Some customer stories are painful to hear — but they can spark the biggest transformations.
That’s one of many powerful lessons from our latest episode of How to Love a Customer, where we dive into the messy, unexpected, and often game-changing world of customer experience.
🎙️ In Episode 4, our CEO & Co-Founder Mikhail Dubov sat down with David McDaid, Director of Customer Experience & Studio at END. Clothing — a global leader in luxury streetwear and sneakers — to talk about turning CX failures into lasting improvements.
🔑 Key Takeaways from the Episode
1. One Bad Order Can Change Everything
David recalled a story where one customer faced every possible failure on a single order: shipping delays, customs issues, weather problems, the parcel going missing, and finally, the wrong item delivered.
Instead of brushing it off as bad luck, END. used it as a wake-up call.
“There was one customer… delays, customs, weather grounded the flight, the parcel went missing, and when it finally arrived it was the wrong item. Needless to say, a very disappointed customer. We used it as a benchmark to say: how can we prevent this from ever happening again?”
— David McDaid
This single story inspired a system-wide shift in how END. tracks and manages customer experience.
2. Building the “Quality Score”
From that painful order, END. created the Quality Score — a metric that measures every order against six common failure points, from delivery delays to customs problems.
When they began, the score was in the mid-40s. Today, it’s consistently in the high 90s.
“We created what we call the Quality Score… it measures every single order against six common failure points. When we started, the score was in the mid-40s. Today, it’s in the high 90s. Complaints have drastically reduced, and it’s shifted how the whole business thinks about CX.”
— David McDaid
By making CX measurable, END. aligned every department — from logistics to marketing — around improving the customer journey.
3. Rethinking Customer Service: From Cost Center to Strategy Driver
Too often, customer service is treated as a cost to minimize. David argues it should be the opposite: a strategic function that informs business decisions.
“Customer service is often seen as a cost center. That mindset limits collaboration and impact. These teams aren’t just complaint handlers — they’re the ones on the front line, feeding insights back into the business.”
— David McDaid
At END., customer service now plays a central role in identifying problems, shaping solutions, and driving long-term growth.
💬 Bonus Hot Takes from David
🎯 Best CX Advice:
Don’t ignore outlier cases — they often reveal systemic issues.
🧠 Favorite CX Approach?
Operationalizing CX metrics so every team is accountable.
🔥 Trend to Retire?
Treating customer service as “just support.” It’s a growth lever when used right.
🧳 Why This Episode Matters
END. Clothing’s story proves that painful failures can be powerful catalysts for change. By measuring what matters and empowering frontline teams, they turned one disastrous order into a framework that improved every customer’s experience.
Even if you’re not in retail, this episode is a blueprint for:
- Turning customer stories into system-wide improvements
- Building simple but powerful CX metrics
- Elevating customer service into a strategic driver
🎧 Listen to How to Love a Customer
If you work in CX, Product, Operations, or Customer Insights, this podcast is for you.
Each episode brings:
- Real customer stories
- Practical lessons
- Insights you can use immediately
🎙️ Episode 4 with David McDaid is live now.
Episode Notes
00:00 — Why CX Matters in Luxury & Limited-Release Retail
David explains why END.’s customers expect a “wow factor” — and why support can’t be treated as a cost centre.
01:00 — From Packing Orders to Director of CX
How a single phone call pulled David into customer experience and shaped his 19-year journey at END.
03:30 — What END. Is Known For
A global lifestyle retailer for luxury, streetwear, and exclusive sneaker drops — and the CX challenges that come with explosive demand.
05:00 — Why CX in Fashion Is Harder Than It Looks
Fast-moving releases, highly informed customers, and scaling support technology as the brand grows.
06:30 — The Customer Story That Changed Everything
A nightmare order: warehouse delays, customs issues, weather disruptions, a lost package — and finally the wrong item delivered.
08:00 — Turning a Bad Experience Into a Company Breakthrough
END. builds a “Quality Score” system tracking six failure points across every order. CX improves from the mid-40s to the high-90s.
09:30 — Customer Trust & Retention as the ROI
The same customer who suffered the bad experience still shops with END — and personally thanked the team for improving.
11:00 — Culture: Living the ‘Customer First’ Value
How one case aligned operations, logistics, and CX around preventing future pain points.
12:30 — Is CX Investment Profitable?
David explains how the fix required almost no new software — just using existing data better — and how improved retention repays the investment.
14:30 — How END. Measures CX Across the Journey
Review sites, surveys, CSAT, full QA via AI, sentiment analysis, and carrier SLA tracking rolled into one unified view.
16:30 — Advice for New Retail Brands
Start with customer understanding, a clear mission, a defined problem to solve, and early feedback loops.
17:30 — CX Hot Take: AI Automation
Helpful for repetitive tasks and agent enablement — but human support remains essential.
19:30 — Who’s Nailing CX?
Challenger banks like Monzo & Starling for making banking simple, digital, and customer-driven.
21:00 — What Retail Still Gets Wrong
Treating CX as a cost centre instead of a strategic function — limiting its ability to influence the whole organisation.
