Welcome to the DCX weekly roundup of customer experience insights!
Let’s be honest—AI is everywhere right now. It’s in your inbox, your meetings, and probably that app your team just subscribed to and maybe knows how to use. But this week’s stories are a reminder that the real CX wins don’t come from rushing to adopt the next big thing—they come from slowing down and asking: Will this actually make the customer experience better?
Carnival’s taking it slow on purpose. Telmore’s letting data do the heavy lifting—but only after unifying the full customer view. And while some brands are doubling down on convenience and personalization, others are learning the hard way that you can’t script authenticity.
If you’re navigating AI, self-service, or culture shifts on your team, this issue is full of hard-earned lessons (and a few cautionary tales). Let’s dig in.
This week’s must-read links:
Carnival Cruises Plays the Long Game on AI
Wearable Devices Bets on Neural Control
One-Third of Customers Walk When Self-Service Is Missing
Starbucks’ Scripted “Warmth” Rings Hollow
DCX Stat of the Week: Most Innovative Companies Prioritize Empathy Over AI Shortcuts
DCX Case Study: How Telmore Boosted Sales 21% with AI-Driven Personalization
Carnival Cruises Plays the Long Game on AI
Carnival Cruise Line has tested more than 100 generative AI projects—but only six are live today. CIO Sean Kenny says that’s intentional. The goal isn’t to move fast and break things. It’s to build trust, scale the right ideas, and keep the guest experience front and center.
Why it matters:
For cruise lines, customer memories are everything. AI could make vacations feel more personal, drive higher NPS, and unlock more revenue.
A “measured” rollout avoids the trap of science experiments that never deliver real value.
Kenny’s approach is a blueprint for CX leaders: focus on what sticks, not what’s shiny.
Inside the playbook:
A monthly AI council decides which pilots get funding and which should scale.
Training is personal—one-on-one coaching and hackathons beat big group sessions where no one wants to look foolish.
AI is already powering smarter travel agent responses and wine recommendations to pair with dinner—small touches designed to lift satisfaction.
Looking ahead:
Personalization is the big bet: connecting excursions, dining, and onboard activities without crossing into “pushy.”
Stronger WiFi, thanks to Starlink, is already fueling upsells and sets the stage for smarter AI-driven recommendations.
Carnival is eyeing robotics and AR/VR, but only when the tech is truly ready to add value.
The bottom line: Carnival isn’t rushing to flood ships with AI. It’s laying the groundwork for a future where every touchpoint feels designed just for you.
🔗 Go Deeper: Fortune
Wearable Devices Bets on Neural Control
Wearable Devices (Nasdaq: WLDS) is turning subtle hand gestures into powerful digital interactions through two flagship products.
Why it matters:
Gesture control removes friction, making technology feel more natural.
Neural input could be a breakthrough for XR, gaming, and daily device use.
No cameras or cloud required—AI runs directly on the wristband.
The products:
Mudra Band – Built for Apple Watch users, it turns micro-gestures into seamless navigation across the Apple ecosystem.
Mudra Link – A platform-agnostic wristband that extends the same control to AR/XR headsets, PCs, and Android devices.
The bottom line: Both bands give users intuitive, touchless control—whether they’re sending a text, diving into XR, or pairing wine with steak in the metaverse.
🔗 Go Deeper: Wearable Devices
One-Third of Customers Walk When Self-Service Is Missing
CX expert Shep Hyken just dropped a stat that should make every leader sit up: one in three customers has stopped doing business with a company because it didn’t offer self-service. That’s not an inconvenience—it’s a deal breaker.
Why it matters:
Customers crave convenience. In 2025, 91% said it’s a top priority, and nearly three-quarters will pay more for it.
Demand is growing fast: up 30% from last year alone.
Younger generations are even less forgiving—43% of Gen Z have walked away over this, compared to just 20% of Boomers.
What customers really want:
Easy wins: FAQs, tutorials, chatbots, apps, and portals that actually work.
Speed: no waiting, no endless authentication, no wasted time.
Humanity: when self-service hits a wall, customers want a smooth handoff to a live agent who already knows their issue.
The takeaway: It’s not about replacing people with tech. It’s about giving customers control, respecting their time, and blending digital with human in a way that feels effortless. Do that, and you’ll earn loyalty. Miss it, and you’ll lose a third of your base.
🔗 Go Deeper: Forbes
Starbucks’ Scripted “Warmth” Rings Hollow
Starbucks is in trouble—six straight quarters of declining sales, hundreds of store closures, and nearly a thousand corporate jobs cut. To fix it, CEO Brian Niccol is leaning on a new “Green Apron Service” manual that scripts exactly how baristas should act: greet by name, pause to make eye contact, write something “genuine” on the cup, and smile through it all—while still hitting a four-minute service time.
Why it matters:
You can’t script authenticity. Customers can tell when an interaction is forced, and it rarely feels warm.
Over-controlling employees erodes trust and creates resentment, which eventually leaks into the customer experience.
As Minda Zetlin notes, this is less about service guidelines and more about a leadership blind spot: a lack of empathy.
What’s happening on the ground:
Starbucks says engagement scores are up, but baristas online describe stress, pressure, and even terminations for missing the “cheery cup” requirement.
For neurodivergent employees, mandates like mandatory eye contact aren’t just tone-deaf—they’re exclusionary.
The tension is clear: genuine human connection can’t be rushed or choreographed to the second.
The bigger lesson for leaders: Customers don’t only consume your product—they consume your culture. If employees feel micromanaged, inauthentic, or unsupported, no amount of scripting will save the brand experience. Real service starts with how you lead, not what you tell employees to say.
🔗 More → Inc Magazine
DCX Stat of the Week
89% of Fast Company’s 50 Most Innovative Companies prioritize understanding customer needs over AI-driven shortcuts, while 72% actively integrate direct user feedback and empathy-driven insights throughout their product development journey.
Takeaway: The world’s most innovative companies aren’t replacing human insight with AI—they’re using AI to scale human understanding faster. While everyone else chases AI shortcuts, market leaders are doubling down on customer empathy as their competitive advantage.
🔗 Go Deeper: Bain & Company 2025 Innovation Report
🔗 MORE STATS: Daily Stats published on Substack Notes
DCX Case Study of the Week
How Telmore Boosted Sales 21% with AI-Driven Personalization
Telmore (Danish telecom provider)
CX Challenge: In Denmark’s cutthroat telecom market, Telmore’s siloed data forced them into one-size-fits-all marketing. With customers on one-month contracts, this generic approach risked constant churn and left revenue on the table.
Action Taken: Telmore unified its customer data onto a single platform, then deployed AI to personalize offers across its website and marketing channels. It pitted the AI-generated recommendations directly against manually curated ones to prove the impact.
Result: The AI-driven offers delivered an 11% sales lift, directly outperforming manual efforts (9% lift). This win fueled a 21% increase in total digital sales, a 25% jump in cross-sales, and email campaigns with purchase rates as high as 11%.
Lesson for CX Pros: Personalization isn’t an art, it’s a science fueled by data. Stop guessing and feed your AI a complete, unified view of the customer. A well-fed AI doesn’t just improve targeting—it measurably outperforms even your best manual efforts.
Quote: “We’re shifting away from optimizing experiences for audiences to giving each person what they want.” — Frederik Scholten, CMO
Further Reading: Telmore Adobe Success Story
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!
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