What does it take to power 5 billion customer resolutions a year—with speed, empathy, and zero shortcuts?

At Zendesk, AI plays a central role. It learns from massive data, follows clear rules, and helps teams make service feel more human.

On this episode of The Modern Customer Podcast, I speak with Shashi Upadhyay, President of Products, Engineering, and AI at Zendesk, about how they’re building AI that scales globally and enhances every human interaction it touches.

🎧 Listen in for:

◦ Why AI needs guardrails, not guesswork

◦ The “smart intern” approach to responsible AI

◦ How Zendesk blends automation with emotional intelligence

This is how great service gets smarter, faster and more human. Don’t miss this short, smart conversation on AI that works.

Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.

Follow Blake Morgan on LinkedIn

For regular updates on customer experience, sign up for her weekly newsletter here.

The future of healthcare isn’t just digital—it’s deeply human. And AI is helping make that possible.

This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, Heather Brace, Chief People Officer at Intermountain Health, shares how her team is transforming both patient and employee experience.

By combining the power of AI with real-time employee feedback, they’re building a more connected, responsive, and human-centered healthcare system.

In this conversation, Heather shares:

✔️ How AI is helping doctors stay present and build trust with patients

✔️ Why transparent feedback is reshaping leadership culture

✔️ What it takes to create an experience-first organization at scale

This episode is packed with insight for leaders who believe technology should enhance empathy, not replace it.

🎧 Tune in to learn how feedback and AI are reshaping healthcare from the inside out.

Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.

Follow Blake Morgan on LinkedIn

For regular updates on customer experience, sign up for her weekly newsletter here.

Most AI chatbots are built to answer FAQs—but that only solves a fraction of the problem.

According to Deon Nicholas, founder of Forethought, just 23% of support inquiries are informational. The other 77% require action—like account lookups, password resets, and policy decisions.

That’s where most GenAI tools fall short—and where agentic AI steps in.

On the latest episode of The Modern Customer Podcast, recorded live at the Qualtrics X4 Summit, Deon and I go rapid-fire on the future of AI in CX and EX.

We cover:
✅ Why most chatbots can't handle the majority of real-world support needs
✅ What agentic AI is—and why it's reshaping customer experience
✅ How to personalize at scale without compromising trust
✅ What proactive AI looks like—and why it's the next evolution

If you're serious about using AI to drive real CX results, this episode is packed with insight you can’t afford to miss.

🎧 Ready to rethink your AI strategy? Listen to the full episode now!

Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.

Follow Blake Morgan on LinkedIn

For regular updates on customer experience, sign up for her weekly newsletter here.

The missing piece in AI-powered CX? Creative thinking.

This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, I’m joined by Zendesk CTO Adrian McDermott, live from the Zendesk Relate conference in Las Vegas.

We explore why AI alone isn’t enough—and how customer experience leaders must pair technology with imagination to drive meaningful innovation.

Inside the episode:

✔️ RAG: The new standard for self-service
✔️ Agent co-pilots that reduce training time
✔️ Smarter automation that actually delivers

🎧 Listen now and let me know how you’re combining creativity with AI in your own work.

Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.

Follow Blake Morgan on LinkedIn

For regular updates on customer experience, sign up for her weekly newsletter here.

According to a new Qualtrics + McKinsey report, organizations that effectively use AI to enhance CX could unlock between $860 billion and $1.3 trillion in annual value.

On the latest episode of The Modern Customer Podcast, I speak with Isabelle Zdatny, Head of Thought Leadership at Qualtrics, live from the X4 conference. We dive into what this research means for CX leaders navigating AI transformation.

Key insights from the report:

• 77% of executives say CX is a top strategic priority

• 72% believe AI will fundamentally reshape CX within three years

• Yet only 12% have a coordinated AI strategy

• Only 15% of executives feel ready to lead AI transformation in their industry

This conversation is a must-listen for CX leaders looking to move beyond pilots, connect AI to business outcomes, and build creative strategies that scale.

Listen to the episode and download the full report for a clear roadmap to unlocking CX value through AI: https://www.qualtrics.com/news/qualtrics-report-executives-are-hesitant-to-lead-in-ai-transformation-putting-up-to-1-3-trillion-at-risk/

Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.

Follow Blake Morgan on LinkedIn

For regular updates on customer experience, sign up for her weekly newsletter here.

In the latest episode of The Modern Customer Podcast, Tom Eggemeier, CEO of Zendesk, shares what’s next for CX—and why the future is all about outcomes, not tickets.

The conversation explores Zendesk’s new Resolution Platform and the real-world impact of Agentic AI. Key takeaways include:

✅ The shift from interactions to real resolution
✅ Agentic AI that acts, adapts, and anticipates
✅ A business model that only wins if customers do
✅ The 3 biggest CX shifts redefining loyalty, automation, and the human touch

If you're thinking about where customer experience is headed, this episode offers a clear and optimistic view of what’s possible.
🎧 Tune in now!

Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.

Follow Blake Morgan on LinkedIn

For regular updates on customer experience, sign up for her weekly newsletter here.

This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, I sat down with Jeff Shore, sales strategist, author, and founder of Shore Consulting.

We explored the emotional mechanics behind why customers buy—and what causes them to hesitate. Jeff shared a powerful framework that helps brands reduce friction, build trust, and create experiences that move customers forward with confidence.

If you lead CX, journey design, or customer strategy, this episode offers fresh insights you can apply right away.

Listen now—and discover how to turn hesitation into momentum.

This episode is sponsored by Scayle—the flexible, scalable eCommerce platform built to grow enterprise brands—pain-free.

Visit www.scayle.com to learn more

Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.

Follow Blake Morgan on LinkedIn

For regular updates on customer experience, sign up for her weekly newsletter here.

This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, I sat down in person with Donna Morris, EVP and Chief People Officer at Walmart, live from the Qualtrics X4 event in Salt Lake City.

We explored how Walmart is using technology, AI, and a deep focus on people to rethink employee experience at scale—and what that means for customers.

If you lead CX, EX, or digital transformation, this episode is packed with insights you can use.

🎧 Don’t miss this powerful conversation with one of the world’s most influential HR leaders.

Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.

Follow Blake Morgan on LinkedIn

For regular updates on customer experience, sign up for her weekly newsletter here.