💥Ron Dutta's Linkedin Analytics

Just emerged from my first The Lead Summit, and I'm pretty sure my brain is now operating on a different plane of existence. Putting Retail, CX, and AI experts in the same room apparently leads to actual insights, not just industry jargon. Who knew a conference could be genuinely… enjoyable? No frantic inbox checks, just coffee, connections, and conversations that didn't make me question my life choices. Still swirling in my slightly-too-caffeinated brain: 🧠 𝐀𝐈 𝐢𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐨, 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐤𝐢𝐜𝐤. The savviest brands aren't boasting about AI. They’re quietly deploying it to smooth out the wrinkles, accelerate the slow bits, and generally make the customer journey less of a headache. 🛍️ 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 ≠ 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫. Remember when "off-price" meant "hide the label"? That's ancient history. Retailers are now transforming clearance racks into curated experiences. Kaitlin Hutchinson at ABG is already there, while the rest of us are playing catch-up. 💍 𝐋𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞'𝐬 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐌𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬. From popping the question to grandma-of-the-bride duties, brands like David’s Bridal are becoming part of the human story. That's a loyalty program that points can't buy. Yoav Shargil dropped some serious wisdom on this. 🤝 "𝐁𝐞 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐝." Apparently, that kindergarten lesson morphed into a cutting-edge CX strategy. Turns out, basic human decency trumps complex algorithms, especially with vendors and those make-or-break calls. And the best vendors? They're practically part of the team (minus the endless Slack notifications). Real partnerships aren't just about airtight contracts; they're about shared goals. Ron Ijack and Juliette Arnaud have officially become my CX role models. 💪 "𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦, 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲'𝐥𝐥 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬." Sounds like a revolution, right? Sarah Angelmar from Clarins seems to have cracked the code, while the rest of us are pretending we've known this all along. 🔊 𝐕𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐕𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐞 𝐔𝐩. While some teams build yet another chatbot, others are putting Voice on the CX front line. Why? Because customers want to talk, not yell into the void, hoping for an agent. Ashley Harris and Max Wallace are seeing the future with unnerving accuracy. 📊 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐇𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐏𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐇𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠. Saying "We have data" is like saying "I own running shoes" while permanently attached to the couch. Gaurav Dixit from Lowe's delivered some hard truths, and I felt personally attacked (in a good way). This summit reminded me why I’m in this industry — smart people solving real problems with heart, humor, and a LOT of caffeine. Huge shoutout to Noah Gellman for creating a space that felt more like late-night clarity than corporate small talk. Now… coffee number five. #retailcx #leadsummit2025 #CustomerExperience #AIinRetail

No summit stands alone! Last week's The Lead Summit was a blast, connecting with amazing partners and friends who are the driving force in Retail CX. Events like this remind me why I love this space so much. It’s not just about tech, strategy, or channels—it’s about the people behind it all. The partners, friends, and peers who show up, share ideas, and make things happen. Huge thanks to everyone I connected with—you're the reason these moments matter. Can’t wait to see what we're going to achieve next!! 🔥 🔥 🔥 #retailcx #ai #cx Fluent Commerce, Retail Women in Tech, Retail AI Council, OrderProtection.com

The Lead Summit 2025: just 2 weeks out! I’m beyond fired up 🔥 Retail. AI. CX. This is where the future is. I'll be there, coffee in hand ☕. Hunting for bold ideas. Fresh takes on customer magic. You going? Don't be a stranger. Tap my shoulder or DM me. Let's talk: 🔸 Winning checkout wars 🔸 Voice AI that *actually* delights 🔸 Turning shoppers into brand loyalists Quick chat? Deep dive? Late-night slice? I’m in. Real connections, not just LinkedIn adds. Let's do it. 👋 #TheLeadSummit #Retail #CX