CXD: Customer Experience Design

"Trust is by far the biggest driver of the emotional decision that luxury consumers are making."Join Mazhar Butt, Group Director of Guest Experience Development at The Bicester Collection, in conversation with Oliver King, Managing Partner at Engine. They explore why service, not craftsmanship, is where luxury experiences quietly lose customers' trust, why after-sales and recovery moments matter more than most brands think, and whether technology is making luxury feel more personal or less.Download the Luxury Retail Trust Gap Report - https://hubs.ly/Q04kGBF20Connect with Mazhar on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mazhar-butt-ccxp-iap-ned-22244b17/Connect with Olly on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliverkingengine/Chapters: 02:10 - Emotional drivers in luxury purchases03:57 - The role of trust in customer loyalty06:31 - Service vs product quality complaints08:15 - Challenges of scaling in luxury retail 13:23 - Sustainability and evolving customer expectations 15:10 - Designing trust into customer experiences 19:12 - Trust as a competitive advantage24:30 - Aligning digital and physical brand experiences 30:40 - Advice for luxury brand CEOs33:59 - Importance of data and analytics 

Most organisations are trying to grow revenue, but they're focusing on the wrong lever. Revenue is the outcome of customer decisions, and those decisions are driven by trust. In this episode, Oliver King, Co-founder of Engine, is joined by Chris Johnston, Founder and CEO of Adoreboard, to explore how trust is built and broken through everyday customer experiences, where organisations are unintentionally losing value, and what changes when you actually see and measure it.  Together, they unpack how combining emotional insight with experience design helps organisations move from measuring performance to actively driving growth. Because in the end, revenue is the outcome. Trust is the leading indicator. And customer experience is how you earn it, every single day. Connect with Chris on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisjohnstonadoreboard/Connect with Olly on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliverkingengine/Discover more about Adoreboard - https://adoreboard.com/Discover more about our partnership - https://enginecxdesign.com/powered-by-adoreboard

Discover the five emotional forces reshaping customer experience. In this landmark 50th episode of the CXD Podcast, Oliver King is joined by Lisa Skinner to explore how emotions drive customer decisions. They discuss rising customer vulnerability, the impact of automation on trust, and why fragmented journeys are reshaping expectations. The conversation examines how organisations can adapt their approach to build trust and deliver experiences that truly connect with what matters to customers. Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisamskinner/Connect with Olly on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliverkingengine/Chapters: 00:35: The importance of understanding customer feelings in today's complex environment 02:56: The five forces reshaping customer experience 07:52: Why customers are arriving more emotionally loaded 10:21: The impact of automation and AI on human connection 13:11: Fragmentation of customer journeys and loss of emotional continuity17:18: The widening expectation experience gap 18:22: How unmet expectations damage trust 21:07: Building and measuring trust 24:31: The role of emotional analytics in understanding customer feelings at scale27:09: Return on Emotion: linking feelings to business outcomes

How can architecture shape the way people feel in a destination?In this episode of the CXD Podcast, Oliver King is joined by Guy Hollaway, Principal Partner at Hollaway Studio, to explore how design influences emotion, behaviour and connection. They discuss the role of architecture in destination design, creating spaces that connect with communities, and why wellness-led thinking is defining the future of the built environment. Connect with Guy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/guy-hollaway-a5001726/ Discover more about Hollaway Studio and their work - https://www.hollawaystudio.co.uk/ Follow Hollaway Studio on LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/company/hollawayChapters: 00:00: The Impact of Physical Space on Customer Experience 02:05: Building Invention and Community Engagement 05:59: Innovative Design: The F51 Skate Park 11:58: Creating Emotional Connections Through Architecture 17:49: Anticipation and Experience in Architectural Design 23:53: Future Trends in Architecture and Community Wellbeing

What does it really take to change when everything around you is built for yesterday?In this episode of the CXD Podcast, Oliver King is joined by Ian Rabagliati, Product Director at LeShuttle, where they unpack how to move past the weight of legacy systems, co-create change with the people who deliver it, and keep momentum alive with progress everyone can see.Connect with Ian - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-rabagliati-19146912/Chapters: 00:00 - The Dilemma of Legacy Businesses01:31 - Transforming Vision into Reality04:22 - The Importance of Starting06:48 - Phased Approach to Change10:08 - Design Thinking in Infrastructure15:22 - Agile Methodologies in Physical Environments19:41 - Putting Customers Back at the Centre23:35 - Building Belief Through Visible Changes

How do you transform a retail space into a destination that resonates emotionally with every visitor?In this episode, Oliver King continues his conversation with Marco Nijhof, a visionary hotelier and retail executive. Together, they explore the actionable steps brands can take to rehearse emotion, build enchanted teams, and ensure their brand's soul is future-proof. Tune in to discover how to create unforgettable guest experiences that turn your store into a must-visit destination.Connect with Marco - https://www.linkedin.com/in/marco-p-nijhof-a2b22413/Chapters: 00:00 - The Art of Luxury Experience Design00:49 - Multi-Sensory Retail Environments02:56 - Understanding Customer Journey Mapping07:07 - Emotional Connections in Retail11:11 - Rehearsing Emotion in Retail17:53 - Empowering Teams for Exceptional Service23:05 - The Cost of Inaction in Retail25:56 - Balancing Heritage and Innovation31:33 - The Future of Retail Leadership

What if your store felt more like a five-star hotel lobby?In this episode, Oliver King is joined by International Hotel, Retail and Real Estate Executive, Marco Nijhof, to explore how retail can take cues from hospitality, blending emotion, experience, and a guest-first mindset to create spaces people want to return to.Connect with Marco - https://www.linkedin.com/in/marco-p-nijhof-a2b22413/Chapters:00:00 - The Evolution of Retail Experience02:35 - Rethinking Customer Engagement05:22 - Integrating Digital and Physical Experiences08:25 - The Role of Hospitality in Retail11:20 - Creating Emotional Connections14:18 - The Art of Welcoming Guests17:19 - Transforming Stores into Stories 

What does good leadership look like when everything’s changing?In this episode, Olly sits down with strategic leader, Gary Simpson, to talk about what it really takes to lead in a world that doesn’t sit still. They unpack the tension between short-term wins and long-term vision, why clarity beats control, and how the best leaders create space for others to thrive.From futures thinking to B2G customer insight, Gary shares a fresh take on leadership that’s grounded in values, not vanity—and built for what’s next.Connect with Gary on LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary~simpson/Chapters: 00:00 Navigating Change in Leadership04:52 The Importance of Adaptability10:03 Understanding Customer Needs15:11 The Role of Integrity in Leadership19:55 Balancing Short-Term and Long-Term Goals25:05 Embracing a Growth Mindset29:53 Learning from Failure35:10 Final Thoughts on Leadership

You can’t improve what you don’t measure - or what your organisation doesn’t value. In this episode of CXD, Oliver King sits down with aviation CX leader, Claire Donnellan, to talk about the pressures that shape the airport and airline experience, the gap between data and action and the commercial risks of viewing CX as just a ‘nice to have’. Trying to drive change in aviation or a complex organisation? This one’s for you. Connect with Claire Donnellan - https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-donnellan-mba/Chapters00:00 The Challenge of Proving CX Value02:50 Understanding the Disconnect in CX Investment09:52 The Role of Data in Customer Experience12:16 Building Confidence in CX Initiatives20:54 The Importance of Small Experiments25:32 Aligning CX with Business Risks30:11 Facilitating Change in CX37:40 The Path to Strategic CX Leadership

What if the moments passengers remember most, are the ones when everything goes wrong?In this episode of CXD, Oliver King sits down with Engine’s Design Director David Pinder to talk about designing for disruption in airports.They explore how pressure points—from flight delays to major incidents—can become defining moments for passenger experience. It’s a conversation about clear communication, empowered teams, and designing services that stay calm, considered and human—especially when the unexpected hits.Because the airports that plan for disruption? They’re the ones passengers come back to.Connect with David Pinder - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-pinder-88828613/⁠Chapters00:10 - Introduction01:32 - Crisis Moments as Experience Opportunities05:07 - Empowering Staff for Better Passenger Care09:50 - Human-Centred Welfare During Disruption12:20 - Balancing Infrastructure Development and Passenger Experience17:20 - Preparing for the Unexpected23:30 - Effective Communication During Disruption28:39 - Final Thoughts on Designing for Disruption