The Latest
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Economic data ‘point to headwinds ahead,’ Conference Board says
Economists at several organizations have recently warned of trade war risks and forecast slower economic growth this year.
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Sam’s Club and Chime put people first in their AI implementations
The companies are balancing automation and the human touch, and they offered insight into how this plays out at the Qualtrics X4 conference.
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Frontier Airlines makes a play for customers upset by Southwest’s bag policy
“We’ve always had heart. Some airlines are walking away from what travelers love, but we’re running towards it,” CEO Barry Biffle said.
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Instacart increases grocery personalization with new AI tech
The grocery technology company unveiled tools to help better predict customers’ dietary needs and refine product recommendations.
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Most executives see the potential of AI for experiences, but many remain wary
While AI can have a measurable impact on the bottom line, leaders need to embrace significant changes to their governance if they want the full benefit, experts say.
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Deep Dive
Can Southwest make investors and its most loyal customers happy?
The airline has enjoyed unusual brand loyalty. But under activist pressure to shore up profits, Southwest is gambling with what customers love most.
Updated March 19, 2025 -
How Indeed creates a ‘shared vocabulary’ around customer data
The vocabulary distills that noisy data into a cohesive narrative that tells the story of who the customer is — and what they need from the company.
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Yum Brands, Nvidia will deploy new AI at 500 restaurants
The restaurant giant is working with the tech company on drive-thru and call-center voice AI, computer vision to analyze operations, and AI analytics at the restaurant level.
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Inside Lowe’s loyalty program revamp
The retailer spoke to DIY and pro customers to draw insights from their behavior, allowing the unique needs of both customer bases to shine through, Lowe’s head of customer marketing and loyalty said.
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Global trust in digital services falls as consumer data privacy concerns grow
Consumers are skeptical of how brands use their data, and they’re willing to abandon brands if their trust is broken, a Thales survey found.
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Kroger cuts jobs at 84.51°
The layoffs at the grocer’s retail analytics subsidiary reflect an effort by the company to “focus on the key priorities that power our go-to-market strategy,” a spokesperson said.
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Ulta reexamines in-store basics after losing beauty market share
The company is revamping its leadership and investing in store and digital CX strategies to help it keep up with an evolving beauty landscape.
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Bath & Body Works introduces new store design
Gingham+ features an updated layout, tech and larger aisles as the company caters more to the Gen Z demographic.
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Most consumers wouldn’t let AI make purchases on their behalf, study finds
Shoppers still find AI useful for personalized product recommendations and discovery, according to an Omnisend survey.
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Tariffs trigger ‘horrific’ plunge in consumer sentiment
Expectations for long-term inflation also soared as tariffs and other Trump administration policies stirred anxiety about a resurgence in price pressures, according to a University of Michigan survey.
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Google Shopping gets smarter with a suite of AI tools
Customers can now virtually try on multiple makeup products at once based on beauty trends and draw inspiration from generated AI images.
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Kroger launches e-commerce business unit
Yael Cosset will head the new team charged with online customer experience as EVP and chief digital officer, the grocer announced last week.
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Bank credit card experiences fall short, risking loyalty
Among younger generations, three-quarters are currently indifferent or outright dissatisfied with their card experience, Capgemini Research Institute found.
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Dollar General turns to experience to further boost sales
The off-price retailer aims to grow its momentum with friendly in-store experiences and expanded same-day delivery.
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Brian Niccol’s 6-month update on Starbucks turnaround plan
The coffee chain’s CEO said investments in store experience are ramping up, but union members say the brand isn’t spending enough on hourly workers.
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Stitch Fix credits CX improvements for better-than-expected earnings
The online retailer has slowed the loss of customers and sees customer experience initiatives as the path back to revenue growth.
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Dick’s Sporting Goods builds on store success with employee investments
The retailer aims to expand on its experiential store success through increased use of RFID tags and a greater emphasis on associate training.
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McDonald’s creates ‘restaurant experience’ team to sharpen menu innovation
The Golden Arches’ new team replaces its customer experience unit and includes three cohorts dedicated to chicken, beef and beverage/dessert.
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Kohl’s turns to simpler, reliable experiences to improve its fortunes
Complex coupons, poor cross-channel experiences and the elimination of jewelry spaces have weighed on the retailer’s core experience — and sales.
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Southwest ditches two free checked bags policy
The airline said it would also make it harder to earn Rapid Rewards points, set expiration dates on flight credits, and eliminate free changes on basic fares.