Summary of Podcast Episode #702: "What it Takes to Keep Customers Loyal with Anna Convery, Verint"

Release Date: July 10, 2025

Introduction

In Episode #702 of The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®, host Greg Kihlström engages in an insightful dialogue with Anna Convery, the Chief Marketing Officer at Varant. The episode delves into the essential strategies and technologies required to foster customer loyalty in an increasingly competitive market. Drawing from Varant's comprehensive 2025 State of Customer Experience Report, the discussion covers critical topics such as customer expectations, the impact of AI and automation, omnichannel experiences, and effective loyalty metrics.

Guest Introduction

Anna Convery joins Greg as a seasoned professional in the customer experience (CX) sector. Despite her recent appointment as CMO of Varant, Anna brings a wealth of experience, having previously interacted with Varant as both a competitor and collaborator. Her deep understanding of the CX landscape positions her to offer valuable perspectives on maintaining and enhancing customer loyalty.

Key Discussion Points

1. The Expectation Gap in Customer Experience (04:27)

Anna highlights a significant challenge in the current market: Nearly 46% of U.S. consumers feel that brands fail to meet their service expectations. She attributes this gap to the educated and experienced modern customer who demands seamless, personalized interactions across all touchpoints.

Anna Convery [05:06]:
"The customer today is very well educated. They are very experienced in what they want to do, what results they want to achieve... we have the challenge of balancing superb customer experience with an engaged workforce and cost efficiency to run a profitable organization."

2. Decline in Customer Loyalty (07:02)

The conversation moves to the alarming statistic that 78% of customers are willing to switch to a competitor after a single poor experience. Anna explains that this shift is driven by lower tolerance levels and the ease of switching facilitated by technology.

Anna Convery [07:36]:
"Our tolerance level has dropped because it's easier to change, and technology has allowed a lot of this transferability... Technology is the answer to help us... optimize the experience and better it."

3. The Importance of Speed in Customer Interactions (09:04)

Speed emerges as a critical factor in customer satisfaction, with 56% of respondents prioritizing quick information access over empathy. Anna discusses the role of AI-powered bots in delivering swift, accurate transactions without compromising quality.

Anna Convery [09:39]:
"AI, the bots, the data persistence, the ability to record and transcribe accurately calls, the ability to ensure the right data is there... allows us to have quick, accurate transactions that hit a very high mark in customer experience."

4. Balancing Automation with Human Interaction (14:25)

Despite the advantages of automation, customers still value the option to interact with human agents when needed. Anna emphasizes the necessity of seamless transitions between bots and humans, ensuring data persistence and context to maintain continuity.

Anna Convery [14:25]:
"When the technology is handing over to the human being, this is where data persistence is important... So it's having the technology correctly balanced to the right interactions and the people correctly aligned."

5. Overcoming AI Skepticism (17:58)

While 86% of consumers recognize AI's potential to enhance service, only 44% prefer automated interactions initially. Anna attributes this skepticism to past experiences with poorly implemented technology but remains optimistic about AI's evolving role.

Anna Convery [19:30]:
"AI adoption is accelerating... technology needs to be built with an understanding of customer experience and automation to deliver the workflows and impact needed."

6. Operational Changes for Omnichannel Consistency (21:43)

Achieving a consistent brand experience across various digital channels like chat, messaging, and social media requires significant operational adjustments. Anna explains the importance of integrating backend data and maintaining a persistent customer profile to deliver cohesive experiences.

Anna Convery [21:43]:
"We have to be very sure of having a persistent brand experience across all channels... technology allows us to capture data, interpret it, and scale good interactions while fixing the bad quickly."

7. Metrics to Monitor for Maintaining Loyalty (24:25)

The discussion concludes with a focus on key metrics that correlate with customer loyalty and profitability. Anna highlights the importance of tracking Net Promoter Scores (NPS), delight scores, and operational efficiencies to ensure sustained business growth through excellent CX.

Anna Convery [24:25]:
"Good customer experience delivers more customers and more value... we have to keep moving and stay ahead of the game to meet customer desires."

Final Thoughts

Anna shares her personal strategies for staying agile in her role, emphasizing continuous learning, team collaboration, experimentation, and leveraging customer feedback. These practices ensure that she remains adaptable and responsive to the ever-evolving customer experience landscape.

Anna Convery [26:29]:
"Agile is really being open and learning every single day... staying open minded to listening to new ideas."

Conclusion

Episode #702 of The Agile Brand provides a comprehensive exploration of the strategies and technologies essential for maintaining customer loyalty. Through Anna Convery's expertise, listeners gain valuable insights into bridging the expectation gap, leveraging AI and automation effectively, ensuring omnichannel consistency, and utilizing key metrics to drive business growth. This episode underscores the importance of adaptability and continuous improvement in delivering exceptional customer experiences.

Listen to the Full Episode: The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®