Podcast ¦ Punk CX: Equip people with AI to enable them to lead with emotional intelligence – Interview with Miranda Collard of TP

Key Take Aways

1. Leadership involvement in frontline customer interactions fosters a stronger understanding of customer pain points and operational realities, essential amidst digital transformation.
2. Maintaining direct contact with customers and front-line employees enables senior managers to stay grounded, ensuring service strategies remain human-centric despite technological advancements.
3. A human-first approach is critical in leveraging AI and automation, emphasising empathy and emotional intelligence, especially in complex or emotionally charged interactions.
4. Successful integration of AI requires strategic problem definition, focusing on core issues rather than technology for its own sake, to drive tangible business outcomes.
5. Real-time data and insights derived from AI can significantly improve key metrics such as refunds, retention, and revenue, with examples showcasing improvements of 11% and 27%.
6. Deep partnership and collaboration with clients facilitate the rapid deployment and scaling of AI-driven solutions, crucial in delivering value at organisational level.
7. Front-line employee input remains invaluable; integrating their insights into AI and process improvements creates a virtuous cycle of innovation and service enhancement.
8. The evolution of customer queries towards more complex issues calls for closer integration between service providers and clients, moving beyond transactional relationships to partnership models.
9. Ongoing transformation efforts must balance technological deployment with supporting the workforce, emphasising education and enabling human skills alongside AI adoption.
10. Organisations pioneering a “punk” or disruptive ethos in CX demonstrate openness to experimentation, speed of ideation, and cross-functional collaboration, which are key to differentiation.
11. Celebrating positive stories in CX, such as recognising unseen champions within organisations, reinforces organisational purpose and fosters morale amidst change.
12. Emphasis on empathy, compassion, and human connection remains essential, even as AI becomes more prevalent, ensuring conversations stay meaningful and personalised.

Key Statistics

• Miranda has more than 30 years’ experience in CX, still actively taking customer calls.
• She reviews customer interactions remotely at least once a week.
• Approximately 60,000 people in the organisation have received training on emotional intelligence.
• AI has contributed to an 11% reduction in refunds and exchanges in a fast fashion brand.
• Successful AI deployment resulted in a 27% increase in revenue per order.

Key Discussion Points

• The importance of senior leaders engaging directly with frontline staff and customers to stay connected and informed.
• The value of a human-first approach in the era of AI, stressing empathy and emotional intelligence in interactions.
• How AI and technology can be integrated seamlessly with frontline insights for improved operational decision-making.
• The evolving complexity of customer queries requiring closeness and partnership with organisations rather than transactional relationships.
• Real-world success stories highlighting AI’s impact, from reducing refunds to improving retention and revenue.
• The significance of problem statement clarity as a foundation for effective CX transformation.
• The risks of separating technological innovation from human elements, underscoring the need for a balanced approach.
• The role of design thinking and frontline involvement in AI projects, resulting in sustainable innovation.
• The importance of fostering organisational agility to respond to industry chaos and fast-changing customer expectations.
• The competitive advantage of adopting a disruptive, “punk” approach to CX by encouraging experimentation and collaboration.
• The rising importance of emotional intelligence training and compassion in delivering impactful customer service.
• The necessity for ongoing leadership focus on trust, collaboration, and positive organisational culture in digital transformation.

Podcast Description

This podcast provides insights into the future of customer experience within high-growth and complex industries, with a specific spotlight on the strategic integration of AI and human-centric service. Hosted by Adrian Swinsco, it explores how senior leaders can harness technology whilst maintaining empathy at the core of their service delivery. Featuring expert perspectives, success stories, and forward-looking discussions, the podcast aims to equip senior managers with practical knowledge to drive transformative CX initiatives that are rooted in authenticity, partnership, and continuous innovation.