By Vicky Sidler | Published 11 May 2025 at 12:00 GMT

Picture customer loyalty as a garden. Plant the right seeds, water with attention, and roots run deep. Neglect the soil and, well, the weeds of indifference take over. Ipsos’s new CX Global Insights 2025 report confirms that the richest soil in 2025 is experience‑driven, not discount‑driven. In a study covering 65,000 evaluations across 25 markets, 70% of consumers said they choose a brand because they expect a good experience .

The report also shows that emotional attachment—not mere functional satisfaction—predicts repeat purchases, referrals, and higher lifetime value. To nurture that attachment, Ipsos highlights six “Forces of CX”: Certainty, Fair Treatment, Control, Status, Belonging and Enjoyment . Certainty and Fair Treatment act as the roots, while the other four flower once the basics are solid.

A closer look at the six Forces of CX:

Let’s stroll through the garden path one driver at a time so we know exactly what to plant.

• Certainty sits in the soil. Customers need clear updates—“package arriving Tuesday”—not radio silence.

• Fair Treatment is the water. Transparent pricing and no‑hassle fixes show respect.

• Control lets customers pick their own sun and shade. Options—delivery windows, support channels—reduce frustration.

• Status is the bloom that earns admiration. A personalized thank you or loyalty tier tells shoppers they matter.

• Belonging forms the trellis. When people feel part of a community—via a Facebook group or members’ event—they stay.

• Enjoyment is the fragrance. Delightful unboxing, witty copy, or a helpful chatbot makes interactions memorable.

Ipsos warns that skipping the basics (Certainty and Fair Treatment) is like planting roses with no roots: pretty for a day, gone by the weekend.

Three practical steps to cultivate emotion without busting the budget:

Small businesses rarely have the luxury of hiring a full‑time CX gardener. Instead, try this lean three‑step routine.

1. Map one “Moment of Truth.”
Pick a touchpoint—say, the order confirmation email. Ask yourself: does it firmly deliver Certainty and a sense of Control? If not, add a shipping countdown or self‑service link.

2. Sprinkle a micro‑delight.
Drop in a handwritten note, a 30‑second thank‑you video or a surprise bonus file. That tiny touch tickles Enjoyment and nudges Status upward.

3. Use AI as fertilizer, not the gardener.
Only 14 % of customers expect AI alone to improve their experience . Let GPT‑powered tools draft first‑pass replies or flag sentiment shifts, but keep a human voice to polish Belonging and warmth.

Invest one “marketing power hour” each week to repeat this cycle for the next touchpoint, and soon your garden has a healthy CX ecosystem—no expensive landscaping required.

Why this matters for revenue, not just reputation:

Ipsos ties strong emotional CX to higher Net Promoter Scores, steeper retention and bigger wallet share. Translation: a memorable interaction today becomes free word‑of‑mouth marketing tomorrow. Fertilize feelings now, harvest referrals later.

Ready to plant a proven framework around these drivers?

My StoryBrand Marketing Mastery Course gives you plug‑and‑play templates, ChatGPT prompts and weekly live coaching so you can weave Certainty, Belonging and Enjoyment into every message—without spending every weekend elbows‑deep in the dirt. Join the course here and turn research into repeatable revenue.