Today's episode features Nick Glimsdahl, a contact center strategist and podcast host, for a deep dive into the evolving role of AI in customer experience. Nick, recognized as one of ICMI's top 25 thought leaders of 2025 and author of "The Heart of Service", shares his unique perspective on blending empathy with technology. 

The conversation delves into real-world challenges in contact centers and explores practical AI applications, such as agent summarization and real-time voice translation. Nick advocates for a human-first approach, emphasizing the importance of solving real problems, gaining team buy-in, and bridging the "Go-Live Gap." 

Tune in and discover how to integrate AI without sacrificing the human touch!

[01:39] Nick's Journey and Perspectives on AI 

[03:53] Motivation Behind "The Heart of Service" 

[07:11] Choosing a Parable Format for the Book

[09:33] Character Inspiration and Real-World Experiences 

[11:42] Human-Centric Approach to AI 

[15:23] Practical AI Applications in Contact Centers 

[19:31] Building Buy-In and Overcoming Skepticism 

[23:00] Addressing the Go-Live Gap

Connect with Nick:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nickglimsdahl/

Website: press1fornick.com/

Noam Fine, CEO of Hear.ai, joins today's episode to explore how generative AI is revolutionizing customer experience (CX), particularly within contact centers. Noam explains the shift from using multiple specialized tools to a single autonomous AI platform that learns from customer interactions, enhances compliance, automates quality assurance, and delivers real-time insights.

Highlighting a $2M cost-saving success story, he shares how AI reduces agent attrition and boosts performance. He also outlines a broader vision: AI analyzing unstructured data across all customer touchpoints, driving the evolution toward autonomous, adaptive contact centers that are transparent, efficient, and future-ready.

[01:22] Noam's Journey 

[06:11] Challenges and Opportunities in CX with AI

[10:35] Technical Infrastructure and Zero-Touch Platform 

[16:32] Success Stories and Impact on Agent Performance 

[22:10] Compliance and Regulatory Tracking

[27:47] Expanding AI's Role Beyond Contact Centers 

[33:39] Vision for the Autonomous Contact Center 

[35:18] Future Directions and Exciting Developments 

Connect with Noam:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/noamfine

Website: hear.ai/

Email: [email protected]

Today's conversation explores the impact of storytelling, emotional intelligence, and employee empowerment on crafting exceptional customer experiences. 

Ken Hughes, a renowned keynote speaker and consumer behaviorist, shares his journey to becoming the "King of Customer Experience." He explains the concept of the "blue dot customer," highlighting the shift toward customer-centric business models. Through compelling stories from brands like Ritz-Carlton, Zappos, and Virgin Atlantic, Ken demonstrates how culture, leadership, and emotional connection foster lasting loyalty. He also offers valuable guidance for leaders seeking to embed customer intimacy within their organizations and build enduring brand advocacy.

[01:00] Ken's Journey to Becoming the "King of Customer Experience"

[03:41] The Importance of Action in Customer Experience Metrics

[04:58] Customer Experience Stories

[16:25] The Blue Dot Customer: A Metaphor for Customer-Centric Business Models 

[21:17] Embedding Customer Intimacy in Company Culture

[32:33] The Power of Stories in Customer Experience 

Connect with Ken:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kenhughesie/

Website: kenhughes.info/

This episode features Martin Palamarz, co-founder and Chief Customer Officer at TheyDo. Martin shares his global career journey, working with iconic brands like IKEA, Volvo, Nike, and Adidas from Sweden to the UK. He explains how his passion for customer behavior and Agile practices led to co-founding TheyDo to help enterprises act on customer feedback at scale. 

Furthermore, Martin introduces the concept of journey management, which is aligning data, teams, and decisions to improve customer experience. He also explores how AI enhances this process and emphasizes linking CX improvements to real business outcomes and metrics.

[01:44] Martin's Career Journey and Founding TheyDo 

[05:28] Challenges in Customer Journey Management

[11:37] Introduction to Journey Management

[18:04] Examples of Journey Management Success 

[23:32] Challenges in Becoming Customer-Centric 

[30:15] Future Initiatives and AI in Journey Management

Connect with Martin:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/palamarz

Email: [email protected] 

Website: theydo.com/

In this episode, we meet Dr. Chitra Ranganathan, Head of Data Science and Analytics at Atlassian. She shares her inspiring journey from academia to top roles at Microsoft, Amazon, and now Atlassian. Dr. Chitra talks about designing better employee and customer experiences using data, including her work on Amazon's groundbreaking feedback system, Amazon Connections. She explains how AI and machine learning help turn data into action and offers thoughtful advice on staying customer-focused in the long run.

[01:47] Dr. Chitra's Career Journey 

[07:37] Insights from Dr. Chitra's Career 

[10:55] Amazon's Employee Feedback Program: Amazon Connections 

[17:54] Impact on Employee Experience 

[21:40] Challenges and Innovations 

[34:29] Dr. Chitra's Role at Atlassian 

[36:00] The Role of AI in Capturing Sentiment 

[39:09] Final Thoughts 

Connect with Dr. Chitra Ranganathan

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/chitra-ranganathan-ph-d-

Website: atlassian.com/

Follow Be Customer Led on LinkedIn

linkedin.com/company/becustomerled

Connect with Marbue Brown on LinkedIn

linkedin.com/in/marbuebrown

Meet Brett Frazer, a seasoned customer experience leader with a career spanning Microsoft, Adobe, and Sunbasket and co-founder of Service Matters. Brett emphasizes the vital link between employee and customer experience, illustrated through real-world examples and his Five A's framework—Acknowledge, Align, Assist, Advise, and Ask. Throughout the conversation, Brett explains how these principles drive long-term customer loyalty and business profitability.

[01:46] Brett's Career Journey and Background 

[08:12] The Interconnection of Customer and Employee Experience 

[13:53] The Five A's of Successful Customer Engagement 

[26:02] The Hidden Profit Center and Long-Term Value 

[32:56] Practical Applications and Real-World Examples 

Connect with Brett:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brettfrazer/

Mentioned in the episode:

Your Hidden Profit Center: Mastering the 5 A's of Successful Customer Engagement: amazon.com/Your-Hidden-Profit-Center-Successful

In today's episode, Zach Riggar, Vice President of Digital Marketing for Major League Soccer (MLS), shares his extensive career journey, highlighting his work with big brands and his role in the evolution of digital marketing in sports. He discusses MLS's growth, fueled by innovative technology, high-profile players like Lionel Messi, and the upcoming 2026 World Cup. Zach emphasizes the emotional nature of sports marketing, strategies for fan engagement, and the importance of balancing brand and performance marketing. He also talks about how MLS clubs shape fan experiences, the significance of first-party data, and the league's approach to growing its fanbase. 

[00:58] Zach's Professional Journey.

[02:53] MLS's Rise in Popularity

[04:44] Differences in Customer Experience in Sports 

[06:53] Engaging and Retaining Fans

[09:19] MLS's Approach to Growing Fan Base

[11:11] Favorite Platforms for Engagement

[13:19] Elevating the Fan Experience 

[16:49] Unique Club Personalities

[21:40] Learning from Other Leagues

[27:09] Balancing Brand and Performance Marketing 

Connect with Zach:

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/zachriggar/

Website:jobs.mlssoccer.com/

Meet Tim Mueller-Hickler, the Founder of Thinc-Performance and a former VP at Snap Inc. and Amazon, specializing in customer obsession, platform integrity, and employee services. 

In this conversation, Tim talks about his career journey and deep expertise in customer obsession. Tim shares insights from his time at American President Lines, Sun Microsystems, Amazon, and Snapchat, highlighting how customer-centric mechanisms drive business success. He explains Amazon's approach, including systems like the Andon Cord and Customer Connection, and how customer obsession extends beyond customer service to every department. Tim discusses practical ways companies can implement these principles, emphasizing leadership accountability, risk-taking, and innovation. He concludes with key takeaways on embedding customer obsession into company culture and driving meaningful improvements in customer experience.

[02:12] Tim's Career Journey 

[06:34] Understanding Customer Obsession at Amazon 

[11:53] Customer Obsession Beyond Amazon 

[16:02] Implementing Customer Obsession in Practice 

[30:10] Adapting Customer Obsession Practices to Other Companies 

Connect with Tim Mueller-Hickler

LinkedIn: in/tim-mueller-hickler-2a6317/

Website: thinc-performance.com

Discover how businesses can shift from transactional models to customer excellence enterprises!

Today's episode features Tom DeWitt, Ph.D., a globally recognized leader in customer experience management. As the founder and director of CXM at Michigan State University (MSU), Tom pioneered North America's first academic program in customer experience management. He is also the co-author of The Customer Excellence Enterprise, a book that redefines how organizations can embed customer-centricity into their DNA. Tom shares insights on transforming customer engagement, building a customer-centric culture, and the financial impact of exceptional customer experiences.

The discussion explores real-world examples, including a healthcare experience in Thailand, the concept of helpfulness as a guiding principle, and the 39 Bold Moves for achieving customer excellence. Tom also discusses the importance of customer loyalty, the role of leadership in CX transformation, and the groundbreaking MSU Master of Science in Customer Experience Management program.

[01:00] Tom’s journey in customer experience leadership

[05:00] The inspiration behind The Customer Excellence Enterprise

[09:00] A real-world example of customer excellence in healthcare

[12:40] The impact of the "Amazon Effect" on customer expectations

[19:00] 39 Bold Moves for achieving customer excellence

[25:00] Why leaders must model customer-centric behaviors

[29:00] Measuring emotional outcomes in customer experience

[31:00] The creation and impact of the MSU CXM program

[34:00] How CX education is transforming careers

[36:40] The future of customer experience management

Resources

• Connect with Tom DeWitt on LinkedIn: Tom DeWitt, Ph.D.
• The Customer Excellence Enterprise (Book by Tom DeWitt & Wayne Simmons) - Available on Amazon
• Michigan State University Master of Science in Customer Experience Management: MSU CXM Program

Today's episode features David Edelman, Harvard Business School fellow and author of Personalized: Customer Strategy in the Age of AI. David shares his career journey from consulting at BCG to leading digital transformation at Digitas, McKinsey, and Aetna. He explains why personalization is more than just a marketing tactic—it's a strategic tool to enhance customer experience and drive business growth. 

The discussion explores real-world examples from Starbucks,  Spotify and Aetna, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges of AI-driven personalization. David also introduces the Personalization Index, detailing five key dimensions that separate industry leaders from laggards. Finally, he offers insights on how companies can use AI and data to improve customer engagement and financial performance. 

[01:14] David's Career Journey 

[04:33] The Importance of Personalization 

[08:36] Personalization in Customer Experience 

[14:46] Motivation Behind Writing the Book

[16:39] The Personalization Index and Its Dimensions

[23:13] Unlocking New Opportunities with Personalization

Connect with David

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/daveedelman

Website: www.edelmanadvisoryservices.com