The Customer Experience Lab

We’re living in an age of digital convenience. But at what cost to the human experience?
In this episode we dive into The Automation Trap: the growing over-reliance on technology in customer service, and what happens when we lose sight of the human moments that matter most.
We discuss:
Why people crave human interaction during high-stress moments
The psychological cost of removing empathy from customer journeys
Case studies from brands that show what not to do
Practical ideas for balancing automation with emotional intelligence
This one’s for anyone designing customer experience journeys, optimising customer support or rethinking loyalty strategies. Because when stress is high, silence isn’t efficient. It’s damaging.
 
Thanks for listening. To learn more, don’t miss out on your copy of Fabricx’s Behavioural Bias Framework https://fabricx.agency/ 
Connect with us!
Instagram: @fabricxlabs
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fabricxagency
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/si-elliott/

It started with a bag charge, but it’s really about trust.
In this episode, we explore the EasyJet baggage controversy and what it reveals about the blurred line between guiding customers and gaming them.
From sunk cost fallacies to urgency tactics, low-cost airlines have become behavioural design powerhouses. But are they helping people make better decisions, or just pushing them towards profit?
We unpack:
How behavioural science can simplify or manipulate
When nudges turn into traps
Why trust and transparency are critical to long-term loyalty
What ethical CX looks like in 2025
If you’re designing journeys, pricing strategies or digital experiences, this one’s for you.
In a world where customer journeys are increasingly optimised, it’s time to pause and ask: Are we still designing for people, or just for performance?
Thanks for listening. To learn more, don’t miss out on your copy of Fabricx’s Behavioural Bias Framework https://fabricx.agency/ 
Connect with us!
Instagram: @fabricxlabs
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fabricxagency
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/si-elliott/

Tariffs might sound like a trade issue, but their ripple effects run much deeper.
In this episode we look beyond the headlines to explore how changes in trade policy and rising economic uncertainty are subtly reshaping customer behaviour.
From increased anxiety to shifting perceptions of value, we explore the psychological and behavioural implications of a more unpredictable 2025.
Whether you’re in business trying to support your customers in uncertain times, or just intrigued into what’s shaping your decision making at the moment. This will help you decode how external forces are affecting internal decisions, and what you can do about it.
The behavioural cost of uncertainty: Why unpredictability triggers anxiety and how brands can build reassurance into customer journeys.
Tariffs as a customer experience issue: How rising costs and market disruption affect customer trust, decision-making and brand loyalty.
Biases in action: From loss aversion to the status quo bias, we look at how customers respond to perceived threats and resource limitations.
Strategies for 2025: Behaviourally smart ways to reduce friction, increase clarity, and create stability in unstable times.
 
With 2025 shaping up to be a pivotal year across the world, understanding how macro forces influence micro behaviours has never been more important. If you want to lead with empathy, clarity and strategic foresight, this episode is for you.
Thanks for listening. To learn more, don’t miss out on your copy of Fabricx’s Behavioural Bias Framework https://fabricx.agency/ 
Connect with us!
Instagram: @fabricxlabs
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fabricxagency
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/si-elliott/

When things go wrong, customers don’t just want answers, they want empathy. In this episode, Si shares a personal story of disruption after his flight with an airline was cancelled, and what it revealed about the limits of automated systems.
Stranded, unable to speak to a human, and ultimately missing a key client event, Si reflects on how this experience connects to behavioural science, customer psychology, and the power of human connection in service design.
If you care about building trust, loyalty, and real relationships with your customers, especially when things get tough, this episode is for you.
Thanks for listening. Don’t miss out on your copy of Fabricx’s Behavioural Bias Framework https://fabricx.agency/ 
Connect with us!
Instagram: @fabricxlabs
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fabricxagency
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/si-elliott/

As the New Year begins, many people take time to reflect on the past and set personal goals for the months ahead.
But why wait for the New Year, Mondays or new months?
 
Psychologists have recognised these chapter breaks as the Fresh Start Effect. A moment in time when we renew optimism and motivation, and it’s this trigger point that allows us to leave past failures behind and start anew.
 
But what about for businesses?
 
It’s a time for businesses to learn from last year’s friction points, refine their customer journey maps (CJMs), align teams across the organisation and create a roadmap for delivering consistent and memorable experiences in 2025.
 
Don’t miss out the 5 crucial steps in this episode:
Identify key stages
Look at touch points
Visualise the current experience
Map out customer emotions
Envisage what the ideal journey looks like
Bring in voices from every corner of the business, challenge the status quo and get ready to make bold, game-changing moves.
 
Keep pushing forward with your New Year business development goals – tune into this episode and uncover the secrets and practical steps to ramp up success.
 
Connect with us!
 
Instagram: @fabricxlabs
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fabricxagency
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/si-elliott/
 

Whenever a monetary amount is considered, it’s drawn as a comparison between at least two things. Therefore, when we’re looking at a price, we’re really considering and comparing the value the item brings comparatively.
If your product is more expensive than competitors, you might want to explain the value like Rolex and Jack Daniel’s – by explaining the time, effort and skill it takes to create something you can tap into the customer’s value biases.
Make sure your brand shows its real value – listen to this episode so you can bring clarity to your value.
Don’t miss out on your copy of Fabricx’s Behavioural Bias Framework https://fabricx.agency/ 
 
Connect with us!
Instagram: @fabricxlabs
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fabricxagency
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/si-elliott/
 
Research related to this episode:
https://academic.oup.com/jcr/article-abstract/31/4/806/1812957
https://insidebe.com/articles/increase-value-of-your-product/
https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=40158
 

Social biases are some of the most powerful, easily recognised and commonly used strategies in marketing.
Listen to see how brands such as Amazon, eBay and Bose leverage the biases in the social category to appeal to the masses.
If people seek to be associated with groups and herds, why not build their desire to be part of your group?
Don’t be the only one that misses out on ways to leverage social biases.
Thanks for listening. Don’t miss out on your copy of Fabricx’s Behavioural Bias Framework https://fabricx.agency/ 
Connect with us!
Instagram: @fabricxlabs
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fabricxagency
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/si-elliott/
 
Research related to this episode:
https://www.verywellmind.com/how-herd-mentality-explains-our-behavior-7487018

Do you often ask the question: is this the easiest possible way to achieve the desired outcome?
In this episode, we discuss multiple ways to simplify and improve experiences, with examples from big brands that excel at this.
People are constantly overloaded with decisions – around 35,000+ per day! This means that your marketing needs to be as simple as possible so we can make decisions easy for our customers. While planning out your customer experience and each individual interaction, take time to consider whether it is as simple as possible.
Thanks for listening. Don’t miss out on your copy of Fabricx’s Behavioural Bias Framework:
Connect with us!
Instagram: @fabricxlabs
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fabricxagency
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/si-elliott/
Research related to this episode:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-023-01542-z
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/heuristics.asp#:~:text=A%20heuristic%20is%20a%20mental,or%20solutions%20to%20complex%20problems
Power of free:
https://newristics.com/heuristics-biases/power-of-free
https://vikramgoyal2012.medium.com/lessons-from-predictably-irrational-by-dan-ariely-e10eaad14b70

Just like people, brands too want to exude confidence and while at times we might show overconfidence, there’s a way we can use this to speak to our customers.
Overconfidence can look like describing desirable outcomes that your target audience might be searching for and showing customers how something can help to solve a problem.
However, negative overconfidence can be alienating to customers. For example, complex tech jargon could put off the less-savvy audience, which is why remembering to speak to customers in a way that they will understand could make all the difference.
Learn how to harness confidence and rein in overconfidence to ensure happy customers.
Thanks for listening. 
 
Connect with us!
Instagram: @fabricxlabs
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fabricxagency
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/si-elliott/
Research related to this episode:
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/overconfidence-bias
https://docs.iza.org/dp4840.pdf
The Curse of Knowledge:
https://cognitivebias.io/bias/curse-of-knowledge

Understanding how people form and recall memories is vital to the customer experience.
If we can ensure positive recollection of the brand and experience, then we have a much better chance of not only retaining the customer’s loyalty but also acquiring advocates who would recommend our business.
Not every aspect of the customer experience is equal but by incorporating a little surprise into your transactions, people will enjoy these moments of delight, and it’s these moments that will shine through and make you more memorable.
Listen to this episode so your customers remember you for all the right reasons.
 
Connect with us!
Instagram: @fabricxlabs
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fabricxagency
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/si-elliott/
 
Research related to this episode:
Book: Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow
 
Peak-end Rule:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220222005103/en/Kodak-Moments-Becomes-the-Official-On-Site-Imaging-Provider-of-Disneyland-Paris-to-Capture-and-Deliver-Guests’-Magical-Memories
Priming:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110131133125.htm