The world is changing and so is the way we shop. A few years ago, consumers made it clear that it’s no longer just about which tee is the softest. They wanted to know if the tee was made in a sustainable way, without using forced or underpaid labor. Now, coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic and social uprisings of 2020, shoppers also want—and expect—brands to speak up for social justice.

Everyone knows customer service is important. Or at least everyone should know. Because we are all customers. And customer service is everywhere. Some customer experiences are obvious. You’re probably thinking about them now. For example, the way the clerk treats you in a store, or a company’s generous return policy.

“Do you want to make that a meal?” It’s the most common offer at a drive-through window, and one most of us say yes to. It’s also a great example of cross-selling hard at work. Next comes the inevitable follow-up: “Would you like to make that a large for a dollar more?” Of course you would. Bam. You’ve just been hit with the upsell.

In late January 2021, CX executives and industry leaders gathered for an intimate conversation with CNN anchor Fareed Zakaria, author of 10 Lessons for a Post-Pandemic World, to discuss the challenges that business leaders currently face. Zakaria’s book spans political, socioeconomic, environmental, and public health considerations and shows us how business and world events are inextricably tied.

Automation got a bad reputation pretty quickly in the customer service world. Since the 1980s, customers calling support have had automated tellers putting them on hold and repeating the unconvincing assurance, “Your call is very important to us.” Automated tellers turned into chatbots. This technology could be just as frustrating with bots conducting clumsy conversations that fail to provide real help.