Amazing Business Radio

How Consistent Values Drive Unforgettable Service 

Shep interviews Cheryl Christensen, Sr. Vice President of Operations at Gathering Place. She talks about her journey from frontline roles to leadership at Disney and the impact of culture, service, and growth opportunities. 

 This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:   

What is the best way to handle customer outreach after a bad experience? 

What three job responsibilities should every employee in a service company share? 

How does servant leadership boost employee engagement and retention? 

How can companies turn customer complaints into operational improvement? 

What is the best way to handle customer outreach after a bad experience? 

 Top Takeaways:    

Every job, even the simplest ones like bussing tables or cleaning up, can help build leadership skills. Every workplace is a place to grow. When employees are given opportunities to contribute, develop new skills, and take on challenges, a temporary job can become the beginning of a bigger career.  

Every employee should be empowered to do the job they were hired to do, take care of the guests or the customers, and pay attention to what needs to be done around them.   

Great experiences are not the responsibility of one department. When employees consistently take ownership beyond their immediate tasks, service becomes part of the culture rather than something confined to the customer support department.  

A complaint is an opportunity to improve the experience. Responding directly, acknowledging the customer's frustration, explaining what happened, and finding a way to repair the relationship, like inviting them back, can turn a negative experience into a positive one.  

The most valuable feedback does not have to come from a formal survey. Sometimes, it comes from employees who work with customers every day and see what delights or frustrates them. Collecting this feedback can help create insights that turn into actions that can improve customer experience.  

Leaders who notice employees' talents and give them new challenges help create a place where people want to stay. Because growth is one of the most important things that keeps employees motivated, leaders need to provide an environment where employees feel they can learn new skills and will be rewarded for their effort.  

Plus, Shep and Cheryl share customer service stories from her 37-year career journey at Disney and her current role at Gathering Place. Tune in!  

Quote:  

 "Get hooked on your organization's magic. When your skills are recognized, and you're placed in roles where you can truly contribute, it creates meaning for you and the company. Always look for new ways to contribute and go beyond your basic role." 



About:   

Cheryl Christensen is the Sr. Vice President of Operations at Gathering Place. She had a 37-year career with the Disneyland Resort, where she held leadership positions in Operations and Human Resources.  

Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.   
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How Values Drive Company Culture and Customer Satisfaction  

Shep interviews Paul Ingram, Kravis Professor of Business at Columbia Business School and author of What Do You Really Stand For?. He discusses how aligned organizational values create a stronger company culture, improves employee retention, and ultimately enhances the customer experience.  

This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:    

How does aligning corporate values with personal values improve customer experience? 

Why is value alignment critical for increasing employee retention and engagement? 

How do a company’s core values influence customer buying decisions and brand loyalty? 

What role do leaders play in modeling and sustaining an authentic company culture? 

How does hiring for shared values impact culture and workplace satisfaction? 

Top Takeaways:    

Companies whose values are aligned with leadership, employees, and customers create a smoother, stronger connection.   

An organization's culture reflects the values of the employees who make it up. When employees work in an environment that shares the same values that they have, they are more motivated and collaborative. The organization becomes a "destination employment," where they are excited to show up every day and are happy to stay long-term. 

For company values to be authentic and effective, leaders must personally demonstrate and model them. Their voice is much more amplified as employees look up to them. If there’s a disconnect between what is articulated at the top and leadership's actions, employees become disengaged, and it shows in how they interact with customers.  

Customers are more likely to buy from brands that embody values similar to their own. When a company authentically represents what matters to its customers, it influences their purchasing decisions and long-term support.  

Research shows that employees deeply aligned with company values require a 40% salary increase to leave their jobs. Hiring for values rather than just skill nurtures a culture where people want to stay and contribute.  

Culture is a collective product of everyone’s values and beliefs. While you can guide culture and select people who share your principles, authentic values cannot be forced onto employees. 

By encouraging people to share what makes them distinct, companies create a culture where employees feel seen, fulfilled, and invested in the team's success.  

Keeping reminders of personal values accessible, whether it is written in a notecard or printed on a mug, can help you ground your actions and weigh your decisions against what truly matters to you.  

Plus, Shep and Paul discuss the importance of shared values in different industries like music and sports. Tune in!  

Quote:   

"Any two entities interact more smoothly and more productively if their values are aligned." 

 About:   

 Paul Ingram is the Kravis Professor of Business at Columbia Business School and the author of What Do You Really Stand For?  a book focused on helping individuals and organizations identify and align their core values. 

 Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio. 
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Leveraging AI Efficiency and Human Insight

Shep interviews Filip Jaskólski, Chief Product Officer at Text. He talks about how customer service, empowered by AI and human collaboration, can shift from being a cost center to a revenue generator for businesses.

This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:  

How can customer service move from a cost center to a revenue generator? 

What is the ideal balance between AI automation and human agents in customer support? 

How can companies use AI to boost upselling and product recommendations? 

Why should businesses transition from reactive to proactive customer service? 

What metrics actually matter when evaluating AI in customer support? 

Top Takeaways:  

Customer service has evolved beyond being a support center. When done strategically, it can be an important contributor to customer retention and revenue.   

Every interaction with customers is an opportunity to gain valuable information about what they want or need. Aside from answering questions and solving problems, successful companies use these customer signals to improve their products and services.  

By analyzing and interpreting not just the words that customers use but also the intent and context behind interactions, AI becomes an essential tool for providing personalized recommendations.  

The potential for upselling and cross-selling exists in every customer conversation, not just in face-to-face interactions. Automated systems are now sophisticated enough to identify when recommendations are relevant and welcome, turning customer support channels into points of sale.  

The goal is not to fully automate contact centers. Instead, successful businesses strive for a balance between AI and human strengths. For example, AI can sort through large numbers of inventory to suggest products that match the customer's needs. At the same time, human agents are capable of empathy and judgment that are essential in building a lasting connection with customers.  

Revenue, satisfaction, and loyalty are the biggest indicators of success in using AI to enhance customer and employee experience. Often, companies get stuck measuring how many customers interact with AI, or how fast problems are resolved while missing out on real opportunities for growth.  

Plus, Shep and Filip discuss why businesses should be proactive rather than reactive when interacting with customers. Tune in! 

Quote: 

"With the technology that we have today, AI can help us go deeper in our relationship with customers. We can analyze so much data and context to match what our customers need to what we can offer."   

About:  

Filip Jaskólski is the Chief Product Officer at Text. He drives product strategy and development with a focus on practical, scalable AI-powered customer experience solutions.

Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.  
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Balancing Productivity and Customer Satisfaction with Automation

Shep interviews Jeff Fettes, founder and CEO of Laivly. He talks about how organizations can integrate AI across the entire customer service journey to empower agents and advance business goals rather than relying on vanity metrics.

This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:  

How do you measure true ROI on AI in customer service?

What customer service metrics should companies track to evaluate AI success?

Why do most customer service AI implementations fail?

How can contact centers integrate AI across the entire customer journey?

Should AI in customer support be used to replace human employees or assist them?

Top Takeaways:  

Use AI in customer service because it is beneficial, not just because it is new. AI should be implemented when it makes processes genuinely easier or better for customers. It is about evaluating what your customers, employees, and organization need and then using AI to deliver that.

Limiting AI to the beginning of your interaction adds unnecessary cost and frustration, especially if the customer still needs to speak to a human later. For better impact, integrate AI into every stage of the customer service journey where appropriate.

When customers move from AI to human agents, history and the details of the interaction should be transferred seamlessly. This way, agents do not need to ask questions that force customers to repeat themselves.

The goal of AI should not be to replace staff but to support them. It should enhance the capabilities of your existing team and help them to reach your organization's unique goals.

Many leaders claim their AI projects are successful even when they're over budget or delayed. A study by Laivly found that 65% of leaders called their most recent AI initiative successful even though, in reality, 43% of AI projects are delayed or stalled, and 53% went over budget.

Don't measure AI by the percentage of customers it touches or deflects. Focus on how it improves productivity and customer satisfaction metrics that you have set within your organization. AI is only successful when it delivers results that are important for your business and improvements that are meaningful to your customers.

Plus, Shep and Jeff discuss more stats and insights from The AI Paradox: Everyone Thinks They’re Winning. Tune in!

Quote: 

"Customers only want to participate in AI if it's going to be good for them, if it's going to be easier for them, if it's going to make their lives better, and if they like it."

About:  

Jeff Fettes is the founder and CEO of Laivly, a platform that addresses customer experience challenges by integrating artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automation into customer service workflows.

Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.  
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The Return on Investment of Good Customer Reviews

Shep interviews Daniel Vivarelli, founder of Starloop. He talks about how customer reviews build business reputations and Starloop’s unique model of planting a tree for every review to drive ethical engagement and market leadership.

This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:  

Why are customer reviews important for SEO and lead generation?

What is the difference between customer surveys and online reviews?

How do positive online reviews impact customer price sensitivity?

How can businesses use negative reviews to improve their brand reputation?

What is the best way to get more Google reviews ethically?

Top Takeaways:  

Google reviews have evolved from a nice-to-have to one of the main factors customers consider in their decision-making process. In today’s competitive environment, businesses with the most reviews and the highest ratings attract the most clients.

While both surveys and online reviews offer customer feedback, reviews deliver additional value because they are public and influence a brand's reputation. Surveys provide private insights to the business, but reviews contribute directly to marketing by enhancing trust and credibility online.

Online reviews are especially valuable for local businesses whose reputation is their brand. Positive reviews can be the deciding factor when customers compare options in search results.

Businesses with positive reviews online not only receive more inquiries. They also see a shift in how customers approach the business. With a strong online reputation, customers are less likely to ask about prices. They get inquiries focused on booking services or making purchases, since most of their usual "objections," such as value for money or quality, are already addressed by other customers' reviews.

Negative reviews are important, too. While every business should avoid getting negative reviews, their presence is an opportunity for businesses to demonstrate how they show up for customers when something goes wrong.

Building a solid reputation through reviews is a gradual process, but it offers lasting benefits. Leveraging free tools like the Google Business Profile (which is free!) to accumulate genuine reviews is a high-return strategy for long-term business growth.

Plus, Shep and Daniel discuss how planting one tree for every review motivates customers and benefits businesses. Tune in!

Quote: 

"Whoever's got the most reviews and the highest rating is the one that's going to attract the people they seek to serve."

About:  

Daniel Vivarelli is the founder of Starloop. He created the platform in 2016 to help local businesses grow by harnessing trust, reputation, and genuine customer feedback.

Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.  
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