The Experience Evolution

Tony Johnson
1 day ago
3 min read

Last year we published our CX Insights Report and we predicted where Experience (X) was heading. We got some right, we got some wrong, but we are still putting all of our chips on People.

We knew that Experience would remain a differentiator, but the acceleration of AI, the divergence of the K-Shaped Economy, and the cratering of survey responses surprised us.

So rather than just checking the box and moving on, we are sharing additional perspective on our findings, including what you can do to improve right now.

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What it all actually means

Here's the part that should keep you up at night.

The market has split. The top and the bottom both hold up while the middle hollows out. Affluent guests keep trading up, while budget-conscious guests keep trading down. The brands stuck in the undifferentiated middle (neither cheap enough nor special enough) get crushed from both directions. That is the danger of a K-Shaped Econcomy.

There is no safe middle anymore. You either earn the trade-up with how you make people feel, or you race to the bottom on price and lose most of the time.

Being trapped in the middle is the third rail of CX.

Where to start

Just knowing the landscape isn’t enough in today’s economy. Customer loyalty is built not just on the fundamental understanding of what they need but executing and delivering it when they want it.

This is what you need to start doing right now – as soon as tomorrow morning.

Fix the journey before you automate it. An AI agent acting on a broken process doesn't frustrate one customer. It scales the failure.
Stop making guests repeat themselves. Fragmentation between your app, your phone line, and your front door is the single most common source of preventable frustration. It is also the most fixable.
Lean into your team. Your team is watching the AI conversation and almost everyone is worried. Leaders who communicate early and show people where the irreplaceable human moments live will keep their best performers.
Ask less, act more. Cut the 40 question form. Ask ten questions you'll actually do something about, then close the loop and let your customers know that you listened.
Protect the human moments. Even where mobile pickup and self-service run the show, someone should still look up and say hello. That's a place you can differentiate right now.

We believe every moment is a chance to change someone’s day for the better – and to create relationships that stand the test of time. This is true of your customers, your clients, and your teams.

I spend most of my weeks on the road training teams in hospitality, assessing operational performance, leading workshops, and developing leaders – and those are connections I value. People are my business and I’m lucky to be able to spend time with global brands, small businesses, chambers of commerce, and hospitality organizations to improve the experiences they provide to their customers.

Never underestimate the power of a moment – just one moment – in the lives of others. Be curious. Be a problem solver. And above all, remember to keep people at the center of everything you do, because that’s where the most amazing things are possible.

Tony

(Crafted by a human, not AI.)

Meet Tony Johnson

Tony is the Co-Managing Partner, Co-Owner, and Chief Experience Officer (CXO) for 4xi Global Consulting. He is an internationally recognized thought leader and influencer in Customer and Employee Experience. Tony hosts the wildly successful Customer Service Academy podcast and is the author of two books on leadership and CX.

Tony has worked with some of the top organizations across the globe, including Delta, 3M, Baylor Scott and White Health, University of Virginia, Siemens, SHRM, and more.

Tony is available to help your organization with:

Employee training and development
Executive and leadership coaching
CX and EX strategy creation
Inspirational keynote talks
Fractional Chief Experience Officer

Evolving Experiences, a 4xi brand, focuses on Customer Experience (CX) and Employee Experience (EX) as growth engines. By creating fierce loyalty with both employees and customers, organizations can differentiate themselves in an ever-changing and competitive marketplace.

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4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and leisure.

We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators:

Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx)
Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand
Global Amenities Strategy, Design & Operations
Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation
Market Research Reports & Benchmarking

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