Today, we welcome Manu Pandey, Vice President of CX at Swiss Re, on Behind the Mic as we dive into insights on CX innovation, AI transformation, and the future of customer engagement.

Manu Pandey is a renowned Change Leader known for his holistic approach to transforming business and customer experiences, with a strong emphasis on operational excellence and strategic ROI enhancement. With an illustrious 22-year career spanning EMEA, Manu has consistently driven product usage and ROI improvements at Swiss Re, while crafting customer-centric strategies that set new industry standards. Previously, as AVP at Singapore Post, Manu achieved remarkable savings through automation and transformation initiatives, demonstrating his exceptional ability to leverage technology for business optimization. His tenure at TelePerformance in Southeast Asia further underscored his leadership, where he managed substantial business accounts and fueled growth through strategic implementations in customer experience and IT automation.

Here’s what Manu Pandey shared with us in our conversation, offering valuable insights into the evolving landscape of customer experience and the role of AI in shaping its future:

Q1. What motivated you to pursue a career in customer experience, and what key steps did you take to enter this field?

I still remember my very first role in a bustling contact center, where I was tasked with selling refinance mortgages. Honestly, I was clueless about the intricacies of mortgages—but I was determined to connect with each customer on a human level. I asked questions, listened to their financial goals, and made sure every detail was double-checked. To my surprise (and my team’s), nearly 100% of my leads ended up refinancing their mortgages.

That eye-opening experience taught me how powerful genuine empathy and thoroughness can be. It wasn’t about reading a script; it was about truly hearing people’s concerns and tailoring a solution that fit their lives. I was hooked. From there, I pursued roles that expanded my understanding of service operations, process management, and eventually broader customer experience (CX). I spent time in different organizations—from Bharti Airtel to Teleperformance and eventually global roles in SingPost and Swiss Re—always gravitating toward initiatives that bridged technology with genuine human empathy. Each step solidified my belief that CX isn’t just a business function; it’s about understanding people’s needs and responding with heart.

Q2. How have you leveraged emerging technologies such as AI and machine learning to enhance customer experience in your organization?

To me, technology should amplify the human touch, not replace it. At SingPost, we experimented with AI-driven chatbots to handle high-volume queries around parcel tracking and delivery schedules. By analyzing common pain points—like missed deliveries or incomplete addresses—we used machine learning to recognize patterns and proactively suggest solutions before they became headaches for customers.

At Swiss Re, we took it a step further by introducing AI-based sentiment analysis in our customer engagement platforms. When a client is stressed about a policy or seeking clarification, the system flags real-time emotional cues so our reps can respond with empathy. We’ve also employed machine learning to predict which customers might need more specialized support, ensuring they get a proactive call or a personalized recommendation. Across both organizations, it’s always been about using AI to highlight where a human can step in and make the experience genuinely comforting and relevant.

Q3. What are some of the most significant challenges you’ve faced in improving customer experience from a product management perspective, and how did you overcome them?

One of the biggest challenges has been breaking down silos. In both SingPost and Swiss Re, product management, marketing, and engineering sometimes operated as if they were on different planets. Each team had its own language, objectives, and KPIs.

To tackle this, I set up joint “vision sessions” where representatives from every department came together to map out the customer journey—from the very first touchpoint to post-sales support. It was messy in the beginning: product folks diving into feature specs, marketing wanting brand consistency, and tech teams worried about system constraints. But by focusing on real customer narratives—actual people’s stories of frustration or delight—we found common ground. We also created a shared performance dashboard so no one could ignore a spike in complaints or a dip in satisfaction. When cross-functional teams see the same data and the same stories, collaboration becomes a unifying force rather than a hurdle.

Q4. What role does customer feedback play in your product development process, and how do you gather and incorporate it effectively?

Customer feedback is pure gold. Early in my career, at Bharti Airtel and later at Teleperformance, I learned the power of “listening tours” in the contact center. This wasn’t just about hearing complaints; it was about immersing myself in the day-to-day challenges that customers and frontline agents faced. I’d invite everyone in the value chain—clients, service reps, even back-end support teams—to these sessions. Hearing people’s stories directly (instead of via secondhand reports) uncovered nuggets of insight we would have otherwise missed.

Once I gather that feedback, I transform those raw comments into structured action points—think of it like forging gold into useful coins. For instance, if multiple customers mention confusion around a certain bill, we’ll bring that to the product team, who might revise the billing layout or craft clearer instructions. The key is turning feedback into tangible changes quickly, so customers see that their words directly influence the experience. When people feel heard, they’re more inclined to share honest feedback again, creating a healthy feedback loop.

Q5. What strategies have you found most effective in delivering exceptional customer experiences through your products and services?

I’ve always believed that empathy and clarity are the twin engines of exceptional CX. Whether we’re talking about a postal service platform at SingPost or an advanced insurance solution at Swiss Re, our first question is: “How does this make the customer feel?” If the answer is “confused” or “unappreciated,” we go back to the drawing board.

Another staple strategy for me is empowering frontline teams. They’re the ones who sense customer frustrations in real time, so giving them the freedom to make on-the-spot decisions—like offering a faster shipping option or explaining a complex insurance term—can turn a mediocre interaction into a memorable one. Humor and storytelling also have their place: sometimes a light-hearted moment in a system notification defuses tension and reminds people that we’re human, too.

Q6. Can you describe a specific instance where data analytics helped you identify customer pain points and drive product enhancements?

Working in insurance, I noticed we were getting an unusual churn among mid-sized corporate clients who had just renewed their policies. It made little sense—why would they leave right after renewing? We pulled in customer service data from phone calls, emails, and digital portals, then used machine learning to analyze sentiment and compare it with actual policy usage patterns.

It turned out that these clients faced multiple hurdles in accessing our online platform—everything from password resets to confusing navigation. Many of them gave up and sought simpler solutions elsewhere. Once we pinpointed these friction points, we launched a streamlined login process, added guided walk-throughs, and introduced a specialized support line for corporate clients. The results were striking: we saw a noticeable drop in early churn, and our customer satisfaction scores among mid-sized corporations spiked. It was a reminder that sometimes the biggest issues can hide in plain sight, and data analytics can be the flashlight that reveals them.

Q7. Could you share a success story where your efforts in product management led to a significant improvement in customer satisfaction?

Back at SingPost, I led the development of a unified digital portal for our regional eCommerce clients—a major project aimed at addressing fragmented customer journeys across different countries. Initially, customers had to jump between separate websites for tracking, billing, and customer support, which created confusion and frustration.

We brought together designers, service teams, and even marketing to co-create a single interface that showed everything: real-time package locations, billing status, and a direct channel for help. It wasn’t just a tech change—it was an entire shift in how we viewed the customer lifecycle. Within months, our user satisfaction soared, and inbound calls about “Where’s my package?” dropped noticeably because people finally had accurate, up-to-date information at their fingertips. That’s when I realized product management isn’t just about building features; it’s about building experiences that respect people’s time and patience.

Q8. Which methodologies or frameworks do you use to prioritize feature development and ensure alignment with customer needs and business goals?

Agile and Design Thinking have been my go-to blend. We start with empathy-based research—interviews, journey maps, day-in-the-life studies—to discover which features customers actually want. Then, we break down development into sprints, using real-time feedback to refine or even scrap ideas that aren’t resonating. Alongside that, the MoSCoW method (Must-have, Should-have, Could-have, Won’t-have) keeps us realistic about timelines and resources.

The real magic happens when we pair data—like usage metrics or NPS—with personal stories gathered from user interviews. This dual approach ensures we don’t build features just because they’re trendy or because someone with a loud voice wants them. Instead, we prioritize what will make the most meaningful impact on both the customer experience and the bottom line.

Q9. How do you collaborate with cross-functional teams, such as engineering, design, and marketing, to ensure seamless customer experiences?

I’m a firm believer in turning cross-functional squads into something akin to a jam session. We each bring our unique instrument—be it engineering’s problem-solving acumen or marketing’s flair for messaging—but we need to play in harmony. Regular stand-ups and clear, shared objectives are foundational. More importantly, I encourage role reversals or “customer empathy labs,” where an engineer or marketer will spend a day responding to customer queries or analyzing real feedback transcripts.

This hands-on approach fosters mutual respect. It’s one thing to read a Slack message about a bug; it’s another to hear a frustrated customer’s voice firsthand. When teams experience the customer’s journey in unison, they start speaking the same language. That’s when synergy emerges, and the experience becomes truly seamless from the user’s perspective.

Q10. How do you balance the need for innovation with the necessity of maintaining user-friendliness in your products?

Pilot groups are my secret weapon. We’ll test an experimental feature with a small user segment and gather their candid feedback—sometimes brutally honest. If they say it’s confusing or adds unnecessary steps, we refine or ditch it. The best innovations rarely demand a user manual; they just make sense. That’s the balance: pushing the envelope without pushing customers away.

Q11. What best practices have you implemented to ensure consistency and transparency across all customer touchpoints?

When I was at SingPost, “Track and Trace” was our bread and butter—yet it was handled differently across various platforms and regions. That inconsistency caused major headaches. To fix it, we created a centralized “knowledge hub” that fed uniform data into every customer-facing channel, from web portals to mobile apps. This meant if someone checked their package status on the app, they’d get the exact same update a call center agent would see.

We also introduced clear escalation protocols and real-time notifications. If a package got held up at customs, for instance, the customer would see an instant status update, and so would our service reps. By giving everyone—customers and frontline teams—access to the same information, we built a level of trust that was previously missing. After all, transparency isn’t just about honesty; it’s about ensuring people feel empowered, not left in the dark.

Q12. How do you stay updated with the latest trends and developments in customer experience and product management?

I keep my eyes and ears open everywhere, from tech conferences to random conversations in a local café. Formal learning is vital, of course—I follow industry forums, read CX research reports, and attend niche webinars. But some of my most enlightening moments come from observing real-world interactions. For example, watching how a local vendor deals with a frustrated tourist in Singapore taught me the power of patience and body language.

I also stay engaged in communities and mentorship circles, where I share my experiences and learn from others who approach problems differently. Whether it’s a fresh perspective on automation or a new KPI for user engagement, I always want to keep evolving. At the end of the day, CX is about humans—and humans are endlessly complex, inspiring, and surprising. That’s what keeps me hooked.

Conclusion

Customer experience isn’t just about solving problems—it’s about creating meaningful, human-centric interactions that build trust and long-term relationships. In our conversation with Manu Pandey, we’ve seen how empathy, technology, and data-driven insights work together to elevate CX strategies. From leveraging AI to enhance customer support to breaking down silos between teams, the key takeaway is clear: businesses that prioritize both innovation and human touch will lead the way.

As industries continue to evolve, the most successful companies will be those that listen, adapt, and design experiences that truly resonate with their customers. By staying agile, embracing collaboration, and using customer feedback as a guiding force, organizations can turn every touchpoint into an opportunity to create lasting impact.

“Thank you for tuning in today. We appreciate your time and curiosity in exploring the latest trends and insights. Stay connected, and be sure to join us next week for more expert conversations and valuable discussions. See you then!”