Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for Week of October 13, 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.
Qualtrics Finds Cynicism Around AI Threatens Customer Loyalty by Nicole Willing
(CX Today) Many businesses are enthusiastically deploying AI-powered chatbots and agents as the front line of their customer engagement, but a growing number of consumers are hitting the brakes.
My Comment: We kick off this week’s Top Five roundup with an article featuring findings from Qualtrics’ research on customer experience and AI. The message to companies and brands is to tread carefully. Customers aren’t trusting AI and chatbots, which can lead to lost revenue due to bad experiences. According to Qualtrics’ Isabelle Zdatny, “Increasingly, customers don’t tell companies about bad experiences – they just act, with roughly half reducing their spending. Companies can be left guessing where they went wrong.”
Why Aren’t Chatbots Delivering? by Xander Freeman
(Call Centre Helper) With a near-half adoption rate in our readers’ contact centres, why are chatbots still ranking so low for ROI when it comes to improving customer experience?
My Comment: Speaking of Chatbots and AI, Call Centre has just released its research on how companies are investing in AI for CX. They asked two experts (myself included) for their opinions. And they provide a link to the research. If you run a contact center, small or large, this is important/must-have information.
CX Day 2025: The State of Customer Experience and Why It’s at a Tipping Point by Nicole Willing
(CX Today) Each year, World CX Day is an opportunity to tip the hat to the brands, teams, and innovations that put customers first. But this year, the celebration comes as customer experience is at a crossroads. While new technologies, especially AI, are unlocking powerful opportunities, the reality on the ground is more complex. According to Forrester, CX quality is declining year after year, and the reasons are both technical and human.
My Comment: Last week was Customer Service Week and Customer Experience Day, two of my favorite “holidays.” This article focuses on CX Day, including commentary on the importance of CX. One section that stood out was about trust. More and more, I believe CX is not only a driver of happy experiences but also of trust. While the trust comments in this article focused on how companies use and protect their customers’ data, good service is a trust driver. Trust is key to creating customer loyalty.
93% of Executives Admit Their Customer Experience Is ‘Broken’ by PRNewswire
(MarTech) New WSJ Intelligence and Code and Theory research report shows that businesses are failing to harness AI’s potential to fundamentally reshape customer relationships.
My Comment: The title of this article intrigued me. Nine out of ten executives admit their CX is broken, yet everyone (for years) has expressed the importance of CX and how it contributes to the bottom line. And as usual, AI is dominating the conversation. Dan Gardner, co-founder of Code and Theory, shared a savvy comment: “The companies winning with AI aren’t following best practices; they’re inventing new categories of customer value…”
Famous Customer Service Quotes from Famous Business Leaders in History by Daniel Pereira
(The Business Model Analyst) Great service outlives trends because it’s rooted in human needs: feeling heard, respected, and helped. The best operators knew this decades ago—and their lessons still guide world-class CX today.
My Comment: Let’s wrap up this week’s Top Five with a little motivation and inspiration that doesn’t mention AI! Here are 75 quotes from famous business leaders to get you motivated and thinking.
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.
Qualtrics Finds Cynicism Around AI Threatens Customer Loyalty by Nicole Willing
(CX Today) Many businesses are enthusiastically deploying AI-powered chatbots and agents as the front line of their customer engagement, but a growing number of consumers are hitting the brakes.
My Comment: We kick off this week’s Top Five roundup with an article featuring findings from Qualtrics’ research on customer experience and AI. The message to companies and brands is to tread carefully. Customers aren’t trusting AI and chatbots, which can lead to lost revenue due to bad experiences. According to Qualtrics’ Isabelle Zdatny, “Increasingly, customers don’t tell companies about bad experiences – they just act, with roughly half reducing their spending. Companies can be left guessing where they went wrong.”
Why Aren’t Chatbots Delivering? by Xander Freeman
(Call Centre Helper) With a near-half adoption rate in our readers’ contact centres, why are chatbots still ranking so low for ROI when it comes to improving customer experience?
My Comment: Speaking of Chatbots and AI, Call Centre has just released its research on how companies are investing in AI for CX. They asked two experts (myself included) for their opinions. And they provide a link to the research. If you run a contact center, small or large, this is important/must-have information.
CX Day 2025: The State of Customer Experience and Why It’s at a Tipping Point by Nicole Willing
(CX Today) Each year, World CX Day is an opportunity to tip the hat to the brands, teams, and innovations that put customers first. But this year, the celebration comes as customer experience is at a crossroads. While new technologies, especially AI, are unlocking powerful opportunities, the reality on the ground is more complex. According to Forrester, CX quality is declining year after year, and the reasons are both technical and human.
My Comment: Last week was Customer Service Week and Customer Experience Day, two of my favorite “holidays.” This article focuses on CX Day, including commentary on the importance of CX. One section that stood out was about trust. More and more, I believe CX is not only a driver of happy experiences but also of trust. While the trust comments in this article focused on how companies use and protect their customers’ data, good service is a trust driver. Trust is key to creating customer loyalty.
93% of Executives Admit Their Customer Experience Is ‘Broken’ by PRNewswire
(MarTech) New WSJ Intelligence and Code and Theory research report shows that businesses are failing to harness AI’s potential to fundamentally reshape customer relationships.
My Comment: The title of this article intrigued me. Nine out of ten executives admit their CX is broken, yet everyone (for years) has expressed the importance of CX and how it contributes to the bottom line. And as usual, AI is dominating the conversation. Dan Gardner, co-founder of Code and Theory, shared a savvy comment: “The companies winning with AI aren’t following best practices; they’re inventing new categories of customer value…”
Famous Customer Service Quotes from Famous Business Leaders in History by Daniel Pereira
(The Business Model Analyst) Great service outlives trends because it’s rooted in human needs: feeling heard, respected, and helped. The best operators knew this decades ago—and their lessons still guide world-class CX today.
My Comment: Let’s wrap up this week’s Top Five with a little motivation and inspiration that doesn’t mention AI! Here are 75 quotes from famous business leaders to get you motivated and thinking.
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.
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