Interaction Metrics Blog

“Only an 8? Not a 10 today?” Gamed HealthCare Surveys

What’s going on with Providence’s healthcare surveys? Does Providence’s CEO Rod Hochman want to execute a strategy based on gamed survey data? Seems unlikely. At Interaction Metrics, our mission is to collect science-based facts, so I can’t understand why any organization would seek to game its surveys. Still, Providence may have its reasons. At any […]

October 31, 2023

DEI Skepticism Can Be an Opportunity, Says Orange County Fire Authority

Former IBM CEO Ginni Rometty said, “Diversity and inclusion are not policies and programs. They have been integral to our habits, practices and purpose for more than 100 years.” True enough, DEI is so much more than a policy, it’s an approach, and a set of priorities. It’s the way an organization conducts itself. But […]

October 25, 2023

6 Customer Experience Principles for Immediate, Lasting Change

Your CEO has come to embrace customer success! Terrific! And you’ve been tapped to lead a customer experience team. But where should you focus for immediate yet lasting change? Do you need a lengthy class or book on customer experience principles? Nope! Short is sweet, and this brief article gives you a primer on the […]

October 16, 2023

5 Ways B2B CX Stands Apart

In 90 seconds, Kaitlyn Bartley explains 5 ways B2B CX is different. McKinsey & Company reports that B2B companies score substantially lower on customer satisfaction than consumer companies. One reason B2B companies underperform on customer satisfaction is they are more complicated — with more moving parts — than retailers. But another reason is that without […]

September 14, 2023

Customer Interaction: 7 Lessons for Lowe’s—Or Any Company That Sends Net Promoter Surveys

 Customer interaction is the lifeblood of any company. It includes associates answering customers’ questions, staff engaging with prospects at the conference booth, and onboarding new customers. In short, customer interaction extends throughout the entire customer journey. And it includes a company’s surveys! And since the survey is a customer interaction, failing your customer satisfaction […]

August 18, 2023

How To Calculate Sample Size & Supercharge Your CX Program

Last Updated: January 10, 2025   Clients often ask, “How do we get every customer to take our survey?” But here’s the counterintuitive truth: you don’t need everyone’s feedback to get the real picture, which is why today I am addressing how to calculate sample size. Sampling is the art and science of choosing the […]

August 8, 2023

Fox Rent a Car: Stop Gaming Your Surveys

Few things bother me more than unscrupulous business practices. As a Customer Experience Analyst with decades in the CX industry, I thought I’d seen it all. But a recent experience with Fox Rent a Car showed me a new way to game a customer survey — resulting in ONLY the data they want to see […]

August 3, 2023

Customer Experience: Could AI Tools Be Your Solution?

Everyone is talking about using AI tools to measure the customer experience. Here we explain when AI companies like Clarabridge and CallMiner are the right fit. We also explain 2 situations when they are NOT the right fit. Check it out! Or, if you want to read more about AI for customer experience, check out […]

July 26, 2023

When & Where AI for Customer Experience Fits

Updated 10/17/2024: Artificial Intelligence has infiltrated every market, and the customer experience is no exception. While AI for customer experience is nascent, it already shows tremendous value as way to measure experiences, and as a lever to improve them. AI is a powerful tool. But all too often, “AI” is slapped onto products without it being […]

July 10, 2023

Should Customer Surveys be Anonymous?

Clients often ask: do we need to allow for customer anonymity in our surveys? Market researchers generally provide the option for customer anonymity so that respondents who might otherwise feel embarrassed or fear reprisal can answer honestly. In the context of sensitive employee feedback like DEI surveys and engagement surveys, most researchers consider the option […]

June 21, 2023

CX vs. UX: The Yin and Yang of Customer Loyalty

CX vs. UX: I’m often asked what’s the difference. CX (short for customer experience) and UX (short for user experience) are sometimes used interchangeably. But they have different agendas and focal areas. The best way to think about CX vs. UX is that customer experience spans the ENTIRE customer journey. UX is a piece of […]

June 19, 2023

Customer Empathy: Everything You Think You Know is Wrong

Empathy is trendy. Qualtrics XM Institute[i] has declared 2023 the Year of Empathy, and Forbes Magazine calls empathy the “most important leadership skill”.[ii] Because of this, customer service staff are receiving customer empathy training in droves. But research shows a dark side to customer empathy that can quickly undermine the interactions we’d like to create. […]

June 6, 2023