Happy Friday! ‘This week in CX’ brings you the latest roundup of industry news.
This week, we’re exploring topics such as BambooHR’s training program addressing Gen Z’s phonophobia, their surprising preference for phone calls in customer service, and the future of leadership.
We’re also discussing new updates from The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg and more.
Key news
- Airports are increasingly turning to upscale restaurants to help pay for aggressive expansion plans, according to The Wall Street Journal. Facing reduced airline fees, airports are investing in lounges and dining areas to meet rising demand from travelers. Upgrades are underway at JFK and Orlando International, along with European airports in Edinburgh, Madrid and Frankfurt. VIP lounges are attracting more travelers thanks to credit-card perks, memberships and day passes, expanding their access beyond business-class fliers.
- Many economists and experts have welcomed Germany’s likely next ruling coalition’s plan to raise hundreds of billions of euros for defence and infrastructure, marking a historic shift from the country’s “debt brake”. The CDU/CSU conservatives and the Social Democrats (SPD), who are negotiating to form a coalition after last month’s election, announced a deal to propose a motion in parliament to amend the constitution. This change aims to exempt defense spending that exceeds 1% of the country’s GDP from debt brake limits. German debt stands just above 60% of GDP, which is half the level of the US and two thirds of the eurozone average.
- Car manufacturers importing vehicles to the US from Canada and Mexico got hit with a 25% tariff, complicating matters for European brands doing business in North America. European carmakers stand to lose €5.8bn (£4.8bn) in earnings if they absorb the cost of the levy, Bloomberg reports. Volkswagen and Stellantis, the maker of Fiat, Peugeot and Jeep, are the most exposed as they ship hundreds of thousands of vehicles from North America to the US. Passing on the full cost of the tax to consumers will be hard in a competitive sales environment, analysts say.
CXM news stories
Here’s the full news stories that CXM have reported on in the past week. Learn all about the latest news about Gen Z’s preferences and fears, as well as Netflix’s customer experience failure.
From automation to insights: the growing role of AI in small business
According to a study by ZenBusiness, over 90% of small business owners believe AI will be essential or frequently used in the near future, while 86% of aspiring entrepreneurs share this view. As AI adoption accelerates, business owners see it as a game-changer for efficiency and automation—yet they also emphasise the need for transparency and trust.
AI awareness among small business owners is high, with nearly all recognising its growing influence. About 30% of business owners consider themselves highly knowledgeable about AI, while 50% have a moderate understanding.
“AI is no longer a distant concept—it’s becoming an everyday necessity for small business owners, and our research corroborates it,” said Sameer Gulati, chief product officer at ZenBusiness. “The challenge now isn’t just making AI available—it’s ensuring entrepreneurs can use it in ways that truly support the very specific needs of their business. At ZenBusiness, we are focused on building AI tools that are intuitive, effective, and, most importantly, designed with business owners’ trust in mind.”
How are business owners using AI?
While there is optimism about AI’s potential to streamline operations, entrepreneurs remain cautious, particularly regarding trust and data security risks. Despite these concerns, AI is already a go-to tool for many small businesses. Entrepreneurs use AI to gather information, generate content, and automate various tasks.
Some of the most in-demand applications include content and idea generation, with AI helping draft business plans, marketing materials, and website copy. AI is also used for data analysis and research, assisting in processing large volumes of information to uncover insights, and for business automation, simplifying tasks such as scheduling and bookkeeping.
Where business owners prefer human oversight
However, there are still areas where business owners prefer human oversight. In customer service and tax filing, entrepreneurs favour direct human interaction, and many find AI-driven upselling in sales and coaching to be intrusive. In addition, trust and transparency are essential when integrating AI into business operations.
Looking ahead, small business owners view AI as a valuable tool to reduce workloads, enhance decision-making, and increase efficiency. However, ease of use and transparency will remain critical. Business owners seek AI solutions that are powerful yet straightforward, prioritising ethical, practical applications that simplify operations without introducing unnecessary risk.