This article was based on the interview with Anna Convery, Chief Marketing Officer at Verint by Greg Kihlström, MarTech and Artificial Intelligence keynote speaker for The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström podcast. Listen to the original episode here:
In an environment where one bad experience can cost you a customer, the math of customer loyalty has changed. Today’s consumers don’t just expect fast, accurate service—they demand it. And with expectations set not by competitors within a vertical, but by the best experience anywhere, every brand is under pressure to perform.
In this episode of The Agile Brand, Greg Kihlström sat down with Anna Convery, Chief Marketing Officer at Verint, to talk about the company’s recently released 2025 State of Customer Experience report. The conversation covered the growing impatience of modern consumers, the balancing act between automation and empathy, and the metrics that matter when loyalty is on the line.
The Expectation Gap Is Widening—and It’s Not Where You Think
One of the most striking findings in Verint’s report is that nearly half of consumers (46%) feel that brands are not meeting their expectations. But what makes this more sobering is the nature of those expectations. They’re not only rising—they’re converging. As Convery put it:
“It used to be… your experience with your bank was compared to other banks… That’s not the case anymore. We now compare all sorts of interactions with each other.”
That means your app isn’t just competing with a direct competitor—it’s being judged against Netflix, Amazon, and Uber. If one of those brands can complete a transaction in seconds, why should your healthcare portal take minutes? Marketers and CX leaders must internalize this: expectations are now horizontal, not vertical.
One Strike and You’re Out: The Vanishing Patience of Modern Customers
Another staggering data point: 78% of customers say they would switch to a competitor after just one bad experience. There’s no margin for error, and no time to win them back after the fact. According to Convery:
“Our tolerance level has dropped quite significantly… Technology has allowed a lot of this transferability… which also again makes it easy [to switch].”
The ease of switching, combined with proactive marketing by competitors, means that CX failure isn’t just expensive—it’s existential. Brands need to invest in real-time remediation, not after-the-fact apology emails. This is a wake-up call for organizations stuck optimizing quarterly NPS results instead of proactively intercepting customer frustration at the point of friction.
Speed Over Sentiment: Why Fast Answers Beat Friendly Ones
While we all love to talk about empathy and brand voice, the data paints a stark picture: speed matters more. In fact, customers ranked getting information quickly as four times more important than empathy. That’s not to say empathy doesn’t matter—but in the moment, efficiency often trumps personality.
“Technology actually does deliver the speed, the accuracy… without a human being ever coming into that interaction,” Convery explained. “We’ve become super intolerant of wasting time.”
This is where AI and automation shine. But not the “we’ve trained a bot to fail at basic conversations” kind of automation. Brands need AI that understands workflows, that authenticates users seamlessly, and that hands off to humans with context intact. If a customer has to repeat their issue to three different agents, all the empathy in the world won’t undo the damage.
Automation With a Human Safety Net
Despite growing adoption of AI, skepticism lingers. Verint’s study showed that while 86% of consumers understand AI’s value, only 44% prefer automation initially. This isn’t a paradox—it’s a plea for balance.
“There are some things where people feel much more comfortable, especially when it breaks, to go to a human being,” said Convery. “It’s about having the technology correctly balanced to the right interactions.”
Crucially, the conversation isn’t about replacing humans but redirecting them. Bots should handle the mundane and repetitive. Humans should handle complexity, emotion, and escalation. And the transition between the two should be seamless, powered by persistent data and real-time orchestration.
This isn’t just better for customers—it’s better for agents too. When they’re not bogged down by low-value tasks, they become more engaged, more effective, and more brand-positive.
Omnichannel Doesn’t Mean Siloed Multi-channel
Digital preferences are rising—73% of consumers now prefer digital channels over phone. But offering chat, SMS, web, and voice doesn’t make you omnichannel. Without integration, you’re just creating more opportunities to frustrate people.
“You have to be very sure of having a persistent brand experience… so that I feel like I’m dealing with the same organization,” Convery stressed. “Otherwise, we have those customers who will churn.”
This means shared back-end data, orchestrated workflows, and consistent design and tone across all platforms. Fragmented experiences are no longer excusable—they’re punishable.
And the rewards for getting this right? They’re not abstract. They’re tangible and they show up in your bottom line.
When Experience Wins, So Does the Business
Loyal customers are not just loyal—they’re lucrative. Verint’s research confirms that 86% of delighted customers will purchase again and 81% will recommend the brand. That’s not just retention—it’s organic growth.
“It has been true… for many years that the companies that deliver excellent, world-class customer experience are the ones who attract customers, retain customers, [and] grow customers,” Convery said. “And they do it efficiently.”
But Convery added an important caveat: you can’t sit still. Today’s CX advantage becomes tomorrow’s table stakes. Continued investment in automation, real-time data, and intelligent routing is not a luxury—it’s the only way to stay relevant.
The Takeaway for Marketing Leaders
Let’s be honest: marketers already have enough on their plates. But ignoring customer experience—especially the operational side of it—is no longer an option. We’re well past the point where CX is “owned” by a single department. Every campaign, every piece of content, every digital product touchpoint either builds or breaks loyalty.
As Convery rightly notes, automation isn’t the goal—impact is. And the companies that win? They’re using AI to get measurable results: faster resolution times, lower operational costs, and higher NPS. Not just bots for bots’ sake, but solutions with outcomes.
To stay ahead, marketing leaders must:
- Demand seamless data persistence and orchestration across all touchpoints.
- Invest in AI that’s grounded in CX expertise, not just technical potential.
- Insist on unified experiences across digital and human channels.
- Track not just CSAT, but time-to-resolution, agent engagement, and cost-to-serve.
Final Thoughts
Today’s customers are unforgiving—but they’re also rewarding. Brands that can meet expectations quickly, consistently, and with empathy at the right moments stand to gain not just loyalty, but advocacy. And that’s not some fluffy brand promise—it’s a business strategy.
As Convery put it: “Good customer experience delivers more customers and more value to the customers. But… you just can’t sit still. You gotta keep moving.”
