and his transition from marketing to CX. (03:19) The interconnectedness of employee satisfaction and customer experience, symbolized by an infinity loop. (07:28) Leveraging AI for predictive analytics to enhance customer loyalty and understand behavior trends. (13:34) Effective implementation of AI-powered chatbots for personalized customer support and engagement. (16:31) The significance of AI-driven personalization in tailoring services and products to individual customer preferences. (19:53) Insights into Dan's book "The Experience Maker" and the concept of creating experiences that drive word-of-mouth marketing. Resources Mentioned: ”The Experience Maker” Book - https://dangingiss.com/the-experience-maker-book/ This podcast is brought to you by NICE, the world’s leading cloud CX platform. Go to nice.com to learn more about our innovative and comprehensive end-to-end CX solutions. #CXO #CX #ContactCenter #CustomerService #CustomerExperience

On this episode, Amelia explores the intersection of outsourcing and digital transformation with Tom Luther, Director of Channel Partnerships at Outsource Consultants, LLC. They delve into how brands can leverage outsourcing to not only enhance customer journeys but also fund their digital initiatives. Key Takeaways: (00:53) Tom's extensive experience in the contact center space and his journey through digital transformation. (01:42) Digital transformation defined as meeting consumers where, when and how they prefer. (02:19) The importance of catering to a diverse customer base with varying communication preferences. (03:21) The balance between technology and labor in providing customer service. (04:44) Outsourcing as a flexible and scalable way of bringing new employees on board. (07:09) The impact of outsourcing on operational efficiency and cost reduction. (09:31) How savings from outsourcing can fund further digital transformation efforts. (12:37) The importance of leveraging industry expertise and not embarking on the outsourcing journey alone. Resources Mentioned: Outsource Consultants, LLC This podcast is brought to you by NICE, the world’s leading cloud CX platform. Go to nice.com to learn more about our innovative and comprehensive end-to-end CX solutions. #CXO #CX #ContactCenter #CustomerService #CustomerExperience

On this episode, Amelia welcomes Roy Atkinson, CEO and Principal Advisor of Clifton Butterfield, LLC, to discuss the transformative role of artificial intelligence in enhancing customer service and agent performance. Roy highlights how AI can address common service pain points, provide real-time agent coaching and support effective self-service. Key Takeaways: (02:22) The potential of artificial intelligence to mitigate customer service pain points like long wait times and routing issues. (03:14) How AI can assist agents with sentiment analysis and regulatory compliance. (04:05) The role of AI in summarizing customer interactions to improve agent availability and knowledge sharing. (06:07) Essential components for successful self-service include the use of customer language and rapid knowledge sharing. (07:46) Comprehensive solutions and AI's rapid data retrieval enhance customer satisfaction. (08:51) AI-powered real-time coaching enhances agent performance and customer service efficiency. (11:13) The significance of the human factor in AI-supported service, emphasizing empathy and the option for human interaction. Resources Mentioned: Roy Atkinson - https://www.linkedin.com/in/royatkinson/ Clifton Butterfield, LLC - https://cliftonbutterfield.com/ This podcast is brought to you by NICE, the world’s leading cloud CX platform. Go to nice.com to learn more about our innovative and comprehensive end-to-end CX solutions. #CXO #CX #ContactCenter #CustomerService #CustomerExperience

In this episode, Amelia welcomes Steven Van Belleghem, Co-Founder and Board Member of Nexxworks and Author of “A Diamond in the Rough.” They discuss the nuances of customer experience (CX) in the modern business landscape, discussing the integration of technology and human elements in crafting exceptional customer interactions. Key Takeaways: (00:28) Introduction to Steven Van Belleghem and his new book. (01:13) Steven’s early exposure to customer experience in his parents’ photography store. (02:51) How technologies like Netflix and smartphones evolve from exciting to normative. (05:10) The paradox in companies’ desire and failure to implement customer centricity. (07:28) The impact of human emotions, especially negative ones, on customer experience. (08:49) The increasing importance of human touch in automated customer relations. (10:35) Leadership’s pivotal role in authentic customer-centric culture development. (12:48) The three key benefits of AI in enhancing customer service. (14:33) The significance of maintaining a positive mindset among CX professionals. Resources Mentioned: Steven Van Belleghem - https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/stevenvanbelleghem Nexxworks - https://www.linkedin.com/school/nexxworks/ “A Diamond in the Rough” by Steven Van Belleghem - https://www.stevenvanbelleghem.com/bookshop/a-diamond-in-the-rough/ This podcast is brought to you by NICE, the world’s leading cloud CX platform. Go to nice.com to learn more about our innovative and comprehensive end-to-end CX solutions. #CXO #CX #ContactCenter #CustomerService #CustomerExperience

On this episode, Amelia welcomes Rick Adams, Customer Success Management Mentor of ADAMS Success, Author, Trainer, Consultant and Business Owner at Practical CSM, and Business Consultant, Trainer and Coach at The Growth Consultancy. Rick and Amelia discuss: - The biggest differences between customer success and customer experience. - Customer success is the most important aspect of the customer experience. - The need for customer success management services increases as your product or service gets more complex. - The ways Rick and his team manage customer success. - The gamification of customer success training to increase motivation. - Using customer feedback to create a product they want. - How to make sure your feedback to the customer is what they want to hear. This podcast is brought to you by NICE, the world’s leading cloud CX platform. Go to nice.com to learn more about our innovative and comprehensive end-to-end CX solutions. #CXO #CX #ContactCenter #CustomerService #CustomerExperience

On this episode, Amelia welcomes Robin Gareiss, CEO and Principal Analyst at Metrigy, to explore the crucial role of customer experience (CX) in organizational decision-making. Key Takeaways: - Increased prioritizing of customer engagement. - Strategic approaches to enhancing CX technology. - The growing significance of self-service options like chatbots. - How CX technology improves the empowering of agents. - The value of quick decision-making based on performance analytics. - A unified view on performance, integrating various data sources. - Enabling a comprehensive understanding and strategy formulation for CX. Resources Mentioned: Robin Gareiss - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-gareiss-91413a/ Metrigy - https://metrigy.com/ This podcast is brought to you by NICE, the world’s leading cloud CX platform. Go to nice.com to learn more about our innovative and comprehensive end-to-end CX solutions. #CXO #CX #ContactCenter #CustomerService #CustomerExperience

On this episode, Amelia welcomes Dennis Wakabayashi, Customer Experience Consultant at Team Wakabayashi, International Innovation Advisor at Cemantica, and Digital Marketing Instructor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. During this conversation, Dennis and Amelia discuss: - The first ever interaction Dennis had at a CX event, which was with NICE. - The importance he places on capturing the stories of the innovators, people and products that shape the CX industry today. - The role that the algorithms play in the relevancy of the people in CX. - The measurable increased success of brands that embrace technology. - The struggle some CX programs have with getting alignment within the organization. - The difference between customer care-focused CX and marketing-focused CX. - The rise of AI and how it will spearhead innovation and growth. - The ways an internal campaign around a CX initiative can reap infinite rewards. Resources mentioned: Dennis Wakabayashi - https://www.linkedin.com/in/denniswakabayashi/ Team Wakabayashi - https://www.linkedin.com/company/teamwakabayashi/ Cemantica - https://www.linkedin.com/company/cemantica/ University of Wisconsin-Madison - https://www.linkedin.com/school/uwmadison/ This podcast is brought to you by NICE, the world’s leading cloud CX platform. Go to nice.com to learn more about our innovative and comprehensive end-to-end CX solutions. #CXO #CX #ContactCenter #CustomerService #CustomerExperience

On this episode, Amelia welcomes Omer Minkara, Vice President and Principal Analyst of Aberdeen Strategy & Research. As a returning guest, Omer brings a wealth of knowledge, sharing cutting-edge research and insights into how generative AI is reshaping the landscape of customer service and business operations. Key Takeaways: - The differences between generative AI and traditional AI. - The increasing integration of generative AI in both business and consumer sectors. - Common misconceptions about AI replacing human jobs. - The importance of data hygiene and the need for businesses to effectively utilize their - How AI is being used to improve customer experience and operational efficiency. Resources Mentioned: Omer Minkara - https://www.linkedin.com/in/omerminkara/ Aberdeen Strategy & Research - https://www.aberdeen.com/ This podcast is brought to you by NICE, the world’s leading cloud CX platform. Go to nice.com to learn more about our innovative and comprehensive end-to-end CX solutions. #CXO #CX #ContactCenter #CustomerService #CustomerExperience

On this episode, Amelia welcomes Kristi Faltorusso, Chief Customer Officer of ClientSuccess. Kristi and Amelia discuss the following topics: - The differences and overlap between Customer Success and Customer Experience. - Kristi’s experience, first in digital marketing and then a transition to CX for hypergrowth B2B SaaS companies. - Every company is different and building a Customer Success system is not “one size fits all.” - Customer Success is about your customer’s ability to realize their goals through your product or services. - All the touchpoints that contribute to Customer Experience. - The perceived value of products and services varies by company and individual customer. - Using AI and machine learning platforms while still keeping the experience human. - Where the Customer Success role starts and where the CX role starts. - Making sure a customer lifecycle or journey is being executed the way it was designed. - Milestones to measure the success in the Customer Experience. Kristi Faltorusso - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiserrano/ ClientSuccess - https://www.linkedin.com/company/clientsuccess/ This podcast is brought to you by NICE, the world’s leading cloud CX platform. Go to nice.com to learn more about our innovative and comprehensive end-to-end CX solutions. #CXO #CX #ContactCenter #CustomerService #CustomerExperience

On this episode, Amelia welcomes Jon Arnold, Principal at J Arnold & Associates. This is Jon’s fourth appearance on the show. During this conversation, Jon and Amelia discuss: - The transformative power of AI in customer experience. - The reason for choosing the term "transformative" for AI. - AI's role in the transition to digital transformation. - AI's ability to generate new ways of understanding. - Enhancing agent intelligence with AI. - Pattern detection and creating a roadmap for customer service. - Competitive differentiation through AI. - AI's role in remote work and agent training. - Utilizing AI to create brand loyalty. Resources mentioned: J Arnold & Associates - https://www.jarnoldassociates.com/ This podcast is brought to you by NICE, the world’s leading cloud CX platform. Go to nice.com to learn more about our innovative and comprehensive end-to-end CX solutions. #CXO #CX #ContactCenter #CustomerService #CustomerExperience

On this episode, Amelia welcomes Jo Causon, CEO of Institute of Customer Service, an independent professional membership body for customer service, based in London, UK. During this conversation, Jo and Amelia discuss: - The important correlation between customer satisfaction, profitability and productivity. - The insights gained from the longitudinal data in UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI). - Approaching customer experience from a government or public sector perspective. - Full transparency in communications with customers. - The ways generational differences affect the customer experience. - The similarities and differences in CX in the public and private sectors. Jo Causon - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-causon-8b53652/ Institute of Customer Service - https://www.linkedin.com/company/institute-of-customer-service/ This podcast is brought to you by NICE, the world’s leading cloud CX platform. Go to nice.com to learn more about our innovative and comprehensive end-to-end CX solutions. That’s nice.com. #CXO #CX #ContactCenter #CustomerService #CustomerExperience

On this episode, Amelia welcomes Nancy Jamison, Senior Industry Director, ICT at Frost & Sullivan, a growth advisory and analytics firm that helps companies identify, plan and capture growth opportunities around the world. During this conversation, Nancy and Amelia discuss: - The evolution of digitization in the contact center industry. - The impact of different generations on customer expectations. - The role of AI and chatbots in customer service. - Adoption of AI tools and channels by top performers. - The impact of digital channels on workforce management. - The challenges and complexities in forecasting and scheduling. - Integration of new technologies for enhanced customer experience. - Addressing customer expectations in a multi-channel environment. Resources Mentioned: Nancy Jamison - https://www.linkedin.com/in/najamison/ Frost & Sullivan - https://www.frost.com/ NTT - https://services.global.ntt/ This podcast is brought to you by NICE, the world’s leading cloud CX platform. Go to nice.com to learn more about our innovative and comprehensive end-to-end CX solutions. #CXO #CX #ContactCenter #CustomerService #CustomerExperience

On this episode, Amelia welcomes Ian Golding, CEO and Founder of Customer Experience Consultancy Ltd. During this conversation, Ian and Amelia discuss: - What complete performance means in the customer experience space. - Getting rid of complexity in CX and making it simple with a structured approach. - The six elements of the CX maturity model to develop a customer-centric culture. - Putting the customer journey before technology. - The difficulty for business leaders to change their mindset. - Aligning customer experience with employee experience. Ian Golding - https://www.linkedin.com/in/iangolding/ This podcast is brought to you by NICE, the world’s leading cloud CX platform. Go to nice.com to learn more about our innovative and comprehensive end-to-end CX solutions. That’s nice.com. #CXO #CX #ContactCenter #CustomerService #CustomerExperience

On this episode, Amelia welcomes back Oru Mohiuddin, Senior Research Manager at IDC, the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services and events for the information technology, telecommunications and consumer technology markets. During this conversation, Oru and Amelia discuss: - The reason CX is important for contact centers in 2023. - The three pillars of customer experience, efficiency, convenience and relationship. - The importance of agents in the call center with the rise of AI. - Solutions contact centers are using to drive workforce engagement. - Gamification in the contact center. - The role AI plays in driving agent empowerment. This podcast is brought to you by NICE, the world’s leading cloud CX platform. Go to nice.com to learn more about our innovative and comprehensive end-to-end CX solutions. That’s nice.com. #CXO #CX #ContactCenter #CustomerService #CustomerExperience

On this episode, Amelia welcomes Keith Dawson, Vice President and Research Director in Customer Experience at Ventana Research. During this conversation, Keith and Amelia discuss: - The perception of traditional self-service and how it is evolving. - Keith’s prediction that 70 percent of customer interactions will be a mix of human and automated. - The impacts self-service handoffs have on the agent. - How self-service is freeing agents up to be more human during customer interactions. - The ways knowledge resources are improving the self-service experience. - How the pandemic opened up customers’ views of what is possible. - The ways new channels like kiosks and QR codes are enhancing the customer experience. This podcast is brought to you by NICE, the world’s leading cloud CX platform. Go to nice.com to learn more about our innovative and comprehensive end-to-end CX solutions. That’s nice.com. #CXO #CX #ContactCenter #CustomerService #CustomerExperience

On this episode, Amelia welcomes Maribel Lopez, Founder and Principal Analyst at Lopez Research. This is Maribel’s third appearance on the show. During this conversation, Maribel and Amelia discuss: - The key areas CX companies should be investing in this year. - The challenges organizations face when it comes to creating opportunities in the CX world. - Meeting customers where they want to be met. - The importance of expanding into all available channels. - Investing in automation and predictive and prescriptive AI. - The rise of AI and Chat GPT and the opportunities they present for businesses. - Investment areas that organizations overlook when developing a CX strategy. This podcast is brought to you by NICE, the world’s leading cloud CX platform. Go to nice.com to learn more about our innovative and comprehensive end-to-end CX solutions. That’s nice.com. #CXO #CX #ContactCenter #CustomerService #CustomerExperience

On this episode, Amelia welcomes Leslie O'Flahavan, Principal and Owner at E-WRITE and author of 5 writing courses on LinkedIn Learning. During this conversation, Leslie and Amelia discuss: - The delicate balance between empathy and efficiency in contact centers, especially when it comes to AI. - The pervasive environment in CX, where agents are trained to offer apologies, not empathy. - The necessity of active listening or analytical reading to express empathy. - The difference between personal empathy and empathy in the workplace. - How AI can generate different empathy prompts for agents who are getting burned out. - A real-world example of increased efficiency and agent satisfaction when apologizing was replaced with empathy. - Agents can be taught to have empathy at work. This podcast is brought to you by NICE, the world’s leading cloud CX platform. Go to nice.com to learn more about our innovative and comprehensive end-to-end CX solutions. That’s nice.com. #CXO #CX #ContactCentre #CustomerService #CustomerExperience

On this episode, Amelia welcomes Craig Kennedy, Senior Director of Research at Aragon Research, Inc., an advisory firm that focuses on high-impact market research and advice to help businesses make better technology and strategy decisions. During this conversation, Craig and Amelia discuss: - The impact customer experience has on brand loyalty. - Creating omnichannel communications for customers to increase their comfort when seeking support. - The ways AI has created positive changes in the customer experience. - How intelligent virtual agents are now mimicking the way humans naturally interact. - Using data to personalize the customer experience. Resources mentioned: Craig Kennedy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigskennedy/ Aragon Research, Inc. - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aragon-research/ Aragon Research | Website - https://aragonresearch.com/ This podcast is brought to you by NICE, the world’s leading cloud CX platform. Go to nice.com to learn more about our innovative and comprehensive end-to-end CX solutions. #CXO #CX #ContactCenter #CustomerService #CustomerExperience

On this episode, Amelia welcomes Mila D'Antonio, Principal Analyst at Omdia, a technology research and advisory group. During this conversation, Mila and Amelia discuss: - How businesses are overcoming CX challenges. - Using AI to accelerate their self-service success. - The significant advancement of digital maturity. - Achieving sustained profitable growth by growing the customer experience. - Recommendations for better CX bot interactions. Resources mentioned: Mila D'Antonio - Mila D'Antonio Omdia - https://www.linkedin.com/company/omdia/ Omdia | Website - https://omdia.tech.informa.com/ This podcast is brought to you by NICE, the world’s leading cloud CX platform. Go to nice.com to learn more about our innovative and comprehensive end-to-end CX solutions. #CXO #CX #ContactCenter #CustomerService #CustomerExperience