Customer Experience and Customer Service:
What's the Difference?
Much has been made in the last few years about the importance of Customer Experience. Before that much was made of the importance of Customer Service. Are they the same thing? If not, what's the difference?
We will begin by defining - in very simple terms that are easily communicated to all levels of a support team - what exactly constitutes the difference between Customer Service and Customer Support.
For illustrative purposes, we will then examine the cultures of several well-known organizations. Through an examination of the interactions they have with their customers, we will identify key differences between Customer Service and Customer Experience.
We will then turn to a high-level overview of the relevant metrics and measures. What are CSat, NPS, and CES? What in the world are these new kids on the block called QSTAC and XLAs? How do each of these add value? And how can they be leveraged to inform decisions that guide the customer journey?
Ultimately this session will answer several critical questions:
- What are the substantive differences between Customer Service and Customer Experience?
- What cultural aspects of an organization might affect the customer journey?
- Do the old, established ways of measuring satisfaction tell the whole story?
Key Takeaways:
- There are fundamental differences between Customer Service and Customer Experience
- Different metrics and measures exist for each
- World class service demands emphasis on both Customer Experience and Customer Service
Interactivity: Opportunities for attendee participation will be interspersed throughout the session and interaction will be encouraged.
About the speaker, Doug Rabold

Doug Rabold is a committed Customer Experience and IT Service Management Leader who has led high-performing teams of up to 350 resources and managed a portfolio of contracts totaling over $60 million in the last fourteen years.
A lifelong learner, Doug attended the University of Illinois, holds numerous certifications and is a Certified Instructor. He has over ten years of experience in public speaking, is a serial podcast guest, and a contributing author to several industry publications. Doug is currently serving as Chairman of the HDI National Board of Directors and sits on the Strategic Advisory Council for ITAM Forum.
Doug was named the AOTMP IT Management Professional of the Year in 2021, was a finalist for the HDI Best Service and Support Manager in 2021 and was selected as People’s Choice Winner for 2018 HDI Manager of the Year. He was named an HDI Top 25 Thought Leader for IT Service Management and Customer Experience in 2022 and 2023. Most recently Doug was selected as Customer Experience Magazine Top 25 CXMStar Influencer in 2023 and a Top 50 CX Influencer for 2023 by CX Network.
Doug is an acknowledged expert at customer experience and employee engagement. Despite being a self-professed "process guy", he is a committed servant leader and is most proud of his ability to grow and develop talent at the individual and the team levels to deliver exceptional service and support.