The best of 360 Magazine in 2025
Even if you’ve got your CX strategy for 2026 already locked in, this tends to be good time to take stock and contemplate how you can build even stronger relationships with customers over the next 12 months.
With that in mind, here’s a hand-picked selection of the stories I’ve published in 2025 that (to me, at least) offered the greatest insight, provided helpful examples of best practices in action or explained emerging technologies and trends.
As you may know, all content on 360 Magazine is free to read for the first 30 days, after which it goes behind a members-only paywall. I try not to ask this very often, but just a reminder that Patreon supporters are the primary way I monetize my work, and it’s a great way to keep the articles an ad-free experience.
Retail CX strategies from Anthropologie, Guess, Coach and Sephora
In January I covered the NRF’s ‘Big Show,” offering a glimpse of what some of the top retailers are doing. This is a good primer if you’re planning to check out NRF 2026 next month, or simply to catch up on some great CX ideas and approaches.
Amazon Connect VP on combining AI and human care in customer experience
The issue described in this headline is arguably the CX community’s biggest obsession, and with good reason. Amazon is obviously a leader in digital commerce, but its Connect solution will undoubtedly have a big impact on many other organizations, so I appreciated this chance to get an inside look into Pasquale DeMaio’s thinking.
McDonald’s product exec serves up the keys to its customer-centric strategy
This also came out of my NRF coverage, but I’m adding it here because it appears to be one of the top stories I wrote here in terms of traffic and engagement, probably given the brand’s visibility and influence.
ItsEasy.com CEO reimagines the on hold experience
This was a story I couldn’t resist: a guy who took the time to essentially put together and host a comedy show customers could listen to, rather than that annoying wait time music or an ineffective AI chatbot. Not necessarily replicable with other brands, but you have to applaud the creativity.
How CIBC morphed into a modern, relationship-oriented bank
It was nice to see the winner of Forrester’s annual Customer-Obsessed Enterprise award was based here in Canada. That said, the strategy and tactics outlined here could benefit financial services firms around the world, not to mention companies in many other industries.
Spotify product director lays down how AI can enhance both audience and artist experiences
Everyone loves talking about Spotify Wrapped in December, but that’s just one of the ways the streaming music giant makes use of data and technology. This story showed how it’s trying to align choosing music with the way consumers are asking questions of ChatGPT.
The truth about beautiful customer service staff
Although I cover market research studies every week, this one was different in that it came from academia and offered findings that went beyond “invest in more technology.” It’s one of those topics where we all have assumptions, and it’s worth keeping in mind what this particular data tells us.
Wildfire CMO demonstrates how brands can offer rewards for AI shopping
Maybe it’s because I offer content marketing services, but it feels like every brand I talked to is worrying about their referral traffic and conversions dropping. This was the one demo I saw this year that showed a way to not only show up in AI search responses, but to provide a competitive edge that appeals to known customers.
How to develop, share and live up to a customer charter
Probably the best original feature story I produced this year, and one that I think could be done a lot differently if you keep the potential impact (good and bad) of AI top of mind. Customer charters are an old idea but I still think they’re a good idea.
What is an irrealis mood and how does it affect customer experiences?
Of all my Editor’s Notes, this one is probably one of the most esoteric but it remains my favorite of the ones I wrote over the past 12 months. If you’ve read this far, don’t miss this link, if only so you can check out the book it references. And happy holidays!
