Best Mark Slatin | The Agile Brand Podcasts (2025)

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#148 Rethinking AI Strategy in Customer Experience 32:24

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2h ago32:24

32:24

Is your business rushing into AI without really understanding how it fits into your strategy—or worse, letting “FOMO” drive your next big tech investment? On this episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, I challenge leaders to think beyond the hype and get real about the transformational (and sometimes risky) power of AI in delivering great cust…

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#147 Five Shoes for Change: Mastering Leadership Through Rapid Transitions and Change Management 27:57

6d ago27:57

27:57

What makes change so difficult—even for organizations that know change is inevitable and even necessary for growth? If we all agree that staying in our comfort zones holds us back, why do we continue to resist change—and what can leaders do to help teams navigate it better? In this episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, I sit down with Dennis …

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#146 Balancing Agentic AI and Human Connection in the Contact Center 34:31

13d ago34:31

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Is your organization fully realizing the value of your contact center, or is it being limited by a narrow focus on efficiency and cost control? In this episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, I sit down with renowned Canadian contact center consultant and trainer Mike Aoki to examine how contact centers serve as the real-time pulse of customer …

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#145 Beyond the Hard Sell: The Evolution of Loyalty in the Fitness Industry 35:07

24d ago35:07

35:07

What if the secret to building a truly loyal gym membership—or any recurring customer base—starts the moment someone tries to leave? That question struck me while talking with Blair McHaney, a trailblazing fitness industry leader who’s spent more than 40 years reimagining how gyms can deliver customer (or, as Blair puts it, member) experience. Too …

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#144 From Data to Dollars: How Customer Value Drives Business Growth 33:10

1M ago33:10

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Is it time to finally admit that not all customers are created equal—and that treating them as if they are might be costing your business more than you realize? In this episode, I dig deep with Dan McCarthy, Associate Professor of Marketing at the University of Maryland and co-founder of Theta, to challenge one of the most hotly debated questions i…

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#143 The Bravery Effect: Lessons from a Marine and Leadership Expert 33:05

1M ago33:05

33:05

What if the very thing holding you and your team back from success isn’t a lack of skills or resources—but fear itself? How could learning to face what’s uncomfortable actually unlock your best results, greater job satisfaction, and even more meaningful customer experiences? In this episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, I dive deep with Jill …

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#142 Leadership Blind Spots and How to Avoid Them 30:36

1M ago30:36

30:36

What if the key to sustainable business growth isn’t just about generating new leads, but about truly understanding and retaining your existing customers? Are you aware of the invisible forces sabotaging your efforts to create a loyal customer base—and, more importantly, what you can do to fix them? In my latest episode of the Delighted Customers p…

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#141 Designing for Trust: Building Confidence from First Click to Last Mile 30:25

2M ago30:25

30:25

What if you could close the gap between what you think your customers experience and what they actually feel—using raw, unfiltered feedback you can see and hear for yourself? In a constantly evolving digital landscape, the journey from a customer’s very first click to their final interaction is more complex—and crucial—than ever before. But many le…

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#140 Measuring the True Cost of Negative Customer Experiences 30:09

2M ago30:09

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What if negative customer experiences matter more than you think—impacting your bottom line far beyond any single complaint or glowing review? In the latest episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, we dive into why negative experiences carry outsized influence on customer loyalty and business revenue. Many leaders mistakenly chase the most frequ…

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#139 Client Onboarding and The Trust Equation - Part 2 of 2 33:24

2M ago33:24

33:24

What’s the secret to building unshakeable trust with your customers—especially when you’re not face-to-face and your product passes through layers before it ever reaches the end user? That question has been top of mind for me, and it’s exactly why I was so excited to sit down with Lisa Schwartz, Chief Operating Officer of Mathematica, on the latest…

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#138 Client Onboarding and The Trust Equation-Part 1 of 2 31:24

2M ago31:24

31:24

Note: This is Part 1 of a 2-part series What does it take to create an onboarding experience so powerful that clients can’t imagine working with anyone else? For executives and customer experience leaders, the onboarding process is much more than an administrative formality—it's the first date, the pivotal moment when a client decides whether to pu…

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#137 From Oprah to Branson: 5 Celebrity Archetypes Every CX Leader Needs 33:21

3M ago33:21

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What if you could unlock executive buy-in—and real alignment—by channeling the breakthrough strategies of world-famous celebrities in your customer experience approach? In this episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, guest Ania Rodriguez flips the script on how CX leaders can influence their C-suite and drive transformative change. By drawing o…

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#136 Beyond Tools & Tactics: "Becoming a Trusted Guide" - New On-Demand Course 17:22

3M ago17:22

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Are you struggling to cut through organizational resistance and win real buy-in for your customer experience (CX) initiatives? You’re not alone. Even the most skilled CX professionals and change leaders often face the uphill battle of influencing executives and key stakeholders—especially when budgets are tight and positional authority is limited. …

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#135 Emotional Imprinting and the Future of Experience Management 30:44

3M ago30:44

30:44

Join us for a special episode featuring Lou Carbone, widely regarded as the father of the experience management movement. As the founder, president, and chief executive, Chief Experience Officer of Experience Engineering, a Minneapolis-based consulting firm dedicated to customer and employee experience management, Lou brings over 30 years of expert…

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#134 "It's Not About the Coffee": A Starbucks President's Recipe for Delighting Customers with CX 30:19

3M ago30:19

30:19

"It's Not About the Coffee": A Starbucks President's Recipe for Delighting Customers with CX Join us for an insightful conversation with Howard Behar, a pivotal figure in Starbucks' legendary growth. As the President of Starbucks North America and the founding President of Starbucks International for 21 years, Howard participated in the company's e…

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#133 Future of Agentic AI: Transforming Customer Journeys 29:28

4M ago29:28

29:28

What if AI-powered technology could not only solve your customers' problems faster but also anticipate their needs—and why do so many organizations still get it wrong? On this episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, we unlock the real reasons why companies struggle to implement AI and automation tools effectively, even as consumer expectations …

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#132 David vs. Goliath: Competing with the Big Banks on Customer Experience 30:04

4M ago30:04

30:04

What does it really take for smaller banks and mid-sized businesses to triumph over industry giants while still delivering exceptional customer experiences? This burning question lies at the heart of the latest episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, where we dig deep into the unique advantages that smaller organizations hold in fostering emoti…

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#131 Humanity at Scale: Bruce Temkin’s Vision for the Future of Leadership 38:34

4M ago38:34

38:34

Join us for a compelling conversation with Bruce Temkin, a true pioneer in the world of customer experience (CX) and the co-founder of the Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA), the founder of the XM Institute at Qualtrics, and now, head of Humanity at Scale. In this episode, Bruce shares his journey from shaping the foundations of C…

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#130 The Power of Referrals: A Classic Episode Revisited 26:56

4M ago26:56

26:56

Fred Reichheld is an expert on customer loyalty and a legend in the world of customer experience management. He and his "co-pilot" Rob Markey, created Net Promoter System, arguably one of the most used loyalty metrics in the world. He shared so many gems in our conversation that I decided to produce this edited version as a sort of "greatest hits" …

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#129 First Look: AI Hosts Dive into the Trusted Guide Roadmap™ Master Class 15:01

5M ago15:01

15:01

Ok, this one is a bit different. I've been asked many times over for a sampling of The Trusted Guide Roadmap™ Master Class and really couldn't share a nice condensed slice of it...until now. It was quite by accident. I used an AI tool that automated two virtual hosts, I'm calling them Abe (A) and Ivy (I), who took much of the material from a recent…

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#128 Navigating the Power Core: A Strategic Approach to Customer Experience 24:03

5M ago24:03

24:03

Navigating the Power Core: A Strategic Approach to Customer Experience Join us as we dive deep into the world of customer experience with Shelly Chandler, a seasoned CX strategist with 25 years of experience across B2B and B2C industries. In this eye-opening episode, Shelly shares her journey from banking to diverse sectors, offering unique perspec…

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#127 Balancing AI and Human Interactions 32:54

5M ago32:54

32:54

Dr. Joseph Michelli offers invaluable insights on balancing AI and human interaction in customer experience, drawing from his extensive research and work with renowned brands like Starbucks, Ritz-Carlton, and Mercedes-Benz. His expertise in understanding the emotional drivers behind consumer decisions and the importance of self-reflection for busin…

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#126 Conquer Churn with Journey Mapping: Strategies for Customer Retention 35:20

5M ago35:20

35:20

Ania Rodriguez was trained as an engineer. She is Founder and CEO of JourneyTrack and a self-made entrepreneur. Ania's insights into modernizing journey mapping and reducing customer churn offer groundbreaking, actionable strategies for any organization interested in elevating customer experiences. Ania shares how journey mapping has evolved into a…

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#125 Inside LinkedIn: Designing Value for Members and Customers 42:23

5M ago42:23

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Are you on LinkedIn? Ever wondered how LinkedIn keeps its users engaged and loyal? Join us for an insider's view of the platform that drives business networking. Unpacking Value Creation: Sam Stern delves into the importance of distinguishing between LinkedIn users—members versus customers. He explains how this differentiation impacts the value eac…

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#124 The Secret Ingredient to Customer Delight 35:06

6M ago35:06

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Do you remember the shock ending of The Sixth Sense? The film taps into that mysterious sixth sense—something beyond our usual perception. Similarly, in the world of taste, umami goes beyond salty, sweet, bitter, and sour to create a richer, more memorable experience. But what if businesses could apply this concept to customer experience? In this e…