This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, I’m joined by Sheila Morin, CMO of Coveo, whose career spans L’Oréal, Danone, Cirque du Soleil, and now AI-driven CX at Coveo. Across industries, her focus has remained the same: creating seamless, customer-focused experiences that drive engagement and loyalty. We explore how Coveo helps leading brands like United Airlines, SAP, and Xero thrive with AI, the latest trends in generative AI, and what CX leaders need to know before implementing AI. AI has the power to transform customer experience—but only if it’s built on trusted data and delivers real results. Sheila shares insights on how top companies make AI work, the biggest misconceptions about AI adoption, and why businesses must act now. Tune in to discover how AI is reshaping CX and what it takes to create personalized, frictionless interactions at scale. Thanks to Coveo for sponsoring this episode! Key Takeaways from the Episode 05:25 | Clarifying AI’s Value: How Coveo Drives Relevance at Scale 08:34 | How Coveo’s GenAI Supports Industry Leaders Like United Airlines 17:54 | Businesses Want AI That Delivers Real Results 20:58 | How CX Leaders Can Make AI Work Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer. Follow Blake Morgan on LinkedIn For regular updates on customer experience, sign up for her weekly newsletter here. 

This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, Kimberly Wyman, VP of Customer Support at T-Mobile for Business, shares how operations and customer experience work hand in hand to create a customer-centric culture at scale. With nearly 20 years at T-Mobile—she’s seen firsthand how empowered employees and streamlined operations drive exceptional customer service. The conversation explores the balance between CX investments and business impact, the role of AI in enhancing human interactions, and how T-Mobile empowers employees at all levels to take ownership of the customer experience. Listen now for insights on building a scalable, customer-centric culture through smart operations and innovation. Top 5 Takeaways from the Episode 📌 2:27 | Customer-Centric Culture at T-Mobile 📌 5:28 | Operations as a CX Advantage 📌 7:02 | Customer-Centric vs. Business Impact 📌 9:08 | The Ultimate Problem-Solving Question 📌 16:45 | Using AI to Enhance Human-Centered Customer Support Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer. Follow Blake Morgan on LinkedIn For regular updates on customer experience, sign up for her weekly newsletter here. 

This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, speaker, author, and trainer Jeff Toister—creator of The Service Culture Guide and multiple LinkedIn Learning courses on customer service and leadership—shares insights on building a strong service culture. With years of experience studying what makes customer-focused teams thrive, Jeff offers practical strategies to improve service without overwhelming employees. The conversation covers his 5-5-5 training method, a simple yet effective framework that helps teams develop better service skills in just 15 minutes a week. Jeff also explains why clarity is essential to great customer service, how empowering frontline employees can cut escalations by 50%, and what sets top-performing CX organizations apart. 🎧 Tune in now to discover how small, consistent changes can drive big improvements in customer experience! 📍 Learn more about Jeff Toister’s 5-5-5 approach at https://www.toistersolutions.com/blog/5-5-5-approach Key Insights from the Conversation 01:13 – The Impact of One Customer Interaction 05:37 – Using Data to Enhance Training and Efficiency 06:50 – Why Clarity is the Foundation of Great Service 11:56 – The 5-5-5 Training Method: Small Steps, Big Impact 17:01 – How Small Adjustments Can Reduce Escalations by 50%   Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer. Follow Blake Morgan on LinkedIn For regular updates on customer experience, sign up for her weekly newsletter here. 

This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, Kristi Faltorusso, Chief Customer Officer at ClientSuccess, joins me to discuss how she’s transforming customer success through personalization, relationships, and AI. With over a decade of experience, Kristi has helped SaaS companies build impactful customer success programs that drive results. Kristi shares how to design personalized customer journeys, leverage AI tools like ChatGPT to enhance workflows, and foster genuine connections that build trust and loyalty. She also dives into how leaders can create authentic content to connect with their audience and adapt to the challenges of a changing SaaS landscape. From balancing authenticity and professionalism to rethinking workflows for AI integration, this episode is packed with actionable insights. 🎧 Tune in now to learn how to elevate your customer success strategy and deliver better results for your clients! Key Highlights for Easy Listening: 03:35 What Makes Customer Success Different from Customer Service 08:02 Rethinking Workflows: Guiding Customers to Unlock AI’s True Potential 08:51 Actionable Tips for Creating Engaging Content 11:55 Balancing Authenticity and Professionalism in Personal Branding 14:14 SaaS Predictions: What’s Ahead for CX and Tech Companies Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer. Follow Blake Morgan on LinkedIn For regular updates on customer experience, sign up for her weekly newsletter here. 

This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, Megan Burns—a Fortune 500 advisor and keynote speaker with over 20 years of experience—joins me to share how she’s helped companies like Microsoft, Dow, Workday, FedEx, Akamai, DHL, Verizon, and AT&T build customer-centric cultures and deliver exceptional experiences at scale. Megan dives into the foundational role of trust in customer experience—and why it’s essential for building lasting relationships. She shares actionable strategies for simplifying complexity, breaking down silos, and fostering trust across organizations. Megan also explains how companies can tackle the operational challenges that come with growth and align their teams to better meet customer needs.  From measuring trust through transparency and reliability to creating a culture that prioritizes connection, this conversation is packed with practical insights.  🎧 Tune in now to learn how to make trust the cornerstone of your customer experience strategy—and empower your teams to deliver it! Key Highlights from the Conversation: 02:41 Customer Experience vs. Customer Trust 04:48 The Limits of Empathy  08:12 Consistently Good, Strategically Amazing 11:43 Creating a Customer-Centric Culture 14:57 What Companies Fear About Customer Feedback 17:57 Why Trust Drives Growth 19:51 Measuring Customer Trust    Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer. Follow Blake Morgan on LinkedIn For regular updates on customer experience, sign up for her weekly newsletter here. 

This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, Gadi Shamia—Co-founder and CEO of Replicant—shares his expertise on building a customer-centric AI strategy that delivers real results. From starting small with AI adoption to automating impactful call flows and scaling strategically, Gadi breaks down the steps leaders can take to unlock efficiency, empower agents, and improve customer experiences. He also highlights how AI is reshaping the contact center workforce, creating a future where agents handle high-value, complex interactions while automation tackles the rest.  Whether you're navigating AI adoption or looking to future-proof your CX strategy, this episode is packed with actionable insights for smarter, faster progress. 🎧 Tune in now to discover how to embrace AI’s potential and build a CX strategy that evolves with your business! This episode of The Modern Customer Podcast is sponsored by Replicant.  Key Highlights from the Conversation: 00:00 Introduction and Background 03:57 AI's Impact on Contact Centers 07:27 From Script to Spirit 09:36 A Strategic Approach to AI Adoption 11:57 Next-Gen QA with Conversation Intelligence 17:36 The Future Contact Center Workforce 25:24 Rapid Fire Questions with Gadi Shamia Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer. Follow Blake Morgan on LinkedIn For regular updates on customer experience, sign up for her weekly newsletter here. 

This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, Josh Linkner—globally recognized innovation expert, bestselling author, tech entrepreneur, and professional jazz guitarist—shares his insights on how leaders can unlock creativity, overcome fear-driven barriers, and build a culture where bold ideas thrive. From embracing AI as a co-pilot to applying frameworks like the 'To-Test List' and 'Judo Flip,' Josh shares actionable strategies for tackling challenges with creativity and adaptability. Whether leading teams or enhancing customer interactions, this conversation delivers practical insights to spark bold innovation. 🎧 Tune in now to start 2025 with a mindset of bold innovation and fearless creativity!  👉 Visit https://joshlinkner.com/ to learn more about Josh Linkner and his work.   Key Highlights for Easy Listening: 01:57 Balancing Automation with Human Compassion in Customer Service 03:28 Turning Challenges into Opportunities with Creative Problem-Solving 05:28 Using the 'To-Test List' and 'Judo Flip' to Drive Creative Problem-Solving 08:52 Driving Innovation Through Small, Manageable Steps 09:55 The Power of Empathy, Artistry, and Emotional Intelligence 11:25 Create Memorable, Human-Centered Customer Interactions 14:59 Cultivating a Creative Mindset for Problem-Solving 17:25 How Leaders Can Build a Culture of Safety, Creativity, and Bold Innovation 22:29 Rapid Fire Questions with Josh Linkner   Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer. Follow Blake Morgan on LinkedIn For regular updates on customer experience, sign up for her weekly newsletter here. 

The U.S. hotel industry saw occupancy rates reach 67% in October 2024 (Statista, 2024). In such a high-demand period, success isn’t just about elegant rooms or luxurious amenities—it’s about how every guest feels during their stay. In this episode of The Modern Customer podcast, Bashar Wali, Founder & CEO of This Assembly and Practice Hospitality, shares his expertise on crafting exceptional guest experiences through emotional intelligence, authentic connections, and a culture of care. Drawing from decades of experience, Bashar dives into the power of hiring the right people, turning routine interactions into meaningful moments, and addressing guest feedback with transparency and empathy. Whether it’s building team loyalty or creating memorable experiences, this conversation offers actionable insights every hospitality professional can apply right away. Tune in now to discover how emotional intelligence and a people-first approach are redefining hospitality success.   Key Highlights for Easy Listening: 05:31 The Power of Emotional Intelligence in Building Hospitality Teams  07:53 Understanding Emotional Connections: Love Languages in Guest Experiences  12:29 Memorable vs Transactional Experiences: What Truly Matters to Guests  15:07 Service Recovery: Addressing Bad Reviews with Transparency  18:53 Creating a Culture of Care: Retaining Top Talent in Hospitality  21:27 Key Takeaways and Final Thoughts on Elevating Guest Experiences   Learn more about Bashar Wali and his work at hotelier.life.   Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer. Follow Blake Morgan on LinkedIn For regular updates on customer experience, sign up for her weekly newsletter here. 

This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, Meridith Elliott Powell—an award-winning sales keynote speaker and master certified business growth strategist—reveals how embracing uncertainty can fuel growth, resilience, and success in both life and business. With over 600,000 learners completing her LinkedIn course, Meridith shares powerful insights on mindset shifts, the often-overlooked power of small details, and actionable strategies for entering 2025 with clarity, purpose, and momentum. If you're ready to turn uncertainty into your greatest advantage and step confidently into the new year, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss! Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.

This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, Damon Covey, General Manager of Unified Communications and Collaboration at GoTo, dives into how unified communication tools are elevating customer experience in modern contact centers. Damon shares how GoTo enables businesses to meet customers on their preferred channels—whether it’s SMS, social media, or web chat—fostering deeper connections and creating seamless experiences. From simplifying IT operations to leveraging AI for faster agent onboarding and smarter workflows, GoTo equips businesses with the tools to deliver efficient and meaningful interactions. If you’re looking to enhance customer experience and stay ahead in the evolving world of modern contact centers, this episode is a must-listen! Key Highlights for Easy Listening: 04:47 Why Unified Communication Is Critical to Simplify Customer Interactions 08:41 How to Bridge the Gap in Customer Service Using Better Tools 12:49 What Challenges Arise When Setting Up Communication Channels Like SMS, Social Media, and Web Chat in Contact Centers 18:46 The Intersection of AI Implementation and Change Management 21:35 The Future of Contact Centers and the Transformative Role of Conversational AI This episode of The Modern Customer Podcast is sponsored by GoTo. Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.