AI isn’t a strategy, it’s a tool. And too many companies are slapping it on products no one asked for. In this episode, customer experience strategist Sam Chandler joins Alyssa to call out the echo chamber of half-baked AI rollouts and explore what customers (actually) want. They dive into the difference between artificial and augmented intelligence, how to avoid automating your way out of your own differentiator, and why empathy, not efficiency, is still your best competitive edge.

If you’ve ever rolled your eyes at another “AI-powered” pitch, this one’s for you.

Key Moments:

• AI isn’t the value...solving real problems is. Customers don’t care how you fix their issue, just that you do. Slapping “AI” on a solution without a thoughtful design or adoption strategy does more harm than good.
• Empowered humans still matter. The best AI makes people better at their jobs, not obsolete. Augmented intelligence (like giving support reps instant context) drives better outcomes than bots pretending to be human.
• You can’t automate your way out of bad CX. When companies rush to replace empathy with efficiency, they lose loyalty. Real trust is built through small, intentional moments and no AI can fake that.

Key Moments:

00:00 Introduction and Excitement for the Episode

00:49 Hot Take: The AI Product Dilemma

01:58 The Evolution and Misconceptions of AI

04:37 Consumer Trust and AI Adoption Challenges

06:22 Empowering Employees and Enhancing Customer Experience

16:21 The Role of AI in Augmenting Human Intelligence

25:06 Building Brand Loyalty Through Exceptional Customer Service

30:16 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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Welcome to The Growth Signal, where we’re throwing out the old playbooks, and reimagining the future of customer relationships.

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Everyone says they care about customer experience but most companies stop at the annual survey.

In this episode, Emma Sopadjieva joins Alyssa Nolte to break down what it really takes to turn customer experience into a revenue-driving strategy. They talk about why CX is a team sport, how to move past vanity metrics, and what happens when sales, legal, finance, and product finally get on the same page. Emma shares how she builds CX strategy teams from the ground up, what most companies get wrong about incentives, and why "fixing the ow" isn’t enough...you also need to bring the wow.

If you’ve ever been tasked with improving customer experience but weren’t given the power (or budget) to do anything meaningful, this one’s for you.

About Emma Sopadjieva:

Emma Sopadjieva leads Customer Experience Strategy at Samsara, the trusted leader in connected operations, where she equips teams with the insights and tools to deliver standout “wow!” moments for customers. With over 20 years of experience in CX strategy and business consulting, Emma has built a career helping some of the world’s largest organizations turn customer feedback into action.

She is a main stage speaker at leading CX conferences, a frequent guest on top-charted podcasts, and her work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, The Washington Post, and Forbes. Prior to Samsara, she led Customer Experience Insights and Operations at ServiceNow, and held leadership roles at Eventbrite and Medallia guiding Fortune 500 companies to elevate their customer experience. Emma began her career in consulting and forensic accounting at Deloitte, working across New York, Madrid, and London.

Key Takeaways:

• Customer experience is everyone’s job – From sales to legal to finance, every team impacts how customers feel.
• Insights without action are just noise – Real CX strategy ties feedback to business metrics and drives measurable change.
• Quick wins build trust, but long-term strategy wins loyalty – Balancing short-term momentum with lasting impact is essential.

Key Moments:

00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:22 Emma's Hot Take on Customer Experience
00:45 The Role of Sales in Customer Experience
01:26 Company-Wide Impact on Customer Experience
04:13 Financial Metrics and Customer Experience
06:40 Challenges in Customer Experience Strategy
08:18 Building a Customer Experience Strategy Team
08:49 Long-Term vs. Short-Term Customer Experience Goals
12:12 Listening Programs and Customer Journey Mapping
15:34 Actionable Insights and KPIs
23:25 Current Projects and Future Goals
26:49 Empowering Employees for Customer Experience
29:10 Final Thoughts and Contact Information

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Welcome to The Growth Signal, where we’re throwing out the old playbooks, and reimagining the future of customer relationships.

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Connect with Amber on LinkedIn

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Customer Success isn’t what it used to be and that’s a good thing.

In this episode of The Growth Signal, host Alyssa Nolte sits down with Chad Horenfeldt to unpack how the best CSMs are evolving their approach. From ditching the “firefighter” mentality to mastering internal politics and asking tougher questions, Chad reveals the mindset shifts and practical habits that separate strategic CS leaders from the rest.

If you’re still leading with adoption metrics and hoping for renewals, you’re already behind. Chad shares how top-performing teams build trust, deliver real business value, and create space for meaningful customer conversations...without relying on decks or feature dumps.

Whether you lead a CS org or you’re rethinking your own role, this episode will make you better.

About Chad Horenfeldt:

Chad is an award-winning customer success leader with 20+ years of experience in the CS field. Chad started his journey as a CSM on the front lines and then moved into building, developing, and leading high-performing customer success teams at high-growth companies. His track record includes playing an integral part as a CS leader in two successful exits: Eloqua (IPO and then acquired by Oracle for $1 billion) and Kustomer (acquired by Meta). Chad is currently the VP of Customer Success at Siena AI and is the author of the soon to be released book, The Strategic Customer Success Manager: A Blueprint for Elevating Your Impact and Advancing Your Career.

Key Takeaways:

• Trust + Value = Impact – Strategic CSMs don’t just drive product adoption - they build trusted relationships and tie their work to real business outcomes.
• Your Internal Influence Matters – Top CSMs know how to navigate internal politics, collaborate cross-functionally, and advocate for customer needs without burning bridges.
• Stop Reporting, Start Advising – Customers don’t need another usage recap. They need strategic guidance delivered through thoughtful questions, honest conversations, and forward-looking planning.

Key Moments:

00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:35 Hot Take: The Changing Role of CSM
01:19 Strategic vs. Helper CSM
05:14 Skills for Modern CSMs
06:32 Building Internal Relationships
08:23 Leveraging Technology and AI
17:30 Strategic Checkpoints vs. QBRs
20:40 Balancing Short-term and Long-term Goals
22:29 Asking the Right Questions
25:43 The Trust-Value Relationship
29:56 Closing Remarks and Contact Information

Send us a text

Welcome to The Growth Signal, where we’re throwing out the old playbooks, and reimagining the future of customer relationships.

Connect with Alyssa on LinkedIn

Connect with Amber on LinkedIn

Apply to be a Guest at TheGrowthSignal.com