Customer experience initiatives aren't delivering the results you expected? The answer might lie in a critical but often overlooked disconnect: the gap between your customer experience mission and your employee experience reality.

In this thought-provoking episode, Jeannie Walters tackles a question about aligning a company's CX mission statement with the actual employee experience. When organizations promise customers convenience, empathy, or frictionless interactions while their employees struggle with clunky systems, bureaucratic processes, or micromanagement, the disconnect creates more than just employee dissatisfaction – it undermines the entire customer experience strategy before it reaches a single customer.

The episode reveals how employee and customer experience together uncovers powerful insights about your organization. By analyzing the connections between employee engagement and customer satisfaction, you can identify patterns that highlight best practices to replicate or problem areas to address. Remember: your CX mission statement exists to help everyone understand their role in providing meaningful experiences – not just to external customers but to internal ones too. When employees feel the values you claim to uphold, they become your most powerful advocates for delivering those same values to customers. Ready to create true alignment between what you say and what you do? Listen now and transform your approach to experience.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

Trust is key to managing customer expectations in today’s fast-changing world. While perfection isn’t possible, transparency is—and customers deeply value honesty.

When transparency is your default, disappointments become opportunities for connection. Take the supplement company that added flavoring to an unflavored product: instead of ignoring feedback, they addressed it openly, building stronger relationships. Whether it’s a service delay or a product change, a simple heads-up can turn complaints into appreciation.

Expectations are shaped by every brand interaction—not just yours. That means your competition isn’t just your industry, but every company your customers engage with. Successful businesses continuously revisit promises and review touchpoints to close gaps before they widen.

Empathy is your strongest tool. Change is hard, but clear, compassionate communication—explaining the “why” and how you’ll help—builds trust and respect.

Want to level up your strategy? Take our free CXI Compass assessment at cxicompass.com to find your top priorities. Understanding expectations is the first step to exceeding them.

Resources Mentioned:
Take the CXI Compass™ assessment -- http://cxicompass.com
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

Customer experience leadership is not just about gathering insights—it's about securing genuine organizational buy-in. In this special episode of the Experience Action podcast, our host Jeannie Walters sits down with Sasha Fard, Country Lead for Customer Experience Management at Capital One Canada, to reveal the often-overlooked secret to successful CX implementation.

Speaking from the bustling Medallia Experience 2025 event in Las Vegas, Fard dismantles the common misconception that actionable Voice of Customer data alone drives change. The real challenge? Getting cross-functional leaders to not just review customer feedback but commit to acting on it.

What makes this conversation particularly valuable is Fard's practical approach to change management. Following ADKAR principles (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement), he demonstrates how CX professionals must transform themselves into skilled salespeople for their initiatives. "You need to be a good salesperson too," Fard advises, "because you're selling an idea, you're selling an approach." This means understanding stakeholder objectives, speaking their language, and showing how CX directly supports their goals—not overwhelming them with metrics and industry jargon.

The most compelling takeaway? Start small, demonstrate value, and scale gradually. By securing incremental commitments rather than demanding wholesale change, CX leaders can build the credibility needed to expand their influence. This approach earned Capital One the Global CXPA Impact Award, recognizing their success in driving tangible business outcomes through customer experience initiatives. Ready to transform how you approach CX leadership?

Follow Sasha Fard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashafard/

Resources Mentioned:
Medallia Experience -- https://www.medallia.com/experience/
Experience Investigators -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

It's time for another CX Pulse Check to discuss current events and innovations in CX. In this illuminating conversation with Enrique Rubio, Founder at Hacking HR and Head of Global Community at Transform, and our host Jeannie Walters, we uncover how innovative organizations are finally bridging this gap through strategic use of data and technology.

Fresh from their encounters at Qualtrics' X4 conference, Enrique and Jeannie explore how our experiences as consumers now directly shape our expectations as employees. They examine Apple's $500 billion US investment through this lens, discussing not just the business implications but what it means for talent development and organizational design. The conversation turns to Ford's data-driven approach to employee experience, revealing how established companies with strong legacies can use analytics to understand workforce needs around career development and digital readiness. Perhaps most provocatively, they challenge prevailing wisdom about remote work.

Discover how connecting the dots between customer and employee experience can create competitive advantage where expectations are constantly evolving.

About Enrique Rubio:

Enrique is an HR, Tech and Future of Work expert, keynote speaker and founder of global communities. Enrique is currently an advisor to the community he built, Hacking HR, a global learning community operating at the intersection of future of work, technology, business and organizations, with thousands of members of all over the world; and the Head of Global Community at Transform, building a global community of local chapters covering every major city and region in the world. 

Enrique is one of the top 100 HR global influencers. He was the founder and CEO at Management Consultants, a firmed specialized in Human Resources in Venezuela. Before Management Consultants, Enrique worked in the telecommunications sector as a Senior Project Engineer for Telefonica and several other companies in the early to mid-2000s. Enrique is a guest author in several blogs about innovation, management and human resources. Most recently Enrique worked as an advisor to the Chief Human Resources Officer at the Inter-American Development Bank. 

Enrique frequently speaks about topics ranging from DEIB, future of work, HR strategy, employee experience, technology, among others. Additionally, Enrique designs hundreds of learning programs for the HR community in the form of events and short-term programs. 

Enrique is a Fulbright Scholar, and Electronic Engineer with an Executive Master’s in Public Administration from Maxwell School at Syracuse University.

Follow Enrique on...
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rubioenrique/ 

Articles Mentioned:
Apple’s $500 billion U.S. investment: What HR leaders need to know (HR Executive)
Ford's data-driven approach to Employee Experience (Diginomica)

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

What happens when you bring together experience leaders from healthcare and elite sports education? You discover powerful insights that transcend industries and reveal universal truths about creating exceptional experiences.

Meet Heather Brace, Chief People Officer at Intermountain Healthcare with its 68,000 employees across six states, and Mike Milliron, Chief Operating Officer at IMG Academy, the world-renowned training ground for elite athletes. Both leaders share a remarkable commitment to turning feedback into action. Our host, Jeannie Walters, had the privilege of interviewing them at the X4 conference hosted by Qualtrics in Salt Lake City in March of 2025. 

Their organizations have rejected traditional annual surveys in favor of frequent, targeted listening programs that capture real-time sentiment. As Heather explains, "What does an employee remember? Probably what happened in the last 30 days." Both have created what they call "closed-loop" feedback systems where they not only collect insights but transparently communicate the actions they'll take as a result.

The most compelling revelation? Their data shows that employee engagement hinges on surprisingly simple human elements. At Intermountain Healthcare, they discovered that employees who stay past the four-year mark typically remain for ten years or more. This insight drove them to map the complete employee journey, identifying critical moments where intervention could improve retention.

Meanwhile, IMG Academy has developed highly personalized approaches that align students, parents and staff around individualized development plans. As Mike powerfully states, "We've found you can do more damage than good if you ask for insights and then just sit on it."

Ready to transform your organization's approach to experience? Listen now and discover how these leaders have built cultures where feedback drives meaningful change, accountability matters, and experiences are designed around authentic human needs.

Follow Heather Brace on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-brace/
Follow Mike Milliron on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-milliron-6a234713/

Resources Mentioned:
Qualtrics -- https://www.qualtrics.com/
Experience Investigators -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

The magic of attending a truly exceptional event stays with us long after we've returned home. What makes some events so memorable while others fade quickly from memory? In this episode, we tackle a listener question about customer experience best practices for event planners seeking to create standout experiences.

Drawing from her extensive experience as both keynote speaker and attendee, Jeannie walks through practical recommendations that can elevate any event, regardless of size or budget. We start with seemingly small touches that make significant impacts - from double-sided name tags that don't flip around to clear wayfinding that helps attendees navigate unfamiliar venues confidently. These foundational elements create a sense of care and competence that permeates the entire experience.

Beyond logistics, we explore how thoughtful programming, personalized communications, and intentionally curated networking opportunities build meaningful connections between participants. We emphasize the importance of inclusivity through accessibility accommodations, dietary options, and creating sensory-friendly spaces where introverts and others can recharge. Looking toward the future, we imagine how artificial intelligence might transform events through personalized agendas while preserving space for those serendipitous hallway conversations that often become highlights of in-person gatherings.

Have you experienced an event that completely exceeded your expectations? Or perhaps you're planning one yourself? Want to create an unforgettable event experience? Let’s make it happen! Jeannie Walters brings real-world customer experience insights, engaging storytelling, and actionable strategies to help your audience think differently about CX. Whether it’s a keynote, workshop, or panel discussion, we’d love to help make your event stand out. Visit ExperienceInvestigators.com to learn more and to book Jeannie for your next event!

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

Customer support leaders are often trapped in a cycle of "number narration" - reporting metrics without connecting them to organizational value. In this insightful episode addressing a listener's question about reporting as a new support leader, Jeannie dives into how to transform your customer support metrics into meaningful business impact stories.

The key isn't just tracking first response time, resolution rates, or customer satisfaction scores - it's understanding why these metrics matter and how they directly contribute to retention, revenue, and organizational success. When leadership doesn't see this connection, customer experience initiatives become vulnerable to cost-cutting measures despite their crucial role in protecting brand reputation and driving business growth.

Whether you're new to leading a support team or looking to more effectively communicate your department's value, this episode provides actionable guidance for building meaningful scorecards that balance performance tracking with strategic business alignment. Ready to stop being a number narrator and start showing real business impact? This episode will show you how.

Resources Mentioned:
CX Success Statement Workbook -- https://bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Take the CXI Compass™ assessment -- http://cxicompass.com
Register for our webinar: What The C-Suite Needs to Know -- https://bit.ly/CXNeedToKnow
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

Healthcare and customer experience have more in common than you might think. Brian Carlson, VP of Patient Experience at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, joins Jeannie Walters for a CX Pulse Check to explore these fascinating parallels that are reshaping how we think about caring for patients.

In this episode, they discuss:

• A patient satisfaction scoring storyline that provoked strong reactions on HBO's new medical drama "The Pit"
• Lush's bold decision to abandon social media platforms, discovering surprising connections to how healthcare has traditionally built communities
• Modern healthcare designs that must consider patients, families, staff, and operational functionality simultaneously

Despite the challenges facing healthcare, Brian's powerful reminder resonates throughout our conversation: "We do far more right than we do wrong." Healthcare professionals perform life-saving, transformative work every day, often in difficult circumstances. The evolution of patient experience isn't about criticizing what's wrong but enhancing the incredible care already happening.

Ready to bridge customer and patient experience in your organization? Connect with Brian on LinkedIn to follow his insights, and explore our resources at experienceinvestigators.com to support your experience journey.

About Brian Carlson:
Brian Carlson has over 20 years of experience in large academic health systems and private group practices. He is currently the Vice President of Patient Experience at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) (http://www.vanderbilthealth.org), where he has significantly improved patient experience and operational efficiency since 2007.

Brian has a proven track record of driving financial and operational success. At VUMC, he enhanced the patient experience percentile rank and developed programs to boost workforce culture and patient engagement. Previously, he served as CEO/COO of Olean Medical Group and Practice Manager for Obstetrics & Gynecology at Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation.

He holds dual master's degrees in Health Services Administration and Business Administration from Xavier University and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Wittenberg University.

Follow Brian on...
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianrcarlson-nashville

Articles Mentioned:
Press Ganey CMO on 'The Pitt': Doctor Report Cards Are Really About Systems (Newsweek) -- https://www.newsweek.com/press-ganey-cmo-pitt-doctor-report-cards-are-really-about-systems-2029009
What Lush learned from three years of being mostly offline (Marketing Brew) -- https://www.marketingbrew.com/stories/2025/02/24/lush-anti-social-media-strategy
AI-driven research uncovers how physician media choice shapes online patient experience (Nevada Today) -- https://www.unr.edu/nevada-today/news/2025/ai-physician-communication

Resources Mentioned:
Take the CXI Compass™ assessment -- http://cxicompass.com
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

Ready to take your customer experience to the next level? In this episode, we dive deep into the essentials of establishing a proactive feedback strategy that not only gathers insights from customers but also transforms those insights into meaningful actions. Jeannie Walters shares her expertise on the significance of understanding customer sentiment and how to strategically implement feedback to enhance business results.

We explore the common pitfalls companies face when they collect data without a cohesive strategy.  Furthermore, we discuss the necessity of a robust feedback loop, where organizations not only analyze customer behaviors but actively inform customers about changes being made based on their input. Trust is essential in fostering a customer-centric culture, and knowing how to close that loop can turn casual customers into loyal advocates. 

Are you ready to learn how to refine your customer experience strategy? Tune in for actionable insights that can help you strengthen relationships with your customers, turn insights into actions, and truly understand what your customers are telling you.

Resources Mentioned:
Take the CXI Compass™ assessment -- cxicompass.com
Experience Investigators Website -- experienceinvestigators.com

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

Ready to elevate your customer experience game as a leader? In this engaging episode, we explore the pivotal questions every aspiring CX professional should ask during executive interviews. Jeannie shares practical advice on evaluating success metrics beyond traditional feedback loops, and the importance of resource allocation to drive effective strategy. 

Listeners will uncover strategies for assessing an organization's commitment to customer experience, from cultural fit to the resources available for successful execution. Whether you're a seasoned CX leader or looking to break into leadership, this episode is packed with actionable insights that will prepare you for success. Tune in to discover how to turn customer experience discussions into impactful actions and position yourself as a leader who can drive sustainable customer-centric initiatives.

Resources Mentioned:
Take the CXI® Compass assessment -- http://cxicompass.com/
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)