Good AI customer service is about not getting caught up in the details

Chatbot responses should be “relevant, accurate, and not over or under informative” throughout the entire experience, according to PolyAI’s Oliver Shoulson.

Updated Oct. 3, 2025

When money is tight, how do gyms and salons encourage loyalty?

“Loyalty and growth go hand in hand: When clients feel looked after, they stay, and they bring their friends,” Playlist’s Brian Fields said.

Jimmy John’s moves to points-based rewards

Switching from a surprise-and-delight program to JJ Rewards could help drive frequency and incentivize the chain’s most loyal guests.

Why leaders and consumers have different ideas about loyalty

Leaders measure loyalty using metrics of control while customers see it in emotional terms, according to PwC’s George Korizis.

Lancôme loyalty members take center stage with revamped website

Lancôme’s designated rewards program portal aims to build deeper relationships with customers and offer them more reasons to come back.

Depop debuts Outfits feature for style inspiration

The resale platform aims to make itself a daily destination with a shoppable, in-app collage tool. 

The Children’s Place relaunches its loyalty program to deepen engagement

Every member can redeem points for discounts, with higher-tier customers earning perks like expedited order processing.

Stitch Fix dials up personalization to reverse client declines

The number of active clients continues to drop, but the apparel box retailer hopes to win customers with superior experiences, according to CEO Matt Baer.

Microsoft, Curated for You collaborate on AI-based fashion discovery

Microsoft Copilot can now respond to conversational queries with context-aware, shoppable curations. Retailers like Rent the Runway and Steve Madden are already on board. 

What the $2.5B Amazon Prime settlement means for CX leaders

The online retailer did not admit any wrongdoing as part of the FTC settlement but agreed to pay $1 billion in penalties and $1.5 billion in refunds to consumers harmed by its subscription practices.

Why customers say online shopping just can’t compare to the in-store experience

Just over half of customers said they shop in person instead of online so they can try on clothing or test products, according to a Chatmeter survey.

Albertsons links grocery savings with travel bookings

The grocer added a feature to its loyalty program that lets people earn cash back when they arrange airfare, hotel stays, car rentals and vacation packages.

How to drive adoption of contact center voice AI

“Given that voice is the most popular channel, it follows that if you're going to win big on automation, it's by offering an excellent voice AI experience,” CMP Research’s Nicole Kyle said.

Customers are more likely to subscribe when it’s easy to cancel

More than three-quarters of consumers say the ability to pause, swap or meter subscriptions is very or extremely important.

Where companies fall short in their personalization efforts

Shoppers appreciate personalization when it helps with product discovery or deals, but about half say brands’ recommendations feel random and irrelevant, a VML survey found.

Red Lobster deploys AI bots to answer phones

SoundHound’s voice automation technology is expected to free up workers and improve front-of-house service.

Walmart boosts search accuracy across languages with better translations

The retailer uses an AI agent to flag search terms, which are sent to a team of linguists who find the right meaning and add it to the company’s translation platform.

Kroger plans acceleration of AI efforts

The grocer is using the technology to operate more efficiently, improve customer experience and boost sales.

FTC case against Amazon Prime subscription practices begins

The agency alleges the online retailer used manipulative tactics to trick millions of consumers to sign up for Prime and made it hard to cancel.

Hertz deployed an AI vehicle scanner. Then came the CX meltdown.

Hertz’s AI vehicle scanner was supposed to improve the vehicle damage inspection process. What went wrong?

How Target is rethinking search for generative AI

While most shoppers are still using one or two keywords for a traditional online search, longer, more complex queries are on the rise.

FedEx powers real-time tracking and order communication for Best Buy

As FedEx becomes the primary national parcel carrier for the retailer, the goal is to reduce support calls, cancellations and reshipment costs.

Is your CX strategy arguing with human nature?

The next great leap in customer experience won't come from a dashboard. It will come when leaders start designing for how people actually think, decide and feel.

Shoppers are embracing AI but want guardrails, research finds

Forty percent of respondents to a survey conducted by PwC said they expect to use the tech to help them find and compare products within the next five years.

After logo backlash, Cracker Barrel turns to loyalty members for feedback

The restaurant chain’s rewards members can now comment on their experience after every visit through the Front Porch Feedback feature.