One global staffing firm discovered they were solving the same customer problem six different ways across regions. No alignment, duplicated work, eroded trust - not a tooling issue, but a governance issue.In this episode, Jochem van der Veer (CEO of TheyDo) shares what he’s learned about how to structure journey management from working with 50-60 Fortune 500 companies.He breaks down four real-world journey governance models - from Central Command to Full Autonomy - and explains the pros, cons, and trade-offs of each. You’ll hear how organizations move from chaos to coordination, and why your journey operating model is your real CX “operating system.”You’ll learn how to scale journey management without bottlenecks, and why your governance model is the hidden lever behind customer-centric growth.Key InsightsWhy CX transformation often stalls due to operating model failure, not toolsThe four governance models for journey management: Orchestrated, Hub & Spoke, Federated Excellence, and Full AutonomyHow to decide who owns journeys, who governs frameworks, and who decides standardsHow distributed ownership can speed up delivery 50–60% while still keeping alignmentWhy your journey framework should work like a shared data warehouse - one truth, many tailored viewsSubscribe to The Experience Edge for more on journey management, CX strategy, and the future of customer-centric organizations.Like, comment, and share this episode with your team if you’re wrestling with silos or fragmented journeys.
In this episode of The Experience Edge, Jochem van der Veer sits down with CX thought leader Stacy Sherman to unpack what it really means to “do CX right.” Stacy draws on her 25+ years of leadership at brands like Verizon, AT&T, Schindler, and more, and shares hard-won lessons in aligning culture, accountability, and cross‑functional execution. Their conversation weaves from the pitfalls of siloed thinking and unmet promise gaps to the art of embedding delight and meaningfully leveraging AI and data in the service of experience.Listeners will come away with a richer understanding of why “customer experience is an inside job,” how to design journeys that bridge internal organization and external expectations, and how to pilot and scale CX initiatives that truly matter to both customers and the business.Guest BioStacy Sherman is an award‑winning CX strategist, author, speaker, and educator with more than 25 years of leadership in brands such as Verizon, AT&T, Schindler, LiveOps, BPO, and Wilton Brands. She holds an MBA and is the voice behind the Doing CXRite podcast. Stacy helps organizations move beyond superficial CX initiatives toward deeply aligned, cross‑functional execution that drives retention, brand advocacy, and meaningful experiences.Takeaways CX is everyone’s responsibility, no matter the function, every role influences the customer experience.Siloed organizations kill consistency, conflicting metrics, goals, and disconnected systems lead to broken promises.“Inside job” mindset, true customer experience begins internally (culture, training, alignment), not just on the front line.Discretionary effort matters, small acts (like helping a customer move goods in the rain) create emotional highs and lasting memory.Blend human + tech, don’t replace one with the other, AI and automation should empower employees, not bypass them.Data is only useful if actionable, voice of customer + voice of employee feedback must translate into prioritized action.Pilot first, scale second, start small, prove value, then expand.Alignment & measurement across teams, linking CX metrics to business goals ensures cross‑functional buy‑in.Close the loop, daily, feedback must flow to the right teams and customers need to see that something happens.Design journeys holistically, consider internal and external touchpoints, handovers, and “pass-over zones” between teams.Leadership orchestration is essential, one “conductor” or team is needed to keep cross-functional alignment moving.Respect content, context & timing, don’t over‑delight everywhere; choose where delight is meaningful and sustainable.Chapters00:00 Intro banter, setting the stage 01:59 Guest formal introduction 03:21 Why CX is often practiced poorly 05:32 Silo issues & misalignment 10:13 “CX is an inside job” 12:46 Discretionary acts that delight 16:25 Bridging online and offline friction 18:18 Designing vs validating experiences 21:03 Moments of emotional delight 24:00 Embedding CX metrics across teams 26:58 Pilot programs & scaling 28:48 Beyond journey mapping 32:11 Orchestration & central leadership 38:42 AI’s role in experience 44:15 Removing silos & consistency 47:42 Where to inject journey thinking 50:09 Scaling feedback loops 53:46 Leadership & execution 55:38 Closing and how to reach Stacy LinkedIn / LinksFollow Jochem van der Veer Follow Stacy ShermanStacy’s website: https://doingcxright.com/Stacy’s podcast: Doing CXRite
In this episode of The Experience Edge, Jochem van der Veer sits down with Blake Morgan, customer experience (CX) futurist and author, to explore what’s stayed true in CX over the past decade, where business leaders often fall short, and how to build a customer-centric culture in a modern, AI-driven world. Blake highlights that while tools and channels have evolved (especially AI), fundamental human needs, being seen, heard, and having problems solved, remain the same. She emphasizes the importance of trust, long-term thinking, and tying CX efforts directly to business outcomes like revenue and customer retention. Throughout, she offers practical guidance on how organizations, especially in the “messy middle” of their structure, can embed CX mindsets, empower frontline and middle managers, link performance metrics to customer value, and begin with low-friction, high-impact actions.Guest BioBlake Morgan is a leading voice in customer experience, known for her role as a CX futurist, author, and speaker. She is the author of The 8 Laws of Customer‑Focused Leadership: New Rules for Building a Business Around Today’s Customer, a framework rooted in research and interviews with top business leaders for making CX central to strategy. Blake is also the founder of the Modern Customer Podcast, an instructor on LinkedIn Learning, and frequently contributes to outlets like Forbes and Harvard Business Review. She helps organizations build trust, elevate customer‑centric culture, and align CX practices with revenue growth.TakeawaysHere are 10–12 key insights from the episode:Humanity still matters. Despite advances in technology and AI, customers still crave human interaction, being greeted, being seen, empathy. Blake MorganTrust is a bank. Every customer interaction is a deposit or withdrawal from trust. Hidden fees, lack of transparency, or making it hard to reach a human cost trust heavily.Short‑term gains vs long‑term relationships. Boards often emphasize short‑term metrics, but Blake argues for balancing immediate profit with sustained customer loyalty and relationship building.Metrics beyond satisfaction. While customer satisfaction, Net Promoter Score, etc., are important, understanding revenue behavior (repeat purchases, referrals, churn etc.) gives stronger causal insight into CX impact.Start small, fix what's broken. Even in large enterprises, you can begin with friction points that frontline employees and customers call out and deliver improvements that matter.Middle managers are pivotal. They often get overlooked but are essential to bridging strategy and execution, coaching teams, and embedding the CX mindset across departments.Think of CX as everyone’s responsibility. It shouldn't live in a silo (a department) but be woven into every function, product, marketing, support, HR, operations.Employee experience mirrors CX. Engaged, empowered employees who understand purpose and feel supported deliver much stronger customer experience.AI as an enabler, not a replacement. Brands like Sephora are using AI to gather richer feedback and personalize content, but only when used thoughtfully, not to replace human connection.Law of the mindset is foundational. From Blake’s “8 Laws” framework, creating a customer experience mindset is the starting point, especially in an environment of rapid change. Blake MorganChapters 00:00 Introduction & What’s Still True in CX02:30 Underestimated Shifts & Trust in CX07:40 Boardroom Perspective & Balancing Short‑ vs Long‑Term11:50 Culture, Performance Metrics & CX Mindset17:20 Employee Experience & Manager Role37:40 AI’s Role: Enhancing or Undermining Emotional Intelligence41:12 Starting Small & Building Momentum44:16 The “Law” to Focus on Now & Closing ThoughtsLinkedInFollow Blake Morgan on LinkedInFollow Jochem van der Veer on LinkedIn
In this episode of The Experience Edge, Jochem Van Der Veer sits down with Santos Subramanyam, Director of Enterprise Products, CX & UX at Macy’s, to explore how customer experience has evolved over time, and what timeless truths still matter. Drawing from Santos’s extensive background in retail, hospitality, automotive, SaaS, and more, they dig into the role of measurement beyond NPS/MPS, the importance of aligning teams around customer journeys, and how AI and data are enabling more real‐time, human‐centred decisions. The conversation is rich with examples, from redesigning checkout flows in store, to localized customer experience, to prototyping with empathy, that illustrate how to build experiences that scale and deliver business outcomes.They also examine what it takes to shift organization culture: elevating customer journey thinking from execution teams all the way up to the C‑suite; storytelling and alignment; and the real work of bringing teams, data, and leadership together. Santos shares both his successes and the friction points, especially around aligning priorities, defining what metrics truly matter, and using small wins and service design to drive momentum.Guest BioSantos Subramanyam is Director of Enterprise Products, CX & UX at Macy’s. He leads large, cross‑functional teams to build scalable design systems, align business and customer outcomes, and use data and AI to optimize customer and colleague experiences. Santos has a diverse industry background, including retail, SaaS, hospitality (notably Marriott), and automotive, and has driven major transformations: boosting metrics like MPS/MPS across tens of thousands of associates, cutting transaction times in stores, modernizing legacy systems with holistic designs, and partnering with business, product, engineering, and data teams for measurable impact. He’s also an advocate for culture, localization, and embedding journey thinking across organizations.TakeawaysPast truths remain valuable , Experiences in physical retail and in‑person interactions still matter; digital cannot fully replace physical touchpoints.Modernizing systems is more than UI , It involves hardware, ergonomics, flow, colleague tools, and the mental model of how people (both customers and employees) interact.Metrics beyond MPS/NPS , Focusing on speed, ease, transparency, transaction times etc., rather than relying solely on MPS as a steering lever.Use service blueprints and Kaizen for discovering inefficiencies (even small ones) in physical + digital touchpoints; small changes can scale into large operational improvements.Storytelling & visualization matter , Enacting journey pain points (via role‑play) or using narrative visuals makes executive alignment easier.Cultural alignment is hard but essential , Organizational culture, leadership mindset, individual KPIs can misalign; aligning around customer journey thinking is an ongoing effort.Influence through small wins , Prove with smaller initiatives to build trust and momentum before big change.Engage stakeholders where they are , Whether legal, product, tech, or operations, find ways to include them in the journey, storytelling, and showing shared value.Chapters 00:00 Intro & Name Pronunciation 03:11 Santos’s Background & What Still Holds True in CX 06:30 The 80‑20 Rule & Localisation in Global CX 12:30 Moving Beyond NPS/MPS: Business Metrics & Speed of Transaction 18:30 Journey Mapping, Service Blueprints & Physical + Digital Integration 23:00 Prioritization, Autonomy & Small Wins 27:40 Organizing Teams Around Outcomes vs Functions 30:50 Storytelling Up the Org & C‑Suite Engagement 38:20 AI Use Cases: Call Center, Conversational Agents, Merchant Tools 50:30 Using Reports, Data, Feedback Loops to Drive Action 57:00 Magic Wand Question: What Would You Change Most? 59:00 What’s Next for Journey Alignment & Final ThoughtsLinkedIn ProfilesGuest: Santos SubramanyamHost: Jochem van der Veer
In this episode of The Experience Edge, Jochem van der Veer sits down with Bill Staikos, a globally recognized CX leader with more than two decades of experience driving customer and employee experience transformation in financial services, consulting, and tech. Bill shares his candid perspective on the state of CX today, including why the function has struggled to mature, what it takes for leaders to earn a true seat at the executive table, and why journeys remain critical to connecting silos.Together, Jochem and Bill dive into the challenges of aligning CX to business strategy, the role of AI in enabling both orchestration and context, and why defining value is the non-negotiable first step for any experience program. Bill also gives a preview of his upcoming podcast The Multimodal Experience, where he explores how emerging technologies will reshape how we interact with brands and organizations. This episode is a masterclass in cutting through jargon and redefining what it means to create business impact through customer experience.Guest BioBill Staikos is a senior customer experience executive with over 20 years of leadership across financial services, consulting, and technology. He has held senior roles at American Express, Freddie Mac, JP Morgan, and BNY Mellon, where he led global initiatives to transform client and employee experiences. A former SVP at Medallia, Bill helped organizations turn insights into measurable outcomes.Recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice and one of the Top 50 Global CX Influencers, Bill is also the founder of the Be Customer-Led podcast and is now preparing to launch The Multimodal Experience. Known for his pragmatic, impact-driven approach, Bill advises leading brands—including Apple, Bank of America, Marriott, and T-Mobile—on connecting customer experience to business growth.TakeawaysThe customer’s core needs haven’t changed: at the heart of every business, customers simply want to achieve their goals.CX has become overly synonymous with surveys, leaving vast amounts of uncollected insights untapped.Many CX teams lack execution capacity, limiting their ability to drive business outcomes.Defining value—for both the customer and the business—is the essential first step for CX leaders.CX is not just reporting; it must directly connect customer metrics to core business metrics.Teams must evolve beyond VOC experts to include data science, finance, and technology skill sets.The best way to get leadership attention is to demonstrate tangible impact (e.g., churn reduction, revenue growth).Journeys are essential tools to connect silos and create a shared context across teams.AI can enable orchestration at both the customer level and the enterprise level.Change leadership and change management are equally critical to successful adoption of new capabilities.CX leaders must frame their work in business language (growth, risk, operating leverage) to resonate at the C-suite.The future of CX is multimodal, blending AI, XR, wearables, and new interfaces into everyday customer and employee experiences.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Bill Staikos 02:34 What hasn’t changed in CX over two decades 05:24 CX’s survey problem and its consequences 08:13 Should CX be its own department? 10:59 Defining value in customer experience 13:47 Skill, will, and talent gaps in CX teams 19:23 Examples of CX creating business impact 25:21 Why journeys are vital for connecting silos 36:25 The role of AI in context and orchestration 43:57 Where organizations should start with AI and CX 46:11 Should CX leaders engage in the CIO’s AI agenda? 49:59 Launching The Multimodal Experience podcast 52:31 Closing reflections and future directionsLinkedInBill Staikos: LinkedIn Profile Jochem van der Veer: LinkedIn Profile
In this special edition of The Experience Edge, we bring together six of our most impactful guests in one powerful narrative, tracing the journey of CX transformation from leadership mindset to system change—and ultimately to measurable business impact.What you’ll learn in this episode:Why vulnerable leadership and cross-functional trust are foundational to CXHow to break down organizational silos to deliver seamless experiencesThe role of content, storytelling, and digital strategy in engaging customersWhy measurement, experimentation, and feedback loops are critical for impactHow AI enables real-time synthesis - and where human empathy still mattersWho should truly own the customer journey (spoiler: it’s not just one team)Featuring standout insights from top CX leaders who’ve led transformations inside complex enterprises, from healthcare to transportation, financial services to tech.Whether you're a CX strategist, product leader, or experience designer, this episode is your fast track to understanding what it really takes to evolve customer experience in 2025 and beyond.Follow Jochem van der Veer on LinkedIn:Explore Journey Management with TheyDo
In this episode, Jochem Van Der Veer is joined by Angelique Wyszynski, Global Head of Insurance Innovation and CX at HSB (Hartford Steam Boiler). With over two decades of customer experience leadership in risk-averse industries like insurance and finance, Angie shares how she’s transforming CX from the inside out, without creating new silos. They unpack how to embed CX into legacy systems, operationalize customer insights, build credibility with finance, and scale innovation in heavily regulated environments.Angie offers a playbook for CX leaders to drive value in complex organizations, showing how her centralized team delivers high-impact research, innovation strategy, and operational alignment, while fostering a culture that’s both customer and employee obsessed.Guest BioAngelique Wyszynski is the Global Head of Insurance Innovation and Customer Experience at HSB (Hartford Steam Boiler). She has spent 20+ years leading CX strategy, innovation, and transformation in some of the most regulated industries, including insurance and finance. Angie previously held senior roles at Travelers and The Hartford, where she built one of the most comprehensive voice-of-customer programs in the industry.At HSB, she leads a multidisciplinary team focused on embedding customer insights, enabling innovation across product and service lines, and translating customer feedback into measurable business value. Known for her expertise in behavioral economics, strategic foresight, and cross-functional collaboration, Angie is redefining what it means to be customer-centric in complex B2B environments.TakeawaysFirst CX hires must co-create, not impose: Build programs with business partners, not for them.Start with listening: Angie interviewed 45+ leaders to define CX maturity and align strategy.Embed research as function, not an afterthought, to democratize insights and enable innovation.Quality CX output = actionable, contextualized insights tied to business outcomes.Partnering with finance is critical to prove CX value and secure long-term credibility.Prioritization is structured by strategic alignment, not the loudest voice.Centralized teams enable agility and scale in complex organizations.Teaching others to “fish” helps scale CX without bottlenecks.Journey maps are powerful, if made simple, shareable, and built with the business.Innovation thrives when insights are pushed to the edge and new ideas come from everywhere.Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Angelique Wyszynski 01:11 Why HSB Was Ready for CX Transformation 04:49 Avoiding the Trap of CX Silo Creation 06:28 Running a 45-Interview CX Diagnostic 09:06 The Universal Insight that Sparked Her Team 11:37 How to Get Early Traction 15:52 High-Quality Research Means Actionable Results 18:14 Partnering with Finance to Show CX ROI 23:17 Building a 20-Person CX & Innovation Team 25:41 How the Team Prioritizes Work Across HSB 27:43 The Innovation Funnel and Idea Scoring 30:59 Defining Innovation at HSB 33:54 Can Organizations Innovate Without CX? 34:55 Why Centralized CX Still Works 36:47 Managing Strategic Focus vs. Business Requests 38:14 Will AI Make CX Fully On-Demand? 41:22 Journey Mapping: Keeping It Tangible 46:36 Taxonomy Trouble: What’s a Journey, Really? 49:24 Why Journey Thinking Is Back 52:08 Can Insurance Organize Around Journeys? 53:23 Best, Worst & First Customer Journeys 58:21 Current Focus Areas at HSB 1:00:11 Connect with Angie on LinkedInLinkedInFollow Angelique Wyszynski on LinkedIn Follow Jochem van der Veer on LinkedIn
Why Talking to 10 Customers Beats 10,000 AI InsightsAre your customer insights grounded in reality - or just AI-generated guesswork?Synthetic research is everywhere. It looks real, sounds strategic, and gives you confident answers. But according to Gia Laudi, it’s BS if it isn’t rooted in real conversations with actual customers.In this episode, Jochem Van Der Veer (TheyDo CEO) breaks down the false confidence synthetic insights create - and why teams relying on AI to define personas, journeys, and jobs to be done are building on sand.What You’ll Learn: • Why synthetic research is tempting - and dangerous • Six common traps hiding in plain sight • Why real conversations with 10-12 customers outperform 1,000 AI-generated “insights” • How to anchor your growth in reality using a hybrid model • What CX teams, marketers, and product leaders miss when nuance is stripped away • The risks of basing strategic decisions on data that “sounds right” but isn’t real • Why research is meant to reduce uncertainty, not fake clarityJoin the conversation:When was the last time your team talked to 10 real customers before making a big decision?Follow Jochem on LinkedIn:Explore Journey Management with TheyDo:
Stop Saying You Are Customer CentricIs your company actually customer centric - or just saying it is?75% of companies claim to be customer-first. But only 30% of customers agree. In some surveys, the gap is even worse: 81% of leaders say they’re customer-centric... and only 3% of customers believe them.In this episode, Jochem Van Der Veer (TheyDo CEO) exposes the disconnect between intent and execution - and how journey coordination bridges the gap between brand promises and customer reality.What You’ll Learn: • Why most customer-centricity efforts fail - despite good intentions • How internal misalignment shows up as friction in the customer journey • The hidden cost of symbolic gestures: workshops, research, and surveys that don’t lead to action • Real examples from telco and transportation sectors - where clarity around where to act changed outcomes • The dangers of insight without ownership: when knowing the problem still doesn’t lead to change • How journey coordination becomes the operational structure for proving customer focus • What high-performing organizations do differently • Why customer centricity isn’t a campaign - it’s a structureJoin the conversation:Where is your company performing customer centricity… without practicing it?Follow Jochem on LinkedIn:Explore Journey Management with TheyDo:
“Nobody’s just trying to withdraw money.”That line from the podcast episode with Nathan Zahm (Vanguard) sparked this episode - and it reveals a blind spot in how most teams approach customer experience.In this video, Jochem Van Der Veer (TheyDo CEO) unpacks the three-level journey model used at Vanguard and why so many teams miss the middle: the moments that matter.If your team is optimizing for task completion or designing abstract lifecycle stages, but struggling to create real impact - this model is what you're missing.What You’ll Learn:Why task journeys (what the customer does) are just one layerHow moments that matter (what the customer feels) bridge short-term action and long-term strategyWhat defines a life journey (what the customer wants) - and how to show up when it matters mostThe three types of value this model unlocksMetrics to track each level: from call deflection to drop-off rates to customer lifetime valueReal examples from Vanguard: retirement planning, 529 savings, and building trust across decadesWhy most CX teams fail to act - and how this framework helps you prioritize what actually mattersJoin the conversation:What are the moments that matter that your company needs to get right - and do you?See the podcast episode with Nathan Zahm here.Follow Jochem on LinkedIn:Explore Journey Management with TheyDo:#CustomerExperience #JourneyManagement #CXStrategy #TheyDo #Vanguard #MomentsThatMatter #CustomerJourney #OperationalExcellence #EmotionalDesign #LifeJourneys #CXLeadership
In this energizing episode of The Experience Edge, Jochem van der Veer is joined by customer experience visionary Dan Gingiss. With leadership roles at Discover, McDonald's, and Humana, and as author of Becoming the Experience Maker, Dan shares how companies can transform everyday interactions into powerful brand moments. The conversation dives into Dan’s WISER framework - a tactical approach to designing experiences that customers can’t help but talk about.Together, they explore how CX isn't just a department but a company-wide mindset, and Dan offers real-world examples of how tiny improvements can drive major business outcomes. From eliminating website friction to activating back-office teams as CX advocates, this episode is packed with practical wisdom on making customer experience a core business driver. A must-listen for CX leaders looking to move from theory to tangible impact.Guest BioDan Gingiss is an international keynote speaker, author, and former Fortune 200 executive with over two decades of experience in customer experience and marketing. His career spans leadership roles at Discover, McDonald’s, and Humana, and he is the author of two influential books: Becoming the Experience Maker and Winning at Social Customer Care. Dan is also the co-host of the award-winning podcast Experience This! and a respected voice in CX thought leadership, known for his actionable WISER framework that helps brands become truly memorable.TakeawaysCX is a shared responsibility, not just the job of one department.Even back-office teams impact customer experience.Immersing executives in their own customer journeys reveals critical friction points.Eliminating small annoyances (like unnecessary form fields) can massively boost conversions.A WISER experience is: Witty, Immersive, Shareable, Extraordinary, and Responsive.Ordinary experiences are opportunities waiting to be improved.Business cases for CX improvements should tie directly to ROI or cost savings.Listening to earnings calls can help CX teams align with company priorities.Brands like Chewy and Zappos win customer loyalty by showing empathy and over-delivering.Pricing changes (like tariffs) should be transparently communicated to customers.Responsive service during tough times builds lasting loyalty.CX transformation is not a one-time project—it’s a daily mindset.Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Dan Gingiss 01:20 The mindset shift: CX is everyone’s job 04:36 The cashless restaurant case study 08:22 Executives must become their own customers 10:13 Removing friction in digital onboarding 14:18 How to scale CX beyond the low-hanging fruit 16:30 Daily CX improvements over giant transformations 20:23 Linking CX to financial ROI 25:04 Why CX teams struggle to speak business language 29:53 The WISER framework unpacked 42:41 When not to apply the WISER framework 46:19 Leadership buy-in and prioritization 47:08 Navigating pricing and tariffs in CX 51:19 Brands that have your back build loyalty 53:17 Chewy: A masterclass in emotional CX 55:34 Where to find Dan GingissLinkedInFollow Dan Gingiss Follow Jochem van der Veer
Journey Mapping is Dead. What comes next?Journey maps are like blueprints without builders. Beautiful and insightful - but ultimately useless unless someone owns the outcome.In this video, Jochem Van Der Veer (TheyDo CEO) breaks down why most customer journey maps fail to drive measurable impact - and introduces the shift from static maps to living systems of journey management.If you’ve ever spent months building journeys that never get used, this one’s for you.What You’ll Learn: • Why over 80% of journey maps fail - and what to do about it • Why beautiful maps on walls don’t drive change without ownership and accountability • The life cycle of a journey map - and why it usually ends in failure • What journey management really means • Three steps to move from mapping to managing • Why insight > alignment > action is the real path to customer-centric outcomes • How leading companies use journey governance to increase CX and operational efficiency Join the conversation:What’s one journey in your business that gets mapped - but never acted on?Follow Jochem on LinkedIn:Explore Journey Management with TheyDo#JourneyMapping #CustomerExperience #JourneyManagement #TheyDo #CXLeadership #DigitalTransformation #CustomerJourney #MappingToManaging #Silos #DecisionSupport
In this episode of The Experience Edge, Jochem welcomes Sam Beek, Chief Product Officer at Veed, to explore the evolving landscape of video content creation in the age of AI. From humble beginnings hacking together apps at tech events to scaling a global video platform, Sam shares his journey and the pivotal role of customer feedback in building user-centric products.Sam and Jochem delve into how enterprises and solo creators can harness the power of video, why storytelling still reigns supreme, and how Veed's SEO-led growth strategy fuels innovation. They explore AI's role in making video creation more accessible and personalized, the shift from polished to authentic content, and how internal cultural change can help enterprises embrace the creator economy.Guest BioSamuel Beek is the Chief Product Officer at Veed.io, a fast-growing video creation platform. With a background in engineering and product development, Sam has a track record of building tools that make storytelling simpler for creators and marketers alike. A Reforge alum with expertise in user research and growth, he’s passionate about solving real problems through intuitive design and continuous customer engagement. At Veed, he’s leading the charge in AI-driven video innovation, SEO-led growth, and accessible video tools for everyone - from solo creators to enterprise teams.TakeawaysGreat product design starts with deep user empathy and regular customer conversations.Internal systems like user interviews, Slack snippet sharing, and company-wide customer Q&As ensure customer voices shape product direction.Balancing AI innovation with fixing foundational UX is critical, sometimes a logo misalignment trumps flashy new features.SEO is a growth engine at Veed, driven by the philosophy: "Make something people search for."With nearly 450,000 landing pages, Veed meets users where they are with tools tailored to hyper-specific needs.Storytelling and fun are key to adoption, people engage with tools that are enjoyable and help them express themselves.AI tools should enhance storytelling rather than replace human creativity.Enterprises must evolve: authentic, conversational video content trumps over-produced, generic messaging.There’s growing pressure for businesses to “put a face” on their brand and humanize customer relationships.Starting small, using props (like Lego figures on your webcam), or voiceover-only content helps overcome video anxiety.The best creators iterate: aim for a “video 4 out of 10” to start and improve over time.Emerging video trends: hyper-personalized content, AI-assisted storytelling, and a shift toward more human, lower-fidelity formats.Chapters 00:00 Intro to Sam Beek, CPO at Veed 01:55 Sam and Jochem’s early days building products 04:52 Why customer conversations shape product vision 07:12 Digital product research and building insight systems 10:13 Making customer feedback visible to teams 12:27 A UX failure story and what it taught Sam 14:48 Balancing AI innovation with UX basics 16:55 Revenue vs. engagement as product metrics 18:23 Veed's SEO strategy: 450k+ landing pages 21:45 LLMs and changing search behavior 23:37 Innovating for people, not just AI trends 25:55 From toys to scalable storytelling features 27:55 Why fun matters in product adoption 29:16 What enterprise teams need to learn from creators 32:10 Humanizing the enterprise through video 34:10 Brands nailing video content: Duolingo and OpenAI 36:29 Getting past corporate comms blockers 39:25 Where content creation is going 42:15 Helping people become better storytellers 47:58 The magic wand: removing the fear to create 50:37 Tactics for overcoming video creation anxiety 53:42 Final thoughts and where to follow SamLinkedInFollow Samuel Beek on LinkedIn Follow Jochem on LinkedInSamuel on Twitter screen_name=SAMUELBEEKSamuel on his website
Do you really need to “break the silos” to fix customer experience?In this video, Jochem Van Der Veer (TheyDo CEO) unpacks why that common advice is flawed - and shares Alison Landers’ (Chief Experience Officer at UBS) smarter approach: it’s not about breaking silos, it’s about orchestrating across them.Drawing on Alison’s experience leading CX at UBS, Wells Fargo, and Prudential, this episode reveals how journey orchestration helps organizations coordinate at scale and finally deliver seamless experiences customers actually feel.What You’ll Learn: • Why silos aren’t the enemy — and why orchestration is the smarter goal • How customer experience cuts across channels, products, and divisions by design • Why lack of coordination leads to disconnected journeys customers notice instantly • The three pillars of Journey Orchestration • How naming journey owners and building cross-functional alignment unlocks value • Lessons from UBS, Wells Fargo, and Prudential on scaling CX transformationCheck out the full podcast episode with Alison Landers here.Join the conversation:What’s one experience in your company that’s broken because no one owns the “in between”?Follow Jochem on LinkedInExplore Journey Management with TheyDo:#CustomerExperience #JourneyOrchestration #CXStrategy #BusinessSilos #TheyDo #CustomerJourney #CXLeadership #CrossFunctional #DigitalTransformation
In this episode, Jochem van der Veer sits down with Trish Wethman, former Chief Customer Officer at Best Egg, to explore the evolution of the CX function and how to embed customer intelligence into business operations. Trish shares lessons from her tenure in creating impactful customer strategies and championing cultural transformation through CX. From navigating tough executive meetings to redesigning the CX function for action, Trish offers a candid look at what it takes to align organizations around a shared customer vision.The conversation covers everything from embedding insights partners into business teams, building a sticky CX vision, and redefining ROI in customer experience, to the future of AI in transforming journey mapping and decision-making. This episode is an essential listen for CX leaders looking to elevate their function from data collection to business impact.Guest BioTrish Wethman is a seasoned customer experience executive and the former Chief Customer Officer at Best Egg. With a background in driving customer-centric transformation, Trish has built high-performing CX teams that align business objectives with customer needs. Known for pioneering insights-driven partnerships and shaping cohesive experience visions, her work has helped enterprises navigate complexity and deliver measurable outcomes. Trish also contributes to the Mid-Atlantic CX Forum, where she continues to champion the role of CX in modern business strategy.TakeawaysCX leaders must connect metrics to business impact, not just report on data.A CX vision only sticks if it’s co-created with business leaders who feel accountable.Embedding insights business partners into product and marketing teams improves prioritization and advocacy.Aligning customer journeys to acquisition, conversion, and servicing metrics creates business relevance.Distinguishing between process maps and true journey maps is critical for actionable insights.Micro-journeys should be owned by the teams closest to them, while the CCO oversees end-to-end cohesion.CX principles like “flexibility” work best when they’re deeply rooted in customer research and relevant across departments.Weekly business reviews are powerful tools for prioritization across CX, product, and marketing.ROI can be demonstrated through lift in conversion, risk mitigation, and faster decision-making.AI should automate insight generation and journey mapping, enabling CX teams to focus on driving action.Future CX functions will require more consultative and alignment-oriented roles.Service design, AI operations, and customer data orchestration will be foundational to next-gen CX.Chapters00:00 Guest introduction and setting the stage 01:00 CX storytelling failure: translating insights to business value 05:00 Building integrated CX teams that understand business metrics 08:00 Creating the role of insights business partners 11:00 The role of a CX vision and stakeholder collaboration 15:00 Aligning CX to acquisition, conversion, and retention 19:00 Journey mapping beyond the surface level 22:00 Ownership of end-to-end vs. micro-journeys 24:00 Weekly business reviews and their impact 28:00 ROI examples from marketing and innovation support 31:00 CX as an alignment function across silos 33:00 CX principles: flexibility as a customer value driver 35:00 AI’s transformative role in CX workflows 40:00 AI-first CX operating model: what stays human? 44:00 Shifting skillsets: from analysts to consultative partners 47:00 Rethinking surveys and AI-enabled research 50:00 CX engineering: building intelligent customer systems 52:00 Quality control, trust, and hallucination risks in AI 53:00 Closing thoughts and where to find Trish onlineLinkedInFollow Trish Wethman on LinkedInFollow Jochem van der Veer on LinkedInAs Promised you can find Trish Wethman on The Mid-Atlantic CX Forum "Where CX and IT Meet"
Why do CX efforts fail - even when everyone’s working hard?You’ve got the tools, the talent, and the intent. But customer pain persists. In this video, Jochem Van Der Veer (TheyDo CEO) reveals the real reason most customer experience initiatives don’t deliver results.It’s not broken UX.It’s not bad support.It’s structural misalignment - and it’s costing you more than you realize.What You’ll Learn: • Why silos aren't the enemy - and why “breaking them” is the wrong goal • The 4 hidden costs of poor cross-functional coordination: • How journey-centric orchestration helps teams work smarter, not harder • Real-world lessons from companies like Lufthansa on aligning product, UX, and service • Why journey management beats cosmetic fixes like NPS and UI tweaksJoin the conversation:Where are your teams misaligned - and what would it take to fix it?Follow Jochem on LinkedInExplore Journey Management with TheyDo #CustomerExperience #JourneyManagement #TheyDo #BusinessSilos #CXLeadership #DigitalStrategy #CrossFunctional #CustomerJourney #CXFailure #OrchestrationNotDestruction
In this episode of The Experience Edge, Jochem van der Veer welcomes Brooke Sellas, CEO of B Squared Media, to dissect how social media has evolved from a content distribution channel to a powerful platform for customer experience and intelligence. Brooke explains how forward-thinking brands are using social not just to post, but to converse, and how these conversations can reveal vital insights into customer behavior, brand sentiment, and even revenue potential.Brooke introduces her CARE framework (Conversation, Acquisition, Retention, Engagement) and explains how her agency uses this model to help enterprise brands mine social interactions for voice-of-customer data. With examples from clients like printer and appliance brands, she reveals how conversational data, social listening, and AI integration can drive measurable business outcomes, from reducing churn to increasing sales. This episode is a masterclass in turning social media into a revenue engine and customer intelligence hub.Guest BioBrooke Sellas is shaping the future of digital marketing one conversation at a time. As an award-winning CEO, she leads B Squared Media, the premier agency redefining 'social care' for brands like Brother International, Miele, and BCU. You can dive into her insights through her book Conversations That Connect, her thought leadership on CMSWire, or her expert-led courses, among them, three digital marketing courses at the University of California, Irvine (one focused on AI & Marketing) and a LinkedIn Learning course on Social Care.TakeawaysSocial media has evolved from content broadcasting to customer conversation and care.The CARE framework, Conversation, Acquisition, Retention, Engagement, drives measurable business results.Social listening tools help brands proactively identify trends, crises, and customer intent signals.Acquisition conversations on social media are often underestimated; many brands find >20% of social interactions are sales-related.Responding to positive comments increases brand affinity and fuels word-of-mouth marketing.76% of customers who don’t receive a reply on social will consider switching to a competitor.AI enhances scalability but must be paired with human judgment to avoid PR mishaps.Gen Z shoppers value brand-customer conversations more than online reviews.“Channel of choice” is essential: CX insights differ across email, phone, and social.AI can analyze conversational data to reveal which messages and offers close more deals.A single customer service issue, like a confusing coffee machine manual, can cause widespread sentiment drops unless proactively resolved.Social selling is not just a buzzword; it requires structured processes and attribution clarity.Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Brooke Sellas 01:00 Why social media has shifted from content to conversation 03:00 Who should own social media in an enterprise? 04:30 Brands leading in conversational social media 07:00 The CARE framework explained 10:00 Using VOC to find acquisition and retention signals 14:00 Proving ROI and prioritizing efforts 18:30 Scaling with AI and human oversight 25:30 Best practices in social listening and VOC integration 30:00 Segmenting by channel and generation 34:00 Case study: Fixing a product sentiment issue 41:00 Identifying channel of choice for CX alignment 46:00 Attribution tension between marketing and social care 50:00 Events that trigger companies to invest in social care 55:00 Sprout Social stat: 76% switch brands after no replyLinkedInFollow Brooke Sellas on LinkedInFollow Jochem van der Veer on LinkedInBrooke's Web Linkshttps://bsquared.media/https://bsquared.media/conversations-that-connect-book/
In this episode of The Experience Edge, Jochem van der Veer speaks with Jennifer Jenkins, Head of CX Design at Scotiabank. Jennifer shares her deep expertise in service and systems thinking, offering a fresh lens on organizational silos, cross-functional collaboration, and the evolving practice of journey management. With roots in workplace design and a strong belief in in-situ research, she provides a unique perspective on how to elevate both customer and employee experiences.The conversation delves into topics such as rethinking silos as structures, aligning organizational design with customer experience, the necessity of qualitative research in a digital world, and designing with sustainability in mind. Jennifer advocates for systems that are not only more efficient but more human, urging companies to expand their awareness, reframe assumptions, and design responsibly for scale.Guest BioJennifer Jenkins is the Head of CX Design at Scotiabank, where she leads strategy and design across complex systems in a large, legacy financial organization. With a background spanning service design, workplace strategy, and systems thinking, Jennifer brings a multidisciplinary approach to shaping impactful customer experiences. She is particularly known for championing cross-functional pods, emphasizing qualitative research, and promoting sustainable design choices in digital contexts.TakeawaysSilos can be reframed as necessary structures; the goal is to connect them, not eliminate them.Service design often breaks down when organizational design doesn't align with the intended customer experience.Journey pods at Scotiabank are cross-functional, aligning CX strategy with product development early in the process.Pods engage in both qualitative and quantitative research, using methods from anthropology to unmoderated online testing.Trust within an organization reflects externally: high employee trust correlates with high customer trust.Designing journeys as nonlinear, multidirectional experiences is more accurate than traditional linear models.Qualitative, in-situ research captures insights missed in digital-only environments - context truly matters.Journey-centric org models must remain hybrid to account for structural and process realities.Designing for sustainability includes decisions like avoiding unnecessary animations or heavy media.Employees often lack the tools and knowledge to act sustainably - education and awareness are key.Sustainability in digital design must consider both content and energy use, and requires collaboration with engineering.Small design decisions, when scaled across millions of users, can have a massive environmental impact.Chapters 00:00 Introduction and welcome 01:12 Jennifer Jenkins’ background and role at Scotiabank 02:00 Rethinking organizational silos 04:00 Why silos persist in legacy organizations 09:00 Aligning org structure with service delivery 10:00 Designing effective journey pods 13:00 Balancing quant and qual in CX research 14:00 Making CX insights actionable 16:30 Nonlinear journey design and its challenges 21:00 Viability of journey-centric org design 23:00 The overlooked role of employee experience 27:00 Measuring intangible experiences 29:00 The value of in-situ research 32:00 AI's limitations in understanding human nuance 35:00 Real-world insights from observational research 38:00 Journey friction and user trust 39:00 Designing CX with sustainability in mind 44:00 Empowering teams with knowledge and skills 48:00 Closing thoughts and where to find JenniferLinkedInFollow Jennifer Jenkins on LinkedInFollow Jochem van der Veer on LinkedIn
In this episode of The Experience Edge, Jon Picoult, author of the bestselling book From Impressed to Obsessed, shares his insights on crafting unforgettable customer experiences. With over 16 years of consulting C-suite executives through his firm, Watermark Consulting, Jon emphasizes why mere customer satisfaction is a weak benchmark - and why companies must instead strive to create indelible impressions. He explains how impressing customers builds loyalty that drives referrals, repurchase behavior, and ultimately, business growth.Jon and host Jochem van der Veer dive into how businesses can use psychological principles like the peak-end rule and the perception of control to design memorable episodes across the customer journey. They explore how to evaluate when the basics are truly being met, how to socialize CX insights throughout the organization, and how to build a financial business case for customer experience investment. It’s a strategic conversation that blends theory with actionable advice for CX leaders and executives alike.Guest BioJon Picoult is the founder of Watermark Consulting and the author of the bestselling book From Impressed to Obsessed. A renowned thought leader in customer experience and leadership, Jon has been featured by outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, NBC News, Fortune, and Forbes. Over his 16-year consultancy career, he has advised some of the world’s foremost brands, helping them leverage customer and employee loyalty for marketplace advantage.TakeawaysSatisfaction is not enough - impressed customers drive growth and retention.Memory science is key to experience design: aim for peak moments and strong endings.Honoring small promises, like follow-up calls, can create powerful impressions.CX leaders must master both fundamentals and differentiators - don’t skip the basics.Executive teams need to experience their own service firsthand to drive empathy and change.Journey mapping is a starting point, not the end game; deep analysis reveals hidden friction.Artifacts like confusing bills or broken IVRs make CX challenges tangible to leadership.Giving customers a sense of control (e.g., clear expectations) improves their perception.Great CX also benefits employees - simplify internal tools to improve delivery.Reducing contacts through better communication cuts costs and boosts efficiency.CX ROI isn’t always about revenue - start with measurable cost savings.When selecting a consultancy, know exactly who will be on your account.Chapters 00:00 Satisfaction is mediocrity 01:42 Why satisfaction fails to ensure loyalty 03:22 Impressive CX doesn’t require high spend 05:36 Meeting baseline expectations can wow 07:08 Balancing fundamentals and delight 09:21 How to assess readiness for delight 11:59 Executives stepping into customer shoes 14:43 Case example of broken IVR experience 17:14 Socializing CX reality throughout the org 20:10 Defining “what right looks like” in CX 22:46 Journey mapping is a beginning, not the end 24:46 Making CX real with artifacts 28:41 Episodes and peak-end design 32:16 Ending on a high note in every episode 38:20 Perception of control as a CX principle 46:00 How to quantify CX ROI 52:00 Focus first on expense impact 58:00 Where to start building CX business cases 62:00 Choosing the right CX consultancyLinkedInFollow Jon Picoult on LinkedInFollow Jochem on LinkedInLinks to moreLearn more about Jon and his company, Watermark Consulting.Read Watermark’s Customer Experience ROI Study.Learn more about Jon’s book, FROM IMPRESSED TO OBSESSED: 12 Principles For Turning Customers And Employees Into Lifelong Fans.
In this compelling episode of The Experience Edge, Jochem van der Veer is joined by James Munoz, Director of Brand and Employee Experience at Elsevier, to discuss what it truly means to lead through chaos and complexity. Drawing from his unique background as a former U.S. Army reconnaissance officer turned CX transformation leader, James unpacks how his soldier-first mindset evolved into a human-first philosophy that fuels customer and employee experience today.James shares hard-earned lessons from the military, financial services, and enterprise transformation programs at Wells Fargo and Elsevier. He dives into what makes a strong Voice of the Customer (VOC) program, the need for real-time feedback loops, the value of having a shared CX vision, and how artificial intelligence can serve internal teams to elevate customer understanding. The episode ends on a high note: a call to reimagine CX not as a reactive discipline, but as an engine for innovation.Guest BioJames Munoz is the Director of Brand and Employee Experience at Elsevier, where he leads strategic alignment across brand, customer, and employee initiatives. A seasoned transformation leader, James brings over a decade of military leadership experience as a former U.S. Army reconnaissance officer, followed by CX and operational roles at Bank of America and Wells Fargo. His expertise spans journey measurement, VOC program design, and experience strategy. James is a champion for connecting brand promise to execution and is known for shaping cultural change through customer-centric thinking.TakeawaysHuman-First Leadership: Military service taught James to prioritize people over tasks - a principle he now applies to CX.From Military to CX: Transitioning from the Army to brand experience was intuitive for James because both require deep understanding of human behavior.Strategic VOC Programs: Good VOC isn't just about surveys - it's about recurring engagement with business stakeholders and closing the loop on insights.Quarterly vs. Real-Time Feedback: While quarterly reviews help align stakeholders, there's a rising need for real-time, dashboard-driven CX.Regulated Industries & VOC Maturity: Banks often have more mature VOC practices due to compliance pressure - something B2B organizations can learn from.Shared North Star Vision: A tangible, organization-wide North Star aligns customer, employee, and brand experiences for consistent execution.CX as Culture: VOC programs can and should drive cultural change, not just collect metrics.AI as Internal Enabler: James is excited about AI's potential to help internal teams craft more empathetic, consistent messaging and surface insights faster.Brand-CX Disconnect: Too often, brand and CX teams operate in silos - James argues for direct alignment as they represent two halves of the same promise.Chapters 00:00 Guest Introduction and Setup 01:27 From Army Recon to CX Transformation 03:11 Translating Military Lessons to Customer Centricity 05:16 Entering CX Through Banking and Transformation 07:15 What Makes a Strong VOC Program 10:36 Regulated vs. Non-Regulated Industries 12:10 Quarterly Business Reviews and Culture Change 15:35 Real-Time Data and Agile Experience Management 19:38 Team Structures and Journey Alignment at Elsevier 22:04 Creating a Shared Vision Through a CX North Star 26:17 Getting Executive Buy-In 28:08 Misconceptions About CX Strategy 30:33 CX vs. Brand Perception 32:17 The Four Core Business Experiences 35:15 Connecting CX to Business KPIs 38:35 The Role of AI in Internal Collaboration 41:27 AI to Enhance Customer Understanding 43:45 The Magic Wand: Changing Mindsets 46:30 Should CX Be a Function? 47:46 From Fixing to Innovating in CX 50:07 CX's Language and Vision Problem 51:22 Wrap-Up and How to Connect with JamesLinkedInFollow James Munoz on LinkedInFollow Jochem on LinkedIn