Episodes
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What's on your mind? Let CX Passport know...
Five years. 262 episodes. Guests from over 50 countries. The last episode of CX Passport...Maybe?
This is not a typical episode. There is no guest. There is no CX framework or customer journey deep dive. What there is ... is Rick Denton sitting down to tell you what comes next for CX Passport, and how much he appreciates the listeners and guests for making it all possible.
What's happening with CX Passport?
Three paths are on the table.
-A hiatus ... because sometimes even Ross and Rachel needed a break.
-A full shutdown ... because every season has an end.
-Or a sale ... to the right buyer who wants to carry this global conversation forward. Rick lays out all three, including a fourth wildcard he calls the Janice Clause.
But before the announcement, there is genuine gratitude. For the guests from over 50 countries who took a chance on an unproven host with a microphone sitting on a stack of borrowed books. For the listeners tuning in from over 90 countries. For every conversation that never should have happened ... and did anyway.
A special mention to Santhakumaran Atmalingam, the very first CX Passport guest, episode one, who took that chance before any of this existed. https://www.linkedin.com/in/santhakumaran/
And a credit long overdue ... the voice behind "This is your Captain speaking" belongs to Nicholas Zeisler. https://www.linkedin.com/in/zeislerconsulting/
This time around, Rick heads into the First Class Lounge himself ... and answers the questions he's been asking guests for five years.
CX Passport may be at a crossroads. Rick is not. He's already over at The Loud Quiet, the podcast and community he co-hosts with his wife Clancy. If you've followed Rick here, that's where he's headed next. Come along. https://www.theloudquiet.com
CHAPTERS
00:00 This is not just a thank you episode
02:15 How CX Passport started in 2021
05:30 First guest Santhakumaran Atmalingam and the origin of the show's name
08:45 What CX Passport became ... 50+ countries, 90+ listener nations
12:00 What CX Passport made possible
15:00 First Class Lounge ... Rick answers his own questions
19:30 The three paths for CX Passport
23:00 The Janice Clause
24:15 Where to find Rick next
Santhakumaran Atmalingam, Episode 1 guest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/santhakumaran/
Nicholas Zeisler, Voice of "This is your Captain speaking": https://www.linkedin.com/in/zeislerconsulting/
The Loud Quiet: https://www.theloudquiet.com
Listen: https://www.cxpassport.com
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@cxpassport
Newsletter: https://cxpassport.kit.com/signup
I'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s).
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What's on your mind? Let CX Passport know...
Your buyer isn't thinking about you nearly as much as you think they are.
Alyssa Nolte built her career on consumer psychology and buyer behavior research... eye tracking, presidential campaign advertising, the science of what moves people from curious to committed to coming back. She now runs Ology Collective, helping companies understand how their customers actually buy, not how they assume they buy.
That gap between assumption and reality is bigger than most companies realize. Customers don't care about your departments, your KPIs, or your internal language. They experience your brand as one continuous thing. And every time the effort of working with you outweighs the value you deliver, the math quietly turns against you.
What you'll learn in this episode:
Why companies design experiences for themselves instead of their customers... and how to break that pattern
The effort vs. value equation that quietly kills customer retention
The line between motivating a buyer and manipulating one
How LinkedIn authenticity can open real business relationships
Why 80% capacity is a feature, not a bug
CHAPTERS
00:00 Consumer psychology meets customer experience
02:35 The self-reinforcing echo chamber problem
05:13 Productivity culture as a barrier to customer empathy
08:00 The effort vs. value equation across the customer journey
10:14 The line between motivating and manipulating
12:50 Do customers share blame for bad experiences
14:45 First Class Lounge
19:54 The Notorious Plant Killer ... authenticity on LinkedIn
24:56 What 140+ podcast conversations taught Alyssa about buyers
27:01 Podcasting as an authentic brand connection tool
Guest Resources
Alyssa Nolte on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssanolte/
The Growth Signal Podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/thegrowthsignal/
Alyssa's Substack - Alyssa Likes To Talk: @alyssalikestotalk
Alyssa's website: https://alyssanolte.com/
Listen: https://www.cxpassport.com
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@cxpassport
Newsletter: https://cxpassport.kit.com/signup
I'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s).
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Missing episodes?
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What's on your mind? Let CX Passport know...
What does your team actually mean when they say "world class"? Melissa Bardsley has spent her career across banking, manufacturing, and SaaS ... and she keeps arriving at the same answer. Communication isn't a soft skill. It's the infrastructure.
What you'll learn in this episode:
Why transactional and SaaS support require completely different hiring profilesHow one interview question about a chicken coop reveals more than a resume ever willWhy leaders avoid difficult conversations ... and what it costs when they doHow average handle time can turn your support team into clock watchersWhy a fresh set of eyes on a broken process is one of the most underrated leadership toolsCHAPTERS
00:00 Support across banking, manufacturing, and SaaS
02:01 Transactional vs. complex support environments
04:41 Hiring for curiosity and learning agility
07:42 Rebuilding confidence after hiring mistakes
09:02 Difficult conversations and why timeliness matters
10:40 Defining "world class" so your whole team means the same thing
12:59 Common language as the North Star for metrics and culture
15:18 First Class Lounge
19:32 Metrics as weapons vs. metrics as coaching tools
22:54 Starting with data when you walk into a broken situation
24:34 Low-hanging fruit and the power of a fresh set of eyes
25:47 Navigating sacred processes that need to change
Melissa Bardsley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissabardsleync/
Listen: https://www.cxpassport.com
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@cxpassport
Newsletter: https://cxpassport.kit.com/signup
I'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s).
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What's on your mind? Let CX Passport know...
What your customers feel in the moment and what they tell you later are two different things. Dr. Laura Beavin-Yates has spent years measuring the gap ... and the science behind it will change how you think about experience design.
What you'll learn in this episode:
-Oxytocin isn't the love hormone - it's the meaning hormone, and it fires in negative experiences too.
-Post-experience surveys don't measure the experience. They measure memory, filtered through whatever mood the customer is in three days later.
-Brain synchronicity means a fully immersed contact center agent pulls the customer in with them.
-Six moments of full oxytocin release per day predicts whether a person reports thriving - not just coping.
-Biometric data can be anonymized and still tell you everything you need to know about what your customer actually felt.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Oxytocin and what meaningful connection actually means
03:08 Negative experiences and how the brain stores them
06:17 Measuring oxytocin without a needle - 20 years of research
08:56 Why post-experience surveys miss the real story
13:32 Practical CX applications - resorts, stadiums, contact centers
16:24 Employee experience and brain synchronicity
18:08 First Class Lounge
23:27 Neuroscience, neuro marketing, and CX - the connective tissue
27:15 Privacy, anonymization, and the ethics of biometric data
31:09 The Six app and six moments for thriving
33:43 Where to find Laura and Immersion
Guest Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-beavin-yates/
Immersion: https://www.getimmersion.com/
Related Episode
The One With The Magic...Really!...The Orlando Magic! - Katie Miller E23: https://www.cxpassport.com/1736603/episodes/8911630
Listen: https://www.cxpassport.com
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@cxpassport
Newsletter: https://cxpassport.kit.com/signup
I'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s). -
What's on your mind? Let CX Passport know...
What happens when a pensions company decides to fight regulatory complexity with game shows, cartoons, and podcasts? Claire Bristowe made it work ... and has 30,000 hours of employee participation, six gold awards, and a two-month waitlist for live call listening to show for it.
What you'll learn in this episode:
How regulation in financial services became a CX asset, not a barrierWhy fun was the only strategy that could reach the disengagedWhat 53 research sessions taught Claire before she launched anythingHow live call listening creates accountability that outlasts the sessionWhy one sentence in a letter was worth 1.3 FTECHAPTERS
00:00 Regulation as a CX asset in financial services
02:53 Bringing customers into legal document design
05:42 64 customers applied to review three documents
08:35 Why fun became the strategy ... and how it was chosen
11:55 Where Claire actually started: 53 research sessions
13:51 Live call listening: the highest-engaged initiative
16:00 First Class Lounge
19:08 Targeting the disengaged ... not just the willing
22:10 Balancing immediate reaction with long-term roadmap
23:21 The promoter team: 34 colleagues across the business
25:48 Accountability after the session ends
28:20 Small changes, real financial results
30:14 Connectivity as a CX team's hidden value
Connect with Claire Bristowe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-bristowe-ccxp-102026135/
Listen: https://www.cxpassport.com
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@cxpassport
Newsletter: https://cxpassport.kit.com/signup
I'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.
This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s).
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What's on your mind? Let CX Passport know...
Greg Wasserman has spent his career in media and relationships ... not in CX. But listen to how he talks about community, humanization, and audience connection and you'll hear customer experience thinking at every turn. As head of relationships at RSS.com, Greg is helping podcasters grow and think strategically about their shows. The lessons reach well beyond podcasting.
Audience vs. community: a community talks back and helps each other ... an audience just consumesSilos exist at every company size ... what changes is whether the mindset doesHumanizing software means giving customers access to real people, not just good UIGreg went from churn-and-burn sales to taping chocolate bars to his business card ... the relationship era of his careerA podcast is the greatest relationship engine available ... and downloads are not the pointCHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
01:35 Every role has a customer ... even if the title doesn't say so
03:21 Silos, startups, and losing the customer in the noise
05:59 Audience vs. community ... what's the real difference
08:13 Building community at RSS.com and why humanization matters
12:47 Balancing raw customer input with product roadmap decisions
14:41 First Class Lounge
19:44 How Greg's sales approach broke and what replaced it
22:47 The chocolate bar strategy and customer lifetime value
23:55 Where software companies get experience right ... and where they miss
27:05 Everyone should have a podcast
30:19 Podcasting as a relationship engine, not a download game
31:38 Where to find Greg
Greg Wasserman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregwasserman/
Listen: https://www.cxpassport.com
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@cxpassport
Newsletter: https://cxpassport.kit.com/signup
I'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.
This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s). -
What's on your mind? Let CX Passport know...
Mohamed Isa has been the CFO. Heâs built businesses. Heâs written 20 books. And yet his most powerful lesson is simple⊠stop chasing numbers and start understanding customers.
In this episode of CX Passport, Mohamed breaks down what changes when finance leaders truly see customer experience from the inside⊠and why organizations lose revenue when they treat CX as someone elseâs job.
What youâll learn in this episode:
Why CFOs must think beyond numbers to drive real growthHow a single sentence sold more product⊠and changed internal strategyThe hidden cost of under-communicating with customersWhy bad service spreads faster than good serviceHow service culture determines whether CX succeeds or failsCHAPTERS
00:00 CFO perspective on customer experience
03:00 The â50 showersâ lesson in customer language
05:00 Why organizations ignore obvious CX truths
06:30 Travel, expectations, and human experience
09:00 How CX drives revenue at a country level
11:00 The bad bank experience that became a book
15:30 First Class Lounge
19:00 The danger of under-communicating
23:00 Everest Base Camp and accountability in CX
26:30 Why service culture is everything
28:00 Bahrainâs CX leadership and government experienceGuest Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohdisa
Book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40660063-chai-karak
Bahrain CX example: https://bahrain.bh/Listen: https://www.cxpassport.com
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@cxpassport
Newsletter: https://cxpassport.kit.com/signupI'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s).
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What's on your mind? Let CX Passport know...
Why would customer experience matter during a war?
This weekâs CX Passport is a Greatest Hits episode from earlier in the showâs history.
A scheduled guest from Israel needed to postpone recording due to the current conflict in the region. That moment prompted a return to this conversation with Ukrainian CX consultant Anastasia Vladychynska about what customer experience looks like during war.
Itâs a difficult topic... but an important one.
In this episode, Anastasia shares how Ukrainian companies continued serving customers during the war and why the organizations that survived were the ones that had already built strong cultures and real relationships with employees, customers, and vendors.
Moments of extreme crisis reveal what companies truly believe about their people and their customers.
Insights From This Episode
âą A crisis exposes a companyâs true values
âą Strong employee relationships help companies survive
âą Vendor relationships can determine whether a business continues operating
âą Respect and culture create resilience in crisis
âą âStop doing CX until you change your companyâCHAPTERS
00:00 Why this Greatest Hits episode is being shared
01:42 Welcome to CX Passport
02:06 Introducing Anastasia Vladychynska
04:11 Does CX matter during war?
05:58 Culture as the foundation for resilience
09:22 How to âwar-proofâ your company
15:30 The resilience of Ukrainian businesses
18:31 The beauty and culture of Ukraine
22:08 First Class Lounge
25:18 âStop doing CX until you change your companyâGuest Links
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/anastasia-vladychynska-622443a/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nastya.vladychynska
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXXOYKyGpkngUYvn1hqyXKQListen: https://www.cxpassport.com
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@cxpassport
Newsletter: https://cxpassport.kit.com/signupI'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s).
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What's on your mind? Let CX Passport know...
What does it really take to build customer experience when there is no real system, no polished playbook, and no office hallway to lean on? In this episode of CX Passport, Lisa Guzman shares what she has learned from building CX in remote startup environments, leading without micromanaging, and creating the kind of intentional culture that helps people grow. From understanding global customers to turning messy support operations into something scalable, Lisa offers a practical look at what strong CX leadership really requires.
Remote leadership requires intentional connection because teams do not have the natural culture, casual conversations, or shared rhythms that happen in person.Great CX starts with understanding the customer, especially when serving people across countries, cultures, and expectations.Startup leaders often think they know what support needs until someone experienced shows them the gaps in tools, metrics, and workflow design.Managing remote teams well means setting clear expectations, avoiding micromanagement, and giving people room to take ownership.Mentorship builds stronger teams, creates cross-functional influence, and makes it possible for leaders to actually step away with confidence.CHAPTERS
00:23 Introduction to Lisa Guzman
01:23 Building CX in remote startup environments
05:07 Understanding global customers and cultural humility
10:34 Turning startup hay into CX gold
15:40 First Class Lounge
22:41 The real pros and cons of remote leadership
26:26 How leaders let go without losing control
30:47 Why mentorship matters in CX
34:00 Where to connect with Lisa
34:53 ClosingGuest links
Lisa Guzman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-guzman-bb81b653/Listen: https://www.cxpassport.com
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@cxpassport
Newsletter: https://cxpassport.kit.com/signupI'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s).
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What's on your mind? Let CX Passport know...
In this weekâs CX Passport, The One With Leading Neurodivergence CX â Stine Marsal E253, Stine challenges how we think about customer experience results. From airport security to inclusive design, she makes the case that CX only works when it serves the business strategy⊠and when it reduces real barriers for real people.
Stine Marsal, the first CX Passport guest from Denmark, shares how her work at Copenhagen Airport reshaped her thinking. Stop centering only the customer. Start centering the people delivering the experience. And always tie experience to measurable business outcomes.
Here are five key insights from the episode:
âą CX delivers results when it removes employee barriers, not when it adds fluffy expectations
âą Designing for neurodivergence and hidden disabilities improves experience for everyone
⹠One in four people may have a hidden disability⊠and that has real business impact
âą NPS without context can mislead strategy and frustrate customers
⹠The comments matter more than the score⊠eliminate recurring pain points and results follow
CHAPTERS
00:00 Welcoming the First Guest from Denmark
01:55 From Tivoli to Copenhagen Airport
03:24 Stop Centering Only the Customer
06:29 Why Stine Built a Practitioner Community
10:06 The CX Industryâs Results Problem
11:55 Mapping Disability Barriers in Airports
14:45 One in Four Have Hidden Disabilities
17:50 Designing for Cognitive Load
21:52 First Class Lounge
25:22 Rethinking NPS and Metrics
29:40 Why Comments Matter More Than Scores
31:10 The Customers Who Never Come
Guest Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stinemarsal/
Website: https://www.stinemarsal.dk/
Listen: https://www.cxpassport.com
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@cxpassport
Newsletter: https://cxpassport.kit.com/signup
I'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s). -
What's on your mind? Let CX Passport know...
Gloria Gupta leads CX transformation at the American Medical Association.
Not a small lift. Not a short-term initiative.
A 200-year-old institution.
450 million in revenue.
Physicians as customers.
Patients as the ultimate impact.
In this episode, Gloria shares what it really takes to unify service, build enterprise CX, and make customer experience a measurable attribute of brand and culture.
5 Key Insights
âą The AMAâs primary customer is the physician ⊠but the physicianâs customer is the patient
âą CX transformation began by unifying service into one omnichannel team serving 98% of AMA service interactions
âą More than 900 improvements have been implemented across the enterprise, many of them significant
⹠400 employees are directly involved in CX ⊠one in four across the organization
âą The shared mission: identify and remove customer friction
CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro and Rickâs personal AMA connection
02:00 Who is the AMA customer?
04:00 Why CX matters at a 200-year-old institution
08:00 Healthcare evolution ⊠EHRs, COVID, telehealth, and AI
13:30 Unifying service across the enterprise
17:00 Authentication friction and enterprise CX launch
20:00 Building trust through measurable wins
22:30 First Class Lounge
26:50 900 improvements and aftercare strategy
30:30 AI, policy, and the future of healthcare CX
33:00 Real data, real outcomes, real collaboration
Connect with Gloria
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gloria-gupta-rdh-ms-fcxp-4760939/
Listen: https://www.cxpassport.com
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@cxpassport
Newsletter: https://cxpassport.kit.com/signup
I'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s). -
What's on your mind? Let CX Passport know...
Technology is loud. Agentic AI. Automation. Platforms. Dashboards.
Meanwhile, the person who greets the customer at the door still determines whether that experience succeeds.
April Sabral spent more than 30 years leading over 350 physical retail stores. In this episode, she explains why the answers to better customer experience arenât sitting in a conference room ⊠theyâre already in the field.
And y'all will not want to miss the Starbucks name-on-the-cup story ⊠including how it started in a Miami Beach store and solved a real operational problem overnight.
What Youâll Learn
Why frontline managers ⊠not technology ⊠determine store performance
How the Starbucks âname on the cupâ idea started as a simple operational fix
The danger of promoting high performers without leadership training
Why skill-building beats âjust be friendlyâ every time
The leadership test: If you left your job ⊠would your team follow you?
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction to April Sabral
02:00 Where the CX conversation misses reality
05:00 The Starbucks name-on-the-cup origin story
08:20 Why simple solutions outperform complex tech
10:40 Bridging the gap between field and head office
14:15 What actually makes in-store CX work
19:40 Process discipline vs. customer experience
23:40 Would your team follow you?
26:00 Why retail promotes too fast
29:00 The future of physical retail in an AI world
31:00 How to connect with April
Guest Links
Website: https://www.aprilsabral.com/Listen: https://www.cxpassport.com
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@cxpassport
Newsletter: https://cxpassport.kit.com/signup
I'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s). -
What's on your mind? Let CX Passport know...
CX to sin. Peak-end to forgiveness. Episode 250 wonât be what youâre used to.
This milestone episode examines how experiences actually end, and why organizations avoid designing that moment. In a wide-ranging conversation with Joe Macleod, CX Passport connects customer experience to religion, environmental responsibility, shame, and the circular economy. The conversation challenges the idea that endings are merely operational details rather than emotional and moral ones. Joe also becomes the showâs first guest from Sweden, adding a perspective shaped by consensus, systems thinking, and responsibility.
5 Key Insights from the Episode
Most organizations never ask âHow does this end?â as an experience, only as an operational handoffThe customer journey builds empowerment and agency, then abandons customers at the moment of exitShame appears when responsibility for disposal, data, or materials is shifted entirely to the customerReligious and cultural frameworks offer richer language for endings than modern consumer systemsPoorly designed endings damage brand memory and trust long after the relationship is overChapters
00:00 Intro
02:00 Designing beginnings while ignoring endings
05:20 Shame vs guilt at the end of the customer journey
08:40 Dark patterns, abandonment, and off-boarding
11:30 Consumption and environmental responsibility
13:10 Sweden, the UK, and systems thinking
16:45 First Class Lounge
21:30 Religion, forgiveness, and consumer psychology
24:50 Buddhism, Shinto, and product endings
28:00 Brand damage caused by poor endingsGuest Links
Andend website https://www.andend.co
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephmacleod/
Ends (book, affiliate link): https://amzn.to/3M3zDKL
Endineering (book, affiliate link): https://amzn.to/4atZWmyEnds ebook â https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/744267
25% off discount code: NCKEVEndineering ebook â https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1116883
25% off discount code: NCKEVIntroduction to Endineering course â https://www.andend.co/introductionendineering-1
25% off discount code: 7D7AQF5Continue the Journey
Listen: https://www.cxpassport.com
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@cxpassport
Newsletter: https://cxpassport.kit.com/signupI'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.
Disclaimer
This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s).
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What's on your mind? Let CX Passport know...
Metrics are useful. Until they become the destination instead of the signal.
In this episode, Frances Chapireau joins CX Passport to talk about what happens after measurement. The conversation focuses on turning market research into insight and insight into decisions that actually influence the business.
This is a practical discussion about dashboards, interpretation, and the discipline required to move beyond reporting. It is about understanding customers well enough to act, not just measure.
Key Insights
Metrics describe outcomes, not underlying needMarket research only matters if it informs decisionsDashboards can distance teams from customer realityInsight comes from synthesis, not volumeCX maturity shows up in how organizations act on what they learnCHAPTERS
00:00 Welcome and episode framing
02:34 Francesâ background and path into CX
06:12 Market research versus performance metrics
11:05 Where dashboards help and where they fall short
17:48 Turning data into usable insight
19:33 First Class Lounge
24:30 What organizations miss when they chase numbers
31:10 Making insight relevant to decision makers
38:22 Practical advice for CX teams trying to go deeper
43:55 Closing thoughtsGuest Links
Frances Chapireau on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/frances-chapireau-62644b38/
Listen: https://www.cxpassport.com
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@cxpassport
Newsletter: https://cxpassport.kit.com/signupI'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s).
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What's on your mind? Let CX Passport know...
B2B customer experience is often treated like B2C with bigger contracts and longer sales cycles. That shortcut causes real problems. In this episode, Rick talks with KĂĄri Thor Runarsson about why B2B CX needs its own thinking, its own metrics, and far more attention to relationships that quietly drift long before renewal.
KĂĄri has spent his career in B2B, including startups and non-tech industries, questioning borrowed frameworks and shallow measurements. The result is a grounded conversation about silence, contracts, commoditization, and why experience is often the only real differentiator left.
Key Takeaways
B2B decisions involve multiple stakeholders with competing success metricsSilence is one of the strongest churn signals in B2B relationshipsNet Promoter Score breaks down quickly in complex B2B environmentsCustomer experience becomes decisive as industries commoditizeStartups often overestimate how well they understand customer dissatisfactionCHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction and first Iceland-based CX Passport guest
02:00 Marketing and CX are more fluid than organizations admit
04:50 What B2B leaders misunderstand about customer experience
07:45 Silence, contracts, and how churn really starts
10:40 Stakeholders, misaligned objectives, and missed signals
14:20 CX maturity across regions and markets
16:00 First Class Lounge
20:30 Why CX matters most outside of tech and SaaS
24:20 Where B2C thinking hurts B2B CX efforts
27:00 CX advice for B2B startups
28:50 Where to find KĂĄri and closing thoughtsGuest Links
KĂĄri Thor Runarsson on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/karithor/
Cliezen: https://www.cliezen.comListen: https://www.cxpassport.com
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@cxpassport
Newsletter: https://cxpassport.kit.com/signupI'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s).
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Customer experience doesnât need to be complicated to work.
In this CX Open To Work episode, Luis Carrillo shares why simpler CX creates immediate impactâŠfor customers, teams, and the business. From removing friction to building trust, this conversation focuses on CX that actually works.5 CX Insights from the Episode
âą Simpler CX delivers results customers, employees, and leaders can feel
âą Listening to customers beats guessing every time
âą Returns are a trust momentâŠnot a policy problem
âą Training and QA quietly power great experiences
âą CX drives revenue when effort is reducedCHAPTERS
00:00 Welcome + CX Open To Work
01:32 Why simpler CX creates immediate impact
04:18 Reducing friction without punishing good customers
07:24 CX as a revenue engine
10:52 Recovery, trust, and loyalty
12:03 First Class Lounge
16:17 What companies still miss in CX
19:15 Whatâs next for LuisGuest Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luiscarrillo-21a70520/
Listen: https://www.cxpassport.com
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@cxpassport
Newsletter: https://cxpassport.kit.com/signupI'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s).
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What if customer experience isnât fast, frictionless, or flashyâŠbut deliberate, long-term, and built over years? Sarah Kinard talks about why CX in architecture, engineering, and construction is inherently slow CXâŠand why that perspective may be exactly what other industries need.
5 Insights from the Episode
CX in AEC unfolds over yearsâŠnot moments, journeys, or transactions.Clients arenât just buying outcomes anymoreâŠtheyâre buying clarity, foresight, and shared accountability.The post-2009 talent gap created a âmissing middle,â weakening CX instincts across firms.CX struggled to scale because it relied on heroic individuals instead of systems.Primary research focused on intent, not opinion, leads to smarter growth decisions.CHAPTERS
00:00 Welcome to CX Passport
02:00 CX in AECâŠfrom toilets to symphony halls
05:20 Risk, confidence, and defensible decisions
06:45 The generational talent gap and CX instincts
09:40 Why âsoft skillsâ are essential business skills
10:55 The role of the SMPS Foundation
12:30 Growth, research, and the Flamingo Project
15:25 Intent vs opinion in customer research
17:20 First Class Lounge âïž
20:45 Peak-end rule in a 10-year experience
23:30 Why CX laggedâŠand why itâs catching up
28:15 AEC as the ultimate team sportGuest Links:
SMPS Foundation - https://www.smps.org/
The Flamingo Project - https://theflamingoproject.com/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahkinard/Listen: https://www.cxpassport.com
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@cxpassport
Newsletter: https://cxpassport.kit.com/signupI'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s).
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Welcome to part 2 of the annual CX Passport First Class Lounge Holiday Special. As the year wraps up and I look ahead with excitement to 2026, Iâm sharing even more of my favorite First Class Lounge moments from earlier this year.
This round features Doug Rabold, Irina Mateeva, Michel Stevens, and Tori Signorelli. Travel surprises, food loves, childhood âno thanksâ dishes, and the must-have items they keep in their travel kits⊠itâs a fun way to ease out of the holidays and step into the new year.
I hope youâve had a wonderful holiday season⊠and I wish you a very happy New Year. Hereâs to an amazing 2026 ahead.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Welcome to the second week of the 1st Class Lounge Holiday Special
00:47 Doug Rabold enters the First Class Lounge
05:15 Irina Mateeva enters the First Class Lounge
09:06 Michel Stevens enters the First Class Lounge
13:55 Tori Signorelli enters the First Class LoungeListen: https://www.cxpassport.com
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@cxpassport
Newsletter: https://cxpassport.kit.com/signupI'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s).
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Welcome to part 1 of the annual CX Passport holiday tradition⊠the 1st Class Lounge Holiday Special. I take a little break during the holidays, and while I do, I love sharing some of the most fun First Class Lounge moments from earlier in the year.
This episode brings back lively lounge moments from Michelle Pascoe, Sean Cherry, Rachel Sheriff, and Vinay Parmar. Travel dreams, favorite foods, quirky dislikes, and simple joys⊠itâs a festive, easy listen for your own downtime.
Wishing you a wonderful holiday season and a fantastic New Year. Enjoy part 1⊠part 2 arrives next week.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Welcome to the 2025 1st Class Lounge Holiday Special
00:47 Michelle Pascoe enters the First Class Lounge
04:46 Sean Cherry enters the First Class Lounge
09:20 Rachel Sheriff enters the First Class Lounge
14:32 Vinay Parmar enters the First Class LoungeListen: https://www.cxpassport.com
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@cxpassport
Newsletter: https://cxpassport.kit.com/signupI'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s).
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When you think âendowment foundation,â customer experience probably isnât the first thing that comes to mind. Yet Dr. Liz Okuma, Director of Client Experience at the American Endowment Foundation, is reshaping how donor advised funds deliver trust, responsiveness, and ease⊠even when nearly all interactions happen without ever seeing a client face to face. This conversation reveals how listening, collaboration, and design thinking translate into real business impact.
5 Insights From the Episode
-DAFs are booming⊠and CX is becoming a differentiator
-Two customer groups, one experience mission
-Internal listening is gold
-Journey mapping unlocked cross-functional momentum
-Culture changes when employees own CX
CHAPTERS
00:00 What is a donor advised fund⊠and why CX matters
02:50 Serving donors vs. serving financial advisors
05:30 Looking out the window⊠not the mirror
07:54 Listening to frontline teams
09:33 Making best in class tangible
11:05 Journey mapping and quick wins
13:24 Cutting a process from 3.5 months to six weeks
15:58 Measuring what matters
17:10 First Class Lounge
21:56 Getting non-client-facing teams invested in CX
24:29 The power of stories and internal visibility
26:53 Cross-functional influence in action
29:33 Where to find Liz
Guest Links
AEF Website: https://www.aef.org/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-okuma/
Mentioned in the Episode
Bose QuietComfort Headphones https://amzn.to/44e3hCT Affiliate Link
Your Next Steps
Listen: https://www.cxpassport.com
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@cxpassport
Newsletter: https://cxpassport.kit.com/signup
I'm Rick Denton and I believe the best meals are served outside and require a passport.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s). - Show more
