DCX Links | October 27, 2024
From leveraging the right kind of friction to boost efficiency to understanding the power of emotions, this week's DCX Links explore the forces shaping customer experiences.
Weekly inspiration, education, and coaching for customer-obsessed leaders.
Welcome to this week's roundup of customer experience insights!
This week’s lineup is all about the human side of customer experience.
These articles show how true CX success starts with people. Whether you're exploring how AI can enhance your team's impact or learning why emotions matter more than you think, it’s all about creating meaningful, memorable experiences that put customers—and employees—first.
Dive in and get inspired to lead with a human touch.
Happy reading, and stay curious!
-Mark
Here are this week’s must-read links:
Embrace the Right Kind of Friction
Corporate's Hitting the Floor
How USAA Is Innovating With GenAI
Forrester’s 2025 CX Predictions
The Three Laws of Human Behavior
Feelings First: Why Emotions Are Your CX Superpower
How to Train Every Department on Customer-Centricity: Make It Real for Them!
A CX Leader’s Guide to Organizational Buy-In is your go-to playbook for building a customer-first culture across your entire organization. It’s packed with strategies to get every department—from customer service to sales, product, tech, finance, and HR—on board with customer-centric practices.
This guide shows how aligning team goals with customer needs drives real business success and gives you practical, no-nonsense tips for making it happen. If you’re serious about getting everyone on the same page, this is your roadmap!
Embrace the Right Kind of Friction
Why it matters: Organizational friction can either grind your team to a halt or propel your company toward success. Bob Sutton’s latest book, The Friction Project, dives into how smart leaders can tell the difference and use friction to their advantage.
Top lessons:
Good vs. Bad Friction:
Not all friction is bad. Sutton argues that while obstacles can slow things down, they’re sometimes necessary to ensure the right things get done. The trick is knowing when friction is constructive (like following regulations) versus when it's just getting in the way (like endless red tape).
For instance, if a process feels smooth and seamless, it’s likely a sign you’re on the right path. But it might be time to rethink if you're hitting a wall—like pushing an untested product out too fast.
Friction Fixers Are Leaders:
Sutton introduces the idea of a "friction fixer"—a leader who actively clears unnecessary obstacles while making it hard for the wrong things to happen. They see themselves as guardians of others' time, ensuring that what should be simple stays simple.
One story he shares: a DMV employee who quickly and respectfully managed a long line, turning what’s usually a headache into a low-friction experience. Small acts of thoughtful leadership like this can have a huge impact.
Two Key Questions for Leaders:
Sutton suggests leaders ask themselves two questions: "Do I know what I'm doing?" and "Is this decision reversible?" If it’s a high-stakes, irreversible call (like firing a CEO or acquiring a company), slow down and tread carefully. But if it’s a low-risk, reversible decision, don’t overthink it—just give it a go.
An example he shares involves IDEO’s David Kelly, who reorganized the company and called it a “reversible prototype,” making it clear that changes could be adjusted, just like his famously shaved-off mustache could grow back.
Why you should care: As a CX leader, knowing how to harness friction can be a game-changer. The right kind of friction ensures that obstacles block the wrong behaviors while making it easier for your team and customers to do the right thing. Sutton’s insights urge leaders to be strategic, knowing when to slow things down and when to accelerate.
👉 Ready to learn more? Check out The Friction Project for deeper insights into turning obstacles into opportunities.
Source: Why ‘friction thinkers’ see hidden opportunities first
Corporate's Hitting the Floor
What's new: Home Depot’s sending all corporate folks—yes, even the big execs—into the stores for an 8-hour shift each quarter, starting Q4 2024. The goal? Get everyone, from remote workers to senior management, to see firsthand what it’s like to be on the frontlines.
Why it matters: It’s all about walking the walk. By getting the corporate team on the store floor, Home Depot wants them to understand what associates and customers face every day. You know it better than anyone: real insights come from real experiences, not just data or reports. Nothing reveals a broken process faster than an actual customer asking, “Hey, where are the garden hoses?”
The upside: This kind of program can make empathy real. When corporate feels the pain of clunky processes or spots a chance to go above and beyond for a customer, it’s a game-changer for improving CX. It’s about bridging that all-too-common gap between what we plan in meetings and what actually happens on the floor.
The challenge: This move could backfire if it’s handled poorly. If corporate folks feel lost, unsupported, or like this is just a box to check, it won’t drive real change. The key is making it meaningful—training, proper prep, and framing it as a learning opportunity are essential.
Zoom out: Home Depot isn’t the only one. DoorDash’s “WeDash” program gets all employees, including engineers and the CEO, out making deliveries to understand the full experience. It’s a solid reminder: seeing the journey firsthand beats any slideshow presentation.
Your move: How can you apply this to your team? Think about ways to get leaders closer to the customer—shadowing, interviews, or even just using your own products. Sometimes, it’s as simple as stepping into your customer's shoes (or, in this case, putting on an orange apron).
Source: Home Depot Asks Corporate Employees to Get Out of Their Offices and Work an 8-Hour Shift in Stores
Related:
"Staying on top of the latest CX trends is tough, especially with how AI is transforming the field. Thankfully, the DCX newsletter does a brilliant job of curating the must-know info.” - Jimmy, CX Leader, Google
How USAA Is Innovating With GenAI
What's happening: USAA is using generative AI (GenAI) to boost internal efficiency and improve the employee experience. To make life easier for their teams, they're rolling out tools like a "Co-Pilot" for service reps and a code-pairing assistant.
Why it matters: For CX pros, this is all about how GenAI can make your team's work faster and better. USAA’s focus right now is internal—they’re making tools that help employees serve members faster and with less hassle. This means less time digging for info and more time actually connecting with customers. It’s like giving service reps their own AI-powered sidekick to make their day-to-day easier.
The big picture: USAA's approach is all about responsible, ethical use of GenAI. They’re starting with internal tools, testing rigorously, and scaling once they’re confident. The MSR Co-Pilot is designed to help reps find answers quicker and automate repetitive tasks—making service smoother without losing the human touch. Eventually, some of these tools might be rolled out directly to members, but not until they’ve proven their value behind the scenes.
Your move: Think about where GenAI could help your team internally. Could your reps benefit from a similar AI “co-pilot” to speed up service or simplify their workload? Start small, keep it internal, and make sure you get it right before scaling up—just like USAA is doing. The goal? Free up your people to spend more time on what really matters: understanding and helping your customers.
Source: How GenAI Helps USAA Innovate
Forrester’s 2025 CX Predictions
Why it matters: The CX world is evolving, and Forrester’s got the insights you need to stay ahead of the curve. Whether you’re trying to boost customer loyalty, make sense of all that data, or figure out where AI fits in, these predictions could give you the edge to stand out.
Here’s some of what Forrester thinks is hot for 2025:
Top insights:
AI Reset: The hype isn’t over, but the approach is changing. Expect a more strategic, long-term focus on ROI, with leaders pushing to balance quick wins with sustained results.
Data Strategy: Still managing separate systems for loyalty and marketing? Not for long. Unifying these data sets is a must if you want to deliver more precise, personalized experiences.
Brand Loyalty Shake-Up: Price sensitivity is driving brand-switching. But loyalty programs? They’re about to get even more vital as consumers look for reliable value.
GenAI and the Contact Center: Automation is ramping up, but don’t expect a full replacement of human agents yet. Savvy companies are balancing AI with human touchpoints to boost service.
Why you should care: 2025 is all about integration. Whether it’s tech stacks, data, or creative services, the brands that connect the pieces and deliver cohesive, personalized experiences are the ones that’ll thrive. Plus, understanding these trends helps you make smarter investments—so you’re not just keeping up, but leading the pack.
Source: For a deeper dive into all the predictions, check out the full report here
"Love your content and valuable insights into CX and industry trends. Thanks for sharing with us!" - Corey
The Three Laws of Human Behavior
Why it matters: If you’re in customer experience, understanding human behavior is your secret weapon. Aline Holzwarth, Senior Advisor, Product and Research at Nuance, breaks down three key principles that explain why people act the way they do. Mastering these concepts can help you design smoother journeys, reduce friction, and drive loyalty—essential tools in the CX playbook.
Top takeaways:
Law 1: The Status Quo Bias
Customers are creatures of habit. They’ll stick to what they know unless you give them a compelling reason to change. That’s why reducing friction (making things seamless) or adding fuel (creating appealing incentives) is crucial to drive behavior.
CX Insight: Want to boost adoption of a new feature or upsell? Eliminate any hurdles—whether it’s clunky navigation or a lengthy sign-up process. Offer incentives like discounts or loyalty points to nudge them toward trying something new.
Law 2: Behavior = ƒ(Person, Environment)
Behavior is shaped by both who the customer is and the context they’re in. It’s not just about preferences; it’s how the environment influences their actions.
CX Insight: Personalization is key, but context matters just as much. Think about how stress, urgency, or even time of day might affect a customer’s decisions. If they’re stressed, a friendly chatbot or clear FAQs can ease their journey. If they’re browsing leisurely, highlight engaging content or upsell opportunities.
Law 3: Tradeoffs and Unintended Consequences
Every customer decision involves tradeoffs, and sometimes the effects aren’t what you expect. For instance, offering a promo might spike sales, but could also train customers to only buy during sales events.
CX Insight: Design with the long game in mind. Consider potential unintended consequences of promotions, loyalty programs, or customer policies. Sometimes, small changes—like charging for returns—can create a backlash. Weigh the pros and cons carefully and test before implementing big changes.
Why you should care: Customers crave effortless experiences, but understanding their behavior goes deeper than just eliminating pain points. Use these three laws to design experiences that don’t just feel good in the moment but build long-term loyalty. By understanding why customers do what they do, you can anticipate needs, craft smoother journeys, and ultimately drive better business outcomes.
Source: The Three Laws of Human Behavior
Feelings First: Why Emotions Are Your CX Superpower
Why it matters: Emotions are at the core of every customer experience. Sam Stern’s recent CX Patterns podcast about the Law of Emotion drives home a simple truth: emotions matter more than you think, even when you already know they matter. Understanding this can transform how you design and deliver CX.
Core takeaways:
Decisions Driven by Feelings
Customers don’t just buy products; they’re buying how those products make them feel. Emotions—whether it’s excitement, comfort, or relief—are the driving force behind every purchase.
CX Tip: If you want to influence buying behavior, design experiences that evoke positive emotions at every step. It’s not just about solving problems; it’s about creating moments that make customers feel something.
Emotions Create Lasting Memories
People may forget the details, but they won’t forget how they felt. Emotional experiences stick, which means your best chance at loyalty lies in creating moments that resonate on a deeper level.
CX Tip: Focus on emotional touchpoints that leave an impression. A personalized thank-you note, a surprise freebie, or a warm, empathetic support call can all anchor positive memories.
Emotional Memories Shape Future Behavior
How customers felt in the past directly affects how they perceive future interactions. If a previous experience brought joy, they’d expect more of the same.
CX Tip: Consistency matters. Ensure that every customer touchpoint—from the first click to follow-up emails—delivers a seamless, emotionally uplifting experience. This builds trust and makes repeat engagement a no-brainer.
Bottom line: Emotions aren’t just part of the experience; they are the experience. Understanding the Law of Emotion means recognizing that every decision, every reaction, and every memory your customers form is tied to how they feel. Use this to your advantage by creating experiences that not only solve problems but also evoke positive emotions.
Ready to level up your CX strategy? Start by asking: “How do I want my customers to feel?” Then craft experiences that bring those emotions to the forefront.
I hope you found this week’s links and commentary useful. If you have suggestions for future DCX Links editions, send me a note.
Thanks for being here. I’ll see you next Sunday at 8:15 am ET.
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