Customer experience horror stories and how better connection prevents them

by Lisa Orford — Global Vice President, Contact Center Product Management, 8x8, Inc.

Most customer experience “horror stories” don’t start with bad intentions. They start with good people working hard, but in disconnected systems.

From vending machines to autonomous retail: The evolution of grab and go shopping

Customers want physical shopping to feel as quick and simple as online purchasing. The demand has led to the rise of autonomous retail — stores where customers…

Reputation at checkout: How predictive AI helps retailers maintain trust in a crisis

by Ted Skinner — Vice President, Marketing, Fullintel

A crisis handled well can strengthen customer relationships by demonstrating responsiveness and accountability. Handled poorly, it becomes a digital record…

AI Is redefining the retail experience, but who owns the relationship?

by Adam Brotman — Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Forum3

As AI-powered assistants increasingly guide shoppers from discovery to purchase, the experience itself is being reshaped. It’s faster, more conversational, and…

Why retailers must secure transactional emails to combat scam threats

by Oliver Paetz — Head of Product Management, Transactional Email, Retarus

As online shopping continues to grow in scope and popularity, cyber criminals are finding new ways to exploit trust. For retailers, this is more than a…

The hidden customer experience cost of returns: Why apparel brands must rethink reverse logistics

by Jonathan Briggs — SVP of Sales, ShipMonk

Returns are no longer a back-office function. For apparel brands, they represent a defining moment in the customer relationship.

Why CX outcomes, not price cuts, will drive retail growth in 2026

by Banwari Agarwal — CEO Retail & CG and Digital Business, Sutherland Global

Staying competitive shouldn’t start with slashing prices. While discounts may deliver a short-term lift in revenue, they steadily erode margins and train…

5 factors driving increased bodycam adoption in retail in 2026 and beyond

by Alan Ring — CEO, HALOS Body Cameras

Body-worn cameras aren’t a cure-all, but they provide a powerful foundation for addressing pressures such as rising aggression, theft tactics and meeting…

Retail’s big reset: Why 2026 will separate brands that execute from brands that just plan

The brands that win in 2026 will be the ones that execute — consistently, visibly, and without excuses.

The art of retail storytelling: Elevating hospitality through meaningful experiences

Explore how storytelling is reshaping the retail experience by turning stores into meaningful, hospitality-driven destinations.

Why most brands lose their best BFCM customers and how to fix it in 2026

by Kait Stephens — CEO & Co-Founder, Brij

Your best customers from 2025? They’re already out there. You just need to make sure they’re not invisible the next time they show up.

How to make every shopping experience memorable

Explore how retailers can elevate customer engagement by blending physical and digital channels into seamless, memorable shopping experiences.

Stopping fraud without sacrificing customer experience: A real-time playbook for modern retail

by Bill Bruno — CEO, Celebrus

If your fraud strategy currently prioritizes protection over experience or vice versa, it’s time to rethink the balance. Modern fraud prevention should do…

What main street can teach Silicon Valley about building loyalty

by Andrew Helms — CEO – USA, SumUp

If Silicon Valley spent half as much time studying Main Street as Main Street spends studying its customers, we’d build technology that feels a lot more like a…

7 steps retail leaders can take to protect customer experience during peak seasons

by Nataliia Onyshkevych — CEO, EverHelp

Peak shopping periods test operational resilience — but they also create major opportunities.

Why calls still matter in retail

by Victoria Berezhetska — Content Lead, Phonexa

Learn how you can build an omnichannel marketing funnel using retail customer experiences during phone calls. Synergize lead and phone call campaigns.

Are you sabotaging your self-service?

by Phil Smith — CEO, QPC Group

Looking to the future, it’s clear that organizations will need to increase their data capture of customer journeys if they hope to maximize the productivity of…

The consumer psychology of last-mile delivery: Why reliability beats speed

by Sheila Berry — CRO, UniUni

The next big differentiator in e-commerce won’t be who’s fastest — it’ll be who consumers trust most to deliver on their promises.

How privacy and trust is the new formula for winning customers

by Charlotte Scott — Digital Rights Advocate and Global Partnerships Communications Lead, ExpressVPN

Data privacy has become a differentiator that customers are willing to reward. But privacy shouldn’t be treated as a tick box exercise. It has to be treated as…

Effective strategies for making your customers feel like they’re top priority

by Cynthia Mielke — VP, Strategic Partnerships, Tango

When you're building a successful business, keeping this reality in mind is key to retaining customers. Luckily, there are strategies you can use to show…