Customer Experience Is Changing. Meet The Host Who’s Leading The Conversation.
This episode’s a little different — and kind of emotional. Lauren Wood, our incredible host since day one, is passing the mic to the amazing Lacey Peace. Before she signs off, Lauren reflects on the wild ride: 75+ episodes, millions of downloads, and countless insights about CX, AI, and leadership. Lacey, who’s helped produce over 35 shows and reach 45+ million listeners as part of the Mission.org team, shares what drew her to the show (hint: she’s a storytelling nerd in the best way) and what she’s excited to explore next — from small business CX wins to how AI is quietly reshaping the employee experience. It’s a thoughtful, fun, and inspiring handoff that sets the stage for a bold new chapter. Tune in to discover the incoming shifts in the show’s guests, topics, segments, and more. Key Moments: 00:00: Passing the Mic to a New Host00:42: Lessons from 75+ CX Interviews: Lauren Wood’s Farewell Insights01:42: Meet Lacey Peace: New Host with 45M+ Podcast Listener Reach02:41: Building Brand Trust Through Storytelling and Customer Journey Mapping03:47: Why Customer Experience Strategy Belongs to Every Business Function07:32: The Role of AI in Scaling B2B Customer Experience and Success Operations14:54: Empowering Teams: How Leadership and Employee Experience Drive CX18:46: B2B Lightning Round: Actionable CX Takeaways for Marketing, Product, and IT
–Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org
--------
24:46
How to Setup AI Agents That Your Customers Will Love
Another Agentforce Guinea Pig has joined the show… She’s here to tell you if you think rolling out AI is as easy as flipping a switch, think again.From early mistakes to surprising wins, Laura Meschi, Customer Experience Manager at Secret Escapes, walks us through what it actually takes to train an AI agent that can truly support customers.We dive into why ROI isn't the best measure of AI success, how customer effort scores skyrocketed after launching Agent Force, and why CX leaders need to start simple and think long-term. Laura also pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to train an AI agent — and why you absolutely shouldn’t DIY your rollout.If you’re a B2B leader wondering how AI agents fit into the future of customer success, this conversation will hit home. Key Moments: 00:00: Laura Meschi’s AI Agent Rollout at Secret Escapes02:45: Secret Escapes’ Agentforce: Lessons from a First-Mover11:14: Surprise Wins and the Underrated Power of Human QA16:41: How Agentforce Reshaped the CX Team (Without Cutting Headcount)22:26: Guardrails, Limits, and Finding the Sweet Spot for AI Use Cases26:30: Why Clean, Centralized Data Is the Real AI Superpower27:18: Don’t DIY Your AI: The Case for Bringing in Experts29:58: How AI Improved CES and Transformed Customer Perception34:50: What’s Next: Future AI Strategies and Upcoming Salesforce Tools37:21: Reimagining CX: Using AI to Build Relationships, Not Just Efficiency40:37: Start Simple, Prioritize Data, and Train for the Long Game
–Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org
--------
41:18
The Art of Conversation Design for AI Agents
Agentic AI isn’t coming — it’s here and already changing everything.Irina Gutman, Global Leader of AI Professional Services at Salesforce, breaks down what agentic AI really is and why it’s a huge leap beyond predictive and generative AI. We get into why your first AI agent should be boring (and repeatable), and why building the tech is easy compared to rewiring your people, processes, and leadership models.Irina shares why businesses need strong guardrails, real operating models, and why AI adoption without organizational readiness is a recipe for disaster. We also talk about the skills humans actually need to stay relevant, how to spot hidden risks, and why the future belongs to companies who rethink their structure — not just their tools. Key Moments: 00:00: Irina Gutman Explains Salesforce’s AI Agents03:03: Predictive, Generative, and Agentic AI — What's the Difference?05:20: How Agentic AI Thinks and Acts08:32: Chatbots vs. AI Agents: Why It Matters14:22: The 5 Building Blocks of an AI Agent18:13: Organizational Readiness: New Skills, New Roles22:26: The Right Way to Start with AI Agents26:27: Future-Proof Your AI Strategy29:53: Rethinking the Operating Model for AI32:45: Upskilling is Non-Negotiable35:14: Vendors Can Help You Be AI-Ready36:25: Rethinking Change Management for Agentic AI42:38: What’s Next: Multi-Agent Collaboration48:09: Building AI Responsibly: Guardrails and Risk51:39: Real-World AI: A Standout Customer Experience
–Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org
--------
53:35
The Big AI Lie & Why You Still Don’t Feel Ready
Consequence scanning. Data organization. Tech translation… Oh my! This week, Kerry Bodine — CX consultant to name brand fortune 500 companies, founder of Bodine & Co. and co-author of Outside In — joins us to explore the seismic shifts AI is bringing to the world of CS. Forget what you think you know about customer service; Kerry reveals why it's all about understanding customer emotions, perceptions, and the entire customer journey. We tackle the tough questions: How do we balance innovation with ethical considerations? How do we prepare our data for the AI revolution? And how do we design experiences that are both human and AI-powered? This is a must-listen for any leader navigating the uncharted territory of AI-driven customer experience. Key Moments: 00:00 Who is Kerry Bodine, Founder of Bodine & Co.?03:19 The Biggest CS Mistake06:22 Perception vs. Reality: Bridging the Expectation Gap13:07 Consequence Scanning: Your AI Framework18:00 AI Risk Assessment & Navigating Ethical Gray Areas20:00 Leadership in the Age of AI25:05 Data Readiness for AI Implementation32:36 Human-Centered Design & Confronting Your Silos37:18 Key Advice for CS Leaders
–Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org
--------
37:20
AI Agents Explained: Build a Digital Workforce That Works 24/7
In this special panel-style episode, Agentforce expert and Senior Vice President of Digital Success at Salesforce, Bernard Slowey, is interviewed by Lauren Wood and guest host Stephanie Postles. This is your inside look at Salesforce’s rapid deployment of its revolutionary AI agent, what this means for the digital workforce revolution, and how ANY company can create a customizable, empathetic digital employee. (With no code, just natural-language prompting.) Bernard shares firsthand accounts of the launch, including navigating real-time customer feedback and the crucial lessons learned about data hygiene and prompt engineering. He also discusses the delicate balance between AI automation and human support, emphasizing the importance of empathy training for these digital agents. Plus, they explore the challenges and opportunities for businesses of all sizes, from SMBs to enterprises, as they grapple with the evolving landscape of AI-driven customer experience, sales, and marketing.Press play and discover how Salesforce is shaping the future of AI in service, and what contrarian views Bernard Slowey holds about the role of data in decision-making.Key Moments: 00:00 Who is Bernard Slowey, SVP of Digital Success at Salesforce?04:18 The Evolution of Customer Service06:28 The Power and Potential of AI Agents18:06 Implementing Agentforce at Salesforce22:07 Challenges and Learnings From AI Agent Deployment33:29 Measuring Success and Future Prospects39:58 Escalation Rate and Customer Experience41:21 The Importance of Human Interaction in Support42:51 Digital Success and Customer Onboarding45:28 AI in Customer Success: Real-World Examples47:24 Data Hygiene and Internal Content Auditing 53:04 Cross-Functional Collaboration in CX01:00:28 The Human-AI Partnership 01:08:36 The Future of AI in Business01:12:51 Customer Obsession in Practice
–Are your teams facing growing demands? Join CX leaders transforming their AI strategy with Agentforce. Start achieving your ambitious goals. Visit salesforce.com/agentforce Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org
If your customers aren’t happy, they will let you and the whole world know. Loudly. Ever wonder how companies deliver a consistent experience that meets - and exceeds - their customer’s expectations? On this show, we’ll dive deep into the world of customer experience and share how businesses are navigating high expectations and leveraging emerging technology like AI and GPT to create the next great experience for their customers. Hosted by Lauren Wood and featuring some of the smartest business minds of the day, Experts of Experience is your go-to resource for ideas, innovation, and inspiration to level up your CX.
This podcast is presented by Salesforce Customer Success.
USA