Best Robmarkey Podcasts (2025)

1
Ep. 244: Eric Almquist | The Value Experience: Why Adding Elements of Value Adds Company Value 13:12

2M ago13:12

13:12

Episode 244: What defines a differentiated customer experience? It starts with a clear framework for measuring intangible value and making calculated trade-offs. In this special tribute show, we revisit our 2016 conversation with Eric Almquist, a former partner at Bain & Company, on the Elements of Value. This framework transforms how businesses un…

1
Ep. 243: Cutler Andrews | When an 8% Donor Base Funds a University: Unlocking Hidden Alumni Engagement Opportunities 35:17

3M ago35:17

35:17

Episode 243: At Emory University, 99% of donations come from just 8% of donors. It’s a small alumni minority funding almost the majority of the university. This raises a big question: How do you cultivate loyalty among everyone else? In this episode, Emory’s Chief Experience Officer, Cutler Andrews, describes how they’re dismantling silos—by mergin…

1
Ep. 242: Kunal Madhok | The Black Box Fallacy: Why Wells Fargo Doesn't Trust an AI It Can't Explain 37:00

3M ago37:00

37:00

Episode 242: Wells Fargo has established a clear position on artificial intelligence: If you can't explain how an AI model works, you shouldn't deploy it. This stance challenges the common assumption that black box algorithms are acceptable costs of advanced AI capabilities. In this episode, Kunal Madhok, Head of Data, Analytics, and AI for Wells F…

1
Ep. 241: Abhii Parakh & Mike Estep | Flawless Over Flashy: Prudential's Unconventional Path to Customer Experience Leadership 38:49

4M ago38:49

38:49

Episode 241: When is mastering the basics a differentiator? In an industry where complexity is the norm, Prudential Group Insurance has made a counterintuitive strategic choice. While many companies chase innovation through digital transformation and enhanced features, Prudential has discovered that operational excellence—the "absence of noise"—can…

1
Ep. 240: Caroline Lombardi | The Evolution of the Chief Customer Officer: From Scorekeeper to CEO Successor 24:35

6M ago24:35

24:35

Episode 240: How has the Chief Customer Officer (CCO) role evolved over time? Traditionally focused on tracking metrics, CCOs now play a proactive and forward-facing role in driving business innovation. In this episode, Caroline Lombardi, Global Head of the Hospitality & Leisure Practice at Egon Zehnder, explores the CCO role’s dramatic evolution. …

1
Ep. 239: Dan McCarthy | Food for Thought: How External Data Analysis Can Unlock Competitive Insights 29:17

6M ago29:17

29:17

Episode 239: What hidden insights can customer behavior data analysis reveal about how successful one food delivery app may be over another? Discover how analysis of externally sourced customer behavior data can fuel dramatic improvements in revenue forecasts and strategic decisions. See how competitor data analysis can help identify strengths and …

1
Ep. 238: Brian Higgins | Building AI Trust: Verizon’s Bold Bet on Deliberate Progress 42:29

8M ago42:29

42:29

Episode 238: In what appears to be a paradox, Verizon is accelerating its responsible AI journey through a measured, deliberate approach—ensuring its technology is primed to enhance customer experiences when they matter most. Verizon isn’t rushing to put AI in front of customers. Instead, they’re deliberately building trust, refining data quality, …

1
Ep. 237: Murli Buluswar | From Analytics to Outcomes: Creating Data-Driven Insights at Citi 49:29

9M ago49:29

49:29

How does democratizing intelligence enhance productivity and drive smarter decision-making? Murli Buluswar, Citigroup’s Head of Analytics for the US Personal Bank, joins host Rob Markey to explore Citi’s strategies for democratizing intelligence. Murli emphasizes building a conversational intelligence platform that enables proactive and reactive in…

1
Ep. 236: David Tudehope & Joseph Michelli | “Zig When They Zag”: Macquarie's Customer-Centric Revolution 37:17

10M ago37:17

37:17

Episode 236: When telecom rivals offered lower rates and bigger networks, Macquarie bet big on customer loyalty—and won. David Tudehope, Macquarie Technology Group’s CEO, joins Rob Markey to discuss Macquarie’s competitive differentiator: a bold, customer-centric approach. David co-founded Macquarie to prioritize exceptional customer experience ove…

1
Ep. 235: Jon Freier | From Near Death to NPS Disrupter: T-Mobile’s Journey to Customer Leadership 35:34

10M ago35:34

35:34

Episode 235: In 2012, T-Mobile lost nearly two million customers. Its revenue fell precipitously. Its situation seemed hopeless. Then came a new CEO with an audacious plan and a penchant for F-bombs. Jon Freier, president of T-Mobile’s US Consumer Group, joins host Rob Markey to share his firsthand account of the remarkable corporate turnaround. Jo…

1
Ep. 234: Naiara De León & Madison Dyal Anderson | All Customers Just Want to Belong: What Defines an Inclusive Retail Experience? 32:17

12M ago32:17

32:17

Why do some retailers excel at creating a welcoming environment for a diverse customer base while others fall short? Bain & Company's Naiara De León and Madison Dyal Anderson discuss their research on how companies that excel in customer advocacy and inclusion consistently outperform their peers by a staggering 10 percentage points annually. Beyond…

1
Ep. 233: Eckhart Boehme | Uncovering Hidden Customer Needs: The Power of Jobs to Be Done 33:48

12M ago33:48

33:48

What if the key to creating truly innovative products and solutions lies at least as much in uncovering the deep emotional and attitudinal needs of your customers as in mastering technology? Eckhart Boehme, founder and managing director of Unipro Solutions, shares his approach to putting Clayton Christensen’s Jobs to Be Done framework into practica…

1
Ep. 232: Matt Harris | When AI Shifts the Balance of Power to Consumers: Preparing for a New Business Reality 29:37

1y ago29:37

29:37

Matt Harris, Partner at Bain Capital Ventures, argues that generative AI will soon empower customers in unexpected ways. Consumers, he predicts, will soon use AI tools to continuously discover lower loan rates, higher-yield savings accounts, or more attractive insurance policies. As a result, Matt anticipates a shift in customer-company power dynam…

1
Ep. 231: Fred Reichheld | Unleashing Earned Growth: The Referral Spectrum 35:40

1y ago35:40

35:40

Discover the engine of Earned Growth as Rob Markey and Fred Reichheld, Bain Fellow and "Winning On Purpose” author, hold a working session on how references and referrals significantly contribute to organic growth. Rob and Fred unearth the pivotal role that references and referrals play in propelling Earned Growth. They answer key questions such as…

1
Ep. 230: Tim Pernetti | A New Playbook: Reinventing the IMG Academy Experience 38:11

1y ago38:11

38:11

Why would a world-class sports academy invest in a student center, rather than more coaches, fancy equipment, or dorms? IMG Academy, a Florida boarding school, turns out some of the most successful college and professional athletes around. Its president, Tim Pernetti, led a massive cultural shift toward customer loyalty. Tim says IMG Academy used t…

1
Ep. 229: Stan Swinton | Redefining Customer Centricity: What is the NPSx Framework? 24:23

1y ago24:23

24:23

How can businesses transcend traditional customer service boundaries to establish new customer experience benchmarks? Stan Swinton, Founder and General Manager of NPSx, Bain & Company, discusses how a comprehensive approach to customer experience extends beyond gathering feedback or managing customer journeys. Stan details Bain’s NPSx framework—com…

1
Ep. 228: Tony Ezell | Sustaining Success: How Customer Loyalty Drives Organizational Stability 28:03

1y ago28:03

28:03

How does a global medical technology company maintain customer focus while managing operational challenges during a pandemic? In this episode, Tony Ezell, executive vice president of North America and chief marketing officer for Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD), explores how integrating customer feedback into your business strategy can maintain—a…

1
Ep. 227: Richard Watts | “Would You Do That to Your Mum?” The Simple and Powerful CX Litmus Test 34:39

1y ago34:39

34:39

How does an insurance industry leader integrate a simple yet profound question—Would you do that to your mom?—to transform customer service and decision making? In this episode, Richard Watts, board member at Farmers Insurance and former sales and service president at Progressive, discusses how asking this question improves business operations. He …

1
Ep. 226: Ruth Veloria | Purpose-Driven Progress: Helping University of Phoenix Students Succeed 31:44

1+ y ago31:44

31:44

How do the needs of students at for-profit, mostly online colleges differ from those of typical college students? They often require financial aid, schedule flexibility, and academic support that can go far beyond the norm of traditional higher education. In this segment, we explore why graduation rates have traditionally been quite low at these co…

1
Ep. 225: Jason Barro | Trapped: The Hidden Forces Behind Counterintuitive NPS Results 33:32

1+ y ago33:32

33:32

How do high-quality NPS benchmarks unlock strategic priorities and initiatives? What if your NPS data seems highly counterintuitive? For example, what if Detractors seem to be more loyal than Promoters? Host Rob Markey and Jason Barro, a partner at Bain & Company and the leader of Bain's NPS Prism benchmarking service, unpack this situation in the …

1
Ep. 224: Conny Kalcher | Stackable Strategies: Adapting an Iconic Toymaker’s Customer-Centricity to Zurich Insurance 36:44

1+ y ago36:44

36:44

From reshaping the playful culture of a global toy company to cracking the customer-centricity code at Zurich Insurance, how did Conny Kalcher manage the leap? Conny Kalcher, now the group chief customer officer at Zurich Insurance, has a rich history of pioneering customer-centric transformations. Conny introduced a swath of fresh perspectives and…

1
Ep. 223: Mark Slatin | The Trust Equation: How to Build Intimate Customer Relationships 32:05

1+ y ago32:05

32:05

Host Rob Markey welcomes Mark Slatin, CEO of EmpoweredCX, to dissect the intricate dynamics of trust within customer experiences. Drawing insights from real-world examples, they explore the role of product and service quality in establishing trust, the impact of reliability and consistency in decision making, and the potential pitfalls of self-orie…

1
Ep. 222: Fred Reichheld | Measuring Customer Loyalty: The Journey from Retention to Net Promoter to Earned Growth 34:34

1+ y ago34:34

34:34

In this episode, we launch our new show name: The Customer Confidential Podcast. We chose it after seeking lots of listener and guest input and believe that the new name better reflects the show’s mission—namely, to delve into untold stories of customer and industry transformations, sharing the journeys of both well-known and unsung heroes of custo…

1
Ep. 221: Dr. Adrienne Boissy | Healthcare’s Empathy Factor: Capturing Real Patient Experiences 28:15

1+ y ago28:15

28:15

How do you measure patient experience and empathy within the healthcare industry in a way that truly captures real emotion and real experiences? Dr. Adrienne Boissy, guest staff neurologist at Cleveland Clinic and chief medical officer at Qualtrics, sits down with Rob Markey to discuss the need for a more comprehensive approach to capturing the pat…

1
Ep. 220: Peter Gries | Nourishing Business Diversity: A Look into METRO’s Customer-Centric Evolution 32:37

1+ y ago32:37

32:37

How can an organization’s passion for high-quality culinary delights forge unbreakable customer bonds? For food wholesaler METRO’s customers, buying food is a personal experience. It’s the art of witnessing, inhaling, savoring, and examining the produce, meat, and fish in the store—a sensory feast that leaves customers’ hearts full. Creating except…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Robmarkey Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

51
Customer Confidential: Untold Stories of Earned Growth

Rob Markey, Bain & Company partner and customer experience expert

1
Ep. 244: Eric Almquist | The Value Experience: Why Adding Elements of Value Adds Company Value 13:12

1
Ep. 243: Cutler Andrews | When an 8% Donor Base Funds a University: Unlocking Hidden Alumni Engagement Opportunities 35:17

1
Ep. 242: Kunal Madhok | The Black Box Fallacy: Why Wells Fargo Doesn't Trust an AI It Can't Explain 37:00

1
Ep. 241: Abhii Parakh & Mike Estep | Flawless Over Flashy: Prudential's Unconventional Path to Customer Experience Leadership 38:49

1
Ep. 240: Caroline Lombardi | The Evolution of the Chief Customer Officer: From Scorekeeper to CEO Successor 24:35

1
Ep. 239: Dan McCarthy | Food for Thought: How External Data Analysis Can Unlock Competitive Insights 29:17

1
Ep. 238: Brian Higgins | Building AI Trust: Verizon’s Bold Bet on Deliberate Progress 42:29

1
Ep. 237: Murli Buluswar | From Analytics to Outcomes: Creating Data-Driven Insights at Citi 49:29

1
Ep. 236: David Tudehope & Joseph Michelli | “Zig When They Zag”: Macquarie's Customer-Centric Revolution 37:17

1
Ep. 235: Jon Freier | From Near Death to NPS Disrupter: T-Mobile’s Journey to Customer Leadership 35:34

1
Ep. 234: Naiara De León & Madison Dyal Anderson | All Customers Just Want to Belong: What Defines an Inclusive Retail Experience? 32:17

1
Ep. 233: Eckhart Boehme | Uncovering Hidden Customer Needs: The Power of Jobs to Be Done 33:48

1
Ep. 232: Matt Harris | When AI Shifts the Balance of Power to Consumers: Preparing for a New Business Reality 29:37

1
Ep. 231: Fred Reichheld | Unleashing Earned Growth: The Referral Spectrum 35:40

1
Ep. 230: Tim Pernetti | A New Playbook: Reinventing the IMG Academy Experience 38:11

1
Ep. 229: Stan Swinton | Redefining Customer Centricity: What is the NPSx Framework? 24:23

1
Ep. 228: Tony Ezell | Sustaining Success: How Customer Loyalty Drives Organizational Stability 28:03

1
Ep. 227: Richard Watts | “Would You Do That to Your Mum?” The Simple and Powerful CX Litmus Test 34:39

1
Ep. 226: Ruth Veloria | Purpose-Driven Progress: Helping University of Phoenix Students Succeed 31:44

1
Ep. 225: Jason Barro | Trapped: The Hidden Forces Behind Counterintuitive NPS Results 33:32

1
Ep. 224: Conny Kalcher | Stackable Strategies: Adapting an Iconic Toymaker’s Customer-Centricity to Zurich Insurance 36:44

1
Ep. 223: Mark Slatin | The Trust Equation: How to Build Intimate Customer Relationships 32:05

1
Ep. 222: Fred Reichheld | Measuring Customer Loyalty: The Journey from Retention to Net Promoter to Earned Growth 34:34

1
Ep. 221: Dr. Adrienne Boissy | Healthcare’s Empathy Factor: Capturing Real Patient Experiences 28:15

1
Ep. 220: Peter Gries | Nourishing Business Diversity: A Look into METRO’s Customer-Centric Evolution 32:37