Why do customer experience professionals still struggle to get buy-in from leadership—even in small organizations where alignment should be easier? This question from a listener in the UK captures a universal frustration faced by CX champions worldwide.

The challenge isn't about company size or industry. Whether in healthcare, education, or corporate settings, the fundamental issue is the same: creating a cultural shift in how organizations perceive customer experience. Many leaders still view CX as reactive customer service rather than proactive strategy. Others, particularly in non-customer-facing roles, fail to see how their work impacts the end customer. The disconnect between CX metrics and departmental KPIs further complicates the picture.

Breaking through these barriers requires persistent communication, strategic translation, and genuine patience. Success comes from focusing on one department at a time, finding champions who already believe in CX, and making them heroes. When you connect customer experience directly to each leader's specific goals and priorities, you bridge the gap between abstract concepts and concrete business outcomes. Real customer stories—not just data—create the emotional connection that inspires action and commitment.

Cultural transformation is never a light-switch moment; it's a journey that unfolds over years, not weeks. For CX leaders feeling unheard or undervalued, remember to celebrate each small victory and document your progress. Your persistent efforts are creating meaningful change that benefits your organization, your customers, and your employees. The mountain moves one stone at a time—keep going, and eventually, your customer experience parade will grow until the entire organization is marching alongside you.

Resources Mentioned:
CX Success Statement Workbook -- https://bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

The delicate balance between business efficiency and customer needs sits at the heart of successful process improvement. When organizations focus solely on internal metrics like cost savings and scalability without considering the customer perspective, they risk creating short-term wins that ultimately damage loyalty and undermine long-term success.

This deep dive into customer-centric process improvement reveals how to maintain customer visibility even when making internal operational changes. We explore the foundation of this approach—establishing a clear mindset about why customers matter in your business processes, rather than simply telling teams to "put the customer first" without proper guidance. By developing a customer experience mission statement and success blueprint, organizations create guardrails that help balance internal needs with customer expectations.

Making customers tangibly present in process discussions transforms decision-making. Whether through starting meetings with relevant customer stories, using journey mapping to visualize the customer perspective, or connecting process metrics directly to customer outcomes—these practical techniques ensure the customer voice isn't lost. The most powerful improvements create a triple win: benefits for customers through better experiences, advantages for the organization through operational efficiency, and improvements for employees through more effective workflows. This holistic approach recognizes that when customers feel lost or neglected due to hyper-efficiency, the consequences ripple through the business in reduced trust, lower retention, and diminished revenue.

Ready to become the bridge between what your business needs and what your customers expect? Subscribe now to continue exploring how to balance business priorities with customer-centricity, and discover how to deliver remarkable experiences while meeting operational goals.

Resources Mentioned:
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- https://bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
CX Success Statement Workbook -- https://bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

What's happening in CX today? In this episode, we'll explore the gap between CX ambition and execution. Camille Kremer, Senior Director of Customer Experience at Holiday Inn Club Vacations, joins Jeannie Walters for this CX Pulse Check to share how her team built a comprehensive CX program over five years—drawing on the powerful metaphor of bamboo growth: years of unseen root work before visible success emerges.

With only 17% of executives confident in their CX delivery, despite nearly half calling it a top priority, we unpack what it takes to bridge that divide. Camille walks us through how her team built trust, accountability, and alignment, warning that mismatched expectations are the “rotten tomato” that can spoil even the best CX plans.

We also explore how Verizon is using AI not to replace humans, but to enhance experiences—automating routine tasks while expanding human support.

Throughout, one theme stands out: lasting CX transformation depends on psychological safety. Innovation only happens when teams feel safe enough to try, fail, and learn.

About Camille Kremer:
Camille is the Senior Director of Customer Experience at Holiday Inn Club Vacations. She and her team lead the CX strategy, and drive enterprise-wide improvements based on customer feedback. With 20 years of experience leading large-scale operational and transformational change across multiple industries, she is passionate about turning analytics into meaningful action. Her background in sociology, informatics, quality assurance, and lean continuous improvement fuels her commitment to creating positive change for both businesses and customers.

When she visits her parents in Louisiana, Camille still loves tending to the bees in her father's apiary - a hobby they've done together for 30 years.

Follow Camille on...
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camillekremer/

Articles Mentioned:
- Global execs say CX is crucial to success but most still struggle to optimize its performance (VISION by Protiviti) -- https://vision.protiviti.com/insight/global-execs-say-cx-crucial-success-most-still-struggle-optimize-its-performance
- Marketing Promised. CX Didn’t Deliver. Here’s the Cost. (CMSWire) -- https://www.cmswire.com/customer-experience/marketing-promised-cx-didnt-deliver-heres-the-cost/
- Verizon Announcing AI-Powered 'Customer Experience Transformation' (Newsweek) -- https://www.newsweek.com/verizon-announcing-ai-powered-customer-experience-transformation-2089472

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

Customer experience pros often face a common challenge: robust metrics like NPS or CSAT fall flat outside the CX team. Why? Because other departments don't see how those numbers connect to their goals.

This episode explores how to bridge that gap by translating CX data into the language of IT, Operations, and Finance. It's not about dumbing down the data. It's about building context. When CX metrics highlight inefficiencies or opportunities for cross-functional wins, they become powerful tools for collaboration.

You'll hear how to align CX insights with departmental priorities so the data speaks to what each team cares about most. We also explore using behavioral and operational data, like service calls, churn rates, or purchase frequency, to demonstrate real business impact. Plus, we introduce the Customer Experience Success Blueprint, a framework designed to help CX initiatives integrate seamlessly with broader organizational goals.

Want your CX initiatives to gain real traction? Start by making the metrics matter to everyone.

Resources Mentioned:
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- https://bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
CX Success Statement Workbook -- https://bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

What does it really mean to be customer-centric? Too many companies claim the title without living it. In this episode, we explore how to tell the difference between lip service and genuine customer focus. You’ll learn the key signs of authentic customer centricity—like feedback that drives real change, empowered employees who can fix problems, and consistency across every touchpoint.

Jeannie explains why true customer focus requires more than good intentions. It’s about mindset, strategy, and accountability—measured by outcomes, not slogans.

Ask yourself this powerful question: If you noticed something broken in your customer experience today, would you feel empowered to fix it? Your answer reveals volumes about your organization's commitment to being truly customer-centric.

Resources Mentioned:
CX Mission Statement Workbook -- https://bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook
CX Success Statement Workbook -- https://bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Learn more about CXI Membership™ and apply -- http://CXIMembership.com
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

Is “surprise and delight” really the secret to customer loyalty, or is reliability your real superpower? In this episode, we challenge one of CX’s biggest myths: that delight always wins.

Many brands, especially in B2B, utilities, or financial services, build trust not through flashy moments but through consistent, dependable service. We explore how neglected touchpoints, like billing or scheduling, can become powerful moments of emotional connection when approached with a bit of personality and care.

You’ll also learn how to build an “emotional bank account” that pays off during service hiccups, and why small, intentional improvements can be more impactful than chasing viral wow moments. Think TSA’s surprisingly fun social media presence as inspiration.

Tune in to rethink what really drives customer trust—and how your brand can strike the right balance between consistency and creativity.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com
What Are Micromoments & Why Are They So Important? -- https://experienceinvestigators.com/customer-journey-maps/tedx-jeannie-walters/
Download the free CX Mission Statement Workbook -- https://bit.ly/cx-mission-workbook

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

When half a billion customers interact with your service each year, you gain rare insight into what truly drives—or destroys—customer loyalty. In this CX Pulse Check, Jeannie welcomes Marcus Story, Corporate Director of Customer Experience and Social Customer Care at Delaware North, for a candid conversation about the state of travel and hospitality during the busy summer season.

They take a hard look at American Airlines’ new customer experience advisory board—and the surprising lack of actual customers at the table. Marcus shares why involving real travelers is essential to driving meaningful change, especially as competitors like Delta and United prioritize more customer-focused strategies.

The discussion also explores the evolving role of AI in hospitality. While automation and personalization technologies open new doors, Marcus and Jeannie stress that technology should complement—not replace—genuine human connections. Through personal stories, they highlight how small, thoughtful gestures can leave a lasting impact.

Rounding out the episode, they examine United Airlines’ new airport arrival policy and what it reveals about communication gaps and the overall customer journey. Whether you work in CX or simply love to travel, you’ll walk away with fresh insights on balancing efficiency, innovation, and the timeless value of human touchpoints.

About Marcus Story:

Marcus brings nearly 20 years of experience managing and delivering exceptional customer and guest experiences across hospitality and service industries.

Marcus, who has been a Delaware North team member for 13 years, is the leader of the company’s global customer experience strategy and platform, called GuestPath®. Before Delaware North, Marcus honed his customer experience expertise at well-known organizations like Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and InterContinental Hotels Group.

Aside from his direct experience, Marcus has earned certifications as a Certified Customer Experience Professional (via the Customer Experience Professionals Association) and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. He attended California State University, Sacramento, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, and holds a Master of Science in Hospitality Management from California State University, Long Beach.

Follow Marcus on...
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcusstory/

Articles Mentioned:
- American Airlines names members of new Customer Experience Advisory Board (American Airlines Newsroom) -- https://news.aa.com/news/news-details/2025/American-Airlines-names-members-of-new-Customer-Experience-Advisory-Board-MKG-OTH-06/default.aspx
- How AI-powered CX strategies can better meet guest expectations (Hotel Dive) -- https://www.hoteldive.com/news/artificial-intelligence-cx-strategies-hotel-guest/749477/
- United Passengers Are Required to Check In Earlier Starting June 3 (Condé Nast Traveler) -- https://www.cntraveler.com/story/united-airlines-check-in-time-change

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators -- https://experienceinvestigators.com

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

Why do so many customer experience initiatives fail to gain traction? Often, the challenge isn't the strategy itself, but how we build bridges with skeptical leaders.

CX leadership requires empathy, strategy, and communication. Stepping into a CX role means asking colleagues to embrace change, which can feel like added pressure. The most successful CX leaders recognize this challenge and approach it with empathy, connecting the dots between customer satisfaction and departmental goals—whether that’s showing finance how retention boosts revenue or demonstrating to operations how journey improvements reduce costs.

Effective CX leaders also make abstract ideas tangible through tools like journey mapping, customer feedback videos, and direct quotes. These bring the customer experience to life, helping leaders understand how their decisions affect the customer. By inviting participation early, you turn resistance into collaboration.

Customer experience is a commitment, not a department. As your initiatives grow, position yourself as a bridge—helping others see how CX can align with their goals—and watch them adopt customer-focused projects on their own.

Curious about where to focus your CX leadership efforts? Visit cxicompass.com to answer 11 simple questions and receive personalized guidance on your next steps. Your journey to organizational alignment starts with understanding that change happens with people, not to them.

Resources Mentioned:
Experience Investigators Website -- https://experienceinvestigators.com
Ultimate Guide to Customer Journey Maps -- https://experienceinvestigators.com/ultimate-guide-to-customer-journey-maps/
CX Success Statement Workbook -- https://bit.ly/cx-success-workbook
Take the CXI Compass™ assessment -- http://cxicompass.com

Want to ask a question? Visit askjeannie.vip to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)