Customer Service Revolution | Customer Experience & Employee Experience for Business Leaders

Hosted by John Dijulius - Customer Experience & Customer Service Expert

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Aug 2026

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The Customer Service Revolution Podcast is for CEOs, CXOs, COOs, CMOs, CHROs, customer experience leaders, employee experience leaders, and business owners who want to build a service culture that drives referrals, loyalty, employee engagement, and market share. Hosted by The DiJulius Group, the show features John DiJulius, Denise Thompson, Dave Murray, and industry leaders sharing practical insights on customer experience, employee experience, customer service strategy, leadership, service culture, and operational consistency. Each episode gives leaders actionable ideas to transform how customers and employees experience their organization, whether they operate in B2B, B2C, healthcare, hospitality, financial services, professional services, retail, or any business where experience is a competitive advantage. Customer service and employee experience, done right, can become your company's single biggest competitive advantage. This is not just a podcast. It is a movement to overthrow conventional business mentality and help organizations create experiences customers and employees cannot live without.

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August 27, 2026Episode 26850 min

268: What Does the Future Service-Centric Organization Looks Like

The Customer Service Department Is Dead: What the Future Service-Centric Organization Looks Like Customer service cannot remain the department responsible for cleaning up problems created by the rest of the company. If an organization is serious about becoming service-centric, every department must understand how its decisions shape the customer experience—and one accountable leader must ensure the entire system works. In Episode 268 of the Customer Service Revolution Podcast, Denise Thompson and John R. DiJulius III examine what the future service-centric organization will look like as AI reshapes customer behavior, frontline roles, organizational design, and the economics of service. The future will not belong to the company with the fastest chatbot or the fewest employees. It will belong to the organization that uses technology to remove friction behind the scenes while making the experience more human in front of the customer. Customer Experience Must Be Enterprise-Wide—but Someone Still Has to Own It "Customer experience is everyone's responsibility" sounds inspiring, but it can become an excuse for having no accountability. John argues that successful organizations need a clear experience champion—someone who loses sleep over the experience and has the authority, KPIs, and executive access to challenge decisions that could hurt customers or employees. In a large enterprise, that may be a chief experience officer supported by a customer experience department. In a smaller organization, it may be a shared role assigned to an HR, training, operations, or other senior leader. The title matters less than the clarity of the mandate, the time committed to it, and the metrics tied to it. The role should also extend beyond the customer. A truly service-centric organization manages the entire experience ecosystem: customer experience, employee experience, and vendor experience. AI Should Remove Friction, Not Humanity AI is changing customer service, but using it only to reduce headcount can create expensive unintended consequences. Gartner predicts that by 2027, half of the companies that cut customer service staff because of AI will rehire people to perform similar functions under different titles. Gartner has also reported that only 20% of customer service leaders had reduced agent staffing because of AI. As AI handles routine questions, human employees inherit the escalations, emotional customers, sensitive conversations, and high-stakes decisions. That work can be more meaningful—but also far more demanding. Organizations must protect employees from empathy fatigue, make access to a human easier, and train people in the skills technology cannot replace: empathy, curiosity, listening, rapport building, judgment, and the ability to defuse an upset customer. Your Customer May Send an AI Agent Instead of Visiting Your Website The customer journey may no longer begin on a company's website, app, or contact center. Gartner found that customers were approximately three times more likely to use a third-party generative AI tool than a company-provided chatbot when trying to resolve a service issue. Among customers who already used generative AI, 58% had used it to complete a task—not merely find information—and that figure reached 74% in B2B settings. That creates a new strategic threat: the company can become invisible while an outside AI platform recommends brands, compares choices, completes purchases, and resolves problems. Technology is easy for competitors to copy. Human connection, trust, community, and a distinctive brand experience are harder to duplicate. Access to a Human Could Become the Next Competitive Advantage Pega research found that 77% of consumers believed they always or often achieved better outcomes when dealing only with a human, while two-thirds preferred human-led support. Nearly half said they did not trust businesses that used AI to handle customer service interactions completely. Despite that preference, many organizations continue to make people fight through layers of self-service before reaching an employee. John's answer is blunt: a customer should be able to reach a human when the customer wants to. Companies that preserve convenient human access—and equip those employees to deliver empathy, expertise, and judgment—may be able to turn humanity itself into a powerful brand differentiator. Personalization Without Integrity Becomes Exploitation More customer data creates more opportunities to personalize an experience, but not every technically possible use of data is ethical. The public controversy over Delta Air Lines' AI-supported pricing illustrated how quickly personalization can be perceived as surveillance pricing. Using customer knowledge to anticipate a need or make someone feel cared for is service. Using a customer's identity, vulnerability, income, or presumed willingness to pay to extract the highest possible price is exploitation. Customers should be allowed to choose and pay for clearly defined service levels; businesses should not quietly decide that a particular customer can be charged more. Integrity cannot become collateral damage in the race to personalize. The Best Model Is People-Led and Technology-Powered Walmart and Starbucks offer a more promising blueprint. Walmart has introduced AI tools designed to support approximately 1.5 million U.S. associates, including real-time translation and technology that reduced shift-planning time from 90 minutes to 30 minutes. Starbucks' Green Apron Service model combines staffing, workflow improvements, and technology to give employees more time for craft and customer connection. These organizations are not presenting technology as the experience. They are positioning it as the infrastructure that helps people deliver the experience. That is where AI creates real value: transcribing workshop notes, organizing information, handling repetitive tasks, accelerating internal processes, and giving employees more time to think, connect, and solve. Stop Measuring Speed at the Expense of Loyalty Average handle time, ticket volume, and cost per contact can reward speed while quietly damaging the relationship. Fast service that makes a customer feel dismissed is not a win. Neither is a warm interaction that fails to solve the problem. The future service-centric organization must measure both efficiency and experience. John recommends tracking earned sales growth—the percentage of business generated through repeat customers and referrals rather than purchased through advertising—along with the operational and experience measures that explain why loyalty is rising or falling. The most important question is not simply, "Was the issue resolved?" It is, "How did the customer feel after doing business with us?" What Leaders Should Build Now The future service-centric organization will: Assign one accountable experience champion with clear authority, priorities, KPIs, and executive access. Make every department responsible for understanding its internal or external customer and its effect on the end experience. Use AI for repetitive, administrative, and low-risk work while preserving human judgment for sensitive, ethical, financial, and health-related decisions. Train employees continuously in AI readiness and service aptitude skills. Give frontline employees the authority to solve problems without unnecessary permission-seeking. Protect easy access to a skilled human whenever a customer wants or needs one. Measure loyalty, repeat business, referrals, complaints, certainty, and customer outcomes—not speed alone. Refuse uses of customer data that exploit vulnerability or presumed ability to pay. Build strong customer service systems first, then layer AI on top of them. Customer service may stop being a department, but service must become the operating system of the entire company. Chapters 00:59 — Why the customer service department is dead 01:51 — Enterprise-wide ownership still needs one accountable champion 05:06 — Does every company need a chief experience officer? 07:34 — Breaking silos through cross-functional CX leadership 08:26 — Are companies using AI to improve service or cut headcount? 11:14 — The new role of the human service professional 13:30 — Preventing escalation overload and empathy fatigue 15:17 — When customers send third-party AI to handle your company 19:36 — Will access to a human become a premium service? 23:08 — Why community and brand experience are returning 26:11 — AI costs, disappearing entry-level roles, and the talent pipeline 30:14 — Walmart, Starbucks, and the people-led, tech-powered model 34:03 — Personalization, surveillance, and the integrity line 38:59 — Which traditional customer service metrics now work against CX? 42:23 — A practical blueprint for leadership, employees, technology, and measurement 48:05 — The first question every CEO should ask Key Takeaways Customer experience can be enterprise-wide without becoming leaderless; one person must still own the system and its results. AI creates the most value when it removes repetitive work and gives employees more time for judgment, empathy, and connection. Automating simple interactions can leave human agents with a relentless stream of emotionally difficult cases, increasing the risk of empathy fatigue. Third-party AI platforms may become the new front door to the customer journey, making a distinctive human brand experience even more important. Easy access to a knowledgeable human can become a powerful competitive advantage. Personalization crosses the line when customer data is used to exploit vulnerability or presumed willingness to pay. Metrics such as average handle time can produce unintended behavior when they are not balanced with loyalty, customer outcomes, repeat business, and referrals. A company needs clear service systems before it layers AI onto the customer experience. Quotes "Someone has to lose sleep at night over the experience the company is providing." — John R. DiJulius III "When answers are everywhere, questions become the scarce resource." — John R. DiJulius III "When the world gets more artificial, we need to become more human." — John R. DiJulius III "The more digital we become, the more human is the competitive advantage." — John R. DiJulius III "Integrity shouldn't be something that is outdated." — John R. DiJulius III "EX equals CX. Employee experience equals customer experience." — John R. DiJulius III "Customer service may stop being a department, but service must become the operating system of the entire company." — Denise Thompson Resources Mentioned in This Episode Gartner: Half of companies that cut customer service staff because of AI will rehire by 2027 Gartner: 85% of service leaders are expanding human-agent responsibilities Gartner: Customers are three times more likely to use third-party GenAI than company chatbots Pega: Consumers demand more from AI-powered customer service PwC: 2025 Customer Experience Survey Walmart: AI-powered tools for 1.5 million associates Starbucks: Green Apron Service and improved service performance Delta Air Lines: Response regarding AI-supported pricing Links: ROX Dashboard: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/rox-dashboard/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Company Service Aptitude Test: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/c-sat-forms/individual-c-sat/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors: tdg.click/claudia Ask John! Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode: tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Experience Revolution Membership: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts: Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com If you want to learn how world-class organizations build cultures customers cannot live without, explore The Experience Revolution Membership . Inside the membership you'll gain access to livestream workshops, practical frameworks, and proven strategies used by organizations around the world. Learn more at https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Learn More If your organization is working to improve customer experience but struggling to connect it to measurable business outcomes, The DiJulius Group can help. Visit: https://thedijuliusgroup.com Listen to more episodes: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/the-customer-service-revolution-podcast/ Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

August 20, 2026Episode 26738 min

267: The Transformation Economy: The Next Evolution of Customer Experience

The Transformation Economy What comes after the Experience Economy? According to internationally acclaimed author and management advisor B. Joseph Pine II, the next competitive advantage is not simply creating memorable customer experiences. It is helping customers achieve meaningful, lasting change. In this episode of The Customer Service Revolution Podcast, John DiJulius talks with Joe Pine, coauthor of the landmark book The Experience Economy and author of The Transformation Economy: Guiding Customers to Achieve Their Aspirations . Their conversation explores how organizations can move beyond delivering products, services, and experiences to become true transformation businesses. What Is the Transformation Economy? The Transformation Economy is the next stage in the progression of economic value. Businesses create greater value when they guide customers toward outcomes that change them in a lasting way—helping them become healthier, more prosperous, more knowledgeable, more purposeful, or closer to the person they aspire to be. Joe explains the progression clearly: businesses extract commodities, make goods, deliver services, stage experiences, and guide transformations. In a transformation business, the customer is not simply the buyer. The customer is the product, because the value lies in the change the customer achieves. Why Customer Experience Alone Is No Longer Enough Memorable customer experiences remain important, but experiences are increasingly being commoditized. The next opportunity is to design experiences that are meaningful, transporting, and ultimately transformative. John and Joe discuss how this applies across customer experience, customer service, consulting, healthcare, financial services, education, salons, retail, hospitality, and leadership. The common question is not, "What service do we provide?" It is, "Who does our customer want to become, and how can we guide that journey?" How Businesses Can Create Lasting Customer Transformation Start With the Customer's Aspiration Move beyond the immediate transaction and uncover the outcome the customer truly values. An accountant may help a client achieve greater prosperity. A salon may help a guest feel renewed and ready to reenter the world with confidence. A consultant should not stop after making recommendations; the work should continue until the client can implement and sustain meaningful change. Design a Journey, Not a Single Moment Transformations usually require a sequence of experiences. Joe introduces encapsulation: preparing customers before an experience, helping them reflect afterward, and supporting integration over time. This structure turns an isolated event into progress toward an aspiration. Align Pricing With Outcomes Services traditionally charge for time and activities. Transformation businesses increasingly align their fees with the outcomes customers value. Joe shares examples of organizations exploring outcome-based pricing and explains why it forces a provider to focus on lasting results rather than completed tasks. The Connection Between Customer Experience and Employee Experience Organizations cannot help customers flourish unless they also help employees flourish. John shares his philosophy that team members should earn more than they thought possible—while the money becomes the least valuable thing they gain from working for the organization. The goal is an employee experience that helps people become better leaders, spouses, parents, professionals, and human beings. When employees experience growth and purpose themselves, they are better prepared to guide meaningful customer transformation. How AI Can Support the Transformation Economy AI can help businesses customize experiences, provide coaching between human interactions, offer encouragement, and recommend the next best step. Joe cautions that the strongest model does not replace human guides. It uses AI to extend and personalize the transformation journey while human judgment, accountability, and connection remain central. Key Takeaways Transformations are effectual outcomes that change people in a lasting way. The next evolution of customer experience is helping customers become who they want to be. Businesses in health and well-being, wealth and prosperity, knowledge and wisdom, and purpose and meaning are natural transformation businesses. AI can strengthen coaching and customization, especially between interactions with human guides. Consultants create more value when they help clients implement and sustain change instead of stopping with recommendations. Preparing customers before an experience, prompting reflection afterward, and supporting ongoing integration can make an experience transformative. Outcome-based pricing aligns what a business charges with what the customer actually values. Customer transformation and employee transformation are inseparable: employees need the support and purpose required to flourish, too. Memorable Quotes "You deliver services, you stage experiences, you guide transformations." — B. Joseph Pine II "Effectual outcomes that change individuals in a lasting way." — B. Joseph Pine II "Every superconsumer is on a quest." — B. Joseph Pine II "Businesses only change from the inside out." — B. Joseph Pine II "Better, better, better. Transform, transform, transform." — B. Joseph Pine II "We want you to make more money than you ever thought possible. However, we want the money you made to be the least valuable thing you got from working here." — John DiJulius Episode Chapters 00:59 — Meet B. Joseph Pine II 02:12 — Was The Experience Economy ahead of its time? 04:21 — The difference between experiences and transformations 06:48 — How AI can support coaching and customization 09:40 — Memorable, meaningful, transporting, and transformative experiences 12:03 — Applying transformation to consulting and salons 19:56 — Third places, human connection, and the "chrysalis" 20:37 — The four spheres of transformation 23:57 — Brands creating transformation: Calibrate and Eataly 27:26 — Why employee transformation matters 31:27 — The Transformation Toolkit 32:17 — Three ways to begin building a transformation business 34:23 — Encapsulation: preparation, reflection, and integration 35:34 — Purpose, human flourishing, and the future of business About B. Joseph Pine II B. Joseph Pine II is an internationally acclaimed author, speaker, and management advisor. He has addressed the World Economic Forum, the original TED conference, the Consumer Electronics Show, and South by Southwest. He cofounded Strategic Horizons LLP to help businesses conceive and design new ways of adding value to their economic offerings. His books include The Transformation Economy , The Experience Economy , Infinite Possibility , Authenticity , and Mass Customization . Resources Mentioned Order The Transformation Economy : https://strategichorizons.com/books-and-ideas/publications/ Explore the Transformation Toolkit: https://strategichorizons.com/integration/ Learn more about Joe Pine and Strategic Horizons: https://strategichorizons.com/ Links: ROX Dashboard: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/rox-dashboard/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Company Service Aptitude Test: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/c-sat-forms/individual-c-sat/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors: tdg.click/claudia Ask John! Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode: tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Experience Revolution Membership: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts: Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com If you want to learn how world-class organizations build cultures customers cannot live without, explore The Experience Revolution Membership . Inside the membership you'll gain access to livestream workshops, practical frameworks, and proven strategies used by organizations around the world. Learn more at https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Learn More If your organization is working to improve customer experience but struggling to connect it to measurable business outcomes, The DiJulius Group can help. Visit: https://thedijuliusgroup.com Listen to more episodes: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/the-customer-service-revolution-podcast/ Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

August 13, 202646 min

How to Extend Your Healthspan with Dr. Sandeep Palakodeti

How to Extend Your Healthspan with Dr. Sandeep Palakodeti Living longer is not the real goal. Living longer with the strength, energy, mental clarity, and independence to enjoy those years is what matters. In this episode of The Customer Service Revolution Podcast, John DiJulius speaks with Dr. Sandeep "Dr. Deep" Palakodeti, founder and CEO of Velocity Health and author of The Ultimate Asset: Extend Your Prime, Not Just Your Lifespan . They explore how proactive longevity medicine, personalized healthcare, better diagnostics, and sustainable lifestyle changes can help people extend their healthspan—not simply their lifespan. What Is the Difference Between Lifespan and Healthspan? Lifespan measures how long someone lives. Healthspan considers how many of those years are lived with physical capability, cognitive health, energy, and functional independence. Dr. Deep explains that most people do not simply want more years. They want to remain active, mentally sharp, and capable of caring for themselves as they age. John connects that goal to his philosophy of living an extraordinary life. Developing your full potential is not only about personal achievement; it affects your family, employees, customers, and everyone who depends on you. How Much of Our Health Is Determined by Genetics? Genetics can increase a person's risk for certain diseases, but increased risk does not always determine the outcome. Dr. Deep discusses how sleep, cardiovascular fitness, metabolic health, nutrition, exercise, and other environmental factors may influence long-term health. Understanding your risks can help you and your healthcare team make more informed decisions earlier. Why Is Traditional Healthcare Often Reactive? The traditional healthcare system frequently gives physicians limited time with each patient. This can make care feel rushed, impersonal, and focused on responding to problems after they appear. What Is Concierge Precision Medicine? Concierge precision medicine uses a smaller patient panel, longer appointments, advanced diagnostics, ongoing coaching, and more direct physician access to provide proactive, relationship-based care. Velocity Health uses a digital-first model that serves patients across all 50 states. Members work with a physician, concierge, and human performance specialist to understand their health data and build a personalized plan. Can Technology and Medication Replace Healthy Habits? No medication, supplement, or emerging therapy eliminates the need for sleep, nutrition, movement, strength training, and mental well-being. Dr. Deep explains that tools such as GLP-1 medications or hormone replacement therapy may provide momentum for appropriately selected patients under medical supervision. However, lasting results require sustainable behavioral change and professional guidance. What Are the First Steps Toward a Longer Healthspan? Dr. Deep recommends beginning with three areas: Improve the quality and consistency of your sleep. Measure meaningful health indicators under qualified professional guidance. Find a physician or healthcare team willing to provide personalized, relationship-based care. Key Takeaways Healthspan is more meaningful than lifespan when the goal is to remain active and independent. Genetics can affect disease risk without completely determining a person's future. Sleep, exercise, nutrition, metabolic health, and mental well-being remain foundational. Advanced diagnostics can reveal risks that routine healthcare may not identify early. Concierge medicine is designed around accessibility, time, relationships, and proactive care. Medication should be treated as a clinical tool—not a replacement for healthier behavior. The best health plan is personalized, measurable, medically guided, and sustainable. Protecting your health helps you continue contributing to your family, organization, and community. Memorable Quotes "Functional independence is what we want." — Dr. Sandeep Palakodeti "You can only manage what you measure." — Dr. Sandeep Palakodeti "The new flex is being healthy." — Dr. Sandeep Palakodeti "Being independent allows me to have one boss and one boss only, and that's the patient." — Dr. Sandeep Palakodeti "Living our life to its fullest potential is a responsibility." — John DiJulius "We all have seeds of potential." — John DiJulius Episode Chapters 00:00 Introducing Dr. Sandeep "Dr. Deep" Palakodeti 02:23 How Velocity Health delivers digital-first precision medicine 07:08 Why personal health belongs in a leadership conversation 12:44 How genetics and lifestyle influence long-term health 17:47 Lifespan versus healthspan and functional independence 20:08 Traditional healthcare versus concierge medicine 26:37 GLP-1 medications, hormones, peptides, and medical guidance 30:07 Using diagnostics to build a personalized health plan 38:23 Why health may be the new status symbol 40:59 Why medication cannot replace healthy habits 44:56 Longevity medicine for women and couples 46:19 Three ways to start improving your healthspan 48:30 How to learn more about Velocity Health Learn more about Velocity Health at VelocityHealthClinic.com . This episode is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before beginning or changing any medication, treatment, supplement, or health program. Links: ROX Dashboard: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/rox-dashboard/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Company Service Aptitude Test: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/c-sat-forms/individual-c-sat/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors: tdg.click/claudia Ask John! Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode: tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Experience Revolution Membership: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts: Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com If you want to learn how world-class organizations build cultures customers cannot live without, explore The Experience Revolution Membership . Inside the membership you'll gain access to livestream workshops, practical frameworks, and proven strategies used by organizations around the world. Learn more at https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Learn More If your organization is working to improve customer experience but struggling to connect it to measurable business outcomes, The DiJulius Group can help. Visit: https://thedijuliusgroup.com Listen to more episodes: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/the-customer-service-revolution-podcast/ Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

August 6, 2026Episode 26535 min

265: How to Build Accountability Without Micromanaging

Accountability Without Micromanaging: How Great Leaders Create Ownership Delegating work should free leaders to focus on strategy, relationships, and growth. Too often, however, delegation swings between two unhealthy extremes: micromanagement and abandonment. In this episode of The Customer Service Revolution Podcast, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius explore how leaders can build accountability without micromanaging. The solution is not less communication—it is greater clarity, consistent checkpoints, and genuine employee ownership. Why Delegation So Often Turns Into Micromanagement Most leaders do not intend to micromanage. They want to protect the quality of the work, meet an important deadline, or ensure a strong customer experience. But when leaders dictate every step, employees become hesitant to make decisions without approval. John explains that leaders must clearly define the desired outcome and then give capable employees room to determine how to achieve it. Employees need to own more than the execution; they need to feel ownership over the approach and and the result. That means leaders must avoid "dropping an anchor" by presenting their preferred solution before employees have had an opportunity to think through the challenge themselves. How to Build Accountability Without Micromanaging Define What Victory Looks Like Before delegating a project, leaders must establish a clear objective, deadline, priorities, decision-making authority, and definition of success. A vague assignment followed by constant corrections is not accountability. It is confusion disguised as supervision. Establish a Consistent Check-In Cadence Accountability should prevent surprises. Weekly reports, one-on-one conversations, or structured operating systems such as EOS and Scaling Up allow leaders to identify obstacles before a commitment is missed. Instead of waiting until the deadline to ask what happened, leaders can ask: Where does the project stand? Are we still on track? What obstacle could prevent success? What support do you need from me? Give Employees Ownership of the Method Leaders should remain firm about the outcome while allowing employees flexibility in how they achieve it. When employees can contribute their ideas and place their fingerprints on a project, they become more invested in its success. Giving up control of the method can also produce a better result. John shares how The Customer Service Revolution Conference improved when the team took ownership of many aspects he had previously managed himself. Adjust Oversight to the Employee and the Risk Not every employee or assignment requires the same level of autonomy. New employees, emerging leaders, employees without a proven track record, and high-risk projects may require more collaboration and support. Closer oversight should be explained as coaching—not as punishment or a lack of trust. As the employee demonstrates sound judgment and consistent performance, the leader should intentionally step back. Why Leaders Must Let Employees Struggle Leaders who immediately step in to solve every problem unintentionally train employees to wait for answers. Failure, when handled constructively, gives employees an opportunity to learn, develop judgment, and become more capable. Instead of immediately providing the answer, ask the employee what they think should happen next. They may arrive at the same answer—or develop a better one. The goal is not to leave employees unsupported. The goal is to provide enough guidance for them to grow without making them dependent on the leader. Key Takeaways Accountability begins with a clear definition of the desired outcome. Employees should own the approach, not merely execute the leader's instructions. Weekly checkpoints help leaders identify delays and obstacles before deadlines are missed. Leaders should avoid changing priorities without explaining what happens to earlier commitments. New or inexperienced employees require more coaching until they establish a track record. Leaders should ask questions before jumping in with solutions. Failure can build confidence and judgment when it is treated as a learning opportunity. A company becomes stronger when its success does not depend on one indispensable person. Leaders create ownership by providing clarity, authority, support, and room to act. Memorable Quotes "Hire really good people, create what the outcomes need to look like, and then get out of their way." — John DiJulius "Besides just the execution, they need to own it." — John DiJulius "Your business is worth nothing if you're the most important person in the short term." — John DiJulius "You should never be surprised if you have a weekly cadence." — John DiJulius "Accountability doesn't require hovering. It requires clear expectations, agreed-upon checkpoints, honest feedback, and consistent follow-through." — Denise Thompson "Great leaders don't create people who wait for instruction. They create people who can be trusted to move the work forward." — Denise Thompson Episode Chapters 00:46 — Accountability versus micromanagement 01:32 — Why leaders must stop doing everything themselves 04:24 — What separates healthy accountability from control 06:40 — Developing inexperienced employees and future leaders 10:56 — Why capable leaders become micromanagers 13:24 — Establishing priorities through rocks and must-do commitments 17:21 — Managing the outcome without dictating every step 21:32 — How employee ownership improves the final result 23:30 — Building stronger leadership and service systems 24:13 — When leaders want employees to remain dependent on them 25:05 — Responding when an employee misses a commitment 27:33 — When closer supervision is appropriate 28:41 — A practical accountability system leaders can use 30:50 — Developing employees who are afraid to take risks 33:32 — What to ask instead of "Are you done yet?" 34:29 — Creating employees who can move work forward Resources Mentioned Entrepreneurial Operating System—EOS Scaling Up The Soul of a Start-Up—Harvard Business Review Build a Culture of Accountability and Ownership If your organization wants greater accountability, stronger leadership, and a more consistent employee and customer experience, The DiJulius Group can help. We work with organizations to build practical leadership and service systems that turn expectations into repeatable behaviors. Visit TheDiJuliusGroup.com or schedule a call at https://tdg.click/call . Links: ROX Dashboard: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/rox-dashboard/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Company Service Aptitude Test: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/c-sat-forms/individual-c-sat/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors: tdg.click/claudia Ask John! Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode: tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Experience Revolution Membership: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts: Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com If you want to learn how world-class organizations build cultures customers cannot live without, explore The Experience Revolution Membership . Inside the membership you'll gain access to livestream workshops, practical frameworks, and proven strategies used by organizations around the world. Learn more at https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Learn More If your organization is working to improve customer experience but struggling to connect it to measurable business outcomes, The DiJulius Group can help. Visit: https://thedijuliusgroup.com Listen to more episodes: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/the-customer-service-revolution-podcast/ Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

July 30, 202632 min

264: The Friction Tax: Are You Trapping Customers?

The Friction Tax: Are You Trapping Customers? Signing up takes less than a minute. Canceling takes 45. The cancellation button is buried. Customer support is difficult to reach. Returning a product requires multiple steps. A "retention specialist" keeps a customer on the phone until surrender feels easier than leaving. That is more than poor customer service. It is the customer friction tax : the extra time, effort, confusion, and frustration customers must absorb because a company benefits from making it difficult to cancel, return, receive help, or leave. In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution Podcast, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius examine when ordinary operational friction becomes deliberate customer exploitation—and what that friction reveals about an organization's priorities. When Customer Friction Becomes Part of the Business Model New York City recently adopted a click-to-cancel rule for automatically renewing and continuous-service subscriptions. Beginning October 1, 2026, covered businesses must clearly disclose subscription terms and provide consumers with a straightforward way to cancel. The fact that cancellation procedures need government regulation raises a larger customer experience question: Can an organization call itself customer-centric when it intentionally makes leaving difficult? John explains that ease of doing business should apply throughout the entire relationship—not just when the customer is ready to buy. That includes reaching support, resolving a problem, returning a purchase, changing an agreement, and canceling a service. Bad Profits Create Long-Term Damage Some companies generate revenue through what John calls "bad profits": hidden charges, excessive fees, restrictive policies, complicated contracts, or deliberately difficult cancellation processes. These practices may protect short-term revenue, but they can also: Destroy customer trust Generate complaints and negative word of mouth Increase service and staffing costs Create opportunities for competitors Force employees to defend policies they believe are unfair Increase frontline frustration and turnover Produce retention numbers that disguise customer dissatisfaction Blockbuster once generated approximately 16% of its revenue from late fees. That revenue made abandoning late fees appear financially dangerous—but it also prevented the company from adapting to a subscription model that customers increasingly preferred. Retention Is Not the Same as Loyalty A customer who remains because canceling is difficult has not been retained through loyalty. That customer has been trapped through friction. Healthy customer relationships produce repeat business, referrals, trust, and advocacy. Customer captivity may temporarily improve retention metrics, but it does not create customers who create more customers. Leaders must look beyond cancellation rates and ask why customers stay. Are they staying because they value the relationship—or because switching, canceling, or finding an alternative feels like too much work? Customer Friction Also Damages the Employee Experience Frontline employees frequently bear the consequences of unreasonable policies they did not create and cannot change. When employees repeatedly have to say, "I don't make the rules," it signals a larger system problem. Employees become the messengers for decisions designed to protect revenue, absorbing customers' anger while lacking the authority to make things right. Removing unnecessary customer friction is therefore both a customer experience and employee experience strategy. How Leaders Can Find Their Biggest Friction Points John recommends that leaders experience their organization as customers do. Purchase something. Attempt to return it. Try to cancel. Contact support. Track how many screens, calls, transfers, explanations, and approvals the process requires. Do not merely ask whether the process works. Ask how hard the customer must work to make it work. Leaders should also: Listen to customer calls and analyze customer sentiment Identify recurring complaints and escalations Examine policies that produce fees or prevent cancellations Compare earned sales from repeat customers and referrals with sales purchased through advertising Track retention after contractual obligations end Give employees appropriate authority to resolve problems Remove incentives that reward short-term revenue at the customer's expense Making it easier for unhappy customers to leave may feel risky. But making every customer feel trapped is far more dangerous. Trust is more valuable than captivity. Key Takeaways Ease of doing business must apply to the entire customer relationship, including cancellation, returns, support, and service recovery. Retention does not prove loyalty when customers face barriers to leaving. "Bad profits" may increase short-term revenue while damaging trust, referrals, employee morale, and long-term growth. Frontline employees suffer when they must defend policies they know are frustrating or unfair. Customer complaints and service-recovery situations are opportunities to demonstrate empathy and rebuild loyalty. Leaders should personally test their organization's customer journey. Repeat business and referrals are stronger indicators of loyalty than cancellation rates alone. The critical question is not whether a process works, but how hard customers must work to make it work. Memorable Quotes "Not all profit is good profit." "A customer hasn't been retained through loyalty. They've been trapped through friction." "Every company's job is to create customers who create customers." "You wouldn't have to chase new customers if you were keeping the existing ones." "Leaders need to spend time on the front line so they can feel the pain." "Don't ask whether the process works. Ask how hard the customer must work to make it work." "Trust is far more valuable than captivity." Episode Chapters 00:46 — The hidden friction tax customers are paying 02:12 — What ease of doing business really means 04:15 — Poor experience or calculated business decision? 06:29 — How leaders can recognize deliberate friction 08:58 — Can a high-friction company be customer-centric? 10:52 — Service recovery and rebuilding customer trust 14:55 — When retention dashboards hide dissatisfaction 18:32 — How bad policies affect frontline employees 20:28 — Charles Schwab's campaign against bad profits 23:48 — The difference between loyalty and captivity 25:47 — Why retention and referrals matter 28:45 — How to uncover your biggest friction points 30:16 — The customer journey every leader should test ROX Dashboard: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/rox-dashboard/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Company Service Aptitude Test: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/c-sat-forms/individual-c-sat/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors: tdg.click/claudia Ask John! Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode: tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Experience Revolution Membership: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts: Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com If you want to learn how world-class organizations build cultures customers cannot live without, explore The Experience Revolution Membership . Inside the membership you'll gain access to livestream workshops, practical frameworks, and proven strategies used by organizations around the world. Learn more at https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/

July 23, 2026Episode 26337 min

263: Crisis Management: What Customers Remember Most

Crisis Management: What Customers Remember Most A company may not have caused the crisis—but it still owns the customer experience surrounding it. In this episode of The Customer Service Revolution Podcast, Denise Thompson and John DiJulius examine what leaders should do when customers may be at risk, facts are still developing, and the organization's reputation is suddenly on the line. Using recent food-safety concerns and well-known brand crises as examples, they explain why silence, defensiveness, and rigid policies can magnify the original problem—and how a fast, transparent response can help preserve customer trust. The Four Principles of Customer Experience Crisis Management John outlines four actions organizations should take when a crisis occurs: Address the situation immediately. Make the highest-ranking leader the visible face of the response. Take full responsibility for protecting the customer experience. Overcorrect to demonstrate that the organization genuinely cares. Customers do not separate a company from its suppliers, franchisees, distributors, or employees. They remember the brand name connected to the experience—and how that brand responded. What Successful Crisis Responses Have in Common Denise and John revisit several high-profile corporate crises, including Johnson & Johnson's response to the Tylenol poisonings, Domino's reaction to an employee-created viral video, Chipotle's food-safety challenges, and JetBlue's response to severe travel disruptions. The strongest recoveries shared several characteristics: Customer safety came before short-term profits. Leaders communicated quickly and frequently. The organization took visible, decisive action. The crisis led to meaningful operational improvements. Customers were shown what would prevent the problem from happening again. Why Service Recovery Cannot Depend on the Employee You Reach The conversation expands from large-scale crisis management to everyday service recovery. John explains the service recovery paradox: when a company handles a problem exceptionally well, the customer can become more loyal than if the problem had never occurred. But that outcome requires a consistent recovery process. TDG's LEAST model helps employees respond effectively: Listen Allow the customer to explain the situation without interruption, defensiveness, or debate. Empathize Acknowledge what the customer experienced and demonstrate genuine concern. Apologize Take responsibility for the inconvenience or impact, even when the employee or company did not directly create the original problem. Solve Resolve the issue or take ownership of finding someone who can—without forcing the customer to repeat the story to multiple people. Thank Thank the customer for bringing the problem to the organization's attention and creating an opportunity to make it right. Stop Hiding Behind Policy Policies can protect consistency, but they can also prevent employees from using sound judgment. John shares the story of a longtime salon client who was charged for a missed appointment after her husband unexpectedly died. When she questioned the charge, the manager responded, "Sorry, that's our policy." The problem was not an uncaring employee. It was a system that had trained the employee to enforce a rule without giving her the confidence or authority to recognize an obvious exception. Leaders must decide whether onboarding primarily teaches employees what they cannot do—or prepares them to serve customers and one another with judgment, empathy, and ownership. Key Takeaways A company may not have caused a crisis, but it owns the customer experience of that crisis. Customers judge brands by what they do next. Silence allows speculation to control the story. The highest-ranking leader should be visible during a significant crisis. Taking responsibility is different from accepting legal blame. Overcorrecting can demonstrate that customer safety matters more than short-term costs. Employees need a clear service recovery process and enough autonomy to use it. Every transfer forces the customer to relive the problem and often increases frustration. Policies should provide guidance without eliminating judgment and empathy. A crisis can strengthen trust when it produces transparent action and lasting improvement. Memorable Quotes "Customers don't experience your supply chain. They experience your brand." "A company may not have created the problem, but it still owns the customer experience of the problem." "It's never what happens that is the worst thing. It's the cover-up." "Customers rarely judge a brand by whether something went wrong. They judge it by what the brand did next." "Listen like you're wrong." "Whoever gets the initial complaint owns it." "Every time customers have to retell their story, they get angrier." "Remove the word 'policy' from your company's vocabulary." Chapters 00:49 – When your company's name becomes part of the crisis 02:22 – John's destination-wedding revelation 08:40 – Why a supplier's problem becomes your brand's problem 10:19 – Four principles for responding to a crisis 13:05 – What Johnson & Johnson did after the Tylenol poisonings 16:42 – How Domino's confronted a viral reputation crisis 18:30 – Chipotle, food safety, and the cost of responding slowly 19:21 – JetBlue and turning failure into customer protections 24:17 – The service recovery paradox 25:33 – Using the LEAST service recovery model 27:29 – The "Ask Once" ownership promise 29:05 – How leadership attitudes shape customer treatment 33:45 – Why employees should not have to hide behind policy 36:06 – Final lessons for leaders Links: Storytelling blog: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/how-to-be-a-more-effective-leader-by-learning-the-best-way-of-storytelling/ ROX Dashboard: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/rox-dashboard/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Company Service Aptitude Test: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/c-sat-forms/individual-c-sat/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors: tdg.click/claudia Ask John! Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode: tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Experience Revolution Membership: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts: Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com If you want to learn how world-class organizations build cultures customers cannot live without, explore The Experience Revolution Membership . Inside the membership you'll gain access to livestream workshops, practical frameworks, and proven strategies used by organizations around the world. Learn more at https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Learn More If your organization is working to improve customer experience but struggling to connect it to measurable business outcomes, The DiJulius Group can help. Visit: https://thedijuliusgroup.com Listen to more episodes: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/the-customer-service-revolution-podcast/ Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

July 16, 2026Episode 26231 min

262: Who Really Owns Customer Experience? (part two)

How to Build the Teams That Make Customer Experience Stick Episode 262 of the Customer Service Revolution Podcast Launching a customer experience initiative is one thing. Building the internal structure that keeps it alive is another. In this episode of the Customer Service Revolution Podcast, John DiJulius continues his conversation with Dave Murray, Vice President of The DiJulius Group, about the stakeholders required to successfully launch and sustain a customer experience transformation. They focus on two groups that can determine whether a CX initiative becomes part of the culture or quietly disappears: the customer experience steering committee and CX ambassadors. Dave explains who should serve on a CX steering committee, how often the group should meet, what responsibilities it should own, and why representation must extend beyond customer-facing departments. John and Dave also explore how frontline employees can become influential CX ambassadors who reinforce standards, build peer-level support, and help organizations identify future leaders. Related: Building an initiative that lasts Why a Customer Experience Steering Committee Matters A CX steering committee serves as the governing body of a customer experience initiative. The group helps select workshop participants, shape implementation priorities, review ideas, approve realistic next steps, and turn workshop content into usable training materials, playbooks, standards, and tools. The strongest committees include representation from both customer-facing and support departments. Sales, customer service, operations, training, finance, accounting, logistics, and other internal service providers all influence the experience customers ultimately receive. The committee must also be able to evaluate what can be implemented immediately, what requires additional technology or funding, and what should be scheduled for a later phase. Who Should Serve on the Committee? Most steering committees include managers, directors, department leaders, training professionals, and employees who understand how work moves across the organization. Members do not need to meet constantly. During normal periods, a monthly virtual meeting may be sufficient. During rollout or content-development phases, the group may meet weekly until key deliverables are complete. The goal is not to add another meeting. It is to create accountability for the customer experience. How CX Ambassadors Build Frontline Buy-In CX ambassadors are often frontline employees who participated in the original customer experience workshops and want to remain involved. They may not hold formal leadership titles, but they have influence among their peers. They understand the initiative, believe in its value, and can explain how it will improve the experience for customers and employees. Ambassadors help communicate what is coming, reinforce new behaviors, identify obstacles, share best practices, support individual locations, and keep the initiative visible after the formal rollout. John and Dave also explain why organizations should consider including respected skeptics and informal influencers during the development process. When these employees understand the purpose behind the initiative, they can become some of its strongest advocates. Related: How to get company wide buy in CX Ambassadors Should Support, Not Police One warning from the episode is especially important: CX ambassadors cannot become the "gotcha police." When ambassadors visit teams only to identify mistakes, the program becomes associated with punishment rather than improvement. Effective ambassadors recognize what employees are doing well, provide constructive coaching, replenish resources, answer questions, and help teams succeed. Their role is to support the culture, not inspect people into compliance. Customer Experience Has No Finish Line The most successful organizations continue meeting after the initial initiative has launched. Steering committees should review customer experience metrics, recognize employees, update standards, identify emerging service defects, and ensure CX training remains embedded in onboarding and leadership development. Ambassadors should continue sharing observations, comparing results across teams or locations, and identifying practices that can be adopted throughout the organization. Customer expectations, internal processes, technology, and business models change. Customer experience standards must evolve with them. CX Programs Can Help Identify Future Leaders A strong CX ambassador program creates another valuable result: it reveals which employees are ready for greater leadership responsibility. Employees who volunteer, coach peers effectively, reinforce standards, and take ownership of the experience demonstrate many of the behaviors required of successful leaders. Organizations can also reduce the number of accidental managers by allowing aspiring leaders to experience leadership training before they are promoted. This gives employees a realistic view of the responsibilities involved and helps companies evaluate more than technical performance when selecting managers. Key Takeaways A customer experience steering committee should govern the initiative after the initial workshops and rollout. The committee should include customer-facing departments and internal support functions. Steering committees translate ideas into realistic standards, training materials, playbooks, and implementation priorities. CX ambassadors are often influential frontline employees rather than formal managers. Employees who are skeptical of change may become powerful advocates when included early. Ambassadors should coach and support employees, not operate as compliance police. Monthly meetings help steering committees and ambassadors maintain momentum. Customer experience materials should be treated as living documents and updated as the business evolves. Ambassador programs can help organizations identify and prepare future leaders. Customer experience is an ongoing operating discipline, not a temporary project. Quotes "The steering committee becomes the governing body of the project." "We want to have cross-departmental representation because that is the group that shapes the project." "The primary thing ambassadors do is take that message back to their teams." "Sometimes the people who do not like change become advocates." "We do not want ambassadors looking only for the bad stuff and ignoring the good." "When it comes to customer experience, there is no finish line." "This is who we are as an organization, and we need to keep the focus on it." "Everything they have created is treated as a living document." "A customer experience ambassador program can help identify your future leaders." "Organizations often promote people without looking at the soft skills required to lead." Chapters 00:49 — Recapping the Six Customer Experience Stakeholders 03:23 — The Role of the CX Steering Committee 05:08 — Who Should Serve on the Committee? 06:46 — Time Commitment and Meeting Structure 08:25 — Creating a CX Ambassador Program 10:51 — Why Ambassadors Are Usually Frontline Employees 11:18 — Turning Skeptics Into Advocates 12:26 — Ambassador Best Practices from Financial Services 13:55 — Avoiding the "Gotcha Police" Problem 15:22 — Building a Regional Ambassador Network 17:04 — How to Maintain Buy-In and Momentum 18:08 — Why Consistent Meetings Matter 20:54 — Developing CX Knowledge Across the Organization 22:32 — Keeping Customer Experience Standards Current 24:28 — Using CX Programs to Identify Future Leaders 25:46 — Preventing Accidental Managers 27:05 — Leadership Training Before Promotion 28:11 — Helping Employees Decide Whether Leadership Fits 30:29 — Final Thoughts Links: Storytelling blog: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/how-to-be-a-more-effective-leader-by-learning-the-best-way-of-storytelling/ ROX Dashboard: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/rox-dashboard/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Company Service Aptitude Test: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/c-sat-forms/individual-c-sat/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors: tdg.click/claudia Ask John! Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode: tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Experience Revolution Membership: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts: Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com If you want to learn how world-class organizations build cultures customers cannot live without, explore The Experience Revolution Membership . Inside the membership you'll gain access to livestream workshops, practical frameworks, and proven strategies used by organizations around the world. Learn more at https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Learn More If your organization is working to improve customer experience but struggling to connect it to measurable business outcomes, The DiJulius Group can help. Visit: https://thedijuliusgroup.com Listen to more episodes: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/the-customer-service-revolution-podcast/ Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

July 9, 2026Episode 26145 min

261: Who Really Owns Customer Experience?

Why Customer Experience Fails Without the Right Internal Ownership Every company says customer experience matters. But too many organizations launch CX initiatives without clearly defining who owns the work, who champions it, who keeps it moving, and who makes sure it becomes part of the culture. In this episode of The Customer Service Revolution Podcast, John DiJulius turns the tables and interviews Dave Murray, Vice President of Consulting at The DiJulius Group and co-author of The Employee Experience Revolution . Dave shares what he has learned from more than 13 years of helping organizations build world-class customer and employee experience cultures. The Three Core Roles Every CX Initiative Needs Dave explains that successful customer experience transformation typically requires three core internal roles: The Executive Sponsor This is usually the CEO, owner, or senior executive who sees the pain points and understands that customer experience is not a department problem. It is an organization-wide culture initiative. The Project Champion This person is usually a senior leader who is closer to the day-to-day business and is responsible for making sure the initiative stays visible, supported, and connected to leadership priorities. The Project Lead The project lead is the person, or sometimes a small committee, responsible for keeping the work moving. They coordinate logistics, involve the right people, communicate updates, support rollout, and help make sure the work becomes part of daily operations. Why the Project Lead Cannot Be an Afterthought One of the biggest mistakes companies make is assigning customer experience ownership to someone who simply has available time. Dave explains that the best project leads have credibility, communication skills, leadership experience, and enough influence to hold others accountable. The role does not always need to be full-time at the start. In many organizations, it may require eight to ten hours per week during active project work. But for the initiative to last, someone must continue owning the reinforcement, accountability, and ongoing momentum after launch. The Role of the CX Steering Committee A strong customer experience steering committee gives the initiative broader representation across departments. This group often includes leaders from sales, operations, contact center, finance, IT, marketing, HR, and other key teams. The steering committee helps shape the work, create buy-in, remove barriers, and make sure customer experience does not live in one department. Why Frontline Buy-In Matters John and Dave also discuss the importance of including frontline team members in the creation process. Leaders may know what should be happening, but frontline employees know what is actually happening. When frontline employees help create the systems, standards, and training, they become ambassadors for the initiative. They bring practical insight, build credibility with their peers, and help prevent the work from becoming another top-down corporate program. Customer Experience Is an Ecosystem The most successful organizations treat customer experience as part of a larger experience ecosystem. External customer experience, employee experience, and vendor relationships all influence one another. As John explains, companies cannot deliver a world-class customer experience without also creating a strong internal employee experience. The role of experience leadership has evolved beyond customer service and now touches hiring, onboarding, training, leadership, recognition, marketing, and culture. Key Takeaway Customer experience transformation does not fail because companies lack ideas. It fails because no one truly owns the execution. If your organization wants customer experience to become a competitive advantage, you need executive sponsorship, a project champion, a project lead, a steering committee, and frontline ambassadors who help turn the strategy into daily behavior. Links: Storytelling blog: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/how-to-be-a-more-effective-leader-by-learning-the-best-way-of-storytelling/ ROX Dashboard: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/rox-dashboard/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Company Service Aptitude Test: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/c-sat-forms/individual-c-sat/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors: tdg.click/claudia Ask John! Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode: tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Experience Revolution Membership: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts: Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com If you want to learn how world-class organizations build cultures customers cannot live without, explore The Experience Revolution Membership . Inside the membership you'll gain access to livestream workshops, practical frameworks, and proven strategies used by organizations around the world. Learn more at https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Learn More If your organization is working to improve customer experience but struggling to connect it to measurable business outcomes, The DiJulius Group can help. Visit: https://thedijuliusgroup.com Listen to more episodes: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/the-customer-service-revolution-podcast/ Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

July 2, 2026Episode 26036 min

260: Why Leaders Must Be Great Storytellers

Storytelling is how leaders turn information into belief, alignment, and action. Leadership Storytelling Is No Longer Optional In this episode of The Customer Service Revolution Podcast , John DiJulius and Denise Thompson discuss why storytelling is one of the most important leadership skills in today's workplace. Most leaders are good at sharing information. They communicate updates, goals, metrics, and expectations. But information alone rarely changes behavior. Stories are different. They help people understand the "why," connect emotionally to the mission, and remember what matters. John explains why great leaders throughout history have also been great storytellers. Whether they are entrepreneurs, coaches, CEOs, pastors, or public figures, the best leaders know how to rally people around a vision. They do not simply tell people what to do. They help people believe in what is possible. Data Tells, Stories Sell One of the central ideas of the episode is the phrase, "Data tells, stories sell." Facts are important, but facts alone often fail to inspire action. A story gives the data meaning. It creates context, emotion, urgency, and belief. John explains how storytelling activates different parts of the brain than traditional communication, making people more likely to remember and act on the message. For leaders, this matters because employees do not want to simply trade hours for dollars. They want to be part of something bigger. Storytelling helps leaders show employees how their work connects to the company's purpose, the customer's experience, and the impact the organization is trying to make. The Leader's Role in Storytelling John explains that leaders are responsible for communicating the company's vision in a way that creates emotional commitment. That requires more than a polished message. It requires a story people can see themselves inside. A strong leadership story often includes three roles: The Villain The problem, friction, broken industry norm, poor experience, or missed opportunity the organization exists to fight against. The Victim The people affected by the problem. This could be customers, employees, the community, or an industry that needs to improve. The Hero The team members who have the ability to change the outcome. John makes an important point: the leader is not the hero of the story. The employees are. Great storytelling helps employees see that they are the ones who can solve the problem, serve the customer, and bring the company's vision to life. The Four Components of a Great Leadership Story John shares four key components every leader should consider when telling a story: Purpose Every story must have a clear reason for being told. It should motivate, teach, reinforce values, or help people understand a decision. Emotional Connection A story should make people feel something. Empathy, inspiration, humor, vulnerability, and shared experience make the message more human. Structure A strong story needs focus. Without structure, leaders can drift into rambling, unnecessary details, or disconnected anecdotes. Authenticity The best leadership stories feel real. Leaders build trust when they are willing to share their own growth, mistakes, lessons, and moments of vulnerability. Why Storytelling Improves Customer Experience Storytelling is not just a communication tool. It is a culture tool. When leaders tell better stories, employees better understand the mission, values, and behaviors expected of them. Stories create a shared language. They reinforce what matters. They help employees see how their role impacts the customer. That stronger employee connection ultimately improves the customer experience because employees are not just following rules. They understand the purpose behind the service standard. Practical Ways Leaders Can Become Better Storytellers John encourages leaders to practice storytelling like any other skill. Better storytelling comes from repetition, feedback, observation, and self-awareness. Leaders can improve by watching great speakers, studying TED Talks, practicing with peers, joining speaking groups, asking for feedback, and learning to cut unnecessary details. John also emphasizes that stories are everywhere: in your life, your work, your customers, your employees, the news, and the everyday moments that reveal what your company stands for. The key is not to copy someone else's story. It is to recognize where a similar lesson has shown up in your own experience, then make it authentic. Key Takeaways Storytelling is a leadership skill, not just a speaking skill. Leaders use stories to create belief, alignment, and emotional commitment. Facts alone rarely inspire action. Data becomes more powerful when it is connected to a story people can understand and remember. The leader should not be the hero. Employees should see themselves as the heroes who can solve problems and improve the customer experience. Every strong story needs purpose, emotional connection, structure, and authenticity. Stories help reinforce culture. They give employees a clearer understanding of the company's purpose, values, and service expectations. Better storytelling takes practice. Leaders can improve by studying great speakers, rehearsing, seeking feedback, and learning which details matter. Pull Quotes "Data tells. Stories sell." "You are never the hero of your story." "Every company should exist to have a positive impact on humanity." "A leader's role is to create such a vivid, crystal-clear vision of the company's future that people rally around it." "Less is better, said really well." "Nothing will rise you through the ranks faster than galvanizing a team or department to perform better." Chapter List 00:00 — Welcome and episode setup 01:01 — Why storytelling is a leadership skill 02:12 — Why great leaders are great storytellers 04:13 — Communication versus storytelling 06:13 — Why facts alone rarely inspire action 08:52 — Storytelling, trust, empathy, and cooperation 09:37 — Why leaders overlook storytelling 11:15 — Can storytelling be developed? 13:03 — The four components of great stories 17:13 — Villain, victim, and hero 18:00 — What leaders struggle with most 21:08 — Creating emotional connection 23:38 — Why salespeople need better stories 24:10 — How visuals support storytelling 27:27 — How to improve storytelling in 30 days 31:00 — Where to find better stories 34:18 — Biggest storytelling mistakes 36:17 — The story every CEO should tell 38:32 — How CXEA helps leaders present better 40:16 — Closing thoughts Links: Storytelling blog: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/how-to-be-a-more-effective-leader-by-learning-the-best-way-of-storytelling/ ROX Dashboard: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/rox-dashboard/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Company Service Aptitude Test: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/c-sat-forms/individual-c-sat/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors: tdg.click/claudia Ask John! Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode: tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Experience Revolution Membership: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts: Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com If you want to learn how world-class organizations build cultures customers cannot live without, explore The Experience Revolution Membership . Inside the membership you'll gain access to livestream workshops, practical frameworks, and proven strategies used by organizations around the world. Learn more at https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Learn More If your organization is working to improve customer experience but struggling to connect it to measurable business outcomes, The DiJulius Group can help. Visit: https://thedijuliusgroup.com Listen to more episodes: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/the-customer-service-revolution-podcast/ Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.

June 25, 2026Episode 25935 min

259: Why Customer Experience Transformations Fail in the Middle

How middle managers make or break customer experience transformation Why Customer Experience Transformations Fail in the Middle Most customer experience initiatives do not fail because the strategy was wrong. They fail because the strategy is announced by senior leadership, introduced to frontline employees, and then loses momentum in the middle. In this episode of The Customer Service Revolution Podcast , Denise Thompson and John DiJulius discuss why middle managers are one of the most overlooked parts of any customer experience transformation. Senior leaders may set the vision, but frontline employees do not experience that vision every day. They experience their direct manager. If that manager is overwhelmed, unclear, unsupported, or simply passing along a corporate message, the customer experience initiative becomes one more thing competing for attention. Why Middle Managers Matter in Customer Experience Middle managers are the link between strategy and execution. They are the ones responsible for turning customer experience goals into daily behaviors, coaching moments, team conversations, accountability, and recognition. John explains that companies often focus on executive buy-in and frontline training, but they miss the layer that determines whether the initiative actually sticks. Managers cannot just repeat the message from leadership. They have to translate it into behavior. Why CX Initiatives Lose Momentum Many middle managers are labeled as resistant when the real problem is that they are overwhelmed. Every department is competing for their attention: operations, sales, marketing, technology, HR, and customer experience. When managers are not given enough clarity, authority, time, training, or support, they cannot effectively lead the transformation. Instead of becoming culture carriers, they become message carriers. John explains that successful project launches require more than creation and launch. Organizations must certify it, implement it, measure it, and continue reinforcing it long after launch day. How Managers Become Culture Carriers To become true culture carriers, managers need to understand the why behind the customer experience initiative. They need to know how it creates a competitive advantage, improves retention, drives referrals, reduces complaints, and helps the company avoid competing only on price. They also need the tools to coach their teams, celebrate the right behaviors, recognize wins, and hold people accountable when standards are not being met. The Role of Senior Leadership Senior leaders must stay obsessed with the vision. They need to repeat the message consistently, share results, celebrate progress, and make middle managers the heroes of the transformation. John also discusses the danger of accidental managers: high-performing employees who are promoted into leadership without enough training. When managers are not equipped to lead people, organizations risk creating accidental cultures. How to Make Customer Experience Stick Customer experience does not become real because it was announced. It becomes real when it is coached, reinforced, recognized, measured, and protected. If your CX initiative is losing momentum, the answer may not be another slogan, campaign, or frontline training module. It may be that your managers need more clarity, more tools, more authority, and more support. Because your customer experience strategy is only as strong as the leaders responsible for bringing it to life every day. Takeaways Middle managers are the make-or-break layer in customer experience transformation. Executive buy-in and frontline training are not enough if managers are not equipped to lead. Managers should translate the CX message into behavior, not simply repeat it. Many managers are overwhelmed, not resistant. Successful project launches require certification, implementation, measurement, and ongoing reinforcement. Storytelling helps managers make CX behaviors real and memorable. Weekly habits, huddles, microlearning, and coaching keep CX alive after launch. Senior leaders must provide air cover when managers hold the line on service standards. Accidental managers can create accidental cultures if they are promoted without leadership training. Leaders should say less, more often, and stop chasing shiny objects. Quotes "Customer experience does not become real because it was announced. It becomes real when it's coached, reinforced, recognized, measured, and protected." "The frontline does not experience the CEO's vision every day. They experience their manager." "Results don't lie." "Someone who just repeats is delivering a mandate from above." "Be obsessed with your vision. Repeat it at nauseam. Make it your manager's vision." "Don't chase shiny objects." "You are what your retention rates say you are. You are what your referrals say you are." Chapters List 00:00 – Opening and Welcome Denise introduces the topic of middle managers and why they are often overlooked in customer experience transformation. 00:47 – John's Cal Berkeley Hat and Family Wedding Story John shares the personal story behind his hat and his upcoming family wedding in Sweden. 05:39 – The Overlooked Layer in CX Transformation Denise explains why the middle manager layer often determines whether strategy becomes reality. 06:46 – The Six Stakeholders in a Project Launch John outlines the six key stakeholders needed for a successful launch. 08:45 – Message Carriers vs. Culture Carriers John explains the difference between repeating a CX message and translating it into behavior. 10:26 – Resistance or Overwhelm? Denise and John discuss why managers are often mislabeled as resistant. 12:38 – The Six Steps of a Successful Launch John explains create it, launch it, certify it, implement it, measure it, and everboard it. 15:23 – How to Identify Real Buy-In John shares how leaders can tell whether managers are truly bought in or just complying. 18:06 – KPIs and ROX Dashboards John discusses how to measure whether a CX initiative is working. 19:03 – How Managers Become Culture Carriers Denise asks what middle managers need in order to lead customer experience culture. 20:12 – Coaching Without Corporate Scripting John explains the role of storytelling, accountability, and manager involvement. 21:53 – Weekly Habits That Keep CX Alive John introduces everboarding, microlearning, and consistent reinforcement. 24:47 – Senior Leadership's Role John explains why senior leaders must stay obsessed with the vision. 25:16 – Providing Air Cover for Managers John discusses how leaders should support managers who hold the line on service standards. 26:16 – Warning Signs Managers Are Becoming the Bottleneck John explains how results reveal whether managers are advancing or blocking the transformation. 27:56 – Where Companies Should Start John discusses accidental managers and the need for leadership training. 32:37 – One Thing Leaders Can Do This Week John advises leaders to say less, more often, and stop chasing shiny objects. 33:44 – Closing Thoughts Denise closes the episode by reminding listeners that CX becomes real through managers. Links: ROX Dashboard: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/rox-dashboard/ The DiJulius Group Methdology: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/x-commandment-methodology/ Company Service Aptitude Test: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/c-sat-forms/individual-c-sat/ Schedule a Complimentary Call with one of our advisors: tdg.click/claudia Ask John! Submit your questions for John, to be aired on future episode: tdg.click/ask Customer Experience Executive Academy: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/project/cx-executive-academy/ Experience Revolution Membership: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Books: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/shop/ Contacts: Lindsey@thedijuliusgroup.com , Claudia@thedijuliusgroup.com If you want to learn how world-class organizations build cultures customers cannot live without, explore The Experience Revolution Membership . Inside the membership you'll gain access to livestream workshops, practical frameworks, and proven strategies used by organizations around the world. Learn more at https://thedijuliusgroup.com/membership/ Learn More If your organization is working to improve customer experience but struggling to connect it to measurable business outcomes, The DiJulius Group can help. Visit: https://thedijuliusgroup.com Listen to more episodes: https://thedijuliusgroup.com/the-customer-service-revolution-podcast/ Subscribe We talk about topics like this each week; be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode.