Customer Support Leaders
Episodes
295: Fearless CX; with Nate Brown
25 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send us Fan MailCustomers are talking about you where your VOC program rarely looks and it’s shaping revenue, retention, and trust. Nate Brown joins...
294: What Support Does When AI Takes The Tickets; with Ryan Klausner
18 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send us Fan MailAI is starting to take the queue. So what’s left for a customer support team once automation handles triage, repetitive questions, o...
293: Roles AI is Creating in Support; with Hilary Dudek
11 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send a textAI is already in your support queue, but the real question is what it’s doing to your career path. I’m joined by Hilary Dudek, Head of ...
292: Tailoring Your Coaching as People Grow; with Andrew Rios
04 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send a textGrowth rarely happens on a straight line, and neither should coaching. We sat down with Andrew Rios, Head of Customer Experience at Citysid...
291: The Changing Identity of Support; with Lauren Eimers
25 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send a textWhat happens when AI automates the work that built your career story? We sit down with Lauren Eimers to trace a path from clinical counseli...
290: From Timelines To Fit: Making Smart Support Hires; with Matt Dale
18 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send a textHiring plans look clean on a roadmap until real candidates, real timelines, and real markets show up. We unpack a practical, humane approac...
289: Cultivating Customer Champions; with Greg Skirving
11 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send a textWhat if a “ticket” isn’t a ticket at all, but an engagement where both sides own the outcome? We sit down with Greg Skirving to unpac...
288: Support in a High-Trust Environment; with Simone Secci
04 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textTrust isn’t a slogan when failure has real consequences. Simone Secci joins Charlotte Ward to pull back the curtain on support operati...
287: Extreme Delegation: How To Lead When Everything Changes At 4 PM On An Idle Tuesday; with Matt Dale
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textA quiet Tuesday turns into a leadership stress test. We share the playbook for extreme delegation—those moments when a key lieutenant ...
Measure What Matters When Humans And AI Share The Queue
21 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textAI has crossed a threshold in customer support: it no longer just routes and records—it actually does the work. We sat down with Craig...
285: From Playbooks To Personalization: How CX Leaders Shape Customer Expectations And Outcomes; with Ty Givens
14 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSuperior customer experience isn’t a universal recipe—it’s a promise aligned to what your customers expect from you, in their mome...
284: Customer Support Leaders in 2026: Fresh Starts and More To Come; with Charlotte Ward and Alec Moloney
07 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textReady for a clean slate and a smarter way to build support in 2026? We kick off a fresh season with a rebuilt website, renewed energy, a...
283: From Values To Outcomes: Building A Customer Support Strategy That Works; with Conor Pendergrast
06 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textForget the glossy strategy deck. We’re digging into the real drivers of customer experience: the values people use to decide, the cult...
282: Turning Difficult Customer Moments Into Lasting Trust; with Marc Haine
02 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textEver faced a customer whose day went off the rails before they reached you? We dive into the emotional mechanics of difficult conversati...
281: Accuracy Beats Hype - Building Trustworthy AI With KCS; with David Kay
04 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWhat if the fastest path to trustworthy AI starts with a better knowledge base? David Kay is Principal at DB Kay & Associates, a co...
280: Mastering Incident Management - Part 6 of 6; with Kat Gaines
07 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textOutages test more than systems—they test culture. We dig into what “calm under pressure” actually looks like, from the first hint ...
279: Is AI Overcooked in Support?; with Rob Dwyer
07 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSauce jokes aside, we get real about AI in customer support: why it’s tempting to chase the trend, how early demos can mislead, and wh...
278: Mastering Incident Management - Part 5 of 6; with Kat Gaines
03 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThe alarms stop, but the real work is just getting started. Charlotte Ward and Kat Gaines pull back the curtain on what effective teams ...
From The Archives: 56: Building Leaders in Your Team with Meredith Molloy
13 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textEver wondered what distinguishes a true leader from the rest? Join me, Charlotte Ward, as I unlock the secrets of leadership potential w...
277: Reducing Escalations Through Strategic Engineering Partnerships; with Robert Cabral
06 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textUnlock the secrets to mastering technical support as we, Robert Cabral and I, guide you through the art of enlisting engineering support...
From The Archives: 49: Hiring in Support with Alyssa Percell
30 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textUnlock the secrets to building a standout customer support team by tuning into our captivating conversation with Alyssa Purcell, a seaso...
276: Mastering Incident Management - Part 4b of 6; with Kat Gaines
23 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textUnlock the secrets to mastering incident management with our latest episode featuring the insightful Kat Gaines. Discover how to transfo...
From The Archives: 47: Hiring in Support with Kristina King
16 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textKristina King returns to the spotlight, sharing her remarkable pivot from finance and teaching to becoming a technical support engineer,...
275: Unlocking the Power of Fractional Leadership in Customer Support; with Brian Levine
09 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textEver wondered how startups can access top-tier leadership without bringing on full-time executives? Brian Levine, joins me to share his ...
From The Archives: 41: Careers in Support with Matt Dale
02 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFrom The Archives: Careers in SupportDiscover the secrets of building a thriving career in the customer support industry as Matt Dale jo...
274: Mastering Incident Management - Part 4 of 6; with Kat Gaines
26 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWhat happens when the adrenaline rush of an incident meets the need for effective communication? Join us as we chat with Kat Gaines, the...
From The Archives: 40: Looking Beyond the Numbers with Mike Redbord
19 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMike Redbord, a seasoned veteran from HubSpot with over a decade of experience, joins us to unravel the mysteries of managing customer s...
273: Balancing Automation and Human Touch in Customer Support; with Cory Brown & Elliot Fox
12 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textDiscover how to master the delicate art of balancing automation with human interaction in customer support, as Corey Brown and Elliot Fo...
From The Archives: 36: Looking Beyond the Numbers with Ash Rhodes
05 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textUnlock the secrets behind the spreadsheets and discover the hidden complexities of customer support with me and my special guest Ash Rho...
272: Transforming Support Teams: Leadership, Collaboration, and Building Cross-Functional Relationships; with Steve Tondé
28 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textEver wondered how a support desk manager transforms the reputation of their team from the "black sheep" to a pivotal player in...
From The Archives: 11: Awkward Conversations with Hilary Dudek
21 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWhat if handling awkward workplace conversations could be less daunting and more compassionate? Join us as we sit down with Hilary Dudek...
271: Mastering Incident Management - Part 3 of 6; with Kat Gaines
14 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textWhat makes a Customer Liaison Officer indispensable during incident management? Join us as we tap into the expertise of Kat Gaines, who ...
270: Mastering Leadership Communication in Startup Support; with Andrew Rios
07 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMastering Leadership Communication in Startup Support; with Andrew RiosHow do you transform data into compelling business narratives? Jo...
269: Building Successful Call Centers from the Ground Up; with Joe DiNatale
31 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textEver wondered what it takes to build a high-performing contact center from scratch? Join us as we uncover the secrets with Joe DiNatale....
From The Archives: Episode 3: Nurturing Empathy in Customer Support with Natalie Ruhl
24 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textNurturing Empathy in Customer Support with Natalie RuhlHow can you genuinely connect with your customers and create a more harmonious wo...
268: Mastering Incident Management - Part 2 of 6; with Kat Gaines
17 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMastering Incident Management - Part 2 of 6; with Kat GainesEmbark on an insightful expedition into the nerve center of incident managem...
267: Finding the Balance Between Product and Functional Expertise; with Colin Flanigan
10 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFinding the Balance Between Product and Functional Expertise; with Colin FlaniganUnlock the secrets of superior product support with Cha...
266: The Art of Crafting Impactful Survey Questions; with Nick Zeisler
03 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textPrepare to be enlightened as we sit down with the incomparable Nick Zeisler, or Zee as we fondly call him, for a riveting discussion on ...
265: Nurturing Your Professional Network: Authentic Strategies for Support Folk; with Jason Yun
27 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textNurturing Your Professional Network: Authentic Strategies for Support Folk; with Jason YunHave you ever felt like a solitary island in t...
264: Mastering Incident Management - Part 1 of 6; with Kat Gaines
19 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMastering Incident Management - Part 1 of 6; with Kat GainesUnlock the secrets to seamless service as we navigate the critical world of ...
263: Connecting Actions to Customer Outcomes; with Sarah Caminiti
12 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textConnecting Actions to Customer Outcomes; with Sarah CaminitiUnlock the secrets of truly impactful leadership and customer support with o...
From The Archives: 2: Mastering Empathy in Customer Support; with Matt Dale
05 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textEmpathy isn't just a buzzword—it's the cornerstone of exceptional customer support. Discover the transformative power of und...
262: Enhancing Everyone's Experience with Exceptional Supportability; with Alexis Grant
29 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textEnhancing Everyone's Experience with Exceptional Supportability; with Alexis GrantUnlock the secrets to crafting a B2B SaaS experie...
261: Building a Truly Customer Centric Culture; with Michael Hinshaw
22 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textBuilding a Truly Customer Centric Culture; with Michael Hinshaw Embark on a transformative journey with Michael Hinshaw of McorpCX, a b...
260: Revolutionizing Customer Support: All-Hands Support Delivery from across the Organisation; with Sarah Caminiti
15 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textRevolutionizing Customer Support: All-Hands Support Delivery from across the Organisation; with Sarah Caminiti Get ready to revolutioni...
259: Mastering Adaptive Leadership in the Face of Change; with Neal Travis
08 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSteer your team through the rollercoaster of change with wisdom from Neal Travis, Support & Admissions Manager at the Academy to Inn...
258: The Danger of Assumptions and Navigating the Nuances of Effective Customer Communication; with Sarah Caminiti
01 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textHave you ever wondered what sets exceptional customer support apart? Join me in a thought-provoking conversation with Sarah Caminiti, th...
257: Debunking Benchmarks and the Real Power of Customer Feedback; with Ty Givens
23 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textDebunking Benchmarks and the Real Power of Customer Feedback; with Ty Givens Join me and the insightful Ty Givens from CX Collective as...
256: The Hidden Advantages of Less Local Remote Teams (or “Get Good at Calendars!”); with Alec Moloney
16 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThe Hidden Advantages of Less Local Remote Teams (or “Get Good at Calendars!”); with Alec MoloneyUnlock the secrets of thriving with...
255: Mastering Outage Management; with Lauren Rose Eimers
09 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMastering Outage Management; with Lauren Rose EimersImagine being at the helm of customer support when technology fails us—navigating ...
254: Finding Your Footing: Navigating the Emotional Journey of Career Transition; with Hilary Dudek
02 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textHilary Dudek: Finding Your Footing: Navigating the Emotional Journey of Career TransitionBoth Hilary and I have been laid off multiple t...
253: The Difference Between What Customers Say And What Customers Do; with Ryan Klausner
26 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textRyan Klausner: The Difference Between What Customers Say And What Customers DoRyan returns to talk about understanding customer feedback...
252: The Support Report with Andrew Rios
19 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textAndrew Rios: The Support ReportAndrew Rios is a Global Customer Support Leader. He combines an energetic leadership style with a stron...
251: Support Data with Matt Dale
12 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textMatt Dale: Support DataMatt Dale joins me today to talk about Support Data: when to get started (clue: now!), and how to make it underst...
250: Panel: Welcome back for 2024!
05 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textPanel: Welcome back for 2024!Welcome back to the podcast! After a full year off, we're all raring to kick off 2024 with a bunch of ...
249: Fireside with Mike Redbord
25 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSpecials: Fireside 49Mike Redbord tells me how to show the actual value to the business in providing support to those users of your prod...
248: Holiday fireside with Jason Yun
18 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSpecials: Fireside 48Jason Yun, co-founder of Relay, returns to talk about the support that Support folk might need in the light of the ...
From The Archives: 32: Managing Performance Issues with Hilary Dudek
30 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFrom The Archives: Week 7 Topic: Managing Performance IssuesHilary Dudek tells me how she likes to coach for positive behaviours, rather...
From The Archives: 26: Metrics with Craig Stoss
23 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFrom The Archives: Week 6 Topic: MetricsCraig Stoss talks about stories, and the Source of All Truth.
From The Archives: 23: Moving from Doing to Leading the Work with Matt Dale
16 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFrom The Archives: Week 5 Topic: Moving from Doing to Leading the WorkMatt Dale returns to talk about why you can’t expect to successf...
From The Archives: 17: Transitioning to Leadership - Personal Perspectives with Natalie Ruhl
09 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFrom The Archives: Week 4 Topic: Personal Stories of Transitioning to LeadershipNatalie Ruhl had a dream….
From The Archives: 11: Awkward Conversations with Hilary Dudek.
02 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFrom The Archives: Week 3 Topic: Awkward ConversationsHilary Dudek needs to practice her poker face. (Also, although the title is “Awk...
247: Fireside with Austin Emser
26 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSpecials: Fireside 47Austin Emser, CEO of Stylo, joins me for the first time to discuss the art of prioritising those tickets! We compar...
From The Archives: 5: Empathy with Ash Rhodes
19 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFrom The Archives: Week 1 Topic: Empathy in Support We round out this week’s topic with Ash Rhodes. How much weight should we place...
From The Archives: 220: Building a Team from Scratch with Matt Dale
12 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFrom The Archives: Week 79 Topic: Building a Team from ScratchWhen is a full-time job not a full-time job? When it’s a two-person job!...
From The Archives: 216: Building a Team from Scratch with Ashley Sachs
05 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFrom The Archives: Week 79 Topic: Building a Team from ScratchAshley returns to tell us how she prioritised early definition of ‘Opera...
From The Archives: 213: Knowledge Management with Simone Secci
29 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFrom The Archives: Week 78 Topic: Knowledge ManagementSimone Secci rebuilt a knowledge base from scratch, banking on being able to show ...
246: Fireside with Ethan Walfish
22 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSpecials: Fireside 46Ethan and I discuss the relative merits of our favourite approaches to tagging support conversations. Neither of us...
From The Archives: 212: Knowledge Management with Cynthia Ng
15 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFrom The Archives: Week 78 Topic: Knowledge ManagementCynthia Ng describes how GitLab approach all their knowledge with a ‘Handbook Fi...
From The Archives: 211: Knowledge Management with Aprill Allen
08 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFrom The Archives: Week 78 Topic: Knowledge ManagementAprill Allen, a Knowledge Management Consultant & KCS Specialist at Knowledge ...
From The Archives: 210: Fireside with Nicholas Zeisler
01 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFrom The Archives: Specials: Fireside 26According to “Zee” (if I could only say it), we’re doing CX wrong! Nicholas Zeisler joins ...
From The Archives: 209: Fireside with Ash Rhodes
24 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFrom The Archives: Specials: Fireside 25What a conversation! Ash comes on the podcast to talk about job hunting in Customer Support Lead...
From The Archives: 201: Fireside with Ethan Walfish
17 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFrom The Archives: Specials: Fireside 17Ethan explains how we can apply a scientific approach - semiotic theory - when trying to underst...
From The Archives: 200: Managing Change with Lauren Rose Eimers
10 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFrom The Archives: Week 67 Topic: Managing ChangeLauren joins me for two milestones: the 200th episode of the podcast, and my birthday! ...
From The Archives: 196: Managing Change with Lauren Fearn
03 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFrom The Archives: Week 67 Topic: Managing ChangeLauren, a previous panelist, returns to the podcast for our first one-to-one chat, wher...
From The Archives: 191: The Perfect Support Email with Ethan Walfish
27 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFrom The Archives: Week 66 Topic: The Perfect Support EmailEthan Walfish is a former panelist (take a listen to our discussion on Suppor...
245: Fireside with Valentina Thoerner
20 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSpecials: Fireside 45Val discusses using a personality type such as Gretchen Rubin’s Four Tendencies to help you pull a team togethe...
From The Archives: 181: Startup Support with Zeni Bandy
13 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFrom The Archives: Week 64 Topic: Startup SupportZeni Bandy returns to the podcast this week, to talk about tackling support in a startu...
From The Archives: 180: Fireside with Valentina Thoerner
06 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFrom The Archives: Specials: Fireside 16Valentina Thoerner is a Empress in the support world, and, having moved from a support lead role...
244: Fireside with Matt Dale
29 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSpecials: Fireside 44Matt and I have no complaints. Plenty of other people do, though: customers! How do we deal with those complaining ...
From The Archives: 177: Fireside with Chris Taylor
22 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFrom The Archives: Specials: Fireside 14Chris Taylor returns today, having recently taken on a new business function - Customer Success ...
From The Archives: 175: Fireside with Tadas Labudis
15 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFrom The Archives: Specials: Fireside 13Tadas Labudis comes on the show to talk about ticket tagging taxonomies and tactics! Then we wra...
243: Fireside with Vaishali Dialani
08 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSpecials: Fireside 43Vaishali Dialani is Head of Customer Experience at NOW Money, a fintech company with a unique customer base and on ...
242: Fireside with Whitney Brittingham and Aakrit Prasad
01 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textTwo guests for the price of one today as Whitney Brittingham and Aakrit Prasad join me to discuss the relationship between Product Led G...
241: Fireside with Andrew Ou
25 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSpecials: Fireside 41Andrew Ou is a UX Strategist/Designer and joins me to discuss the role UX plays in CX, and specifically in Customer...
240: Fireside with Reagan Helms
18 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSpecials: Fireside 40Reagan Helms and I discuss what when you have experienced folks who do not want to step into leadership. How do you...
From The Archives: 171: Fireside with Sandra Thompson
11 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textFrom The Archives: Specials: Fireside 11Sandra Thompson comes to share her significant expertise on Emotional Intelligence and its impor...
239: Fireside with Craig Stoss
04 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSpecials: Fireside 39Craig and I share similarly long tenures in Support - and may even have encountered each other in the wild at one p...
238: Fireside with Sam Semuhin
25 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSpecials: Fireside 38Sam Semuhin returns today to talk about how we can empower our teams to achieve their best selves, deliver their be...
237: Fireside with Sophie Heller
18 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSpecials: Fireside 37Sophie Heller joins me from Outschool, which, as you might expect, experienced serious hypergrowth in the wake of C...
236: Fireside with Sam Semuhin
11 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSpecials: Fireside 36Sam Semuhin is Customer Care Manager at Upflow. Today, she wanted to talk tools! We cover the pain, the overthinkin...
235: Fireside with Jason Yun
04 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSpecials: Fireside 35Jason Yun, co-founder of Relay, has a background in the medical profession, and had his interest piqued by my chat ...
234: Fireside with Valentina Thoerner
28 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSpecials: Fireside 34Empress Val has led Product, and led Support. How should these teams work together? We talk about Product accessing...
233: Fireside with Craig Stoss
21 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSpecials: Fireside 33I hooked Craig back, as we kick off 2022 (!), to talk about what is probably top of mind for a lot of us: goals and...
232: Fireside with Ethan Walfish
14 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSpecials: Fireside 32Ethan Walfish believes there are a lot of things we can learn in Support from the medical profession. Also: when is...
231: Fireside with Ash Rhodes
07 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSpecials: Fireside 31Ash returns to tell me I’m wrong. I tell him he’s wrong. And then we have a very civilised discussion about the...
230: Fireside with Simone Secci
31 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSpecials: Fireside 30Simone returned for a chat in mid-December ’21, to talk about building careers in Support, and specifically helpi...
229: Fireside with Matt Dale
24 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSpecials: Fireside 29Matt joined me in the run-up to Christmas, and in the wake of The Great Resignation, to talk about: what happens wh...
228: Fireside with Craig Stoss
17 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSpecials: Fireside 28Craig joins me to talk about one of my passions - data! In this case, what’s useful for your Support team to know...
227: Fireside with Nate Brown
10 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textSpecials: Fireside 27Here, 100 weeks into the podcast, we ask: ‘How does your CX match up to your company values, mission and ideals?’...