AI can enhance CX, but without human connection and emotional insight, brands risk missing what truly matters—real customer experiences.
The best CX strategies blend technology with empathy. Surveys and analytics are important, but they don’t tell the whole story. To truly understand customers, brands must go beyond data and engage with real people in real situations, says Simon Robinson, CEO at Holonomics and Author of Designing Customer Experiences with Soul.
Simon is the CEO of Holonomics and co-author of Designing Customer Experiences with Soul. With a background in customer-centric design dating back to the 90s, he has been a pioneer in integrating human emotions with data-driven CX strategies. Holonomics specialises in transforming organisations by embedding deep, systemic thinking into customer experience, ensuring businesses balance AI-driven insights with human empathy.
Welcome to our CX Dialogues video series! In this episode, we sit down with Simon who highlights the pitfalls of over-reliance on AI and digital tools, emphasising the importance of human connection, ethnographic research, and a more nuanced Voice of the Customer (VoC) approach.
WATCH MORE: CX Dialogues: Jo Boswell, Customer Experience Leader
He argues that customer journey maps should go beyond simplistic metrics, incorporating emotional highs and frustrations. He also stresses the significance of organisational hierarchy in shaping CX, advocating for breaking down barriers between leadership and frontline employees.
WATCH MORE: Damien Katris, Global Omnichannel and Data Director at TCC Global
Top Insights:
- Traditional VoC programs often focus too much on surveys and analytics. Instead, they should be used strategically across the entire customer lifecycle to drive board-level decisions.
- Frontline employees have the most direct customer insights, yet hierarchical barriers prevent leadership from truly listening. CX leaders should break these barriers to get authentic feedback.
- While digital usability testing can scale easily, live qualitative research (even with a small sample) fosters real customer empathy and deeper insights.
Watch the full video for more.
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