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In this episode of The CX Iconoclast, Richard Owen hosts Bill Staikos, a CX and EX leader with more than 20 years of experience helping organizations move beyond dashboards and into delivering tangible business outcomes. Drawing on his unique perspective from both the vendor and buyer sides of the industry, Bill discusses why too many companies are still stuck in outdated models of customer experience - focused on surveys and metrics - rather than designing solutions with customers at the center. The conversation covers the pitfalls of “product-led growth” thinking, the impact of AI on both customer experience and the workforce, and why the best companies are those that operationalize CX in partnership with technology, operations, and employee experience. Bill and Richard comment on the growing gap between companies that innovate and those that stagnate, with Bill arguing that success will come from action-oriented, integrated approaches rather than overcomplicated frameworks. They discuss the risks of shortsighted cost-cutting in the AI era, the importance of moral responsibility toward employees, and the opportunity for AI to help organizations finally break free from decades of CX mediocrity. Packed with candid insights, industry anecdotes, and a challenge to rethink old paradigms, this conversation offers practical and thought-provoking guidance for leaders who want to achieve meaningful change in customer and employee experiences alike. With over 20 years of expertise in CX & EX, Bill is the founder and managing partner of Be Customer Led, a consultancy that helps companies stop guessing what customers want, start building around what customers actually do, and drive real business outcomes. His expertise has focused on developing and growing teams that deliver CX strategy and execution plans to achieve real business outcomes (not just delivering NPS dashboards), deliver a change management platform to make these outcomes sustainable, and activate leadership participation.  He is also the founder of two podcasts, with his latest, The Multimodal Experience, focusing on how advanced capabilities and technology, from AI and spatial computing to extended reality and wearables, will change the way we engage with and buy from brands every day and how we operate within the companies we work for. Find out how predictive CX analytics can help your business: https://ocxcognition.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ocxcognition/ Connect with Richard Owen on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/richard-owen-98ba3

In this episode of The CX Iconoclast, Richard Owen sits down with Joe MacLeod – author, speaker, and self-proclaimed “Head of Endineering” – to explore one of the most overlooked parts of customer experience: the ending. Drawing on insights from his books and decades of experience, Joe explains why most companies obsess over creating desire and delivering products, yet neglect the final stage of the customer journey. From cable companies using aggressive tactics to retain customers to gyms making it difficult to cancel, he reveals how poorly designed endings damage brands, waste resources, and miss opportunities to strengthen relationships. Joe argues that by designing graceful, dignified exits, companies can encourage customers to return, generate positive word of mouth, and even unlock new business. Joe makes a great business case for good endings, across industries, from B2C subscriptions to B2B relationships. Perhaps surprisingly, he also suggests how an easy, transparent exit process can actually increase customer acquisition, citing examples from streaming services, retail returns, and corporate off-boarding. They cover the role of fear, ignorance, and poor vocabulary in preventing companies from addressing this stage, and share practical ways to reframe and redesign it. Whether you’re a business leader, CX professional, or simply a consumer tired of “bad breakups” with brands, this episode offers fresh, actionable ideas on how to make the last impression a lasting one.   Joe MacLeod is a design leader and author best known for pioneering the concept of Endineering; the design of customer endings and off-boarding experiences. A former Head of Design at the award-winning studio Ustwo, he led global teams delivering innovative digital products for major brands. His research into how consumer relationships end led to two influential books, Ends and Endineering, the latter described by The Do Lectures as one of the best business books of 2022. Through his company andEnd, Joe helps organizations understand and improve how they conclude customer relationships—reducing waste, protecting privacy, and strengthening brand trust. A sought-after keynote speaker and consultant, he advises leading global firms on sustainable, human-centered approaches to the full customer lifecycle, from beginning to end. Find out how predictive CX analytics can help your business: https://ocxcognition.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ocxcognition/ Connect with Richard Owen on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/richard-owen-98ba3

In this episode of the CX Iconoclast podcast, Richard Owen speaks with Tey Bannerman, a McKinsey partner focused on deploying AI in large enterprises to improve customer retention and growth. Bannerman emphasizes that AI should solve real human and business problems rather than just serve as a technological novelty. He critiques the reflexive use of AI for cost-cutting and job elimination, urging companies to instead prioritize long-term value creation and enhanced customer experience. He shares a compelling case study of a B2B payments company that shifted from cost-cutting to a customer-centric strategy using predictive analytics to reduce churn, highlighting the importance of engaging frontline employees in AI design and adoption. Their conversation also covers the dual challenges of employee resistance and leadership skepticism when adopting AI. Bannerman notes that fear of job loss and poorly designed tools can undermine adoption unless employees are engaged as co-creators. At the executive level, the challenge is often a cultural reliance on instinct over data, especially when dealing with AI-generated predictions. Bannerman advocates a balanced approach where leadership combines intuition with data to scale decision-making. As he says, "Predictive data gives leaders scale. Intuition alone can’t reach 100,000 customers." Both he and Owen agree that the way AI is communicated, taught, and integrated - especially through accessible, language-based interfaces - will determine whether organizations succeed or fall behind in what they call one of the most transformative shifts in business history. Tey Bannerman is a Partner at McKinsey & Company and the former Head of McKinsey Design Europe, where he blends software engineering, human-centered design, and strategic leadership to help major organizations implement AI solutions that deliver real business value. With over two decades of experience, spanning roles as a code‑writing software engineer, startup product designer, and digital agency leader, he has led AI‑powered transformation projects across sectors including banking, retail, fashion, and fintech, always anchored in human needs, ethical design, and tangible outcomes, rather than chasing technological novelty Find out how predictive CX analytics can help your business: https://ocxcognition.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ocxcognition/ Connect with Richard Owen on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/richard-owen-98ba3

What if your KPIs could talk back—and guide your business forward? In this episode, Richard Owen and Brian Curry of OCX Cognition, and MIT’s Michael Schrage explore how AI is transforming not just customer experience metrics, but the very nature of leadership and organizational capability. They suggest why so many companies stick with legacy KPIs despite major shifts in tech, and how conversational AI and “chat-modified” metrics are helping innovative leaders turn passive data into proactive guidance. Schrage introduces the revolutionary idea of building digital twins of your KPIs—giving organizations a GPS for where they are and where they should go next.   Michael, Brian and Richard make a critical distinction between insights and actionable insights, cover the cultural silos that hold companies back, and explain how AI-enabled measurement can drive faster decisions, and customer-led growth. With real-world examples and global perspective, Schrage challenges leaders to move beyond dashboards to dynamic dialogue with their data. Whether you're leading a digital transformation or just beginning to explore AI, this episode offers a compelling roadmap for turning metrics into momentum. Michael Schrage is a research fellow at the MIT Sloan School of Management's Initiative on the Digital Economy and a visiting fellow at Imperial College London’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship program. His work focuses on the intersection of innovation, AI, and digital transformation, particularly how organizations use experimentation, modeling, and analytics to drive business growth. Schrage has advised Fortune 500 companies, startups, and government agencies on innovation strategy and has authored several influential books, including Who Do You Want Your Customers to Become? and The Innovator’s Hypothesis. His insights on AI, behavioral economics, and digital experimentation make him a leading voice in business and technology Find out how predictive CX analytics can help your business: https://ocxcognition.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ocxcognition/ Connect with Richard Owen on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/richard-owen-98ba3

What happens when leading-edge academic research meets real-world customer dynamics? In this episode, OCX Cognition CEO Richard Owen welcomes Chris Forman, Professor of Strategy, Innovation, and Technology at Cornell’s Dyson School, to discuss how technology adoption, data integration, and organizational readiness shape B2B outcomes. Together, they clarify the critical differences between collecting data and using it—and why even sophisticated firms often struggle to translate tech investments into competitive advantage. From early-stage AI to platform lock-in, from Salesforce implementation challenges to the dynamics of central versus local decision-making, Chris brings the data-backed clarity of academic insight to questions every CX and strategy leader should be asking. Whether you're working your way through enterprise-wide digital transformation or trying to turn customer intelligence into action, this conversation offers both a grounding in research and a playbook for growth. Chris Forman is the Peter and Stephanie Nolan Professor of Strategy, Innovation, and Technology at Cornell University’s Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management. He earned his Ph.D. in managerial economics and strategy from Northwestern University (2002) and holds a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining Cornell, Chris served on the faculty at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School, Georgia Tech’s Scheller College, and was an assistant professor at Carnegie Mellon. He also worked as an associate economist at Lehman Brothers. His award‑winning research spans company-level IT value, digital platforms, enterprise software ecosystems, and the strategic adoption of AI. Find out how predictive CX analytics can help your business: https://ocxcognition.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ocxcognition/ Connect with Richard Owen on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/richard-owen-98ba3

In this episode of CX Iconoclast, OCX Cognition CEO Richard Owen sits down with Murli Buluswar, Head of Analytics at Citi’s U.S. Personal Bank, to explore how AI is reshaping customer insight and experience at enterprise scale. Murli shares his journey from early interest in behavioral science and analytics to leading cutting-edge initiatives that bring such innovation to life. From sharing intelligence across teams to improving operational risk detection and enabling hyper-personalization, he tells us how generative and agentic AI are turning customer intelligence into real business impact—faster, smarter, and at scale. The discussion is not just about technology, and focuses on the human and cultural transformations that AI demands. Murli emphasizes that while data and tools are part of the equation, 70% comes down to people: rethinking roles, changing how decisions are made, and redefining what really matters in the age of machine learning. This is a must-listen for CX and CS leaders, Chief Data Officers, and transformation champions ready to move from AI curiosity to AI-powered growth. As Murli puts it, the choice is simple—be the driver of change, or risk being disrupted by it. Murli Buluswar is a highly-experienced analytics and AI leader currently serving as Head of U.S. Consumer Analytics at Citi's Personal Bank, overseeing a team of 400+ professionals and steering data-driven decision‑making across a 30 million+ customer base. He describes himself as an “intrapreneurial” strategist with boardroom influence, Murli excels at transforming mature financial services into digitally intelligent organizations. He has built internal data science teams that deliver real commercial impact and lead cultural evolution through data and AI. He now champions hyper-personalization and real-time customer intelligence at Citi—embedding AI-driven models into the core of customer experience, risk management, and digital marketing. Find out how predictive CX analytics can help your business: https://ocxcognition.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ocxcognition/ Connect with Richard Owen on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/richard-owen-98ba3

In this episode of CX Iconoclast, Richard Owen sits down with Dean Eckles, MIT professor and former Facebook data scientist, to explore the real-world dynamics of misinformation—and what actually works to stop it. Eckles shares insights from his landmark research showing that correcting false content on social media doesn’t always reduce misinformation. In fact, it can sometimes make things worse, prompting users to double down and share even more toxic content. But there’s good news: features like Community Notes, when designed to provide neutral context from a broad base of users, can significantly reduce the viral spread of low-quality information—especially among more passive, less entrenched audiences. The conversation shifts to how businesses can close the data gap. Eckles describes how platforms like Meta leverage rich behavioral data to adjust for survey bias, offering a blueprint for companies that want more accurate customer insights. But most organizations aren’t sitting on massive data lakes—and that’s where predictive AI and synthetic data can help fill in the blanks. Richard and Dean also tackle a key leadership challenge: how to get executives to trust data over instinct. The goal? Not perfection, but progress. Use AI to narrow the decision space, eliminate high-risk choices, and create meaningful lift—whether you’re in the boardroom or on the front lines. It’s not about man versus machine. It’s about smarter decisions, powered by both. Dean Eckles is a social scientist and statistician. At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dean is the William F. Pounds Professor in the MIT Sloan School of Management and associate director of the Institute for Data, Systems & Society in the Schwarzman College of Computing. Much of his research examines how interactive technologies affect human behavior, especially by mediating social influence. Dean also works on methods for inferring cause–effect relationships and on applied statistics more generally. Dean’s empirical work uses observational studies and field experiments involving hundreds of millions of people. His papers appear in Journal of the American Statistical Association, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Nature, Operations Research, Management Science, and other peer-reviewed journals and proceedings in statistics, computer science, and marketing. He is a co-organizer of the Conference on Digital Experimentation (CODE@MIT). He was previously a scientist at Facebook and Nokia. Dean completed five degrees, including his PhD, at Stanford University. Find out how predictive CX analytics can help your business: https://ocxcognition.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ocxcognition/ Connect with Richard Owen on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/richard-owen-98ba3

In this CX Iconoclast episode, Richard Owen speaks with Bruce Temkin, a pioneering figure in customer experience, about his new initiative: Humanity at Scale. Temkin explains that despite decades of progress in CX and EX, many leaders still perceive a trade-off between focusing on people and achieving business results. His goal is to eliminate this false dichotomy by helping leaders understand that truly human-centric organizations—those that embrace how people naturally think, feel, and behave—are in fact more productive, adaptable, and capable of long-term success. Drawing on principles from neuroscience and behavioral economics, Temkin argues that organizations need to shift from rule-heavy, process-centric structures to environments that empower creativity and human connection.   While covering the societal and organizational implications of AI, Temkin acknowledges the disruptive potential but remains optimistic that like past technological revolutions, AI can elevate standards of living and open new opportunities—if it’s applied thoughtfully. He cautions, however, that businesses often default to short-term cost-cutting, such as automating human interaction in contact centers, rather than leveraging AI to enhance productivity and employee fulfillment. Temkin also introduces the concept of “bias denialism,” encouraging leaders to accept that all data and decisions are inherently biased. Recognizing and working with that bias, he argues, is essential to truly human-centered leadership. His ultimate ambition is to spark a movement that inspires leaders, shares practical practices, and promotes AI applications that serve humanity rather than diminish it. Bruce Temkin is a luminary in human experience management and large-scale transformation. Known as the “Godfather of Customer Experience,” he helped define the fields of CX, EX, and XM, co-founded the Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA), and led the Qualtrics XM Institute. With a rare ability to simplify complexity and guide leaders through disruption and change, Bruce’s work bridges behavioral science, disruptive technologies, and organizational culture to drive human-centric strategies that deliver sustainable results at scale.. He now leads Temkinsight, where he publishes the Humanity at Scale newsletter and hosts the Humanity at Scale: Redefining Leadership podcast—spotlighting bold thinkers who are reshaping leadership around empathy, purpose, and trust. He believes that leading in a human-centric way isn’t just a better approach—it’s the only path to sustainable success.  Find out how predictive CX analytics can help your business: https://ocxcognition.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ocxcognition/ Connect with Richard Owen on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/richard-owen-98ba3

If you have never heard of the Department of Disruptive Capabilities, this is the place to be! In this episode, OCX Cognition CEO Richard Owen sits down with MIT Senior Lecturer and renowned efficiency expert Steve Spear to explore what makes the world’s most innovative organizations tick. Drawing on his experience with Toyota, the U.S. Navy, and Fortune 500 leaders, Steve unpacks the mechanics of high-velocity learning—why relentless experimentation, rapid problem-solving, and dynamic adaptation separate market leaders from the rest. Richard and Steve focus on the intersection of AI, operational excellence, and customer retention. How can B2B organizations apply Toyota-style innovation to drive growth? Why do traditional process improvement models fall short in today’s data-driven world? And what lessons can healthcare organizations, banks, and many other types of companies learn from the playbooks Steve helped implement in manufacturing and in the US Navy? Get ready for a great discussion that challenges conventional wisdom and unlocks new ways to scale efficiency and impact. Dr. Steve Spear DBA MS MS is founder of the business process software firm, See to Solve, senior lecturer at MIT’s Sloan School of Management where he’s active in the exec program, and impactful author of Wiring the Winning Organization and The High Velocity Edge and landmark articles such as “Decoding the DNA of the Toyota Production System” and “Fixing Healthcare from the Inside, Today”.  He’s worked with leaders across many verticals to bring ideas into actual practice including manufacturing and heavy industry, high tech, utilities, biotech and pharma, medical care and other social services. He’s been advisor the US Army’s Rapid Equipping Force, to a host of commands in the Navy including two CNOs and other senior leaders, the Disruptive Capabilities Office (nee Unmanned Task Force), and NAVSEA’s public shipyards, where he’s helping reduce durations on CNO availabilities.  Find out how predictive CX analytics can help your business: https://ocxcognition.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ocxcognition/ Connect with Richard Owen on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/richard-owen-98ba3

In this episode of CX Iconoclast, Richard Owen sits down with Professor Moira Clark, Director of the Henley Centre for Customer Management at Henley Business School. Moira brings sharp insight from two decades of research into what drives customer loyalty, profitability, and organizational performance. Together, they discuss the evolving role of AI in customer experience—from hyper-personalization to smarter service automation—and challenge businesses to move from short-term tactics to bold, strategic leadership. With a call to “get in the driver’s seat,” Moira urges customer leaders to use AI not just to cut costs, but to deliver differentiated value at scale. They also cover surprisingly couter-intuitive research on employee engagement, revealing that culture and climate—not engaged staff—are what truly drive customer outcomes. Plus, hear why UK businesses may be falling behind on productivity, how COVID reshaped work expectations, and why this year’s Henley Regatta CX Conference will zero in on AI’s potential to transform B2B customer relationships. It’s a thought-provoking conversation that delivers big-picture thinking with real-world implications. Don’t miss it! Professor Moira Clark is a leading expert in Strategic Customer Management; her main areas of research and consulting are in Customer Management, Customer Centricity, Customer Experience and the drivers of Customer Retention and Service Excellence. She has worked extensively in the area of culture and climate, its impact on retention and loyalty, and the critical linkages between employee behaviour and customer retention.   She has researched and published widely on Customer Management, Relationship Marketing, Customer Experience and Service Excellence. Publications include for example, the Academy of Marketing Science, Journal of Retailing, Journal of Business Research, Psychology and Marketing and International Journal of Management Reviews. She is also co-author of 'Relationship Marketing for Competitive Advantage, Winning and Keeping Customers and Relationship Marketing: Strategy and Implementation'. Find out how predictive CX analytics can help your business: https://ocxcognition.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ocxcognition/ Connect with Richard Owen on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/richard-owen-98ba3

In this episode, Richard Owen is joined by Felipe Bayón, newly-appointed CEO of GeoPark and former CEO of Ecopetrol, as well as Mauricio Duarte, a leading CX strategist in Latin America, to explore the evolving role of customer experience in the region. Felipe shares firsthand insights into navigating uncertainty, resilience, and digital transformation in Latin America’s complex business landscape. Mauricio highlights how companies are accelerating their shift toward customer-centric strategies, driven by changing expectations, cultural nuances, and the increasing power of data and AI.   The conversation covers the competitive challenges facing businesses, the role of leadership in driving CX culture, and the impact of AI on transforming customer engagement. From multinational strategies to local market realities, Felipe and Mauricio break down the critical success factors for companies looking to win in Latin America. Whether you're scaling a global business or refining your CX strategy, this episode delivers essential insights on innovation, adaptability, and the future of customer experience in the geography. Felipe Bayón was appointed CEO of the Latin American multinational energy company GeoPark in April 2025 and is the former CEO of Ecopetrol, Colombia’s largest energy company and one of Latin America’s most influential corporations. With a background in engineering and decades of global leadership experience—including a distinguished tenure at BP—Felipe is known for driving innovation, sustainability, and customer-centric transformation in complex, high-stakes environments. Mauricio Duarte is the Latin America CEO of OPINAT, a Spanish company that has been helping companies implement NPS and the Net Promoter System for over 15 years. He is a well-known international speaker and consultant in Customer Experience (CX), organizational transformation, and business growth. He has worked with companies from various industries, helping them grow through strategies focused on customer loyalty, and winning by differentiating experience from the competition. Find out how predictive CX analytics can help your business: https://ocxcognition.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ocxcognition/ Connect with Richard Owen on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/richard-owen-98ba3

Richard Owen hosts a conversation on the future of the telecommunications industry with Marc Anné, Chair of the World Communication Awards judging panel, and Harry Baldock, Editor of Total Telecom. The discussion covers key industry trends, including the rise of 5G, the growing dominance of hyperscalers, and the challenge of telcos transforming into technology companies. They address the persistent revenue struggles of telecom operators despite increasing data consumption, the role of AI in network optimization and customer experience, and the competitive pressures from China and US tech giants. Marc highlights AI-driven efficiency improvements in telcos, from predictive maintenance to hyper-personalized customer interactions, while Harry reflects on the sector’s identity crisis—caught between innovation and commoditization. The conversation ends with predictions for the next five years, emphasizing AI-powered services, private 5G networks for B2B, and the telcos’ need for strategic partnerships to remain relevant. Harry Baldock is the Editor at Total Telecom, writing daily news stories and feature articles on a broad randge of topics within the telecoms industry. He is also an experienced interviewer, having interviewed numerous executives from throughout the industry, including the CEO of Three and the UK Minister for Digital Infrastructure. Prior to his telecommunications role, Harry was an Editorial Assistant for the European Medical Journal. Marc Anné has held a variety of executive global leadership positions in business development, M&A implementation, and customer experience leadership, mainly in the B2B telecommunications and software industries, notably at Orange Business, Equant, and SITA. He has been a judge for the World Communications Awards for a number of years. He is passionate about the subject and has extensive expertise in designing, orchestrating, implementing, and progress monitoring of global transformational programs to a variety of B2B and B2C telecommunications companies. Find out how predictive CX analytics can help your business: https://ocxcognition.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ocxcognition/ Connect with Richard Owen on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/richard-owen-98ba3

In this podcast, Richard Owen and Brian Curry tackle the provocative question, “Is NPS dead?” While acknowledging the clickbait nature of the question, they argue that the traditional Net Promoter Score (NPS) program has become outdated—not because the metric itself is useless, but because the way companies implement it has failed to evolve. Surveys, once the backbone of customer experience (CX) programs, are increasingly unreliable due to response bias and their inability to provide real-time, comprehensive insights. Instead, Owen and Curry advocate for a new approach—leveraging AI and operational data to create “generative CX analytics” that provide a more accurate, always-on view of customer sentiment and behavior. They emphasize that the shift isn’t about replacing NPS outright but transforming how CX programs function. Traditional survey-driven programs are losing credibility with executives, who see them as delivering little actionable value. AI-driven analytics, which integrate survey insights with broader customer data, offer a path forward by providing predictive, real-time intelligence. Owen and Curry predict that companies that embrace this transformation will gain a competitive edge, while those clinging to outdated NPS programs risk irrelevance. The key takeaway: it’s not about whether NPS is dead—it’s about whether your CX program is keeping up with the future. Find out how predictive CX analytics can help your business: https://ocxcognition.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ocxcognition/ Connect with Richard Owen on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/richard-owen-98ba3

OCX Cognition founder Richard Owen hosts Simon Lyons in this latest conversion. Simon has had a long and varied career working in marketing, brand management, and strategic development across a variety of industries, including power generation, drinks, and even the Scottish Football Association. Richard and Simon discuss the challenges and opportunities in modern marketing, particularly as organizations shift from strategic principles to a heavy reliance on digital execution. Simon suggests that many marketing teams focus on lead flow and performance metrics but lack the foundational skills to create long-term value. This misalignment often leads to inefficiencies, higher costs to serve, and lower retention when targeting poorly matched customers. He therefore emphasizes the importance of narrowing focus, deeply understanding target audiences, and realigning marketing philosophies across the organization. Additionally, while metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS) remain a reliable measure of customer satisfaction, Simon says there is a growing need for more nuanced KPIs, particularly in pricing strategies and assessing new product success.   Simon notes that AI is revolutionizing marketing by automating tactical execution, generating tailored content, and optimizing campaign efficiency. However, he says this shift raises concerns about the loss of marketing intellectual property, as platforms like Meta increasingly own the insights that drive campaign success. This transition challenges marketers to redefine their roles, focusing on strategic direction and customer insights rather than tactical implementation. Leadership and teams must adapt quickly, addressing skill gaps and mindset shifts to stay competitive. As a notable aside, Simon shared observations on the whiskey industry, noting its changing dynamics due to rising prices, long production cycles, and evolving consumer preferences, which echo broader themes of adapting to market shifts. Find out how predictive CX analytics can help your business: https://ocxcognition.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ocxcognition/ Connect with Richard Owen on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/richard-owen-98ba3

In the second podcast of this two-part series, Mauricio Duarte and Richard Owen go deeper into the transformative role of AI in customer experience (CX). Richard highlights AI as a generational shift, resembling the advent of the internet in its ability to transform our work, and discusses its potential to revolutionize CX measurement and personalization. He emphasizes that while AI can enhance contact center operations and hyper-personalize digital experiences, it must be used thoughtfully to avoid alienating customers who still value human interaction. Richard critiques traditional NPS surveys, pointing out their flaws, such as low response rates and bias toward Promoters. He explains how AI can predict customer behavior with high accuracy, eliminating the need for frequent surveys and providing real-time insights. By training AI models with operational data, companies can identify root causes of customer dissatisfaction and improve their CX strategies and actions. The conversation shifts to lessons from the pandemic, where digital transformation became essential. Richard notes how industries like banking rapidly adopted digital tools, and customers of all ages (surprisingly) embraced digital experiences. He also discusses the increased value placed on experiences post-pandemic, as people sought to reconnect with the world after lockdowns. In the B2B space, Richard highlights the challenges of traditional CX measurement and the potential of predictive analytics to address issues like contract-based forced loyalty and account-level insights. He stresses the importance of combining human judgment with data-driven insights to improve customer relationships and operational efficiency. Finally, Richard shares advice on leveraging Promoters, emphasizing the need to understand why they are loyal, market to them effectively, and mobilize them for advocacy. He concludes by discussing OCX Cognition’s focus on predictive and prescriptive analytics, aiming to turn customer insights into actionable strategies for better CX outcomes. Mauricio and Richard’s great discussion offers a forward-looking perspective on the future of CX, driven by AI and data-driven innovation. Mauricio Duarte, is the Latin America CEO of OPINAT, a Spanish company that has been helping companies implement NPS and the Net Promoter System for over 15 years. He is a well-known international speaker and consultant in Customer Experience (CX), organizational transformation and business growth. He has worked with companies from various industries, helping them grow through strategies focused on customer loyalty, and winning by differentiating experience from the competition. Find out how predictive CX analytics can help your business: https://ocxcognition.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ocxcognition/ Connect with Richard Owen on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/richard-owen-98ba3