Starbucks’ employee, algorithm investments show signs of paying off

Pilot programs last quarter proved workers, not equipment, are the key to solving Starbucks’ low throughput woes, according to CEO Brian Niccol.

By Bryan Wassel • April 30, 2025

Satisfaction with government services faces headwinds in 2025

While the metric has been increasing, there is still a sizable gap between government and other industries, Qualtrics found.

By Kristen Doerer • April 29, 2025

Explore the Trendline➔

Customer service

In this Trendline, CX Dive explores how customer service is evolving to fit the needs of the modern businesses and demands of today’s customers.

By CX Dive staff

Chipotle wants its workers to smile for customers

The restaurant chain plans to improve CX through friendliness. “The fact is smiles down the line don't slow us down,” CEO Scott Boatwright said.

By Bryan Wassel • April 24, 2025

Blind worker to receive $250,000 for call center’s failure to accommodate

The Results Companies “did not avail itself of the free resources” offered to make a screen reader more compatible with its systems, per the lawsuit.

By Caroline Colvin • April 24, 2025

Verizon plans AI-driven experiences as it fights customer churn

The wireless network provider reported higher levels of customer churn in the first quarter following price hikes. Executives see AI-driven customer experiences as part of the solution.

By Bryan Wassel • April 22, 2025

Consumers want swift customer service no matter the channel

Most customers expect a response within an hour, but for some it’s as quick as five minutes.

By Bryan Wassel • April 21, 2025

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.

By Bryan Wassel • April 15, 2025

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.

By Bryan Wassel • April 14, 2025

Customers are turning to social media for support inquiries

Customers who reach out via social media for customer service want fast, human responses, an Emplifi survey found.

By Kristen Doerer • April 4, 2025

Customer service quality drops as businesses look to cut costs

Nearly two-thirds of executives say they’re actively making trade-offs between customer satisfaction and cost efficiency, according to Accenture.

By Kristen Doerer • March 31, 2025

There’s a big gap between what consumers and CX leaders value

Consumers value first-contact resolution and knowledgeable agents significantly more than customer experience leaders, a Genesys survey finds.

By Michael Brady • March 27, 2025

Why Shake Shack’s parent company ties employee experience to CX

Employees won’t offer customers consistently good experiences unless they like their job and coworkers, according to Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer.

By Bryan Wassel • March 25, 2025

Most consumers care more about human connection than speed, survey finds

As more businesses deploy self-service options, it’s critical for businesses to offer customers the ability to talk to a human, Five9 finds.

By Michael Brady • March 25, 2025

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.

By Bryan Wassel • March 21, 2025

Unlocking agent potential: Elevate customer experience with Sanas

For decades, call centers have trained agents to neutralize their accents, forcing them to change how they speak just to be understood.

By Anindya Ghosh • March 17, 2025

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.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • March 13, 2025

Gross bathroom? It can cost your customer experience

Dirty restrooms, out-of-stock paper towels, and stalls with gaps can flush away an otherwise positive customer experience and send sales down the toilet.

By Kristen Doerer • March 10, 2025

Best Buy prioritizes omnichannel experience, returns to sales growth

The electronics retailer credited investments in personalization, stores and personnel for better-than-expected sales growth in its latest quarter.

By Bryan Wassel • March 7, 2025

The risks of generative AI in CX — and how to overcome them

Implementing customer-facing generative AI poses challenges, from the potential degradation of customer experience to unexpected costs.

By Melissa Fletcher • March 6, 2025

Consumers say it’s harder to interact with businesses

Customers say companies are more interested in technological investments that improve profits rather than their experience, a Pegasystems survey found.

By Kristen Doerer • March 5, 2025

Hotel Tech-in: The AI agent fielding front desk calls

Canary Technologies’ AI Voice platform can answer guest calls, reply to questions and make or cancel bookings.

By Noelle Mateer • March 4, 2025

Breaking down accent bias: Empowering contact center agents with Sanas

In today’s global economy, contact centers are essential to delivering seamless customer experiences.

By Anindya Ghosh • March 3, 2025

As long wait times persist, customers embrace AI for speedier service

Customers are open to using multiple channels for a single customer service inquiry, and this is where AI can shine, according to a Vonage survey.

By Bryan Wassel • Feb. 27, 2025

Frontier says its premium offerings are driving revenue growth

By providing higher-end options at lower price points, the airline sees an opportunity to meet its customers’ desires for more luxurious experiences.

By Kristen Doerer • Feb. 12, 2025

Calling a customer? Brands can now display ‘reason for call’

TransUnion and AT&T offer companies the ability to display brand name, company logo and the reason for their call when dialing Android users.

By Kristen Doerer • Feb. 6, 2025