Cards Against Complexity

–  a CX Podcast  –

Watch and listen to our CX-focused podcast - with a twist!
We're launching the third season dedicated to tackling service complexity and the challenges of processes, operations, technology and customer experiences in financial services. Join us for real conversations on complex topics, and laugh a little along the way. New episodes weekly!
Episode
04: Enterprise Service in the AI Era
–
The CIO Toolbox for AI Transformation
WITH
Tim Engler
CIO at OBI Group Holding
Tim shares practical insights into what it really takes to evolve a traditional retail business into a tech-enabled organization.
Watch and listen →
Episode
03: Enterprise Service in the AI Era
–
From Carpets to Complexity
WITH
Ludwig Pannach
Head of AI at XXXLutz digital
Ludwig shares his journey from the automotive industry at Porsche to the dynamic world of furniture retail, bringing valuable insights on how AI can drive meaningful change across sectors.
Watch and listen →
Episode
02: Enterprise Service in the AI Era
–
Service with AI in the Co-pilot Seat
WITH
Melanie Bielefeld
Head of Complaints Management at TUI
Melanie shares her personal mindset for staying relevant - being curious, open to change, and self-driven in learning.
Watch and listen →
Episode
01: Enterprise Service in the AI Era
–
Scaling Service Without Shortcuts
WITH
Adrian McDermott
Chief Technology Officer at Zendesk
Adrian outlines how enterprise customer service is being redefined through AI—moving from ticket handling to true resolution platforms.
Watch and listen →
Episode
17: Financial Services
–
Aligned Teams and Clean Data
WITH
Samuel Comerford
VP of Operations at Unzer
Sam emphasizes the growing importance of data skills. Understanding how to merge, interpret, and act on complex data sets—especially in post-merger environments—is critical.
Watch and listen →
Episode
16: Financial Services
–
Finding the Sweet Spot of Scaleups
WITH
Victoria Maier
Head of DACH at Trustly
Victoria shares her personal path—from scaleup to corporate to startup and back to scaleup—and the lessons she’s learned.
Watch and listen →
Episode
15: Financial Services
–
From Papers to Products
WITH
Aiga Senftleben
Co-Founder at Billie
Aiga discusses how her background as a lawyer and her in-house experience at PayPal prepared her to co-found Billie.
Watch and listen →
Episode
14: Financial Services
–
Understanding the Value Chain of Investments
WITH
Dr. Axel Haus
Senior Executive at Vanguard
Axel draws an analogy between historic industrial revolutions and today’s AI wave as its transformative power lies in how it is embedded into processes over time.
Watch and listen →
Episode
13: Financial Services
–
The Invisible Guide to Financial Regulations
WITH
Martin Stolberg
Partner and Senior Director at Sopra Steria
Martin is direct: Most middle and back-office roles in banking are on track to be replaced by AI. But this doesn’t mean all human input disappears.
Watch and listen →
Episode
12: Financial Services
–
The Local Face of Finances
WITH
Nancy Plaßmann
Board Member at Berliner Sparkasse
From employee engagement to AI adoption, Nancy emphasizes that successful digital transformation is rooted in culture.
Watch and listen →
Episode
11: Financial Services
–
The Code of Gender Solidarity and Support
WITH
Anuradha Deshpande
Director of Customer Operations at GoCardless
Anuradha applies her engineering mindset to customer operations—structuring support as a system, quantifying impact, and ensuring frontline feedback translates directly into product decisions.
Watch and listen →
Episode
10: Financial Services
–
An Entrepreneurial Journey From Baking to Banking
WITH
Sergey Petrov
Co-Founder at Finom
One of Sergey’s biggest lessons: relying on third-party providers often limits customer experience. From early on, Finom prioritized obtaining its own licenses and building its own infrastructure.
Watch and listen →
Episode
09: Financial Services
–
Regaining Independence and Solving Problems
WITH
Tuomas Toivonen
Co-Founder and CEO at Holvi
One of Tuomas’ biggest learnings: the challenges of running a company never fully disappear. Instead of expecting problems to end, successful founders accept that solving one issue simply clears the way for the next.
Watch and listen →
Episode
08: Financial Services
–
Bringing AI Adoption to the Traditional Banking Sector
WITH
Sascha Dölker
Head of Digitalization at dwpbank
Sascha sees a future where the best customer service agents train AI systems, and those who understand how to apply and guide AI will be in highest demand.
Watch and listen →
Episode
07: Financial Services
–
Full-Circle Journey in Support and Strategy
WITH
Bianca Zwart
Chief Strategy Officer at bunq
Bianca began her career at bunq in CS, helping define how users are supported. Now, as CSO, she draws directly on those early operational experiences—and today, the support team even reports into strategy.
Watch and listen →
Episode
06: Financial Services
–
Shaping Change Through Experience
WITH
Marco Di Sazio
Head of Digitization and Innovation at Bankhaus Metzler
With nearly 10 years at the bank, Marco offers a grounded perspective on what digital transformation looks like within a highly traditional financial institution.
Watch and listen →
Episode
05: Financial Services
–
From Steam Machine to AI
WITH
Nico Baum
Head of Innovation and Data at Berenberg Bank
Nico contrasts AI with prior industrial-era innovations: while previous revolutions relied on standardization and economies of scale, AI introduces a new logic of scalability that’s not constrained by headcount.
Watch and listen →
Episode
04: Financial Services
–
11 Years of Growth and Transformation
WITH
Katharina Lueth
Chief Client Officer at Raisin
Katharina reflects on how growing a fintech from a 25-person startup in Berlin to a 750-employee global platform has felt like working for multiple companies in one—and what it takes to navigate that kind of transformation.
Watch and listen →
Episode
03: Financial Services
–
The Client in the Center
WITH
David Gilchrist
Head of Product Development at Ocorian
David shares insights on how a global leader in corporate and fiduciary services, fund administration and capital markets can leverage digital transformation to enhance service.
Watch and listen →
Episode
02: Financial Services
–
The Pendulum of Performance and Quality
WITH
Paolo Banterle
Customer Operations Automation Manager at Novo
With over a decade of experience at companies like Hotel Tonight, Airbnb, and now Novo, Paolo shares his insights on improving service efficiency while maintaining quality.
Watch and listen →
Episode
01: Financial Services
–
Empowering Customers Through Education
WITH
Mila Suthakar
Director of Customer Success at Wave HQ
Mila shares insights on navigating complex regulations, educating both customers and support teams, and building a service culture that balances compliance with customer needs.
Watch and listen →
Episode
26
–
Multi-Lingual Sound of Service
WITH
Mathieu Steiman
Head of Presales D-A-CH & FR at Calabrio
From workforce management to building teams that thrive, Mathieu shares insights for leaders navigating agents through everyday customer service.
Watch and listen →
Episode
25
–
Service as a Holistic Experience
WITH
Christian Roeb
Chief Executive at TOP SERVICE Germany
Drawing from tons of data and award-winning strategies, Christian shares practical insights for improving service and fostering customer satisfaction at every level of your organization.
Watch and listen →
Episode
24
–
Trade Shows With Buzz
WITH
Thomas Promny
Chief Executive Trailblazer Summits
Thomas shares the story behind building modern trade shows and conferences in Germany for innovation and digital transformation.
Watch and listen →
Episode
23
–
Technologies of Being a Connoisseur
WITH
Torsten D. Frühling
Head of Customer Service at Hawesko
With a career spanning 35 years, Torsten shares insights on how technology and human expertise are shaping the future of customer experience in the wine retail sector.
Watch and listen →
Episode
22
–
Empathetic Problem-Solving and Cracking Jokes
WITH
Johanna Ahrens
Tech Transformation Advisor at Cisco
Johanna draws on her experience with B2B and lifecycle management to explore how technology and human-centered approaches are shaping modern customer service.
Watch and listen →
Episode
21
–
The Power of Numbers for Transformation
WITH
Matthias Bös
Portfolio Manager CX at valantic
Matthias dives into the evolving landscape of customer experience, digital transformation, and the strategies that drive successful business outcomes.
Watch and listen →
Episode
20
–
About the Complexities of Delivering a Palm Tree
WITH
Aileen Beuchert
Head of Project Management at Emons
Aileen explains the logistical hurdles of managing unpredictable and simple variables such as an address field that has been filled in falsely or a truck that breaks down.
Watch and listen →
Episode
19
–
Future-Proof Customer Service With AI
WITH
Ben Ellermann
Managing Director MUUUH! Next & Future of Voice
Ben explains how AI has evolved to automate processes previously thought impossible, offering real-world examples of AI-driven improvements in customer service, such as phonebots.
Watch and listen →
Episode
18
–
The Way of the Listener
WITH
Julia Vornberger
Teamleader Sales Operations s.Oliver Group
Julia and her team overcame disruptions like the pandemic and supply chain issues not by buying more and more technology, but by learning to work well with and the get the most out of what they already had.
Watch and listen →
Episode
17
–
Keeping a Thumb on the CX Pulse
WITH
Mathieu Kiepferle
Global CX Manager
Mathieu explains the tension between high-level metrics like NPS for strategic insights and the need for actionable feedback to guide product teams and frontline staff.
Watch and listen →
Episode
16
–
The Magic of Face-to-Face Customer Service
WITH
Claudia Scherer
Service Operations Manager
Claudia explains how customer service acts as a cornerstone of Nürnberg Messe’s operations, bridging the gap between products and live events.
Watch and listen →
Episode
15
–
The Art of Understanding Customer Needs
WITH
Anna Rauch
former CX leader at Amazon, now works for Till Freitag
Anna, former Amazon CX leader, gives us insights on how to really listen to the customer and understand the questions that they didn't know themselves yet.
Watch and listen →
Episode
14
–
The Bravest Customer Service Leader
WITH
Christiane Müller
Team Lead Controlling & Product Admin Customer Service at ABOUT YOU
Christiane Müller from ABOUT YOU takes us behind the scenes of managing customer service for a major e-commerce player with a global presence.
Watch and listen →
Episode
13
–
The Heart of AI in Customer Service
WITH
Björn Bauer
Head of Presales DACH at Zendesk
Drawing on over a decade of experience, Björn discusses the integration of AI, the importance of simplicity, and how empathy remains a cornerstone of effective support.
Watch and listen →
Episode
12
–
The CX Time Traveler
WITH
Susanne Bornemann
Team Lead DE/AT/CE at OBI E-Commerce
With over 20 years at OBI, Susanne opens up about the challenges navigating retail's biggest buzzword: transformation.
Watch and listen →
Episode
11
–
A Little Bit of Customer Service Karaoke
WITH
Georgia Tsiamanta
Customer Support and Success Consultant
In this episode of Cards Against Complexity, we chat with Georgia about the challenges and strategies in modern customer service and success.
Watch and listen →
Episode
10
–
The Green Customer Service Man
WITH
Ron Gerber
Director of Business Operations & Customer Success
Jan sat down with Ron Gerber to explore the intersection of customer service, sustainability, and cutting-edge AI.
Watch and listen →
Episode
09
–
The Service Queen
WITH
Anika Tannebaum
Top Expert in Digital Customer Service
Jan sat down with Anika Tannebaum, aka the "Service Queen," to dive into the art and science of creating unforgettable customer experiences.
Watch and listen →
Episode
08
–
The CX Solutions Guru
WITH
Chris Harms
CX Strategist and Pre-Sales Leader at Zendesk
Chris shares lessons on the journey of his 20+ year career managing pre-sales and implementing solutions for customers.
Watch and listen →
Episode
07
–
The Forest of Customer Satisfaction
WITH
Felix Starzer
Sr. Director of Global Customer Care at Staffbase
Felix takes us along his journey from gamer to head of customer support at a fast-growing company, and the skills and mindset that brought him through.
Watch and listen →
Episode
06
–
The Buddhist Path of (Digital) Transformation
WITH
Jo Stüberitz
Head of Digitalization & Process at PAYONE
Jo Stüberitz is Head of Digitalization & Process at PAYONE. She joins Jan to discuss the "ideal mindset" for leading digital transformations, especially around Customer Service.
Watch and listen →
Episode
05
–
The Customer Journey Treasure Map
WITH
Thomas Verschoren
CTO at Premium Plus
Thomas Verschoren, a seasoned Zendesk expert from Premium Plus, dives deep with Jan into the realm of customer service and AI applications within Zendesk.
Watch and listen →
Episode
04
–
CX on the Silver Screen
WITH
Lena Altintop
Director of Sales Operations AT LEITZ
Lena works at Leitz Cine, a company specializing in high-end lenses for film and television. In this episode, she tells Jan about the unique challenges of customer service for high-stakes, high-budget film shoots.
Watch and listen →
Episode
03
–
The CX Crystal Ball
WITH
Sabine Oberhausen
Senior Customer Experience Transformation Manager at PYÜR
Sabine is now focused on simplifying customer journeys via technology. But for her the heart of CX still lies in those make-or-break moments when customers just want to talk to a real person.
Watch and listen →
Episode
02
–
Seriously Swift Support
WITH
SCOTT TRAN
Founder OF Support Driven
Scott and Jan discuss the evolution of Support Driven, an online community for customer support professionals. Scott tells the story of how the community started as a podcast and gradually grew to over 16,000 members.
Watch and listen →
Episode
01
–
CX in a Hawaiian Shirt
WITH
Julian Hertzog
Chief Revenue Officer, Babelforce
Julian Hertzog and Jan Hugenroth join us from the CXFestival campervan to discuss the road to better CX, AI’s role in CX, the “Human Touch”, Hawaiian shirts, hypothetical chatbot warfare, and more.
Watch and listen →

See how to orchestrate processes

BOOK A DEMO
Get orchestration and automation strategies
in your inbox – only when it matters.
Subscribe to the Next Matter blog
We've added you to the Next Matter newsletter!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Platform
Product OverviewIntegrationsUse CasesPricingSecurity & PrivacySystem Status
Customers
IndustriesCustomer Stories
Resources
CX PodcastBlogExternal link icon
Help Center
External link icon
FAQ
External link icon
API Documentation
Company
About usCareersCareers FAQNewsSend an email
ImprintTerms of ServicePrivacy PolicyData Processing
©2025 Next Matter GmbH. All rights reserved.
LinkedIn logoXing logo