Ross Shafer

A fun and engaging keynote for future-proofing your organization.

Takeaways:

1. Relevance Is a Moving Target – A relevant culture must be constantly curated. AI can provide granular data and keep you current with new efficiencies, but only humans keep you relevant through empathy, judgment, and showmanship. Ross will inspire your teams to realize their human value in the Age of AI.
2. Customer Expectations Have Evolved – Taking from his book, No More Customer Friction, Ross shows why his WOW vs. POW coaching escalates satisfaction scores. Preventing “customer gut punches” matters more than delivering surprise gestures.
3. The Relationship Secret That Builds Instant Rapport – Ross shares the talk-show interviewing technique he used on ABC, NBC, USA, and FOX to create instant rapport and trust. This tactic is crucial in our new “deepfake” world. People are suspicious about what they see, hear, and read. AI can tell people the words and videos are real. But only personal engagement and genuine curiosity can read the room for reality.
4. The Final Moment Determines Loyalty – Customers may forget the first touch, but they’ll never forget the last. Ross shows how to design final moments that cement loyalty for life.

A funny and unforgettable keynote by six-time Emmy Award-winning comedian, TV host, and business author, Ross Shafer.

Takeaways:

1. Authentic, Emotional Storytelling – While AI can write copy, AI can’t make people feel confident in their purchase. Ross will teach your teams why verifiable, human stories differentiate your organization over your competitors.
2. Weaving Your Sales Stories into Your Personal Brand Story – Audiences crave real human journeys. Ross uses his own life story (including coaching and launching Bill Nye, the Science Guy) as a blueprint for leaders to establish trust among your customers and your team.
3. Why Do Some Stories Go Viral? – Ross shows you how to create compelling stories your customers and fans can’t wait to share. In a world of AI-generated noise and deepfakes, human word-of-mouth engagement can go viral just as fast.
4. Create an Endless Inventory of Authentic Stories – Ross teaches a reliable way to harvest fresh, ethical stories from outside your industry. With this secret, you’ll have an endless supply of emotional tales that make your brand unforgettable.

Ross explains why loyalty is won in the battle of WOW vs. POW. WOW moments are nice gestures but quickly forgotten. By eliminating POWs, you can raise satisfaction scores because reliability reduces customer friction and frustration.

Takeaways:

1. Proven Thought Leadership – Author of five best-selling customer experience books and 16 training films on the customer experience, customer effort, and reducing friction, Ross shares research-based strategies that blend beautifully in the AI era.
2. AI Can Help—but NOT Replace Humans – AI can track orders and automate refunds. But even ChatGPT admits it makes mistakes. It can actually hallucinate! Your organization cannot afford to make unforced errors, gaslight customers through chatbots, or generate misrouted deliveries. Ross simplifies loyalty by showing how to remove the pain points and blend AI efficiency with human empathy.
3. Engaging Style – Ross’s energetic style—fueled by humor, storytelling, and real-world examples—makes complex strategies simple and funny.  

As a network talk & game show host, Ross Shafer is frequently asked to be the interactive “traffic cop” for a multi-day convention. He has interviewed world leaders and celebrities and is extremely comfortable hosting an executive roundtable or expert panel. His style is to engage the audience to set the tone of your event, review what they’ve learned, and get everyone excited for what’s coming next. He often likes to present “from the floor” so that he can thread the dialogue throughout your conference for better retention.

Ross brings polish and energy to multi-day events. A seasoned talk/game show host, he effortlessly moderates executive panels, interviews celebrities, and recaps sessions to keep your audience engaged.

Entertaining virtual keynotes.

Option A: Ross customizes a 30–40-minute keynote aligned with your goals, using visuals and videos for engagement.

Option B: Ross prepares tailored content based on your event goals, answers live questions, and connects his case studies and stories directly to your objectives.

Ideal for after-dinner entertainment.

Ross’s material is non-political, non-controversial, and 100% HR-safe. Audiences love his quick-witted stories about misadventures and successes.

No other keynote speaker has the unique “celebrity” background of Stand-up Comedy, TV Hosting, and Business entrepreneurship as Ross Shafer.

When Ross attends receptions before (or after) a Keynote, he is swarmed for selfies, autographs, and conversation.

“Ross stayed for an additional two hours to satisfy the scores of our agents who wanted to take selfies and chat with Ross.” – Home Services of America, CEO Gino Blefari.