Welcome to the roundup of customer experience insights!
This week’s insights reveal a hard truth: CX isn’t just evolving—it’s accelerating.
Customers no longer tolerate friction, and brands that rely on old playbooks are watching their relevance slip away.
The real winners?
Companies that anticipate needs, remove obstacles, and weave CX into every touchpoint—before the customer even realizes they need it.
In this edition of DCX Links, I unpack the strategies that separate leaders from laggards:
AI stepping in to eliminate tedious tasks, digital-first experiences that set the new standard, and the psychology behind defaults that drive conversions.
But beyond technology, I explore something deeper—how CX leaders can build influence, rally entire organizations, and turn bold ideas into action.
The real question: Are you designing the future of customer experience, or are you waiting for others to define it for you?
Happy reading—and stay curious, DCXers!
-Mark
This week’s must-read links:
Where the CX focus is in 2025
How Cisco is Turning Customer Needs into Customer Wins
CVS’ Frustration Fix
Google’s AI Now Makes Calls So You Don’t Have To
Set It and Convert: The Power of Opinionated Defaults
How to Spot Solutions Others Miss
Where the CX focus is in 2025
TELUS Digital and Statista’s latest research spells it out: if your customer experience isn’t digital-first by 2025, you’re falling behind. Customers expect fast, seamless, and personalized interactions across all channels—and it’s up to you to deliver.
Why this matters:
Customers expect more: They want personalized, frictionless experiences on their terms.
Competition is fierce: Brands investing in digital CX are pulling ahead.
Tech is the game-changer: AI, automation, and predictive tools are essential.
Top 2025 trends you can’t ignore:
Personalization: Use data to predict what customers need before they ask.
Omnichannel journeys: Make switching between devices effortless.
Proactive CX: Solve issues before they happen.
AI-powered support: Speed up resolutions and free up your team for big-picture work.
Sustainability: Customers love brands that share their values—so make it part of your story.
Bottom line: Digital-first CX isn’t optional anymore. Start closing your gaps now so you can deliver not just good experiences, but great ones. Ready to lead the charge?
How Cisco is Turning Customer Needs into Customer Wins
The Big Idea: Cisco’s EVP and Chief Customer Experience Officer, Liz Centoni, gets it—great CX isn’t just about reacting to problems. It’s about understanding customers so well that you can anticipate what they need before they even ask.
Why it matters: Customers don’t care about your internal structure. They just want things to work seamlessly. If you’re making them jump through hoops to get support, you’re doing it wrong.
How Cisco nails it:
Keep the focus on customer goals. Cisco makes sure sales, CX, and product teams are on the same page with detailed account plans that revolve around what the customer actually wants to achieve.
Let AI do the heavy lifting. With 1.6 million support cases a year, Cisco leans on AI and machine learning to solve problems before customers even know they exist.
Tear down those silos. Centoni’s team doesn’t just support products—they help shape them by working hand-in-hand with product teams from the start.
CX pros, take note: If you’re waiting for customers to tell you what’s wrong, you’re already behind. Get ahead by predicting needs, personalizing interactions, and making CX an invisible (but powerful) part of the entire experience.
Unlock Influence That Inspires Action
For CX professionals who lead, manage, or simply want to be heard—this is your playbook for building unshakable influence.
CVS’ Frustration Fix
CVS is testing a new app feature that lets customers unlock those annoying locked cabinets using their smartphones. No more hunting down an employee just to grab a razor.
Why It Matters: Locked cabinets are a major hassle. They slow down shopping, frustrate customers, and sometimes even push people to shop elsewhere. CVS wants to eliminate that friction and make shopping smoother.
How It Works:
Tap, Not Track: Shoppers log into the CVS Health app, connect to the store’s Wi-Fi, enable Bluetooth, and—if they’re part of the CVS loyalty program—unlock cabinets with a tap.
More Than Just Locks: The app is also getting a boost with AI-powered search and a chatbot for managing prescriptions, making the entire experience more personalized and efficient.
What CX Pros Can Learn: Friction kills experience. CVS is using tech to remove an everyday annoyance, which is exactly what every CX leader should be thinking about. The key takeaway? Find those small, frustrating moments in your customer journey and eliminate them before they push customers away.
NEW from DCX: Get Every Department Onboard with Customer-Centricity
Want to build a true customer-first culture? The CX Leader’s Guide to Organizational Buy-In is your blueprint for getting every department—whether it’s customer service, sales, product, tech, finance, or HR—aligned with customer-centric practices.
Packed with actionable strategies, this guide shows how aligning team goals with customer needs drives real, measurable success. No fluff, no filler—just proven tips to get everyone on the same page. If you’re ready to turn theory into practice, this is the roadmap you’ve been waiting for.
Google’s AI Now Makes Calls So You Don’t Have To
The End of Awkward Calls? Google is testing a new AI feature called "Ask for Me" that will call local businesses for you. No more waiting on hold—just let the AI do the work.
Why This Changes the Game Making phone calls is a hassle. Whether it’s booking a nail appointment or checking car repair prices, Google wants to take that burden off your plate.
How It Works:
Tap and Request: When searching for a service, you might see an "Ask for Me" option. Tap it, answer a few questions about your request, and let Google handle the rest.
AI Does the Talking: The AI will call the business, introduce itself as an automated assistant, and gather the info you need—pricing, availability, and more. You’ll get the details via email or phone.
What CX Pros Should Take Note Of AI is redefining customer interactions by eliminating friction. If Google is making calls obsolete, what other high-friction touchpoints in your business can be automated for a smoother customer journey?
Set It and Convert: The Power of Opinionated Defaults
The Growth Hack You’re Overlooking Demand Curve’s latest newsletter dives into "opinionated defaults loosely held"—a strategy that nudges users toward optimal decisions while keeping flexibility intact.
Why This Works:
People follow the path of least resistance. A well-chosen default removes decision fatigue and speeds up conversions.
But no one likes feeling trapped—giving users easy ways to change defaults keeps trust intact.
Real-World Example:
Airbnb shows hosts an estimated monthly income when they click "Airbnb your home." It’s based on smart assumptions—location, property type, and availability—sparking curiosity and action.
CX Takeaway: Set defaults that make sense for most users, but make them easy to override. The right balance between guidance and flexibility creates seamless, high-converting experiences.
Source
How to Spot Solutions Others Miss
Break Out of the Same Old Thinking Jason Feifer, editor-in-chief of Entrepreneur magazine, shares a big idea: cognitive entrenchment. It’s when we get stuck using the same solutions over and over—even when better options are right in front of us.
Why This Matters:
We tend to stick to what we know, which means we overlook fresh ideas.
The trick? Challenge yourself to see problems—and solutions—from a new angle.
A Classic Example:
Ever heard of Duncker’s Candle Problem? People struggle to attach a candle to a wall using a box of tacks and matches because they see the box only as a container. Turns out, it makes a great candle holder—if you step back and rethink it.
How to Break Free:
Focus on the goal, not the method. What are you actually trying to achieve? Forget the usual ways of doing it.
Look at your tools differently. What if you used what you already have in a totally new way?
CX Takeaway: The best customer experiences come from shaking up the norm. The next time you hit a roadblock, ask yourself: What’s another way to solve this?
Thank you!
I hope you found value in this week’s links. See you next Sunday at 8:15 am ET!
If this edition sparked ideas, share it with a colleague or team member. Let’s grow the DCX community together!
👋 Please Reach Out
I created this newsletter to help customer-obsessed pros like you deliver exceptional experiences and tackle challenges head-on. But honestly? The best part is connecting with awesome, like-minded people—just like you! 😊
Here’s how you can get involved:
Got feedback? Tell me what’s working, what’s not, or what you’d love to see next.
Stuck on something? Whether it’s a CX challenge, strategy question, or team issue, hit me up—I’m here to help.
Just want to say hi? Seriously, don’t be shy. I’d love to connect, share ideas, or even swap success stories.
Your input keeps this newsletter fresh and valuable. Let’s start a conversation—email me, DM me, or comment anytime. Can’t wait to hear from you!
— Mark
www.marklevy.co
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