Eric Smuda

About Eric Smuda

Global customer experience and growth leader with 20+ years of experience driving transformation, retention, and revenue growth for $100M+ financial services, technology, travel, SaaS, and insurance companies. As a Global Top 100 CXO, I thrive at the intersection of strategy and execution, whether redesigning digital and physical experiences, implementing AI-powered customer service, or building customer loyalty programs that drive measurable business results. CX Transformation -> Led cross-functional CX transformation that drove $450M+ in revenue growth, a 6-point market share gain, and a 20+ point NPS increase. Saved $10M+ in operating costs by implementing digital self-service and AI automation.Customer Success -> 12+ years leading customer success, renewals and growth strategies for Fortune clients. Led the customer success function for a $300M device protection business with 100% retention. Protected $4M+ in at-risk ARR, secured multi-year renewals, and grew new logos by $5M+(12% revenue growth) at a $175M customer experience management company.Voice of the Customer -> Designed and led global VOC programs that influenced $4B+ in purchasing, accelerated insurance claim approval speed by 92%, and resolved $400M in balance sheet liabilities.Professional Services -> Built growth-oriented CX consulting functions for two companies and led post-sales functions (implementation, onboarding, support, success) for a device insurance company while launching 15 client programs across telecom, insurance, and retail clients that added $25M+ in ARR.Cross-Functional Leadership -> Established and led cross-function governance councils to prioritize customer initiatives and ensure appropriate resource allocation and KPI reporting.Innovation -> Created new teams, functions and capabilities (digital, consulting and AI) for seven companies ranging from $2M startups to $90B enterprises.My executive background encompasses leadership roles in customer experience, customer success, CRM, loyalty, and consulting from startups to large enterprises. I’ve led teams of all sizes, from 45+ people with budgets over $20M to startup teams of <5 with a $1M budget, in companies from $2M ARR start-ups to $90B enterprises. I am a player coach who helps organizations scale with impact, improve customer retention, and drive growth through better customer experiences.Industry Experience: Financial Services, Fintech, Technology, Travel, SaaS, Insurance, Retail, Telecom, RestaurantsStrengthsFinder Top 5: Relator, Analytical, Adaptability, Maximizer, Strategic

Experience

1. VP, Customer Experience

   Auris

   Feb 2026 — Present

Education

• Southern Methodist University

  MBA, Marketing

• Southern Methodist University

  Bachelor’s Degree, Marketing

Skills

• Market Research
• Net Promoter System Design
• Analytics
• Pricing Strategy
• Competitive Analysis
• Customer Experience
• Net Promoter Score
• Competitive Intelligence
• Marketing Strategy
• Customer Insight
• Customer Satisfaction
• Forecasting
• Pricing
• Voice of the Customer
• Customer Loyalty Measurement
• Product Development
• Management
• Management Consulting
• Program Management
• Quantitative Research
• Marketing Research
• Positioning
• Leadership
• Data Analysis
• Segmentation
• Marketing
• Qualitative Research
• Process Improvement
• Market Analysis
• Consumer Products