Execs In The Know

10/30/2026

87% of consumers say they’ve stopped or slowed doing business with a company because of a poor customer support experience.

That’s a powerful reminder that CX isn’t just about satisfaction. It can directly influence loyalty, retention, and future business.

Our new 2026 CX Leaders Trends & Insights: Consumer Edition explores what today’s consumers expect from customer care, including new findings on confidence, trust, AI, self-service, channel behavior, loyalty, and more. It all helps answer an important question: What’s building customer confidence, and what’s putting it at risk?

Download the full report:
https://execsintheknow.com/knowledge-center/customer-experience-research/cx-leaders-trends-insights/cx-leaders-trends-insights-2026-consumer-edition/

10/30/2026

AI can take routine work off your team's plate. But what happens next?

As AI takes on more customer interactions, the challenge for CX leaders isn't just deciding what to automate. It's rethinking how roles, skills, and career paths evolve as the work itself changes.

That means preparing employees for more complex problem-solving, creating new career paths, rethinking performance metrics, and ensuring the next generation of CX talent has opportunities to develop the judgment and expertise the job requires.

And there's a bigger question: If AI handles the routine work people have traditionally learned from, how do we help them build the experience they need to succeed in more complex roles?

In our latest CX Insight article, we explore why AI adoption requires more than a technology strategy. It requires a workforce strategy, too.

Read the article:
https://execsintheknow.com/magazines/october-2026-issue/is-ai-adoption-reinventing-the-workforce/?utm_source=socialmedia&utm_campaign=CXInsightMagazine&utm_medium=socialmedia

What are you rethinking about your workforce as AI takes on more of the work?

As AI takes on more customer service tasks, CX leaders must redefine what people do best, from complex problem-solving and judgment to empathy and relationship-building.

10/28/2026

Great customer experiences start with the people delivering them.

CX leaders are focused on improving customer satisfaction, building trust, and driving efficiency. But how often do we stop to consider the experience of the employees behind it all?

Our latest CX Insight Magazine article explores the human side of CX leadership, from psychological safety and employee well-being to navigating change and the impact of AI on frontline teams.

Because taking care of your people isn't separate from delivering great customer experiences. It's a critical part of it.

📖 Read the full article:

How can CX leaders protect employee well-being while sustaining performance? Explore how psychological safety, mental health, and supportive leadership shape better experiences.

10/26/2026

What if AI could help your team anticipate customer needs before they’re even expressed?

In our new issue of CX Insight Magazine, we speak with Tracy Sedlak, Vice President, Global Sales Operations & Performance, at The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection about how AI is helping advisors uncover guest insights, recognize missed opportunities, and deliver more personalized experiences.

📖 Discover how The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is using AI to make CX teams more perceptive, while keeping the human touch. Read the full interview!

A century-old tradition of anticipatory service meets a new generation of conversation intelligence at The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.

10/23/2026

The Q4 issue of CX Insight is here!

This issue explores the questions CX leaders are navigating today, from how AI is changing the workforce to what it takes to lead through constant change.

Inside, you'll find perspectives from leaders at 3Rivers Federal Credit Union, American Airlines, GOAT Group, Intuit, Michael Kors, Nama, and The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection on bringing people, technology, and leadership together to move CX forward.

📖 Read the October issue:
https://execsintheknow.com/magazines/october-2026-issue/?utm_source=socialmedia&utm_campaign=CXInsightMagazine&utm_medium=socialmedia

10/22/2026

“We are in a trust recession.”

That was the opening line of our CX Masterclass at CRS Scottsdale, led by Alice Sesay Pope, author of The Trust Algorithm.

As AI transforms CX, leaders must balance efficiency with trust, cost savings with better experiences, and innovation with accountability.

Our latest blog explores key takeaways from Alice’s masterclass, including why resolution matters more than deflection, how empathy and precision build trust, and why strong governance is essential to scaling AI successfully.

The takeaway? AI should amplify trust, not just cut costs.

📖 Read the full blog:
https://execsintheknow.com/the-trust-algorithm-what-the-cx-masterclass-taught-us-about-ai/?utm_source=socialmedia&utm_campaign=CRSScottsdale&utm_medium=socialmedia

Hear more conversations like this at our next CRS in Dallas, Las Colinas, March 10–12! Learn more:
https://execsintheknow.com/events/customer-response-summit-dallas-2027/?utm_source=socialmedia&utm_campaign=CRSDallas&utm_medium=socialFB

Explore The Trust Algorithm by Alice Sesay Pope and learn how CX leaders can use AI to build customer trust, strengthen human connection, and scale responsibly.

10/20/2026

At CRS Scottsdale, Tracy Sedlak, Vice President, Global Sales Operations & Performance at The The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, delivered a keynote that flipped the usual AI conversation on its head.

Anticipatory Service in the Age of AI showed how luxury hospitality is raising the bar. Sedlak explained how the brand built its Customer Intelligence Center (CIC) to help advisors anticipate a guest’s needs before every call, while keeping every recommendation in human hands.

📖 Read the full recap blog: https://execsintheknow.com/anticipatory-service-in-the-age-of-ai-with-the-ritz-carlton-yacht-collection/?utm_source=socialmedia&utm_campaign=CRSScottsdale&utm_medium=socialmedia

🎟️ Save your spot for CRS Dallas, Las Colinas (March 10–12): https://execsintheknow.com/events/customer-response-summit-dallas-2027/?utm_source=socialmedia&utm_campaign=CRSDallas&utm_medium=socialLI

Discover how The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection uses AI to help advisors anticipate guest needs, personalize luxury service, and improve CX.

10/16/2026

Are brands keeping up with consumer expectations? The latest insights from CRS Scottsdale reveal where CX leaders are aligned with customers and where gaps remain. 👀

In our latest blog, we explore key takeaways from live audience polling conducted in Scottsdale and our 2026 CX Leaders Trends & Insights: Consumer Edition research.

From the role of CX in business decisions to AI adoption, customer loyalty, and agent training, discover four important insights that can help CX leaders identify gaps and prioritize what matters most to customers.

Read the blog to explore the findings and what they mean for your CX strategy:

New CX research and live polling at CRS Scottsdale reveal where consumer expectations align with organizational priorities and where gaps persist across four key areas.

10/16/2026

AI is transforming CX, but what does successful implementation look like in practice?

Join us for our upcoming Rapid-Fire AI Use Cases for CX virtual event, “AI in Action: Real Deployments, Real Results, Real Lessons.” Hear from brands putting AI to work as they share real-world use cases, lessons learned, and actionable insights for CX leaders.

One use case will feature Jillian Zatta with Kustomer and Taylor Johnson with Nathan James Home, exploring how they’ve used AI to:

💡 Scale customer service without losing the human touch
💡 Create more opportunities for meaningful customer conversations
💡 Measure success beyond AI satisfaction scores

📅 October 29 at 1 PM ET
👉 Learn more and register: https://execsintheknow.com/events/ai-in-action-real-deployments-real-results-real-lessons/

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from brands putting AI into action!

10/15/2026

At CRS Scottsdale, we heard plenty of great insights, and our latest blog breaks down some of the biggest takeaways CX leaders need to know.

Some key takeaways that really stood out:

✅ Customer assurance starts with leadership, not tech

✅ AI must improve the customer journey, not just reduce costs

✅ Strong metrics don’t always tell the whole story

✅ Real-world results matter far more than AI promises

✅ Preparing your people is what makes or breaks the future of CX

Read the full breakdown here:
https://execsintheknow.com/what-cx-leaders-need-to-know-about-trust-ai-and-the-future-of-customer-experience/

Want to keep the conversation going? Join us in person for CRS Dallas, Las Colinas, in March! Learn more here:
https://execsintheknow.com/events/customer-response-summit-dallas-2027/?utm_source=socialmedia&utm_campaign=CRSDallasLearnMore&utm_medium=social

Explore five key takeaways from CRS Scottsdale on AI adoption, customer trust, operational performance, and the leadership strategies shaping the future of customer experience.