The Experience Edge

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 captivating discussion, Bill Staikos, a globally recognized CX leader with over 20 years in financial services and tech, shares insights on the evolution of customer experience. He emphasizes the importance of aligning CX with business strategy and leveraging AI for better orchestration. Bill elaborates on overcoming silos and creating actionable insights to drive real value. He also previews his upcoming podcast, The Multimodal Experience, exploring how emerging technologies will reshape our interactions with brands.

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 has become outdated and often fails to drive real change. Discover why over 80% of these maps miss the mark due to a lack of ownership. Journey management is introduced as a solution for continuous improvement and accountability. Learn how AI plays a crucial role in turning data into actionable insights, eliminating customer pain points. Find out how leading companies enhance customer experience by adopting journey governance for measurable results.

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