July 11, 2025
This Week in CX: Inbox Rage, Prime Day Panic & CX Hubris
Happy Friday! ‘This week in CX’ brings you the latest roundup of industry news.
This week, we’ve explored Gen Z’s complex relationship with email, the surge of AI-driven scams targeting Prime Day shoppers, and innovative customer service breakthroughs from GCXA winners, such as SEWA and Sharjah Municipality.
We’re also discussing new updates from Neros Gorges, IPPR, and more.
Key news
- Germany’s Daimler Truck plans to cut 5,000 jobs – 14% of its domestic workforce – by 2030 as part of a drive to save over €1bn in Europe. The move follows a drop in sales, particularly in the US, its key profit market. The company also said it plans to shift production to a lower-cost country, although it did not specify where. Observers speculate Turkey could be a potential destination. The group aims to double its defence division amid growing global military spending, while driving growth through services, its India operations and zero-emission vehicles in Europe.
- These days it’s common for job applicants to go through multiple rounds of interviews. According to recruitment expert Neros Gorges, dragging out the hiring process does more harm than good for employers. “Long, drawn-out processes often lead to drop-off, offer declines, or losing talent to companies that moved quicker,” he says.
- Several European governments are attempting to raise birth rates by offering cash rewards, tax breaks and other incentives, but new research suggests such policies are unlikely to sway people towards having more children. That’s because social norms, preferences and priorities have changed in high-income countries, concludes a new paper by US not-for-profit National Bureau of Economic Research. While economic factors such as financial security and affordable childcare can have “a small effect” on fertility rates, they are unlikely to make up for cultural shifts that see adults prioritise careers and leisure over parenthood.
CXM news stories
Here’s the full news stories that CXM have reported on in the past week. Learn all about the latest news about Prime Day scams, Gen Z at work, and the newest customer experience strategies.
Almost Half of Young People Don’t Feel Ready for Work
A new report from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) paints a stark picture of youth preparedness in the UK. Fewer than half (47%) of 18- to 24-year-olds say they felt equipped to enter the workforce after completing their education. In contrast, 60% of adults over 26 reported feeling ready when they started, pointing to a widening generational readiness gap.
This lack of preparedness is compounded by a striking experience divide: two in five young people have never completed any form of work experience, a stark contrast to earlier generations, who were far more likely to have had hands-on exposure to the workplace. The number of young people not in education, employment or training (Neet) has surged to nearly one million, raising alarms about the long-term risks to economic opportunity and social mobility.
Call for Urgent Reform
The IPPR warns that these trends are not just statistical concerns—they reflect a “deepening opportunity crisis” that threatens the government’s ambitions for upward mobility and equitable access to jobs. The think tank emphasises that young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are twice as likely to be Neet, suggesting that existing inequalities are only being deepened by a lack of access to skills and experience.
To reverse the trend, the IPPR is calling for a new “social contract”—a renewed national commitment to ensuring that each generation is better off than the last. At the heart of this vision is a more inclusive and forward-thinking education-to-employment pipeline that provides real-world experience and holistic support for young people navigating the early stages of their careers.
“We’ve heard the promises about levelling the playing field,” said Avnee Morjaria, associate director for public services at IPPR and one of the report’s authors. “But our data shows too many young people are slipping through the cracks. If we want to see real change, we need a comprehensive plan—one that doesn’t end when school does.”
What’s Still Missing?
The UK Government has pointed to its Youth Guarantee, designed to ensure that every 18- to 21-year-old in England has access to an apprenticeship, quality training, or education. Introduced through the Get Britain Working white paper in late 2024, it represents a step forward—but critics argue it’s only a piece of the solution.
As the employment landscape evolves, particularly in the wake of automation and AI, young people need more than vague assurances. They need practical skills, paid opportunities, and consistent adult support to help them make a successful transition from education into sustainable careers.
