Amazing Business Radio

How Customer Experience (CX), Not Technology, Should Drive Business Strategy  

Shep interviews Clifford Hudson, the former CEO of Sonic and co-author of Bricks and Clicks: How We Drove Sonic Into the Digital Age. He talks about how business leaders must let customer needs and convenience drive their strategy rather than technology.  

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

How do you build a business strategy around customer experience instead of technology?  

How does removing customer friction lead to higher sales and retention? 

What is the biggest mistake companies make when implementing new technology? 

How does increasing customer convenience drive long-term business value? 

Why do customer-centric companies outlast competitors? 

Top Takeaways:   

Start with the customer experience, not the technology. Begin by understanding what customers need and the experience they want. Then work backward to determine which technologies or processes will improve that experience. Technology should support the strategy, not become the strategy itself. 

Use technology to strengthen what makes your brand stand out. Every new initiative, whether it is a new tool or a process, should strengthen the qualities that distinguish your brand. 

Successful businesses are the ones who can anticipate their customers' needs. Hudson mentions Wanye Gretzki’s famous line, "skate to where the puck is going." Keep your eyes open for what your customers are doing and what they need. Shifts in customer behavior, even small ones like how they order or how they prefer to pay, are trends you can plan to stay ahead of.  

Customers should be the center of every decision that a company makes. View every new action, process, or product through the lens of how it can better serve customers. Companies that put customers first outperform those that don't. 

The right technology should make life easier for your customers. Before investing in new technology, always ask: Does this make things easier and more convenient for the customers we serve? 

Great ideas matter, but putting them into action is what really makes a difference. A customer-focused strategy creates the direction, and good execution turns it into great customer experience. 

Plus, Shep and Cliff discuss more ideas from Bricks and Clicks: How We Drove Sonic Into the Digital Age. Tune in! 

Quote:   

"Don't think about technology. Think about your customer and their experience and go from there." 

About:    

Clifford Hudson, co-author of Bricks and Clicks and former CEO of Sonic Corp. for 23 years. He helps organizations drive value through customer-centric innovation.  

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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Why Customer Experience Isn’t a Department, It’s a Company-Wide Strategy

Shep interviews Keith Farley, Chief Customer Officer for Aflac, Inc. He talks about delivering
best-in-class customer experience by hiring for empathy, leveraging technology,
and embracing authentic customer service as a strategy.

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

How do you build a culture where every employee takes ownership of customer service?

When should a company use AI automation versus a live human customer support agent?

Will AI eliminate customer service jobs?

How does hiring for empathy impact customer experience?

Can empathy be scaled across a large customer service organization?

Top Takeaways:

Customer service is everybody's job. When you wear the company logo or interact with a customer, you represent the entire brand.

When an employee is in front of a customer, they might be the only interaction the customer ever has. That interaction might be the only basis that the customer has to form an impression of the entire company.

The A in AI stands for “artificial”. In times of need, customers need another A, which stands for “authentic”. While digital options make processes convenient for both customers and agents, make sure a human-to-human service is available, especially in emotional or sensitive situations.

Great customer experiences start with hiring for empathy. It is hard to train someone to be nice and empathetic when it doesn't come naturally. Empathy can’t be faked, and customers notice when it’s real.

For companies without a physical product, the experience is the product. The value comes from how fast responses are, how convenient the processes are, and how supported customers feel.

Some customer concerns are so challenging and require a high level of empathy that they might require specialized support. Creating a dedicated team for these calls gives customers people trained to handle that moment with empathy and clarity.

Plus, Shep and Keith discuss why business leaders should call their customer support number from time to time. Tune in!

Quote: 

"When you're wearing your brand and representing the
brand, you are the brand."

About:

Keith Farley is the Chief Customer Officer for Aflac, Inc. He leads a team of more than 2,000 employees and is focused on making customer experience a company-wide strategy.

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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Creating the Emotional Resonance that Connects Customers and Brands

Shep interviews Bob Rogers, a former Disney employee, founder of BRC Imagination Arts and author of DEEP STORY™. He talks about how businesses can build lasting customer relationships by starting with the heart, using storytelling to create emotional connections, and transforming customers’ identities through memorable experiences.



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

How does the Deep Story framework drive customer transformation?

How can businesses change a customer's identity through brand experiences?

What is the role of emotional resonance in customer service?

How can companies turn brand engagement into measurable customer action?

How can companies identify the emotional connection between their brand and their customers?

Top Takeaways:  

A customer should leave changed in some meaningful way after interacting with your brand. The biggest question isn't what you are selling, but the difference you want to make in your customers.

A purchase becomes more meaningful when it changes how customers see themselves. For example, customers entering a magic shop should have an experience that makes them feel like they can try the magic tricks themselves. Beyond the purchase, a stronger connection forms when customers can see what they can become through it.

Great experiences trigger action. Beyond attracting and impressing customers, a great experience should guide them toward an action (like a purchase, a download, or a subscription) that matters to your business.

Start with the end in mind because when the outcome is clear, every tool and strategy becomes more intentional. Start with what you are trying to do and what you want your customers to feel.

Lasting customer relationships are not built on features and products alone. They are created when a brand connects with something that they care about. Clever advertising may get customers to buy, but an emotional connection brings them back.

Go deep into your audience and, at the same time, into your subject, brand, or product. Look for the positive emotional trigger that exists in both. That emotional resonance connects the heart of your audience to the heart of your brand.

Plus, Shep and Bob talk about Deep Story and how it can transform customers and businesses. Tune in!

Quote: 

"Your objective is not just to sell the idea. It's to create a slight change in the customer that causes them to identify with your product or your brand."



About:  

Bob Rogers is the founder of BRC Imagination Arts and a former Disneyland Magic Shop magician who was fired from Disney three times and rehired each time. He is the author of DEEP STORY™: A Complete Guide to Creating Transformational Visitor Experiences.

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 to Improve Performance with Gamification and Feedback
Shep interviews Jimmy Chebat, founder and CEO of ZIZO Technologies. He talks about how employee engagement and retention can be intentionally designed and improved through positive feedback, gamification, and purposeful organizational design.

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

How does employee experience directly impact customer experience?

How can leaders intentionally design a workplace for higher retention?

What is the difference between corrective feedback and recognition-based feedback?

How does gamification improve employee engagement and workplace productivity?

How do you build feedback and recognition into workplace infrastructure?

Top Takeaways:  

Employee experience directly influences how customers perceive and interact with a company. If employees feel valued, engaged, and recognized, that positive environment shows up in customer interactions.

High attrition is a design problem, not a people problem. It is a symptom of an organization that fails to support and motivate its employees.

Because of technology, the friction that made it difficult for employees to switch companies, like location limits and time-consuming application processes, have largely disappeared. Organizations must not only work harder but also be more intentional about designing a work experience that retains top talent.

Feedback and recognition are not just perks. They should be built into the workplace experience, so employees know their contributions matter and feel motivated to keep excelling. Employees thrive when they receive regular, positive feedback for good performance, not just corrective feedback for mistakes.

Human behavior is universal, therefore, can be predictable. Successful companies leverage the science behind that, along with gamification, to make work more interactive, rewarding, and effective.

Leaders can intentionally design work environments that create the right behaviors, motivation, and employee satisfaction, creating an employee experience where people want to stay and do their best.

Purpose makes the job meaningful. While a paycheck matters, today's employees want a sense of purpose and belonging. When leaders ignore these needs, employees feel unmotivated and disconnected.

Plus, Shep and Jimmy share more insights from his new book, The Engagement Architecture, on why teams underperform and how leaders can design an environment that changes that. Tune in!

Quote: 

"Workplaces that are mundane, repetitive, and have high attrition need to architect a system that is engaging, rewarding, and provides recognition. This is what drives performance, productivity, and retention."

About:  

Jimmy Chebat is the founder and CEO of ZIZO Technologies. With over twenty years in frontline operations, his book The Engagement Architecture guides leaders on designing environments that improve team performance.

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 AI and Behavioral Science Are Transforming Customer Experience  

Shep interviews Roger Dooley, keynote speaker and author of The Persuasion Engine. He talks about how AI and neuromarketing tools help businesses predict consumer behavior, measure emotional reactions, and avoid costly customer experience mistakes.   

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

How can businesses use AI to predict customer behavior accurately? 

How can companies use AI and behavioral science to eliminate customer friction?   

In what ways can companies use behavioral science to improve customer loyalty? 

How do customer expectations directly shape customer experience? 

How can predictive AI prevent negative customer reactions during policy or product changes?  

Top Takeaways:    

AI in customer service has moved beyond automation and support. Today, successful companies use AI to understand customer behavior. By tracking engagement like website clicks or scrolling patterns, companies can determine what customers like and dislike.  

Technology such as eye-tracking, biometric sensors, and AI-powered simulators, at one time available only to a limited number of companies due to cost, is now more accessible to businesses of any size.   

Customer experience and marketing are deeply connected. Understanding and predicting customer desires isn’t just a marketing strategy. It is an important part of delivering a frictionless, positive experience.  

Customer expectations strongly influence how they perceive the experience. For example, when the average customer is told that a bottle of wine is expensive, they tend to enjoy it more. This is seen in their feedback and even in their brain activity.  

Small details can have a big impact when it comes to connecting with your customers. When companies remove small perks their customers are used to, the change might put off some loyal customers. Don't underestimate how small gestures can build long-term emotional loyalty.   

Plus, Shep and Roger talk about insights from The Persuasion Engine. Tune in! 

 Quote:   

"AI is better than most humans at predicting how people will react emotionally to any communication. Whether you change your loyalty program or alter your customer experience in some way, AI can predict and even prevent negative blowback."  

 

 About:    

Roger Dooley is an author, speaker, and McCombs Business School lecturer known for bestselling books like Brainfluence and Friction. His newest book, The Persuasion Engine, discusses how AI democratizes powerful marketing tools for organizations of any size. 

 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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