Getting Personal: The Orchestration Behind Great Experiences

InnovationGetting Personal: The Orchestration Behind Great ExperiencesByCraig Crisler,Forbes Councils Member.for Forbes Technology CouncilCOUNCIL POSTExpertise from Forbes Councils members, operated under license. Opinions expressed are those of the author. | Membership (fee-based)Jun 05, 2026, 08:30am EDTCraig Crisler is CEO of SupportNinja and has 20+ years operational excellence and modern people management experience. getty​Personalization has become a standard expectation in customer experience, yet many organizations still struggle to deliver it consistently and effectively at scale despite having access to more data and tools than ever before.​Retail brands like Amazon, Nike and Sephora use browsing behavior or purchase history to shape recommendations and experiences. In physical retail, personalization often comes from human relationships that build familiarity and context over time—something most digital experiences still struggle to replicate at scale.​My wife and I shop with Patrick, an expert stylist, at Nordstrom. He knows our preferences, understands what we need and keeps up with trends that matter to us. He even reaches out when there’s a new product he thinks we will like. He reaches out when something relevant comes in, often before we even know to look for it. That level of familiarity and timing is what makes the experience feel personal.​How can brands replicate that level of familiarity and relevance at scale?​It comes down to how well they orchestrate data, workflows and people behind the scenes.​Leverage available data.Great personalization starts with context. At scale, that context comes from your data, but only if it’s structured, connected and usable across your systems.Most organizations already have the right signals. The challenge is turning that data into something your workflows can actually act on in real time.​Preparation turns data into action.Consider B2B renewal management. Meaningful conversations start long before you pick up...