The CX and CS Happy Hour

Join hosts Kimberly Ayala and Raymond Otero for an engaging series exploring the fast-changing world of customer experience (CX) and customer success (CS).

Each episode brings together leading voices to share real-world challenges, big wins, and proven strategies for building stronger customer relationships.

Expect actionable insights, inspiring stories, and expert perspectives to help you take your CX and CS game to the next level.

Did you know that all historic episodes are free to stream OnDemand for all members.

Episode 3: The future of customer success [Watch now]
Episode 2: Hiring and developing the best [Watch OnDemand]
Episode 1: The art of AI in customer experience and feedback [Watch OnDemand]

The future of customer success

Customer success has come a long way - but where is it going next?

In our latest episode, The evolution and future of customer success, Kimberly Ayala and Raymond Otero dig into the real history, present state, and bold future of CS. 

From the early days when “success” meant closing tickets faster…

To today, where 73% of high-growth SaaS companies tie ARR growth directly to CS (Gartner, 2024)…

To the future, where AI-native workflows, revenue ownership, and global lifecycle orchestration will define the next decade.

We also share a Future of CS Skills Toolkit — including a skills map, curated AI tools, and example org structures to help CS leaders get future-ready.

Tune in to episode 3 of our series and walk away with insights (and a few laughs) that can reshape how you think about Customer Success.

Meet your hosts:
🎤 Kimberly Ayala, Director of Customer Success at Akeneo
🎤 Raymond Otero, Director of Global Customer Experience at Microsoft

Hiring and developing the best

Hiring the right people is only the beginning—how do you truly set them up for success and keep them motivated? In this in-depth conversation, Ray Otero and Kimberly Ayala dive into every stage of talent management: from identifying red flags and running behavioral interviews to onboarding, recognition, and long-term career development.

Key takeaways:

• Interviewing for impact: Ask open-ended behavioral questions, dig deep with follow-ups, and focus on measurable results to see how candidates think, pivot, and reflect.
• Onboarding and engagement: Build mentorship, skill development, and recognition into the first 90 days and beyond to retain top performers.
• Career growth and personalization: Understand what motivates each team member – whether leadership ambitions, personal goals, or long-term vision – and create tailored pathways to help them succeed.

Meet your hosts:
🎤 Kimberly Ayala, Director of Customer Success at Akeneo
🎤 Raymond Otero, Director of Global Customer Experience at Microsoft

The art of AI in customer experience and feedback

AI is transforming customer success and experience—but are we keeping it ethical, human, and truly valuable? In this must-watch session with Deepgram, Ray Otero, Kimberly Ayala, Perline Moran, and Shilpi Sharma, industry leaders reveal how to harness AI for smarter insights, better personalization, and stronger customer trust.

Key takeaways:

• AI can’t run on autopilot: Clean data, feedback loops, and human oversight are critical to avoid bias and misinterpretation.
• Personalization at scale is possible: AI tools help analyze sentiment and predict customer needs across the entire journey.
• Governance matters: clear frameworks and ROI checks ensure AI delivers real value without compromising privacy or compliance.

Meet the panelists:
🎤 Kimberly Ayala, Director of Customer Success at Akeneo
🎤 Raymond Otero, Director of Global Customer Experience at Microsoft
🎤 Shilpi Sharma, Head of Transformation at Innovation Nexus
🎤 Péroline Moran, Global Director of Customer Experience at HiBob

Incase you didn't know - we have a Slack channel for this series. Join the Customer Success Collective Slack Community and find us in the #cx-and-cs-happy-hour channelto continue the conversation.