Join hosts Chuck Moxley and Nick Paladino as they talk with Zehra Syeda-Sarwat, Global Head CX Strategy and Insights at Microsoft.
With experience from Amazon Web Services and now leading Microsoft's ambitious mission to become the world leader in customer experience, Zehra shares how they're using AI to reimagine not just customer journeys, but employee and partner experiences in ways never done before.
Key Actionable Takeaways:
- Use the two-by-two framework for prioritization - Plot customer pain points on effort vs. impact matrices to identify low-effort, high-impact quick wins that build momentum
- Measure intention before action - Track early signals like website learning, employee training, and event attendance to predict customer loyalty before it converts to revenue
- Connect employee and customer friction simultaneously - Focus employee experience improvements specifically on customer-facing roles to create dual outcomes that benefit both groups
Download the Black Friday/Cyber Monday eBook: http://bluetriangle.com/ebook
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Zehra Syeda-Sarwat's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zehra-syedasarwat-7127a211/
Zehra Syeda-Sarwat's X: https://x.com/ZehraSyedaS
Nick Paladino's LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/npaladino
Chuck Moxley's LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/chuck-moxley
Chapters:
(00:00) Introduction
(03:00) Microsoft's ambition to lead global customer experience with AI
(04:00) Culture change lessons
(06:00) Four foundational elements for CX transformation success
(09:00) The power of internal marketing and making transformation fun
(13:00) Prioritization frameworks - customer feedback and two-by-two matrices
(17:00) Assessing effort vs. impact for transformation initiatives
(21:00) The three Cs - connection, conviction, and commitment
(25:00) Balancing quick wins with long-term strategic initiatives
(27:00) Internal friction solutions that improve both employee and customer experience
(31:00) Metrics that signal transformation is actually working
(35:00) Measuring customer intention as a leading indicator
(38:00) Why AI empathy misconceptions are holding companies back
(39:00) Conclusion
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