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In this episode of Navigating the Customer Experience, we welcome back Joseph Michelli, a certified customer experience professional, New York Times and Wall Street Journal #1 bestselling author, and internationally sought-after keynote speaker. Known for his books on iconic brands such as The Ritz-Carlton, Mercedes-Benz, Starbucks, Zappos, and Airbnb, Joseph brings decades of insight on how leaders and frontline teams can elevate human experiences.

We dive into his latest book, All Business Is Personal: One Medical’s Human-Centered, Technology-Powered Approach to Customer Engagement. Joseph highlights how One Medical—now part of Amazon—revolutionized healthcare delivery by combining AI and digital convenience with deeply personal human connections. He explains how technology can remove inefficiencies, like long waits and scheduling frustrations, while still keeping care human-centered. His insights underscore the importance of balancing automation with empathy—especially as industries increasingly adopt AI.

On the topic of patient comfort with digital healthcare, Joseph notes the learning curve. While technology can enhance convenience, it must never replace the human connection where it matters most. He shares examples of how One Medical redesigned workflows so patients were seen promptly, providers spent less time on charts, and the overall experience felt more personal, not less. The takeaway: technology should enable more meaningful human interactions, not eliminate them.

Looking ahead to 2026, Joseph outlines three key priorities for CX leaders:

1. AI-readiness – Organizations must understand how AI is influencing customer interactions and ensure their brand is positioned effectively in AI-driven recommendations.
2. Convenience and hyper-personalization – Customers expect seamless, tailored experiences; tone-deaf or generic messaging erodes loyalty.
3. Human-empowered service – Well-trained, emotionally intelligent employees remain essential for delivering authentic, personalized experiences.

Joseph also shares exciting news: the launch of a fully online Master’s Degree in Customer Experience at Campbellsville University. This program equips professionals with academic and practical tools—from persona-based journey mapping to ecosystem design—to advance CX as a business-driving discipline.

When discussing the core competencies for CX representatives, Joseph emphasizes emotional intelligence as the foundation. Empathy, self-awareness, managing emotions, and understanding what customers should feel in every interaction are crucial across all industries. Leaders, meanwhile, must also master influence, persistence, vision, and the ability to deliver measurable business outcomes.

Joseph closes with a guiding philosophy he leans on during challenges: “Service serves us.” By focusing on creating value for others, we in turn are enriched. Yet he also reminds us that service must be balanced with self-respect—serving up to the point where we are valued, not devalued.

This rich conversation covers Joseph’s career journey, the evolving role of AI, the future of CX leadership, and the enduring importance of empathy in business. Don’t miss this chance to learn from one of the leading voices in customer experience.

Links Mentioned:

• All Business Is Personal: One Medical’s Human-Centered, Technology-Powered Approach to Customer Engagement by Joseph A. Michelli
• Campbellsville University’s Master of Science in Customer Experience program
• Free guide: The ABC’s of a Fantastic Customer Experience

Connect with us on X @navigatingcx and join our private Facebook community, Navigating the Customer Experience.

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In this episode of Navigating the Customer Experience, we are joined by Peter Ryan, President and Founder of Ryan Strategic Advisory, is recognized globally as one of the foremost experts in customer experience (CX) and business process outsourcing (BPO). For over two decades, Peter has advised CX outsourcers, enterprises, governments, and associations on strategic issues like technology deployment, offshore positioning, and service delivery. He is also the publisher of the annual CX Technology and Global Services Survey, considered the most comprehensive look into the minds of enterprise CX leaders across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific.

Peter’s journey into CX began in London more than 20 years ago at Data Monitor, a market analysis firm. Though unfamiliar with CRM at the time, his curiosity and willingness to learn launched a career that has since evolved into running his own advisory business for nearly a decade. Today, he is a trusted voice in the industry, helping organizations align technology, outsourcing, and strategy to elevate customer experience.

A highlight of Peter’s work is his CX Technology and Global Services Survey. Now in its 8th year, the study benchmarks enterprise priorities, investment areas, and challenges. The 2025 survey, with over 800 decision-makers, revealed three major themes:

1. Data security, compliance, and regulation remain top concerns, with leaders prioritizing fraud prevention, cybersecurity, and privacy compliance.
2. BPO partnerships continue to grow, proving outsourcing is now integral to CX delivery.
3. AI fatigue is rising. While organizations remain interested, fewer leaders expect demand for AI tools to increase, instead seeking real, proven use cases.

Peter also co-founded the CX Outsourcers Conference with Tracy Freeman and Mark Angus. Since 2018, it has become a global gathering of CX and outsourcing leaders, offering unfiltered dialogue and cross-industry perspectives. After stops in Las Vegas, Atlanta, and Munich, the next conference will take place in Ottawa in 2026—their first outside the U.S.

Looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, Peter identifies two priorities for CX leaders:

1. Fix declining service levels. Consumer satisfaction is hitting historic lows, with indexes in the U.S. and U.K. “plumbing new depths.” Leaders must ask why customers feel underserved and address the gaps.
2. Fight for CX investment. Leaders must secure budgets to evolve people, processes, and technology. Relying on outdated methods won’t work—organizations need continual recalibration to retain customers cost-effectively.

Beyond strategy, Peter shares his personal inspirations. Two books shaped his outlook: What Does This Button Do? by Bruce Dickinson, which illustrates the power of lifelong learning and reinvention, and The Hawke Memoirs by Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke, highlighting resilience and decisive leadership.

For daily productivity, Peter relies on WhatsApp, which has become his go-to professional communication tool, far more effective than overloaded email inboxes.

Currently, Peter is most excited about growing the CX Outsourcers community, creating safe spaces for executives to collaborate, share best practices, and elevate the industry without the pressure of sales.

When it comes to adversity, Peter lives by the philosophy that “things can only get better” and emphasizes personal responsibility: while external factors may be uncontrollable, we remain masters of our own destiny.

This episode offers a rich perspective on CX strategy, outsourcing trends, and the leadership mindset required for the years ahead.

Recommended Books:

• What Does Th

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In this episode of Navigating the Customer Experience, we are joined John McCahan who is a Customer Experience and Service Executive Leader who has transformed CX across industries including automotive, banking, logistics, manufacturing, retail, and most recently at FTD, where he led its post-bankruptcy customer experience transformation. Currently a Board Member of FullCircle and Advisory Board Member for Execs in the Know, John’s career spans leadership roles at Avon, Milacron, Fifth Third Bank, Target, and Equifax, as well as eight years of service as a U.S. Army Captain. He was recently named one of the “100 Leaders Transforming Customer Experience.”

In this conversation, John shares how his journey into CX began unexpectedly after his military career, when he was asked to lead an underperforming contact center. He discovered his passion for helping people help others and driving organizations to improve execution in service delivery. He emphasizes that customer issues often stem not from frontline staff but from organizational execution failures.

Top Competencies for Exceptional Service Delivery
John identifies three critical behaviors that cut across all industries:

1. Meet customers where they want to be met—via phone, chat, AI, or digital channels, adapting to customer preferences across demographics and cultures.
2. Leverage frontline insights—agents hear customer issues daily and provide the most accurate view of recurring problems. Fixing root causes reduces unnecessary contacts and strengthens customer trust.
3. Embed CX into company culture—true transformation happens when CX is embraced across the entire organization, not just by service teams.

Convincing Leadership of CX Value
John shares strategies for professionals struggling to gain executive buy-in: (1) identify and track metrics that matter, (2) ensure CX leaders have a voice where decisions are made, and (3) live customer centricity through action. He highlights loyalty and lifetime value (LTV) as vital measures, citing FTD’s success in more than doubling its LTV by shifting from transactional interactions to long-term relationships. He also stresses patience—cultural change takes years, not months, to take hold.

Vendor and Partner Alignment
John’s credo, “Find vendors and partners that fit your business,” underscores his belief that success requires alignment in vision, culture, and technology. He shares examples where misaligned outsourcing relationships caused friction, while true partnerships created collaboration, transparency, and innovation. He draws on military principles such as “Fail fast, fail early, fail small” and occasionally “Ask forgiveness, not permission” to illustrate how decisive leadership can accelerate progress.

AI and the Future of CX
For John, AI is not about replacing people but enhancing effectiveness. He uses Microsoft Copilot daily and is especially excited about the potential of Agentic AI—intelligent systems that anticipate and personalize experiences. He imagines applications like concerts or restaurants where AI tailors interactions to individual preferences, turning ordinary transactions into memorable moments.

Books and Inspirations
Two books deeply influenced his leadership: Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson, which taught him to embrace change, and Would You Do That to Your Mother? by Jeanne Bliss, which reinforced empathetic, customer-first leadership. He illustrates this philosophy with a powerful story of a loyal 91-year-old customer sending monthly flowers to his wife, showing how empowered, compassionate agents can turn service failures into loyalty-building experiences.

Listeners can connect with John on LinkedIn. Follow