CX Files

Mark Hillary and Peter Ryan

CX Files features your hosts, CX industry analysts Mark Hillary and Peter Ryan, speaking each week to leading analysts, thinkers, and practitioners focused on managing the Customer Experience (CX). In each episode Mark and Peter talk to their guests about the future of CX, the important trends, and what customers really expect from brands today.

  1. HACE 6 H ·  CONTENIDO EXTRA

    You Might Also Like: No Magic Pill with Blake Mycoskie

    Introducing Can Psychedelics Get You Through Your Darkest Days? w/ Michael Pollan from No Magic Pill with Blake Mycoskie. Follow the show: No Magic Pill with Blake Mycoskie When Blake was at the lowest point in his life, a small dose of a psychoactive cacti called San Pedro showed him the truth underneath everything. He recorded the session and in this episode he shares certain moments with journalist Michael Pollan (author of How to Change Your Mind) to break down what happened. They discuss the power of pairing psychedelics with meditation, the breakthroughs that can come with ego disillusion, and the misguided assumption that’s driving the belief that AI can become conscious. Plus, how Michael’s experiencing gardening while on mushrooms inspired the opening chapter of his new book, A World Appears. In this conversation you’ll learn: – Why psychedelics are unlike any other drug – The importance of set and setting when taking plant medicine  – Why light doses are often more effective than heavier doses – How to break the pattern of ruminating thoughts – The critical period after a psychedelic experience – The opportunities and dangers of AI therapy You can learn more about Michael Pollan and buy his books at https://michaelpollan.com/.  Enough Foundation's mission is to spread reminders in every form — bracelets, messages, actions, community — until feeling ENOUGH becomes the cultural default. To learn more, visit weareenough.co.  Disclaimer: No purchase necessary. While supplies last. Visit http://www.weareenough.co/rules for full terms. More information on Blake’s other projects here:  Morning Water  Morning Water is a daily hydration formula that restores energy, balance, and performance with essential electrolytes, minerals, and nutrients in one simple routine.  To learn more, visit morningwater.co and use code NOMAGICPILL for 25% off your first order. SONIA  Sonia is a conversational AI companion designed for emotional support. Through voice and text, it offers guided wellbeing sessions, including meditations, journaling, personalized recommendations, and practical exercises. To learn more, visit www.soniahealth.com and download it on the App Store. MOOVLAB At MOOVLAB, we bring health and wellness to your workday.  MOOVLAB - the answer to sitting is moving.  To learn more, visit www.moovlab.com Follow Blake on Instagram and stay up to date with Lemonada on Facebook and Instagram. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors. Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at lemonadapremium.com. Disclaimer: This episode is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical questions or concerns you may have. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction — Michael Pollan & Blake's Personal Journey 02:54 How Michael Got Into Psychedelics 04:32 The Research That Started It All 05:30 Which Psychedelic Had the Most Profound Impact 06:28 Ego Dissolution 08:35 Set & Setting 09:35 The Importance of Finding a Guide You Trust 11:19 Blake's Story: Depression, Misdiagnosis & Getting Off Meds 12:24 The San Pedro Session: Blake's Therapy Recording 13:40 What Is a Psycholytic Dose & How It Works 14:48 The "I'm Not Enough" Realization 15:45 Why a Small Dose Can Reveal the Biggest Truth 17:41 "In the Midst of Your Discomfort, You're Still Reaching" 18:49 How to Find the Right Psychedelic Guide 19:43 "You're Not Wrong, You're Not Bad": End of Blake's Session 21:44 Michael’s Experience with Psilocybin and Plant Consciousness 25:25 Morning Water 26:41 Blake's 40-Day "I Am Enough" Mantra Practice 30:15 What Happened in Blake's Brain 31:15 How Psychedelics Reset Mental Grooves 32:36 When Meditation Completes What Psychedelics Begin 34:15 Taking Advantage After a Session 35:14 Moovlab 36:15 AI 37:30 Why the Brain Is Nothing Like a Computer 40:07 Consciousness Begins With Feelings, Not Thoughts 42:02 The Threat of AI 43:10 Blake's AI Therapist Sonia 47:32 Can AI Really Replace a Human Therapist? 48:01 The Dangerous Side of AI Therapy 49:18 AI Will Trick Us Into Thinking It's Conscious 51:20 Deconstructing the Self 55:24 Five Years Studying Consciousness 57:17 The Night Sky Moment & Being Fully Alive 58:53 Final Message: Be Happy in Your Mind Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to team@podroll.fm.

  2. 30 ABR

    Nathan Muniz - 247Secretary.com - Raw, unpolished BPO content outperforms glossy marketing

    Nathan Muniz is the founder and owner of 247Secretary.com. The business is based in Florida, USA, but has contact center operations in the Philippines. Nathan talked to Mark Hillary from the floor of his contact center on his approach to telling the world about his business. He walks the floor and talks to real people doing their job. No studio. No scripts. No "AI transformation" buzzwords. Just real agents, real calls, and real insight. And here's the uncomfortable truth: That raw, unfiltered content is doing more for his pipeline than most enterprise marketing teams with million-dollar budgets. Prospects are literally saying: "ChatGPT told us to talk to you." Let that sink in. While everyone else is using AI to churn out generic content, Nathan is using reality to train the AI engines. Authenticity is the key word here. Nathan lets people see his business up close and the online viewers love it, but the AI audience is even more important - because these AI tools are telling people about Nathan's business. https://247secretary.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/bdcoutsourcing/   Summary: Mark Hillary and Peter Ryan discuss Nathan Muniz's innovative marketing strategy for his BPO, 247Secretary.com, in the Philippines. Nathan's approach involves posting authentic, behind-the-scenes videos on LinkedIn, which has attracted clients through AI recommendations like ChatGPT. This transparency has led to significant engagement and new leads without traditional lead generation efforts. Nathan emphasizes the importance of showing legitimacy, especially for offshore BPOs, and highlights the value of original content over glossy marketing. He also notes the ongoing demand for human agents despite AI hype and advises businesses to be transparent about their operations to build trust and credibility.

    23 min
  3. 23 ABR

    Gary Slade - TP - Why Stability Is the New Battleground in BPO

    Gary Slade is the Chief Commerical Officer at TP EMEA. He has many years of BPO and CX experience and he previously led the UK/Ireland operation at TP as CEO. In this conversation with Mark Hillary, Gary is talking about BPO stability and how this is becoming an important new measurement that companies need to focus on. If you are looking for a BPO partner then how do you know if they will still be around in 5 years? There is so much M&A activity, Private Equity takeovers, and BPOs that rely on a single client or geography... how can you be sure that you are choosing a reliable partner who can support your future growth plans? Is stability becoming the new BPO battleground? https://www.linkedin.com/in/garyslade1/ https://www.tp.com/ Summary: Mark Hillary and Peter Ryan discuss the importance of stability in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) services, highlighting Gary Slade's (TP EMEA CCO) views on the shift from cost to reliability. They note the volatility in geopolitics and fuel crises, which emphasize the need for BPOs to be resilient and financially stable. Slade emphasizes the importance of geographic diversity, industry experience, and technological investment. He also discusses the impact of private equity on service quality and the need for total cost of ownership considerations. The conversation concludes with the importance of BPOs demonstrating long-term stability and adaptability to future disruptions.

    25 min
  4. 16 ABR

    Sarah Leff - Interact CC - Why the Eastern Cape Could Be South Africa's Next CX Powerhouse

    *]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-WEB:2f2f632a-46c8-4445-8b38-333795a0ae69-2" data-testid= "conversation-turn-4" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> In this episode of CX Files, Peter Ryan speaks with Sarah Leff about Interact CC's expansion into South Africa's Eastern Cape, exploring why the region is emerging as a compelling alternative to traditional CX hubs like Cape Town and Johannesburg. Leff explains that while South Africa has long been a natural partner for UK-based customer experience delivery - thanks to cultural alignment, language, and time zone compatibility - the Eastern Cape offers a distinct advantage: significantly lower attrition, abundant untapped graduate talent, and greater cost stability. The conversation highlights how Interact's people-centric, employee-owned model aligns well with a region where jobs are valued as long-term careers rather than stepping stones, resulting in stronger engagement and performance. Together, they argue that as CX buyers move beyond cost-driven outsourcing toward value, resilience, and talent quality, newer locations like the Eastern Cape represent the next evolution of Africa's role in global service delivery.   https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-leff-5338124/ https://interactcc.com/   Summary: Mark Hillary and Peter Ryan discuss the expansion of Interact Contact Centers into the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa. Sarah Leff, Managing Director of Interact Global, explains the decision to set up in the Eastern Cape due to lower attrition rates (15-25%) compared to other hubs like Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg (30-40%). The region offers a highly educated workforce, neutral accents, and lower costs. Interact's new site in Port Elizabeth employs around 100 people, with plans to scale up. The company values its people-centric approach and strong client partnerships, which have lasted over a decade.

    23 min
  5. 9 ABR

    Chris Chance - CCI Global - Africa Rising For CX

    Chris Chance is the Senior Vice President for East Africa at CCI Global. He is based between Kenya, Rwanda, and Ethiopia. CCI Global is headquartered in the UAR, but has extensive operations across Africa - they aim to be the largest and most respected BPO in Africa through a combination of offering innovative services with a focus on impact sourcing and community uplift. In this conversation with Mark Hillary from his base in Ethiopia, Chris talks about the creation of the Outsourcing Alliance of Kenya (OAK) - what does it mean for the region that we are seeing stronger organization around promotion for CX and BPO? Beyond the new alliance, Chris talked about the increased development of services from Africa - with a new wave of countries even coming up close behind the ones he is working in. https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrischance/ https://cciglobal.com/ Reports mentioned in the podcast: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/david-rumble-4a4a09b_elevateafrica-gbs-globalbusinessservices-activity-7435711466642608128-owOl/ https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ethiopian-investment-holdings_elevateafrica2026-ethiopianinvestmentholdings-activity-7434521009770323969-LPhl/ https://www.storydoc.com/11ba14bd4fd414f857a280044f096bcc/800e1f-ee50-f41c-6572-bbe14876d62/691346c299a86062dbbd6c6c https://genesisgbs.com/2026-abridged-east-central-africa-gbs-benchmarking-market-report-download/   Summary: Mark Hillary and Peter Ryan discuss the emergence of Kenya and other African countries as significant players in the CX and BPO sectors. Chris Chance from CCI Global highlights the Outsourcing Alliance of Kenya (OAK), which aims to unify the industry and align with Kenya's 2030 vision. Kenya's BPO sector has grown 10% annually, generating $700 million in revenue and creating 40,000 jobs. Chance emphasizes the importance of leveraging local skills, such as Kenya's expertise in mobile money, and the shift towards value-led delivery models. The conversation also touches on the broader African market, including emerging and nascent markets, and the need for organized, accessible information about these opportunities.

    24 min
  6. 2 ABR

    Steve Sullivan - Channel Doctors - How Do We Manage Customer Rage?

    Steve Sullivan is the founder of Channel Doctors. He is based in Bournemouth in the UK. Channel Doctors is a specialist advisory company focused on CX, contact centers, and especially issues such as data protection and GDPR. Peter Ryan called Steve after seeing a LinkedIn post on managing customer rage. Are customers more angry today and how are companies dealing with it? How can it be managed in the contact center and how is it managed for customer service advisers who need to interact directly with customers - for example in retail? Is the increased rage linked to social media and what can companies do to serve customers more effectively when they are more and more angry? https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-sullivan-3275391/ https://channeldoctors.co.uk/cx/ Summary: Mark Hillary and Peter Ryan discuss the growing phenomenon of customer rage, particularly post-pandemic, with Steve Sullivan from Channel Doctors. They highlight the impact of social media on customer behavior, the rise of anonymous abuse, and the need for better training and support for customer service agents. Sullivan notes that customer frustration has increased due to self-service failures and cultural disconnects. He emphasizes the importance of organizations addressing these issues to prevent attrition and improve customer experience. They also discuss the potential negative effects of AI-driven automation on customer interactions and the need for personalized AI assistants to mitigate customer rage.

    32 min
  7. 26 MAR

    Melanie Disse - Melanie Disse Consulting - Acting on Customer Feedback

    Melanie Disse is the Principal Consultant and Tech Adviser to Melanie Disse Consulting. Melanie Disse Consulting is a CX & VoC consulting firm helping businesses leverage CX as a key competitive differentiator to drive business performance through understanding customer experiences. Melanie is based in Auckland, New Zealand. In this conversation with Peter Ryan, Melanie outlines how companies can more effectively obtain feedback from customers and how to make use of this feedback. Most companies struggle to turn customer feedback into action and many are still relying on the surveys that customers hate completing.  Is there a better way to engage customers and get productive feedback? https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-disse/ https://www.melaniedisseconsulting.com/   Summary: Mark Hillary and Peter Ryan discuss the importance of leveraging customer insights to drive great customer experience (CX) with Melanie Disse, a consultant from New Zealand. Melanie highlights the need for organizations to move beyond just collecting feedback to actually acting on it. She identifies three stages: listen, analyze, and act, emphasizing the challenges in breaking down silos and using technology to unify data from various sources. Melanie also notes the global phenomenon of poor customer service and the necessity for organizations to implement feedback to improve CX.  They conclude by promoting the CX Outsourcers event in Ottawa, where Melanie will be speaking.

    29 min

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CX Files features your hosts, CX industry analysts Mark Hillary and Peter Ryan, speaking each week to leading analysts, thinkers, and practitioners focused on managing the Customer Experience (CX). In each episode Mark and Peter talk to their guests about the future of CX, the important trends, and what customers really expect from brands today.

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