Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for Week of November 3, 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.
Forrester’s Customer Experience Predictions for 2026 by Rhys Fisher
(CX Today) It’s that time of year again: customer experience predictions season. The nights are drawing in, the temperature is dropping, and CX analysts from across the globe are dusting off their crystal balls. While you can expect an onslaught of predictions over the coming months, very few will have the prestige of Forrester, a leading global research and advisory firm with expertise in the CX space.
My Comment: We kick off this week’s Top Five with predictions from Forrester. Everything from over-automation to AI to journey mapping is included in this article. I consider Forrester to be one of the top resources in the CX world.
Verizon ‘Must Shift to a Customer-First Focus,’ New CEO Says by Bryan Wassel
(CX Dive) The company plans to strengthen loyalty, eliminate practices that detract from CX, and leverage AI to simplify offers, CEO Dan Schulman said.
My Comment: There’s a reason why Verizon is successful. They are truly obsessed with the customer experience. I’ve interviewed several of their top executives. This article includes the new CEO, Dan Schulman’s, comments about what they plan to do to keep the customer as their #1 priority.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian Says One Key to Building Customer Loyalty Is ‘Obsessing’ over Your Own Staff by Diane Brady
(Yahoo Finance Canada) Customer loyalty is a tricky thing: hard to get, relatively easy to maintain, and hard to win back once it’s lost. Inertia is a powerful force, which is why consumers keep the same bank account for an average of 17 years.
My Comment: And just as Verizon is obsessed over its customers, Delta Airlines CEO, Ed Bastian, believes the same for employees and is quoted in the article saying, “In our business, everyone focuses on the airline, the aircraft, the technology, the airports, the amazing destinations we get, but it’s the staff that bring it to life.”
The Next Generation of Customer Experience by Greg Cucino
(Inc.) For decades, many organizations have tried customizing certain aspects of their marketing, sales, and customer experiences. Many started small, adding a first name automatically to emails, passing along discounts to repeat loyal buyers, and segmenting behaviors, audiences, and classes by demographics.
My Comment: What’s the next generation of customer experience? According to this author, it’s hyper-personalization. Our annual customer experience research confirms that with a majority of customers rating a personalized experience as an important reason they keep coming back.
American Courts Customers with Premium Experiences by Kristen Doerer
(CX Dive) While main cabin revenue has faltered in recent quarters, premium revenue has grown, and American Airlines is eager to meet the rising demand.
My Comment: Since I included an article featuring the CEO of Delta Airlines in this week’s roundup, I wanted to give a shout-out to my favorite airline, American Airlines, and include this article that focuses on how AA is wooing its customers with premium experiences.
BONUS
Global Customer Experience Excellence (CEE) 2025-2026 by KPMG
(KPMG) A benchmark study now in its 16th year, CEE captures perspectives from over 80,000 consumers across 16 markets worldwide.
My Comment: KPMG has released an excellent CX report. It’s “gated,” so you’ll have to share your name and email address, but it’s worth it. Anytime KPMG releases a report, it’s worth paying attention to.
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.
Forrester’s Customer Experience Predictions for 2026 by Rhys Fisher
(CX Today) It’s that time of year again: customer experience predictions season. The nights are drawing in, the temperature is dropping, and CX analysts from across the globe are dusting off their crystal balls. While you can expect an onslaught of predictions over the coming months, very few will have the prestige of Forrester, a leading global research and advisory firm with expertise in the CX space.
My Comment: We kick off this week’s Top Five with predictions from Forrester. Everything from over-automation to AI to journey mapping is included in this article. I consider Forrester to be one of the top resources in the CX world.
Verizon ‘Must Shift to a Customer-First Focus,’ New CEO Says by Bryan Wassel
(CX Dive) The company plans to strengthen loyalty, eliminate practices that detract from CX, and leverage AI to simplify offers, CEO Dan Schulman said.
My Comment: There’s a reason why Verizon is successful. They are truly obsessed with the customer experience. I’ve interviewed several of their top executives. This article includes the new CEO, Dan Schulman’s, comments about what they plan to do to keep the customer as their #1 priority.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian Says One Key to Building Customer Loyalty Is ‘Obsessing’ over Your Own Staff by Diane Brady
(Yahoo Finance Canada) Customer loyalty is a tricky thing: hard to get, relatively easy to maintain, and hard to win back once it’s lost. Inertia is a powerful force, which is why consumers keep the same bank account for an average of 17 years.
My Comment: And just as Verizon is obsessed over its customers, Delta Airlines CEO, Ed Bastian, believes the same for employees and is quoted in the article saying, “In our business, everyone focuses on the airline, the aircraft, the technology, the airports, the amazing destinations we get, but it’s the staff that bring it to life.”
The Next Generation of Customer Experience by Greg Cucino
(Inc.) For decades, many organizations have tried customizing certain aspects of their marketing, sales, and customer experiences. Many started small, adding a first name automatically to emails, passing along discounts to repeat loyal buyers, and segmenting behaviors, audiences, and classes by demographics.
My Comment: What’s the next generation of customer experience? According to this author, it’s hyper-personalization. Our annual customer experience research confirms that with a majority of customers rating a personalized experience as an important reason they keep coming back.
American Courts Customers with Premium Experiences by Kristen Doerer
(CX Dive) While main cabin revenue has faltered in recent quarters, premium revenue has grown, and American Airlines is eager to meet the rising demand.
My Comment: Since I included an article featuring the CEO of Delta Airlines in this week’s roundup, I wanted to give a shout-out to my favorite airline, American Airlines, and include this article that focuses on how AA is wooing its customers with premium experiences.
BONUS
Global Customer Experience Excellence (CEE) 2025-2026 by KPMG
(KPMG) A benchmark study now in its 16th year, CEE captures perspectives from over 80,000 consumers across 16 markets worldwide.
My Comment: KPMG has released an excellent CX report. It’s “gated,” so you’ll have to share your name and email address, but it’s worth it. Anytime KPMG releases a report, it’s worth paying attention to.
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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