This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, Megan Burns—a Fortune 500 advisor and keynote speaker with over 20 years of experience—joins me to share how she’s helped companies like Microsoft, Dow, Workday, FedEx, Akamai, DHL, Verizon, and AT&T build customer-centric cultures and deliver exceptional experiences at scale.
Megan dives into the foundational role of trust in customer experience—and why it’s essential for building lasting relationships. She shares actionable strategies for simplifying complexity, breaking down silos, and fostering trust across organizations.
Megan also explains how companies can tackle the operational challenges that come with growth and align their teams to better meet customer needs.
From measuring trust through transparency and reliability to creating a culture that prioritizes connection, this conversation is packed with practical insights.
🎧 Tune in now to learn how to make trust the cornerstone of your customer experience strategy—and empower your teams to deliver it!
02:41 Customer Experience vs. Customer Trust
04:48 The Limits of Empathy
08:12 Consistently Good, Strategically Amazing
11:43 Creating a Customer-Centric Culture
14:57 What Companies Fear About Customer Feedback
17:57 Why Trust Drives Growth
19:51 Measuring Customer Trust
Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.
Follow Blake Morgan on LinkedIn
For regular updates on customer experience, sign up for her weekly newsletter here.
This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, Gadi Shamia—Co-founder and CEO of Replicant—shares his expertise on building a customer-centric AI strategy that delivers real results.
From starting small with AI adoption to automating impactful call flows and scaling strategically, Gadi breaks down the steps leaders can take to unlock efficiency, empower agents, and improve customer experiences. He also highlights how AI is reshaping the contact center workforce, creating a future where agents handle high-value, complex interactions while automation tackles the rest.
Whether you're navigating AI adoption or looking to future-proof your CX strategy, this episode is packed with actionable insights for smarter, faster progress.
🎧 Tune in now to discover how to embrace AI’s potential and build a CX strategy that evolves with your business!
This episode of The Modern Customer Podcast is sponsored by Replicant.
00:00 Introduction and Background
03:57 AI's Impact on Contact Centers
07:27 From Script to Spirit
09:36 A Strategic Approach to AI Adoption
11:57 Next-Gen QA with Conversation Intelligence
17:36 The Future Contact Center Workforce
25:24 Rapid Fire Questions with Gadi Shamia
Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.
Follow Blake Morgan on LinkedIn
For regular updates on customer experience, sign up for her weekly newsletter here.
This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, Josh Linkner—globally recognized innovation expert, bestselling author, tech entrepreneur, and professional jazz guitarist—shares his insights on how leaders can unlock creativity, overcome fear-driven barriers, and build a culture where bold ideas thrive.
From embracing AI as a co-pilot to applying frameworks like the 'To-Test List' and 'Judo Flip,' Josh shares actionable strategies for tackling challenges with creativity and adaptability. Whether leading teams or enhancing customer interactions, this conversation delivers practical insights to spark bold innovation.
🎧 Tune in now to start 2025 with a mindset of bold innovation and fearless creativity!
👉 Visit https://joshlinkner.com/ to learn more about Josh Linkner and his work.
Key Highlights for Easy Listening:
01:57 Balancing Automation with Human Compassion in Customer Service
03:28 Turning Challenges into Opportunities with Creative Problem-Solving
05:28 Using the 'To-Test List' and 'Judo Flip' to Drive Creative Problem-Solving
08:52 Driving Innovation Through Small, Manageable Steps
09:55 The Power of Empathy, Artistry, and Emotional Intelligence
11:25 Create Memorable, Human-Centered Customer Interactions
14:59 Cultivating a Creative Mindset for Problem-Solving
17:25 How Leaders Can Build a Culture of Safety, Creativity, and Bold Innovation
22:29 Rapid Fire Questions with Josh Linkner
Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.
Follow Blake Morgan on LinkedIn
For regular updates on customer experience, sign up for her weekly newsletter here.
The U.S. hotel industry saw occupancy rates reach 67% in October 2024 (Statista, 2024). In such a high-demand period, success isn’t just about elegant rooms or luxurious amenities—it’s about how every guest feels during their stay.
In this episode of The Modern Customer podcast, Bashar Wali, Founder & CEO of This Assembly and Practice Hospitality, shares his expertise on crafting exceptional guest experiences through emotional intelligence, authentic connections, and a culture of care.
Drawing from decades of experience, Bashar dives into the power of hiring the right people, turning routine interactions into meaningful moments, and addressing guest feedback with transparency and empathy.
Whether it’s building team loyalty or creating memorable experiences, this conversation offers actionable insights every hospitality professional can apply right away.
Tune in now to discover how emotional intelligence and a people-first approach are redefining hospitality success.
Key Highlights for Easy Listening:
05:31 The Power of Emotional Intelligence in Building Hospitality Teams
07:53 Understanding Emotional Connections: Love Languages in Guest Experiences
12:29 Memorable vs Transactional Experiences: What Truly Matters to Guests
15:07 Service Recovery: Addressing Bad Reviews with Transparency
18:53 Creating a Culture of Care: Retaining Top Talent in Hospitality
21:27 Key Takeaways and Final Thoughts on Elevating Guest Experiences
Learn more about Bashar Wali and his work at hotelier.life.
Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.
Follow Blake Morgan on LinkedIn
For regular updates on customer experience, sign up for her weekly newsletter here.
This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, Meridith Elliott Powell—an award-winning sales keynote speaker and master certified business growth strategist—reveals how embracing uncertainty can fuel growth, resilience, and success in both life and business.
With over 600,000 learners completing her LinkedIn course, Meridith shares powerful insights on mindset shifts, the often-overlooked power of small details, and actionable strategies for entering 2025 with clarity, purpose, and momentum.
If you're ready to turn uncertainty into your greatest advantage and step confidently into the new year, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss!
Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.
This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, Damon Covey, General Manager of Unified Communications and Collaboration at GoTo, dives into how unified communication tools are elevating customer experience in modern contact centers.
Damon shares how GoTo enables businesses to meet customers on their preferred channels—whether it’s SMS, social media, or web chat—fostering deeper connections and creating seamless experiences. From simplifying IT operations to leveraging AI for faster agent onboarding and smarter workflows, GoTo equips businesses with the tools to deliver efficient and meaningful interactions.
If you’re looking to enhance customer experience and stay ahead in the evolving world of modern contact centers, this episode is a must-listen!
Key Highlights for Easy Listening:
04:47 Why Unified Communication Is Critical to Simplify Customer Interactions
08:41 How to Bridge the Gap in Customer Service Using Better Tools
12:49 What Challenges Arise When Setting Up Communication Channels Like SMS, Social Media, and Web Chat in Contact Centers
18:46 The Intersection of AI Implementation and Change Management
21:35 The Future of Contact Centers and the Transformative Role of Conversational AI
This episode of The Modern Customer Podcast is sponsored by GoTo.
Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.
Ranked #1 by ACSI in multiple categories for the second year, Samsung is raising the bar in customer care. From proactive solutions with SmartThings to AI-powered multilingual support, Samsung is redefining what it means to put the customer first. Their Beyond Boundaries program takes service to even the most remote areas, while their 10,000-strong team of passionate employees ensures every interaction feels personal and meaningful.
Mark Williams, Head of Customer Care at Samsung Electronics America, leads the charge in combining innovation and empathy to deliver exceptional customer experiences. Under his leadership, Samsung’s approach integrates cutting-edge technology with a culture that empowers employees to go above and beyond for customers.
Tune in to discover why customer experience is part of Samsung’s DNA and how their approach creates loyalty for life.
Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.
This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, Karen Dillon—New York Times bestselling author and former editor of Harvard Business Review—shares insights from her book The Microstress Effect and explores how microstress affects leaders, teams, and customers, while providing actionable strategies to address it.
Karen unpacks the impact of these small, everyday stressors and shares practical strategies to reduce their toll. From fostering a customer-centric mindset to creating balance through delegation, boundaries, and self-awareness, she offers actionable insights to empower leaders and transform customer experience.
Don’t miss this engaging conversation filled with insights to manage stress, inspire teams, and enhance your approach to customer experience. Tune in now!
Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.
This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, Robert Glazer—entrepreneur, bestselling author, and keynote speaker—shares powerful strategies to master high-performance leadership and elevate customer experience.
Robert explores the importance of clarity, accountability, and his four-part framework for building team capacity. He explains how aligning teams with shared goals, balancing culture with results, and empowering employees can drive exceptional customer experience outcomes.
Don’t miss this insightful conversation packed with actionable tips to transform your leadership and customer experience strategy. Tune in now!
Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.
How do you turn everyday customers into passionate superfans?
This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, Brittany Hodak, author of Creating Superfans, reveals her proven strategies for building customer loyalty that goes beyond the product. Brittany dives into her SUPER framework, sharing how brands can engage customers on an emotional level, personalize experiences, and create long-lasting relationships.
From the importance of storytelling to balancing technology with human connection, Brittany offers actionable insights that can transform your customer experience approach.
If you want to create superfans and transform your brand's loyalty strategy, this episode is packed with practical tips and inspiration. Tune in now!
Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.
How does a fast-food giant like Jack in the Box stay relevant after 74 years?
This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, Ryan Ostrom, Chief Marketing Officer at Jack in the Box, shares how the iconic fast-food brand keeps its customers coming back for more. With experience at GNC, Yum! Brands, Sears, and Reebok, he brings a fresh perspective on modern marketing and customer experience.
Ryan also opens up about tackling delivery challenges, optimizing quality, and reimagining stores to enhance the guest experience.
Whether you’re curious about AI in marketing or how a fast-food giant stands out in a crowded market, this episode is packed with actionable ideas and inspiration.
Don’t miss Ryan’s insider tips for staying ahead in a competitive market—tune in now!
Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.
This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, David Edelman, senior lecturer at Harvard Business School and former CMO of Aetna, shares a five-part framework for using AI to drive growth based on his book, "Personalized: Customer Strategy in the Age of AI," co-authored with Mark Abrahams.
With decades of experience helping top brands enhance their CX, David shows how companies can leverage AI to drive meaningful growth and create lasting customer loyalty. He explains how AI can empower customers, enable perfectly timed interactions, and support every stage of a growth-focused CX strategy. David also addresses key challenges, such as maintaining human oversight and avoiding intrusive interactions, to ensure AI-driven CX builds trust and protects brand integrity.
Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.
This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, Michele Crocker shares her insights on transforming contact centers through customer-focused leadership, AI, and change management.
She dives into actionable strategies for aligning people, processes, and technology to create high-performing, customer-centric operations. Michele also explains how successful AI implementation hinges on effective change management, ensuring smoother transitions and delivering measurable results for contact centers.
Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.
This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, Calvin Stovall, Chief Experience Officer at Iconic Presentations and hospitality expert, shares insights from his 30-year career in hospitality and how his leadership approach has transformed employee engagement.
We discuss the importance of emotionally intelligent leadership in creating a highly engaged workforce, hiring passionate individuals, and building genuine, lasting connections with employees. Calvin also offers practical tips on improving employee development, retaining top talent, and fostering a work culture that drives both employee satisfaction and customer loyalty.
If you’re focused on building a strong employee experience that leads to better customer outcomes, this episode is for you!
Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.
We’re celebrating the 400th episode of The Modern Customer Podcast with Henrik Werdelin, co-founder of Bark, founding partner of Prehype! Henrik explores the powerful role of AI in leadership and customer experience, showing how it drives personalization, efficiency, and innovation.
From building personalized customer relationships to empowering leaders to embrace AI firsthand, Henrik shares actionable insights that you won’t want to miss.
Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.
Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.
Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.
This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, John Finch, Global VP of Product Marketing for Customer Experience at RingCentral, shares insider knowledge on how AI is reshaping the future of contact centers, tackling the toughest challenges in customer experience today.
We dive into the complexities of bringing AI products to market, the importance of simplifying customer experience, and how RingCentral is revolutionizing the way businesses serve their customers with innovative solutions like RingCX. Plus, hear firsthand about the power of AI-driven agent assist, intelligent virtual agents (IVAs), and automation in delivering faster, smarter, and effortless customer service.
Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.
This week on The Modern Customer podcast, Linda Jojo, EVP, Chief Customer Officer at United Airlines, reveals how the airline is transforming customer experiences by harnessing the power of AI, mobile apps, and real-time communication—while maintaining a strong focus on customer service.
Learn how innovative tools like Agent on Demand and Connection Saver are reducing friction in travel, and discover what’s next for United as they continue to push the boundaries of technology in aviation.
Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.
This week on The Modern Customer podcast, Christian Mitchell, EVP and Chief Digital and Information Officer at Northwestern Mutual, shares how the company is blending human touch with AI-driven insights to enhance client experiences—balancing more than 165 years of tradition with cutting-edge technology.
Discover how leadership, a growth mindset, and continuous customer feedback are driving innovation while staying true to their mission of improving clients' financial security. Tune in now to learn more about the future of customer experience and innovation.
Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.
This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, Hugh Blane, leadership coach and author of Lead Boldly: How to Coach Others to Greatness, reveals management strategies to unlocking your team’s potential.
From mastering mindset to improving customer experience, Hugh shares actionable advice on leading with purpose and navigating the complexities of professional relationships. Don’t miss this episode filled with powerful strategies for coaching your team to greatness.
Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.
This week on The Modern Customer podcast, Lupine Skelly, retail research leader at Deloitte, shares insights about retail and the current back-to-school shopping trends.
With over 15 years of experience in retail market research, Lupine also touches on the evolving roles of digital and in-store experiences, the importance of building trust, and the rising significance of loyalty programs.
Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.
In this episode of the Modern Customer Podcast we will explore key leadership principles that can help you learn to lead, empower your team, and achieve lasting business success.
Robert Irvine, a celebrity chef, entrepreneur, and author of the book 'Overcoming Impossible’ shares insights on leadership and creating a customer-centric culture, stressing the importance of listening, empathetic leadership, and the significance of leaders being hands-on in their businesses.
Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.
Sri Narasimhan, Head of Enterprise Customer Experience at CVS Health, talks about his journey from a background in analytics and finance at companies like Medallia and Wells Fargo to his current role. He emphasizes the importance of moving from reactive to proactive customer feedback mechanisms and using quantitative data to improve customer experiences.
The episode also touches on the challenges of unifying multiple business lines within CVS Health, creating a customer-centric culture across a large workforce, and the future possibilities with AI in customer feedback.
Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.
The importance of the CEO in fostering a customer-centric culture stands out as a key takeaway from the conversation with Sowmyanarayan Sampath, CEO of Verizon Consumer. Learn about his strategic moves to regain market momentum, simplify customer interactions, and the innovative use of AI in improving both customer and employee experiences.
Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.