Episodes

  • The Death of the Phone Call (And Why That's a Problem)

    The Death of the Phone Call (And Why That's a Problem)
    Aug 7 2025
    In a world where Gen Z would rather lose a finger than make a phone call, how do businesses keep real human connections alive? In this episode of Marginally Better, Joe Taylor, Jr. explores the rising “telephobia” reshaping customer service, why voice calls still convert better than any other channel, and how leading companies are bridging the gap between digital fatigue and high-touch connection. Plus: how micro-experiences are redefining personalization, why AI-powered interfaces may be too “natural” for some users, and what it really means to communicate in the age of intent-based design. If your customers won’t call—and your employees won’t pick up—this is the episode you need to hear. Episode Links:How Micro-Experiences Are Building Loyalty in an Over-Saturated MarketCustomer Experience Strategy Framework Leverage Customer-Centric Innovation to Improve Loyalty Gen Z Developing Fear of Phone Calls Call Declined: Why Gen Z Won't Pick Up the Phone Gen Z Phone Anxiety Importance of Customer Experience Socially Awkward Generation Won't Pick Up the Phone UX That Feels You: How to Design for Emotional Intelligence Will 2025 Be the Year for Immersive CX First New UI Paradigm in 60 Years Generative AI on Its Own Will Not Improve Customer Experience Welcome to the Era of "MEH" Additional Research Sources:Customer Experience Examples: How Leading Brands WinThe Secret Behind Nike's Martech Stack U.S. Chamber of Commerce - How the Micro-Experience Trend Fuels Customer Engagement Harvard Business Review - Using Technology to Create a Better Customer Experience Phone Call Anxiety: Simple Ways to Overcome Telephobia Gen Z is Afraid of Talking on the Phone Millennials vs. Gen Z: How Their Customer Service Expectations Compare AI Chatbots in Healthcare Conversational AI Insights from Gartner and Forrester 3 Wishes for AI UX AI-Powered Success Stories
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    26 mins
  • The Privacy Paradox

    The Privacy Paradox
    Jul 30 2025
    What do your customers really want: personalization or privacy? In this episode of Marginally Better, Joe Taylor, Jr. explores the “Privacy Paradox” reshaping modern business. We’ll unpack why 81% of consumers now believe data collection risks outweigh the benefits, and how innovative companies are building trust by collecting less, not more. Plus: how to design digital experiences that serve both humans and AI bots, and why the role of “designer” is being redefined in an era where AI can handle the basics. If you’re navigating the future of CX, this episode is a must-listen. Episode Links:2025 Privacy-First Strategies Shaping Customer Experience and Trust Tactics to Build Customer Trust With Personalized ExperiencesPrivacy-First Personalization: Navigating the Tightrope of Building Customer Trust The Imperative of Customer Trust in 2024 Finding a Balance Between UX and SEO The Irreplaceable Value of Human Decision-Making in the Age of AI Tips to Create a More Inclusive Digital Presence and Better UX Human-centric AI Drives Customer Experience, Loyalty Succeeding in AI Search 3 Ways to Optimize for AI Search Bots Search Engines, LLMs, Third-Party Scrapers & Bot Management The 10 Hottest Customer Experience (CX) Trends for 2024 From Googlebot to GPTBot: Who's Crawling Your Site in 2025 SEO and UX: 10 Best Practices to Boost Website Visibility AI Optimization: How to Optimize Your Content for AI Search and Agents Human-centric AI in 2025: Real-life Scenarios with Examples AI Mode in Google Search: Updates from Google I/O 2025 Why Human Decision-Making Matters in the AI Age Why You Should Rethink AI-Powered Customer Experience as Human Experience The Consequences of AI Training on Human Decision-Making Forrester Research 2024 Customer Experience Index How to Stop Thinking Like a Designer and Start Thinking Like a Strategist Just a Designer Now: Shopify Dropped UX as a TitleShopify Killed UX Designer Jobs: What This Means for Your Career Shopify Just Killed UX DesignThere is UX Life Beyond the Corporate World (And It's Not Bad at All)The Business Value of Design Design Strategy – A Guide to Tactical Thinking in Design
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    23 mins
  • Breaking Things, Returning Things, and Getting Things Right

    Breaking Things, Returning Things, and Getting Things Right
    Jul 23 2025
    “Move fast and break things” might’ve been the startup mantra of the early 2000s—but in 2025, it’s costing companies customers, credibility, and billions in returns. In this episode of Marginally Better, Joe Taylor, Jr. unpacks how the speed-at-all-costs philosophy is being replaced by something smarter: thoughtful design, seamless returns, and customer-first decision-making. From Zappos' billion-dollar bet on free returns to IKEA’s cinnamon roll-powered strategy, discover how today’s best businesses are building loyalty by slowing down, listening up, and getting things right. If you’ve ever cursed a broken update or fallen in love with a handwritten thank-you note, this one’s for you. Episode Links: UX Design - The Fastest Gun in UX: Why Your Team is Telling the Wrong Story Reddit r/The10thDentist - "Move fast and break things" is terrible adviceLeadDev - Why You Shouldn't Move Fast and Break ThingsHarvard Business Review - The Era of "Move Fast and Break Things" Is OverRetail Dive - How Retail Can Navigate $816B in Returns and Rising Reverse Logistics ChallengesSpark Holyoke - Zappos: The Profitable Pursuit of Customer SatisfactionBustle - L.L.Bean's Lifetime Return Policy Is EndingUPS - How We're Making Customer Returns Easy: Happy Returns x UPSRetail Dive - UPS Acquires Happy ReturnsMedium Design Bootcamp - UX Lessons from the Very Intentional Design of IKEASupply Chain Dive - IKEA Taps Optoro for Returns SupportBaymard Institute - UX Awards 2024Forbes Business Development Council - 20 Strategies To Personalize The Customer ExperienceAmericanTrucks - About UsCrutchfield Corporation - WikipediaThe Daily Progress - 50 years in business: Bill Crutchfield founded 'a company to last'Crutchfield - The Crutchfield StoryCrutchfield - Seriously Into Audio Since 1974Much Better Adventures - Certified B CorporationMuch Better Adventures - About Us
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    26 mins
  • The Screen We Ignore, The Skills We Discard, and When Organizations Forget Why They Exist

    The Screen We Ignore, The Skills We Discard, and When Organizations Forget Why They Exist
    Jul 18 2025
    Struggling to check out on your phone? You’re not alone. In this episode of Marginally Better, host Joe Taylor Jr. uncovers why most mobile experiences still fall flat despite making up the majority of web traffic. From jaw-dropping statistics on e-commerce conversion gaps to the dramatic downturn in UX hiring, Joe explores the widening disconnect between user needs and business decisions. Plus, a personal story about a beloved Philadelphia music venue reveals what happens when organizations forget their purpose — and what it takes to rebuild from the inside out. If you care about customer experience, workplace culture, or the future of digital design, this episode is a must-listen.

    Episode Links:

    • Mobile UX Trends 2025: 9 Common Pitfalls & Best Practices
    • The UX Reckoning: Prepare for 2025 and Beyond
    • Why is the UX Job Market Such a Mess Right Now? — A Comprehensive Explanation
    • 2025 Looks Like Another ‘Meh’ Year for CX
    • The crucial role of UX in CX strategies
    • The Historical Context of UX, UI, and Product Design
    • The We built UX. We broke UX. And now we have to fix it!
    • World Cafe Live workers walk off the job at Philly venue, protesting “hostility” from new leadership
    • WORLD CAFE LIVE’S TOWN HALL / DOWNFALL
    • Philly’s Strike Is Over But World Cafe Live’s Labor Problems Persist
    • World Cafe Live CEO assures success in a tense town hall full of skeptical attendeees
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    26 mins
  • Small Is the New Smart: Why Simplicity Wins in Customer Experience

    Small Is the New Smart: Why Simplicity Wins in Customer Experience
    Jul 9 2025
    Is your small business secretly holding the upper hand? In this episode of Marginally Better, Joe Taylor, Jr. explores why the tiniest companies are winning big in a world of sky-high customer expectations. With 88% of consumers demanding Amazon-level convenience from every brand they encounter, the pressure is on—but small businesses might just be built for this moment. From punk rock accounting to handwritten thank-you notes, discover how lean teams are outpacing giants by delivering faster, simpler, and more human experiences. Plus, what Steve Jobs' legendary "no" can teach you about growth, focus, and saying goodbye to feature bloat. If you're looking to win on experience—not size—this episode is for you.

    Episode Links:

    • Frictionless Customer Experience: Why Now and What's Next Journey-Centric Design
    • The Cost of Poor CX: Why Businesses Must Rethink Customer Journeys to Survive 2025
    • Can Small Businesses Excel as CX Champions?
    • 10 Things to Know About Measuring and Improving CX for Brand Growth
    • Key CX Metrics That Shape Customer Loyalty and Business Success
    • Steve Jobs' Greatest UX Rule That Most Designers Ignore
    • Stop Building Features, Start Solving Problems
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    25 mins
  • When Customer Experience Goes Wrong: AI Promises, Survey Fatigue, and Subscription Traps

    When Customer Experience Goes Wrong: AI Promises, Survey Fatigue, and Subscription Traps
    Jul 2 2025
    AI gone rogue, broken feedback loops, and cancellation nightmares—this episode of Marginally Better exposes how even well-intentioned CX efforts can backfire. Joe Taylor, Jr. unpacks why 64% of customers want AI out of customer service, how survey fatigue is killing Net Promoter Scores, and why the subscription economy may finally be forced to clean up its act. From chatbot fails to $881 million algorithm mistakes, this episode explores what happens when technology outpaces empathy—and what brands must do to regain trust. Episode Links AI Must Solve Real User Problems Contact Center AI is triggering customers AI in the Workplace Effect of Declining Response Rates Click-to-cancel rule Predatory Subscriptions Dark Pattern Examples Additional Resources Zendesk - CX Trends 2025 Report Vistio - AI in Customer Service: Risks & Challenges FullStory - How AI is Transforming Customer Experience Microsoft - How Real-World Businesses Are Transforming with AI Quidget - Top AI Chatbot Fails and How to Prevent Them Hotjar - What is Net Promoter Score (NPS) Qualtrics - Net Promoter Score (NPS): The Ultimate Guide Wikipedia - Net Promoter Score Malewicz Method - Welcome to the Era of "MEH" Customer Thermometer - 125 Survey Fatigue Statistics FTC - Action Against Adobe for Hidden Fees
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    27 mins
  • The Experience Revolution: From Broken Systems to Billion-Dollar Opportunities

    The Experience Revolution: From Broken Systems to Billion-Dollar Opportunities
    Jun 25 2025
    What do a $13 trillion market, a groundbreaking government initiative and viral customer service disasters have in common? They're all reshaping the future of customer experience. In this episode of Marginally Better, Joe Taylor, Jr. explores how accessibility, government innovation, and the delicate balance between UX and CX are redefining what it means to serve customers in the digital age. From Fortune 500 companies ignoring basic accessibility to New York’s bold move toward citizen-centric design, this episode offers powerful lessons on why designing for everyone isn’t just good ethics—it’s good business.

    Episode Links:
    • Forrester Research on Inclusive Design ROI.
    • CMSWire - Digital Accessibility Drives Customer Loyalty.
    • Baymard Institute Accessibility Statistics
    • Qorus Global - Chase Bank Accessibility Approach
    • GovTech - New York's Customer Experience Report
    • CX Dive Interview with Tonya Webster (November 2023)
    • New York Experience (NYX) Website
    • Nielsen Norman Group - UX vs CX
    • CMSWire - Bad Customer Service Examples

    Additional Resources:
    • Governor Hochul Announces Webster's Appointment (October 2023)
    • Digital Spy - Virgin Media Deceased Customer Bill
    • United Breaks Guitars (Wikipedia)
    • Marketplace - United Breaks Guitars Analysis
    • StateScoop - Meet NY's Chief Customer Experience Officer
    • HelpCrunch - Customer Service Horror Stories
    • Spokal - Social Media Customer Service Examples
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    20 mins
  • From Feedback to Fallout: What 2025 Teaches Us About Customer Experience

    From Feedback to Fallout: What 2025 Teaches Us About Customer Experience
    Jun 19 2025
    Why are customer loyalty scores plummeting—even when satisfaction metrics are strong? In this episode of Marginally Better, Joe Taylor, Jr. explores the disconnect between Customer Experience data and tangible business results. From the surprising collapse of TGI Fridays to the 20% of companies connecting feedback to revenue, this episode unpacks what it really takes to drive customer retention in 2025. Plus, Joe shares a pivotal childhood lesson in user experience from his very first (and very failed) drive-thru business.

    Episode Links:
    • The Wall Street Journal explores how and why TGI Fridays fell.
    • Customer experience is trending downward, putting many brands in a vulnerable position. Forrester’s 2024 U.S. Customer Experience Index shows that overall CX quality has dropped to its lowest point on record.
    • Top 5 customer experience trends to watch in 2025.
    • Predictions of how CX will evolve and how we can lead the charge into the future.
    • Five steps to running the Wizard of Oz Method in UX.
    • How the first drive-thru at McDonald’s came to be.
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    21 mins