Fans Favorite: Pivoting Strategies For Tough Customers & Tough Employees
Business Transformation Pitch with The CX Goalkeeper
Release Date: 02/01/2026
Fans Favorite: Pivoting Strategies For Tough Customers & Tough Employees
Business Transformation Pitch with The CX Goalkeeper
In this episode, Marilyn Suttle shares practical strategies for dealing with tough customers and employees while creating a work environment where everyone thrives. From her groundbreaking book, Who’s Your Gladys?, to her personal journey, Marilyn delivers actionable insights that redefine how leaders, teams, and organizations can improve customer interactions and employee engagement. About the Guest Marilyn Suttle has a proven track record of transforming customer relationships and elevating employee wellbeing. She works with organizations that want to stand out as the business of...
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Customer Obsessed: What Really Sets Winners Apart with Marbue Brown
Business Transformation Pitch with The CX Goalkeeper
Marbue Brown defines customer obsession versus customer focus. He explains you start with the customer and work backwards. He contrasts companies that work backwards from product or profits. He draws on Amazon practices where the question, "what is the competition doing?" rarely comes up. He outlines five levels on the customer obsession continuum: customer indifferent, aware, focused, centric, and obsessed. He gives cultural examples like hashtag thank you Thursday used by leaders to recognize employees and reinforce customer priorities across the organization. Marbue explains tools to...
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Fans favorite: a blueprint for creating the experience-led enterprise - The Center Of Experience with Greg Kihlstrom
Business Transformation Pitch with The CX Goalkeeper
Greg Kihlström shares groundbreaking insights into how businesses can become experience-led enterprises. With real-world examples and a focus on innovation, Greg discusses digital transformation, agile methodologies, and the pivotal role of customer and employee experiences in driving success. This is a must-listen for anyone passionate about transforming organizations and delivering exceptional value to customers and teams alike. About the Guest Greg Kihlström is a best-selling author, speaker, and entrepreneur, and serves as an advisor and consultant to top companies on marketing...
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Business Transformation Pitch with The CX Goalkeeper
Sebastian Graf explains the coming rise of AI native companies. He shares four safety pillars for autonomous firms: code freeze, CICD compliance, regulatory model training, and harm-reduction finance. The episode mixes technical detail, a real Anthropic experiment, and broad governance concerns about trust and social impact. Top 3 Key Learnings AI native company pillars: Four safety pillars: code freeze, CICD, regulatory RL training, and harm reduction mechanisms. Test and freeze code: Freeze codebases and run automated tests to ensure predictable behavior and regulatory compliance. Trust via...
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Redefining leadership at the intersection of transformation & technology with Fabian Ringwald - Live from Lead26
Business Transformation Pitch with The CX Goalkeeper
This interview,Live from LEAD-26 in Zurich, links real leadership lessons to lived experience. Fabian, a CIO and ultra runner, talks limits, psychological safety, and practical steps. He also shares a clear, cautious view on generative AI and a smart fast follower strategy for regulated organizations. Key Learnings: Admit leadership limits: Openly share small, real limits with your team to build reflection and performance. Psychological safety matters: Create a safe team space so people speak up and help cover leadership gaps. Use smart fast follower: Experiment early, then buy...
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#273: Redefining leadership at the intersection of transformation & technology with Stephan Siegrist
Business Transformation Pitch with The CX Goalkeeper
Live from LEAD-26 in Zurich. Stephan Siegrist is a professional alpinist. He says leadership means taking the lead when situations are uncomfortable. In mountaineering one person often needs the next rope length and must make small decisions by the centimetre and larger choices every half hour. Some choices are life threatening. On a recent Nepal expedition his youngest team member developed high altitude pulmonary sickness. The medical problem required bringing the person down quickly. Stefan decided the team must bring him down. He said the most important thing is that everyone comes...
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#272: Different Beats Better: Branding That Sells Without Selling with David Brier
Business Transformation Pitch with The CX Goalkeeper
Hear branding advice that shifts focus from "better" to "different." David Brier explains how branding is the art of differentiation. He shows why brands that only tweak visuals fail, and shares real cases: a failed Jaguar rebrand and a successful Napa Fresh relaunch. Learn practical steps and imagination tools. About David Brier David Brier, known by many as “The Brandfather,” is the recipient of 320 international awards and the Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship medallion, who has generated over $9 billion in brand value across four decades for companies from startups...
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#271: How BSI Software Builds the Future: Data, AI Agents and Digital Sovereignty with Markus Brunold
Business Transformation Pitch with The CX Goalkeeper
This episode explains how BSI builds for data, AI agents, and digital sovereignty. Markus Brunold shares the company mission, cloud and AI model choices, and how human roles and AI agents work together. Hear concrete examples and product thinking for regulated industries like financial services. About Markus Brunold Markus Brunold is CEO of BSI Software and is responsible for the company's long-term business development. With the BSI Customer Suite, BSI Software offers the only European holistic CRM and CX solution that deeply integrates AI while guaranteeing data protection, sovereignty,...
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#270: Why Human Voices Are the Secret to Digital Transformation with Alex Wunschel
Business Transformation Pitch with The CX Goalkeeper
Learn why human voices drive digital transformation. Alex Wunschel explains how voice builds trust, shapes culture, and makes leaders relatable. Get concrete tips to speak authentically, train voice skills, and embed audio into internal communication. Hear real examples and pitfalls to avoid in corporate communication. About Alexander Wunschel Alexander Wunschel is a founder, podcast pioneer, and producer with over 17 years of experience in the audio industry. He is the owner and executive of Klangstelle, a podcast company that offers the finest audio pieces from strategy and conception to...
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#269: School Needs a CX Makeover: Here is How with Leonard Sommer
Business Transformation Pitch with The CX Goalkeeper
Leonard Sommer argues schools are stuck in an industrial model and kill creativity. He shares proven examples and methods to redesign student experience. Learn why culture, not curriculum, matters and how businesses can partner with schools to prepare future workers and protect human creativity in the AI era. About Leonard Sommer Since 2014, Leonard Sommer has been actively promoting creativity in education through the Classroom Thinktank e.V., a non-profit initiative he founded. He is also involved on a voluntary basis with several educational organizations, including Education Y (Board...
info_outlineIn this episode, Marilyn Suttle shares practical strategies for dealing with tough customers and employees while creating a work environment where everyone thrives. From her groundbreaking book, Who’s Your Gladys?, to her personal journey, Marilyn delivers actionable insights that redefine how leaders, teams, and organizations can improve customer interactions and employee engagement.
About the Guest
Marilyn Suttle has a proven track record of transforming customer relationships and elevating employee wellbeing.
She works with organizations that want to stand out as the business of choice.
A bestselling author, of three customer service books, including “Who’s Your Gladys? How to Turn Even the Most Difficult Customer Into Your Biggest Fan” Marilyn is the President of Suttle Enterprises, a personal and professional growth training firm that works with multi-cultural organizations.
Marilyn’s programs have a strong focus on developing communication skills and implementing wellbeing practices to handle even the most difficult clients and colleagues.
Her highly engaging programs, coaching, and consulting services are sought after by professionals across various industries, from Fortune 500 companies to startups. Marilyn’s extensive experience with online community management and social media has also helped brands engage deeply with their target audience, fostering strong and enduring customer loyalty.
As a speaker, Marilyn is known for delivering high-content, humorous presentations that engage and inspire action long after her programs end.
Relevant Links
Facebook: @marilynsuttle and @suttleshift
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/marilynsuttle
The Top 3 Key Learnings
- Empathy First: Start with understanding and validating the customer’s or employee’s emotions. Simple phrases like “You’re right” can disarm tension and build trust.
- Regular, Targeted Training: Replace generic customer service trainings with specific, actionable coaching sessions, like roleplays and feedback loops, to enhance skills and confidence.
- Resilience Through Leadership: Leaders should prioritize their own well-being and model healthy work-life boundaries, fostering a culture of care and productivity.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:33 Meet Marilyn Suttle
03:09 Core Values and Passion
05:27 Handling Difficult Customers
09:29 Leadership and Employee Support
15:27 Resilience and Well-being
17:40 Personal Practices for Success
20:37 Setting Boundaries with Customers
25:34 Future of Customer Experience
27:14 Final Thoughts and Contact Information
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Apple Podcast: https://www.cxgoalkeeper.com/apple
Spotify: https://www.cxgoalkeeper.com/spotify
About the host:
Gregorio Uglioni is a seasoned transformation leader with over 15 years of experience shaping business and digital change, consistently delivering service excellence and measurable impact. As an Associate Partner at Forward, he is recognized for his strategic vision, operational expertise, and ability to drive sustainable growth. A respected keynote speaker and host of the well-known global podcast Business Transformation Pitch with the CX Goalkeeper, Gregorio energizes and inspires organizations worldwide with his customer-centric approach to innovation.
Follow Gregorio Uglioni on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorio-uglioni/