How to Turn CX from Lip Service to Real Strategy with Emma Sopadjieva

Everyone says they care about customer experience but most companies stop at the annual survey. In this episode, Emma Sopadjieva joins Alyssa Nolte to break down what it really takes to turn customer experience into a revenue-driving strategy. They talk about why CX is a team sport, how to move past vanity metrics, and what happens when sales, legal, finance, and product finally get on the same page. Emma shares how she builds CX strategy teams from the ground up, what most companies get wrong about incentives, and why "fixing the ow" isn’t enough...you also need to bring the wow. If you’ve ever been tasked with improving customer experience but weren’t given the power (or budget) to do anything meaningful, this one’s for you.

About Emma Sopadjieva:

Emma Sopadjieva leads Customer Experience Strategy at Samsara, the trusted leader in connected operations, where she equips teams with the insights and tools to deliver standout “wow!” moments for customers. With over 20 years of experience in CX strategy and business consulting, Emma has built a career helping some of the world’s largest organizations turn customer feedback into action. She is a main stage speaker at leading CX conferences, a frequent guest on top-charted podcasts, and her work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, The Washington Post, and Forbes. Prior to Samsara, she led Customer Experience Insights and Operations at ServiceNow, and held leadership roles at Eventbrite and Medallia guiding Fortune 500 companies to elevate their customer experience. Emma began her career in consulting and forensic accounting at Deloitte, working across New York, Madrid, and London.

Key Takeaways:

• Customer experience is everyone’s job – From sales to legal to finance, every team impacts how customers feel.
• Insights without action are just noise – Real CX strategy ties feedback to business metrics and drives measurable change.
• Quick wins build trust, but long-term strategy wins loyalty – Balancing short-term momentum with lasting impact is essential.

Key Moments:

00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:22 Emma's Hot Take on Customer Experience 00:45 The Role of Sales in Customer Experience 01:26 Company-Wide Impact on Customer Experience 04:13 Financial Metrics and Customer Experience 06:40 Challenges in Customer Experience Strategy 08:18 Building a Customer Experience Strategy Team 08:49 Long-Term vs. Short-Term Customer Experience Goals 12:12 Listening Programs and Customer Journey Mapping 15:34 Actionable Insights and KPIs 23:25 Current Projects and Future Goals 26:49 Empowering Employees for Customer Experience 29:10 Final Thoughts and Contact Information

Welcome to The Growth Signal, where we’re throwing out the old playbooks, and reimagining the future of customer relationships.

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