The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®: Expert Mode Marketing Technology, AI, & CX

While there is much focus on the overall customer experience, the post purchase experience doesn’t always get the attention it needs—and deserves—as retailers focus heavily on customer acquisition and getting the sale, but post purchase is the key to building lifelong customer relationships.Today we’re going to talk about how to create a great post-purchase experience, what some of the key elements are, and what retailers need to be thinking about next.To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Colleen Coulter, SVP, Customer Success and Experience at Route.Colleen Coulter leads Route’s Customer Success and Experience teams. She’s focused on helping brands and shoppers generate significant value from Route’s post-purchase e-commerce solutions. Prior to Route, Colleen led the travel advertising business at Meta, partnering with the world’s largest travel brands to grow their business and helping to architect travel solutions across Facebook and Instagram. She previously worked at the Boston Consulting Group, working across industries on growth strategies and profitability improvement. Colleen earned her master's in business administration from Stanford's Graduate School of Business and a bachelor's degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from the University of Pennsylvania. She is based in New York with her husband and two sons.RESOURCESRoute website: https://route.com/Don't miss Medallia Experience 2025, March 24-26 in Las Vegas: Registration is now available: https://cvent.me/AmO1k0Use code MEDEXP25 for $200 off registrationWix Studio is the ultimate web platform for creative, fast-paced teams at agencies and enterprises—with smart design tools, flexible dev capabilities, full-stack business solutions, multi-site management, advanced AI and fully managed infrastructure. https://www.wix.com/studioRegister now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price.Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnowThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

What if one of the biggest tech giants in the world was dismantled? With the DOJ’s antitrust decision on Google just days away, are we on the brink of a seismic shift in how we access information and advertise online?Today, we’re exploring the potential breakup of Google and its implications for consumers, advertisers, and publishers with Steven Read, Chief Product Officer at adMarketplace. We’ll discuss what this historic antitrust case could mean for innovation and competition in the search advertising space.About Steven ReadSteven Read is the Chief Product Officer at adMarketplace, the open web search advertising company. He previously worked at Rokt, where he was responsible for product management, business analytics, and product marketing. He’s also consulted for firms such as Accenture and Boston Consulting Group.ResourcesAdmarketplace: https://www.admarketplace.com/Wix Studio is the ultimate web platform for creative, fast-paced teams at agencies and enterprises—with smart design tools, flexible dev capabilities, full-stack business solutions, multi-site management, advanced AI and fully managed infrastructure. https://www.wix.com/studioDon't miss Medallia Experience 2025, March 24-26 in Las Vegas: Registration is now available: https://cvent.me/AmO1k0 Use code MEDEXP25 for $200 off registrationRegister now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price.Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnowThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

How many times have you felt misunderstood by customer service? Imagine if your brand could solve every communication barrier, regardless of language, in real-time. Could that transform your customer experience?Welcome to today’s episode, where we’re discussing how to break down language barriers in customer service with Mike Clifton, and Max Schwendner, both Co-CEOs at Alorica.RESOURCESAlorica: https://www.alorica.comWix Studio is the ultimate web platform for creative, fast-paced teams at agencies and enterprises—with smart design tools, flexible dev capabilities, full-stack business solutions, multi-site management, advanced AI and fully managed infrastructure. https://www.wix.com/studioDon't miss Medallia Experience 2025, March 24-26 in Las Vegas: Registration is now available: https://cvent.me/AmO1k0Use code MEDEXP25 for $200 off registrationRegister now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price.Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnowThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

What if your customers are staying silent after a bad experience - or even a good one for that matter? If you’re waiting for feedback to drive improvement, the silence might already be costing you more than you think.Today we’re exploring the future of customer feedback with Isabelle Zdatny, Head of Thought Leadership at the XM Institute at Qualtrics. We’ll dive into the findings from Qualtrics' 2025 Consumer Trends Report, the challenges of the “feedback recession,” and the role technology could play in shaping the future of customer insights.As Head of Thought Leadership with Qualtrics XM Institute, Isabelle helps Experience Management (XM) professionals make sense of the complex, evolving XM landscape so they can do their jobs with more confidence and success. She produces industry-leading content on XM trends and best practices, develops and delivers training, advises organizations on the design and execution of their CX and EX programs, and speaks on key XM topics and trends.RESOURCESQualtrics: https://www.qualtrics.comQualtrics 2025 Global Consumer Trends Report: https://www.qualtrics.com/ebooks-guides/customer-experience-trends/XM Institute: https://www.xminstitute.com/Wix Studio is the ultimate web platform for creative, fast-paced teams at agencies and enterprises—with smart design tools, flexible dev capabilities, full-stack business solutions, multi-site management, advanced AI and fully managed infrastructure. https://www.wix.com/studioConnect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnowThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Welcome to today’s episode where going to talk about AI agents as well as the intersection of artificial intelligence and marketing with Raj Rikhy, Principal Product Manager at Microsoft. We’ll explore the functionalities and strategic uses of AI agents and how marketers can leverage them to enhance their initiatives.About Raj RikhyAs a Principal Product Manager at Microsoft, I have over six years of experience in developing and delivering innovative products that utilize Generative AI technologies, including Language Models (LLMs), to enhance data science and engineering capabilities for Microsoft Fabric. My mission is to empower customers and partners with cutting-edge AI solutions that solve complex and high-impact problems across various domains and industries.I collaborate with engineering teams, data scientists, customers, and partners to identify customer needs and market opportunities, define product requirements and roadmaps, and manage the entire product life cycle, from conception to launch. Previously, I was a Principal Product Manager at Microsoft Project Bonsai, a cloud-based deep reinforcement learning platform for industrial control systems. I also have a strong background in Data Science and Deep Learning, having worked as a Group Technical Product Manager for the Global Chief Data Office at IBM, where I enabled the end-to-end user experience for Data Scientists and Data Engineers, and scaled the adoption of distributed deep learning frameworks and tools.RESOURCESMicrosoft website: https://www.microsoft.comWix Studio is the ultimate web platform for creative, fast-paced teams at agencies and enterprises—with smart design tools, flexible dev capabilities, full-stack business solutions, multi-site management, advanced AI and fully managed infrastructure. https://www.wix.com/studio Register now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price.Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnowThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Are your employees afraid that AI will take their jobs, or maybe not even something as extreme as that but still uknown? As AI transforms the workplace, understanding how to make your teams feel more comfortable with these tools might be the key to your organization’s success.Today we’re exploring how AI literacy can transform the workplace with Jason Lapp, CEO of Beautiful.ai. We’ll dive into survey findings that reveal employee fears around AI and discuss strategies for dispelling those fears while integrating AI tools effectively.RESOURCESBeautiful.ai website: Beautiful.aiWix Studio is the ultimate web platform for creative, fast-paced teams at agencies and enterprises—with smart design tools, flexible dev capabilities, full-stack business solutions, multi-site management, advanced AI and fully managed infrastructure. https://www.wix.com/studioRegister now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price.Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnowThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Are you keeping up with the changing payment preferences of your customers? From Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) to digital wallets, if your payment strategy isn’t evolving, you might be missing out on where your customers want to be.Welcome to today’s episode, where we’re exploring the rapidly changing landscape of online payments with Will Mavromichalis, Director of Sales, Identity and Fraud at Kount, an Equifax Company.We’ll dive into the technology and generational shifts impacting payment behaviors, and discuss how retailers can stay ahead of the curve while managing fraud risks.William Mavromichalis is a 10-year technology sales veteran and has been with Kount for the past five years. During his time at Kount, Will has held a variety of roles geared towards revenue growth and strategic partnerships. As a sales leader, Will is focused on growing the global footprint for Kount and Equifax by leading a team of seasoned account executives. While leadership is his passion, Will enjoys rolling up his sleeves with his team to solve the complex identity and fraud business challenges that merchants face on a day-to-day basis.When he is not working you can find Will spending quality time with his wife Kathryn, and two daughters Mila, and Viola.RESOURCESKount website: https://kount.com/Wix Studio is the ultimate web platform for creative, fast-paced teams at agencies and enterprises—with smart design tools, flexible dev capabilities, full-stack business solutions, multi-site management, advanced AI and fully managed infrastructure. https://www.wix.com/studioRegister now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price.Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnowThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Are you prepared for the next wave of retail disruption? The rules of commerce are being rewritten as you’re listening to this show even, and if you’re still relying on traditional platforms, you may be missing out on what’s next.Today we’re exploring the future of retail with Teddy Solomon, Co-Founder and COO of Fizz. We’ll dive into the shifting retail habits of Gen Z, the rise of peer-to-peer marketplaces, and how Fizz is building a community-centered platform for this next generation of consumers.ABOUT TEDDY SOLOMONTeddy Solomon is a Stanford dropout and the co-founder of Fizz, a Gen-Z platform fostering authentic connections on 240 college campuses. Fizz’s newest release, Fizz Marketplace, is satisfying Gen-Z’s hunger for peer-to-peer commerce, a space formerly occupied by eBay and Facebook Marketplace.RESOURCESFizz website: https://www.fizz.socialWix Studio is the ultimate web platform for creative, fast-paced teams at agencies and enterprises—with smart design tools, flexible dev capabilities, full-stack business solutions, multi-site management, advanced AI and fully managed infrastructure. https://www.wix.com/studioAttend the Mid-Atlantic MarCom Summit, the region's largest marketing communications conference. Register with the code "Agile" and get 15% off.Register now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price.Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnowThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Today, we’re going to talk about the evolution of consumer technology and the impact of AI on marketing with Melissa Waters, Chief Marketing Officer at Upwork. Melissa has been instrumental in some of the most significant industry shifts, from digital music at Pandora to ridesharing at Lyft and more. Today, she'll share her insights on the intersection of AI, consumer expectations, and branding.Melissa has been the driving force behind some of the most significant consumer technology behavioral shifts, from the rise of digital music at Pandora, to ridesharing at Lyft, to telehealth at hims & hers and social media at Meta. With Melissa being at the forefront of these industry shifts, she can share her expertise on how AI is reshaping consumer expectations and how the marketing and branding industry is pivoting in response.RESOURCESUpwork website: https://www.upwork.comWix Studio is the ultimate web platform for creative, fast-paced teams at agencies and enterprises—with smart design tools, flexible dev capabilities, full-stack business solutions, multi-site management, advanced AI and fully managed infrastructure. https://www.wix.com/studioAttend the Mid-Atlantic MarCom Summit, the region's largest marketing communications conference. Register with the code "Agile" and get 15% off.Register now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price.Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnowThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

In this special episode, brought to you by Landrum Talent Solutions, a national recruiting firm specializing in marketing and HR positions, we’re going to talk about a few things today, including the state of the job market and how elections, the economy, and AI are affecting the plans that hiring managers and job seekers are making for 2025.RESOURCESLandrum Talent Solutions website: https://landrumtalentsolutions.com/Wix Studio is the ultimate web platform for creative, fast-paced teams at agencies and enterprises—with smart design tools, flexible dev capabilities, full-stack business solutions, multi-site management, advanced AI and fully managed infrastructure. https://www.wix.com/studioAttend the Mid-Atlantic MarCom Summit, the region's largest marketing communications conference. Register with the code "Agile" and get 15% off.Register now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price.Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnowThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company