How Verizon Is Setting a New Standard for Customer Experience Featuring Sampath

Customer Care's Evolution From Cost Center to Profit Center  Shep interviews Sowmyanarayan Sampath (known simply as Sampath),  Chief Executive Officer of Verizon Consumer Group. He discusses why he publicly shares  his email address and what Verizon is doing to become number one in customer satisfaction by truly putting the customer first.  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.  Quote:   "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."    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.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Samsung Turns Customer Service Calls into Opportunities for Customer Delight  Shep interviews Mark Williams, Head of Customer Care at Samsung Electronics America. He discusses enhancing customer service through smart technology, providing fast and simple support, and utilizing AI tools to create loyal customers and continually improve their experience.   This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:    How can a brand turn customer service interactions into opportunities for brand loyalty?  What are the benefits of proactive customer service?  How does smart technology enhance the overall customer experience?  What role does customer feedback play in improving the overall service experience?  How can artificial intelligence enhance the role of customer service agents?  Top Takeaways:    Every customer interaction is an opportunity to turn someone into a loyal fan, even a promoter of your brand.  Customer service shouldn't just be about fixing problems. It should also be about preventing them. Customer care doesn't always have to be reactive. By using technology to anticipate problems, brands can identify and resolve issues even before customers becomes aware of them. For example, Samsung's smart appliances can alert you to issues like a fridge getting too warm and even schedule a repair before your food goes bad.  Loyalty can be built through customer service, even when it comes after a problem or a negative experience. When customers have a great experience getting help, and their problems are solved quickly, they are more likely to buy again and recommend the brand to friends and family.   Mark also shares his three core principles: Speed, Simplicity, and Service.  Speed: Reduce the time it takes to fix a customer's issue. The sooner you solve the problem, the happier and more loyal your customers become. (In the U.S. Samsung's repair network now covers 99% of the U.S. for consumer electronics, and 81% of Americans are within just a 30-minute drive of same-day mobile service.)  Simplicity: Remove confusing policies, eliminate unnecessary steps, and actively listen to employees and customers for ideas on how to simplify processes.   Service: When you design experiences that put customers first, understand their needs, and effectively solve their issues, you will attract lifelong customers who will continue to buy from you because they know they can trust you, even when something goes wrong.  Create easy ways for employees to share their thoughts and observations on what could be done better. Frontline workers know firsthand which policies and processes work and which ones frustrate customers.   AI works best as a tool that helps people, not as a replacement for them. It empowers staff to focus on understanding customers and resolving their issues, while AI provides instant and relevant information that accelerates the process and enhances accuracy.  Customer service is an income-generating department. Reliable products are important, but it's the extra mile in service that makes people choose to do business with a brand again and again.   Plus, Mark shares why more than half of Samsung's customer care team in the U.S. has been with the company for over 10 years. Tune in!  Quote:   "Get to customers quicker and solve their problems before they even know they have a problem."    About:    Mark Williams is the Head of Customer Care at Samsung Electronics America. His work centers on proactive solutions that help customer service teams address issues quickly and efficiently.    Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Navigating Multiple Customer Segments, Needs, and Expectations  Shep interviews Ryan Hamilton, associate professor of marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School and co-host of The Intuitive Customer. He talks about his new book, The Growth Dilemma, and the challenges brands face in serving multiple customer segments with differing needs and expectations.   This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:    How does customer segmentation impact how customer experiences are designed?  How can businesses navigate conflicts between different customer groups seeking unique experiences?  In what ways do ideological differences between customers influence brand experience?  Why is it important for companies to continually adapt their customer experience as their customer base grows?  How do influencers impact customer behavior?  Top Takeaways:    Some companies believe that they are only serving one type of customer. In reality, there are often several segments with different needs and expectations. Take Disney, for example. They serve both families with kids and “Disney adults”—grown-ups who love the Disney experience just as much. Each group may be looking for something different, but both are important to the overall customer experience.  Companies need to recognize how different customer groups impact the business and how they interact with one another. When companies do not understand the different customer segments that they serve, they risk accidentally leaving one group out (and losing their business) or even creating conflict between groups.  One way to keep different customer groups happy is to design experiences just for them, even if they are sharing the same space. Depending on your type of business, this could mean creating special areas, offering different products, or even building new locations with certain features in mind.   As a business grows, so will its customer base. This means adjusting and innovating to meet the diverse needs and expectations of their customers. Successful brands continually evolve to attract and serve new customers without compromising the identity that initially drew their original customers.  Innovation is a double-edged sword. It can bring about changes that improve or disrupt the customer experience. Brands need to be willing to listen to customer feedback and adapt accordingly. Good communication and flexibility show customers that their opinions matter.  Customer segments and expectations evolve. What works for a brand today might not work tomorrow. Brands need to continually monitor how their different customer segments change and interact with each other, and be ready to adjust products, services, and experiences to keep everyone happy.  Plus, Shep and Ryan discuss how influencer and follower relationships drive trends and customer behavior. Tune in!  Quote:    "Serving one customer segment is challenging enough, but when you have multiple groups wanting different things, you're managing a whole ecosystem where you need to keep each customer happy."  About:    Ryan Hamilton is a keynote speaker and an associate professor of marketing at Emory University's Goizueta Business School. He is the co-author of The Intuitive Customer and the co-host of a podcast with the same name. His new book, co-authored with Annie Wilson, The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things, is now available on Amazon.    Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Positive Leadership Transforms Workplace Culture and Elevates Customer Experience  Shep interviews Ryan Minton, Best-Selling Author and Keynote Speaker. He talks about his new book, Uplifted and shares insights from his experience in hospitality, including the impact of employee engagement, appreciation, and empowerment in creating uplifting work environments and better customer experiences.  This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:    What practical benefits come from creating an uplifting workplace culture?  How does a hospitality mindset improve customer service across different industries?  What impact does leadership have on employee morale and customer experience?  How does positive leadership help reduce staff turnover in customer-facing roles?  In what ways does an employee's mood affect customer interactions?  Top Takeaways:    The hospitality mentality is not just for hotels and restaurants. It is valuable in every industry because it sets the bar for the customer experience standard. It teaches every employee to always show care, gratitude, and kindness no matter what industry they work in.  A heartfelt "thanks for coming in today" can make a real difference in someone's mood and attitude. It is a simple yet powerful statement that leaders can say to make their employees know that they matter. When employees feel appreciated, they're more likely to enjoy coming to work and give their best. It creates a workplace where people want to come, stay, and grow.  Every employee becomes the face of your brand the moment they interact with your customers. When they are not happy at their jobs, customers feel it. High turnover and unhappiness can hurt customer satisfaction, so making sure that employees are engaged, equipped, and fulfilled helps create positive customer experiences.   Strict policies can sometimes get in the way of the human aspect of customer service. When employees are trusted to handle situations as they see fit, they feel empowered to do their jobs. Employees need to grow through training and be equipped with the right tools so that they can use policies as guidelines while exercising common sense to meet each customer's unique needs.   Happy employees lead to happy customers, and happy customers come back. Invest in people through appreciation, empowerment, and uplifting leadership.  Loyalty programs and perks can encourage repeat business, but truly memorable companies don't rely on them alone. Being helpful, friendly, and uplifting is the best loyalty program you can offer. When people feel good about you, they'll keep coming back, with or without loyalty programs.  Plus, Ryan shares the "balloon effect" and how it can elevate customer and employee experiences. Tune in!  Quote:   "Good old-fashioned customer service is just good old-fashioned hospitality. So many brands look to the hotel industry because it has become the standard for customer service."     About:    Ryan Minton is a Best-Selling Author and Keynote Speaker with over 20 years of experience leading world-class hospitality brands. He is the author of Thanks for Coming in Today: Creating a Culture Where Employees Thrive & Customer Service is Alive. His upcoming book Uplifted! The Remarkable Power of Positive Leadership on Frontline Teams launches June 10th.    Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Maintaining Consistent Customer Service Standards Across Every Location  Shep interviews Ray Titus, CEO of United Franchise Group (UFG). They discuss embracing change, balancing creativity and standards, and maintaining consistency across over 1,800 franchises in over 80 countries.  This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:    How can businesses maintain consistent customer service across different industries?  How does staff training influence customer satisfaction?  How does community involvement enhance customer loyalty?  Can one employee's actions shape the reputation of an entire franchise network?  How does embracing technological change improve customer experience?  Top Takeaways:    Different types of businesses may require different standards when it comes to their products and procedures. However, customer experience standards like being easy to do business with and maintaining excellent customer communication can be applied to any industry.   Delivering a consistent level of service helps customers know what to expect, no matter which location or brand they visit. It's this consistency that builds trust and a strong reputation over time.  Every business and leader must be receptive to change, whether it is new technology, rising customer expectations, or new regulations. Companies need to keep learning and adapting to thrive.  Every employee, from new hires to experienced managers, represents the entire brand and all its locations the second they interact with a customer. Every person in the company must be trained and equipped to be the "CEO of the Moment" because a single moment can make or break the brand's reputation.   Becoming involved in the local community allows brands to stand out and build loyalty. This could mean supporting Little League teams, participating in school events, or helping with local charities. Customers appreciate it when brands support the causes that they care about. When a brand becomes "the most popular person in town," people will go out of their way to support it.  Training isn't something you did. It's something you do continuously and consistently. It isn't just about teaching people how to do their jobs. It's about sharing company values, customer service best practices, and keeping up to date with the standards for each type of business.  Examine every touchpoint in a customer's journey and try to make it the best in the world. Businesses can set themselves apart by making little improvements in each interaction that add up to an unforgettable experience for customers.  Plus, Shep and Ray talk about Will Guidara’s concept of "unreasonable hospitality" that can be applied to all businesses, in every industry. Tune in!  Quote:   "Your employees must understand that what they say and do impacts others. When they interact with a customer, they represent not just themselves but the entire organization's reputation."  About:    Ray Titus is the CEO of United Franchise Group (UFG), a global leader in franchising. UFG and its affiliated brands currently have a presence in over 80 countries, with a network of over 1,800 franchise locations worldwide.      Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Building Trust with AI in Customer Support  Shep interviews Kenji Hayward, Senior Director of Customer Support at Front. He talks about Front's The State of Service Expectations report and how customer expectations are evolving around AI, response times, loyalty, and what businesses can do to meet and exceed those expectations.  This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:    What are the top expectations customers have from brands? What role does AI play in enhancing customer interactions and support?  How many bad experiences does it take before a customer stops doing business with a company?  Why is it important for companies to use their products?  Is there a difference between how businesses and customers perceive good response times?  Top Takeaways:    Be a customer of your own business. One of the best ways to understand and improve a product is by using it yourself. When team members, including managers and leaders, act as customers, they feel what real customers experience, both the good and the bad.    The State of Service Expectations by Front found that it only takes three bad experiences before 59% of customers decide to leave and find a different company to do business with. This leaves almost half of the customers who leave after 2 or even 1 negative experience from your brand. This means every interaction counts.  The very first interaction can set the tone for their whole experience. Many companies are now using AI to handle their first contact, so it must be friendly, fast, and accurate.  Transparency is essential in building trust. Companies using AI or chatbots should always be upfront with customers. People appreciate being told whether they are chatting with a human or a digital assistant, and that when the technology isn't working, there is an easy way to reach a real person.  Many customers (39%) like it when companies remember their preferences or past purchases and use that information to offer better service. However, some customers (57%) also worry about how much personal data is shared with AI or other technology. Finding the right balance between personalization and privacy is important so customers can feel comfortable and safe with how their information is being used.  Customers want an amazing experience, even if it costs extra. The State of Service Expectations found that 60% of customers would be willing to pay more for faster response times. Our customer service and experience research echoes this, where 59% of customers say customer service is more important than price.   AI has gotten much better, faster, and cheaper in the last few years. It's easy to get caught up in the latest technology or the fanciest software. But no matter how advanced your tech is, it won't matter if you don't have the foundations of good customer service, like empathy, transparency, speed, and convenience.  Plus, Shep and Kenji discuss how much customers are willing to wait for email, chat, or phone responses before they start to lose patience with your brand. Tune in!  Quote:   "Bad experiences can turn the customer off and make you lose their loyalty. In this day and age, where customers have many options on brands they want to work with, the role of customer support teams has become really amplified."    About:    Kenji Hayward is the Senior Director of Customer Support at Front. He is a customer experience and AI innovator. You can follow his newsletter on customer support and technology, Top Tier Support.  Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Technological Innovation Meets Human-Centered Experience   Shep interviews Joseph A. Michelli, professor of Service Excellence, speaker, organizational consultant, and best-selling author. He talks about his new book, All Business Is Personal, and how companies can blend technology with humanity to create personal connections and improve customer experiences. The case study Michelli uses throughout the book is One Medical, a perfect example of how to achieve the balance between technology and the human-to-human connections you want to make with your customers.   This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:    What are the benefits of combining technology with personal interaction in customer service?  What role does listening play in improving the customer experience?  How important is it for businesses to include digital and human touchpoints in customer interactions?  How does a seamless digital experience impact customer satisfaction and loyalty?  Why is emotional connection important in business?    Top Takeaways:    Technology, like apps and AI, makes life convenient for customers by allowing easy online scheduling or instant answers through chatbots. However, it is still the human connection that builds lasting relationships. The best businesses use tech to make things faster and simpler but always offer a human backup for when a customer needs a personal touch.  So many businesses continue to operate the same way because "that's how it's always been done." It is important to constantly ask why things are done a certain way and whether there's a better, more modern, or easier approach for customers.   Delivering a great customer experience is not just about satisfying customer needs. It's the best marketing a company can have.   People remember how you made them feel long after the transaction is over. Creating an emotional connection with your customers can transform a routine interaction into a memorable experience. Creating positive emotions through empathy, excitement, or delight builds loyalty and motivates customers to refer you to others.  Use Net Promoter Score as a guideline, not a vanity metric. While a high Net Promoter Score (NPS) can indicate customer satisfaction, the actual behavior of customers and the genuine referrals they make is what counts.   Train your employees to listen to what customers say, not just hear their words. Many businesses train their staff to communicate, but few teach them to listen deeply and with empathy. Listening well helps you understand how your product and services impact the customer’s life and what it means to them.  Wow moments are not always over-the-top experiences. Going slightly beyond what's expected can create a big impact on customers. Small gestures such as remembering a customer's name or a personal preference can elevate a service experience from just fine to amazing.  Plus, Joseph shares how One Medical transformed healthcare by blending technology with personal service, creating a more convenient and customer-focused experience. Tune in!  Quote:   "There's a difference between personalization and a personal connection.”    About:    Joseph Michelli is a speaker and consultant renowned for his customer experience and leadership expertise. He has worked with global brands like  Starbucks, Mercedes-Benz, and The Ritz-Carlton Hotel. His latest book, All Business Is Personal: One Medical's Human-Centered, Technology-Powered Approach to Customer Engagement, is now available on Amazon.     Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Turning Customer and Employee Feedback into a Strategy for Success  Shep interviews Mike Milliron, Chief Operating Officer of IMG Academy. He talks about the academy’s customer experience focus, innovative programs for empowering student-athletes, and its accreditation by Bain and Company for customer experience excellence.  This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:    How does the Net Promoter Score (NPS) help organizations measure the effectiveness of their customer experience programs?  What role does employee engagement play in enhancing the customer experience?  How can schools empower students to achieve their future goals, both academically and in sports?  How can schools create a system that effectively responds to feedback from students and parents?  What is reputation marketing?  Top Takeaways:   Happy and engaged employees naturally create better experiences for customers. When staff members feel heard, empowered, and proud of their work, they go above and beyond to help others.   While good marketing helps, it is not enough to build a good reputation. The real magic happens when people keep coming back and telling their friends because they had an amazing experience.   IMG Academy uses Net Promoter Score (NPS) to measure satisfaction and drive real improvements based on student and parent feedback. They’ve built a listening program that keeps their NPS steadily rising. Their winning customer experience and employee experience show that NPS is most valuable when it leads to actionable insights and loyalty rather than just being a score.  Creating an excellent customer experience takes everyone working together, from those working on the frontlines to the back office and the C-suite. When all team members are clear on the mission and know how they can make a difference, it creates a culture where it is “cool to care” about your customers.  When leaders are engaged and actively participate in initiatives, they can better understand the challenges faced by their teams and customers.  Collecting feedback and turning it into actionable steps helps create a culture that values continuous improvement. Customers and employees like knowing their opinions are heard and valued.   IMG Academy puts students at the center of everything they do. They have built an unrivaled experience through innovative listening programs that actively collect and act on feedback from students, parents, and staff multiple times each semester.  This helps personalize and continuously improve every student’s journey.  Beyond academics and athletics, IMG Academy focuses on holistic development to empower student-athletes to thrive not just in sports, but also academically and socially, helping them "win their future."   Plus, Mike Milliron shares how they create a 15 out of 10 experience at IMG. Tune in!  Quote:   "You need to marry employee experience and customer experience, put a system around that, and act on it. Listening to your customers and your team is only powerful when you turn those insights into meaningful action."  About:    Mike Milliron is the Chief Operating Officer of IMG Academy's Bradenton campus. He focuses on creating an unrivaled experience for students, parents, campers, competitors, guests, and employees.  Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Empowering Employees to Meet Customer Expectations  This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:    What is a 'wow moment' in customer interactions?  How can organizations operationalize positive customer feedback?  How can an organization create a workplace culture focused on providing an amazing customer experience?  Why is it important for employees to have clear goals and expectations?  How can employees' personal and professional growth impact the overall customer service experience?  Top Takeaways:    Creating a strong workplace culture is crucial for providing excellent customer service and experience. What is felt by the employees inside a company will be felt outside by the customers. That’s why empowering employees and focusing on customer satisfaction should be built into every part of the company’s culture.  It is impossible to go above and beyond in every interaction with a customer. However, simple gestures like writing a note or responding to a customer's email quickly can create lasting impressions on customers. These WOW moments may be small, but they can become part of the culture when encouraged consistently throughout the organization.  Eric also shares the five key factors for employee engagement.  Strong relationships: Connection matters. When employees have strong relationships with each other, they’re more likely to build great connections with customers.  Clear expectations: When goals and expectations are clearly communicated, they create a consistent customer experience.  The right tools: Employees must be equipped with tools and information to achieve the desired outcome.  Opportunities for growth: How does the organization help employees grow personally and professionally?   Recognition: Recognize and reward excellence.  While many organizations focus on mitigating negative feedback, it's also important to celebrate positive interactions and find a way to operationalize them so that they become a part of the culture.  An important part of addressing customer complaints is understanding the employee's viewpoint before making assumptions or taking corrective actions. This prevents employee frustration and promotes a supportive work environment where they feel valued and heard.    While the phrase "the customer is always right" is well-known, the customer is not always right, but they're always the customer. Let them be wrong with dignity and respect. However, there are customers whom you can fire if they are abusive toward employees.  Did we live up to our promise? This is an important question because we make a commitment to our customers at the beginning of their journey with us. This commitment is the reason why they choose to do business with us instead of our competitors. This promise must be clear to our employees across the organization to ensure we deliver what our customers expect from us.   Plus, Eric D. Stone shares the story of Johnny the Bagger and how his WOW moments can be operationalized into the company culture. Tune in!  Quote:   "Be mindful of how you handle negative feedback. Track those moments, watch for patterns, and bring your team together before small issues become bigger problems."   About:    Eric D. Stone is the author of the award-winning book Jumpstart Your Workplace Culture. Before founding Clear Path Ventures, he had a successful twenty-six-year career at Enterprise Holdings.   Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Role of Generative AI, Analytical AI, and Agentic AI in Enhancing Customer Loyalty and Experience  Shep interviews Isabelle Zdatny, Head of Thought Leadership with Qualtrics XM Institute. She talks about how AI can help measure customer loyalty, improve employee productivity, and enhance customer service processes.  This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:    What is Agentic AI?  What is the difference between generative AI, analytical AI, and agentic AI?  What impact does AI have on analyzing and predicting customer behavior?  How do companies balance AI with the need for human empathy in customer service?  Why is it crucial for companies to start implementing AI to improve customer experience?  Top Takeaways:    As technology advances, the quality of customer experiences is gradually improving. However, customers are becoming less tolerant of poor experiences. Businesses must realize that one bad interaction can significantly impact customer loyalty.     In Shep’s recent customer service and experience survey, we found that the average customer is willing to give you two chances before they switch to a competitor. Loyal customers will give three chances. Maintaining consistent positive experiences is critical to retaining customers.      Traditional approaches to getting customer feedback are less effective in measuring loyalty. Consumers are leaving less feedback because they don't trust that their voice is acknowledged. They often see little value in answering surveys and may prefer to quietly switch to a competitor.    Unlike traditional AI, agentic AI can process data and understand the customer. As a result, it can take action without constant human assistance. Unlike analytical or generative AI, which are great at specific, focused tasks but still rely on people to prompt chatbots or act on predictions, agentic AI can manage entire end-to-end customer journeys and adapt to changes as they happen.    Customers should know when interacting with a bot rather than a human. Companies employing AI in customer interactions must be transparent about their use to maintain trust and ensure that experiences align with customers' expectations ethically.    Human interaction is still needed in customer service. AI can handle routine tasks, allowing human agents to deal with complex issues requiring empathy.    According to recent Qualtrics research, there is a $860 billion ($420 billion for B2B and $440 billion for B2C) opportunity for organizations using AI to improve customer experiences systematically. This value is generated through increased employee productivity, process improvement, and revenue growth.    Plus Shep and Isabelle discuss more insights from Qualtric's free report, Unlock the Potential of AI-Enabled CX. Tune in!  Quote:   "Customers are less tolerant of friction these days. So even if you deliver consistently good experiences, just one bad interaction can send your relationship down a bad path more quickly than it used to."      About:    Isabelle Zdatny is Head of Thought Leadership at Qualtrics XM Institute. She creates leading content on experience management trends and best practices, delivers training, and advises organizations on CX and EX strategy.  Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices