And across industries, that pressure is showing up in the same places: how to move faster without losing trust, how to create efficiency without eroding the experience, and how to separate what is genuinely transformative from what is simply new. Those were among the biggest undercurrents in this week’s Virtual Executive Roundtable, where leaders came together to talk candidly about what AI is changing within their organizations right now.

What made the conversation so valuable was not that anyone claimed to have it all figured out. It was that the discussion stayed grounded in the tension leaders are actually managing every day. What does agentic AI really mean in practice? Where is it delivering measurable value today? Where do human teams still matter most?

And perhaps most importantly, are organizations using AI to modernize the same old service model or to build something better from the ground up? The conversation made one thing clear: this moment is bigger than automation. It is a very real opportunity for CX leaders to rethink what great service looks like next.

What does “agentic” really mean?

One of the most useful parts of the conversation was the effort to separate true agentic AI from the catch-all language that’s flooding the market. Leaders repeatedly came back to one simple distinction: traditional AI reacts, while agentic AI acts. Traditional AI answers the question, and agentic AI helps complete the task. It is more conversational, more proactive, and better at taking action across systems than simply surfacing information.

That distinction matters because confusion is still slowing organizations down. Several leaders noted that many companies say they are building agentic capabilities when, in reality, they are still enhancing scripted bots. That disconnect is important. If leaders use the same word to describe radically different levels of maturity, it becomes harder to benchmark progress, align teams, and make smart investment decisions.

The industry is still early

A striking theme from the discussion was how low current adoption still is. Estimates in the room placed true agentic AI adoption somewhere below 15%, with some leaders putting it closer to 3%-5%. And yet nobody sounded relaxed about that. Quite the opposite. The tone was urgent. Leaders acknowledged that while the industry is still early, the pace of change is accelerating fast enough that waiting now could create a real competitive gap later.

That is the tension many organizations are sitting in right now. They know they do not have all the answers. They also know they do not have the luxury of standing still. If competitors have already spent the last two years learning, testing, failing, refining, and scaling, what happens to the organizations that are just beginning to ask foundational questions now?

Where leaders are seeing real value today

The conversation stayed grounded in practical use cases, and that was refreshing. Leaders discussed high-volume, repeatable work such as account updates, password resets, and status checks. They also discussed more advanced uses: proactive service interventions, automated quality auditing, and knowledge management that updates in near real time based on live interactions.

One example stood out: instead of simply telling a customer that an order is delayed, an agentic system can recognize that the customer paid for expedited shipping, predict the miss before the customer complains, and proactively issue a refund. That’s not just efficiency; that’s service with foresight.

Leaders also pushed back on a narrow definition of value. This is not only about removing cost or reducing headcount. The more mature conversation is about containment, speed, routing accuracy, reduced friction, better use of human expertise, and stronger experiences overall. In other words, if your scorecard for AI is only labor reduction, are you measuring the wrong thing?

The human-in-the-loop is a strategy

If there was one point the group returned to again and again, it was this: human oversight still matters, especially in emotionally charged moments. Leaders shared examples from industries where the issue is not a simple transaction but a life event, a safety concern, or a vulnerable moment. In those cases, the role of AI is not to replace empathy. It is to recognize when empathy is required and make the handoff smarter, faster, and more informed.

That raises an important leadership challenge. Are organizations training AI only on business rules? Or are they also teaching it context, tone, and the signals that should trigger human intervention? Because the risk is obvious: a system can be technically correct and emotionally disastrous. And in customer experience, that still counts as failure.

A few shared perspectives

• “The old AI is ‘what do you want to know?’ agentic AI is ‘what do you want to do?’”
• “Instead of AI being a helper, AI is now your accountable digital labor. It’s part of your workforce.”
• “Standard AI was reactive… agentic AI is more proactive in how we solve for the customer.”
• “Traditional AI is scripted responses. Agentic AI can go out, pull from multiple sources, and make decisions.”
• “The AI would say your order is confirmed. Agentic AI will predict it won’t arrive on time and refund the expedited shipping in real time.”
• “It’s moving from supervised learning to autonomous decision-making.”
• “Agentic AI isn’t just answering questions; it’s completing the transaction end-to-end.”

This is bigger than automation

The biggest takeaway from the discussion was not that AI is moving quickly. Leaders already know that. It is the organizations making the most meaningful progress who are asking sharper questions as they move. They are not just chasing use cases. They are thinking carefully about trust, orchestration, customer expectations, employee impact, and where human connection still matters most. That is the real work in front of CX leaders now; not simply adopting AI, but shaping how it shows up in the experience in a way that is thoughtful, responsible, and genuinely useful.

What should AI handle? What should stay human? Where can we remove friction? Where should we add reassurance? And how do we use this moment not just to do service cheaper, but to do it better?

These are exactly the kinds of candid, leader-level conversations happening inside our Virtual Executive Roundtables. If you want to hear how your peers are thinking through the opportunities and tradeoffs ahead, and contribute your own perspective to the discussion, join us at a future Virtual Executive Roundtable. It is a chance to step into a smaller, high-value conversation with fellow CX leaders navigating many of the same questions in real time.

Join our mailing list to receive event invites.

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Peloton, once synonymous with “the Bike,” has evolved into something far bigger: an ecosystem of connected fitness products, premium content, and a global community of millions. But as Spring reminded the audience, growth doesn’t just test your business model; it tests your ability to support, empower, and elevate every single member along the way.

When Success Outpaces Structure

Rewind just a couple of years. Peloton was riding a wave of demand that few companies ever experience. However, with that success came turbulence: overstocked accessories, scattered middle-mile logistics, service and repair gaps, and a global support structure that was stretched too thin.

In Spring’s words, Peloton had “disproportionate capacity and inefficiently staffed global support.” In other words, the model that got them here wouldn’t get them there.

Building the Foundation for Member Excellence

What followed was a deliberate reset. In 2022, Peloton rebalanced its operations. In 2023, the team streamlined its BPO footprint, introduced Salesforce, and initiated a company-wide upskilling initiative. By 2024, they were operating with just two BPOs—98 percent of support now U.S.-based—while training “universal agents” capable of handling membership, order experience, and technical service with equal fluency.

That shift wasn’t about cost-cutting. It was about creating a foundation where every member’s touchpoint felt seamless and trusted.

Technology That Works for Humans

Spring emphasized that technology should never be a barrier between a member and their goal. It should clear the path. That’s why Peloton transitioned to AWS for its phone system, integrated Service Cloud Voice, and deployed Agent Assist to help frontline staff classify cases, recommend replies, and generate summaries.

The result: agents aren’t bogged down in process, they’re freed up to be human. And members get what they came for: support that is fast, personal, and aligned with their fitness journey.

From Contact Center to Concierge

One of the most compelling moments of Spring’s keynote was her description of two new programs redefining the member experience.

• Social Care: A team that proactively engages with members on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, meeting them where they already are.
• Human Concierge: A pilot program offering new members a dedicated guide during their first 90 days, ensuring they feel supported, celebrated, and connected

These aren’t just initiatives. They’re a philosophy that member support isn’t about handling problems; it’s about creating a sense of belonging.

Data as Culture, Not Just Metrics

Under Spring’s leadership, Peloton also began building a stronger data culture. Weekly performance visibility and clear metrics gave her teams not just numbers to chase, but stories to tell, including how their work translated into efficiency, loyalty, and long-term engagement.

Data-driven decision making wasn’t a line item in a presentation. It became a way of seeing, much like Peloton teaches its riders to measure cadence, resistance, and output.

The Leadership Question

Spring’s keynote left the room buzzing with a question: Are we as CX leaders designing support that solves issues, or are we designing support that elevates the entire customer journey?

Because Peloton’s story is more than a case study in operational turnaround, it’s proof that CX leaders can transform turbulence into trust, scale into service, and, most importantly, transactions into relationships.

A special thank you to Dawn and the entire Peloton team for sharing their insights and leadership with us at the Customer Response Summit. Your dedication to innovation, service, and human connection continues to set the standard for the CX industry. We appreciate your time, expertise, and the inspiration you brought to the stage!

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In this CX Insight magazine KIA Spotlight, we sat down with Thomas Harden, Head of Operations for Customer Care at The Black Tux, to learn how he’s leading the charge to combine technology, human-centered design, and operational excellence into one seamless customer journey.

Since joining The Black Tux in 2022, Thomas has not only led his teams to exceed every key performance metric but has also focused on transforming the way success is defined. For him, the future of customer care isn’t just about scores like CSAT and NPS, it’s about understanding the story behind the score. By fostering a culture of curiosity, empowerment, and continuous improvement, Thomas is ensuring that every interaction leaves a lasting, positive impression.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn about The Black Tux customer experience:

• How The Black Tux is using an integrated tech stack, featuring Gladly, Maestro, and Simplesat, to deliver personalized service across every channel.
• Why eliminating customer friction is a top priority, and how Thomas’s leadership philosophy centers around solving problems before they impact the customer.
• Strategies for scaling global customer care operations without losing the brand’s culture or customer-first values.
• The critical role of showroom teams and how strong internal relationships create consistent, elevated service experiences for customers both online and in-person.

Thomas also shares how customer feedback directly shapes business decisions, product development, and service improvements at The Black Tux. In his view, feedback isn’t just collected, it’s lived. It’s analyzed for trends, acted upon with urgency, and seen as the heartbeat of the organization.

Looking ahead, Thomas is especially excited about:

• Deploying AI-powered support for mid-level service inquiries.
• Reducing agent friction by optimizing internal systems for greater efficiency.
• Developing future leaders within his team is a priority he views as equally important as delivering operational results.

Through a blend of precision technology, frontline empowerment, and leadership development, The Black Tux is setting a new standard for what modern customer care can and should look like.

Get the Full Story: Read Our Spotlight Interview with Thomas Harden in CX Insight Magazine →

If you’re a CX leader seeking to future-proof your customer care strategy, Thomas’s approach provides valuable insights into blending empathy and innovation for sustainable success.

The post The Black Tux is Elevating Customer Care Through Technology and Seamless Service appeared first on Execs In The Know.

At the center of this shift is Carolyne Truelove, Vice President of Customer and Operational Excellence. With a deep belief that operational excellence and human connection can, and must, coexist, she’s leading a reimagining of what it means to care for travelers at scale.

The vision is clear: a care model that’s globally scalable, digitally intelligent, and emotionally resonant. One that empowers teams, anticipates needs, and inspires loyalty alongside bookings.

Turning Care into a Competitive Advantage

“We’re not just delivering service,” Truelove says. “We’re curating experiences with purpose, passion, and precision.” This mantra has fueled American Airlines’ shift from reactive service to proactive care.

With more than 350 airports and a vast network of multilingual engagement centers, the airline is proving that scale does not require sacrificing personalization. Predictive analytics, disruption modeling, and AI-powered tools are enabling teams to support customers before needs are even voiced.

In 2024 alone, over 20 million contacts were right-channeled from traditional to digital touchpoints such as the redesigned app and website. These efforts allow agents to focus on complex moments that call for empathy, flexibility, and a human touch.

Designing the Future of Travel, One Interaction at a Time

The airline’s transformation is reflected not just in the tools, but in the results. A reimagined AAdvantage^® app now acts as a personal concierge. Agent-assist technology has boosted First Contact Resolution past 85 percent. Newly launched self-service trackers have reduced baggage resolution times by 40 percent.

Speed is not the only priority. According to Truelove, technology is used to amplify, not replace, the human spirit. Automation addresses routine needs, giving employees more time to listen, understand, and connect.

That combination of precision and empathy defines American Airlines’ approach to modern customer care. From mood-aware AI to visual troubleshooting and multimodal service design, the airline is investing in tools that deliver care with intelligence and intuition.

Culture-Led Change Starts at the Frontline

For Truelove and her team, lasting transformation depends on trust, both with customers and employees. Frontline teams are empowered with real-time journey views and contextual tools, and their contributions are recognized through global rewards, customer kudos, and visibility into impact.

The question that drives every innovation is simple: What are our teams experiencing firsthand? These insights have led to meaningful changes in staffing models, policy design, and agent well-being, including a 14 percent reduction in absenteeism through targeted initiatives.

Coaching is central to success. Truelove describes it as her greatest joy. “The best results come from teams that feel seen, supported, and unstoppable.”

Data-Driven, Empathy-Led

Stories from customers and employees remain a powerful source of insight, but data is used as a guiding light to improve experiences in real time. It informs how and when to act, helping the team deliver consistently across channels and time zones.

Whether implementing contextual nudges, inclusive digital experiences, or culturally fluent training, American Airlines is creating personalized service from Tokyo to Tucson.

Looking ahead, the future of customer care will rely on a blend of AI and human warmth. Emotion-aware prompts and personalized guidance will allow teams to serve with efficiency and care. Yet what excites Truelove most is experiencing the journey herself, as a customer, a leader, and a traveler.

This isn’t just about better technology. It’s a human-centered reinvention of how people experience air travel.

Read the full Brand Spotlight interview in the July issue of CX Insight magazine, available now.

The post Empathy at Scale: How American Airlines Is Transforming Travel appeared first on Execs In The Know.

These documented successes (and insightful failures) hold the key to more innovative, more effective customer experiences.

Turning Abstract AI Strategy into Real Results

According to recent McKinsey research, nearly 90 percent of organizations have implemented AI or have imminent plans to do so. Yet despite widespread adoption, execution remains inconsistent. Too often, AI investments stall at the stage of theoretical benefits. CX leaders are caught in cycles of pilot projects and proof-of-concept limbo, unsure how to scale their AI initiatives effectively.

That’s where practical use cases provide a critical bridge. They translate high-level strategies into specific, actionable steps. When CX leaders study AI use cases, those grounded, authentic examples, they gain crucial insights into the resources, hurdles, and opportunities that can determine success or failure.

Learning Through Real-World Stories

A use case is more than just a success story. Done well, it’s a transparent, detailed account of how an organization employed AI to tackle specific customer challenges, highlighting the outcomes achieved and the obstacles faced along the way. Gartner emphasizes this point: successful AI implementations rarely follow a straight line. Instead, they navigate complexities, require adjustments, and necessitate continuous learning.

Take, for instance, conversational AI implemented by major brands. When Bank of America launched its virtual assistant, Erica, the goal wasn’t merely transactional; it aimed to deepen customer relationships through proactive insights. Erica’s success wasn’t immediate; it involved iterative learning and constant refinement based on fundamental customer interactions. Today, Erica handles millions of monthly queries, dramatically enhancing customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.

Why Use Cases Matter Internally

Use cases aren’t just external proof points. Internally, they function as powerful change-management tools. CX leaders routinely face internal resistance, from skeptical stakeholders wary of new technologies to employees uncertain how AI might change their roles. Use cases offer reassuring evidence, illustrating how AI complements rather than replaces human interactions.

Research from Deloitte Digital highlights that organizations that most effectively deploy AI create strong internal narratives around practical applications. Employees can visualize AI’s direct impact, alleviating fears and building buy-in for further innovation.

Use Cases as Strategic Differentiators

The brands that thrive with AI aren’t necessarily those with the deepest pockets; they’re those with the clearest vision, guided by real-world insights. Harvard Business Review points out that competitive advantage increasingly depends on the quality and practicality of AI deployments, rather than sheer technological sophistication.

Understanding where AI adds value and where human empathy and insight reign supreme is central to sustainable competitive differentiation.

The Path Forward

Ultimately, AI use cases empower CX leaders to act with clarity and confidence. They illuminate the pitfalls to avoid, the opportunities to embrace, and the practical steps to successful implementation.

Ready to dive deeper into AI use cases for CX? Join leading brands and CX executives at our virtual event.

Learn more and register to explore Real-World AI Use Cases →

The post Why AI Use Cases Are the Key to Smarter CX appeared first on Execs In The Know.

Because when your brand’s frontline is often an outsourced agent…

When your contact center is the place customers turn to in moments of friction…

And when loyalty is earned or lost in a single interaction…

You realize that outsourcing is customer experience (CX). And how you manage it is a direct reflection of your brand. It’s time to reframe outsourcing as more than a procurement line item. Here’s why.

1. It’s the frontline of your brand

Outsourced agents are often the first, and sometimes only, human interaction a customer has with your brand. That moment of truth can’t feel disconnected, transactional, or low-effort. Because no customer blames your BPO, they blame you.

Why it matters: You’re outsourcing trust, not just tasks. Every interaction either builds or breaks customer loyalty.

2. Cost vs. quality isn’t a tradeoff anymore

The old model assumed you had to choose between low cost and high quality. That equation has changed. Modern outsourcing partners use automation, real-time coaching, and advanced training to deliver better outcomes without bloating your budget.

Why it matters: With the right partner, you can lower costs and raise your CSAT scores. You don’t have to compromise anymore.

3. Agent experience = customer experience

You can’t deliver standout customer experiences with disengaged frontline teams. BPOs with high turnover, inflexible scripts, and limited coaching will torpedo your CX. But those that prioritize culture, career development, and empowerment become a true extension of your brand.

Why it matters: Burned-out or unsupported agents create burned-out customers. CX leaders must ensure their outsourced teams are treated like brand ambassadors because they are.

4. CX strategy and outsourcing decisions must align

You can’t promise personalization, empathy, and effortless support if your BPO still measures success by handling time alone. If your strategy is focused on customer lifetime value, your partner’s metrics should reflect that.

Why it matters: If your BPO isn’t evolving alongside your CX strategy, it’s holding you back. And if you’re not involved in those decisions, your brand may be heading in a different direction than you think.

5. Customer loyalty depends on consistency

Customers don’t care who picks up the phone; they care how they’re treated. If the experience varies wildly between in-house teams and outsourced agents, it chips away at trust.

Why it matters: Loyalty is built in moments of truth. Consistency across channels and partners is non-negotiable.

Your Outsourcing Strategy for Customer Experience

Outsourcing is no longer just about managing volume. It’s about managing outcomes. It’s about creating a seamless, human-centered customer journey, regardless of who’s delivering it.

When done well, outsourcing is a force multiplier. When done poorly, it’s a silent CX killer. That’s why customer experience leaders must have a seat at the table. Outsourcing isn’t just operational; it’s emotional. It affects how your customers feel, how your agents perform, and how your brand is remembered.

Continue the Conversation with Your CX Peers

Join us in Dallas–Fort Worth on August 7, 2025, for The Future of Outsourcing: Evolving Models for Cost, Quality, and Customer Loyalty. It’s your chance to connect with fellow CX leaders, share challenges, and gain fresh perspectives on the partnerships and strategies shaping what’s next.

Learn more and confirm your seat today.

The post Outsourcing Isn’t Just a Cost Decision, It’s a Loyalty Strategy appeared first on Execs In The Know.

In our latest CX Insight magazine Brand Spotlight, we sit down with Rafi Barragan, Director of Driver Experience and Strategy at Walmart, to explore how his team is pioneering new ways to support drivers before friction even begins.

Rafi’s approach is centered around what he calls an “ecosystem empathy mindset,” a philosophy that goes beyond fixing isolated problems and instead focuses on designing interconnected systems where human experience is at the core of every innovation. His team isn’t just solving for defects or platform glitches. They’re creating an environment where proactive detection, real-time data, and human insight combine to make every driver’s journey smoother and more intuitive.

Transforming Walmart’s Gig Driver Experience

• Proactive automation and real-time defect detection that identifies platform issues before they scale into major disruptions.
• Generative AI and personalized in-app help, providing drivers with tailored guidance exactly when and where they need it, dramatically reduce the need to reach out for support.
• One-Call Resolution models focus on eliminating not just call volume, but also the root causes of why drivers need help in the first place.

And it doesn’t stop at technical innovation. Rafi also shares why building trust at scale isn’t about one-off successful interactions. It’s about operational integrity over time. For Walmart’s Spark Driver Platform, this means surfacing the correct information at the right moment, reducing surprises, and ensuring that drivers feel seen, empowered, and in control of their earning journey.

Here’s What Else You’ll Learn from Our Interview

• The three distinct mindsets of today’s gig earners and how Walmart designs for each.
• The critical role of retention-by-design in the future of gig economy CX.
• Why platforms that view drivers simply as a supply pool will lose, and how human-centered design is becoming a key competitive advantage.
• How Rafi’s real-world leadership lessons, from launching call centers to building global operations, continue to shape Walmart’s driver-first strategy today.

The future of customer experience in the gig economy isn’t about patching issues reactively. It’s about creating intelligent, empathetic ecosystems where users—whether customers, employees, or drivers—thrive. Walmart’s approach under Rafi’s leadership provides a compelling blueprint for brands seeking to rethink their engagement, support, and retention strategies for their most critical users.

Get the Full Story: Read Our Brand Spotlight Interview with Rafi Barragan in CX Insight Magazine →

If you’re building or leading customer experience, operations, or gig platform strategies today, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

The post How Walmart is Redefining the Future of Gig Driver Experience with Proactive Innovation and Empathy appeared first on Execs In The Know.

That’s exactly what our upcoming virtual event, Practical, Real-World Application: Rapid-Fire AI Use Cases for Customer Experience, is built around. You’ll hear directly from our expert panelists on testing, deploying, and scaling AI. They’ve worked with the world’s leading brands, and now they’re ready to share what works.

Turning Pilots into Progress

Nearly 90 percent of brands are experimenting with AI or plan to do so in the near future. However, according to recent research, more than half of all CX leaders report that their AI strategies are still falling short, particularly in terms of complex interactions and achieving real business impact.

Each expert panelist will take you inside a real-world AI use case to share what sparked the initiative, how they built momentum, where they faced resistance, and what happened on the other side.

You’ll get a rapid-fire tour of successes and stumbles across various industries and functions. From operational wins, such as agent assist, to customer-facing innovations like predictive service, this is your window into what’s delivering a return on investment (ROI).

Closing the Execution Gap

AI isn’t a magic button. But it can be a game changer if you know how to move from strategy to execution.

You’ll hear how top brands bridged the gap between idea and implementation, how they addressed budget, stakeholder buy-in, integration challenges, and scaling hurdles. These are the stories your team can learn from, adapt, and act on.

Come for inspiration. Leave with a roadmap.

Why Now

The AI conversation is now strategic. And whether you’re just starting out or scaling fast, there’s urgency to figure out where AI works and where it doesn’t.

This virtual event is timely and essential. With CX pressure mounting and the pace of innovation accelerating, the brands that will win are those that can operationalize intelligent, human-centered AI today.

Join Us on July 15 (1-2:30 PM ET)

This virtual event is exclusively for corporate brand CX leaders shaping the future of service, support, and experience.

Moderated by Execs In The Know President Chad McDaniel, it is designed for clarity, candor, and conversation. Ask your most challenging questions. Learn from your peers. Walk away with ideas you can act on.

Seats are limited. Reserve yours now.

The post Inside the AI Use Cases Delivering Real CX Results appeared first on Execs In The Know.

As organizations continue their race toward digital transformation, our latest research report, the 2025 CX Leaders Trends & Insights: Corporate Edition in partnership with TELUS Digital, dives into the numbers, challenges, and opportunities shaping the future of CX.

Below, we spotlight five critical areas that should be on every CX leader’s radar.

1. AI Adoption: Accelerating but Not Replacing Human Support

It’s official: AI is no longer a futuristic concept. It’s here, embedded in nearly every CX operation. Ninety percent of brands have either already deployed AI or plan to do so soon, up from 61 percent just two years ago. But here’s the catch: More than half of CX leaders say their customers’ inquiries remain too complex for self-service.

So, what does this mean for your AI strategy? Are you automating wisely, or are your customers getting stuck in frustrating loops? The data suggests that success isn’t just about AI. It’s about blending automation with human-led, empathetic support.

2. The Legacy Systems Dilemma: A Barrier to Seamless CX

We hear it in boardrooms, in strategy meetings, and now in the data: Legacy systems are still the number-one obstacle preventing CX teams from delivering better experiences. Forty-two percent named Legacy Systems/Processes/Tools as the single biggest challenge facing CX operations.

Are you still working around old tools, or is it time to make the case for a long-overdue system upgrade? If your competitors are investing in unified, AI-driven platforms, can you afford not to?

3. The Omnichannel Imperative: Consistency Across Touchpoints

Customers don’t see “channels.” They see one brand. And yet, 74 percent of CX leaders expect to invest in new technology this year to improve cross-channel consistency.

This signals a major shift: While brands once focused on offering more channels, they’re now prioritizing seamless movement across them, reducing the frustration of repeating information or getting lost between automated and human-assisted support.

Ask yourself: When customers switch from chat to phone, do they have to start from scratch? Do your data and systems make those transitions feel natural or like a frustrating game of hot potato?

4. CX KPIs Are on the Rise, but Can You Prove ROI?

Encouragingly, 68 percent of brands report improving their CX KPIs over the past 12 months, the highest percentage recorded since 2021. But with CX increasingly under executive scrutiny, it’s no longer enough to say your metrics are better; leaders must prove how those improvements drive revenue, retention, and loyalty.

Does your team have a clear ROI story? Or are you still measuring success in a way that resonates with CX teams but not the C-suite?

5. Culture & CX: The Missing Link?

Perhaps the most promising finding: Fifty-eight percent of CX leaders now believe their company culture aligns with a customer-first mindset, the highest level since 2018.

But what about the other 42 percent? If customer experience still feels like a siloed function rather than a company-wide commitment, how do you change that narrative internally?

The Takeaway: Are You Keeping Up?

CX is evolving at a breakneck pace. AI is transforming operations but not replacing the need for human connection. Legacy systems are holding brands back, but those investing in unified technology are gaining an edge. KPIs are improving, but proving CX’s business impact remains critical.

Want the full story? Download the complete research report for deeper insights, data-backed strategies, and expert perspectives from top CX leaders.

→ Get the Report Now

The post The 2025 CX Leaders Trends & Insights: Corporate Edition Report — What Top Brands Are Getting Right (and Where They’re Falling Behind) appeared first on Execs In The Know.

Her message? Client insights alone don’t create impact; action does. And in a financial landscape increasingly defined by digital transformation, evolving client expectations, and the unforgiving speed of technological change, experience-focused action isn’t just a competitive advantage. It’s survival.

The Business of Banking is the Business of Trust

KeyBank is a financial institution with $190 billion in assets, over 1,000 branches, and 17,000 employees. It’s an institution built on trust. In an era where the banking industry faces growing skepticism from consumers, trust can’t be bought; it must be earned, reinforced, and, most importantly, lived out in every client interaction.

That’s where Ziroe’s work begins. She and her team at KeyBank don’t just deliver Voice of the Client (VoC) insights; they transform them into human-centered solutions that bridge the gap between client needs and business strategy to drive growth.

But as she pointed out in her keynote, simply producing insights isn’t enough. It’s critical to closely align the CX team’s efforts with the business. She pointed out that “earning a seat at the table” to infuse experience insights in business strategy planning is critical for success.

“Timing is critical,” she told the audience. “Understanding the business is even more important.”

Her words hung in the air. How many CX leaders in the room had spent years battling the frustration of producing invaluable insights only to see them ignored or deprioritized by business stakeholders? How many had been caught in the cycle of delivering ideas without a roadmap for execution?

If your CX team isn’t “in the room where it happens,” as Ziroe put it, you’re not leading change. You’re hoping for it.

Bridging the Gap Between Client and Business Empathy

One of the most striking moments of Ziroe’s presentation was when she dissected the tension between a client-led approach and a business-led approach, a battle that often plays out within organizations, sometimes in subtle ways, sometimes in outright conflict. Client-led strategies are rooted in the question: What can we do for the experience?
Business-led strategies ask: What can the experience do for the business?

The challenge, as Ziroe explained, is that both are necessary. It’s not enough to simply listen to clients and improve experiences. CX teams have to find ways to organically integrate CX into the operations of the business to drive outcomes—loyalty and profitability.

A real-world example? KeyBank’s treasury clients. When analyzing top opportunities in their commercial digital platform, Ziroe’s team discovered that less than half of clients were satisfied with one of its top-used capabilities. The problem wasn’t just about missing features; it was about how information was presented, the difficulty of navigating reports, and the overall user experience. The easy solution? Enhancing reports. The right solution? Reimagining the experience by creating a simplified and intuitive consumer-like one-stop shop user experience in a complex commercial landscape.

The result? A 57 percent reduction in task completion time and a 92nd percentile ranking in overall satisfaction in prototype testing. One client in a treasury role summed it up: “This exceeded my expectations. On average, it usually takes me an hour to research. Not having to use external sources like Excel and Ctrl+F—this will cut my time in half.”

It was a moment of validation, not just for the work Ziroe’s team had done, but for the philosophy that underpins it: client experience isn’t just about acting on client feedback; it’s reimagining the experience through a human-centered lens. And doing so in close partnership with the business.

The CX Leadership Challenge: Are You Creating Real Change?

As she wrapped up her keynote, Ziroe left the room with a challenge. Are we, as CX leaders, truly embedding client experience into our business strategy, or are we just gathering data for data’s sake? Are we creating actionable insights, or are we simply reporting them? Are we advocating for clients in a way that executives can translate into revenue and long-term loyalty?

Because here’s the truth: if CX isn’t shaping business decisions, it’s just another department. And if we’re not advocating for clients in ways that resonate with business stakeholders, we’re not leading change. As she wrapped up, Ziroe articulated something many in the CX space feel but don’t always have the words for: that empathy-driven action is the only kind that moves the needle.

A special thank you to Era and the entire KeyBank team for sharing their insights and leadership with us at the Customer Response Summit. Your dedication to innovation, service, and human connection continues to set the standard for the banking and CX industry. We appreciate your time, expertise, and the inspiration you brought to the stage!

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