“Emotion has a bigger impact on customer loyalty than effectiveness and ease of use combined.” – Forrester Research

Think about the last time you had a great experience with a brand—what made it stand out? Was it the ease of use, the efficiency, or was it something deeper? More often than not, it’s the customer experience (CX) that leaves a lasting impression. And at the heart of CX is emotion.

In a recent episode of Insights Unlocked, Paul Stonick, a UX and design leader with experience at The Home Depot, Barclays, and Viacom, shared invaluable insights on how businesses can leverage customer emotion to build loyalty and create better user experiences (UX). From the evolution of UX design to measuring emotion in customer interactions, this conversation shed light on how brands can elevate their digital and physical experiences.

The evolution of UX: from flashy design to customer-first experiences

UX design has come a long way since the ‘90s. Back then, websites were more about aesthetics than usability.

"We used to call those the glory days of design," Paul reminisces. "We built these big, beautiful, flashy websites… but no one really questioned their usability or long-term efficiency.”

Over time, businesses realized that design isn’t just about looks—it’s about function, accessibility, and how it makes customers feel. Today, UX design is a strategic driver of CX, extending beyond screens into AI, voice technology, and even virtual reality.

"It's more about what we should do, not just what we can do," Paul explains. "And UX has evolved to address that.”

As companies embrace digital transformation, UX has become integral to decision-making. Paul believes UX professionals should have a seat at the C-suite table to influence business strategies, breaking down silos and driving innovation.

“When design is brought to the level of strategy, it becomes a powerful transformation tool.”

Bridging the gap between CX and UX

A seamless customer experience (CX) doesn’t just happen—it’s designed. A prime example of this is The Home Depot’s “phygital” approach—blending physical and digital experiences to create an interconnected retail journey.

"The mobile app became the crown jewel of our interconnected experience," Paul shares. "We saw that most traffic came from people using the app in-store—wayfinding, checking inventory, or getting project guidance.”

By aligning UX with CX, Home Depot enhanced customer convenience and built loyalty, making it easier for shoppers to move between online and in-store interactions. The lesson here? UX design should always serve a greater CX strategy.

“A great UX isn’t just about making things look good—it’s about solving real customer problems.”

Why emotion is the secret ingredient to customer loyalty

Forrester’s research suggests that emotion influences customer loyalty more than ease of use or effectiveness combined—a fact that Paul and his team at The Home Depot took seriously.

"We know emotionally connected consumers drive greater value," he explains. "Every interaction should make the customer feel understood.”

This insight led Paul’s team to measure customer emotion as a core part of their UX strategy, using frameworks like the Plutchik Wheel to map emotional responses in user testing. The goal? To identify emotional highs and lows in the customer journey and improve them.

How to measure and design for emotion

Paul introduced a “Crawl, Walk, Run” approach to embedding emotion into UX:

✅ Crawl – Conduct research to understand how customers feel at key touchpoints.
✅ Walk – Incorporate emotion-driven questions into UX studies.
✅ Run – Map emotional insights to business KPIs and product enhancements.

By integrating emotion into UX testing, The Home Depot team could identify friction points and turn them into loyalty-building moments.

The pandemic’s impact on customer behavior & CX

The pandemic forced businesses to adapt—fast. Customers expected digital solutions that prioritized both safety and convenience.

"We had to get curbside pickup out the door quickly," Paul recalls. "It wasn’t perfect at launch, but we couldn’t let ‘great’ get in the way of ‘good.’”

This rapid response underscored the importance of agility in CX and UX design. Companies that invested in seamless omnichannel experiences thrived, while those that lagged behind risked losing customers to competitors.

Moving forward, Paul believes these behavioral shifts are here to stay, meaning businesses must continue evolving their UX strategies to meet new customer expectations.

“Consumer brand loyalty is tied to availability—if you don’t have what they need, they’ll find it elsewhere.”

How to get buy-in for UX investments

Many UX professionals struggle to convince leadership to prioritize customer-first design. Paul offers this advice:

1️⃣ Speak the language of business – Tie UX improvements to measurable business outcomes.
2️⃣ Show data, not just ideas – Executives respond to results, not theories.
3️⃣ Find internal champions – Secure support from influential stakeholders.

"Sometimes you have to take risks and present the outcome instead of just the idea," Paul advises. "It politically disarms the conversation.”

By aligning UX with revenue growth, customer retention, and efficiency, teams can demonstrate the ROI of great design.

The future of CX & UX: What’s next?

Paul predicts that voice interfaces and mobile-first experiences will shape the future of customer experience.

"By 2023, an estimated 8 billion people will be using voice digital assistants," he notes. "That’s a huge opportunity for UX designers."

With 5G technology and AI advancements, customer expectations will continue rising. Businesses that prioritize seamless, emotion-driven, and user-friendly experiences will gain a competitive edge.

Prioritizing the Human Experience

At the heart of every great customer experience is a brand that understands and values its customers. Businesses that harness emotion, align UX with CX, and remain adaptable will earn long-term customer loyalty.

Paul’s final words sum it up best, “It’s not just about selling something. It’s about making the customer feel understood.”

Episode links: 

• What is customer empathy?: This article explores the significance of empathy in understanding customer emotions and its impact on loyalty.
• A comprehensive overview of customer experience design: An in-depth look at designing customer interactions that meet or exceed expectations by focusing on their motivations and emotions.
• Mastering the customer experience strategy framework for success: An article outlining structured approaches to designing and refining great customer experiences.
  https://www.usertesting.com/blog/customer-experience-strategy-framework
• Home Depot customer story: A case study on how The Home Depot integrated customer emotion into its decision-making processes to create meaningful experiences.