The Delighted Customers Podcast with Mark Slatin

The Delighted Customers Podcast with Mark Slatin

Welcome to The Delighted Customers Podcast — your go-to resource for practical insights and thought leadership in leadership, change management, and customer experience. Ranked among Apple’s Top 20 in U.S. Management and featured in Forbes, we deliver expert tips and inspiring stories to help you lead with impact and drive meaningful change.

Episodes

August 21, 2025 27 mins

What really makes customer service stick—not just as a business function, but as a transformative and human-centered experience—even in an era dominated by AI and automation?

That’s the burning question I dig into with my guest on this epis...

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Is your business rushing into AI without really understanding how it fits into your strategy—or worse, letting “FOMO” drive your next big tech investment?

On this episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, I challenge leaders to think beyond the hype and get real about the transformational (and sometimes risky) power of AI in delivering great customer experiences. With renowned customer experience innovat...

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What makes change so difficult—even for organizations that know change is inevitable and even necessary for growth? If we all agree that staying in our comfort zones holds us back, why do we continue to resist change—and what can leaders do to help teams navigate it better?

In this episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, I sit down with Dennis Geelen, an accomplished author and consultant, to decode the human side of change man...

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Is your organization fully realizing the value of your contact center, or is it being limited by a narrow focus on efficiency and cost control?

In this episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, I sit down with renowned Canadian contact center consultant and trainer Mike Aoki to examine how contact centers serve as the real-time pulse of customer experience. Together, we explore the evolution of the conta...

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What if the secret to building a truly loyal gym membership—or any recurring customer base—starts the moment someone tries to leave?

That question struck me while talking with Blair McHaney, a trailblazing fitness industry leader who’s spent more than 40 years reimagining how gyms can deliver customer (or, as Blair puts it, member) experience. Too often, fitness centers focus on sales at the expense of rea...

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Is it time to finally admit that not all customers are created equal—and that treating them as if they are might be costing your business more than you realize?

In this episode, I dig deep with Dan McCarthy, Associate Professor of Marketing at the University of Maryland and co-founder of Theta, to challenge one of the most hotly debated questions in customer experience: Should all customers be treated the ...

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    What if the very thing holding you and your team back from success isn’t a lack of skills or resources—but fear itself? How could learning to face what’s uncomfortable actually unlock your best results, greater job satisfaction, and even more meaningful customer experiences?

    In this episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, I dive deep with Jill Schulman, Marine Corps veteran, leadership consultant, and ...

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    What if the key to sustainable business growth isn’t just about generating new leads, but about truly understanding and retaining your existing customers? Are you aware of the invisible forces sabotaging your efforts to create a loyal customer base—and, more importantly, what you can do to fix them?

    In my latest episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, I sit down with Roger Nicholas, co-author of The CX...

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    What if you could close the gap between what you think your customers experience and what they actually feel—using raw, unfiltered feedback you can see and hear for yourself?

    In a constantly evolving digital landscape, the journey from a customer’s very first click to their final interaction is more complex—and crucial—than ever before. But many leaders believe that their customer experience is far better ...

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    What if negative customer experiences matter more than you think—impacting your bottom line far beyond any single complaint or glowing review?

    In the latest episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, we dive into why negative experiences carry outsized influence on customer loyalty and business revenue. Many leaders mistakenly chase the most frequent irritants, but as our guest explains, it’s not about qu...

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    What’s the secret to building unshakeable trust with your customers—especially when you’re not face-to-face and your product passes through layers before it ever reaches the end user?

    That question has been top of mind for me, and it’s exactly why I was so excited to sit down with Lisa Schwartz, Chief Operating Officer of Mathematica, on the latest episode of the Delighted Customers podcast. If you’ve ever...

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     Note: This is Part 1 of a 2-part series

    What does it take to create an onboarding experience so powerful that clients can’t imagine working with anyone else?

    For executives and customer experience leaders, the onboarding process is much more than an administrative formality—it's the first date, the pivotal moment when a client decides whether to pursue a deeper relationship or walk away. In this episode o...

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    What if you could unlock executive buy-in—and real alignment—by channeling the breakthrough strategies of world-famous celebrities in your customer experience approach?

    In this episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, guest Ania Rodriguez flips the script on how CX leaders can influence their C-suite and drive transformative change. By drawing on the archetypes of iconic figures like Oprah, Lady Gaga, R...

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    Are you struggling to cut through organizational resistance and win real buy-in for your customer experience (CX) initiatives?

    You’re not alone. Even the most skilled CX professionals and change leaders often face the uphill battle of influencing executives and key stakeholders—especially when budgets are tight and positional authority is limited. That’s exactly why the launch of the new on-demand course, "Becoming a Trusted Guide:...

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    Join us for a special episode featuring Lou Carbone, widely regarded as the father of the experience management move...
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    "It's Not About the Coffee": A Starbucks President's Recipe for Delighting Customers with CX

     

    Join us for an insightful conversation with Howard Behar, a pivotal figure in Starbucks...
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    What if AI-powered technology could not only solve your customers' problems faster but also anticipate their needs—and why do so many organizations still get it wrong?

    On this episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, we unlock the real reasons why companies struggle to implement AI and automation tools effectively, even as consumer expectations for personalization and seamless experiences reach new heig...

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    What does it really take for smaller banks and mid-sized businesses to triumph over industry giants while still delivering exceptional customer experiences?

    This burning question lies at the heart of the latest episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, where we dig deep into the unique advantages that smaller organizations hold in fostering emotional connections, empowering employees, and personalizing c...

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    Join us for a compelling conversation with Bruce Temkin, a true pioneer in the world of customer experience (CX) and the co-founder of the Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA), the founder of the XM Institute at Qualtrics, and now, head of Humanity at Scale. In this episode, Bruce shares his journey from shaping the foundations of CX to launching a bold new initiative focused on helping leaders drive...

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    Fred Reichheld is an expert on customer loyalty and a legend in the world of customer experience management. 

    He and his "co-pilot" Rob Markey, created Net Promoter System, arguably one of the most used loyalty metrics in the world.

    He shared so many gems in our conversation that I decided to produce this edited version as a sort of "greatest hits" episode.

    In this episode:

    1. Why did Fred feel a sense of urgency to wr...

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