The Trusted Guide Podcast with Mark Slatin

Smart leaders. Stalled change. Here's why: most leadership teams say they "support" customer experience — but support isn't the same as action. It's been over a dozen years since "Outside In" was written and Megan Burns shared the six CX disciplines as their working model. I was curious about what has changed since those days - what would she include today that wasn't in the book. In this episode,...

Technology can help organizations move faster. But faster toward what? Mark Slatin sits down with Dr. Gerard Athaide, professor of marketing at Loyola University Maryland, to explore why strategy must come before technology. Gerard explains why leaders should begin with an honest assessment of where customers are struggling before investing in a new platform, automation, or AI solution. He also in...

Why Good Ideas Get Blocked: The Trust Equation for Change Leaders with Charlie Green It pairs naturally with the thumbnail, names the recognizable framework, and makes the change-leadership application explicit. WHY GOOD IDEAS GET BLOCKED: THE TRUST EQUATION FOR CHANGE LEADERS WITH CHARLIE GREEN Why do strong ideas—with solid evidence and a compelling business case—still get blocked? Because leadi...

Most change efforts don't fail because of bad strategy. They fail because the people leading them are asking the wrong question. Seth Godin has written 21 bestselling books. He's built movements, challenged industries, and spent decades studying why some ideas spread and others die quietly in conference rooms. In this conversation, Seth cuts straight to what most change leaders get wrong — and wha...

What if the real goal of customer experience isn't delivering better experiences at all? In this episode of The Trusted Guide Podcast, Mark Slatin sits down with Joe Pine, co-author of The Experience Economy and one of the most influential thinkers in customer experience and business strategy. Joe argues that we're entering the next stage of economic value creation—one where organizations create v...

After more than 160 episodes of The Delighted Customers Podcast, this episode marks an intentional shift. Over the past decade, I’ve had the privilege of learning from leading thinkers, practitioners, and authors in customer experience, leadership, and trust. Again and again, a pattern emerged:Even when everyone agrees on what needs to change… nothing changes. In this episode, I explain why I’m ev...

What if just 40 seconds of genuine compassion could tangibly lower a cancer patient's anxiety—and what if this "wonder drug" holds the key not just for healthcare, but for every leader who wants to create more fulfilling workplaces and customer experiences? The impact of this question is profound. On this episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, I sat down with Dr. Stephen Trzeciak ("Dr. T"), w...

Is it really possible to build trust with customers in a business landscape overflowing with misinformation and emotional volatility? That burning question is at the heart of my conversation with Michael Forsberg, Director of Client Experience at BrandTrust. In an era many call "post-truth," business leaders face steep challenges in distinguishing what's real from what's noise—especially when it c...

What if the financial metrics you rely on to measure your company's success are actually steering you away from long-term customer loyalty and sustainable growth? In our latest episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, live from Harvard Business School, I dive into this burning question with Rob Markey, professor at Harvard and seasoned veteran at Bain. Rob challenges the conventional wisdom aro...

Are you unknowingly sabotaging your own well-being at work—and at home—by trying to fix everyone else's problems? So many of us find purpose and validation in helping, supporting, and "solving" for others. But what happens when that good intention tips into burnout, resentment, and codependent relationships? In this episode, I dig into the hidden costs of being a "serial fixer" with my guest Leah...

Is it possible to deliver life-changing news—with compassion—without sacrificing precious time or the physician's own well-being? It's a burning question for healthcare professionals everywhere, and the impact of getting it right goes far beyond the exam room. Not only does compassionate communication ease patient anxiety and foster loyalty, but it also drives better outcomes, even in the face of...

What happens to innovation, team dynamics, and trust in organizations when a significant portion of employees are emotionally fragile, risk-averse, and struggle with interpersonal interactions? In this episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, I dive into the profound impact of generational shifts on workplace culture, leadership, and customer experience. Drawing insight from the best-selling bo...

What's stopping CX leaders from turning mountains of customer data into executive-ready stories that prompt real change? In this episode, we dig deep into one of the most urgent—and often overlooked—challenges for customer experience (CX) teams: crafting compelling, actionable narratives from all that customer insight. Data is everywhere, but too often the dots just don't get connected in a way th...

What happens when a profession built on human insight faces a tidal wave of change—from evolving business demands to the rise of AI? How do CX leaders stay relevant and drive meaningful results in this new landscape? This episode digs deep into the shifting world of customer experience (CX) with Greg Melia, CEO of the Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA). I bring Greg back to the s...

What drives customers to cling fiercely to a brand, even when it means paying more or overlooking problems others wouldn't forgive? Is our political identity quietly fueling a new kind of "super loyalty" that's transforming customer behavior, for better or worse? In this episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, I dive into these burning questions with my returning guest, Dr. Forrest Morgeson, a...

What happens when your company's reputation—and your customers' trust—hangs by a thread? Are you ready for a moment when a crisis isn't just possible, but inevitable? In this episode, I dive deep into one of the most critical topics for today's leaders: how strategy, communication, and integrity intersect to protect (and sometimes rebuild) your organization's trust in the face of crisis. When ever...

What if the real secret to customer loyalty and transformation isn't just about great ideas, but about how you build consensus within your organization—before you make a single move? Too often, even the smartest strategies can get derailed by resistance, misalignment, or simple miscommunication inside a company. That's why I was eager to dig into the Japanese concept of "Nemawashi," a systematic a...

What if the real secret to exceptional leadership isn't control, charisma, or even performance—but generosity? Could the "soft stuff" like listening, empathy, and vulnerability truly drive the hardest results in business? In this episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, I dig into that very question with Joe Davis, legendary former Senior Partner at Boston Consulting Group, co-founder of BCG's...

Is AI-powered personalized pricing the next frontier—or the next fiasco—for customer loyalty and corporate reputation? That's the burning question I dive into with my guest, Dr. Peter Fader, on this episode of the Delighted Customers podcast. With Delta Air Lines rolling out AI-driven pricing and the world watching closely, the conversation takes a provocative turn: Should the C-suite pursue every...

What really makes customer service stick—not just as a business function, but as a transformative and human-centered experience—even in an era dominated by AI and automation? That's the burning question I dig into with my guest on this episode of the Delighted Customers podcast. If you've ever wondered why some organizations continually miss the mark (even with technology at their fingertips), or...

Is your business rushing into AI without really understanding how it fits into your strategy—or worse, letting "FOMO" drive your next big tech investment? On this episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, I challenge leaders to think beyond the hype and get real about the transformational (and sometimes risky) power of AI in delivering great customer experiences. With renowned customer experienc...

What makes change so difficult—even for organizations that know change is inevitable and even necessary for growth? If we all agree that staying in our comfort zones holds us back, why do we continue to resist change—and what can leaders do to help teams navigate it better? In this episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, I sit down with Dennis Geelen, an accomplished author and consultant, to...

Is your organization fully realizing the value of your contact center, or is it being limited by a narrow focus on efficiency and cost control? In this episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, I sit down with renowned Canadian contact center consultant and trainer Mike Aoki to examine how contact centers serve as the real-time pulse of customer experience. Together, we explore the evolution of...

What if the secret to building a truly loyal gym membership—or any recurring customer base—starts the moment someone tries to leave? That question struck me while talking with Blair McHaney, a trailblazing fitness industry leader who's spent more than 40 years reimagining how gyms can deliver customer (or, as Blair puts it, member ) experience. Too often, fitness centers focus on sales at the expe...

Is it time to finally admit that not all customers are created equal—and that treating them as if they are might be costing your business more than you realize? In this episode, I dig deep with Dan McCarthy, Associate Professor of Marketing at the University of Maryland and co-founder of Theta, to challenge one of the most hotly debated questions in customer experience: Should all customers be tre...