The Latest

  • The outside of an Ulta Beauty location.
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    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.

  • A dashboard featuring diverse data types and analytics tools for comprehensive data management.
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    Permission granted by Crescendo
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    Sponsored by Crescendo

    The customer experience stack was built for humans. AI changes everything.

    AI is changing who does the work in CX. The architecture underneath it needs to change, too.

  • 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
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    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
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    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.
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    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.
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    Joe Raedle / Staff via Getty Images
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    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
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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    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.
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    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.
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    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.
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    Justin Sullivan / Staff via Getty Images
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    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.
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    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.
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    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.
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    Julie Littman/Restaurant Dive/CX Dive
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    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.
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    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."
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    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.
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    Permission granted by Salesforce
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    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
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    Scott Olson via Getty Images
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    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
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    Spencer Platt/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    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
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    Noor Adatia/Hotel Dive

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    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
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    Dani James/CX Dive
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    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.
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    Permission granted by Tropical Smoothie Cafe
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    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.
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    Permission granted by Walmart
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    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.
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    Scott Olson / Staff via Getty Images
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    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.
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    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.
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    Michael Ciaglo via Getty Images
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    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."

  • A person holds a smartphone with an AI chatbot app on its screen.
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    Getty Images
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    Only one-quarter of AI customer service use cases produce ROI

    Customer service teams are increasing investments in the technology even as economic value remains elusive, Gartner finds.