This year, AI went from conversation starter to operational centerpiece. Companies everywhere are chasing faster response times, deeper personalization, and round-the-clock automation.  But the last few months have offered a sobering counterpoint: More AI doesn’t always mean better experiences—for businesses or their customers.  This month, I’m highlighting three real-world stories that reveal...

Trust is the currency of relationships—whether with employees, customers, or partners. Yet, in today’s world, it’s a currency in short supply. According to a 2024 survey by the Qualtrics XM Institute, only 50% of consumers trust the brands they do business with, and less than one-third of employees feel their company...

For decades, I’ve had the honor of helping companies like Starbucks, Mercedes-Benz, Zappos, Airbnb, and The Ritz-Carlton elevate their customer experience. I’ve seen firsthand how businesses succeed by creating unforgettable customer journeys, securing repeat business, and generating referrals through meaningful interactions. I’m proud of my work, the relationships I’ve enjoyed,...

In this ever-evolving technological era, business leaders are increasingly turning to tools like artificial intelligence (AI) to navigate the challenges of a tight labor market, inflation, and changing consumer preferences. While AI is a game changer, it has yet to rival human empathy, compassion, or gratitude. I am currently working...

In Love and Profit, James Autry acknowledges that love is seldom associated with leadership, but… Good management is largely a matter of love, or if you are uncomfortable with that word, call it caring because proper management involves caring for people, not manipulating them.  Peter Senge, M.I.T. professor and author...

In case you missed it, Drew Desilver and Jordan Lippert from the Pew Research Center released results on U.S. consumers' perceptions of tipping. From my perspective, here is the central finding: 72% of U.S. adults say tipping is expected in more places today than it was five years ago...The adoption of...

MBWA - Managing by Walking Around: In 1982, management consultants Tom Peters and Robert H. Waterman wrote a breakthrough book, In Search of Excellence. Peters and Waterman advocated for a management style called MBWA (Managing By Walking Around) in that book.  Anastasia Belyh, co-founder of cleverism.com, describes MBWA as: The theory is both...

More Engaged, More Quietly Quitting When it comes to global employee engagement, the opening lines of Charles Dickens, Tale of Two Cities apply: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch...

It’s Like Christmas Most people eagerly await the release of a blockbuster movie, the start of something like baseball season, or Christmas. However, I anticipate the annual report from Salesforce Research titled The State of the Connected Customer. You are probably thinking, “Joseph, you need a life.” In the recently...

Raging Customers: Recently, the 2022 National Customer Rage Study released its results, and they are concerning. Manuela López Restrepo of NPR summarizes the findings by noting: Customer service and hospitality at large have declined in the eyes of many Americans. 74% of Americans say they've had product or service problems...