DCX Links | May 18, 2025
Want Better CX? Start by Being Honest About What’s Not Working
Welcome to the DCX weekly roundup of customer experience insights!
In a world chasing shiny tools and AI everything, this week's CX roundup is a rallying cry for depth over dazzle. From broken backend systems and tone-deaf error messages to misused data and misaligned priorities, the message is clear: tech won’t fix what your foundation won’t support.
True customer experience leaders are skipping the hype and focusing on what really works — empathetic design, clean data, accessible interactions, and fearless leadership. These articles strip back the buzzwords and deliver what CX pros really need: practical insights that respect the human at the heart of the journey.
If you're ready to ditch performative CX for the kind that actually performs — you're in the right place.
Let’s dig in.
-Mark
This week’s must-read links:
AI Won’t Save Your CX If Your System’s Still Broken
Don’t Be a Silly Sausage: Write Better Error Messages
Data Governance... Without The Headache
Let Them Think What They Want — You’ve Got CX To Lead
Talk to Me Like You Mean It: Real-Time AI Translation for CX
What’s Shaping Digital CX in 2025 (and What You Should Steal From It)
AI Won’t Save Your CX If Your System’s Still Broken
Beauty and fashion brands are racing to add AI to their CX stack — but here’s the problem: most are just layering it on top of old systems that weren’t built for it. The result? Faster failure. Not better experiences.
Why this matters:
If your customer support still runs on a ticketing system that treats people like problems, AI won’t help. It’ll just make the same clunky experience happen quicker (and sound more robotic).
Customers aren’t fooled:
Gartner says 64% of customers would rather not deal with AI at all. Not because they hate tech — because they’ve seen how poorly it’s been rolled out. When bots are impersonal, repetitive, or clueless, trust takes a hit.
So what actually works?
The brands doing it right are using AI to:
Keep convos going across channels — no more “What’s your order number again?”
Take real action — not just repeat help docs
Show agents the full customer picture so they’re not flying blind
For CX teams:
This is a blueprint. Customer-centered AI isn't about shiny tools — it’s about giving your team context, giving your customers continuity, and giving both a reason to come back.
Mic drop line:
Customer experience isn’t dead. But the old way of doing it? Toast.
🔗 For all the details→ Source:
Don’t Be a Silly Sausage: Write Better Error Messages
The missed opportunity: Error messages are often the last thing anyone thinks about when designing a product. But as Amy Hupe points out, they’re also the moments when users are most vulnerable — confused, frustrated, and just trying to get things done.
Why it matters for CX: If your product throws a generic "Something went wrong" when a payment fails, you’re not just being unhelpful — you’re eroding trust. The way you handle failure says more about your brand than the polished "happy path" ever will.
How to make them better:
Audit the friction. Start by mapping out all the ways things can break — form fields, search errors, timeouts, outages.
Talk like a human. Say it out loud. If it sounds like something a robot would say, rewrite it.
Ditch the whimsy. Now's not the time for clever metaphors or cutesy robots. Treat users with empathy.
Be clear and active. Own the message. "We couldn't process your card" is better than "Payment failed."
Give a path forward. Always offer the next step, whether it's reattaching a file or calling support.
Favorite example: Monzo gets it right. Instead of blocking users with a 404-style error, they say: "You'll need your phone for that" and offer a QR code + action button. No drama. Just next steps.
Pro tip for CX pros: Every friction point is an opportunity to reinforce trust. Don’t let a missing period in an email address cost you a customer.
About the author: Amy Hupe is a UX content strategist who cares deeply about writing that makes digital products better. Her guide is a must-read if you want your CX to feel as good when things go wrong as it does when everything goes right.
🔗 Learn more→ Source
Data Governance... Without The Headache
Most data governance frameworks feel like they were built by people who’ve never actually used data. Atlan flips the script with a refreshingly simple (and useful) guide that actually helps teams get sh*t done.
Why CX pros should care:
If your customer insights are based on messy, unreliable, or inaccessible data… you’re flying blind. Governance isn’t about locking things down — it’s about unlocking trust, clarity, and speed.
What makes this framework different:
Atlan ditches the gatekeeper vibe and leans into collaboration. Instead of slowing teams down with red tape, this framework helps you create guardrails that actually make it easier to work with data.
What to include (without the bloat):
People: Who owns it? Who uses it? Spell it out.
Process: Define how data flows, how it’s updated, and who checks the quality.
Tech: Use tools to automate the boring stuff — access, lineage, documentation.
Culture: Build trust. Share freely. Keep it human.
CX lens:
If you want better customer journeys, cleaner personalization, smarter AI — it all depends on clean, well-governed data. This isn’t “IT stuff.” It’s your stuff.
🔗 Learn more→ Source
Let Them Think What They Want — You’ve Got CX To Lead
🎙️ Mel Robbins just dropped a truth bomb that hits especially hard for anyone in a leadership role: the biggest thing holding you back? Worrying what other people think.
Why it matters:
If you're constantly second-guessing your decisions because of what your boss, peers, or customers might say… you're not leading. You're performing. And that’s draining.
What to do instead:
Mel’s Let Them Theory is a two-part reframe that’ll change how you show up at work (and in life):
Let them. Let them think what they think. You’ll never control it anyway.
Let me. Let me focus on what I can control — my actions, my mindset, and how I handle what’s hard.
CX takeaway:
You’re probably juggling five agendas, two fire drills, and a dozen conflicting opinions. You can’t make everyone happy. But you can stay grounded.
Your Power Is in “Let Me”
Let me present the data with clarity and confidence.
Let me build cross-functional relationships grounded in trust and mutual goals.
Let me model what customer obsession looks like in action—even when it's inconvenient.
Next time you’re about to play small to keep the peace? Try asking:
What would I do if I wasn’t afraid of being misunderstood?
Then do that.
Bottom line:
Let them doubt. Let them complain. Let them talk.
You? You’ve got a customer to fight for.
📚 Mel Robbins is the bestselling author of The Let Them Theory and host of The Mel Robbins Podcast.
Talk to Me Like You Mean It: Real-Time AI Translation for CX
Here’s the breakthrough: OneMeta’s VerbumCall lets people have a natural, live conversation — even if they don’t speak the same language. It translates both sides in real time, across over 100 languages. No delays. No awkward pauses. No more “Sorry, I don’t speak...” moments.
Why CX leaders should care: We talk a lot about accessibility, but this is the real deal. Whether you're supporting international customers, multilingual households, or non-native speakers, language barriers quietly kill trust. VerbumCall tears them down.
How it works:
Two people talk. Each hears the other in their own language.
The original voice is still there, just overlaid with a real-time translation.
It supports accents, dialects, and nuances that make conversations human.
What it unlocks:
A support agent in New York can help a customer in Tokyo without a translator.
Sales calls feel personal, not mechanical.
Agents become instant polyglots — no extra training needed.
The bigger picture: We’ve been building CX systems around what customers can do. This flips it. It meets them where they are, in their language. That’s not just more inclusive — it’s better business.
Your next move: If you serve a global audience, this is worth watching. VerbumCall might be the edge that turns a frustrating call into a lifelong customer.
🔗 Learn more→ Source
What’s Shaping Digital CX in 2025 (and What You Should Steal From It)
The big idea: Publicis Sapient unpacks the trends driving digital customer experience in 2025 — and it’s not about the flashiest tech. It’s about doing the basics better, faster, and with a whole lot more empathy.
Top trends worth watching:
Frictionless everything: Customers want speed and ease, but also transparency. Instant decisions without black boxes.
Personalization that respects boundaries: Yes, people want relevance. No, they don’t want to feel watched.
AI as an assistant, not a wall: The best brands use AI to support humans — not replace them.
Composable tech stacks: Ditch the monoliths. Modular platforms help teams adapt faster and build smarter.
Data with purpose: It’s not just about collecting data. It’s about making it useful in real time for better decisions.
Why this hits home for CX pros: It’s easy to chase shiny objects. But great CX still comes down to clarity, connection, and making it feel like you see the customer. These trends are a reminder to build systems around people, not process.
One thing to try: Audit your tech and team through this lens: Are we making the customer’s life easier — or just checking boxes?
🔗 Learn more→ Publicis Sapient report on 2025 Digital CX Trends
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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