Podcast Summary: Experts of Experience – "The Big AI Lie & Why You Still Don’t Feel Ready"

Release Date: April 2, 2025

Introduction

In this compelling episode of Experts of Experience, host Lauren Wood engages in an insightful discussion with Carrie Bodine, a leading authority in customer experience (CX) and the founder of Bodeen & Co. The conversation delves into the intricate relationship between customer experience and the burgeoning role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in shaping modern business strategies. Sponsored by Salesforce Customer Success, the episode titled "The Big AI Lie & Why You Still Don’t Feel Ready" explores the challenges and opportunities businesses face as they integrate AI into their customer-centric frameworks.

Defining Customer Experience

Carrie Bodine sets the stage by defining customer experience comprehensively:

“Customer experience is your customer's thoughts, emotions and perceptions about all of their interactions as they do business with you. So it doesn't matter what you think, all that matters is what your customers think.” (02:51)

She emphasizes that customer experience transcends mere customer service, encompassing every interaction a customer has with a business. This holistic view is crucial for businesses aiming to exceed customer expectations consistently.

Common Pitfalls in Approaching Customer Experience

Lauren and Carrie discuss prevalent mistakes businesses make in CX strategies:

“One of the things they get wrong is that they really have to go out and listen to their customers... having conversations, talking to your customers one on one and really hearing what it is they're trying to achieve.” (03:25)

Carrie underscores the importance of direct customer engagement beyond data analytics. She highlights that understanding the complex, often unspoken needs of customers requires personal interaction and active listening, which many organizations overlook.

Long-Term vs Short-Term Thinking in CX

The conversation shifts to the balance between short-term metrics and long-term customer relationships:

“When you are investing in customer experience, you're not going to see the results tomorrow or next week. You've got to have some degree of patience and just know that this is going to pay out down the road.” (07:18) – Carrie Bodine

Lauren concurs, discussing the challenge of aligning customer experience improvements with quarterly business results. Both agree that a focus on long-term relationship building yields sustained competitive advantage, despite the delayed gratification it often entails.

The Role of AI in Customer Experience

AI's transformative impact on customer experience is a central theme:

“We literally have AI employees on our team doing things.” (00:26) – Carrie Bodine

They explore how AI can enhance customer interactions but caution against unbridled adoption without proper strategy and consideration of potential consequences. The integration of AI necessitates a reevaluation of traditional CX frameworks to accommodate the dynamic capabilities of AI technologies.

Consequence Scanning Framework

Carrie introduces the "Consequence Scanning" framework, a tool for evaluating AI projects:

“Take a two by two grid. On the Y axis you put positive and negative, and then on the X axis you put unknown and known.” (13:52)

This method encourages businesses to systematically assess both intended and unintended consequences of AI implementations. By categorizing outcomes into positive/negative and known/unknown, organizations can better anticipate and mitigate risks while amplifying beneficial impacts.

Decision-Making in AI Implementation

Lauren poses a critical question about navigating AI risks:

“How can organizations really make a decision of go or no go?... how do we make that?” (20:16)

Carrie emphasizes the urgency of developing robust decision-making frameworks:

“These are the really hairy questions that we all need to start being more comfortable Grappling with.” (20:16)

She advocates for proactive deliberation using tools like consequence scanning to navigate the gray areas of AI adoption, ensuring that businesses remain accountable and responsible in their AI-driven initiatives.

Data Readiness for AI

A significant portion of the discussion focuses on the critical role of data in AI readiness:

“Data is going to be one of the biggest areas that organizations need to focus on. And I don't think most organizations are understanding just how big the data lift is going to be in order for them to create all of these magical AI systems that they are envisioning.” (24:30)

Carrie outlines the steps necessary for organizations to prepare their data infrastructure, including ensuring data quality, consistency, and integration across silos. She highlights the indispensable collaboration between business and IT teams to achieve a unified and AI-ready data ecosystem.

Human-Centered Design in the Age of AI

The integration of AI necessitates a reevaluation of human-centered design principles:

“The functional capability that we've all been gaga over for the past couple of years has been generate... but with agency AI, we're focused on this capability to act.” (32:35) – Carrie Bodine

Carrie discusses insights from Carnegie Mellon University research, advocating for a shift from purely technological considerations to understanding AI's functional capabilities. This approach ensures that AI integrations are aligned with genuine human needs and behaviors, fostering more intuitive and effective customer experiences.

Final Thoughts and Closing

As the episode concludes, Carrie shares her personal motivations and key messages:

“Think about those long term consequences of the actions and decisions you are making every day.” (37:21)

Lauren echoes the necessity of thoughtful AI integration, emphasizing the balance of opportunity and risk. Carrie encourages listeners to explore her resources for further learning, reinforcing the episode's overarching theme of mindful, strategic AI adoption in enhancing customer experience.

Notable Quotes

• Carrie Bodine on customer perceptions:

  “It doesn't matter what you think, all that matters is what your customers think.” (02:51)

• On consequence scanning:

  “Take a two by two grid. On the Y axis you put positive and negative, and then on the X axis you put unknown and known.” (13:52)

• On data readiness:

  “Data is going to be one of the biggest areas that organizations need to focus on.” (24:30)

• Closing advice:

  “Think about those long term consequences of the actions and decisions you are making every day.” (37:21)

Conclusion

This episode of Experts of Experience offers a nuanced exploration of the intersection between customer experience and AI. Carrie Bodine provides invaluable frameworks and insights, urging businesses to adopt a strategic, long-term perspective in their AI endeavors. By emphasizing data readiness, human-centered design, and proactive consequence assessment, the discussion equips leaders with the tools necessary to navigate the evolving landscape of customer experience in the age of AI.

For more insights and resources, visit carriebodine.com AI.