Big Bets for Big Wins: Leading Through Extreme Change and Digital Transformation
Release Date: 07/09/2024
The AI Powering 5 Billion Customer Resolutions—and the Future It’s Creating for Service
The Modern Customer Podcast
What does it take to power 5 billion customer resolutions a year—with speed, empathy, and zero shortcuts? At Zendesk, AI plays a central role. It learns from massive data, follows clear rules, and helps teams make service feel more human. On this episode of The Modern Customer Podcast, I speak with Shashi Upadhyay, President of Products, Engineering, and AI at Zendesk, about how they’re building AI that scales globally and enhances every human interaction it touches. 🎧 Listen in for: ◦ Why AI needs guardrails, not guesswork ◦ The “smart intern” approach to...
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Reimagining Healthcare Experience Through Feedback and AI
The Modern Customer Podcast
The future of healthcare isn’t just digital—it’s deeply human. And AI is helping make that possible. This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, , Chief People Officer at , shares how her team is transforming both patient and employee experience. By combining the power of AI with real-time employee feedback, they’re building a more connected, responsive, and human-centered healthcare system. In this conversation, Heather shares: ✔️ How AI is helping doctors stay present and build trust with patients ✔️ Why transparent feedback is reshaping leadership culture ✔️ What it takes...
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Why Most AI in CX Is Missing the Mark—and What Comes Next
The Modern Customer Podcast
Most AI chatbots are built to answer FAQs—but that only solves a fraction of the problem. According to Deon Nicholas, founder of Forethought, just 23% of support inquiries are informational. The other 77% require action—like account lookups, password resets, and policy decisions. That’s where most GenAI tools fall short—and where agentic AI steps in. On the latest episode of The Modern Customer Podcast, recorded live at the Qualtrics X4 Summit, Deon and I go rapid-fire on the future of AI in CX and EX. We cover: ✅ Why most chatbots can't handle the majority of real-world support...
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How Creative Thinking Unlocks the True Power of AI in CX
The Modern Customer Podcast
The missing piece in AI-powered CX? Creative thinking. This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, I’m joined by Zendesk CTO Adrian McDermott, live from the Zendesk Relate conference in Las Vegas. We explore why AI alone isn’t enough—and how customer experience leaders must pair technology with imagination to drive meaningful innovation. Inside the episode: ✔️ RAG: The new standard for self-service ✔️ Agent co-pilots that reduce training time ✔️ Smarter automation that actually delivers 🎧 Listen now and let me know how you’re combining creativity with AI in your own...
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The $1.3 Trillion CX Opportunity: It Starts with Creative AI Leadership
The Modern Customer Podcast
According to a new Qualtrics + McKinsey report, organizations that effectively use AI to enhance CX could unlock between $860 billion and $1.3 trillion in annual value. On the latest episode of The Modern Customer Podcast, I speak with Isabelle Zdatny, Head of Thought Leadership at Qualtrics, live from the X4 conference. We dive into what this research means for CX leaders navigating AI transformation. Key insights from the report: 77% of executives say CX is a top strategic priority 72% believe AI will fundamentally reshape CX within three years Yet only 12% have a coordinated AI...
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Agentic AI, Customer Resolution, and the Future of Zendesk’s CX Vision
The Modern Customer Podcast
In the latest episode of The Modern Customer Podcast, Tom Eggemeier, CEO of Zendesk, shares what’s next for CX—and why the future is all about outcomes, not tickets. The conversation explores Zendesk’s new Resolution Platform and the real-world impact of Agentic AI. Key takeaways include: ✅ The shift from interactions to real resolution ✅ Agentic AI that acts, adapts, and anticipates ✅ A business model that only wins if customers do ✅ The 3 biggest CX shifts redefining loyalty, automation, and the human touch If you're thinking about where customer experience is headed, this...
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What Drives Customers to Buy—And What Holds Them Back
The Modern Customer Podcast
This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, I sat down with Jeff Shore, sales strategist, author, and founder of Shore Consulting. We explored the emotional mechanics behind why customers buy—and what causes them to hesitate. Jeff shared a powerful framework that helps brands reduce friction, build trust, and create experiences that move customers forward with confidence. If you lead CX, journey design, or customer strategy, this episode offers fresh insights you can apply right away. Listen now—and discover how to turn hesitation into momentum. This episode is sponsored by Scayle—the...
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Inside Walmart’s EX Strategy: How 2.1 Million Associates Are Powering CX Innovation
The Modern Customer Podcast
This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, I sat down in person with Donna Morris, EVP and Chief People Officer at Walmart, live from the Qualtrics X4 event in Salt Lake City. We explored how Walmart is using technology, AI, and a deep focus on people to rethink employee experience at scale—and what that means for customers. If you lead CX, EX, or digital transformation, this episode is packed with insights you can use. 🎧 Don’t miss this powerful conversation with one of the world’s most influential HR leaders. Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and...
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AI and CX: The Shift Toward Smarter, Seamless Service
The Modern Customer Podcast
AI is no longer a future concept—it’s here, transforming how businesses operate and how customers engage. In this episode of The Modern Customer Podcast, , futurist, founder of , and former Head of GTM at OpenAI—joins us to explore how AI is reshaping customer experience and the industries that rely on it. Zack shares his insights on how AI is shifting CX from reactive problem-solving to seamless, proactive engagement. He explains why many businesses still treat CX as a cost center and how AI-driven automation will eliminate inefficiencies, personalize interactions, and unlock new...
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How the 80/20 Rule, AI, and Leadership Drive Business Growth
The Modern Customer Podcast
In this episode of The Modern Customer Podcast, I sit down with Bill Canady, CEO of OTC Industrial Technologies and Arrowhead Engineered Products, and author of From Panic to Profit, set to release on April 29th. With decades of experience leading billion-dollar companies, Bill shares how leaders can scale efficiently by prioritizing high-impact areas, optimizing processes, and leveraging AI to enhance—not replace—human roles. Under his leadership at OTC: 👉 Revenue grew by 43% 👉 Earnings increased over 80% 🎧 Listen now to hear Bill’s insights on scaling efficiently, prioritizing...
info_outlineThis week on The Modern Customer Podcast, John Rossman, author of 'The Amazon Way' and his newest book 'Big Bet Leadership' joins us. He shares leadership strategies for navigating extreme change and digital transformation, focusing on topics like AI, cost reduction, and rethinking operating models for customer-centricity.
Rossman shares insights from top leaders like Jeff Bezos and John Legere, emphasizing the importance of creating clarity, maintaining velocity, and taking big, transformational bets for business success.
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.