The Latest

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  American Airlines looks to enhance in-flight experience with complimentary Wi-Fi

  The airline will offer free Wi-Fi exclusively to AAdvantage loyalty program members on about 90% of its fleet by 2026.

  Loyalty

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  Hotel loyalty membership surged in 2024: CBRE

  Increased loyalty member counts are driving hotel occupancy, though the growth presents challenges such as rising costs, according to an April report.

  Loyalty

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  Tillster: 61% of users want more restaurant kiosks

  Diners are becoming more comfortable with kiosks since they can review their orders for accuracy, per a report.

  Strategy

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  Rent the Runway rethinks customer service approach

  Shifting to more proactive service, the team now spends 14% of its time calling customers to build loyalty, according to CEO Jennifer Hyman.

  Strategy

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  Online shopping brings convenience but lacks joy

  Brands have many ways to make e-commerce more exciting, but they should avoid adding fluff, according to Info-Tech Research Group’s Julie Geller.

  Personalization

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  JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo: US consumers remain resilient

  Even as consumer sentiment plunges, spending data shows resilience, JPMorgan Chase says.

  Strategy

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  Deep Dive

  How third-party conversational AI could upend customer service

  Experts expect conversational assistants to take on the burden of making customer service queries for customers, but this creates new challenges for CX leaders.

  AI & Automation

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  Consumer sentiment plummets, inflation expectations soar amid trade war

  “There’s been a sharp decline in consumer sentiment, and business sentiment measures have weakened too,” New York Federal Reserve Bank President John Williams said.

  Strategy

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  Consumers say product discovery is key to better shopping experiences, survey finds

  Smart page layouts and product summaries are just some of the steps that can help improve the discovery process.

  Strategy

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  How JCPenney’s new brand positioning is subverting consumer expectations

  Out-of-home ads that feature QR codes but not labels want consumers asking “It’s from where?” as the retailer pushes to modernize and promote value. 

  Strategy

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  Customers want easier search experiences

  Brands that fail to offer seamless discovery experiences may cause customer frustration and dissatisfaction, Gartner’s Noam Dorros said.

  Technology

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  Etsy marries AI and human touch with curated collections

  The feature builds on the marketplace's holiday gift recommendation tool. But Chief Product Officer Nick Daniel says the company is "just scratching the surface" with AI.

  AI & Automation

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  Amazon CEO: Generative AI will ‘reinvent virtually every customer experience’

  The company is building more than 1,000 generative AI applications across the business to improve CX, Andy Jassy said.

  AI & Automation

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  Delta says premium and loyalty provide resilience as the economy quakes

  The airline pulled its full-year financial guidance, citing broad macro uncertainty. Even so, premium remains a strong point.

  Strategy

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  Google Cloud touts new AI tools to simplify marketing, customer experience

  At Google Cloud’s Next ‘25 conference, the tech giant will lay out innovations that speak to how brands and agencies can use artificial intelligence.

  AI & Automation

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  Investments in convenience pay off for Sam’s Club

  The warehouse club will remodel its entire store fleet, with upgrades based on its store of the future concept, and improve digital personalization.

  Strategy

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  How broken governance promises hurt trust — and the bottom line

  Companies face intense legal and political pressure to break environmental and social promises, but it takes far longer to rebuild consumer trust than it does to break it, experts say.

  Strategy

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  Tariffs are the latest test of beleaguered US consumers

  Before the expansive levies were announced, spending power was already weakened by high prices and rising debt, among other forces, analysts say.

  Strategy

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  Dave & Buster’s overhauls its remodel strategy as sales continue to fall

  The restaurant chain still wants to offer unique experiences — but leaders are aiming for higher returns on investment.

  Strategy

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  Tariffs alarm consumers. Can CX help companies maintain loyalty?

  As markets plummet and prices rise, consumers are seeking cheaper alternatives. Now, CX leaders will play an even bigger role in fostering loyalty.

  Strategy

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  Sweetgreen abandons tiered loyalty for points-based program

  Executives previously predicted the loyalty program would be a traffic driver, as the salad chain faces a competitive fast casual environment.

  Loyalty

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  Amazon pilots AI app feature that can buy items from third-party sites

  Buy for Me can purchase eligible products from third-party sites without customers leaving the Amazon Shopping app.

  AI & Automation

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  5 CX experts on how leaders can tackle tariff challenges

  Whether companies absorb the brunt of cost increases or pass them on, the right approach to customer relationships can ease the struggle.

  Strategy

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  Papa Johns will use Google AI for analytics, marketing

  The pizza chain will use Google Cloud’s AI tools to optimize delivery routes, create a customer-facing chatbot and deliver personalized rewards in real time.

  AI & Automation

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  Amazon taps AI for automatic product recommendations

  The e-commerce giant gave a subset of U.S. users a tool that takes shopping prompts to routinely recommend items.

  AI & Automation

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