CX Dialogues: Author and CX Expert Annette Franz

By
Chandni U
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From broken omnichannel journeys to overhyped metrics like NPS, Annette Franz argues that culture, leadership, and employee experience are still the real foundations of CX.

Customer experience may be one of the most talked-about business disciplines of the past decade, but has it really changed where it matters? In a candid conversation with CXM Today, author and CX expert Annette Franz pulls no punches. 

From gyms that can’t master the basics to Fortune 500s distracted by shiny technology, she argues that the root of most CX failures lies in culture and leadership. The conversation explores what’s holding companies back, why “inside-out” matters as much as “outside-in,” and why CX will never progress until leaders commit to employees first.

From broken omnichannel apps to leadership inertia, Franz makes the case that culture and employee experience must be prioritised over buzzwords and technology. She also challenges the industry’s reliance on NPS, arguing for effort-based measures that truly reflect experience.

Top Insights from Annette:

  1. Without deliberate cultural design rooted in core values and behaviours, every CX initiative risks collapse.
  2. Organisations too often say employees are a priority but fail to back that up with real investment or conversations with frontline teams.
  3. Many of the same leaders remain in place for decades, clinging to old KPIs and neglecting retention, trust, and culture.
  4. Even global giants like Walmart struggle to deliver seamless experiences across touchpoints, showing how far theory still is from reality.

Watch the full interview here.