Shep Hyken's Blog, page 4
August 5, 2025
When a CEO Picks Up the Phone: How Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates Learn About Customer Experience
Jeff Bezos, the former CEO of Amazon, shared a fascinating leadership story on the Lex Fridman Podcast about how he wanted to ensure his customers received the best customer experience. In Amazon’s early days, Bezos noticed a discrepancy between the “wait times” the customer support department was reporting and the feedback customers shared. The support team reported wait times of less than 60 seconds, but customers told a different story. Instead of asking for more data, Bezos took matters into his own hands. He picked up the phone during a meeting with the leadership team and called Amazon’s customer service number himself. The result was a 10-minute wait!
That one phone call did more than just expose a problem. It demonstrated the kind of leadership that sets the tone for others to follow. When the CEO is willing to experience what customers experience, it sends a clear message: customer service and CX are more than a department or a strategy. They are everyone’s responsibility.
When leaders get out of their offices
This story illustrates the importance of leaders getting out of their offices and experiencing what’s happening in the field or on the front line. Reading reports and analyzing data are part of the job. But when it comes to customer experience, nothing beats getting firsthand information.
Bezos, in effect, mystery shopped his company, pretending to be a customer. What he was really doing was trying to get to the truth. Sometimes the truth can be experienced directly, or it can be observed.
For example, as I wrote about in my book I’ll Be Back: How to Get Customers To Come Back Again and Again , Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, visited the company’s product support center and talked to customers. He sat down at a desk in a cubicle, put on a headset, picked up the phone and said, “Hello, this is Microsoft Product Support, William speaking. How can I help you?”
The beauty of these simple strategies, which provide firsthand information about what customers are experiencing, what they’re asking or what they’re complaining about, is that, for the cost of a little time and effort, they’re incredibly revealing. You don’t need surveys. You need to be willing to see your company through your customers’ eyes.
One other thought about what Bezos and Gates did. They didn’t keep their efforts a secret. When your team sees you personally calling your company or taking customer support calls, they understand that customer service and CX are a priority that starts at the top.
So, take a page from the Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates playbooks. Pick up the phone. Visit a store. Experience your website. Spend time on the front line. Experience and learn about your business as your customer would. You might be surprised by what you discover, and your customers are sure to appreciate the changes that follow.
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 .
August 4, 2025
How to Operationalize Customer Centricity with Dr. Jeff Dahms
This episode of
Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken
answers the following questions and more:
How does data-driven decision-making improve customer service?
Why is it important to understand the reasons behind customer decisions and behavior?
How can organizations effectively gather and utilize customer feedback to improve service?
How can businesses identify gaps in the customer journey using research and analytics?
What is the “cycle of success” framework in customer experience management?
Top Takeaways
When making decisions for your business, relying on gut feeling may not be reliable. Having data about your customers’ behavior and collecting their feedback gives you better odds of providing the best experience for them.
Improving customer experience is a continuous cycle. You start by collecting feedback from customers, then turn it into helpful data for your business. After that, share the information with your employees so they can better serve customers, and then look for new feedback from your customers about their experience to continue improving.
Smart leaders and managers know how to choose quality over quantity when it comes to data. When you are collecting huge amounts of information, use the pieces that help you make better decisions or solve a particular problem.
Traditional surveys can give you some feedback, but they don’t always tell the whole story. Not everyone will respond, and sometimes you only hear from people who either really love or really dislike your service. To gain more accurate insights, consider combining surveys with other methods, such as interviews or external research.
Collecting feedback is great, but it’s only helpful when the employees who work directly with your customers understand and know how to use it. Break down complex data into simple, actionable ideas. This could mean additional training, clearer instructions, or helpful tips to manage challenging situations.
Good research starts with good questions. Before collecting feedback, it’s better to understand the specific problem or question you’re trying to solve. When you define exactly what you need to know and why, it helps you choose the best research methods that will give you the most useful results.
Great customer experiences start with a positive environment for your employees. Make sure your team has the tools, training, and support they need to do their jobs well. When employees feel valued and know how to help customers, service improves for everyone.
Plus, Shep and Jeff discuss why it is important to learn from customers, even the ones who have already left. Tune in!
Quotes:
“Do you know why your customers are making the decisions that they make? Understanding the ‘why’ behind customer choices is important if you want to operationalize a customer-centric philosophy in your daily business.”
“Collecting customer feedback is a never-ending cycle. Because as you make changes, customers are going to give you feedback again on how those changes impact them.”
“Research is a support function. It exists to help businesses move forward and provide better experiences for their customers.”
About:
Dr. Jeff Dahms is the data-driven Director of Customer Experience & Insights at Physicians Mutual, where he helps businesses leverage information to improve processes and customer outcomes.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
How does data-driven decision-making improve customer service?
Why is it important to understand the reasons behind customer decisions and behavior?
How can organizations effectively gather and utilize customer feedback to improve service?
How can businesses identify gaps in the customer journey using research and analytics?
What is the “cycle of success” framework in customer experience management?
Top Takeaways
When making decisions for your business, relying on gut feeling may not be reliable. Having data about your customers’ behavior and collecting their feedback gives you better odds of providing the best experience for them.
Improving customer experience is a continuous cycle. You start by collecting feedback from customers, then turn it into helpful data for your business. After that, share the information with your employees so they can better serve customers, and then look for new feedback from your customers about their experience to continue improving.
Smart leaders and managers know how to choose quality over quantity when it comes to data. When you are collecting huge amounts of information, use the pieces that help you make better decisions or solve a particular problem.
Traditional surveys can give you some feedback, but they don’t always tell the whole story. Not everyone will respond, and sometimes you only hear from people who either really love or really dislike your service. To gain more accurate insights, consider combining surveys with other methods, such as interviews or external research.
Collecting feedback is great, but it’s only helpful when the employees who work directly with your customers understand and know how to use it. Break down complex data into simple, actionable ideas. This could mean additional training, clearer instructions, or helpful tips to manage challenging situations.
Good research starts with good questions. Before collecting feedback, it’s better to understand the specific problem or question you’re trying to solve. When you define exactly what you need to know and why, it helps you choose the best research methods that will give you the most useful results.
Great customer experiences start with a positive environment for your employees. Make sure your team has the tools, training, and support they need to do their jobs well. When employees feel valued and know how to help customers, service improves for everyone.
Plus, Shep and Jeff discuss why it is important to learn from customers, even the ones who have already left. Tune in!
Quotes:
“Do you know why your customers are making the decisions that they make? Understanding the ‘why’ behind customer choices is important if you want to operationalize a customer-centric philosophy in your daily business.”
“Collecting customer feedback is a never-ending cycle. Because as you make changes, customers are going to give you feedback again on how those changes impact them.”
“Research is a support function. It exists to help businesses move forward and provide better experiences for their customers.”
About:
Dr. Jeff Dahms is the data-driven Director of Customer Experience & Insights at Physicians Mutual, where he helps businesses leverage information to improve processes and customer outcomes.
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 August 4, 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.
How Customer Satisfaction Surveys Went from Helpful to ‘Intrusive’ by Brent Jabbour and Simone Del Rosario
(Straight Arrow News) Roughly 25% of customers said they’ve stopped doing business with a company because it either sent too many surveys or the survey was too long.
My Comment: We open this week’s Top Five roundup with an article about surveys. Yes, I shared some commentary, and yes, my customer service research, but this article also features excellent commentary on satisfaction surveys. And, drum roll… Fred Reichheld, the grandfather of the Net Promoter Score (NPS), shares his take on surveys. If you’re interested in the benefits and concerns about customer satisfaction surveys, you will love this article.
What Prime Day 2025 Reveals About Shipping, Returns and Customer Expectations by Greg Kihlstrom
(CMSWire) Free shipping, easy returns and Buy with Prime drove record sales for Prime Day 2025. DTC brands must now meet these CX benchmarks year-round.
My Comment: Amazon Prime Day – actually four days – is over. What can we learn from Amazon’s big sale? Quite a bit! If you want to learn what motivates people to do business with you, especially if you sell to consumers, then this is an essential article to read. Learn from one of the top (if not the top) online retailers on the planet.
“Totally, Totally Gone”: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Predicts the End of Human Customer Service by Charlie Mitchell
(CX Today) Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has warned of a future where AI will eliminate entire job categories, including customer support.
My Comment: Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI (ChatGPT), made a bold prediction: In the future, AI will, as the title of this article indicates, will eliminate live customer support. He goes on to state that new jobs will open up, so it’s not all gloom and doom. However, read the last part of the article, where other experts offer a rosier picture of the future of live customer service/support.
How to Avoid the Customer Experience Cliff by Jennifer Lee
(CRM) In the race to modernize customer service, many companies are sprinting toward automation and AI with great urgency. But companies that go too far in that direction at the expense of the human side of customer service risk tumbling off what I call the Customer Experience Cliff—the point where automation displaces so many human roles that the quality of the customer experience takes a nosedive.
My Comment: The “Cliff” in this article refers to the point at which companies overuse technology, eliminating human-to-human interactions. I’ve always preached the importance of finding a balance. The mistake companies make is that, as the article points out, “when efficiency becomes the sole metric that counts, something essential is lost.” The point is, you don’t want to “go over the cliff.”
9 Essential Steps to CX Maturity by Melanie Mingas
(CX Network) Customer experience (CX) maturity is the road to customer centricity. It is the result of delivering a finely-tuned organization-wide CX strategy that considers customer and company needs to deliver measurable benefits and real results, including financial results.
My Comment: Wrapping up this week’s Top Five roundup, here’s an article that breaks down nine practical steps to help any company level up its customer experience. It’s not about big budgets. It’s about leadership, alignment, and putting CX at the center of your culture. If you’re serious about creating a customer-first organization, read this 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.
How Customer Satisfaction Surveys Went from Helpful to ‘Intrusive’ by Brent Jabbour and Simone Del Rosario
(Straight Arrow News) Roughly 25% of customers said they’ve stopped doing business with a company because it either sent too many surveys or the survey was too long.
My Comment: We open this week’s Top Five roundup with an article about surveys. Yes, I shared some commentary, and yes, my customer service research, but this article also features excellent commentary on satisfaction surveys. And, drum roll… Fred Reichheld, the grandfather of the Net Promoter Score (NPS), shares his take on surveys. If you’re interested in the benefits and concerns about customer satisfaction surveys, you will love this article.
What Prime Day 2025 Reveals About Shipping, Returns and Customer Expectations by Greg Kihlstrom
(CMSWire) Free shipping, easy returns and Buy with Prime drove record sales for Prime Day 2025. DTC brands must now meet these CX benchmarks year-round.
My Comment: Amazon Prime Day – actually four days – is over. What can we learn from Amazon’s big sale? Quite a bit! If you want to learn what motivates people to do business with you, especially if you sell to consumers, then this is an essential article to read. Learn from one of the top (if not the top) online retailers on the planet.
“Totally, Totally Gone”: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Predicts the End of Human Customer Service by Charlie Mitchell
(CX Today) Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has warned of a future where AI will eliminate entire job categories, including customer support.
My Comment: Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI (ChatGPT), made a bold prediction: In the future, AI will, as the title of this article indicates, will eliminate live customer support. He goes on to state that new jobs will open up, so it’s not all gloom and doom. However, read the last part of the article, where other experts offer a rosier picture of the future of live customer service/support.
How to Avoid the Customer Experience Cliff by Jennifer Lee
(CRM) In the race to modernize customer service, many companies are sprinting toward automation and AI with great urgency. But companies that go too far in that direction at the expense of the human side of customer service risk tumbling off what I call the Customer Experience Cliff—the point where automation displaces so many human roles that the quality of the customer experience takes a nosedive.
My Comment: The “Cliff” in this article refers to the point at which companies overuse technology, eliminating human-to-human interactions. I’ve always preached the importance of finding a balance. The mistake companies make is that, as the article points out, “when efficiency becomes the sole metric that counts, something essential is lost.” The point is, you don’t want to “go over the cliff.”
9 Essential Steps to CX Maturity by Melanie Mingas
(CX Network) Customer experience (CX) maturity is the road to customer centricity. It is the result of delivering a finely-tuned organization-wide CX strategy that considers customer and company needs to deliver measurable benefits and real results, including financial results.
My Comment: Wrapping up this week’s Top Five roundup, here’s an article that breaks down nine practical steps to help any company level up its customer experience. It’s not about big budgets. It’s about leadership, alignment, and putting CX at the center of your culture. If you’re serious about creating a customer-first organization, read this 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.
July 29, 2025
The Trust You Build Today Makes Solving Tomorrow’s Complaints Easier
When you have your customer’s confidence, the opportunity to create an excellent customer experience dramatically improves. That confidence comes from consistency. The customer knows what to expect, even if any problems or issues arise. They know you’ll take care of them. This is a follow-up to my article that covered the Customer Service Recovery Paradox, in which a customer’s perception of the company is higher after a problem or complaint is resolved than if the problem had never happened at all. One of our subscribers, Sean Crichton-Browne of Market Culture, shared a great comment. The short version is that when you have the customer’s confidence, especially in potentially tenuous situations, customers work with you rather than against you.
Sean’s insight is spot-on and worth diving into further. Think about the last time you had a problem with a company you trusted versus one that you didn’t. By the way, that lack of trust could be because you haven’t yet experienced how they handle a problem, not because of any inconsistencies or problems in the past. With the trusted company, you most likely approached the conversation differently. You were more patient as you explained the situation, and you were more open to their suggestions and solutions.
Contrast that with a company you don’t yet trust. You go into the conversation with your guard up, wondering if you’ll get the response and answers you hope for. You may even be prepared to fight for what you believe is right.
When customers trust you, they:
Give you the benefit of the doubt when mistakes happen.
Share more information about what went wrong, making it easier to fix.
Accept reasonable solutions rather than demanding unrealistic ones.
Remain calm and respectful, making it much easier to help them without having to first de-escalate the customer’s anger.
As mentioned, and worth mentioning again, confidence comes from consistency. Even if the customer has only done business with you once or twice, it can be earned through all of the positive touchpoints of those interactions. Every interaction, big or small, builds confidence. Every time you answer the phone, return a call promptly, respond to email quickly, keep your promises, and more, you’re building trust. When something does go wrong, not if something goes wrong, you will have those past interactions working for you.
Yes, we need to react to complaints and problems when they happen, but remember that your ability to resolve those issues successfully may have been determined long before the problem ever occurred. It’s determined by how you treat customers and manage every interaction, the small ones and the big ones. Every touchpoint is an opportunity to build the confidence that will make future problems easier to resolve. When you have their trust, customers work with you rather than against you.
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 .
July 28, 2025
The Risks and Rewards of AI in Customer Service with Matt Price
This episode of
Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken
answers the following questions and more:
How can companies effectively balance AI automation with the human element in customer service?
What are hidden sources of waste in customer service operations, and how can they be eliminated?
Why is it important for organizations to move away from viewing customer service as just a cost center?
How can businesses ensure a smooth transition from legacy systems to cloud-based customer service solutions?
How can AI be used to enhance, rather than replace, meaningful human engagement?
Top Takeaways
Customer service is enhanced when it combines the strengths of artificial intelligence with human capabilities. While AI can handle simple and repetitive tasks, making things faster and more efficient, human agents can excel in complex situations where empathy and emotional understanding are needed.
Customer support is often seen as a way to deal with problems and mistakes. However, when done right, customer support not only keeps customers loyal and happy but also drives future sales.
Companies sometimes attempt to save money by delegating most customer service tasks to AI. However, if AI isn’t accurate or easy to use, it can end up costing more. You might lose customers who get frustrated, or spend extra time fixing AI’s mistakes. Use AI that is the right fit for your organization and always have backup plans in place for when your customers need human support.
Instead of waiting for something to go wrong, companies can use new technology to help customers before they even reach out. For example, companies can offer AI support to stay with a customer through the whole process of unboxing and installing their product.
Organizations that prioritize customer service tend to achieve better results. Customer service isn’t just something you “have to do.” It can be your company’s main way to stand out from your competition.
Plus, Shep and Matt discuss how companies can move from deflection (using AI or technology to handle customer inquiries and divert them away from live agents) to customer engagement. Tune in!
Quotes:
“AI is changing and improving all the time. Your business is changing and improving . You need to establish feedback loops to ensure that handoffs remain seamless for your customers and employees, and you never force AI to do more than it should.”
“AI will be about jobs changing rather than jobs going away. Customer service roles will evolve, deepen, and offer more opportunities for career growth.”
“For most organizations, it’s incredibly difficult to implement AI in a way that delivers high-quality customer experiences. And if it’s not high quality, then it becomes more expensive and the purpose is lost. AI can help companies save money, but when it doesn’t work, it ends up costing more by losing customers or needing more time to fix mistakes.”
About:
Matt Price is the CEO and co-founder of Crescendo, a customer service platform that combines AI technology with human expertise to deliver exceptional customer support experiences.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
How can companies effectively balance AI automation with the human element in customer service?
What are hidden sources of waste in customer service operations, and how can they be eliminated?
Why is it important for organizations to move away from viewing customer service as just a cost center?
How can businesses ensure a smooth transition from legacy systems to cloud-based customer service solutions?
How can AI be used to enhance, rather than replace, meaningful human engagement?
Top Takeaways
Customer service is enhanced when it combines the strengths of artificial intelligence with human capabilities. While AI can handle simple and repetitive tasks, making things faster and more efficient, human agents can excel in complex situations where empathy and emotional understanding are needed.
Customer support is often seen as a way to deal with problems and mistakes. However, when done right, customer support not only keeps customers loyal and happy but also drives future sales.
Companies sometimes attempt to save money by delegating most customer service tasks to AI. However, if AI isn’t accurate or easy to use, it can end up costing more. You might lose customers who get frustrated, or spend extra time fixing AI’s mistakes. Use AI that is the right fit for your organization and always have backup plans in place for when your customers need human support.
Instead of waiting for something to go wrong, companies can use new technology to help customers before they even reach out. For example, companies can offer AI support to stay with a customer through the whole process of unboxing and installing their product.
Organizations that prioritize customer service tend to achieve better results. Customer service isn’t just something you “have to do.” It can be your company’s main way to stand out from your competition.
Plus, Shep and Matt discuss how companies can move from deflection (using AI or technology to handle customer inquiries and divert them away from live agents) to customer engagement. Tune in!
Quotes:
“AI is changing and improving all the time. Your business is changing and improving . You need to establish feedback loops to ensure that handoffs remain seamless for your customers and employees, and you never force AI to do more than it should.”
“AI will be about jobs changing rather than jobs going away. Customer service roles will evolve, deepen, and offer more opportunities for career growth.”
“For most organizations, it’s incredibly difficult to implement AI in a way that delivers high-quality customer experiences. And if it’s not high quality, then it becomes more expensive and the purpose is lost. AI can help companies save money, but when it doesn’t work, it ends up costing more by losing customers or needing more time to fix mistakes.”
About:
Matt Price is the CEO and co-founder of Crescendo, a customer service platform that combines AI technology with human expertise to deliver exceptional customer support experiences.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
July 27, 2025
Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for Week of July 28, 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.
Why Predictive Service Is the Next Big Thing for Your Customer Service by Juan C. Rezk
(Entrepreneur) To drive growth, companies should transform customer support from reactive to predictive and proactive. Using foresight, ethical data, and strategic alignment can turn customer experience into a key competitive advantage.
My Comment: We open this week’s Top Five with an article about proactive service. It’s one thing to answer calls and inquiries quickly. Customers expect that. However, what if you took care of problems before they happened? The article can be summed up by the author’s comment, “The new standard set by digital leaders has created a powerful demand for proactive personalization… A reactive model is inherently defensive, waiting for a customer to raise a flag that signals a problem.”
Bill Gates Just Worked a Shift at His Daughter’s Startup. It Taught an Important Leadership Lesson by Jessica Stillman
(Inc. Magazine) The Microsoft co-founder’s stint in customer service was a publicity stunt, but also a good reminder to leaders to spend more time in the trenches.
My Comment: This article reminds us of the importance of stepping out of our offices and spending time on the front line to understand the reality of what customers experience when they do business with us. In my book, I’ll Be Back: How to Get Customers to Come Back Again and Again, I tell the story of Bill Gates who went to Microsoft’s product support center, put on a headset, and answered the phone, “Microsoft product support. This is William. How can I help you?” Whether you answer customer calls or mystery shop your company, you must know and understand what customers experience.
8 Brands That Nail The Branded Packaging Experience by Brittany Hodak
(Brittany Hodak) Even before a customer opens your product, they’re interacting with your packaging. The box on their doorstep sets the tone for everything inside. And once it’s opened? It might stick around in their home for days, weeks, or even months. That’s not just packaging—it’s a branded experience that lingers.
My Comment: Customer Experience is more than responding to customer complaints, issues, and inquiries. It’s the total experience, from beginning to end, and then continues when the customer comes back. My friend and co-host of our SUPER AMAZING Show, makes the point with brands that have nailed the experience of packaging. Yes, that cardboard box you receive in the mail (or from any other carrier) makes an impression. Brittany has great comments and examples about the concept that everything is experience.
Orchestrating Empathy Where Your Funnel Falls Short by Tav Laskauskas
(MarTech) The uncomfortable truth? Your sophisticated automation is creating experiences so robotic that customers can smell the algorithm from a mile away. And in a world where trust and genuine connection are commodities, that’s a problem worth solving.
My Comment: The sales funnel (the journey customers take as they discover you, learn about your products, do their research, and eventually buy) is a big part of the customer experience. That early journey will help a customer decide whether to do business with you or not. This article discusses the opportunity to incorporate empathy into the process. Today’s customers want to feel connected. They may not need much empathy or emotion, but they still want to feel good about their decision to do business with you. This interesting article covers empathy in the automated sales process.
Costco’s Insane Return Policy Correlates with Insane Growth by John Dijulius
(The Dijulius Group) One of Costco customers’ most beloved perks? A 100% satisfaction guarantee on most items. Members can return most purchases at any time—no time limit required. Even without a receipt, returns are easy since every purchase is linked to a member’s account.
My Comment: We wrap up this week’s roundup with a very short article that will take you less than a minute or so to read. My buddy and fellow CX expert, John DiJulius, points out and comments on the power of “Costco’s Insane Return Policy,” and how it helps drive their success. Our annual customer service and CX research confirms this idea that easy returns are a big reason why customers come back. Costco nails it!
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.
Why Predictive Service Is the Next Big Thing for Your Customer Service by Juan C. Rezk
(Entrepreneur) To drive growth, companies should transform customer support from reactive to predictive and proactive. Using foresight, ethical data, and strategic alignment can turn customer experience into a key competitive advantage.
My Comment: We open this week’s Top Five with an article about proactive service. It’s one thing to answer calls and inquiries quickly. Customers expect that. However, what if you took care of problems before they happened? The article can be summed up by the author’s comment, “The new standard set by digital leaders has created a powerful demand for proactive personalization… A reactive model is inherently defensive, waiting for a customer to raise a flag that signals a problem.”
Bill Gates Just Worked a Shift at His Daughter’s Startup. It Taught an Important Leadership Lesson by Jessica Stillman
(Inc. Magazine) The Microsoft co-founder’s stint in customer service was a publicity stunt, but also a good reminder to leaders to spend more time in the trenches.
My Comment: This article reminds us of the importance of stepping out of our offices and spending time on the front line to understand the reality of what customers experience when they do business with us. In my book, I’ll Be Back: How to Get Customers to Come Back Again and Again, I tell the story of Bill Gates who went to Microsoft’s product support center, put on a headset, and answered the phone, “Microsoft product support. This is William. How can I help you?” Whether you answer customer calls or mystery shop your company, you must know and understand what customers experience.
8 Brands That Nail The Branded Packaging Experience by Brittany Hodak
(Brittany Hodak) Even before a customer opens your product, they’re interacting with your packaging. The box on their doorstep sets the tone for everything inside. And once it’s opened? It might stick around in their home for days, weeks, or even months. That’s not just packaging—it’s a branded experience that lingers.
My Comment: Customer Experience is more than responding to customer complaints, issues, and inquiries. It’s the total experience, from beginning to end, and then continues when the customer comes back. My friend and co-host of our SUPER AMAZING Show, makes the point with brands that have nailed the experience of packaging. Yes, that cardboard box you receive in the mail (or from any other carrier) makes an impression. Brittany has great comments and examples about the concept that everything is experience.
Orchestrating Empathy Where Your Funnel Falls Short by Tav Laskauskas
(MarTech) The uncomfortable truth? Your sophisticated automation is creating experiences so robotic that customers can smell the algorithm from a mile away. And in a world where trust and genuine connection are commodities, that’s a problem worth solving.
My Comment: The sales funnel (the journey customers take as they discover you, learn about your products, do their research, and eventually buy) is a big part of the customer experience. That early journey will help a customer decide whether to do business with you or not. This article discusses the opportunity to incorporate empathy into the process. Today’s customers want to feel connected. They may not need much empathy or emotion, but they still want to feel good about their decision to do business with you. This interesting article covers empathy in the automated sales process.
Costco’s Insane Return Policy Correlates with Insane Growth by John Dijulius
(The Dijulius Group) One of Costco customers’ most beloved perks? A 100% satisfaction guarantee on most items. Members can return most purchases at any time—no time limit required. Even without a receipt, returns are easy since every purchase is linked to a member’s account.
My Comment: We wrap up this week’s roundup with a very short article that will take you less than a minute or so to read. My buddy and fellow CX expert, John DiJulius, points out and comments on the power of “Costco’s Insane Return Policy,” and how it helps drive their success. Our annual customer service and CX research confirms this idea that easy returns are a big reason why customers come back. Costco nails it!
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.
July 22, 2025
Just Because a Person Can Do Something, It Doesn’t Mean They Should
There seems to be a lot of controversy and questions surrounding AI being used to support customers. The customer experience can be enhanced with AI, but it can also derail and cause customers to head to the competition. Last week, I wrote an article title Just Because AI Can Do Something, Doesn’t Mean It Should. The gist of the article was that while AI has impressive capabilities, there are situations in which human-to-human interaction is still preferred, even necessary, especially for complex, sensitive or emotionally charged customer issues.
However, there is a flip side. Sometimes AI is the smart thing to use, and eliminating human-to-human interaction actually creates a better customer experience. The point is that just because a human could handle a task doesn’t mean they should.
Before we go further, keep in mind that even if AI should handle an issue, my customer service and CX research finds almost seven out of 10 customers (68%) prefer the phone. So, there are some customers who, regardless of how good AI is, will only talk to a live human being.
Here’s a reality: When a customer simply wants to check their account balance, reset a password, track a package or any other routine, simple task or request, they don’t need to talk to someone. What they really want, even if they don’t realize it, is fast, accurate information and a convenient experience.
The key is recognizing when customers value efficiency over engagement. Even with 68% of customers preferring the phone, they also want convenience and speed. And sometimes, the most convenient experience is one that eliminates unnecessary human interaction.
Smart companies are learning to use both strategically. They are finding a balance. They’re using AI for routine, transactional interactions while making live agents available for situations requiring judgement, creativity or empathy.
The goal isn’t to replace humans with AI. It’s to use each where they excel most. That sometimes means letting technology do what it can do best, even if a human could technically do the job. The customer experience improves when you match the right resource to the customers’ specific need.
That’s why I advocate pushing the digital, AI-infused experience for the right reasons but always – and I emphasize the word always – giving the customer an easy way to connect to a human and continue the conversation.
In the end, most customers don’t care whether their problem is solved by a human or AI. They just want it solved well.
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 .
July 21, 2025
The AI-Powered Evolution of Customer Support with Cisco’s Jay Patel
This episode of
Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken
answers the following questions and more:
How is AI transforming the customer service experience?
How is AI improving self-service options for businesses?
Will AI ever fully replace human customer service agents?
How can AI help reduce burnout and attrition rates among contact center agents?
What risks should companies watch out for as they adopt AI in customer service?
Top Takeaways
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the way companies and customers interact. With advancements such as smarter self-service options and AI-powered voice agents, companies can now resolve customer issues more quickly and intuitively. This leads to a more seamless and satisfying experience for both customers and customer service agents.
Many customers still prefer to call customer service, despite companies offering self-service options. In this year’s Customer Service & CX Research, we found that 68% of customers still prefer to talk to a live customer service agent.
Some self-service options may not always be as effective as companies and customers want them to be. However, self-service is expected to improve as AI becomes more intuitive and capable of handling more complex problems. When it is easier to use and more effective in resolving issues, customers may grow to trust and utilize self-service more frequently.
While self-service tools continue to improve, many customers will still prefer to speak with a representative, especially for complex or emotionally charged issues. AI-powered voice agents are set to become more advanced, handling conversations “just like humans,” allowing customers to get resolutions without waiting for a human agent to become available.
Customer expectations are higher than ever. They expect immediate answers and help when they reach out to a company. Companies must keep pace with this demand by ensuring they offer customer care options that are quick, reliable, and easy to use.
AI just doesn’t help customers. It also helps employees by making their jobs easier and more fulfilling. For example, AI is used to provide agents with call history, so customers don’t need to repeat themselves, and it can give agents the information they need to solve the customer’s problems efficiently.
As companies use more AI tools, keeping their data safe and secure is more important than ever. Strong security policies and data protection help build trust, allowing customers to feel more comfortable using digital services.
Jay Patel shares information about Cisco’s WebexOne 2025 in San Diego, California, from September 28 to October 1, 2025. This event will highlight real-world customer successes and the latest innovations in AI-driven customer experience technology.
Plus, Shep and Jay discuss the future risks and responsibilities that come with rapidly adopting AI in customer service. Tune in!
Quotes:
“We’ve been speaking a lot longer than we’ve been typing, and I think the most profound technology change we’ll see soon is that machines will be able to understand us through voice.”
“I don’t see a human-less contact center. Technology today is going to augment organizations’ ability to serve customers better, but there will still be a need for humans, websites, and even physical locations.”
“Attrition in contact center agents is high because people often get burned out. AI will help detect agent stress, enable better coaching, and hopefully lower attrition by making the job itself more interesting and fulfilling.”
About:
Jay Patel is the Senior Vice President and General Manager of Cisco’s Webex Customer Experience Solutions business, responsible for product development, engineering, operations, and go-to-market.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
How is AI transforming the customer service experience?
How is AI improving self-service options for businesses?
Will AI ever fully replace human customer service agents?
How can AI help reduce burnout and attrition rates among contact center agents?
What risks should companies watch out for as they adopt AI in customer service?
Top Takeaways
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the way companies and customers interact. With advancements such as smarter self-service options and AI-powered voice agents, companies can now resolve customer issues more quickly and intuitively. This leads to a more seamless and satisfying experience for both customers and customer service agents.
Many customers still prefer to call customer service, despite companies offering self-service options. In this year’s Customer Service & CX Research, we found that 68% of customers still prefer to talk to a live customer service agent.
Some self-service options may not always be as effective as companies and customers want them to be. However, self-service is expected to improve as AI becomes more intuitive and capable of handling more complex problems. When it is easier to use and more effective in resolving issues, customers may grow to trust and utilize self-service more frequently.
While self-service tools continue to improve, many customers will still prefer to speak with a representative, especially for complex or emotionally charged issues. AI-powered voice agents are set to become more advanced, handling conversations “just like humans,” allowing customers to get resolutions without waiting for a human agent to become available.
Customer expectations are higher than ever. They expect immediate answers and help when they reach out to a company. Companies must keep pace with this demand by ensuring they offer customer care options that are quick, reliable, and easy to use.
AI just doesn’t help customers. It also helps employees by making their jobs easier and more fulfilling. For example, AI is used to provide agents with call history, so customers don’t need to repeat themselves, and it can give agents the information they need to solve the customer’s problems efficiently.
As companies use more AI tools, keeping their data safe and secure is more important than ever. Strong security policies and data protection help build trust, allowing customers to feel more comfortable using digital services.
Jay Patel shares information about Cisco’s WebexOne 2025 in San Diego, California, from September 28 to October 1, 2025. This event will highlight real-world customer successes and the latest innovations in AI-driven customer experience technology.
Plus, Shep and Jay discuss the future risks and responsibilities that come with rapidly adopting AI in customer service. Tune in!
Quotes:
“We’ve been speaking a lot longer than we’ve been typing, and I think the most profound technology change we’ll see soon is that machines will be able to understand us through voice.”
“I don’t see a human-less contact center. Technology today is going to augment organizations’ ability to serve customers better, but there will still be a need for humans, websites, and even physical locations.”
“Attrition in contact center agents is high because people often get burned out. AI will help detect agent stress, enable better coaching, and hopefully lower attrition by making the job itself more interesting and fulfilling.”
About:
Jay Patel is the Senior Vice President and General Manager of Cisco’s Webex Customer Experience Solutions business, responsible for product development, engineering, operations, and go-to-market.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
July 15, 2025
Just Because AI Can Do Something, Doesn’t Mean It Should
I’m often asked, “What should AI be used for?” While there is much that AI can do to support businesses in general, it’s obvious that I’m being asked how it relates to customer service and customer experience (CX). The true meaning of the question is more about what tasks AI can do to support a customer, thereby potentially eliminating the need for a live agent who deals directly with customers. First, as the title of this article implies, just because AI can do something, it doesn’t mean it should. Yes, AI can handle many customer support issues, but even if every customer were willing to accept that AI can deliver good support, there are some sensitive and complicated issues for which customers would prefer to talk to a human.
Additionally, consider that, based on my annual customer experience research, 68% of customers (that’s almost seven out of 10) prefer the phone as their primary means of communication with a company or brand. However, another finding in the report is worth mentioning: 34% of customers stopped doing business with a company because self-service options were not provided. Some customers insist on the self-service option, but at the same time, they want to be transferred to a live agent when appropriate.
AI works well for simple issues, such as password resets, tracking orders, appointment scheduling and answering basic or frequently asked questions. Humans are better suited for handling complaints and issues that need empathy, complex problem-solving situations that require judgment calls and communicating bad news.
An AI-fueled chatbot can answer many questions, but when a medical patient contacts the doctor’s office about test results related to a serious issue, they will likely want to speak with a nurse or doctor, not a chatbot.
Consider these questions before implementing AI for customer interactions
AI for addressing simple customer issues has become affordable for even the smallest businesses, and an increasing number of customers are willing to use AI-powered customer support for the right reasons. Consider these questions before implementing AI for customer interactions:
Is the customer’s question routine or fact-based?
Does it require empathy, emotion, understanding and/or judgment (emotional intelligence)?
Could the wrong answer cause a problem or frustrate the customer?
As you think about the reasons customers call, which ones would they feel comfortable having AI handle?
Do you have an easy and seamless way for customers to be transferred to a human when needed?
The point is, regardless of how capable the technology is, it doesn’t mean it is best suited to deliver what the customer wants. Live agents can “read the customer” and know how to effectively communicate and empathize with them. AI can’t do that … yet. The key isn’t choosing between AI and humans. It’s knowing when to use each one.
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 .
July 14, 2025
How Verizon Is Setting a New Standard for Customer Experience with Sampath
This episode of
Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken
answers the following questions and more:
How can you turn your call center from a cost center to a profit center?
Why should companies invest in improving customer experience?
How can organizations use customer feedback to enhance their products and services?
Why is it important for leadership to be accessible to customers when addressing service issues?
How can proactive customer service resolve complex issues more efficiently?
Top Takeaways
Feedback is a gift. Every complaint is an opportunity to learn what went wrong and how to do better. Whether it’s reading emails, analyzing phone calls, or collecting feedback, listening to the customer is a powerful way to enhance any service or product.
Spending money on customer experience may sound expensive, but it can save money and create loyalty over time. By fixing problems quickly and making interactions easier, customers don’t have to waste time with lengthy calls and repeating themselves. Happy and satisfied customers tend to stick around longer and often attract friends and family.
First contact resolution is always the main goal. However, some problems need more time and coordination with different departments to resolve. That’s why having a “customer champion” inside the customer support department who takes ownership and proactively follows through until an issue is resolved makes a difference to customers.
Being “customer first” means making sure every channel, whether it’s digital, in-person, or on the phone, works seamlessly. Not everyone wants to call, and not everyone wants to use a website or app, so giving customers a choice is essential. When people can choose what’s easiest for them and have a great experience every time, it contributes to creating a flawless experience.
AI, automation, and technology can make things easier and faster for both customers and employees. If used correctly, technology provides employees with the most accurate and complete information available, enabling them to answer customer questions quickly.
Retail isn’t dead. It’s just become impersonal for many customers. However, if you create a store experience that’s good, local, and personalized, people will come to your store. When you make your store about real, personal connections in the community, you give people a reason to want that face-to-face experience again.
Plus, Sampath shares why Verizon is shifting its internal metrics from traditional contact center measurements (such as average handle time) to metrics that truly matter to customers and the business in the long term.
Quotes:
“When a customer reaches out to us, they don’t reach out to say how great we are doing. They reach out because someone or something along the process did not live up to their standards or ours, whichever is higher.”
“Getting feedback is a gift. I want to hear what’s not working for our customers.”
“Providing the best customer experience may seem like a lot of money, but it pays for itself. At the end of the day, it makes life easy for the customer. When they are happy, they stay with us longer and help us attract more customers.”
“We don’t need to be the lowest price, we need to be the best value for money.”
“Customer care is a revenue center, a profit center, and a center for experience excellence.”
About:
Sowmyanarayan Sampath is the CEO of Verizon Consumer, overseeing a customer base that’s the largest in the U.S., generating over $103 billion in annual revenue.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
How can you turn your call center from a cost center to a profit center?
Why should companies invest in improving customer experience?
How can organizations use customer feedback to enhance their products and services?
Why is it important for leadership to be accessible to customers when addressing service issues?
How can proactive customer service resolve complex issues more efficiently?
Top Takeaways
Feedback is a gift. Every complaint is an opportunity to learn what went wrong and how to do better. Whether it’s reading emails, analyzing phone calls, or collecting feedback, listening to the customer is a powerful way to enhance any service or product.
Spending money on customer experience may sound expensive, but it can save money and create loyalty over time. By fixing problems quickly and making interactions easier, customers don’t have to waste time with lengthy calls and repeating themselves. Happy and satisfied customers tend to stick around longer and often attract friends and family.
First contact resolution is always the main goal. However, some problems need more time and coordination with different departments to resolve. That’s why having a “customer champion” inside the customer support department who takes ownership and proactively follows through until an issue is resolved makes a difference to customers.
Being “customer first” means making sure every channel, whether it’s digital, in-person, or on the phone, works seamlessly. Not everyone wants to call, and not everyone wants to use a website or app, so giving customers a choice is essential. When people can choose what’s easiest for them and have a great experience every time, it contributes to creating a flawless experience.
AI, automation, and technology can make things easier and faster for both customers and employees. If used correctly, technology provides employees with the most accurate and complete information available, enabling them to answer customer questions quickly.
Retail isn’t dead. It’s just become impersonal for many customers. However, if you create a store experience that’s good, local, and personalized, people will come to your store. When you make your store about real, personal connections in the community, you give people a reason to want that face-to-face experience again.
Plus, Sampath shares why Verizon is shifting its internal metrics from traditional contact center measurements (such as average handle time) to metrics that truly matter to customers and the business in the long term.
Quotes:
“When a customer reaches out to us, they don’t reach out to say how great we are doing. They reach out because someone or something along the process did not live up to their standards or ours, whichever is higher.”
“Getting feedback is a gift. I want to hear what’s not working for our customers.”
“Providing the best customer experience may seem like a lot of money, but it pays for itself. At the end of the day, it makes life easy for the customer. When they are happy, they stay with us longer and help us attract more customers.”
“We don’t need to be the lowest price, we need to be the best value for money.”
“Customer care is a revenue center, a profit center, and a center for experience excellence.”
About:
Sowmyanarayan Sampath is the CEO of Verizon Consumer, overseeing a customer base that’s the largest in the U.S., generating over $103 billion in annual revenue.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
