DCX Links | July 6, 2025
The Best Customer Experiences Feel Like Magic (But Aren’t)
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You know the feeling—when a brand totally gets you, or totally blows it.
Maybe it’s the chatbot that won’t let you talk to a human. Or a company that refunds you before you even complain. That stuff sticks. Because CX isn’t just about solving problems anymore—it’s about how those moments feel.
This week, we’re diving into exactly that: when to explain and when to empathize, how AI can either build trust or break it, and why some brands quietly make things harder on purpose. These stories aren’t just interesting—they’re a playbook for anyone trying to get CX right in 2025.
-Mark
This week’s must-read links:
Mad or Sad? Here’s How to Respond Without Making It Worse
Verizon’s New AI Fixes CX Issues Before You Even Complain
Sludge Is the Strategy—Not the Accident
Hertz’s AI Scanner Might Nail You for a One-Inch Scratch
How Designers Stay Valuable When AI’s Doing the Heavy Lifting
AI That Diagnoses Like a Doctor (Only Better)
Mad or Sad? Here’s How to Respond Without Making It Worse
Not all complaints are created equal—and neither should your replies be. A massive study of 472,995 angry Facebook posts from 89 major brand communities reveals a simple, science-backed rule: if they’re mad, explain. If they’re sad, empathize.
Why it matters:
Say the wrong thing, and things blow up fast.
Researchers found that responding to angry complaints with clear explanations reduced post virality by up to 11%.
For disappointed or sad complaints, empathy worked better—people just want to feel heard.
This data came from a joint study by KEDGE Business School, Babson College, and others, published in Journal of Marketing.
Real-world CX tip:
Don’t copy-paste apologies.
If a customer sounds furious, stay calm and explain what’s going on.
If they sound let down or bummed, acknowledge the emotion first—then offer a solution.
In a back-and-forth? Alternate between empathy and logic to keep the conversation feeling fresh.
What the good brands already know:
Tone is everything.
JetBlue, Spotify, and Coca-Cola shine by replying fast and matching the customer’s vibe.
A dash of humor (used carefully) can disarm even the rudest rants.
And always swap “Sorry for the delay” for “Thanks for your patience”—it just lands better.
The CX To-Do:
Train your team to read the emotional tone, not just the text. Your next brand crisis might just be one bad reply away.
🔗 Read the article → Science Says
Verizon’s New AI Fixes CX Issues Before You Even Complain
Verizon’s giving its customer experience a serious AI glow-up—and it’s not just better chatbots. They’re building tools that solve problems before customers even notice them, combining tech and human support in a way most brands only talk about.
Why it matters:
They’re done waiting for customers to call.
Lost phone return? Their AI flags it and issues a credit—no phone call, no form, no frustration.
Every customer call gets transcribed, analyzed, and summarized by 11am the next day—giving execs a real-time pulse on what’s going wrong.
The idea: fix pain points at scale before they become complaints.
What’s actually smart:
They didn’t just add AI—they added access.
While other carriers shut down stores, Verizon opened 400 more.
They’ve extended live agent hours and added 24/7 chat support.
You can still talk to a human—but the AI assistant is smart enough to answer “Why did my bill go up?” in plain English.
For CX pros:
This is what a hybrid future looks like.
AI isn’t replacing support—it’s upgrading it with context, speed, and zero handoffs.
Verizon built “small language models” to personalize responses instead of throwing you a generic script.
Their bet? That customers will prefer AI for simple stuff if it just works better.
The CX To-Do:
Stop thinking of AI as a cost-saver. Start using it to fix things before your customers even have to ask.
🔗 Read the article → Newsweek
Sludge Is the Strategy—Not the Accident
You’re not imagining it. The long holds, the call transfers, the dropped connections, the robotic “I understand your frustration” lines? They’re not bugs in the system. They are the system.
In The Atlantic, Chris Colin shares his 108-day odyssey with Ford customer service after his car’s steering failed. Spoiler: it ends not with justice, but a whimper, a check, and a handshake. But the story isn’t really about Ford—it’s about all of us drowning in sludge: the slow, soul-crushing friction companies use to wear you down until you give up.
Why it matters:
Chris’ assertion is that Sludge isn’t failure—it’s design.
It’s cheaper to frustrate you than fix the issue.
Agents are trained not to escalate. Reps get punished for helping too much.
One call center expert flat out said: “The true purpose of customer service is often to defeat the customer.”
And you’ve felt it:
Trying to cancel a subscription. Contest a bill. Reach a human.
You’re not crazy—you’re in an abusive relationship with the systems we’ve built.
CEOs want growth, not loyalty. So sludge becomes a “cost center optimization.”
The result? Customers say “F it,” companies save money, and trust quietly dies.
CX leaders, let’s talk:
If you're in CX and this article makes you squirm… good.
Sludge is profitable. But it’s short-sighted.
Every friction point you don’t remove sends the message: your time doesn’t matter.
Want to build real brand love? Design for effortlessness—not attrition.
The CX To-Do:
Go hunt for sludge. Burn it. Then make it your mission to never be the villain in someone’s next customer service horror story.
🔗 Read the article → The Atlantic
Hertz’s AI Scanner Might Nail You for a One-Inch Scratch
Hertz is rolling out AI-powered vehicle inspection tech to speed up check-ins and reduce disputes—but some customers say it’s doing the opposite.
The new system, created with Israeli firm UVeye, uses advanced cameras and machine learning to scan rentals for damage before and after each use. It’s already live at the Atlanta airport, with plans to expand to 100 locations by year’s end. But a report from The Drive suggests it may leave renters with surprise bills—and little recourse.
Why it matters:
When automation skips empathy, trust erodes fast.
One renter was charged $440 for a 1-inch wheel scuff—$250 for the repair, $125 for processing, and $65 in admin fees.
Disputing the charge was harder than it should be. The chatbot wouldn’t escalate to a human, and the review window exceeded the payment deadline.
While Hertz claims AI boosts transparency, it risks shifting the burden (and the bill) onto confused customers.
CX red flag:
Just because it’s “automated” doesn’t mean it’s fair.
The process appears to prioritize speed and cost recovery over support and clarity.
Lack of visible dispute options erodes confidence in the system.
Even offering discounts for fast payment feels more punitive than transparent.
The CX To-Do:
If you're adding AI to detect damage, don’t forget the human layer to repair trust.
🔗 Learn more→ Source
How Designers Stay Valuable When AI’s Doing the Heavy Lifting
AI is moving fast—automating mockups, cranking out ideas, and crunching user data like never before. But according to top product thinkers, that doesn’t mean designers are getting replaced. It means the real value of design is finally coming into focus.
Sara Paul, Experience Specialist at Nielsen Norman Group, rounded up seven of the smartest minds in product and UX—including Melissa Perri, Nir Eyal, Josh Seiden, Teresa Torres, and more—who all said the same thing: the future belongs to designers who think bigger, ask better questions, and stay human.
Why it matters:
AI can ship features, but it can’t shape vision.
Design isn’t just making things look good—it’s knowing what should get built in the first place.
AI might spot patterns, but it takes a person to know which ones actually matter.
If you’re stuck just polishing UIs, you’re replaceable. But if you’re guiding decisions? You’re golden.
Go beyond the pixels:
Design strategy is the new job security.
Josh Seiden says: Don’t get stuck in the “make it pretty” box—break out and lead.
Map full user journeys. Spot friction. Think like a service designer.
Focus on the big picture—how all the moving parts come together.
Double down on what makes you human:
Storytelling beats stats.
Melissa Perri’s advice: Tell people why your design matters to the business.
Nir Eyal says: The best designers speak psychology, not just design-speak.
Laura Klein reminds us: Treat your teammates like customers—understand what drives them.
The CX To-Do:
Use AI to move faster, sure—but your edge is thinking smarter.
🔗 Read the article → NNG
AI That Diagnoses Like a Doctor (Only Better)
Microsoft just built an AI system that beats doctors at solving tough medical cases—and does it faster, cheaper, and more accurately. It’s a technical breakthrough, yes—but also a glimpse into what the future of patient experience could look like.
Why it matters:
AI could reshape the front lines of healthcare CX.
Microsoft’s MAI-DxO nailed 85% of the hardest NEJM cases—more than 4x better than experienced doctors.
It doesn’t guess. It works step-by-step: asking smart questions, ordering the right tests, and thinking critically before making a call.
That’s not just good medicine—it’s great experience design.
From symptom to solution—faster:
No more dead ends, delays, or medical maybes.
Imagine skipping the “wait and see” cycle. Instead, an AI-powered assistant helps triage, test, and recommend—on your phone or in your provider’s app.
Fewer unnecessary appointments. Smarter specialist referrals. Clearer answers, sooner.
For patients, this could mean less stress, lower bills, and a faster path to getting better.
What it means for CX pros in healthcare:
This isn’t about replacing care—it’s about upgrading it.
MAI-DxO shows how AI can support humans: helping nurses, support staff, and even chatbots give more accurate guidance.
You can build AI journeys that actually feel helpful—not robotic.
Think: AI triage + real empathy = trust at scale.
The CX To-Do:
Start planning for AI that does more than route calls—start thinking diagnosis, context, and care.
🔗 Read the article → Microsoft
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? Hit me up whether it’s a CX challenge, strategy question, or team issue—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. I can’t wait to hear from you!
— Mark
www.marklevy.co
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