There’s a reason a bottle of Champagne costs $75, while a bottle of Prosecco—essentially the same sparkling wine, but from Italy—runs closer to $30. Champagne has fiercely protected its name (by barring winegrowers from outside of a specific region from putting “Champagne” on their label), its identity, and ultimately its value and its market. It’s not just branding; it’s brand integrity. And in today’s marketplace, that kind of clarity is rare—and worth its weight in grapes. 

Now imagine if anyone selling bubbles could slap “Champagne” on the label. It wouldn’t take long for the name to lose its meaning—and its premium. That’s exactly what's happening to customer experience, or CX, right now. 

At the recent CX Strategies Summit 2025 event (CXS’25), this became abundantly clear to me, and as a subject matter expert in the space, it’s somewhat disconcerting. Here’s why. 

When Everyone’s “CX,” No One Is 

Over the past several years, the term "customer experience" has been widely adopted by customer service teams, call center software providers, CRM solution providers, and even tech platforms that integrate with those systems. While these components play a role in the broader ecosystem, they’re not CX in its true form. 

Real CX is strategic. It’s holistic. It looks across the end-to-end journey and aligns people, processes, and technology to create meaningful, seamless and memorable experiences for customers so that they stay loyal to brands. However, those attending CXS’25who are new to customer experience and want to learn about it might have the impression that it’s all about technology and led by companies in the customer service, customer success, or CRM sectors, which it is not.  

In short, CX is being diluted. And just like calling any sparkling wine “Champagne,” this erosion chips away at the essence of what makes CX valuable. 

The Big Picture 

However, it’s not just this particular conference or conferences in general; rather, it’s the evolving CX landscape. In fact, I recently co-authored an article for CMS Wire [add link] on this very subject. While it focused on the financial services industry, the trends and challenges with CX are applicable across the board. 

One standout moment for me at the conference is a perfect example of one area where CX is being misunderstood. It was a fireside chat with the Chief Client Officer at HP. He proudly described using AI to strip out the “chit-chat” in customer service calls—those human moments of “How are you doing today?”—calling it “garbage” that slows down the transaction. His goal is to create a frictionless experience that gets straight to solving the issue. This increasingly common line of thinking misses the mark entirely. 

That “garbage?” That’s experience. That’s what makes a human conversation human. Friction isn’t always bad. Real friction is when you can’t get someone on the line, or when a return takes three weeks. A helpful, empathetic human? That’s not friction—that’s value. 

Too many tech providers equate human interaction with inefficiency and try to replace it with bots and scripts. But customers don’t just want faster—they want better. When AI is used to amplify great service, it’s powerful. When it’s used to eliminate the soul of service, it’s counterproductive. 

How Do We Protect the Essence of CX? 

We can’t fix everything overnight, but we can identify what’s happening and offer guidance. I consider these recommendations a starting point. 

• If you’re learning about CX: Seek out organizations like the Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA). They’re working to preserve the true scope of the field, advance the discipline globally and offer real professional development. 

• If you’re organizing conferences: Be intentional about your programming. Don’t let sponsorship dollars dictate the narrative. Bring back balance, and give strategic CX its rightful stage. 

• If you’re in tech or AI: Don’t confuse automation with experience. Use your tools to empower humans, not erase them. 

Final Thought: Guard the Label 

Just as Champagne producers in France fiercely protect their name, it’s time for CX professionals to protect theirs. Otherwise, CX will become just another buzzword—watered down, rebranded, and eventually meaningless. 

And when that happens, the real value—just like the bubbles in a great glass of Champagne—will disappear. 

To continue the discussion or to see how Phase 5 can put our CX expertise to work for your business, contact us.