Shep Hyken's Blog, page 2
September 22, 2025
Balancing AI, Personalization, and the Human Touch with Chris Koehler
This episode of
Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken
answers the following questions and more:
What defines an amazing digital customer experience today?
How can businesses personalize digital interactions?
Why is trust crucial in building long-term customer relationships?
Why is it important for companies to use customer data responsibly and transparently?
How does reducing friction impact customer satisfaction and retention?
Top Takeaways
Personalization isn’t just about using someone’s name but about remembering their preferences, past actions, and making timely suggestions that fit their needs. When customers receive an experience that feels like it was made just for them, it leaves a strong, positive impression.
Customers love it when a company remembers who they are and what they like, so they don’t have to repeat themselves every time they interact or use another channel to communicate.
Customers expect brands to use their data wisely and responsibly. It’s not just about protecting information. It is also about applying it in ways that matter to customers. Trust is built when companies use data to solve problems or anticipate customer needs.
Transparency is the foundation of customer relationships. When companies are up front about when customers are talking to AI and make it easy for them to connect with a human when necessary, they like the experience and feel respected and cared for.
Making every step in the customer journey easy encourages customers to keep doing business with a company. If it’s quick and simple to sign up, get help, or find what they need, customers are much more likely to come back.
Customers want to communicate in the way that fits their situation and preferences. Companies need to be mindful of where their customers want to interact with them, whether it is by phone, chat, email, or social media.
Different generations may have different preferences for communicating with a brand, but everyone likes having options. For example, customers may start with a chatbot but end up needing to talk to a human to solve complex or sensitive issues. Modern customer expectations include a consistently positive experience across multiple channels.
Automating routine tasks through AI can make processes faster and more consistent, but it shouldn’t detract from the human element of customer service. While technology can handle simple tasks quickly and efficiently, there are complex issues that need human intervention.
Plus, Chris shares important and interesting stats on customer experience, AI, and personalization from Twilio’s 2025 State of Customer Engagement Report . Tune in!
Quotes:
“At the end of the day, people really don’t care which channel they use. They just want the problem solved.”
“The easiest way to lose trust with a customer is to not be transparent. If you’re using AI or digital agents, be clear and make it easy for customers to know who or what they’re talking to. And always have a human in the loop, if needed.”
“Nothing erodes a customer relationship faster than a lack of trust.”
“When companies ask for a lot of personal data but don’t use it to improve the service or experience, it breaks trust. If you’re going to collect information, show that you’re using it to make things better for the customer.”
“AI is an accelerator, not a replacement. It should help make customer service faster and better by handling simple tasks, so humans are freed up to focus on problems that need creativity, empathy, or a personal touch.”
About:
Chris Koehler is Chief Marketing Officer at Twilio, a cloud communications platform that enables businesses to seamlessly integrate messaging, voice, and video capabilities into their applications to enhance customer engagement.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
What defines an amazing digital customer experience today?
How can businesses personalize digital interactions?
Why is trust crucial in building long-term customer relationships?
Why is it important for companies to use customer data responsibly and transparently?
How does reducing friction impact customer satisfaction and retention?
Top Takeaways
Personalization isn’t just about using someone’s name but about remembering their preferences, past actions, and making timely suggestions that fit their needs. When customers receive an experience that feels like it was made just for them, it leaves a strong, positive impression.
Customers love it when a company remembers who they are and what they like, so they don’t have to repeat themselves every time they interact or use another channel to communicate.
Customers expect brands to use their data wisely and responsibly. It’s not just about protecting information. It is also about applying it in ways that matter to customers. Trust is built when companies use data to solve problems or anticipate customer needs.
Transparency is the foundation of customer relationships. When companies are up front about when customers are talking to AI and make it easy for them to connect with a human when necessary, they like the experience and feel respected and cared for.
Making every step in the customer journey easy encourages customers to keep doing business with a company. If it’s quick and simple to sign up, get help, or find what they need, customers are much more likely to come back.
Customers want to communicate in the way that fits their situation and preferences. Companies need to be mindful of where their customers want to interact with them, whether it is by phone, chat, email, or social media.
Different generations may have different preferences for communicating with a brand, but everyone likes having options. For example, customers may start with a chatbot but end up needing to talk to a human to solve complex or sensitive issues. Modern customer expectations include a consistently positive experience across multiple channels.
Automating routine tasks through AI can make processes faster and more consistent, but it shouldn’t detract from the human element of customer service. While technology can handle simple tasks quickly and efficiently, there are complex issues that need human intervention.
Plus, Chris shares important and interesting stats on customer experience, AI, and personalization from Twilio’s 2025 State of Customer Engagement Report . Tune in!
Quotes:
“At the end of the day, people really don’t care which channel they use. They just want the problem solved.”
“The easiest way to lose trust with a customer is to not be transparent. If you’re using AI or digital agents, be clear and make it easy for customers to know who or what they’re talking to. And always have a human in the loop, if needed.”
“Nothing erodes a customer relationship faster than a lack of trust.”
“When companies ask for a lot of personal data but don’t use it to improve the service or experience, it breaks trust. If you’re going to collect information, show that you’re using it to make things better for the customer.”
“AI is an accelerator, not a replacement. It should help make customer service faster and better by handling simple tasks, so humans are freed up to focus on problems that need creativity, empathy, or a personal touch.”
About:
Chris Koehler is Chief Marketing Officer at Twilio, a cloud communications platform that enables businesses to seamlessly integrate messaging, voice, and video capabilities into their applications to enhance customer engagement.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for Week of September 22, 2025
Each week, I read many customer service and customer experience articles from various resources. Here are my top five picks from last week. I have added my comments about each article and would like to hear what you think too.
Fortune 500 Companies Won’t Fully Replace Human Customer Service Agents, Gartner Predicts by Amelia Brand
(CX Network) Predictions that artificial intelligence (AI) agents will replace customer service agents are unlikely to come true, according to recent research from Gartner.
My Comment: We kick off this week’s Top Five roundup with an article that confirms what I’ve been saying for many years: AI will not eliminate live customer support. Every C-Suite executive I’ve interviewed in large Fortune 500 companies says they are not cutting people. Many of the experts, analysts, and consultants who made the prediction that live agents will be eliminated are changing their views. AI will be an enhancement for customer support, not the only way to get it.
Why Being More Human Is Your Brand’s Biggest Asset in 2025 and Beyond by Lou Dubois
(Inc.) In a time of major technological developments, there’s a real benefit to maintaining a more personal connection with customers.
My Comment: And as long as were’ talking about AI not replacing humans, here’s another article to prove the point. Being human means emotional connection. You can’t get that from a 100% digital experience. While not quite the same angle as the aforementioned article, this article pushes for more human connections through vulnerability, transparency, community, and more.
What Department Should CX Be in? ‘It Depends.’ by Kristen Doerer
(Industry Dive) When deciding where the function should reside, leaders should consider the team’s capabilities and responsibilities, CX leadership, the CEO and the organization, Forrester’s Judy Weader said.
My Comment: Who owns customer service or CX? Which department should it be in? Should we have a CXO (Chief Experience Officer), and if so, who falls under that executive’s responsibility? These questions are common when a company embarks on a CX initiative. When Judy Weader, principal analyst at Forrester, was asked, she said, “It depends. There is no one answer for every single organization.” I won’t disagree, but I’ll emphasize one idea. Make the decision and stick to it. And CX is an important function, so whoever leads it should be toward the top of the leadership org chart.
Starbucks CEO Says the Coffee Chain Won’t Lose Its Cash-Strapped Consumers Because It’s on Its Way to Being a ‘World-Class Customer Service’ Company by Sasha Rogelberg
(Yahoo Finance) As inflation continues to simmer and economic uncertainty rattles consumers, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol says he has the solution to ensuring the coffee chain doesn’t suffer from customers pulling back on their $6 or $7 lattes.
My Comment: This short but excellent article reminds us of the importance of customer obsession. All decisions, even tough ones we know the customer might not like, need to keep the customer in mind, not just the company. In the author’s words, “Obsession means culture change. It means aligning your entire organization around your customers, and holding yourself accountable when they say you don’t get it right.”
Gopuff Wants to Build on Its Reliability with a More Personalized, Transparent Website by Bryan Wassel
(Industry Dive) Gopuff debuted an updated website Thursday designed to offer transparency and personalization to help the instant delivery retailer stand out from the competition.
My Comment: Gopuff is an online ecommerce company that delivers groceries, medicine, and more in timeframes as short as 15 minutes. I was asked to share my commentary on delivery and the “last mile,” which is loosely defined as the final part of the delivery journey that brings it to your doorstep. Spoiler alert: My belief is that the customer doesn’t care about the last mile – or whatever you want to call it. They only care that they received what they ordered in the timeframe it was promised. (Of course, there’s more to the article!)
Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops. Connect with Shep on LinkedIn.
Fortune 500 Companies Won’t Fully Replace Human Customer Service Agents, Gartner Predicts by Amelia Brand
(CX Network) Predictions that artificial intelligence (AI) agents will replace customer service agents are unlikely to come true, according to recent research from Gartner.
My Comment: We kick off this week’s Top Five roundup with an article that confirms what I’ve been saying for many years: AI will not eliminate live customer support. Every C-Suite executive I’ve interviewed in large Fortune 500 companies says they are not cutting people. Many of the experts, analysts, and consultants who made the prediction that live agents will be eliminated are changing their views. AI will be an enhancement for customer support, not the only way to get it.
Why Being More Human Is Your Brand’s Biggest Asset in 2025 and Beyond by Lou Dubois
(Inc.) In a time of major technological developments, there’s a real benefit to maintaining a more personal connection with customers.
My Comment: And as long as were’ talking about AI not replacing humans, here’s another article to prove the point. Being human means emotional connection. You can’t get that from a 100% digital experience. While not quite the same angle as the aforementioned article, this article pushes for more human connections through vulnerability, transparency, community, and more.
What Department Should CX Be in? ‘It Depends.’ by Kristen Doerer
(Industry Dive) When deciding where the function should reside, leaders should consider the team’s capabilities and responsibilities, CX leadership, the CEO and the organization, Forrester’s Judy Weader said.
My Comment: Who owns customer service or CX? Which department should it be in? Should we have a CXO (Chief Experience Officer), and if so, who falls under that executive’s responsibility? These questions are common when a company embarks on a CX initiative. When Judy Weader, principal analyst at Forrester, was asked, she said, “It depends. There is no one answer for every single organization.” I won’t disagree, but I’ll emphasize one idea. Make the decision and stick to it. And CX is an important function, so whoever leads it should be toward the top of the leadership org chart.
Starbucks CEO Says the Coffee Chain Won’t Lose Its Cash-Strapped Consumers Because It’s on Its Way to Being a ‘World-Class Customer Service’ Company by Sasha Rogelberg
(Yahoo Finance) As inflation continues to simmer and economic uncertainty rattles consumers, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol says he has the solution to ensuring the coffee chain doesn’t suffer from customers pulling back on their $6 or $7 lattes.
My Comment: This short but excellent article reminds us of the importance of customer obsession. All decisions, even tough ones we know the customer might not like, need to keep the customer in mind, not just the company. In the author’s words, “Obsession means culture change. It means aligning your entire organization around your customers, and holding yourself accountable when they say you don’t get it right.”
Gopuff Wants to Build on Its Reliability with a More Personalized, Transparent Website by Bryan Wassel
(Industry Dive) Gopuff debuted an updated website Thursday designed to offer transparency and personalization to help the instant delivery retailer stand out from the competition.
My Comment: Gopuff is an online ecommerce company that delivers groceries, medicine, and more in timeframes as short as 15 minutes. I was asked to share my commentary on delivery and the “last mile,” which is loosely defined as the final part of the delivery journey that brings it to your doorstep. Spoiler alert: My belief is that the customer doesn’t care about the last mile – or whatever you want to call it. They only care that they received what they ordered in the timeframe it was promised. (Of course, there’s more to the article!)
Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops. Connect with Shep on LinkedIn.
September 16, 2025
AI May Hallucinate… So Do People
One of the reasons customers are concerned about or even scared of AI is that it has been known to provide incorrect answers. The result is frustration and concern over whether to believe any AI-fueled technology. In my annual customer service and customer experience research, I asked more than 1,000 U.S. consumers if they ever received wrong or incorrect information from an AI self-service technology. Fifty-one percent said yes. No, AI is not perfect. Even though the technology continues to improve, it still makes mistakes. And my response to those who claim they won’t trust AI because of those mistakes is to ask, “Has a live customer support agent ever given you bad information?”
That question gets a surprised look, and then a smile, and then an acknowledgement, something like, “You’re right. I never thought about that.”
When AI gives bad information, I refer to that as Artificial Incompetence. It’s just as frustrating when we experience bad information from a live agent, which I call HI, or Human Incompetence. I doubt – I actually know – that the AI and the human aren’t trying to give you bad information.
I once called a customer support number to get help with what seemed like a straightforward question. I didn’t like the answer I received. It just didn’t make sense. Rather than argue, I thanked the agent, hung up, and dialed the same customer support number. A different agent answered, and I asked the same question. This time, I liked the answer. Two humans from the same company answering the same question, but with two completely different answers. And we worry about AI being inconsistent!
AI and humans make mistakes
The reality is that both AI and humans make mistakes, and both will continue to do so. The difference is our expectations. We don’t expect humans to be perfect, so when they are not, we may be disappointed, maybe even angry. We may or may not forgive them, but usually, we just chalk it up to being … human. But it’s different when interacting with AI. We expect it to be reliable, and when it makes a mistake, we often assume the entire system is flawed.
Perhaps we should treat both with the same reasonable expectations and the same healthy skepticism we apply to weather forecasters, who use sophisticated technology and have years of training yet still can’t seem to get tomorrow’s forecast right half the time. Well, it seems like half the time! That doesn’t mean we won’t be checking the forecast before we plan our outdoor activities. AI, too, is sophisticated technology that can make life easier.
Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops at www.Hyken.com . Connect with Shep on LinkedIn .
September 15, 2025
Closing the Customer Experience Gap with Jeff Rosenberg
This episode of
Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken
answers the following questions and more:
What makes a successful customer experience strategy?
What are the main reasons companies struggle to meet customer expectations in today’s marketplace?
How can businesses identify and close the gap between perceived and actual customer experience?
How can companies effectively gather deep, meaningful feedback from their customers?
How does technology create distance between companies and their customers, and what can they do to overcome it?
Top Takeaways
Companies often make the mistake of thinking CX is only about handling complaints or questions. Every part of the journey matters and contributes to how a customer feels about a brand. It includes every interaction a customer has with a business, from the first time they hear about the brand to the buying process and all the way through to using the product or service.
Many companies believe they are delivering excellent customer service, but their customers may disagree. Recognizing and working towards closing that customer experience gap is an opportunity for companies to get it right with their customers and gain a competitive differentiator in their industry.
To truly understand your customers means seeing things from their perspective. It is important to learn about what your customers think about when they use your product, what problems they encounter, and what would make their experience better.
Customer service is not just a department. It’s a philosophy. Every employee, including those who do not have direct customer contact, needs to understand their role in shaping the overall customer experience.
Jeff also shares the five strategic practices that need to work together to ensure that a company becomes more customer-centric and can focus on customer experience.
Insights: Gather deep, human-centered insights across the entire customer lifecycle that help you understand what customers are thinking, feeling, and experiencing at every stage.
Strategy: Develop a clear and simple CX strategy that defines how you want customers to feel after interacting with your brand.
Blueprints: Intentionally design and map out the end-to-end customer journey, so that resources and touchpoints align smoothly.
Operating Model: Organizing teams, roles, and processes to consistently deliver on the customer experience across all departments.
Culture: Changing the culture so employees have more inspiration and understanding of why they should care about the customer.
Plus, Shep and Jeff discuss the “great distancing” and why companies need to avoid it as they add more technology. Tune in!
Quotes:
“There’s a (customer experience) gap between what companies think they deliver and what customers actually experience. That gap presents an opportunity for companies to get it right with their customers and to build competitive differentiation.”
“Organizations need to create an experience that really comes from their culture and their brand versus just copying tactics from other companies.”
“Companies win when they focus on customer experience. Think about creating experiences for customers as human beings, not just assets to be harvested.”
About:
Jeff Rosenberg is the co-founder of WideOpen and author of The CX Imperative: Five Strategic Practices for Renewal of the Customer-Centered Enterprise.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
What makes a successful customer experience strategy?
What are the main reasons companies struggle to meet customer expectations in today’s marketplace?
How can businesses identify and close the gap between perceived and actual customer experience?
How can companies effectively gather deep, meaningful feedback from their customers?
How does technology create distance between companies and their customers, and what can they do to overcome it?
Top Takeaways
Companies often make the mistake of thinking CX is only about handling complaints or questions. Every part of the journey matters and contributes to how a customer feels about a brand. It includes every interaction a customer has with a business, from the first time they hear about the brand to the buying process and all the way through to using the product or service.
Many companies believe they are delivering excellent customer service, but their customers may disagree. Recognizing and working towards closing that customer experience gap is an opportunity for companies to get it right with their customers and gain a competitive differentiator in their industry.
To truly understand your customers means seeing things from their perspective. It is important to learn about what your customers think about when they use your product, what problems they encounter, and what would make their experience better.
Customer service is not just a department. It’s a philosophy. Every employee, including those who do not have direct customer contact, needs to understand their role in shaping the overall customer experience.
Jeff also shares the five strategic practices that need to work together to ensure that a company becomes more customer-centric and can focus on customer experience.
Insights: Gather deep, human-centered insights across the entire customer lifecycle that help you understand what customers are thinking, feeling, and experiencing at every stage.
Strategy: Develop a clear and simple CX strategy that defines how you want customers to feel after interacting with your brand.
Blueprints: Intentionally design and map out the end-to-end customer journey, so that resources and touchpoints align smoothly.
Operating Model: Organizing teams, roles, and processes to consistently deliver on the customer experience across all departments.
Culture: Changing the culture so employees have more inspiration and understanding of why they should care about the customer.
Plus, Shep and Jeff discuss the “great distancing” and why companies need to avoid it as they add more technology. Tune in!
Quotes:
“There’s a (customer experience) gap between what companies think they deliver and what customers actually experience. That gap presents an opportunity for companies to get it right with their customers and to build competitive differentiation.”
“Organizations need to create an experience that really comes from their culture and their brand versus just copying tactics from other companies.”
“Companies win when they focus on customer experience. Think about creating experiences for customers as human beings, not just assets to be harvested.”
About:
Jeff Rosenberg is the co-founder of WideOpen and author of The CX Imperative: Five Strategic Practices for Renewal of the Customer-Centered Enterprise.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
September 14, 2025
Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for Week of September 15, 2025
Each week, I read many customer service and customer experience articles from various resources. Here are my top five picks from last week. I have added my comments about each article and would like to hear what you think too.
Up in the Air, Loyalty on the Ground: a Conversation with Ellis Connolly by Hospitality Net
(Hospitality Net) The true loyalty currency is not plastic or points. Loyalty is, instead, measured in attention, presence, memory, and the feeling of being recognized.
My Comment: We kick off this week’s Top Five roundup with an article about loyalty in the hospitality industry. I’m a big proponent that every company in any industry can adopt the hospitality mentality. In this article, Simone Puorto of HospitalityNet interviews Ellis Connolly, Chief Revenue Officer at Laasie, who shares what working and what’s not with loyalty programs.
How the UPS Store Delivers Best-in-Class Retail Customer Experiences by Judy Mottl
(Retail Customer Experience) Sean O’Neal, vice president of retail operations at The UPS Store, outlines customer experience strategy, how automation is playing into CX and reveals how data collection and customer relationship management is enhancing the customer experience.
My Comment: In my annual customer experience research, we ask what brands come to mind when you think of an excellent customer experience. I publish the “Top 25,” and one of those companies is UPS. This article includes an interview with Sean O’Neal, VP of retail operations, who gives us a peek behind the curtain, sharing some of what UPS is doing to take care of its customers. He mentions “a rewarding experience is when someone walks away thinking, ‘Wow, that was easy.’” He also talks about a new word that is being used in the CX world, “phygital,” the intersection between the physical and digital world.
10 Tools and Strategies to Build a Brand Community by Emily Heaslip
(CO) Brand communities are invaluable for growing customer loyalty, and these 10 tools can help you facilitate and moderate these communities.
My Comment: We want customers to be connected to our company/brand beyond the transaction of buying what we sell. One way to achieve this is to create a brand community, a connected group of customers who love and support you. They tell their friends about you and are your most loyal customers. This short article shares some tips on how to do exactly that. Plus, some of the software products that can help.
Rethinking Voice in the Modern CX Stack by Rhys Fisher
(CX Today) For years, the narrative in customer experience has been that digital will displace voice. Messaging apps, web chat, and AI-powered bots were expected to handle the bulk of customer interactions, leaving the phone call as a relic of the past. Think what Netflix did to Blockbuster, Spotify did to CDs, and WhatsApp did to the SMS inbox. But the reality is quite different.
My Comment: For several years, experts and analysts have said that digital customer support (now often fueled by ChatGPT-type programs) will take over live customer support. I’ve been a bit of a contrarian on this one. This article helps make the case that the phone and human-to-human support are not going away fast, if ever. In addition, the article touches on the power of proactive service, which means the company can often inform the customer that they have fixed a problem before the customer ever knew about the problem..
What 20+ Support Leaders Are Learning About AI — And What It Means for You by Hiver
(Hiver) A lot has changed in support in the last few years. With the advancements in AI, we’ve now arrived at a point where companies are able to automate entire workflows and assist customers at the click of a button.
My Comment: Our friends at Hiver shared a compilation of what support leaders and experts in the CX world have to say about AI. I’m honored they included my comments about the topic, which focus on how AI can help hyper-personalize the customer experience. And with 19+ other comments from experts and practitioners, you’re bound to find something you haven’t thought about before.
Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops. Connect with Shep on LinkedIn.
Up in the Air, Loyalty on the Ground: a Conversation with Ellis Connolly by Hospitality Net
(Hospitality Net) The true loyalty currency is not plastic or points. Loyalty is, instead, measured in attention, presence, memory, and the feeling of being recognized.
My Comment: We kick off this week’s Top Five roundup with an article about loyalty in the hospitality industry. I’m a big proponent that every company in any industry can adopt the hospitality mentality. In this article, Simone Puorto of HospitalityNet interviews Ellis Connolly, Chief Revenue Officer at Laasie, who shares what working and what’s not with loyalty programs.
How the UPS Store Delivers Best-in-Class Retail Customer Experiences by Judy Mottl
(Retail Customer Experience) Sean O’Neal, vice president of retail operations at The UPS Store, outlines customer experience strategy, how automation is playing into CX and reveals how data collection and customer relationship management is enhancing the customer experience.
My Comment: In my annual customer experience research, we ask what brands come to mind when you think of an excellent customer experience. I publish the “Top 25,” and one of those companies is UPS. This article includes an interview with Sean O’Neal, VP of retail operations, who gives us a peek behind the curtain, sharing some of what UPS is doing to take care of its customers. He mentions “a rewarding experience is when someone walks away thinking, ‘Wow, that was easy.’” He also talks about a new word that is being used in the CX world, “phygital,” the intersection between the physical and digital world.
10 Tools and Strategies to Build a Brand Community by Emily Heaslip
(CO) Brand communities are invaluable for growing customer loyalty, and these 10 tools can help you facilitate and moderate these communities.
My Comment: We want customers to be connected to our company/brand beyond the transaction of buying what we sell. One way to achieve this is to create a brand community, a connected group of customers who love and support you. They tell their friends about you and are your most loyal customers. This short article shares some tips on how to do exactly that. Plus, some of the software products that can help.
Rethinking Voice in the Modern CX Stack by Rhys Fisher
(CX Today) For years, the narrative in customer experience has been that digital will displace voice. Messaging apps, web chat, and AI-powered bots were expected to handle the bulk of customer interactions, leaving the phone call as a relic of the past. Think what Netflix did to Blockbuster, Spotify did to CDs, and WhatsApp did to the SMS inbox. But the reality is quite different.
My Comment: For several years, experts and analysts have said that digital customer support (now often fueled by ChatGPT-type programs) will take over live customer support. I’ve been a bit of a contrarian on this one. This article helps make the case that the phone and human-to-human support are not going away fast, if ever. In addition, the article touches on the power of proactive service, which means the company can often inform the customer that they have fixed a problem before the customer ever knew about the problem..
What 20+ Support Leaders Are Learning About AI — And What It Means for You by Hiver
(Hiver) A lot has changed in support in the last few years. With the advancements in AI, we’ve now arrived at a point where companies are able to automate entire workflows and assist customers at the click of a button.
My Comment: Our friends at Hiver shared a compilation of what support leaders and experts in the CX world have to say about AI. I’m honored they included my comments about the topic, which focus on how AI can help hyper-personalize the customer experience. And with 19+ other comments from experts and practitioners, you’re bound to find something you haven’t thought about before.
Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops. Connect with Shep on LinkedIn.
September 9, 2025
The Reality Rule: Treat Customers Right Without Expecting the Same In Return
I recently wrote about the Reality Rule in my Forbes column. Apparently, I hit on a topic that resonated with the Forbes readers, which prompted me to write a version for our subscribers to The Shepard Letter. The Golden Rule, which most of us learned at a very young age, is to “Do unto others as you would have done unto you.” This is a great business principle when it comes to your customers. Slightly modified, it is “Treat your customers the way you want to be treated.”
My friend Dr. Tony Alessandra adapted the Golden Rule and came up with the Platinum Rule , which is to “Do unto others as they’d like done unto them.” Alessandra’s point is that not everyone wants to be treated the way you do. In business, you must adapt to treating customers according to their needs and expectations, not yours. I’m a believer and proponent of this concept. That said, this article is going to focus on the Golden Rule, but for a different reason.
Give Hospitality
I was reading a book, Give Hospitality by Taylor Scott, a business allegory about a woman who leaves a job with a toxic culture and finds work with a company that is the exact opposite of what she’d been experiencing. In her second week of training, she sees a sign on the wall:
“Nothing in the Golden Rule says that others will treat us as we have treated them. It only says we must treat others the way we would want to be treated.” – Rosa Parks, American civil rights activist
This is a powerful quote, especially when you understand the background. The expectation you have of others shouldn’t always be based on how you treat them, and this is especially applicable in the customer experience.
The point is that you will encounter difficult, unreasonable, and downright rude customers. But their behavior should not dictate yours. You have a choice in how you respond.
I’ve seen people on the front line get frustrated when they “bend over backward” for a customer, only to have them continue to be demanding and ungrateful. Expecting them to treat you the same way, with kindness, concern, and empathy, is the wrong expectation. You’re not treating customers well because you expect something in return. You’re doing it because it’s the right thing to do. This is a mindset you must adopt. Otherwise, you risk becoming angry and bitter toward your customers and even your job.
The Reality Rule
That’s why I’ve come up with a new rule: The Reality Rule, which is to treat customers well, even if they don’t treat you well.
Remember, some customers are having a bad day. Others are just difficult people. Regardless, take a lesson from Give Hospitality and Rosa Parks. Don’t keep score. Focus on what you can control: your attitude, your effort, and your commitment to creating an amazing customer experience that gets customers to say, “I’ll be back!”
Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops at www.Hyken.com . Connect with Shep on LinkedIn .
September 8, 2025
Gen Z’s Influence on Customer Experience and Loyalty with Craig Crisler
This episode of
Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken
answers the following questions and more:
What makes loyalty programs appealing to Gen Z customers?
How does Gen Z’s approach to customer loyalty differ from previous generations?
Why is it important for brands to focus on building community within their loyalty programs?
How does personalized service contribute to repeat business and customer loyalty?
Why should companies continuously evolve their loyalty programs for new generations?
Top Takeaways
Gen Z consumers, people roughly between 18 and 28 years old, are quickly becoming one of the most influential groups of spenders. Their preferences are shaping the way companies design their services and loyalty programs.
Loyalty programs must evolve over time to meet the changing needs and habits of new and younger customers. Brands that don’t update their loyalty strategy risk losing relevance as younger customers will look elsewhere for more meaningful rewards.
While loyalty programs often offer perks like discounts or points, creating a sense of belonging and exclusivity resonates more with Gen Z customers. For example, loyalty clubs that invite them to events or offer early access to new products go beyond just saving money and make customers feel like they are part of something special.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of generational stereotypes like “Millennials are lazy” or “Gen Z can’t focus.” The truth is every generation has slackers as well as go-getters. Instead of hiring employees based on which generation they belong to, focus on attitude, personality, and drive.
Gen Z shoppers are drawn to brands that build real experiences and communities around their products. Creating experiences helps customers form memories and connections that keep them coming back.
Successful loyalty programs prioritize the personal aspect of the customer experience. Small gestures, such as using a customer’s name or offering information relevant to their needs, can make a huge impression. Customers like to return to brands that make them feel welcome and valued on an individual level.
When brands reach out to customers at a younger age, they can build lifelong loyalty. Companies that nurture these relationships as customers grow are more likely to keep them for decades, and the trust from the start pays off in long-term customer retention.
Businesses should use AI to make things easier but not forget that real conversations matter. AI should enable, not erase, the connections between companies and their customers. Customers of all generations still want to talk to actual people who understand their needs and can provide help.
Plus, Shep and Chris share customer loyalty strategy examples from brands like Nordstrom, Ikea, Starbucks, and Delta. Tune in!
Quotes:
“Gen Z leans in on the idea of community in loyalty programs. They want a sense of belonging and love feeling treated special by the way a loyalty program works.”
“The loyalty program you have for one generation may not be right for the next group; it needs to evolve and adapt to attract loyalty from the next wave of customers.”
“The ultimate loyalty program isn’t about points or perks. It’s about doing such a good job that even if you took those away, your customers would still want to come back and do business with you.”
“All good CX, all good brands, all good things, lean into humanity. AI is a great enabler, but ultimately the thing that drives amazing CX is two people co-creating value together. Lean into the human component of the work.”
About:
Craig Crisler is the CEO and co-founder of SupportNinja, a people-focused company that provides full-cycle outsourced customer support solutions for emerging brands around the world.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
What makes loyalty programs appealing to Gen Z customers?
How does Gen Z’s approach to customer loyalty differ from previous generations?
Why is it important for brands to focus on building community within their loyalty programs?
How does personalized service contribute to repeat business and customer loyalty?
Why should companies continuously evolve their loyalty programs for new generations?
Top Takeaways
Gen Z consumers, people roughly between 18 and 28 years old, are quickly becoming one of the most influential groups of spenders. Their preferences are shaping the way companies design their services and loyalty programs.
Loyalty programs must evolve over time to meet the changing needs and habits of new and younger customers. Brands that don’t update their loyalty strategy risk losing relevance as younger customers will look elsewhere for more meaningful rewards.
While loyalty programs often offer perks like discounts or points, creating a sense of belonging and exclusivity resonates more with Gen Z customers. For example, loyalty clubs that invite them to events or offer early access to new products go beyond just saving money and make customers feel like they are part of something special.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of generational stereotypes like “Millennials are lazy” or “Gen Z can’t focus.” The truth is every generation has slackers as well as go-getters. Instead of hiring employees based on which generation they belong to, focus on attitude, personality, and drive.
Gen Z shoppers are drawn to brands that build real experiences and communities around their products. Creating experiences helps customers form memories and connections that keep them coming back.
Successful loyalty programs prioritize the personal aspect of the customer experience. Small gestures, such as using a customer’s name or offering information relevant to their needs, can make a huge impression. Customers like to return to brands that make them feel welcome and valued on an individual level.
When brands reach out to customers at a younger age, they can build lifelong loyalty. Companies that nurture these relationships as customers grow are more likely to keep them for decades, and the trust from the start pays off in long-term customer retention.
Businesses should use AI to make things easier but not forget that real conversations matter. AI should enable, not erase, the connections between companies and their customers. Customers of all generations still want to talk to actual people who understand their needs and can provide help.
Plus, Shep and Chris share customer loyalty strategy examples from brands like Nordstrom, Ikea, Starbucks, and Delta. Tune in!
Quotes:
“Gen Z leans in on the idea of community in loyalty programs. They want a sense of belonging and love feeling treated special by the way a loyalty program works.”
“The loyalty program you have for one generation may not be right for the next group; it needs to evolve and adapt to attract loyalty from the next wave of customers.”
“The ultimate loyalty program isn’t about points or perks. It’s about doing such a good job that even if you took those away, your customers would still want to come back and do business with you.”
“All good CX, all good brands, all good things, lean into humanity. AI is a great enabler, but ultimately the thing that drives amazing CX is two people co-creating value together. Lean into the human component of the work.”
About:
Craig Crisler is the CEO and co-founder of SupportNinja, a people-focused company that provides full-cycle outsourced customer support solutions for emerging brands around the world.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
September 7, 2025
Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for Week of September 8, 2025
Each week, I read many customer service and customer experience articles from various resources. Here are my top five picks from last week. I have added my comments about each article and would like to hear what you think too.
Expert Opinion: Mistakes that Damage the Customer Experience and How to Avoid Them by Chris Lowe
(Marketing Stockport) Whether you’re in professional services, hospitality, retail, or beyond, small Customer Experience (CX) mistakes often go unnoticed internally but leave a significant impact on customer loyalty, reputation, and revenue. The good news? Most are fixable, once you spot them.
My Comment: We kick off this week’s Top Five Roundup with an excellent article highlighting six common mistakes that companies make, causing customers to defect from brands they love. There are some compelling statistics to support this that align with my customer experience research. One of my favorites is #3, which is “Inconsistent Service Across Touchpoints.” Inconsistency erodes trust and kills the chance for customer loyalty.
5 Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty Research Methods + Tips by Fadeke Adegbuyi
(Shopify) With the right customer satisfaction and loyalty research techniques, you can understand what customers actually think and better meet expectations.
My Comment: Customer feedback is a gift. Good or bad, recognize it as the opportunity to do more of a good thing or eliminate something that isn’t working. And there are many ways to approach customer satisfaction, such as surveys, one-on-one interviews, focus groups, social listening, and more. Here you’ll find several ideas that, regardless of the type of business you’re in, will work for you.
How Narrative Loyalty is Redefining Customer Loyalty by Beth McCoy
(The Wise Marketer) In today’s crowded marketplace, many of us have grown numb to the endless parade of similar rewards programs. Something different is happening, though. Smart brands are moving beyond point systems that exhaust consumer patience to embrace a tool fundamental to human connection: storytelling.
My Comment: Narrative loyalty is about telling a story that compels the customer to want to keep doing business with you. One of my favorite examples of this, and one that is mentioned in the article, is Patagonia. Their customers not only love their products. They love the story. Patagonia’s focus on making the planet a better place is a story that gets customers to buy, gets them to share the story with their friends, and gets them to come back again and again.
The New 4 Ps of Customer Engagement by Scott Opiela
(Retail Customer Experience) In today’s digital-first world, consumers expect connection and personalization, not a transaction. With the ability to control when, where, and how they engage with brands, consumers are more empowered than ever, putting increased pressure on brands to rethink their engagement strategies.
My Comment: The classic “4 Ps of Marketing” are product, price, place, and promotion. This article shares with us a more modern version that is worth considering. The new “4 Ps” are persistent, personalized, prescriptive, and predictive. The author expands on each of these and suggests that the big difference is that the original 4 Ps helped build brands, and the new 4 Ps helps grow them. Read the article and you’ll understand the difference.
CX Leaders Expect Self-Service and Live Chat to Overtake Phone, Email by 2027 by Michael Brady
(CX Dive) The promise of agent assist solutions is that they can help customer service professionals resolve complex cases more efficiently, according to Gartner. However, both customers and CX leaders are skeptical that AI agents will significantly expand and improve self-service.
My Comment: Self-service customer support will continue to increase. Younger customers appreciate digital support and also embrace live chat, which is live support, just not on a phone. As the younger customer becomes a more powerful economic force, companies will have to cater to the communication channels their customers want to use. This short article gives you the opinions and insights of 265 customer service and support executives.
Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops. Connect with Shep on LinkedIn.
Expert Opinion: Mistakes that Damage the Customer Experience and How to Avoid Them by Chris Lowe
(Marketing Stockport) Whether you’re in professional services, hospitality, retail, or beyond, small Customer Experience (CX) mistakes often go unnoticed internally but leave a significant impact on customer loyalty, reputation, and revenue. The good news? Most are fixable, once you spot them.
My Comment: We kick off this week’s Top Five Roundup with an excellent article highlighting six common mistakes that companies make, causing customers to defect from brands they love. There are some compelling statistics to support this that align with my customer experience research. One of my favorites is #3, which is “Inconsistent Service Across Touchpoints.” Inconsistency erodes trust and kills the chance for customer loyalty.
5 Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty Research Methods + Tips by Fadeke Adegbuyi
(Shopify) With the right customer satisfaction and loyalty research techniques, you can understand what customers actually think and better meet expectations.
My Comment: Customer feedback is a gift. Good or bad, recognize it as the opportunity to do more of a good thing or eliminate something that isn’t working. And there are many ways to approach customer satisfaction, such as surveys, one-on-one interviews, focus groups, social listening, and more. Here you’ll find several ideas that, regardless of the type of business you’re in, will work for you.
How Narrative Loyalty is Redefining Customer Loyalty by Beth McCoy
(The Wise Marketer) In today’s crowded marketplace, many of us have grown numb to the endless parade of similar rewards programs. Something different is happening, though. Smart brands are moving beyond point systems that exhaust consumer patience to embrace a tool fundamental to human connection: storytelling.
My Comment: Narrative loyalty is about telling a story that compels the customer to want to keep doing business with you. One of my favorite examples of this, and one that is mentioned in the article, is Patagonia. Their customers not only love their products. They love the story. Patagonia’s focus on making the planet a better place is a story that gets customers to buy, gets them to share the story with their friends, and gets them to come back again and again.
The New 4 Ps of Customer Engagement by Scott Opiela
(Retail Customer Experience) In today’s digital-first world, consumers expect connection and personalization, not a transaction. With the ability to control when, where, and how they engage with brands, consumers are more empowered than ever, putting increased pressure on brands to rethink their engagement strategies.
My Comment: The classic “4 Ps of Marketing” are product, price, place, and promotion. This article shares with us a more modern version that is worth considering. The new “4 Ps” are persistent, personalized, prescriptive, and predictive. The author expands on each of these and suggests that the big difference is that the original 4 Ps helped build brands, and the new 4 Ps helps grow them. Read the article and you’ll understand the difference.
CX Leaders Expect Self-Service and Live Chat to Overtake Phone, Email by 2027 by Michael Brady
(CX Dive) The promise of agent assist solutions is that they can help customer service professionals resolve complex cases more efficiently, according to Gartner. However, both customers and CX leaders are skeptical that AI agents will significantly expand and improve self-service.
My Comment: Self-service customer support will continue to increase. Younger customers appreciate digital support and also embrace live chat, which is live support, just not on a phone. As the younger customer becomes a more powerful economic force, companies will have to cater to the communication channels their customers want to use. This short article gives you the opinions and insights of 265 customer service and support executives.
Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops. Connect with Shep on LinkedIn.
September 2, 2025
Anything That Is Immediately Gratifying Will Be Repeated
“Anything that is immediately gratifying will be repeated.” Almost 15 years ago, that was Steve Wynn’s opening line of a keynote speech. Wynn, the founder and chairman of Wynn Resorts, went on to say, “The strongest force on earth is something that affects your self-esteem.” Wynn was talking about how leaders should treat employees. That is the inspiration for this article. My take on this is simple. When leaders can create a gratifying experience that builds self-esteem for employees, they create fulfillment. In other words, make someone feel good about what they are doing, and they will repeat it and want to keep growing to make it better.
So, how can we create an experience that will be repeated?
Here are four ways:
Praise Employees for a Job Well Done: If someone is doing a good job, let them know it. Celebrate their successes and wins. To do this, you must pay attention to what employees are doing.
Thank Them for Their Hard Work: It’s one thing to say, “Great job.” It’s another to express genuine appreciation. Thank employees when they step up, work hard, and deliver on your expectations.
Educate Employees and Make Them Smarter: Learning is akin to personal growth. Giving people an opportunity to grow will increase their confidence and self-esteem. That growth turns into better employee and customer experiences.
Give Them Opportunities to Share Their Stories: This is the big one. In Wynn’s video, he shared the story of an employee who went “above and beyond” to help a hotel guest get their medicine delivered. That became their “North Star” of how employees should treat customers. I recently wrote about these types of stories and how important it is for an organization to not only find them but also share them with their teams. We have a tool I call the Moments of Magic® Card, and it’s the No. 1 culture-changing tool we share with our clients. This ongoing exercise has employees write a short example in just a few sentences about a positive customer or employee experience they created. These are shared at team meetings, and the best get shared throughout the entire company. Some clients compile the examples and assemble a book of their own legendary customer service stories.
Share Their Stories
All four of these are important, but let’s emphasize the Share Their Stories idea. Toward the end of his speech, Wynn talked about how he shared the medicine story with all employees. It motivated others to create their stories. He also mentioned that beautiful chandeliers, handwoven fabrics, onyx, and marble are wasted investments if the customers aren’t treated well. Regardless of how beautiful his resorts are, employees make the difference.
Stories from fellow employees create motivation, and it’s gratifying to them to be recognized and praised for their efforts. This is what gets the best behaviors and practices repeated, and what gets customers to say, “I’ll be back.”
Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops at www.Hyken.com . Connect with Shep on LinkedIn .
September 1, 2025
Human-Centric AI in Customer Service with Nick Glimsdahl
This episode of
Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken
answers the following questions and more:
What is human-centric AI?
How can companies find the right balance between automation and personal customer interactions?
What are the biggest risks of over-automating customer support processes?
Why do so many AI projects in customer service fail?
How can organizations manage change effectively when implementing AI-driven solutions for customer experience?
Top Takeaways
Artificial Intelligence can help make customer service faster and more efficient, but it should never completely replace people. Humans are still essential for understanding emotions, showing empathy, and solving complex problems for customers.
Don’t jump into new technology just because it’s trendy. Don’t use AI for the sake of using AI. Companies should ask themselves what problems they want AI to solve and what a successful outcome looks like.
Over-automation can hurt customer service. It’s easy to get excited about what AI can do and try to automate everything. Companies should use AI for simple tasks, but always provide customers with a clear way to connect with a live person when needed.
AI, just like humans, can make mistakes. Whether it’s providing incorrect information or making unusual decisions, AI hallucinations can occur. Companies that succeed with AI are always ready to learn from their mistakes by updating their systems, and refining AI training. Turn every mistake into an opportunity to keep improving.
Trust is the heart of any great service experience, whether powered by AI or humans. Companies must be honest, transparent, and consistent with their customers, especially when introducing new technology. Asking for customer feedback to gauge whether they trust the answers they are getting or feel confident in using the new technology can help companies measure success and look for ways to enhance the experience
AI is not just about helping customers. It also helps empower employees. When companies use AI in the background to lighten the workload for their teams, including summarizing calls, handling after-call work, or providing relevant information in real-time, employees can focus on solving complex problems and making customers happy.
Plus, Shep and Nick talk about why it’s crucial to stay flexible and keep evolving with technology. Tune in!
Quotes:
“Artificial Intelligence can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. Companies might say, ‘We want AI,’ but if you don’t clearly define what that means, it might not deliver the results you want.”
“Eighty percent of AI projects fail because many companies start tech-first instead of outcome-first.”
“Ask your frontline team what they’re hearing from the customer’s side. Let them test out the new technology before it rolls out. You want feedback from people who know the pain points firsthand.”
“Focus more on trust, transparency, and consistency than just high-level metrics. It’s not enough to ask, ‘Would you refer us to a friend?’ You need to know if customers really trust the answers and the experience you provide.”
About:
Nick Glimsdahl is a contact center strategist and author of The Heart of Service: A Blueprint for Human-Centric AI in Customer Service. He is also the host of the Press 1 For Nick podcast.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
What is human-centric AI?
How can companies find the right balance between automation and personal customer interactions?
What are the biggest risks of over-automating customer support processes?
Why do so many AI projects in customer service fail?
How can organizations manage change effectively when implementing AI-driven solutions for customer experience?
Top Takeaways
Artificial Intelligence can help make customer service faster and more efficient, but it should never completely replace people. Humans are still essential for understanding emotions, showing empathy, and solving complex problems for customers.
Don’t jump into new technology just because it’s trendy. Don’t use AI for the sake of using AI. Companies should ask themselves what problems they want AI to solve and what a successful outcome looks like.
Over-automation can hurt customer service. It’s easy to get excited about what AI can do and try to automate everything. Companies should use AI for simple tasks, but always provide customers with a clear way to connect with a live person when needed.
AI, just like humans, can make mistakes. Whether it’s providing incorrect information or making unusual decisions, AI hallucinations can occur. Companies that succeed with AI are always ready to learn from their mistakes by updating their systems, and refining AI training. Turn every mistake into an opportunity to keep improving.
Trust is the heart of any great service experience, whether powered by AI or humans. Companies must be honest, transparent, and consistent with their customers, especially when introducing new technology. Asking for customer feedback to gauge whether they trust the answers they are getting or feel confident in using the new technology can help companies measure success and look for ways to enhance the experience
AI is not just about helping customers. It also helps empower employees. When companies use AI in the background to lighten the workload for their teams, including summarizing calls, handling after-call work, or providing relevant information in real-time, employees can focus on solving complex problems and making customers happy.
Plus, Shep and Nick talk about why it’s crucial to stay flexible and keep evolving with technology. Tune in!
Quotes:
“Artificial Intelligence can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. Companies might say, ‘We want AI,’ but if you don’t clearly define what that means, it might not deliver the results you want.”
“Eighty percent of AI projects fail because many companies start tech-first instead of outcome-first.”
“Ask your frontline team what they’re hearing from the customer’s side. Let them test out the new technology before it rolls out. You want feedback from people who know the pain points firsthand.”
“Focus more on trust, transparency, and consistency than just high-level metrics. It’s not enough to ask, ‘Would you refer us to a friend?’ You need to know if customers really trust the answers and the experience you provide.”
About:
Nick Glimsdahl is a contact center strategist and author of The Heart of Service: A Blueprint for Human-Centric AI in Customer Service. He is also the host of the Press 1 For Nick podcast.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
