Experts of Experience

What happens to marketing when AI controls the entire purchase funnel?Steven Van Belleghem, global CX thought leader, keynote speaker, and author, joins us to unpack how AI isn’t just changing workflows, it’s rapidly  transforming customer decision-making itself.Uncover how customer expectations are shifting, how brands can prepare for AI-powered shopping assistants, and why the brands of the future must be search-visible, review-backed, and emotionally resonant. Steven warns that most companies are only focused on internal AI efficiencies… while ignoring how customer journeys are being upended in real time.We also explore his framework for “The Offer You Can’t Refuse,” why authenticity is overrated, and what a 1% human experience should look like when everything else is automated. If you're a CX leader, marketer, or executive wondering what to do when the funnel disappears and your customers outsource their decisions to algorithms—this is the conversation you can't afford to miss. Key Moments:00:00 The Rise of LLMs in Search and Their Impact04:29 Introducing Steven Van Belleghem, CX Expert, Author, and Keynote Speaker07:22 Steven's Journey: From Family Business to AI Expert13:22 The Future of AI in Customer Experience and Branding34:55 Steven’s Four Pillars of Success37:26 Examples of European Companies Excelling in Customer Experience40:12 The Power of Small Changes in Customer Experience46:51 Authenticity vs. Artificial Experiences51:49 The Impact of AI on Customer Experience55:10 Leadership's Role in Customer-Centric Culture01:02:06 Lightning Round: Steven’s Personal Inspirations and Advice –Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Think cybersecurity is just an IT issue? Think again. Eden Data founder & CEO, Taylor Hersom, joins us to expose how security is no longer just about avoiding breaches — it's a powerful tool for building customer trust, boosting sales, and standing out in a crowded market.He shares why smart companies are making cybersecurity part of the brand conversation and how marketing and CX leaders can leverage security to win hearts (and wallets). We also dig into the uncomfortable truth that most data breaches aren’t the work of sophisticated hackers — they’re caused by everyday human mistakes.From the surprising details behind the Coinbase breach to the silent risks of AI misuse, Taylor pulls back the curtain on what’s really threatening your customer experience. If you think your team is in the clear, this episode might change your mind. Key Moments:00:00 Who is Taylor Hersom, Founder & CEO of Eden Data?04:39 Taylor's Journey to Cybersecurity07:49 Building & Scaling Eden Data29:53 Current Cybersecurity Threats39:20 Client Engagement and Cybersecurity as a Sales Strategy45:56 Cybersecurity Training and Human Error47:54 Leveraging AI in Cybersecurity50:32 Future Threats and Everyday Security Tips57:43 Recovering Trust After a Data Breach59:35 Building a Culture of Cybersecurity –Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if the secret to standout marketing wasn’t found in a campaign, but in a customer service moment?Lacey Peace sits down with Geoff Ramm — international keynote speaker and author of Celebrity Service — to explore how the best marketing tomorrow starts with exceptional service today.From Jedi-costumed taxi drivers to viral hospitality wins, Geoff shares real-world stories that reveal how unexpected, personalized touches can elevate a brand beyond "five-star service" into unforgettable.But Geoff doesn’t just inspire — he equips. Learn his five-word strategy for creating a culture of “celebrity service,” how a spontaneous question on stage sparked a 20-year philosophy, and why AI should handle the mundane so your team can deliver the magical. Key Moments: 01:19: How Marriott Turned a Lost Toy Into a Viral CX Win05:15: Meet Geoff Ramm: The Mind Behind “Celebrity Service”14:48: Where “Celebrity Service” Began: A Moment That Changed Everything27:47: How to Implement Celebrity-Level Customer Experience29:22: Why Most CX Fails: The Time Commitment Gap30:18: Designing a Visual Space That Fuels CX Innovation32:44: The 120-Second Challenge: A Proven Method for Fresh CX Ideas37:16: From Brainstorm to Buy-In: Turning Ideas Into Action38:12: Driving Team Engagement Through Recognition & Ownership40:03: CX That Converts: Case Studies from Avon, IHG & More54:25: Personalized CX That Sticks: Geoff’s Most Powerful Stories –Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Is your customer experience too easy? According to Dr. Joseph Michelli — psychologist, author of 13 books, and consultant to brands like Starbucks, Mercedes-Benz, and Ritz-Carlton — that could actually be the problem. Dr. Joseph Michelli joins Lacey to dismantle the myth of “effortless” CX and make the bold claim: CX might not survive unless we get a lot more human… and a little more emotional.Want your customers to care? They need to struggle (just a little). Want your team to win with AI? Teach your bots emotional intelligence. Deep, funny, a little existential — this conversation is for CX pros, tech optimists, and anyone who’s ever asked, "Wait… did that chatbot just gaslight me?"Tune in to hear why Joseph says, “All business is personal,” and what brands must do now to build human connection at scale.Key Moments: 00:00 Customer Effort vs. Ease, AI in CX, & Introducing Dr. Joseph Michelli05:10 From Psychology to Business Consulting10:59 The Art and Science of Customer Experience24:04 The Balance Between Effort and Ease39:35 The Service Recovery Paradox40:03 Handling Friction in Customer Relationships42:34 Generational Differences in Technology Adoption46:41 Emotional Intelligence in AI Interactions01:11:32 Impressive CX & Key Advice for CX Leaders –Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

“Brand is the promise, the experience is the reality.” This week, Lacey Peace sits down with Abhii Parakh, Head of Customer Experience at Prudential Financial, to unpack exactly how the 150 year old legacy brand created a scalable culture of empathy, innovation, and action. From defining what CX really means to implementing belief-driven rituals and artifacts, Abhii shares a behind-the-scenes look at Prudential’s remarkable shift.You’ll hear how Prudential turned feedback from a single paper-fatigued customer into a multi-year digital transformation, why they built a champion network of 100+ internal customer advocates, and how they're blending human insight with emerging AI technologies to drive predictive customer experiences. This isn’t about generic platitudes — it’s about measurable change, internal momentum, and leadership buy-in.If you're leading CX at scale, battling organizational silos, or just wondering how to make customer experience more than a department, this is the episode you’ve been waiting for. Subscribe for more insider conversations with the most customer-obsessed minds in business. Key Moments:  00:00 Who is Abhii Parakh, CSM at Prudential?04:56 Building a Customer-Centric Culture10:19 Scaling Customer Experience Globally13:58 Three Elements of Culture: Artifacts, Rituals & Beliefs28:05 Impact of Predictive Analytics & Debunking NPS35:22 Adopting AI at Prudential: Challenges, Success & Predictions45:23 The Difference Between Generative AI & Agentic AI 50:27 Future of AI and Ethical Considerations –Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happens when a marketing leader decides to halt 90% of content output? For Ben Taylor, Director of Revenue Marketing and Customer Journeys at Cisco, it wasn’t a gamble—it was a strategy. In this refreshingly candid episode, Ben makes the case that content marketing is (and should be) dead and explains how empathy mapping, design thinking, and intentional "awkward silence" amongst his marketing & CX teams have become his new north star. We dive into how Ben transformed Cisco’s approach to customer experience by prioritizing deep understanding over high-volume output — and saw 5x pipeline growth as a result. From redefining how marketing supports sales to slowing down in order to speed up, this episode challenges everything you thought you knew about B2B engagement. If you’re tired of creating content for content’s sake, this one’s your permission slip to stop, rethink, and rebuild. Key Moments: 00:00 How Cisco's Ben Taylor Is Redefining Customer Experience03:17 Why Marketing Is Core to the Entire Customer Journey07:23 Content Marketing Is Dead: Here’s What Works Instead13:25 How Design Thinking Transformed Cisco’s Marketing29:36 Can AI Be Empathetic? The Real Challenge in CX Automation36:23 Using Empathy Mapping to Build Better B2B Campaigns38:19 Agile Marketing: Faster Cycles, Smarter Strategy45:34 Hiring for Fit: Why Empathy Matters More Than Pedigree52:15 The Emotional Core of Customer Experience Strategy01:01:56 Breaking Silos: Aligning Marketing, Sales & Success –Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What does it really take to build an AI-powered customer experience from the ground up?Lacey Peace sits down with Katie Bianchi, Chief Customer Officer at Palo Alto Networks, to unpack how her team rebuilt support systems for the AI era — eliminating handoffs, reducing resolution time by over 40%, and transforming how their teams work.Katie walks through their phased AI implementation strategy, from data unification and process re-architecture to training internal copilots capable of diagnosing the most complex cases. She shares why tight alignment between product, IT, and customer success is now a non-negotiable, and how empowering frontline employees to lead experimentation created real transformation.Plus, Katie gets candid about what she would’ve done differently, why NPS might be obsolete, and how AI is becoming the operating system for work itself. Whether you're navigating digital transformation or trying to unite siloed teams, this episode offers a clear, tactical, and deeply human roadmap to scaling customer experience in the age of AI. Key Moments:00:00 Meet AI-Expert Katie Bianchi, CCO at Palo Alto Networks01:31 Why Dirty Data Is Killing Your AI Strategy02:46 AI Adoption Starts with Empowered Employees06:49 Joining a Cybersecurity Giant During Peak Disruption08:41 Step-by-Step: How Palo Alto Networks Rolled Out AI14:17 Building a Culture of Rapid Experimentation21:50 What AI Agents Can Do in Tech Support Right Now23:12 What We’d Do Differently: Lessons from the Frontlines of AI25:47 End-to-End Automation: Connecting Pre- and Post-Sales27:38 Smarter CX: Turning Data Into Actionable Insights36:41 Rethinking Metrics: How to Measure AI’s Real Impact39:17 From Reactive to Proactive: Real AI Customer Wins41:26 AI as Your New Operating System: What’s Next  –Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode’s a little different — and kind of emotional. Lauren Wood, our incredible host since day one, is passing the mic to the amazing Lacey Peace. Before she signs off, Lauren reflects on the wild ride: 75+ episodes, millions of downloads, and countless insights about CX, AI, and leadership. Lacey, who’s helped produce over 35 shows and reach 45+ million listeners as part of the Mission.org team, shares what drew her to the show (hint: she’s a storytelling nerd in the best way) and what she’s excited to explore next — from small business CX wins to how AI is quietly reshaping the employee experience. It’s a thoughtful, fun, and inspiring handoff that sets the stage for a bold new chapter. Tune in to discover the incoming shifts in the show’s guests, topics, segments, and more. Key Moments: 00:00: Passing the Mic to a New Host00:42: Lessons from 75+ CX Interviews: Lauren Wood’s Farewell Insights01:42: Meet Lacey Peace: New Host with 45M+ Podcast Listener Reach02:41: Building Brand Trust Through Storytelling and Customer Journey Mapping03:47: Why Customer Experience Strategy Belongs to Every Business Function07:32: The Role of AI in Scaling B2B Customer Experience and Success Operations14:54: Empowering Teams: How Leadership and Employee Experience Drive CX18:46: B2B Lightning Round: Actionable CX Takeaways for Marketing, Product, and IT –Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Another Agentforce Guinea Pig has joined the show… She’s here to tell you if you think rolling out AI is as easy as flipping a switch, think again.From early mistakes to surprising wins, Laura Meschi, Customer Experience Manager at Secret Escapes, walks us through what it actually takes to train an AI agent that can truly support customers.We dive into why ROI isn't the best measure of AI success, how customer effort scores skyrocketed after launching Agent Force, and why CX leaders need to start simple and think long-term. Laura also pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to train an AI agent — and why you absolutely shouldn’t DIY your rollout.If you’re a B2B leader wondering how AI agents fit into the future of customer success, this conversation will hit home. Key Moments: 00:00: Laura Meschi’s AI Agent Rollout at Secret Escapes02:45: Secret Escapes’ Agentforce: Lessons from a First-Mover11:14: Surprise Wins and the Underrated Power of Human QA16:41: How Agentforce Reshaped the CX Team (Without Cutting Headcount)22:26: Guardrails, Limits, and Finding the Sweet Spot for AI Use Cases26:30: Why Clean, Centralized Data Is the Real AI Superpower27:18: Don’t DIY Your AI: The Case for Bringing in Experts29:58: How AI Improved CES and Transformed Customer Perception34:50: What’s Next: Future AI Strategies and Upcoming Salesforce Tools37:21: Reimagining CX: Using AI to Build Relationships, Not Just Efficiency40:37: Start Simple, Prioritize Data, and Train for the Long Game  –Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Agentic AI isn’t coming — it’s here and already changing everything.Irina Gutman, Global Leader of AI Professional Services at Salesforce, breaks down what agentic AI really is and why it’s a huge leap beyond predictive and generative AI. We get into why your first AI agent should be boring (and repeatable), and why building the tech is easy compared to rewiring your people, processes, and leadership models.Irina shares why businesses need strong guardrails, real operating models, and why AI adoption without organizational readiness is a recipe for disaster. We also talk about the skills humans actually need to stay relevant, how to spot hidden risks, and why the future belongs to companies who rethink their structure — not just their tools. Key Moments: 00:00:  Irina Gutman Explains Salesforce’s AI Agents03:03: Predictive, Generative, and Agentic AI — What's the Difference?05:20: How Agentic AI Thinks and Acts08:32: Chatbots vs. AI Agents: Why It Matters14:22: The 5 Building Blocks of an AI Agent18:13: Organizational Readiness: New Skills, New Roles22:26: The Right Way to Start with AI Agents26:27: Future-Proof Your AI Strategy29:53: Rethinking the Operating Model for AI32:45: Upskilling is Non-Negotiable35:14: Vendors Can Help You Be AI-Ready36:25: Rethinking Change Management for Agentic AI42:38: What’s Next: Multi-Agent Collaboration48:09: Building AI Responsibly: Guardrails and Risk51:39: Real-World AI: A Standout Customer Experience  –Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.