What do a superhero named Captain Rochester, a bold business trip to Brazil, and AI-powered sales have in common? Lacey sits down with Colin Strother, Executive Vice President at Rochester Electronics, to explore how a human-first approach is transforming digital transformation. Colin shares his leadership philosophy around shifting from traditional B2B to P2P — person-to-person — emphasizing the power of authentic customer relationships in a global, tech-driven landscape. From AI agents and gui...
Jul 02, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 86
CitizenM’s CXO, CDO, and CPO (yes… all three!), Casper Overbeek, joins Lacey to reveal how one of the world’s most innovative hotel brands uses technology to empower people — not replace them. From launching a wildly successful paid loyalty program to redesigning customer journeys with AI and real-time feedback, Casper shares how CitizenM is redefining modern hospitality. Plus, he talks about their recent acquisition by Marriott, how a Slack-integrated feedback loop transformed their ops, and th...
Jun 25, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 85
What happens to marketing when AI controls the entire purchase funnel? Steven Van Belleghem, global CX thought leader, keynote speaker, and author, joins us to unpack how AI isn’t just changing workflows, it’s rapidly transforming customer decision-making itself. Uncover how customer expectations are shifting, how brands can prepare for AI-powered shopping assistants, and why the brands of the future must be search-visible, review-backed, and emotionally resonant. Steven warns that most companie...
Jun 18, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 84
Think cybersecurity is just an IT issue? Think again. Eden Data founder & CEO, Taylor Hersom, joins us to expose how security is no longer just about avoiding breaches — it's a powerful tool for building customer trust, boosting sales, and standing out in a crowded market. He shares why smart companies are making cybersecurity part of the brand conversation and how marketing and CX leaders can leverage security to win hearts (and wallets). We also dig into the uncomfortable truth that most d...
Jun 11, 2025•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 83
What if the secret to standout marketing wasn’t found in a campaign, but in a customer service moment? Lacey Peace sits down with Geoff Ramm — international keynote speaker and author of Celebrity Service — to explore how the best marketing tomorrow starts with exceptional service today. From Jedi-costumed taxi drivers to viral hospitality wins, Geoff shares real-world stories that reveal how unexpected, personalized touches can elevate a brand beyond "five-star service" into unforgettable. But ...
Jun 04, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 82
Is your customer experience too easy ? According to Dr. Joseph Michelli — psychologist, author of 13 books, and consultant to brands like Starbucks, Mercedes-Benz, and Ritz-Carlton — that could actually be the problem . Dr. Joseph Michelli joins Lacey to dismantle the myth of “effortless” CX and make the bold claim: CX might not survive unless we get a lot more human… and a little more emotional. Want your customers to care ? They need to struggle (just a little). Want your team to win with AI? ...
May 28, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 81
“Brand is the promise, the experience is the reality.” This week, Lacey Peace sits down with Abhii Parakh, Head of Customer Experience at Prudential Financial, to unpack exactly how the 150 year old legacy brand created a scalable culture of empathy, innovation, and action. From defining what CX really means to implementing belief-driven rituals and artifacts, Abhii shares a behind-the-scenes look at Prudential’s remarkable shift. You’ll hear how Prudential turned feedback from a single paper-fa...
May 21, 2025•59 min•Ep. 80
What happens when a marketing leader decides to halt 90% of content output? For Ben Taylor, Director of Revenue Marketing and Customer Journeys at Cisco, it wasn’t a gamble—it was a strategy. In this refreshingly candid episode, Ben makes the case that content marketing is (and should be) dead and explains how empathy mapping, design thinking, and intentional "awkward silence" amongst his marketing & CX teams have become his new north star. We dive into how Ben transformed Cisco’s approach t...
May 14, 2025•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 79
What does it really take to build an AI-powered customer experience from the ground up? Lacey Peace sits down with Katie Bianchi, Chief Customer Officer at Palo Alto Networks, to unpack how her team rebuilt support systems for the AI era — eliminating handoffs, reducing resolution time by over 40%, and transforming how their teams work. Katie walks through their phased AI implementation strategy, from data unification and process re-architecture to training internal copilots capable of diagnosin...
May 07, 2025•51 min•Ep. 78
This episode’s a little different — and kind of emotional. Lauren Wood, our incredible host since day one, is passing the mic to the amazing Lacey Peace. Before she signs off, Lauren reflects on the wild ride: 75+ episodes, millions of downloads, and countless insights about CX, AI, and leadership. Lacey, who’s helped produce over 35 shows and reach 45+ million listeners as part of the Mission.org team, shares what drew her to the show (hint: she’s a storytelling nerd in the best way) and what s...
Apr 23, 2025•25 min•Ep. 77
Another Agentforce Guinea Pig has joined the show… She’s here to tell you if you think rolling out AI is as easy as flipping a switch, think again. From early mistakes to surprising wins, Laura Meschi, Customer Experience Manager at Secret Escapes, walks us through what it actually takes to train an AI agent that can truly support customers. We dive into why ROI isn't the best measure of AI success, how customer effort scores skyrocketed after launching Agent Force, and why CX leaders need to st...
Apr 16, 2025•41 min•Ep. 76
Agentic AI isn’t coming — it’s here and already changing everything. Irina Gutman, Global Leader of AI Professional Services at Salesforce, breaks down what agentic AI really is and why it’s a huge leap beyond predictive and generative AI. We get into why your first AI agent should be boring (and repeatable), and why building the tech is easy compared to rewiring your people, processes, and leadership models. Irina shares why businesses need strong guardrails, real operating models, and why AI a...
Apr 09, 2025•54 min•Ep. 75
Consequence scanning. Data organization. Tech translation… Oh my! This week, Kerry Bodine — CX consultant to name brand fortune 500 companies, founder of Bodine & Co. and co-author of Outside In — joins us to explore the seismic shifts AI is bringing to the world of CS. Forget what you think you know about customer service; Kerry reveals why it's all about understanding customer emotions, perceptions, and the entire customer journey. We tackle the tough questions: How do we balance innovatio...
Apr 02, 2025•37 min•Ep. 74
In this special panel-style episode, Agentforce expert and Senior Vice President of Digital Success at Salesforce, Bernard Slowey, is interviewed by Lauren Wood and guest host Stephanie Postles. This is your inside look at Salesforce’s rapid deployment of its revolutionary AI agent, what this means for the digital workforce revolution, and how ANY company can create a customizable, empathetic digital employee. (With no code, just natural-language prompting.) Bernard shares firsthand accounts of ...
Mar 24, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 73
Customer success is at a crossroads. Is it a revenue engine or just post-sales support? Is it a strategic function or a catch-all for everything customer-related? Lauren sits down with Marybeth D’Souza, Principal at Deloitte Consulting, to tackle the identity crisis facing customer success today. With years of experience leading CS at Salesforce and now shaping its future at Deloitte, Marybeth shares groundbreaking insights from research with 35 top companies on where the best teams are investin...
Mar 19, 2025•45 min•Ep. 72
Every company claims to be “customer-obsessed”. Most are obsessed with their own internal metrics, not their customers. Kevan Yalowitz, Senior Managing Director at Accenture, explains why true customer obsession is rare, why AI won’t magically fix bad CX, and how scaling businesses slowly lose touch with the people they serve. We’re talking AI growing pains, internal silos, and the corporate illusion of putting customers first. Spoiler: If your “customer obsession” doesn’t actually involve liste...
Mar 12, 2025•48 min•Ep. 71
You know when a company brags about its “great culture,” but the employees look dead inside? That’s because culture isn’t what leaders say it is — it’s what customers feel. In this episode, Mark Rampolla, founder of ZICO Coconut Water and managing partner at Ground Force Capital, tells us how culture quietly shapes every customer interaction. From Liquid Death’s branding genius to why “culture fit” hiring is a terrible idea, Mark breaks down what it really takes to build a company people actuall...
Mar 05, 2025•45 min•Ep. 70
Wildfires, floods, total loss — what happens when disaster strikes and people need help navigating the chaos? Gavin Blair, COO of Bright Harbor and former CX leader at Lemonade, joins Lauren Wood to break down why disaster recovery is failing the empathy test — and what needs to change. From the California wildfires to the broken insurance system, Gavin reveals how frontline teams can rebuild trust in the moments that matter most. This conversation covers why insurance is so difficult to navigat...
Feb 26, 2025•46 min•Ep. 69
You’re either building trust or breaking it — which one are you doing? Customer experience isn’t just about service. It’s about trust. And most companies are getting it wrong. In this episode, Lauren Wood sits down with Michael Maoz, Senior VP of Innovation Strategy at Salesforce, to reveal what really drives customer loyalty — and why most brands sabotage themselves without even realizing it. The conversation dives into when technology enhances customer relationships versus when it erodes trust...
Feb 19, 2025•58 min•Ep. 68
Most brands are doing CX wrong—and it’s costing them. The secret to getting it right? It’s not just about data, and it’s not just about empathy—it’s about both. In this episode, Lauren Wood sits down with Stacy Sherman, CX expert, author, and host of Doing CX Right, to break down her ‘Heart and Science’ framework. With 25 years of experience leading CX for major brands, Stacy shares the real impact of emotional intelligence, AI, and cross-functional collaboration in creating customer experiences...
Feb 12, 2025•52 min•Ep. 67
Government services don’t have to suck. (And no, robots aren’t taking over… yet.) This week, host Lauren Wood sits down with Mike Raker, CTO of Maximus, to crack the code on using AI and machine learning to fix customer experience nightmares — even in the most bureaucratic corners of government. Mike shares exactly why listening beats tech obsession every time, how to balance innovation with red tape, and why “Total Experience Management” is the secret sauce you’ve been missing. They also tackle...
Feb 05, 2025•41 min•Ep. 66
What does it take to deliver unforgettable guest experiences at scale? Shannon McCallum, VP of Hotel Operations at Resorts World Las Vegas, shares her incredible journey from a high school hospitality job to leading one of the most iconic destinations in the industry. In this episode, Shannon breaks down how her team leverages technology like mobile check-in and AI while maintaining the personal touch that builds loyalty. She also dives into why empowering teams, fostering employee engagement, a...
Jan 29, 2025•48 min•Ep. 65
There’s nothing more frustrating than feeling misunderstood, undervalued, or out of place in a doctor’s office. That’s exactly why Northwell Health has set a new standard for both physician and patient experience. Alyssa Scully, Assistant Vice President of Operations at Northwell Health, shares exactly how her team is transforming provider and patient experience, and their methods might surprise you… From hyperpersonalized physician referrals to patient care plans designed to bring you more fulf...
Jan 22, 2025•43 min•Ep. 64
Can a focus on customer experience really drive business success? On this episode, Steve Martocci, the visionary behind SUPCO and Splice, shares why he believes prioritizing user needs leads to groundbreaking innovations and a loyal customer base. Plus, he describes the process to capture attention, build interest, and drive action by truly understanding your users. Tune in to learn: (0:00) Intro (1:37) Customer Experience as a Competitive Differentiator (3:01) Building Products for Yourself (6:...
Jan 15, 2025•50 min•Ep. 63
Are traditional metrics like ROI failing to capture the true value of experience? Sujay Saha, President of Acquis Cortico-X, challenges the status quo and argues for a new framework: return on experience. He explains why focusing solely on monetary returns can be detrimental and how a broader perspective can lead to sustainable success. Plus, Sujay debunks common myths surrounding AI in the workplace and discusses how to approach digital transformation with a values-driven mindset. Tune in to le...
Jan 08, 2025•49 min•Ep. 62
“Limitless.” That’s how Kishan Chetan, the Executive VP and GM of Salesforce Service Cloud, describes the future of AI in customer service. Kishan Chetan explains why customer experience has evolved from deflecting customer interaction and how state-of-the-art tools like Agentforce are the key to providing proactive customer engagement, meaningful connection for employees and customers alike, and equitable accessibility for every type of customer. Whether you’re searching for that hidden, game-c...
Dec 18, 2024•45 min•Ep. 61
Is the commoditization of technology ruining the customer experience? Can Artificial Intelligence be characterized as “Affectionate Intelligence” if it’s designed to respect a consumer’s boundaries? Louis Giagrande, CMO of LG Electronics USA, dives into these hot topics as he discusses the challenges of maintaining brand value in a market flooded with cheap alternatives. Plus, he explains what companies can do to stand out and how LG is breaking down silos and fostering collaboration to enhance ...
Dec 11, 2024•45 min•Ep. 60
Mazda is redefining customer experience by putting humans at the center of everything it does. On this episode, Brad Audet, CMO of Mazda Americas, shares insights on how emotional connections and personalized experiences can drive brand loyalty and business success. Plus, he explores the importance of human connection in business and how it can transform customer experiences. Tune in to hear about: Customer Experience as a Competitive Differentiator Omotenashi: The Concept of Radical Hospitality...
Dec 04, 2024•43 min•Ep. 59
Is your company truly listening to its customers, or are you just paying lip service? On this episode, Michelle Engel, Chief Product Officer at UserTesting, challenges the status quo of customer feedback and discusses the pitfalls of ignoring customer insights. She shares key strategies that top brands use to ensure their offerings resonate with real users and explains the transformative power of truly understanding your audience. Tune in to learn: How integrating human insights can transform cu...
Nov 27, 2024•48 min•Ep. 58
Want to navigate the complexities of digital transformation successfully? In this episode, Jonathan Murray, the Chief Strategy Officer at Mod Op and co-author of Getting Digital Done , outlines a step-by-step approach to integrating AI into your customer experience strategy. He explains how to build a solid data foundation and establish governance principles that will set your organization up for success. Plus, Jonathan and Lauren discuss the disconnect between leadership and customer needs, and...
Nov 20, 2024•52 min•Ep. 57
