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#135 Emotional Imprinting and the Future of Experience Management

The Delighted Customers Podcast with Mark Slatin

Release Date: 05/15/2025

#162 Compassionomics in Action: Measurable Impact for Business Leaders and Healthcare alike show art #162 Compassionomics in Action: Measurable Impact for Business Leaders and Healthcare alike

The Delighted Customers Podcast with Mark Slatin

What if just 40 seconds of genuine compassion could tangibly lower a cancer patient’s anxiety—and what if this “wonder drug” holds the key not just for healthcare, but for every leader who wants to create more fulfilling workplaces and customer experiences? The impact of this question is profound. On this episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, I sat down with Dr. Stephen Trzeciak (“Dr. T”), whose groundbreaking research proves that compassion isn’t just good for our conscience—it’s scientifically measurable, essential, and transformative for both the receiver and the...

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#161 Navigating the Post-Truth Era: Building Brand Trust with Emotional Inquiry show art #161 Navigating the Post-Truth Era: Building Brand Trust with Emotional Inquiry

The Delighted Customers Podcast with Mark Slatin

Is it really possible to build trust with customers in a business landscape overflowing with misinformation and emotional volatility? That burning question is at the heart of my conversation with Michael Forsberg, Director of Client Experience at BrandTrust. In an era many call "post-truth," business leaders face steep challenges in distinguishing what's real from what's noise—especially when it comes to understanding their customers' motivations. Michael’s work focuses on uncovering the human truths and emotions driving decisions across industries from tech to healthcare to financial...

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#160 Rethinking Valuation: Why Customer Metrics Matter More show art #160 Rethinking Valuation: Why Customer Metrics Matter More

The Delighted Customers Podcast with Mark Slatin

What if the financial metrics you rely on to measure your company’s success are actually steering you away from long-term customer loyalty and sustainable growth? In our latest episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, live from Harvard Business School, I dive into this burning question with Rob Markey, professor at Harvard and seasoned veteran at Bain. Rob challenges the conventional wisdom around company valuation, urging us to look beyond the income statement and balance sheet, and instead, consider the real engine driving revenue—our customers. The impact of this discussion is...

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#159 The Serial Fixer Trap: Boundaries, Burnout, and Better Leadership show art #159 The Serial Fixer Trap: Boundaries, Burnout, and Better Leadership

The Delighted Customers Podcast with Mark Slatin

Are you unknowingly sabotaging your own well-being at work—and at home—by trying to fix everyone else's problems? So many of us find purpose and validation in helping, supporting, and “solving” for others. But what happens when that good intention tips into burnout, resentment, and codependent relationships? In this episode, I dig into the hidden costs of being a “serial fixer” with my guest Leah Marone, whose new book offers a powerful wakeup call for leaders, parents, and anyone in a people-focused role. Leah shines a light on why constant fixing and over-helping backfire, both...

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#158 The Art of Communication: Delivering Difficult News with Compassion show art #158 The Art of Communication: Delivering Difficult News with Compassion

The Delighted Customers Podcast with Mark Slatin

Is it possible to deliver life-changing news—with compassion—without sacrificing precious time or the physician’s own well-being? It’s a burning question for healthcare professionals everywhere, and the impact of getting it right goes far beyond the exam room. Not only does compassionate communication ease patient anxiety and foster loyalty, but it also drives better outcomes, even in the face of a system that pressures doctors to prioritize speed and productivity (those infamous RVUs!). As the demands on clinicians mount, many struggle with “compassion fatigue,” and patients...

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#157 The Anxious Generation show art #157 The Anxious Generation

The Delighted Customers Podcast with Mark Slatin

What happens to innovation, team dynamics, and trust in organizations when a significant portion of employees are emotionally fragile, risk-averse, and struggle with interpersonal interactions? In this episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, I dive into the profound impact of generational shifts on workplace culture, leadership, and customer experience. Drawing insight from the best-selling book, The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, my guest Charlie Green and I explore how Gen Z—shaped by overprotective parenting, the rise of social media, and the isolating effects of Covid—are...

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#156 Turning Data Into CX Impact: Storytelling That Sticks show art #156 Turning Data Into CX Impact: Storytelling That Sticks

The Delighted Customers Podcast with Mark Slatin

What’s stopping CX leaders from turning mountains of customer data into executive-ready stories that prompt real change? In this episode, we dig deep into one of the most urgent—and often overlooked—challenges for customer experience (CX) teams: crafting compelling, actionable narratives from all that customer insight. Data is everywhere, but too often the dots just don’t get connected in a way that the C-suite cares about. The difference between a statistic and a strategic priority? It’s all in the storytelling. In my conversation with Ania Rodriguez, CEO of JourneyTrack, we...

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#155 The Evolving State of Customer Experience: Insights and Future Trends show art #155 The Evolving State of Customer Experience: Insights and Future Trends

The Delighted Customers Podcast with Mark Slatin

What happens when a profession built on human insight faces a tidal wave of change—from evolving business demands to the rise of AI? How do CX leaders stay relevant and drive meaningful results in this new landscape? This episode digs deep into the shifting world of customer experience (CX) with Greg Melia, CEO of the Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA). I bring Greg back to the show because he sits at the epicenter of the profession’s evolution, witnessing firsthand how CX is growing up—no longer a scrappy teenager, but a vital contributor to business outcomes. The...

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#154 How Political Extremes Shape Customer Loyalty and Brand Evangelism show art #154 How Political Extremes Shape Customer Loyalty and Brand Evangelism

The Delighted Customers Podcast with Mark Slatin

What drives customers to cling fiercely to a brand, even when it means paying more or overlooking problems others wouldn’t forgive? Is our political identity quietly fueling a new kind of “super loyalty” that’s transforming customer behavior, for better or worse? In this episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, I dive into these burning questions with my returning guest, Dr. Forrest Morgeson, associate professor, researcher, and interim chairperson of the Marketing Department at Michigan State University's Eli Broad College of Business. Forrest, drawing on a unique blend of academic...

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#153 Navigating Crisis with Integrity: Strategies for Building Trust in Customer Experience show art #153 Navigating Crisis with Integrity: Strategies for Building Trust in Customer Experience

The Delighted Customers Podcast with Mark Slatin

What happens when your company’s reputation—and your customers’ trust—hangs by a thread? Are you ready for a moment when a crisis isn’t just possible, but inevitable? In this episode, I dive deep into one of the most critical topics for today’s leaders: how strategy, communication, and integrity intersect to protect (and sometimes rebuild) your organization's trust in the face of crisis. When everything is on the line, understanding this intersection isn’t just important—it’s essential. The choices you make, and how you communicate them, can mean the difference between...

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More Episodes
Join us for a special episode featuring Lou Carbone, widely regarded as the father of the experience management movement. As the founder, president, and chief executive, Chief Experience Officer of Experience Engineering, a Minneapolis-based consulting firm dedicated to customer and employee experience management, Lou brings over 30 years of expertise to the discussion. He pioneered the field with his groundbreaking 1994 article "Engineering Customer Experiences," which may have originated the term "customer experience."
 
Lou is also the author of the book Clued in, How to Keep Customers Coming Back Again and Again and has worked with major companies like Pizza Hut, KFC, Avis, H&R Block, General Motors, IBM, and Taco Bell. He has lectured and taught at leading institutions like Harvard Business School and Cornell School of Business and is currently a Professor of Practice at Michigan State University in the Customer Experience Management Program.
 
Why listen?
 
Lou believes the profession is at a crossroads and will challenge conventional thinking about CX, exploring the current state of the profession and offering insights into moving beyond traditional approaches to create truly distinctive value.
 
He will discuss how organizations can shift their focus from how customers feel about the brand to how they cause them to feel about themselves after interacting with the brand, highlighting the critical role of emotional imprinting in designing memorable experiences that drive value.
Tune in as we explore:
What does it mean when we say "customers cannot not have an experience," and how does this fundamental truth shape the approach to experience management?
How can organizations move beyond fixing problems ("fixing broken") to design experiences that leverage emotional imprinting and lead to "distinctive economic value"?
In a world where the definition of CX is fragmented, how can understanding "next practices" rooted in emotion, psychology, and neuroscience help prove the ROI and Return on Strategy of experience management initiatives?
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