We're back with a new series about eight game-changing companies who saw something missing in the customer experience from a wide range of industries including fintech, healthcare, media, and retail. We’ll explore all of that and more on Repeat Customer. Repeat Customer is an original podcast from Zendesk. Subscribe to the podcast at zendesk.com/repeatcustomer

One of these days, I'm going to get help with my procrastination problem ;-). If you're the type of person to always put things off until the last minute, you're not alone. And if the people in your life give you grief about your apparent laziness or inaction, you may feel guilt and shame. But what if procrastination isn't such a bad thing after all? In fact, there's evidence that it may be a common trait in highly successful people. Psychologist Mary Lamia is an expert in procrastination. She'll explain how our emotions motivate us when we're faced with tasks and deadlines, and how to manage relationships at work and at home for people with different motivational styles.

Joseph Badame was prepared to protect his friends and family against anything: civil unrest; nuclear attack; hurricanes; you name it. And while he tried his best to anticipate every scenario, he could never have imagined how his extreme preparedness would eventually end up helping people he had never met, on an island far away.

Long before Google's AlphaGo best Lee SeDol at Go, and IBM's Deep Blue bested Gary Kasparov at chess, there was Chinook: a humble software program that set out to compete with the world's greatest checkers player. Professor Jonathan Schaeffer wrote Chinook in an attempt to use machine learning to outsmart the unbeatable checkers master, Marion Tinsley. But Schaeffer couldn't have imagined how his relationship with Tinsley would affect his program, and how the drama of their matches would change the world of artificial intelligence.

Dr. Tasha Eurich wants you to get serious about self-awareness. Not by journalling or meditating or taking a deep dive into your own psyche. Instead, she wants you to explore the recurring patterns in your life and the values that you hold dear. And by understanding those patterns and values, you can learn how you are seen by others, and how you affect those around you. It's a behaviour-based approach to self-improvement, and it might just save your career (or help you find a new one). On this episode of Relate, Tasha Eurich explains why you're probably not as self-aware as you think you are, and provides tips on how to see yourself more clearly.

Writer and humorist Patricia Marx noticed something peculiar. She spotted an increasing number of pets in estabishments where animals were normally not allowed. What was going on? How did these people get their furry friends into high-end restaurants or art galleries, even though these pets weren't trained service animals? Well, with a little research and a bit of help from some not-so-snuggly animals, Patricia reveals the secret. On this episode of Relate: the lengths people go to in order to have their pets with them wherever they go.

Gus is not your average teenager. He has a hard time relating to people. Small talk is a big challenge, and connecting on a personal level doesn't come naturally. This is where Apple's personal digital assistant, Siri, comes in. On this episode of Relate, you'll hear how Gus is using digital technology for human connection, and how his mom has come to understand him better.

Harry Leslie Smith has seen it all. World War, huge technological change, and massive social upheaval. He's had a family, a successful career in business, and busy post-retirement life advocating for social justice. Now, at age of 94, you'd expect that Harry would be content to rest on his laurels; to simply sit back and reflect on a life well-lived. But instead, he continues to fight for equality, with regular speaking engagements, a new book, and a podcast. On this episode of Relate, the story of what drives Harry Leslie Smith to reach across generations to help us all avoid the mistakes of the past.

The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus had its first performance at a candlelight vigil on the night of Harvey Milk's assassination in 1978. Harvey Milk was the first openly gay candidate elected to major office in the U.S In 1977, Supervisor Milk had sponsored a landmark gay civil rights bill. San Francisco Mayor George Moscone signed that bill into law with a lavender pen given to him by Milk. Nearly 40 years later, The Lavender Pen remains a symbol of the fight for equality for all. It's also the name of a recent tour by the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus through several southern US states which have harsh anti-LGBTQ legislation. On this episode of Relate, the story of an inspiring tour and the quest for equality.

The Tough Mudder is an extreme race. A 10 mile course with 20 obstacles, 40 tons of ice, and 500 000 gallons of mud. It's a massively difficult challenge. Now imagine that you have to do the entire course in a wheelchair. It sounds impossible, but for the men you’ll meet in this episode, this was no big deal. Their grit and determination comes from facing disaster head on.

In the TV series 13 Reasons Why, a girl named Hannah sends a series of recorded messages to all the people she felt were complicit in her suicide. The series was controversial, with many parents and educators concerned that it romanticized suicide, and many teenagers relating to the experiences of the main character. On this episode of Relate, you're going to hear from some high school students who found inspiration in the series, by turning it's central premise on its head.

Sasha Chapin feels he doesn't have enough good male friends. And the standard approaches to male bonding make him a bit uncomfortable. So, he decides to employ the latest advances in relationship research to see if he can engineer a 'bromance.' Will it work? Or will it end up being painfully awkward.

Our phones, tablets, and laptops are wonders of connectivity, information, and endless entertainment. But there’s a downside to these modern miracles. They can pull us away from real human interaction. Today on the podcast, Martin Talks introduces us to Digital Detoxing. Talks outlines several practical ways to bring balance back to our tech-dependent lives. It’s not anti-technology. It’s a way of reconnecting with people so we don’t lose ourselves in our gadgets.

On this episode of Relate, a wide-ranging conversation on writer/author/presenter Jon Ronson's relationships with people on the fringe of society: extremists, conspiracy theorists, psychopaths, new age soldiers, pornographers, and internet trolls. He argues that dismissing those people who are outside the mainstream makes it impossible to appreciate the full range of human behaviour. And it makes it more difficult to understand ourselves. You'll hear about how Jon Ronson follows his curiosity into the most fascinating stories, and how he often finds himself in bizarre and sometimes dangerous situations. He'll also tease his brand new podcast The Butterfly Effect - a series following the surprising consequences of our online lives.

Ray Perman has been diagnosed with a rare form of terminal cancer. Having legally obtained the medication required, Ray is now deciding if he’ll end his own life, or let his cancer overcome him. It's an extremely difficult position to be in, but Ray is determined to go on as long as he can, and contribute as much as he can in the time he has left. And part of his goal is to make it to his daughter's wedding. Ray is a former pilot, and recalls the ancient laws of the sea which dictate that the captain will do everything within his power to not lose control of his vessel. The death with dignity conversation is growing in the United States and is an important part of the dialogue around end-of-life care, health, and choices. Compassion and Choices is a national organization that advocates for all end-of-life care options to relieve suffering, including medical aid in dying. They connected us with Ray. Here's some of what Ray Perman said to us in email, prior to our conversation: "Let me be the explorer that carries the torch into the darkest depth of the cave . . . Let me bring in the light and report back what I am seeing. This can be my single greatest gift to my fellow man. Time is limited. Let's have at it."

It started as something to do in 2012. Jeff Reitz decided to visit Disneyland every day. As of July 2017, Reitz, 44, of Huntington Beach, has passed through the Disneyland's gates every day since for 2,000 days in a row. We spend an afternoon in the park with the Air Force veteran to find out what makes this place worth visiting over and over (and over) again. You'll hear about some of the relationships he's made over his 4-plus years of daily visits and gain some perspective on some serious customer loyalty.

How do you connect with people whose cultures and backgrounds are different from yours? How do you find common ground? Well, in this story about an unlikely friendship between a Turkish-American and an Armenian-American, it all starts with the simple act of recognizing one another as individuals. The two men in this story were raised to distrust each other's culture because of complicated history around the Armenian Genocide. But a 4,000 mile bike trip across the US went a long way to forging a connection and mutual understanding around a difficult subject.

Professional adversaries. How do they manage their relationships? On the podcast this week, we look at a relationships founded in battle. If you’re a politician, or a lawyer for example, how do you deal with the people you’ve fought against during a campaign or a trial? Because often you have to work with those very same people after the dust has settled. We decided to look to sports for some of the best examples of adversarial relationships. And it doesn’t get much more adversarial than in the one-on-one, fight-to-the-finish sport of fencing. Nicole Ross is an US Olympic foil fencer, and she explains how her foes can also be friends, with the right mindset and some emotional discipline.

This episode begins with a child's bedtime story. But the story doesn't come from a parent. It comes from a voice at the end of a phone line, from someone the child will likely never meet. Dealing with customers and clients can be stressful and emotionally taxing. But what if the clients who contact you are kids, and the things they're looking for are love and support? We talk to kids' help phone counsellor and founder of the National Association for the Children of Alcoholics (NACOA) Hilary Henriques on how she supports children with difficult home lives, and how she takes care of her own emotional well-being when dealing with so much heartbreak. You'll hear the story of one young girl who worked herself into Hilary's life in ways Hilary couldn't have anticipated. Managing that relationship was one of the most difficult challenges she has ever faced as a counsellor.

As much as we’d like to believe we can handle anything on our own, the truth is, as the song goes, we all need somebody to lean on. Today, the Relate podcast is all about community. How it’s crucial to have the support of a network of friends, neighbours, colleagues… not only to get you through life’s challenges, but also to keep you healthy and happy. Community is the antidote to isolation. On this episode, you’ll hear about two groups whose mission is to pull people out of loneliness and into the warm embrace of community. You’ll hear about retirees who get their grooves back through building projects and camaraderie, and military families who land in communities far away from home, but with new friends in place already working to help them land on their feet.