Customer Service

  • A worker checks out a customer at a Lowe's home improvement store.
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    Lowe’s virtual assistants boost satisfaction and sales

    Customers who engage with Mylow online convert at more than double the rate of those who don’t, providing “clear evidence that AI is simplifying decision-making and driving sales,” CEO Marvin Ellison said.

    By • Nov. 21, 2025
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    Courtesy of Klarna Group
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    Klarna says its AI agent is doing the work of 853 employees

    The buy now, pay later firm says the technology has saved the company $60 million, though customer service and operations costs are still up year over year.

    By • Nov. 20, 2025
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    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
  • An Urban Outfitters storefront is pictured while a large amount of shoppers walk on the sidewalk in front of it.
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    Dan Dennison/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Nuuly subscribers can now return items at Urban Outfitters stores

    Subscribers to the apparel rental company can see faster processing and instant updates as part of the new service. 

    By Howard Ruben • Nov. 18, 2025
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    Consumers will pay more for empathy

    Many consumers feel companies are failing at empathy, and the growing use of AI in customer service likely isn’t helping, a Zurich survey found.

    By • Nov. 18, 2025
  • In Philadelphia, union hotel workers at the Wyndham Historic District hotel walked off the job on Nov. 8, 2025.
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    Courtesy of Unite Here
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    Front-line workers are more difficult to find, train and retain, study says

    Employers’ previous assumptions about how easily essential workers can be hired or replaced have become increasingly unreliable, according to a Josh Bersin report.

    By Laurel Kalser • Nov. 17, 2025
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    Why Optimum looks to the frontline for customer pain points

    “I learn most when I'm in a call center in the Philippines or in India or in Brooklyn than what I hear through a bunch of PowerPoints in the boardroom,” said CCXO Shuvankar Roy.

    By • Nov. 12, 2025
  • People stand in a line to check in to their flights.
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    Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images
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    Major airlines waive cancellation, rebooking fees amid flight cuts

    As airlines work to comply with the FAA order to cut flights at 40 major airports, carriers are working to minimize the disruption to customers.

    By • Nov. 7, 2025
  • Two people sit on a stage for a fireside chat at a conference.
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    Permission granted by Reuters Events
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    In an AI world, Nordstrom is leaning into human care

    AI has a role to play, but when customers "really want the face-to-face, eye-to-eye, voice-to-voice connection,” the retailer is there to meet the need, Nordstrom’s Heather Bissell said.

    By • Nov. 5, 2025
  • The logo of a Marriott hotel
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    Brandon Bell/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Marriott will lay off portion of customer engagement center workforce

    The company confirmed that organizational changes are being implemented “to better reflect how our guests interact with us across channels.”

    By Jenna Graber • Nov. 4, 2025
  • A woman sits at a desk in a dark room with a phone in her hand, looking unsettled. The shadow of a tree is projected on the wall behind her.
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    3 of the spookiest customer experiences

    CX Dive spoke to three experts about the spookiest customer experiences, what they do to customers, and how they can cost companies. 

    By , • Oct. 30, 2025
  • Close up of Wayfair storefront.
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    Scott Olson via Getty Images
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    Wayfair invests in AI to power its customer experience push

    The retailer is using the technology in its product image carousels, search engine and contact center operations.

    By • Oct. 28, 2025
  • A Williams-Sonoma store with a customer walking by.
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    Joe Raedle / Staff via Getty Images
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    Williams-Sonoma deploys AI agents across its brand portfolio to offer 24/7 support

    The retailer expects the agents to be able to handle more than 60% of chat inquiries, increasing efficiency and reducing service costs.

    By • Oct. 15, 2025
  • Contact center agents work in a row at call center.
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    Getty Images
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    Consumers see live human customer service as key to loyalty

    Nearly three in five consumers say help from real people helps create trust, according to a Ricoh survey.

    By • Oct. 10, 2025
  • The inside of a Madison Reed color bar.
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    Permission granted by Madison Reed
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    How Madison Reed rolled out agentic AI to support, not replace, people

    The hair care company has focused on automating high-volume, low-friction tasks like membership management to free up stylists for more important work.

    By • Oct. 8, 2025
  • A promotional image of one of Starbucks' AmazonGo Locations
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    Courtesy of Starbucks
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    Why mobile-order and pickup-only restaurants fail

    Starbucks learned the hard way that customers care more about experience than efficiency. 

    By Michael Brady • Oct. 7, 2025
  • A close up of a man's hand holding a phone displaying a conversation with a chatbot.
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    CX quality is improving, no thanks to AI customer support

    Half of consumers are concerned that AI will impede their ability to connect to a human, according to Qualtrics XM Institute.

    By • Oct. 7, 2025
  • A person calls customer service on their cell phone
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    Consumers grow frustrated with unclear digital self service

    Most consumers say they have abandoned a digital task because it was too annoying, Liferay found.

    By • Oct. 6, 2025
  • A car sits underneath Taco Bell's new drive-thru camera stations, which are decorated in neon signage
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    Permission granted by Taco Bell Corp.
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    Chick-fil-A wins on order accuracy, experience at the drive-thru

    Speed of service improved slightly at quick-service restaurants, but mobile orders, app payments and customizations have created more complex transactions, Intouch Insight’s report revealed.

    By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Oct. 3, 2025
  • A person types on a phone, interacting with a chatbot
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    Getty Images
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    AI chatbots consistently fall short on complex tasks

    Companies should let bots handle simple issues and escalate complex requests to AI-supported human agents to boost outcomes, loyalty and efficiency, according to Bain & Co.

    By Michael Brady • Oct. 3, 2025
  • A customer service agent works at her computer.
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    sturti via Getty Images
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    Winning consumers back after a poor experience takes action, not words

    Business leaders and customers agree that resolution should be fast, but leaders place greater value in apologies, according to a survey released by Sprinklr.

    By • Oct. 2, 2025
  • A woman makes a phone call while sitting at a table and gesturing
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    Getty Images
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    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.

    By • Updated Oct. 3, 2025
  • An exterior shot of a Red Lobster restaurant from downhill, in the foreground, lush shrubbery separates the restaurant from the camera.
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    Courtesy of Red Lobster
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    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.

    By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Sept. 24, 2025
  • Picture of a man and a woman working at two computer stations in an office with headsets on.
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    A bipartisan bill wants to keep call centers in the US. Here’s how leaders can prepare.

    The legislation's future is unclear, but experts say contact centers should plan ahead and reduce call volumes, improve service and examine costs.

    By • Sept. 15, 2025
  • Call center workers in an office.
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    Getty Images
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    Gartner predicts Fortune 500 companies won’t eliminate human agents anytime soon

    “At the end of the day do we think there will be fewer agents? Yes. But a fully agentless future is not going to happen,” Gartner’s Kathy Ross said.

    By • Sept. 12, 2025
  • Co-founders stand next to each other at a press conference outside
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    Brook Mitchell via Getty Images
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    Atlassian lays off another 200 customer service, support staff

    The company came to the decision after its customer experience improvements to platform and tools reduced support needs, a spokesperson told CX Dive.

    By • Sept. 10, 2025