CX Passport

What's on your mind? Let CX Passport know...How do you deliver empathy at scale when the stakes are life-changing?In this *Greatest Hits* episode of CX Passport, recorded live in Austin as a CX Passport Live, Candy Kothmann shares what it means to lead a customer experience operation inside a government agency...the Texas Workforce Commission. Originally aired as Episode 207, this conversation opened eyes to the human side of CX in crisis situations. Candy’s team supports Texans during unemployment... moments filled with fear, frustration, and uncertainty...and does it with respect, empathy, and a behavior-based performance model that drives real connection.CHAPTERS  00:00  Respect, compassion, and courtesy  03:50  Building empathy into every call  05:48  Balancing efficiency and humanity  07:47  Turning emotional calls into positive experiences  09:03  Crisis response and wellness checks  11:09  Supporting agents after difficult calls  12:37  First Class Lounge  16:32  Managing complaints in a regulated environment  19:18  Improving what you can control  If you like CX Passport, I have 3 quick requests:✅ Subscribe to the CX Passport YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@cxpassport  ✅ Join other “CX travelers” with the weekly CX Passport newsletter https://cxpassport.kit.com/signup  ✅ Bring 🎙️🎬 CX Passport Live to your event https://www.cxpassportlive.comI'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.

What's on your mind? Let CX Passport know...Why do so many companies chase new customers when the math clearly proves that retention wins every time? Daniel Granja Baltazar joins from Rotterdam to unpack the “retention revelation”... how conversion rate optimization (CRO) is really about experience, not just clicks. Daniel’s global lens from the Netherlands to Brazil gives a fresh take on blending sales, marketing, and CX into one connected journey.✈️ 5 First-Class InsightsConversion is the outcome, not the goal. Real CRO success starts with understanding the customer’s experience.Retention beats acquisition. Companies still pour money into getting new customers, while neglecting why current ones leave.Listen before assuming. Numbers reveal what’s happening... but only talking to customers reveals why.Bridge the silos. Sales, marketing, and customer service thrive when united by shared goals and active communication.Empathy drives everything. The best in sales, marketing, and CX are curious first, persuasive second.🕓 CHAPTERS00:00 Welcome to Rotterdam1:40 CRO vs CX: What’s the real difference?4:24 The retention revelation7:08 Why companies ignore their data’s advice10:27 Rewarding existing customers12:33 Global differences in customer culture15:08 First Class Lounge18:09 The watchmaker side hustle19:34 The Wolf of Wall Street myth of sales21:27 Empathy as the CX superpower22:56 Breaking the silos25:44 How qualitative insights drive smarter decisions28:33 Talk to your customers... or you’re doing it wrong🔗 Guest LinksLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dgbaltazar/ Watch store: https://uniqwatchmods.nl/🎧 Listen / Watch / SubscribeListen: https://www.cxpassport.com Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@cxpassport Subscribe to the newsletter for CX insights... your weekly excuse to ghost Slack for 10 minutes: https://cxpassport.kit.com/signupI'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s).

What's on your mind? Let CX Passport know...How can construction and customer experience possibly connect? Alyssa Staats shows us exactly how. From hard hats to HVAC, Alyssa reveals how CX shows up in the most unexpected corners of the AEC world (architecture, engineering, and construction). It’s not just about blueprints and budgets... it’s about people, relationships, and trust.5 Insights from Alyssa Staats• CX isn’t just external... winning the internal customer first builds trust that flows to the client.• Safety isn’t compliance... it’s culture. When people feel protected, they deliver better work.• In an industry built on specs and codes, experience becomes the real differentiator.• The Design Assist model brings collaboration early... design and construction working together for smoother CX.• Making your team the hero turns technical experts into brand storytellers.CHAPTERS00:00 Intro01:20 From marketing to construction CX03:00 Winning the internal customer05:10 Turning safety into company culture08:40 Customers notice when crews care11:30 Overcoming resistance to safety culture14:20 First Class Lounge – Norway, Japan, and sunscreen18:40 Bringing humanity to construction relationships20:40 Delivering CX through collaboration22:10 Design Assist and why it matters25:15 Speaking the language of the field27:30 How to connect marketing and field teams28:10 Where to find AlyssaGuest LinksAlyssa Staats on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssafs/Society of Marketing Professional Services: https://www.smps.org/✈️ Explore MoreNewsletter: https://www.cxpassport.kit.com/signupI'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s).

What's on your mind? Let CX Passport know...Customer experience isn’t about buzzwords or awards...it’s about creating real value.In this episode, Jannecke Drangert-Hveding joins from Norway to challenge the CX world on what truly matters. From digital transformation to Nordic trust, from humble leadership to the balance of human and tech...she brings the hard questions and the honest answers.What you’ll hear in this episode:Why CX isn’t an “industry” but a way to solve real customer problemsHow Nordic cultures shape digital adoption...and where human interaction must remainThe role of trust in public and private sector experiencesWhy humility and alignment beat frameworks and job titlesThe future of CX as an integrated business strategy, not a bolt-on teamCHAPTERS 00:00 Intro & guest welcome 01:17 Should CX teams even exist? 04:30 Trade-offs and humility in CX leadership 05:41 Nordic culture, digital adoption, and saving time 07:30 Finding the right balance of digital and human 09:37 Why Nordic governments succeed with digital trust 13:25 CX without formal CX teams 17:56 First Class Lounge 22:07 CX as “training clothing”...action matters 25:04 The integrated future of CX 26:19 Where to find JanneckeGuest Links Website: https://customerc.no LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janneckedrangerthveding/Listen / Watch / Subscribe Listen: https://www.cxpassport.com Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@cxpassport Newsletter: https://cxpassport.kit.com/signupI'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s).

What's on your mind? Let CX Passport know...Trust may be Brazil’s CX superpower... but that’s just the start. Cami Ferreira brings more than culture insights. She brings a finance-first perspective that helps CX leaders finally speak the language of the boardroom. She shares how failures are fuel for better CX, why Brazil’s “Complain Here” platform changes accountability, and what it takes to transform a contact center into a profit center. Oh, and we still find time to talk coxinha, brigadeiro, and why salad remains a childhood trauma.What you’ll discover in this episode:Trust in Brazil as a competitive advantage that accelerates decisionsHow “Complain Here” created accountability and changed company reputationsWhy CX leaders need to stop sounding like toddlers and start speaking financeA 3-pillar framework for turning contact centers into growth enginesThe First Class Lounge: stars in Chile, cruises in Alaska, coxinha, brigadeiro... and no salads allowedCHAPTERS 00:00 Intro to Cami Ferreira 02:28 Brazilian culture, trust, and CX 05:26 Complaints in Brazil: Reclame Aqui 10:54 Finance as CX’s secret weapon 18:25 First Class Lounge 24:24 Learning from failures in CX 27:16 Turning contact centers into profit centers 29:28 Guest links & wrap-upGuest Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camilaferreiraglobal/ Long Live CX Book: https://amzn.to/4gEgOsv (affiliate link)Listen / Watch / Subscribe Listen: https://www.cxpassport.com Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@cxpassport Newsletter: https://cxpassport.kit.com/signupI'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation.

What's on your mind? Let CX Passport know...How can a small CX team make a big impact inside a giant organization? CX Passport guest Helge Tennø says the answer is simple... hitch your wagon to something bigger.In this episode, Helge challenges CX from every angle. He questions whether “customer” is even the right word, brings anthropology into business, and shows how CX gains influence when human needs and business needs overlap. You’ll also hear about his love for ultra running, his dream of exploring Bangkok, and the pasta dish he cannot stop cooking.What you’ll hear in this episode:Why anthropology belongs in CX strategyThe danger of reducing humans to just “customers”Business design and the overlap of human and company needsWhy you might want to stop saying “CX” altogetherHow to move from engagement metrics to real learning and valueCHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome to Norway 01:34 Change workshops and the human at the center 03:32 Anthropology and ethnography in CX 06:25 Business design explained 10:10 Why sometimes you should stop saying “CX” 13:11 Is CX ripe for disruption? 14:55 From customer centric to system centric 16:10 First Class Lounge 20:13 Why tech transformations fail without the human 22:48 Hitch it to something bigger 25:01 Closing the gap between what vs. why 29:40 Where to find HelgeGuest Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helgetenno/ Medium: https://everythingnewisdangerous.medium.com/Want more CX Passport?...Newsletter: https://cxpassport.kit.com/signupI'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation.

What's on your mind? Let CX Passport know...Some call it doom and gloom for CX. Others say it’s just evolving. But Mike Kendall isn’t giving up on customer experience... he’s rethinking it.From his early days helping define CX at Capital One to leading strategy at big brands and now advising through The Customer Lab, Mike brings a perspective forged by real-world change... and a drummer's rhythm.And yes, you’ll want to hear the story of playing a 2000-year-old castle in Spain.5 first-class insights:Why CX sometimes feels like the uncool cousin of Product... and how to fix thatHow to create cross-functional trust without needing formal authorityWhat’s really behind “CX is dead” chatterThe art of knowing your C-suite’s secret agendaA fresh way to think about CX’s role in driving shareholder, employee and customer valueCHAPTERS 00:00 Internal empathy... not just customer empathy 01:15 CX + product tension: why those teams drift apart 03:00 Technology gap and its role in CX’s “identity crisis” 06:00 Finding your value in a product-driven world 08:50 Building trust across silos 11:00 Speaking the language of results 13:30 Mission over title... create value and then get the title 18:35 First Class Lounge – travel, paella, and brussels sprout rebellion 23:40 Is CX dead... or just evolving? 26:00 The C-suite pendulum: shareholder, employee, customer 27:30 Advice for early CX careers 29:30 Learn more about MikeGuest link: https://www.thecustomerlab.com/🎧 Subscribe at https://cxpassport.com 🎥 Watch at https://www.youtube.com/@CXPassport 📬 Subscribe: https://cxpassport.kit.com/signupI'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation.

What's on your mind? Let CX Passport know...What will customer experience actually look like five years from now?In this *Greatest Hits* episode of CX Passport, Bill Staikos lays out a compelling, grounded vision for the future of customer experience. A seasoned CX executive, advisor, podcaster, and soon-to-be author, Bill combines practical wisdom with future-ready thinking.Originally released as Episode 155, this conversation stood out for its clarity on how CX needs to evolve — moving beyond survey teams and jargon to delivering business-aligned results. Bill breaks down how technology, human-centered design, and executive-level strategy must come together in today’s rapidly changing landscape.CHAPTERS  00:00  CX is a toolkit, not a strategy  04:14  Automation and AI in the CX future  06:00  The four personas of a modern CXO  10:01  AI vs hype: what’s real?  16:33  CX’s reckoning in 2023  19:12  Will CX go the way of Six Sigma?  20:41  First Class Lounge  26:42  Change management that actually works  31:16  How to start: know the business strategyEpisode resources:  Connect with Bill Staikos on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billstaikos  Explore Be Customer Led podcast: https://www.becustomerled.comIf you like CX Passport, I have 3 quick requests:✅ Subscribe to the CX Passport YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@cxpassport  ✅ Join other “CX travelers” with the weekly CX Passport newsletter https://cxpassport.kit.com/signup  ✅ Bring 🎙️🎬 CX Passport Live to your event https://www.cxpassportlive.comI'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.

What's on your mind? Let CX Passport know...From the theater to hedge funds to Alaska Airlines... Tori Signorelli’s path to CX isn’t typical. And that’s exactly what makes her perspective matter.Early in her role at Alaska Airlines, Tori’s fresh eyes are helping evolve the guest journey without losing the human touch. This episode is full of practical, honest CX wisdom... plus a few tasty travel moments.What’s in the episode?Why “healthy businesses are not still”CX orchestration over ownershipVisibility as a survival skill for CX teamsHow global living built deep empathyWhy beautiful design still needs gritty executionCHAPTERS 00:00 Healthy businesses aren't still 01:02 Immersing in airline CX as a newcomer 05:13 “Do no harm”… CX during operational change 08:54 Aligning guest experience with business metrics 11:02 From theater to hedge funds: Tori’s unique CX foundation 15:37 Global living and building global empathy 18:51 First Class Lounge 23:20 Service design isn’t just blueprints 25:38 CX must be visible to be valuableGuest Linkshttps://www.torisignorelli.com/Want more from CX Passport? 🎧 Listen to every episode at https://www.cxpassport.comWatch the conversation unfold 📺 Full video episodes at https://www.youtube.com/@cxpassportGet the weekly CX Passport newsletter 📬 Sign up at https://cxpassport.kit.com/signupI'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.

What's on your mind? Let CX Passport know...Would your customer actually *pay* for the experience you’ve designed?In this *Greatest Hits* episode of CX Passport, Karyn Furstman brings 30+ years of CX and operations expertise to the mic. With a background at brands like Washington Mutual, Safeco, Bank of America, and JPMorgan Chase, Karyn knows how to link customer experience to tangible business results.Originally aired as Episode 203, this conversation stuck with listeners for its clarity on leadership alignment, Lean methodology, and the reality of CX influence, even without a seat at the C-suite table.CHAPTERS  00:00  The customer would pay for it  02:12  Lean and CX in harmony  05:25  CX belongs in operations  08:57  Avoiding the “initiative trap”  11:55  CX influence without formal authority  16:42  Orchestrating CX with or without a team  19:52  First Class Lounge  24:09  Tying CX to financial outcomes  27:16  Make the CFO your best friend  29:58  Why Karyn launched her consulting businessEpisode resources:  Connect with Karyn Furstman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karynfurstman  Learn more about Customers First: https://www.customersfirst.comIf you like CX Passport, I have 3 quick requests:✅ Subscribe to the CX Passport YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@cxpassport  ✅ Join other “CX travelers” with the weekly CX Passport newsletter https://cxpassport.kit.com/signup  ✅ Bring 🎙️🎬 CX Passport Live to your event https://www.cxpassportlive.comI'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.