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CX Spotlight is a series where we speak to customer experience leaders from across industries who are rethinking support, building customer-first cultures, and finding clarity in the messiness of real-life CX.
Every edition is a quick, candid conversation. No fluff. No jargon. Just real-world insights from people who’ve been there and done that.
In Conversation With Jessica Botello
Jessica Botello leads customer service at Manduka, a California-based yoga brand known for its high-performance mats and wellness gear. For the past six years, she’s been at the heart of Manduka’s customer experience. She has led several initiatives, such as rolling out new tools (think CRMs), training agile support teams, and leading projects that span far beyond solving one-off customer queries.
Under her leadership, the company’s CSAT score has climbed by 13%. She’s helped reimagine the customer journey on Manduka’s website and even oversaw the brand’s first in-person warehouse sale.
But where did it all begin? For Jessica, the foundation was laid early. As a teenager, she worked at a church for her first job, then became a yoga teacher, and eventually became a CX leader in wellness. Through it all, one thread remained constant: a deep-rooted belief that great service starts with empathy, clarity, and follow-through.
In this conversation with Hiver, Jessica shares why she believes everyone is doing the best they can, how she uses AI to calm customer panic during off-hours, and the surprising story of a customer who used a blow torch on their yoga mat.
Table of Contents
- In Conversation With Jessica Botello
- 💬 What would your support alter ego be called — and what would their superpower be?
- 🎯 How did you find your way into the world of customer experience? Was it intentional or accidental?
- 🧩 What’s the weirdest or most unexpected support request you’ve handled?
- 👂 What’s one practical change you’ve implemented to make your team more customer-centric?
- 🛠 What’s one tool or app you can’t live without at work?
- 🙌 One piece of advice you’d give someone entering the field of customer support?
- 🤖 A use case where AI actually improved CX for your team?
- 📬 Is email underrated or overrated as a support channel?
- 📚 A book, podcast, or show you’d recommend to other CX pros?
- 🤨 What emoji do you use most when interacting with customers?
- 🧘♀️ If you weren’t working in CX, what would you be doing?
💬 What would your support alter ego be called — and what would their superpower be?
Zen Master Flash. I bring a sense of calm and peace to customers, no matter how chaotic things may seem.
🎯 How did you find your way into the world of customer experience? Was it intentional or accidental?
It was very intentional. I’ve always been in customer-facing roles, starting with my church job as a teenager. I’ve been guided by a strong sense of service throughout my life. And working at Manduka, a yoga company, while also being a yoga teacher, just feels like a natural extension of that path.
🧩 What’s the weirdest or most unexpected support request you’ve handled?
A customer once used a blow torch on their yoga mat. They couldn’t follow the care instructions to leave it out in the sun to air out, since it was winter on the East Coast. So they tried… a different approach.
👂 What’s one practical change you’ve implemented to make your team more customer-centric?
We follow a simple but powerful mindset: everyone is doing the best they can, and they have valid reasons for their actions. This helps us respond with empathy instead of judgment. We don’t assume the worst. We meet customers where they are and support them from that place.
🛠 What’s one tool or app you can’t live without at work?
Gorgias. It keeps everything streamlined and helps us focus on what matters most: people.
🙌 One piece of advice you’d give someone entering the field of customer support?
Take care of yourself first. Support work can be draining, so use your self-care tools and build healthy habits. You need your bandwidth to truly show up for customers.
🤖 A use case where AI actually improved CX for your team?
We had a customer panic after their pet drank our mat wash. This happened outside business hours, but AI responded immediately, calmed the customer, and gave helpful next steps, including deferring to veterinary care. The customer felt heard and supported in a scary moment.
📬 Is email underrated or overrated as a support channel?
It’s neither. It’s useful for clarity and recordkeeping, but when things get complex or emotional, nothing beats a phone call.
📚 A book, podcast, or show you’d recommend to other CX pros?
Cosmic Kids Yoga with Jamie. It’s meant for kids, but it’s a great example of how to teach and guide with presence and empathy.
🤨 What emoji do you use most when interacting with customers?
🧘♀️ If you weren’t working in CX, what would you be doing?
I’d be teaching yoga full time. It’s how I stay centered, and I love helping others find that same balance.
✨ Three Takeaways from Jessica’s CX Playbook
- Compassion should be your default setting. Meet customers where they are, not where you think they should be.
- AI isn’t just about efficiency. It can help provide real comfort in moments that matter. You just need to train it the right way.
- Your energy is your tool. Care for yourself so you can care for others without burning out.
Enjoyed Jessica’s take on customer experience? Follow her on LinkedIn or check out more stories in the CX Spotlight series.
Are you a CX leader with stories, lessons, or opinions to share? 👉 Answer these questions to get featured!
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