Doing Customer eXperience Right‬ In The AI Era | Stacy Sherman

Most leaders assume their customers won't leave as long as the price is fair and the service works. Michelle Musgrove of Washington Gas and I agree that is a dangerous assumption. A customer with no other option is not the same as a loyal one. Confuse the two: the process keeps serving the company instead of the customer, nobody follows up directly, and the first real alternative wins them over. So what separates the companies that retain customers for years from those that lose them as soon as a competitor enters the market? This episode is for leaders in both situations: those already competing for customers, and those whose industry has never had them until now. What You Will Learn: Why adding more AI to the customer experience problem is not the answer, even when your technology budget is growing What the difference between customer experience and customer service actually means in practice, and why companies that confuse the two stay in a reactive cycle How to get CX right the first time by identifying which issues repeat, what drives them, and where the process breaks before a customer ever contacts you Why progress on first-contact resolution matters more than waiting for a perfect solution, and how to build on incremental gains How to build a business case for CX investment in a regulated environment where every dollar requires justification Why CSAT alone does not give an accurate picture of the customer experience, and what NPS open-ended responses, customer effort score, and third-party benchmarks reveal that a satisfaction score cannot How to get every employee across every role to take accountability for the customer experience, regardless of whether they interact with customers directly Where AI helps frontline teams serve customers faster by handling routine work, and where leaders are confusing automation with culture change Have a question or thoughts to share? Leave a voice message: https://www.speakpipe.com/StacySherman Learn more at DoingCXRight.com and subscribe to the newsletter for more actionable strategies.

Most companies think investing in the latest technology will set them apart. While AI handles simple, routine inquiries, Nate Spears of ClearSource explains why software alone fails to deliver: everyone now has access to the exact same tools. As automation takes over basic tasks, frontline agents are left to manage complex, stressful customer interactions that require genuine human skill. So what actually separates companies with deeply loyal customers from those relying on the same equipment as everyone else? In this episode of Doing CX Right, you'll learn 5 practical strategies to attract top talent and strengthen your frontline. This episode is for any leader who wants to build the ultimate leadership advantage AI cannot replicate: a winning culture that inspires people to give their best because of how you lead them. Actionable Takeaways Start hiring differently this week. Replace "tell us about your greatest achievement" with "tell me about a time you worked hard for something," and "tell me about a time you got feedback you did not like." Listen for humble, hungry, and smart. Then promote the people who exhibit these traits and remove those who set a standard of mediocrity. Audit your environment for friction. Walk through the policies and processes your team interacts with daily. Which ones make their job easier? Which ones make it harder? Pick one policy or process that is creating friction and change it this week. Then ask your team what else is in the way. Reframe one metric. Pick your most feared KPI, probably handle time. Sit down with your leaders and answer this: What is the right amount of time to actually help this customer well? Make that your target. When someone misses it, ask what got in the way instead of why they broke the rule. Measure feelings at key moments. Start asking customers one question at three specific moments in their journey: how do you feel right now? Track the trend. You will find the actual problems, and they will not be where your current metrics point. Model discretionary effort for your team first. Commit to one one-on-one per week without canceling. Show up early to solve a problem one of your people is facing. Demonstrate what discretionary effort looks like before asking them to give it to customers. And more as you'll hear in this episode. Learn more about ClearSource, whose cutting-edge solutions seamlessly blend artificial intelligence, speech analytics, generative AI, workforce management, agent assist, and automation, empowering you to deliver unparalleled customer experiences that drive growth and loyalty. Have a question or thoughts to share? Leave a voice message: https://www.speakpipe.com/StacySherman Subscribe to Doing CX Right℠ newsletter for proven strategies to boost revenue, retention, and brand reputation. #ClearsourcePartner

What can you do to be an unforgettable company that customers continue to buy from and rave about to others? What are ways to lead and unite your organization that would "Make Mom Proud?" In this episode of Doing CX Right®, host Stacy Sherman talks with Jeanne Bliss about these topics, including the value of goal mapping versus journey mapping to be an unforgettable customer-centric company, workforce trends, and earning the right to customer-driven growth. What You Will Learn Build a goal map that names what the customer needs to accomplish before your team designs any internal process step. Replace department-level output metrics with one shared outcome metric, such as tracking how many days a product or service stays functional instead of counting units sold. Test any fee, policy, or contract term by asking whether you would apply that same term to your own parent, then rewrite any term that fails the test. Publish a documented list of pre-approved actions frontline employees can take on the first contact, without routing the decision to a manager for approval. Keep a live person reachable behind every automated tool, so customers who need a human for a complex or high-value request always have that option. Have a question or thoughts to share? Leave a voice message: https://www.speakpipe.com/StacySherman Learn more at DoingCXRight.com and subscribe to the newsletter for more actionable strategies.

Are you struggling to keep up with rapid tech changes in customer service while maintaining a human touch? Wondering how to integrate AI without losing your team's trust or overwhelming customers? In this episode of Doing Customer Experience Right, host Stacy Sherman and CX expert David Singer, Global VP at Verint, share answers to these questions, plus strategies for balancing advanced AI with genuine human interactions. AI and Customer Experience Topics Discussed: How technology can enhance CX beyond the traditional metrics, integrating seamlessly into daily customer interactions. The importance of overcoming the fear of change, and how gradual implementation of new tools can lead to significant improvements. Real-world examples of how AI in quality management has resulted in fairer employee evaluations and better customer experiences. Strategies to balance speed and quality in customer service, ensuring timely yet meaningful interactions. Leadership insights on inspiring teams rather than just inspecting their work, fostering an environment of empowerment. The direct impact of treating employees well on delivering exceptional customer experience. How advanced technologies like Generative AI can handle routine tasks, freeing up human agents for more complex, empathy-driven interactions. Whether you're a CX leader, a business owner, or a AI technology enthusiast, you won't want to miss the wealth of customer experience wisdom shared in this episode. It could be the game-changer your business needs in today's competitive landscape. Have a question or thoughts to share? Leave a voice message: https://www.speakpipe.com/StacySherman Learn more at DoingCXRight.com and subscribe to the newsletter for more actionable strategies.

Is "service fatigue" plaguing your teams and negatively impacting the customer experience? Do you need motivation and practical strategies to refresh and refuel your customer service approach? In this episode of Doing CX Right, host Stacy Sherman is joined by Speaker Hall of Famer Laurie Guest. Together, they unpack the concept of "service fatigue" and its damaging ripple effects across the customer journey. Discover Laurie's powerful principle of the "10 Cent Decision" and how to implement small but mighty changes that lead to significant gains. You'll hear actionable insights to reignite passion in your people, combat complacency, and create customer conversations that build loyalty and new business. What You Will Learn Review your team's after hours contact expectations this week and set explicit working hour boundaries with clients, because unclear availability windows are a direct cause of employee exhaustion in 24/7 service roles Audit one full customer process this month for unnecessary steps or paperwork fields, and remove any field that does not directly affect the outcome, following the cosmetics company example where removing intake fields improved conversion at no added cost Train frontline staff and managers to respond to service failures with direct ownership language instead of explanations, using a structured response format: acknowledge the impact, state the correction, and skip justification Add at least one recurring, low cost team ritual this quarter, such as a meeting free day or a themed day, specifically to counter the flatness that builds when daily tasks repeat without variation When AI or automated systems answer customer questions, build a clear and fast handoff to a live staff member for any question the system cannot resolve, so customers are not left waiting when automation reaches its limit Have a question or thoughts to share? Leave a voice message: https://www.speakpipe.com/StacySherman Learn more at DoingCXRight.com and subscribe to the newsletter for more actionable strategies.