RE:defining experience

References

version:

1.0.0

All links are accurate as of August 2026

Introduction

Qualtrics XM Institute, (2025). $3 Trillion Is at Risk Due to Bad Customer Experiences in 2026.
qualtrics.com/articles/customer-experience/3-trillion-risk-due-bad-customer-experiences-2026

Gallup, (2026). State of the Global Workplace: 2026 Report. gallup.com/workplace/349484/state-of-the-global-workplace.aspx

Forrester Research, (17 Jun 2024). Forrester's 2024 US Customer Experience Index: Brands' CX Quality Is At An All-Time Low.
forrester.com/press-newsroom/forrester-2024-us-customer-experience-index

Forrester Research, (2025). Forrester's 2025 Global Customer Experience Index Rankings: 21% of Brands Declined, 6% Improved, and 73% Remained Unchanged.
forrester.com/press-newsroom/forrester-global-customer-experience-index-2025-rankings

Forrester Research, (2026). Have We Turned the Corner on CX Quality? (2026 Global Customer Experience Index).
‍forrester.com/blogs/have-we-turned-the-corner-on-cx-quality

Forrester, (2021). What Is Customer Obsession and Why Does It Matter? forrester.com/bold/customer-obsession

Forrester, (3 Aug 2021). How and Why to Bother with Customer Obsession (blog). forrester.com/blogs/how-and-why-to-bother-with-customer-obsession

Allen, J., Reichheld, F. F., Hamilton, B., and Markey, R. (2005). Closing the Delivery Gap: How to Achieve True Customer-Led Growth. Bain & Company. bain.com/contentassets/41326e0918834cd1a0102fdd0810535d/bb_closing_delivery_gap.pdf

Zendesk, (2025). Zendesk Customer Experience Trends Report 2026. zendesk.com/newsroom/press-releases/contextual-intelligence-becomes-the-new-standard-for-exceptional-customer-experience-in-2026

Oliver, R. L. (1977). Effect of Expectation and Disconfirmation on Postexposure Product Evaluations: An Alternative Interpretation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 62(4), 480-486.

Oliver, R. L. (1980). A Cognitive Model of the Antecedents and Consequences of Satisfaction Decisions. Journal of Marketing Research, 17(4), 460-469.

Oliver, R. L. (1997). Satisfaction: A Behavioral Perspective on the Consumer. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A., and Berry, L. L. (1988). SERVQUAL: A Multiple-Item Scale for Measuring Consumer Perceptions of Service Quality. Journal of Retailing, 64(1), 12-40.

Kahneman, D., Fredrickson, B. L., Schreiber, C. A., and Redelmeier, D. A. (1993). When More Pain Is Preferred to Less: Adding a Better End. Psychological Science, 4(6), 401-405.

Redelmeier, D. A., and Kahneman, D. (1996). Patients' Memories of Painful Medical Treatments: Real-Time and Retrospective Evaluations of Two Minimally Invasive Procedures. Pain, 66(1), 3-8.

Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Hofstede, G. (1980). Culture's Consequences: International Differences in Work-Related Values. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications.

Hofstede, G., Hofstede, G. J., and Minkov, M. (2010). Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Trompenaars, F., and Hampden-Turner, C. (1997). Riding the Waves of Culture: Understanding Cultural Diversity in Business. London: Nicholas Brealey.

House, R. J., Hanges, P. J., Javidan, M., Dorfman, P. W., and Gupta, V. (2004). Culture, Leadership, and Organizations: The GLOBE Study of 62 Societies. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

IDC (sponsored by Salesforce), (14 Dec 2023). New IDC Study Details 'AI Boost' to Salesforce Economy Revenue and Job Growth. Salesforce Newsroom.
salesforce.com/news/stories/ai-jobs-revenue

Harter, J. K., Schmidt, F. L., and Hayes, T. L. (2002) and subsequent Gallup Q12 meta-analyses. Business-Unit-Level Relationship Between Employee Satisfaction, Employee Engagement, and Business Outcomes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(2).

Leung, F. F., Gu, F. F., Li, Y., Zhang, J. Z., and Palmatier, R. W. (2022). Influencer Marketing Effectiveness. Journal of Marketing, 86(6), 93–115.

Leung, F. F., Zhang, J. Z., Gu, F. F., Li, Y., and Palmatier, R. W. (24 Nov 2022). Does Influencer Marketing Really Pay Off? Harvard Business Review Digital Article.
ira.lib.polyu.edu.hk

TARP (Technical Assistance Research Programs), (1986). Consumer Complaint Handling in America: An Update Study. Washington, DC: U.S. Office of Consumer Affairs. Contract HHS-100-84-0065.

Consumer Complaint Handling in America: Final Report. (1980). U.S. Office of Consumer Affairs, Contract HEW-OS-74-292, NTIS PB 80-176316. Washington, DC.

CNBC, (14 May 2025). Klarna CEO says AI helped company shrink workforce by 40%.
cnbc.com/2025/05/14/klarna-ceo-says-ai-helped-company-shrink-workforce-by-40percent.html

Fortune, (9 May 2025). As Klarna flips from AI-first to hiring people again, a new landmark survey reveals most AI projects fail to deliver.
fortune.com/2025/05/09/klarna-ai-humans-return-on-investment

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, (2025). IPO Prospectus.
sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2003292/000200329225000052/klarnagroupplc424b4.htm

McKinsey and NielsenIQ, (Feb 2023). Consumers care about sustainability—and back it up with their wallets.
mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/consumers-care-about-sustainability-and-back-it-up-with-their-wallets

BrightLocal, (11 Feb 2026). Local Consumer Review Survey 2026: Star Ratings Keep Rising, Old Reviews Don’t Cut It.
brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey

Reid, E. (19 May 2026). A new era for AI Search. Google.
blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/search/search-io-2026

Gallup (2024). Q12 Meta-Analysis: The Relationship Between Engagement at Work and Organizational Outcomes, 11th edition.
gallup.com/workplace/321725/gallup-q12-meta-analysis-report.aspx

Department of Justice, (11 Oct 2018). William McFarland Sentenced To 6 Years In Prison In Manhattan Federal Court For Engaging In Multiple Fraudulent Schemes And Making False Statements To A Federal Law Enforcement Agent.
justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/william-mcfarland-sentenced-6-years-prison-manhattan-federal-court-engaging-multiple

YouGov, (2023). When influencers stumble: exploring the ripple effect of controversies on brand perception. business.
yougov.com/content/46779-when-influencers-stumble-exploring-the-ripple-effect-of-controversies-on-brand-perception.

Anttila-Hughes, J. K., Fernald, L. C. H., Gertler, P. J., Krause, P., Tsai, E., and Wydick, B. (2018, revised 2025). Mortality from Nestlé's Marketing of Infant Formula in Low and Middle-Income Countries. NBER Working Paper No. 24452. National Bureau of Economic Research.
doi.org/10.3386/w24452
nber.org/papers/w24452

International Labour Organization, (Apr 2023). The Rana Plaza disaster ten years on: What has changed?
webapps.ilo.org/infostories/en-GB/Stories/Country-Focus/rana-plaza.html#intro

McKinsey & Company, (7 Jul 2020). Taking supplier collaboration to the next level.
mckinsey.com/capabilities/operations/our-insights/taking-supplier-collaboration-to-the-next-level

Dixon, M., Freeman, K., and Toman, N. (Jul–Aug 2010). Stop Trying to Delight Your Customers. Harvard Business Review, 88(7/8), 116–122.
hbr.org/2010/07/stop-trying-to-delight-your-customers

Dixon, M., Toman, N., and DeLisi, R. (2013). The Effortless Experience: Conquering the New Battleground for Customer Loyalty. New York: Portfolio/Penguin.

Part One: Foundation

Chapter 1: Experience is broken

Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA), (Ongoing). CCXP Certification and Competency Framework.
cxpa.org

KPMG, (Ongoing). Customer service strategy.
kpmg.com/nl/en/services/advisory/corporate-services-transformation/customer-and-brand/customer-service-strategy.html

Qualtrics, (1 Aug 2021). What is Experience Management (XM)? qualtrics.com/articles/customer-experience/what-is-xm

Temkin, B., Lucas, A., and Zdatny, I. (2019). Operationalizing XM: The Six Competencies and Twenty Skills That Define Experience Management Success. Qualtrics XM Institute.
qualtrics.com/m/pdf/Operationalizing_XM.PDF

Qualtrics XM Institute, (2023). Assessment: XM-Centric Culture.
qualtrics.com/ebooks-guides/assessment-xm-centric-culture

Zdatny, I., Herbert, C., and Holterhaus, J. (24 Sep 2024). The five levels of technology maturity for XM programs. Qualtrics XM Institute.
qualtrics.com/articles/customer-experience/five-levels-xm-technology-maturity

Deloitte Insights, (15 Jan 2020). Human Experience Platforms. Deloitte Tech Trends 2020.
deloitte.com/us/en/insights/topics/technology-management/tech-trends/2020/human-experience-platforms.html

Dunlop, A. et al. (7 Aug 2019). We're only human: Exploring and quantifying the human experience, Deloitte Digital.

Deloitte Digital, Harness the power of the human experience.
deloitte.com/us/en/services/consulting/services/elevating-the-human-experience.html

Accenture, (1 Dec 2020). New Consumer Behaviors Accelerate Need for Companies to Focus on Experience for Long-Term Growth. newsroom.accenture.com/news/2020/new-consumer-behaviors-accelerate-need-for-companies-to-focus-on-experience-for-long-term-growth-according-to-research-from-accenture-interactive

Forbes, (1 Nov 2021). Gartner’s 2022 Top Strategic Technology Trends. Old Problems. Old Trends. New Names.
forbes.com/sites/steveandriole/2021/11/01/gartners-2022-top-strategic-technology-trends--old-problems-old-trends--new-names

Gartner Research, (21 Aug 2024). Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies, 2024. gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2024-08-21-gartner-2024-hype-cycle-for-emerging-technologies-highlights-developer-productivity-total-experience-ai-and-security

Forrester Research, (9 Jun 2026). Forrester Reveals The Top 10 Highest-Performing Brands In Its 2026 Global Total Experience Score Rankings At Its CX Events.
forrester.com/press-newsroom/forrester-reveals-the-top-10-highest-performing-brands-in-its-2026-global-total-experience-score-rankings-at-its-cx-events

Forrester Research, (24 Jun 2025). Forrester Introduces the Total Experience Score: A New Metric for Measuring the Power of a Unified Brand and Customer Experience.
forrester.com/press-newsroom/forrester-total-experience-score-2025-rankings

Forrester Research, (1 Jul 2025). Forrester's Total Experience Score Exposes Tesla's Brand Dichotomy: Loved by Customers, Shunned by Prospective Buyers. forrester.com/press-newsroom/forrester-total-experience-score-2025-rankings-2

Forrester Research, (2023). Customer Experience Trends, 2023 (blog).
forrester.com/blogs/customer-experience-trends-2023

Forrester Research, (2022). 2022 Customer Experience Benchmarks, US. Report RES178156.
forrester.com/report/2022-customer-experience-benchmarks-us/RES178156

Forrester Research, (13 Sep 2023). Forrester's 2023 Singapore Banking CX Index: Faced With Economic Headwinds, Overall CX Quality Declines.
forrester.com/press-newsroom/forrester-singapore-banking-2023-cx-index

Gartner. (18 Oct 2021). Total Experience, in Gartner Identifies the Top Strategic Technology Trends for 2022. Press release.
gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2021-10-18-gartner-identifies-the-top-strategic-technology-trends-for-2022

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Chapter 2: Experience must be redefined

Freeman, R. E. (1984). Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach. Boston: Pitman. Reissued 2010, Cambridge University Press.

Mitchell, R. K., Agle, B. R., & Wood, D. J. (1997). Toward a Theory of Stakeholder Identification and Salience: Defining the Principle of Who and What Really Counts. Academy of Management Review, 22(4), 853-886.
jstor.org/stable/259247

Collins, J. C., and Porras, J. I. (1996). Building Your Company's Vision. Harvard Business Review, 74(5), 65–77.
hbr.org/1996/09/building-your-companys-vision

Blanchard, K., and O'Connor, M. (1997). Managing By Values: How to Put Your Values Into Action for Extraordinary Results. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

Barrett, R. (2017). The Values-Driven Organization: Cultural Health and Employee Well-Being as a Pathway to Sustainable Performance. Routledge, Second Edition.

Barrett, R. Fundamentals of Cultural Transformation: Implementing Whole System Change. Barrett Values Centre.

valuescentre.com/articles/fundamentals-of-cultural-transformation-implementing-whole-system-change

Stengel, J. (2011). Grow: How Ideals Power Growth and Profit at the World's Greatest Companies. Crown Business.

Sisodia, R., Wolfe, D. B., and Sheth, J. N. (2007). Firms of Endearment: How World-Class Companies Profit from Passion and Purpose. Wharton School Publishing.

Mackey, J., and Sisodia, R. (2013). Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business. Harvard Business Review Press.

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Chapter 3: Experience is an ecosystem

Aaker, D. A., and Joachimsthaler, E. (2000), Brand Leadership, New York: The Free Press

Norman, D., & Nielsen, J. (2017). The Definition of User Experience (UX). Nielsen Norman Group.
nngroup.com/articles/definition-user-experience

Brakus, J. J., Schmitt, B. H., and Zarantonello, L. (2009). Brand Experience: What Is It? How Is It Measured? Does It Affect Loyalty? Journal of Marketing, 73(3), 52-68.

Mankins, M. C., and Steele, R. (2005). Turning Great Strategy into Great Performance. Harvard Business Review, 83(7), 64-72.
hbr.org/2005/07/turning-great-strategy-into-great-performance

Schein, E. H., and Schein, P. A. (2017). Organizational Culture and Leadership (5th ed.). Hoboken: Wiley.

Part Two: Framework

Chapter 4: Strategy

Aaker, D. A., and Joachimsthaler, E. (2000). The Brand Relationship Spectrum: The Key to the Brand Architecture Challenge. California Management Review, 42(4), 8–23. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/000812560004200401

Marriott International. Marriott Bonvoy Brand Portfolio.
marriott.com

Inditex (2024). Consolidated Annual Accounts Inditex Group 2023, at 31 January 2024. Note 1 and Annex 1.
static.inditex.com/annual_report_2023/en/Consolidated_Annual_Accounts_Inditex_Group%202023.pdf

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Chapter 5: Audiences

Customer value proposition: Anderson, J.C., Narus, J.A., and Van Rossum, W. (2006). Customer Value Propositions in Business Markets. Harvard Business Review, 84(3), 90–99.
hbr.org/2006/03/customer-value-propositions-in-business-markets.

Minchington, B. (2006). Your Employer Brand: Attract, Engage, Retain. Torrensville: Collective Learning Australia.

Social value proposition: Martin, R.L., and Osberg, S. (2007). Social Entrepreneurship: The Case for Definition. Stanford Social Innovation Review, 5(2), 29–39. doi.org/10.48558/TSAV-FG11

Edmans, A. (2011). Does the Stock Market Fully Value Intangibles? Employee Satisfaction and Equity Prices. Journal of Financial Economics 101(3), 621–640. DOI10.1016/j.jfineco.2011.03.021

Edmans, A., Pu, D., Zhang, C., & Li, L. (2024). Employee Satisfaction, Labor Market Flexibility, and Stock Returns Around the World. Management Science 70(7), 4357–4380.
DOI 10.1287/mnsc.2023.4889

Heskett, J. L., Sasser, W. E., and Schlesinger, L. A. (1997). The Service Profit Chain: How Leading Companies Link Profit and Growth to Loyalty, Satisfaction, and Value. New York: Free Press.

Gallup (2024) Q12 Meta-Analysis. gallup.com/workplace/321725/gallup-q12-meta-analysis-report.aspx

Gallup. (Ongoing). The Employee Journey: A Hands-On Guide. gallup.com/workplace/389408/employee-journey-hands-guide.aspx

Court, D., Elzinga, D., Mulder, S., and Vetvik, O. J. (2009). The Consumer Decision Journey. McKinsey Quarterly, June 2009. mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/the-consumer-decision-journey

Forrester Research. (2013). Introducing the Marketing RaDaR. forrester.com/blogs/13-01-24-introducing_the_marketing_radar

Kale, P., and Singh, H. (2009). Managing Strategic Alliances: What Do We Know Now, and Where Do We Go From Here? Academy of Management Perspectives, 23(3), 45-62. doi.org/10.5465/amp.2009.43479263

Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS). (Ongoing). Procurement and Supply Cycle.
cips.org/intelligence-hub/procurement/procurement-supply-cycle

Zadek, S. (2004). The Path to Corporate Responsibility. Harvard Business Review, 82(12), 125-132.
hbr.org/2004/12/the-path-to-corporate-responsibility

Carroll, A. B. (1991). The Pyramid of Corporate Social Responsibility: Toward the Moral Management of Organizational Stakeholders. Business Horizons, 34(4), 39-48.
DOI 10.1016/0007-6813(91)90005-G

Forrester Research. (2021). What Is Customer Obsession and Why Does It Matter?
forrester.com/bold/customer-obsession

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Chapter 6: Operations

Mankins, M. C., and Steele, R. (2005). Turning Great Strategy into Great Performance. Harvard Business Review, 83(7), 64-72.
hbr.org/2005/07/turning-great-strategy-into-great-performance

Sull, D., Homkes, R., and Sull, C. (2015). Why Strategy Execution Unravels and What to Do About It. Harvard Business Review, 93(3), 57-66. hbr.org/2015/03/why-strategy-execution-unravelsand-what-to-do-about-it

Hammer, M., and Champy, J. (1993). Reengineering the Corporation: A Manifesto for

Business Revolution. New York: HarperBusiness.

Sheppard, B., Kouyoumjian, G., Sarrazin, H., and Dore, F. (Oct 2018). The Business Value of Design. McKinsey Quarterly. mckinsey.com/capabilities/tech-and-ai/our-insights/the-business-value-of-design

Leavitt, H. J. (1965). Applied Organizational Change in Industry: Structural, Technological, and Humanistic Approaches. In J. G. March (Ed.), Handbook of Organizations. Chicago: Rand McNally.

Galbraith, J. R. (1995). Designing Organizations: An Executive Guide to Strategy, Structure, and Process. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Waterman, R. H., Peters, T. J., and Phillips, J. R. (1980). Structure Is Not Organization. Business Horizons, 23(3), 14-26.

Kerr, S. (1975). On the Folly of Rewarding A, While Hoping for B. Academy of Management Journal, 18(4), 769-783.
doi.org/10.2307/255378

McKinsey & Company, (12 Nov 2021). The Value of Getting Personalization Right—or Wrong—Is Multiplying. mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/the-value-of-getting-personalization-right-or-wrong-is-multiplying

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Chapter 7: Measurement

Qualtrics XM Institute. (2020). Experience Management (XM) Maturity Assessment. Available at: xminstitute.com/tools/assessment-xm-maturity

Qualtrics XM Institute. (2019). Operationalizing XM. xminstitute.com/research/operationalizing-xm

Gartner. (18 Oct 2021). Total Experience, in Gartner Identifies the Top Strategic Technology Trends for 2022. Press release. gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2021-10-18-gartner-identifies-the-top-strategic-technology-trends-for-2022

PwC. (2018). Experience Is Everything: Here's How to Get It Right (Future of Customer Experience Survey 2017/18).
pwc.com/ng/en/assets/pdf/experience-is-everything.pdf

Picoult, J. (2026). The Customer Experience ROI Study. Watermark Consulting. watermarkconsult.net/blog/2026/04/12/customer-experience-roi-study

Pfeffer, J., and Sutton, R. I. (2000). The Knowing-Doing Gap: How Smart Companies Turn Knowledge into Action. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

Brakus, J. J., Schmitt, B. H., and Zarantonello, L. (2009). Brand Experience: What Is It? How Is It Measured? Does It Affect Loyalty? Journal of Marketing, 73(3), 52-68.

Heskett, J. L., Sasser, W. E., and Schlesinger, L. A. (1997). The Service Profit Chain: How Leading Companies Link Profit and Growth to Loyalty, Satisfaction, and Value. New York: Free Press.

Part Three: Practice

Chapter 8: Embedding experience across the organisation

Schein, E. H., and Schein, P. A. (2017). Organizational Culture and Leadership (5th ed.). Hoboken: Wiley.

Kotter, J. P. (1995). Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail. Harvard Business Review, 73(2), 59-67.

Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading Change. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

Hiatt, J. (2006). ADKAR: A Model for Change in Business, Government and Our Community. Loveland: Prosci Research.

Prosci. (2023). Best Practices in Change Management — 12th Edition. Loveland: Prosci Research.
empower.prosci.com/best-practices-change-management-executive-summary
ADKAR^® is a registered trademark of Prosci Inc. All rights reserved.

Heifetz, R. A., and Linsky, M. (2002). Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive Through the Dangers of Leading. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

Heifetz, R. A., Grashow, A., and Linsky, M. (2009). The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for Changing Your Organization and the World. Boston: Harvard Business Press.

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Chapter 9: Experience in reality

The case studies in this chapter draw on publicly reported information from each organisation, including annual reports, regulatory filings, business journalism, and the organisations' own public communications. Key sources for each case are listed below.

Apple Inc.

Annual Reports and 10-K Filings. (Multiple years). U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
sec.gov

Interbrand. (2025). Best Global Brands 2025.
interbrand.com/best-global-brands

Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP), iPhone loyalty data, as reported 27 Aug 2025.
cirpapple.substack.com

Southwest Airlines.

Southwest Airlines Co. (23 Jan 2020). Southwest Airlines Reports 47th Consecutive Year of Profitability. southwestairlinesinvestorrelations.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/394/southwest-airlines-reports-47th-consecutive-year-of-profitability

Gittell, J. H. (2003). The Southwest Airlines Way: Using the Power of Relationships to Achieve High Performance. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Kellogg Insight (19 Sep 2019). Is Maximizing Shareholder Value a Thing of the Past?. Northwestern University.
insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/shareholder-value-purpose-corporation.

Glassdoor. (2022). Best Places to Work 2022.
glassdoor.com/Overview/Working-at-Southwest-Airlines-EI_IE611.11,29.htm
swamedia.com/about-southwest/awards-and-recognition

J.D. Power. (6 May 2026). 2026 North America Airline Satisfaction Study. jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2026-north-america-airline-satisfaction-study

Fortune (18 Feb 2025). Southwest to cut 15% of corporate jobs in first-ever layoffs. fortune.com/2025/02/18/southwest-cut-15-percent-corporate-jobs-first-ever-layoffs

Southwest Airlines Pilots Association testimony, U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing on the December 2022 disruptions, 9 Feb 2023.

U.S. Department of Transportation, investigation into Southwest Airlines' December 2022 flight cancellations.

Airbnb, Inc.

Annual Report (Form 10-K), fiscal year 2024. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1559720/000155972025000010/abnb-20241231.htm

Blecharczyk, N. Visualizing the Customer Experience. Sequoia Capital. articles.sequoiacap.com/visualizing-customer-experience

Chesky, B. (17 Mar 2023). Brian Chesky on Managing Through Crisis and Uncertainty. Stanford Graduate School of Business, View From the Top. gsb.stanford.edu/insights/brian-chesky-managing-through-crisis-uncertainty

Airbnb, (27 Feb 2025). Our commitment to providing the highest quality stays. Global Quality Report. Airbnb Newsroom.
news.airbnb.com/airbnb-global-quality-report

Medallia, podcast. An Industry Disruptor Talks Innovative Guest Experiences
medallia.com/customers/airbnb

Airbnb, (15 Feb 2024). Celebrating our community milestone of 5 million Hosts. Airbnb Newsroom. news.airbnb.com/celebrating-our-community-milestone-of-5-million-hosts/.

McDonald's Corporation.

McDonald's. MCD 2025 Annual Report. corporate.mcdonalds.com/content/dam/sites/corp/nfl/pdf/MCD%202025%20Annual%20Report.pdf

McDonald’s. Restaurants by Market 2025.
corporate.mcdonalds.com/content/dam/sites/corp/nfl/pdf/Restaurants%20by%20Market%202025.pdf

McDonald's. World-Class Franchise Training Program. mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/about-us/franchising/training-services.html

McDonald's. Support System. mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/about-us/franchising/support-system.html

McDonald's. 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document, Item 19 (financial performance representations). Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.

World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

#LastSelfie: MMA Global Smarties case study, WWF Denmark: #LastSelfie. mmaglobal.com/case-study-hub/upload/pdfs/mma-2014-828.pdf

#EndangeredEmoji: Mortimer, N. Lessons from WWF's #EndangeredEmoji campaign. The Drum, 28 Jul 2015. thedrum.com/news/lessons-wwf-s-endangeredemoji-campaign

Earth Hour.
earthhour.org

WWF.
panda.org/discover/about_wwf

WWF, (23 Mar 2025). Global participation soars: Earth Hour 2025 doubles previous record with nearly 3 million hours given for the planet.
latest.earthhour.org/earth-hour-2025-closing

The LEGO Group.

LEGO Group (11 Mar 2025). LEGO Group delivers record results in 2024.
lego.com/en-us/aboutus/news/2025/march/lego-group-delivers-record-results-in-2024

LEGO Group. Build the Change programme page. lego.com/en-us/aboutus/news/2024/may/build-the-change-program and lego.com/en-us/sustainability/children/build-the-change.

LEGO Group. Climate action and Environment sustainability pages. lego.com/en-us/sustainability/climate-action.

LEGO Group (30 Aug 2023). The LEGO Group pledges to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
lego.com/en-us/aboutus/news/2023/august/the-lego-group-pledges-to-achieve-net-zero-emissions-by-2050

LEGO Group (9 Apr 2026). The LEGO Group ranked most reputable company in the world for the fourth year running. lego.com/en-us/aboutus/news/2026/april/the-lego-group-ranked-most-reputable-company-in-the-world-for-the-fourth-year-running

Sustainability Magazine (12 Mar 2025). LEGO Group: Growing Profits and Reducing Environmental Impact.
sustainabilitymag.com/articles/lego-group-growing-profits-reducing-environmental-impact

Ritz-Carlton.

Michelli, J. A. (2008). The New Gold Standard: 5 Leadership Principles for Creating a Legendary Customer Experience Courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. New York: McGraw-Hill.

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), U.S. Department of Commerce. Baldrige Award recipient profile, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. nist.gov/baldrige/ritz-carlton-hotel-company-llc

J.D. Power. (14 Jul 2026). 2026 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study.
jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2026-north-america-hotel-guest-satisfaction-study

J.D. Power. (15 Jul 2025). 2025 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index (NAGSI) Study.
jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2025-north-america-hotel-guest-satisfaction-index-nagsi-study

e-Estonia.

e-Estonia Briefing Centre (23 Oct 2024 - updated 2 Dec 2024), Estonia is at the top of the UN e-government ranking, e-estonia.com

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, (2024). UN E-Government Survey 2024. E-Government Development Index and Local Online Services Index.
publicadministration.un.org/egovkb/en-us/Reports/UN-E-Government-Survey-2024

Invest in Estonia (Aug 2025). E-Residency brings record revenue in first half of 2025
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Cybernetica (8 Jul 2021). Saving 1407 Years of Working Time in Estonia.
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e-Residency 2026 figures, official government source:
e-resident.gov.ee/blog/posts/e-residents-generated-record-state-revenue-2025

Estonian statistics:
investinestonia.com/wp-content/uploads/e-estonia-guide-210820.pdf

e-divorce and 100% of services online, Jan 2025:
prnewswire.com/news-releases/estonia-becomes-a-fully-digital-nation-no-more-bureaucrazy-all-government-services-even-divorce-filings-available-through-online-portal-302360906.html

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Chapter 10: The case for the experience-led organisation

Gallup, (7 Apr 2026). State of the Global Workplace 2026 Report.
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Otto, A. S., Szymanski, D. M., and Varadarajan, R. (2020). Customer Satisfaction and Firm Performance: Insights from over a Quarter Century of Empirical Research. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 48(3), 543-564.

Reichheld, F. F., and Detrick, T. (1996). The Loyalty Effect: The Hidden Force Behind Growth, Profits, and Lasting Value. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

Gallup, (2023). Why the Onboarding Experience is Key for Retention. gallup.com/workplace/235121

Brandon Hall Group / Glassdoor, (2015). The True Cost of a Bad Hire.
glassdoor.com/blog/the-true-cost-of-a-bad-hire
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Heskett, J. L., Jones, T. O., Loveman, G. W., Sasser, W. E., and Schlesinger, L. A. (1994). Putting the Service-Profit Chain to Work. Harvard Business Review, 72(2), 164-174.

Heskett, J. L., Sasser, W. E., and Schlesinger, L. A. (1997). The Service Profit Chain: How Leading Companies Link Profit and Growth to Loyalty, Satisfaction, and Value. New York: Free Press.

Grand View Research, (Feb 2026). Customer Experience Management Market Size, Share and Trends Analysis Report, 2026–2033, Industry Report.
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Fortune Business Insights, (15 Jun 2026). Hardware & Software IT Services/Customer Experience Management (CEM) Market, Industry Report.
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Forrester, (24 Jun 2025). Forrester Introduces The Total Experience Score: A New Metric For Measuring The Power Of A Unified Brand And Customer Experience, News Release.investor.forrester.com/news-releases/news-release-details/forrester-introduces-total-experience-score-new-metric-measuring

Forrester, (17 Jun 2024). Forrester’s 2024 US Customer Experience Index: Brands’ CX Quality Is At An All-Time Low. News Release.
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Forrester, (8 Jun 2026). Forrester’s 2026 Customer Experience Index (CX Index™), Have We Turned The Corner On CX Quality?forrester.com/blogs/have-we-turned-the-corner-on-cx-quality

Forrester Research (2025). Forrester's Total Experience Score — Measure Brand and CX, Together.
forrester.com/research/total-experience-score

Gallup (13 Mar 2019). This Fixable Problem Costs U.S. Businesses $1 Trillion, by Shane McFeely and Ben Wigert.
gallup.com/workplace/247391/fixable-problem-costs-businesses-trillion.aspx

Gallup (10 Jul 2024). 42% of Employee Turnover Is Preventable but Often Ignored, by Corey Tatel and Ben Wigert.
gallup.com/workplace/646538/employee-turnover-preventable-often-ignored.aspx

Temkin, B. (2018). ROI of Customer Experience, 2018. Qualtrics XM Institute (originally published by Temkin Group). qualtrics.com/m/www.xminstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/XMI_ROIofCustomerExperience-2018.pdf

Anderson, E. W., Fornell, C., and Mazvancheryl, S. K. (2004). Customer Satisfaction and Shareholder Value. Journal of Marketing, 68(4), 172-185.

Picoult, J. (2026). The Customer Experience ROI Study. Watermark Consulting.
watermarkconsult.net/blog/2026/04/12/customer-experience-roi-study

McKinsey & Company, (7 Jul 2020). Taking supplier collaboration to the next level.
mckinsey.com/capabilities/operations/our-insights/taking-supplier-collaboration-to-the-next-level

McKinsey & Company, (7 Jul 2021). Overcoming barriers to multitier supplier collaboration.
mckinsey.com/capabilities/operations/our-insights/overcoming-barriers-to-multitier-supplier-collaboration

MSCI, (22 Jul 2024). MSCI ESG Ratings and Cost of Capital, Jakub Malich and Anett Husi.
msci.com/research-and-insights/paper/msci-esg-ratings-and-cost-of-capital.

Edelman, (28 Feb 2024). Reaching Beyond the Ready: How Thought Leadership Gets Out-of-Market B2B Buyers Back into the Game, Joe Kingsbury, drawing on the 2024 Edelman-LinkedIn B2B Thought Leadership Study of 3,500 global B2B
decision-makers. edelman.com/insights/thought-leadership-gets-b2b-buyers-back-into-game.

Nielsen, (Nov 2021). Beyond martech: building trust with consumers and engaging where sentiment is high.
nielsen.com/insights/2021/beyond-martech-building-trust-with-consumers-and-engaging-where-sentiment-is-high.

Influencer Marketing Hub, (3 Mar 2026). Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report 2025.
influencermarketinghub.com/influencer-marketing-experts-report

YouGov, (2023). When influencers stumble: exploring the ripple effect of controversies on brand perception, based on YouGov Surveys across 18 markets.
business.yougov.com/content/46779-when-influencers-stumble-exploring-the-ripple-effect-of-controversies-on-brand-perception.

Edelman, (Jun 2024). 2024 Trust Barometer Special Report: Brands and Politics. edelman.com/trust/2024/trust-barometer/special-report-brand.

McKinsey and NielsenIQ, (6 Feb 2023). Consumers care about sustainability, and back it up with their wallets.
mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/consumers-care-about-sustainability-and-back-it-up-with-their-wallets

Harter, J. K., Schmidt, F. L., and Hayes, T. L. (2002). Business-Unit-Level Relationship Between Employee Satisfaction, Employee Engagement, and Business Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(2), and subsequent updated editions of the Gallup Q12 meta-analysis led by Harter.

Fombrun, C. J. (1996). Reputation: Realizing Value from the Corporate Image. Harvard Business School Press.

Crosby, P. B. (1979). Quality Is Free: The Art of Making Quality Certain. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Deming, W. E. (2000). Out of the Crisis. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
mitpress.mit.edu/9780262541152/out-of-the-crisis

PwC, (2018). Experience Is Everything: Here's How to Get It Right. Consumer Intelligence Series.
pwc.com/us/en/services/consulting/library/consumer-intelligence-series/future-of-customer-experience.html

Qualtrics XM Institute, (20 May 2025). Three-quarters of customers would pay more for a premium experience. qualtrics.com/articles/customer-experience/customers-pay-premium-experience.

Christensen, C. M., Alton, R., Rising, C., and Waldeck, A. (Mar 2011). The Big Idea: The New M&A Playbook. Harvard Business Review.
hbr.org/2011/03/the-big-idea-the-new-ma-playbook

Knight, R. F., and Pretty, D. J. (1996). The Impact of Catastrophes on Shareholder Value. Oxford Executive Research Briefings, Templeton College, University of Oxford. Sponsored by the Sedgwick Group.

Schein, E. H. (1983). The Role of the Founder in Creating Organizational Culture. Organizational Dynamics, 12(1), 13-28.
doi.org/10.1016/0090-2616(83)90023-2

Schein, E. H., and Schein, P. A. (2017). Organizational Culture and Leadership (5th ed.). Hoboken: Wiley.

Microsoft. (24 Mar 2025). Microsoft at 50: The Journey and Future of the Partner Ecosystem.
blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2025/03/24/microsoft-at-50-the-journey-and-future-of-the-partner-ecosystem

Microsoft, (10 Feb 2021). Microsoft’s partner ecosystem: Enabling innovation and business resilience.
blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2021/02/10/microsofts-partner-ecosystem-enabling-innovation-and-business-resilience

CLEPA (European Association of Automotive Suppliers). (26 Sep 2025). Securing Europe's Automotive Competitiveness for Jobs and Value Creation. Position paper.
clepa.eu/insights-updates/position-papers/securing-europes-automotive-competitiveness-for-jobs-and-value-creation

Partner Insight, (15 Feb 2020). 75% of world trade flows indirectly - Jay McBain @Forrester (part 1/3)
partnerinsight.io/insights/jay-mcbain-forrester-75-of-world-trade-flows-indirectly-pt1-3

Mittal, V., Han, K., Frennea, C., Blut, M., Shaik, M., Bosukonda, N., and Sridhar, S. (2023). Customer satisfaction, loyalty behaviors, and firm financial performance: what 40 years of research tells us. Marketing Letters, 34(2), 171–187.
link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11002-023-09671-w

Fornell, C., Mithas, S., Morgeson, F. V. III, and Krishnan, M. S. (2006). Customer Satisfaction and Stock Prices: High Returns, Low Risk. Journal of Marketing, 70(1), 3–14. doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.70.1.003.qxd

Jacobson, R., and Mizik, N. (2009). The Financial Markets and Customer Satisfaction: Reexamining Possible Financial Market Mispricing of Customer Satisfaction. Marketing Science, 28(5), 810–819.
doi.org/10.1287/mksc.1090.0495

Fornell, C., Mithas, S., and Morgeson, F. V. III (2009). The Economic and Statistical Significance of Stock Returns on Customer Satisfaction. Marketing Science, 28(5), 820–825.
doi.org/10.1287/mksc.1090.0505

Fornell, C., Morgeson, F. V. III, and Hult, G. T. M. (2016). Stock Returns on Customer Satisfaction Do Beat the Market: Gauging the Effect of a Marketing Intangible. Journal of Marketing, 80(5), 92–107.
doi.org/10.1509/jm.15.0229

Barney, J. B. (1991). Firm Resources and Sustained Competitive Advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99–120.
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Giese, G., & Shah, D. (2025). ESG Ratings in Global Equity Markets: A Long-Term Performance Review. The Journal of Impact & ESG Investing, 6(1). msci.com/research-and-insights/paper/msci-esg-ratings-in-global-equity-markets-a-long-term-performance-review

Gallo, A. (20 Oct 2014). The Value of Keeping the Right Customers. Harvard Business Review.
hbr.org/2014/10/the-value-of-keeping-the-right-customers

Lev, B., and Gu, F. (13 Nov 2024). We analyzed 40,000 M&A deals over 40 years. Here's why 70-75% fail. Fortune.
fortune.com/2024/11/13/we-analyzed-40000-mergers-acquisitions-ma-deals-over-40-years-why-70-75-percent-fail-leadership-finance

Mayo Clinic.

Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic Model of Care (MC4270rev0714). mcforms.mayo.edu/mc4200-mc4299/mc4270.pdf

Viggiano, T. R., Pawlina, W., Lindor, K. D., Olsen, K. D., & Cortese, D. A. (2007). Putting the Needs of the Patient First: Mayo Clinic's Core Value, Institutional Culture, and Professionalism Covenant. Academic Medicine, 82(11), 1089–1093. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17971697/

Howell, T. G. Jr., Leighton, J. A., Poole, K. G. Jr., Gasparini, R. N., Welch, T. J., Hart, L. A., Kilen, A. L., Stevens, S. K., & Wilshusen, L. L. (2022). The Office of Mayo Clinic Experience: A Strategy to Continuously Improve Patient Experience. NEJM Catalyst Innovations in Care Delivery, 3(9).
doi.org/10.1056/CAT.21.0476

Kalmanovitz, A. (5 Mar 2025). Mayo Clinic's strong 2024 performance fueled by dedicated staff, commitment to innovation. Mayo Clinic News Network. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinics-strong-2024-performance-fueled-by-dedicated-staff-commitment-to-innovation

Becker's Hospital Review, (5 Mar 2025). Mayo Clinic posts $1.3B operating income, 6.5% margin in 2024.
beckershospitalreview.com/finance/mayo-clinic-posts-1-3b-operating-income-6-5-margin-in-2024

Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic Values. Mayo Clinic History & Heritage. history.mayoclinic.org/mayo-clinic-values

Star Tribune (5 Mar 2025). Mayo Clinic's $1.3B operating profit sets new yearly record.
startribune.com/mayo-clinics-dollar13b-operating-profit-sets-new-yearly-record/601231222

Mayo Clinic News Network (25 Feb 2026). Eight years running: Newsweek names Mayo Clinic 'World's Best Hospital'.
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/eight-years-running-newsweek-names-mayo-clinic-worlds-best-hospital

General references and conceptual influences

This betabook draws on broader fields and bodies of work that have shaped experience strategy and related disciplines. The following sources have influenced the framework's intellectual foundations and are recommended for readers wishing to develop deeper expertise in adjacent areas.

Aaker, D. A. (1996). Building Strong Brands. New York: Free Press.

Bliss, J. (2015). Chief Customer Officer 2.0: How to Build Your Customer-Driven Growth Engine. Hoboken: Jossey-Bass.

Bliss, J. (2018). Would You Do That To Your Mother? The "Make Mom Proud" Standard for How to Treat Your Customers. New York: Portfolio.

Brown, T. (2009). Change by Design: How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation. New York: HarperBusiness.

IDEO, (Ongoing). Design Thinking Methodology Resources.
ideo.com

Morgan, J. (2017). The Employee Experience Advantage. Hoboken: Wiley.

Norman, D. A. (1988). The Design of Everyday Things. New York: Basic Books.

Pine, B. J., and Gilmore, J. H. (1999). The Experience Economy: Work Is Theatre and Every Business a Stage. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

Reichheld, F. F., and Detrick, T. (1996). The Loyalty Effect: The Hidden Force Behind Growth, Profits, and Lasting Value. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

Reichheld, F. F. (2011). The Ultimate Question 2.0: How Net Promoter Companies Thrive in a Customer-Driven World. Boston: Harvard Business Review Press.

Stanford d.school, (Ongoing). Design Thinking Framework.
dschool.stanford.edu

Bass, B. M., and Avolio, B. J. (1993). Transformational Leadership and Organizational Culture. Public Administration Quarterly, 17(1), 112-121.

Collins, J. C. (2001). Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't. New York: HarperBusiness.

Collins, J. C., and Porras, J. I. (1994). Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies. New York: HarperBusiness.

Heifetz, R. A., and Linsky, M. (2002). Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive Through the Dangers of Leading. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

Heifetz, R. A., Grashow, A., and Linsky, M. (2009). The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for Changing Your Organization and the World. Boston: Harvard Business Press.

Lencioni, P. (2002). Make Your Values Mean Something. Harvard Business Review, 80(7), 113-117.

Lencioni, P. (2012). The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Ogbonna, E., and Harris, L. C. (2000). Leadership Style, Organizational Culture and Performance: Empirical Evidence from UK Companies. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 11(4), 766-788.

Schein, E. H. (2017). Organizational Culture and Leadership (5th ed.). Hoboken: Wiley.

Sinek, S. (2009). Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action. New York: Portfolio.

Ariely, D. (2008). Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions. New York: HarperCollins.

Thaler, R. H., and Sunstein, C. R. (2008). Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

House, R. J., Hanges, P. J., Javidan, M., Dorfman, P. W., and Gupta, V. (2004). Culture, Leadership, and Organizations: The GLOBE Study of 62 Societies. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

Trompenaars, F., and Hampden-Turner, C. (1997). Riding the Waves of Culture: Understanding Cultural Diversity in Business. London: Nicholas Brealey.