The Latest

  • Businesswoman doing a presentation in a meeting at the office
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why CX budget planning is broken — and how to fix it for 2027

    Teams are pouring money into AI and other tech while underinvesting in the foundations necessary to deliver ROI, experts say.

  • A woman sitting behind a desk, appearing stressed or overwhelmed. She is holding her head with her hands, conveying a sense of pressure and fatigue.
    Image attribution tooltip
    filadendron via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Sponsored by GoTo

    The hidden cost of your fragmented CX stack

    Bolting on AI tools one by one might be making your customer experience worse, not better.

  • The outside of an Ulta Beauty location.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Ulta combines promotions and experiences to win over cautious customers

    The retailer’s overall ecosystem, including its loyalty personalization, are working together to keep customers coming back, according to CEO Kecia Steelman.

  • Over the shoulder view of young Asian woman shopping online for flight tickets on airline website with laptop, entering credit card details to make mobile payment at home. Camera and passport on the table. Travel planning. Booking a holiday online
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Understanding why surveillance pricing is a CX issue

    The practice of changing prices based on an individual’s personal data, and not simply market conditions, erodes trust.

  • View of Kohl's storefront with logo
    Image attribution tooltip
    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Kohl’s names first chief customer officer as it elevates CX

    Chief Digital Officer Arianne Parisi will take on the new role, which combines leadership of loyalty, personalization, marketing and other functions under one title.

  • Front view of a Best Buy store in Milpitas, California, on Feb. 20, 2024.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Best Buy emphasizes expert support with AI shopping assistant

    Rolling out in phases, Ask Blue can answer shopping questions or guide users to customer support as needed.

  • A Williams-Sonoma store with a customer walking by.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Joe Raedle / Staff via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Williams-Sonoma AI assistants drive customer engagement — and conversions

    Customers who use Olive, Williams Sonoma’s AI agent, convert at three times a higher rate than those who do not.

  • A Walmart associate stocks a shelf
    Image attribution tooltip
    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why Target and Walmart are emphasizing fast, consistent experiences

    The rise of 30-minute delivery has caused major retailers to rethink how they balance fast store-based delivery with reliable in-store experiences.

  • Shot of a young female call center agent.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Customers still want access to a human in customer service

    While half of customers say their customer service interactions are easier when companies use generative AI, 9 in 10 want the option to speak to a human, Gartner finds.

  • Call center manager instructing employees.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    6 customer experience mantras ready for retirement

    Not every piece of customer experience wisdom stands the test of time. Experts highlight six mantras and pieces of advice that can go by the wayside.

  • The exterior of a Panera Bread restaurant.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Justin Sullivan / Staff via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Panera overhauls rewards program

    The company shifted to points-based loyalty with premium tiers to offer consumers more consistent value and greater control of redemption.

  • Young woman working in a call center.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    With customer service, results matter above all else

    Half of consumers would be “delighted” if AI could handle their problems quickly even if it “sounded like a toaster,” a PolyAI survey found.

  • A person shops online on a laptop and phone.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    When pricing practices become a customer experience issue

    Consumers generally accept dynamic pricing as basic demand and supply, but once a business starts to layer in an individual’s data to determine the cost of a product, consumers lose trust.

  • A screenshot of a virtual event with one person in the center and two people in boxes on the side.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Julie Littman/Restaurant Dive/CX Dive
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why restaurant loyalty programs need to go beyond the points-based game

    Guests don’t just want freebies, they want recognition, personalization and an overall great experience as part of their rewards membership.

  • A person holds a smartphone with a product review icon on a website page.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Ratings and reviews edge out deals when it comes to online purchasing decisions

    “If a brand cannot get the basic facts about its own products right, customers may question its reliability more broadly,” InfoTech Research’s Julie Geller said.

  • Two people wearing black seen from the wait down walk by a sign with an arrow and the word "Uber."
    Image attribution tooltip
    Mario Tama via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    The FTC is turning its sights on personalized pricing. What does it mean for CX?

    Consumers are anathema to what they see as unfair pricing practices. Now, the Federal Trade Commission is giving businesses yet another reason to be wary of implementing personalized or surveillance pricing.

  • Salesforce tower in New York City.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Salesforce
    Image attribution tooltip

    AI agent headcount triples in 15 months: Salesforce

    The software vendor’s research finds organizations are deploying agents in under two days, even as ROI remains elusive.

  • Walmart BNPL Affirm Klarna financing retail
    Image attribution tooltip
    Scott Olson via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Walmart touts fast delivery, strong Walmart+ membership as growth drivers

    The retailer is positioning fast delivery options as a way to build trust with customers looking for value and convenience, executives said.

  • The outside of a Lowe's store
    Image attribution tooltip
    Spencer Platt/Getty Images via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Lowe’s digital CX lifts online sales

    Strong online sales growth was a bright spot in the second quarter, as elevated fuel prices and broader economic certainty put pressure on discretionary DIY demand.

  • Screenshot of woman
    Image attribution tooltip

    Noor Adatia/Hotel Dive

    Image attribution tooltip

    How hotels can leverage experiences and unique partnerships to drive loyalty

    Marriott International’s Lucy Werner shares how strategic partnerships can enhance the guest experience and tap into guests’ passions and interests.

  • A Target storefront exterior
    Image attribution tooltip
    Dani James/CX Dive
    Image attribution tooltip

    At Target, consistency is the theme of the year

    The retailer is emphasizing reliability via product availability and store experiences as back-to-school shopping season commences.

  • A daytime image of a building with beige bricks and a Tropical Smoothie Cafe sign.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Tropical Smoothie Cafe
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why Tropical Smoothie Cafe’s CFO champions CX

    Experience improvements encourage “guests to come back more often, spend more often and recommend us to others,” CFO Chris Sasser said.

  • A Walmart storefront showcases its refreshed brand identity, with a new typeface and the spark logo set apart as a standalone asset.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Walmart
    Image attribution tooltip

    Walmart+ adds new perks to enhance in-store convenience

    Members of the paid program can now receive complimentary photo prints each month and access fee-free money transactions.

  • A customer pushes a cart through a Home Depot's aisles.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Scott Olson / Staff via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Home Depot leans into fast delivery as part of its interconnected experience

    Home Depot depot’s store investments are driving improved customer satisfaction and stronger sales while creating the foundation to reduce delivery times, executives said.

  • A man sits in front of a computer with a hand on his head.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Customer complaints are at a record high

    Consumers see higher prices and reduced customer support in a time of record corporate profits, and it’s weighing on their satisfaction, ACSI finds.

  • Customers check in for Southwest flights with their bags.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Michael Ciaglo via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    The secret behind Southwest Airlines’ rapid loyalty program growth

    The combination of transactional, value-oriented benefits alongside the soft touch and experience creates "magic," VP of Rapid Rewards Nandika Suri said. "That’s where you really help to build that deeper emotional connection."