Wingstop eyes loyalty program pilot for Q4

The fast casual chain will leverage learnings from 60 million digital customers as part of its upcoming launch to create a differentiated membership program.

Amazon zeroes in on delivery speed, pursues greater AI ambitions

The digital retailer is sharpening its experience with faster delivery while rolling out Alexa+ to more users ahead of what CEO Andy Jassy sees as an AI-driven future.

JetBlue, United joint loyalty program cleared for takeoff

With approval from the Department of Transportation in hand, the two airlines plan to proceed with its Blue Sky program and roll out customer benefits this fall.

Sprouts’ loyalty program commences national rollout

Live at approximately 75 stores and fully implemented across its home state of Arizona, the specialty grocer’s program is on track to reach all stores by the end of October. 

Ebay CEO: AI ‘continues to fundamentally change’ customer experience

Agentic commerce is a small part of the digital retailer’s business, but “it has a nice growth rate,” CEO Jamie Iannone said on a Q2 2025 earnings call.

Southwest, after overhauling customer offerings, fails to see a ‘measurable’ impact

The airline's passenger revenue fell, and executives acknowledged its Rapid Rewards loyalty program has not done as well as they would like.

White Castle offers robot delivery in Chicago with Uber Eats, Coco

The slider chain said delivery robots may help it reduce parking lot congestion and speed up service.

4 takeaways from Starbucks’ customer experience plans

The company is laying the foundations to make Starbucks “once again the gold standard in customer service” and is planning to revamp its loyalty program next year, CEO Brian Niccol said.

Temu doesn’t properly assess illegal products on its platform: EU Commission

The fast fashion giant remains under investigation for allegedly addictive design features and a lack of transparent recommendation system.

Starbucks puts human connection at the forefront of new service strategy

As the coffee chain prepares to deploy the Green Apron Service plan nationwide, it is building on an eight-week pilot across 1,500 stores.

T-Mobile sees customer, financial gains from transformation plan

Customers have downloaded the T-Life app, a key part of its digital push, more than 75 million times since its launch in early 2024.

Half of customer service queries start on third-party platforms, survey finds

Consumers are turning to search engines, social media and generative AI tools at the start of their journeys, with good success rates, Gartner finds.

Walmart bets big on AI with ‘super agent’ strategy

The retailer is centralizing AI capabilities to avoid fragmentation, noting that the technology is already being utilized by 900,000 associates.

Why more CX leaders are looking to Africa for contact center agents

Perhaps most attractive is the continent’s untapped labor market, which largely comprises young people with an affinity for technology. 

Updated July 30, 2025

Chipotle drives more customers to loyalty program as comparable sales slide

The fast-casual restaurant grew digital loyalty sign-ups 14% year over year, boosted by the launch of its “Summer of Extras” gamified program, CEO Scott Boatwright said.

Ulta Beauty eyes AI agents amid growth plans

The company is working on the tech foundation to enable adoption, which it hopes will lead to improved employee and customer experiences. 

Sonos makes interim CEO’s appointment permanent as it works to win back customers

The company’s efforts are paying off, CEO Tom Conrad said. Customer and dealer net promoter scores are improving, while household listening hours have increased year over year.

Guitar Center brings AI assistant to the store floor

The Rig Advisor tool compares gear in real-time and provides live inventory updates.

Can surveys alone tell you what customers really want? Experts say ‘no.’

"Customers are reliable narrators of their current frustrations, but they are unreliable narrators of their future actions," one expert said.

Albertsons looks to tried-and-true methods to bolster e-commerce

The grocery company aims to be “brilliant at the basics” as it refines its digital capabilities and ushers in new technologies like AI, executive Jill Pavlovich said.

AI shopping assistants have a trust problem

Skepticism about the tech is a major barrier to its adoption, as it ranks among the least trusted sources for shopping information, according to a new report.

AT&T’s customer guarantee is working, CEO says

The company has seen improved net promoter scores among wireless and fiber customers following a network event, CEO John Stankey said.

How AI is changing expectations for customer support on social media

Only one-quarter of consumers say they prefer AI-powered support, but 71% are somewhat or very satisfied with AI support experiences, according to an Emplifi survey.

Inflation concerns spur early summer shopping: report

A national survey from marketing firm Optimove found that consumers were concerned about tariffs and planned to check online prices while shopping in-store.

AI to bring ‘massive disruption’ to contact center workforces, Forrester says

The analyst firm expects virtual assistants to handle more complex customer inquiries. As a result, humans will provide more back-office support.