The Experience Gap: The Insight Shop to the Rescue

Kate Backer-Kompelien
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“Welcome to The Experience Gap: The Insight Shop to the Rescue, where we turn customer nightmares into teaching moments for businesses. Each week, we bring you real stories of service breakdowns, highlight the moments that matter, and equip businesses with the strategies to delight instead of disappoint.”

  1. Jun 18

    Season 2 - Episode 15: Surya Sukumar - Four Seasons Resort Experience

    In this episode, we explore what makes a customer experience feel effortless, thoughtful, and deeply memorable. Our guest, Surya, shares her experience staying at the Four Seasons on the Big Island of Hawaii — not because of one grand gesture, but because of the way the entire experience seemed to work together. The layout, the flow, the quiet beauty of the environment, and the way staff anticipated her needs all created a feeling of ease and care. This conversation is a reminder that exceptional customer experience is rarely accidental. It is designed through small, intentional choices that help people feel relaxed, understood, and taken care of. At The Insight Shop, we help organizations uncover the moments that shape how customers feel — the friction points, the subtle opportunities, and the thoughtful details that turn an experience into something people remember. Learn more at theinsightshopllc.com.

  2. Jun 12

    Season 2 - Episode 14 - Hair and Plants, Two Positive Customer Experience Stories Shared

    In this episode, we explore how memorable customer experiences are often created through small, thoughtful moments. Karen shares two positive CX stories: a hair stylist who listened carefully, offered thoughtful suggestions, aligned on a plan, and added finishing touches at no charge; and a hardware store employee who stepped in without being asked to help with planters and load them into the car. These stories remind us that great customer experience is not always about big gestures. It is about paying attention, anticipating needs, making the experience easier, and helping customers feel seen, heard, and cared for. At The Insight Shop, we help organizations better understand the moments that matter most to their customers and employees. Visit theinsightshopllc.com to learn how customer insights can help you create experiences people remember and share.

  3. May 7

    Season 2: Episode 13 - Kate Kompelien - Brookdale VW Experience

    In this episode, I share a personal story about needing a very specific vehicle, on a very specific timeline, while flying in from another state to pick it up. After a few frustrating dealership experiences, one salesperson and one dealership stood out by responding quickly, solving problems, removing friction, and making the entire process feel easy. It’s a great reminder that customers remember the moments when companies make life easier and those moments can be the difference between losing the sale and earning long-term trust. If your customer experience could use a tune-up, The Insight Shop can help you find the friction and map a smoother road forward.

  4. May 1

    Season 2: Episode 12 - Disney Experience

    What I love about Kristen’s story is that the “magic” wasn’t just the castle, the characters, or the rides. It was the feeling of being cared for at exactly the moment her family needed it most. Two little kids. A long travel day. A delayed flight. Exhausted parents practically falling into a restaurant booth on night one. That is usually the setup for the classic parent line: “It’s a trip, not a vacation.” But in Kristen’s case, Disney changed the equation. And that is the customer experience lesson. Great experiences do not always come from grand gestures. Often, they come from reducing friction, anticipating needs, and making people feel like the system was designed with them in mind. For young parents, that means convenience, patience, clarity, flexibility, and employees who seem to understand, “You’ve had a day. We’ve got you. If your team is wondering where your customer journey is breaking down — or what to fix first — The Insight Shop can help. Visit theinsightshopllc.com or reach out to start a 30-minute discovery conversation. We’ll help you turn customer stories into smarter strategy, clearer priorities, and better experiences. No mouse ears required. And as always, thanks for listening to The Experience Gap: The Insight Shop to the Rescue — helping businesses turn great experiences into everyday reality, one story at a time.

  5. Apr 25

    Season 2 - Episode 11: Daryl Travis - Audi Experience

    When a Brand-New Audi Needs Service: What Happens After the Sale Matters Most Three weeks after driving off in his brand-new Audi, Daryl found himself back in service for a water pump issue. Not exactly the luxury experience he expected. In this episode, Daryl shares what happened next: the frustration of waiting nearly six weeks for a repair, the lack of proactive updates from the dealership, and the surprising ways Audi worked to restore his trust. From giving him another brand-new Audi to drive, to a corporate apology he did not have to ask for, to covering any future repairs for the life of his lease, this experience became a powerful example of how brands can recover when something goes wrong. But it also raises an important question: Who owns the customer experience when multiple teams are involved? We also talk about Daryl’s worst customer experience with Northwest Airlines, and why Amazon continues to stand out for communication, consistency, and care, even when the human touch is minimal. This conversation is a reminder that customers do not judge brands only by the problem. They judge them by the response, the communication, and whether they feel remembered or forgotten along the way. At The Insight Shop, we help organizations listen more closely to the real customer experience, across every touchpoint, handoff, and moment that matters. Through customer interviews, journey mapping, and experience strategy, we uncover the gaps that frustrate customers and the opportunities that build lasting trust. Curious what your customers are saying when you’re not in the room? Let’s find out together.

  6. Apr 20

    Season 2 - Episode 10: Kate Kompelien - Midco Experience

    In this episode, Midco flips the script and interviews me about a frustrating customer experience that I had, that ultimately turned into a powerful example of listening and recovery. I share how I unexpectedly lost internet service after Midco acquired SCI, and how what started as confusion and frustration became a positive experience when Midco leaders reached out, owned the issue, and worked to make things better for future customers.

  7. Apr 7

    Cory Limberg - Starbucks Mobile Experience

    Cory takes us inside his Starbucks mobile app obsession — and trust us, his loyalty runs deep. You might be impressed… or slightly alarmed… by the number of espresso shots he powers through each morning. Listen in as Cory shares why mobile ordering beats the in-store experience, what keeps him coming back, and the lessons leaders can take from a customer experience that’s fast, easy, and habit-forming. Want to create experiences your customers crave? Connect with The Insight Shop, LLC (https://theinsightshopllc.com).

  8. Mar 27

    Season 2: Episode 8 - Kenny Hackney - Cincinnati Children's Hospital Experience

    What makes a family drive two hours and cross state lines for care they could get closer to home? In this episode, Kenny shares the powerful story of navigating his son’s severe asthma and why Cincinnati Children’s earned his family’s trust. From the moment they walked through the door, the experience felt connected—scheduling, communication, physician notes, and follow-up all working together as one seamless journey. Kenny reflects on the stark difference between a fragmented healthcare experience in Indianapolis to one that feels coordinated, compassionate, and easy to trust at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. His story is a reminder that great healthcare is not just about clinical outcomes. It is about how human care and digital systems come together to reduce stress, remove confusion, and help families feel supported every step of the way. At The Insight Shop, we help healthcare organizations see the full customer journey, uncover where friction is breaking trust, and identify how digital and human interactions should work together to create better experiences. When you are ready to find the gaps and fix what matters most, call on The Insight Shop.

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“Welcome to The Experience Gap: The Insight Shop to the Rescue, where we turn customer nightmares into teaching moments for businesses. Each week, we bring you real stories of service breakdowns, highlight the moments that matter, and equip businesses with the strategies to delight instead of disappoint.”

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