The Customer Service track at the 2026 UWEBC Annual Conference explored how leading organizations are transforming the customer experience through technology, innovation, and people-centered strategies. Four speakers brought practical frameworks and real-world stories on everything from AI and process design to culture and leadership habits.
Blake Morgan, 3X author and host of The Modern Customer Podcast, opened the track with Customer Experience by Design, Not by Chance, a session on how consistent habits, leadership practices, and organizational culture make putting customers first the natural choice.
She shared how companies like Chewy use technology to support their employees, which frees up more time for personalized, memorable interactions that go beyond the transaction. Her takeaway: AI can improve efficiency, but the human connection is what customers remember
Patrice James, Director of Customer Experience Operations at SunStrong Management, introduced attendees to the “operational junk drawer,” the pileup of outdated processes, unclear ownership, and “the way it’s always been done” that slows teams down.
She shared a real example of a process step that required customers to submit a document, which created delays even though her team already had exceptions in place for customers who didn’t have it. Her four-step framework (dump the drawer, understand why, make the call, and reorganize and rebuild) centers on one question: if we stopped doing this tomorrow, would anyone notice, or would they be relieved?
Justin Robbins, Founder and Principal Analyst at Metric Sherpa and author of More Than a Motto, challenged leaders to close the gap between what their organizations promise and what employees experience every day.
Opening with a childhood story about a diner with a “service with a smile” sign, he showed how pressure exposes the difference between stated values and daily practice. He introduced his RHYTHM framework for turning purpose into repeatable habits and left attendees with a simple challenge: pick one thing and reinforce it consistently over the next eight weeks.
Bill Price, author and Founder/CEO of Intendra AI, made the case in HumanX: Why Better AI Starts with Better Experiences that applying AI to broken processes only speeds up customer frustration.
He walked through how AI can quickly uncover the root causes behind customer contacts, so organizations can fix the underlying problems instead of just handling the symptoms. He also introduced “silent sufferers,” customers who have serious problems but never complain, noting that only about 15% of customers with a problem ever speak up.
There’s even more to explore beyond these highlights! If you attended the conference, head back to the virtual portal to revisit the conversations, watch sessions you missed, and download presentation materials. Weren’t able to be there? A Digital Pass gives you access to the ideas and insights shared throughout the day.
Written by Ella Corcoran, UWEBC Marketing