Shep Hyken's Blog, page 10
April 22, 2025
What to Say When You Don’t Have What the Customer Wants
I recently responded to a question on LinkedIn: A customer is furious about an out-of-stock item. How do you turn their frustration into satisfaction? I added a second part to that question. What if what the customer wants is something you’ve never had in stock? Some customers might still be angry that you do not have what they want. And even if they aren’t, whether the item is out of stock or you just don’t carry it, that doesn’t mean you can’t make the customer happy.
Before we go further, let me do a very quick recap of how to deal with any upset or complaining customer. This is my five-step process for handling complaints:
Apologize for the problem.
Acknowledge what the problem is.
Discuss the resolution. (In a moment, I’ll cover this in detail.)
Accept ownership. It may not be your fault, but now you own taking care of the customer.
Act with urgency.
So, back to #3, the resolution. Is the item the customer wants temporarily out of stock? If so, when will it be in, and when can the customer expect to receive it? Giving customers information gives them a sense of control.
What if you’re out of the item and won’t get any more back in inventory? This is an opportunity to shine. If you can’t suggest a reasonable alternative, does a competitor have what the customer wants? Yes, I’m suggesting sending the customer to a competitor. Even if the sale goes to a competitor, the customer will realize you’re more interested in getting them what they want and need versus making a sale, which can go a long way in building trust that takes the relationship to a higher level.
One of my favorite examples comes from an Ace Hardware store. It was a very cold winter, and a customer was upset to find out the store was out of space heaters. Rather than say, “Sorry,” and send the customer away, the associate called a competitor, confirmed they had a space heater, and asked them to hold it for his customer. And who do you think the customer loved after that experience? (It’s a rhetorical question, but just in case you can’t figure it out … Ace Hardware!)
Any time a customer is unhappy or has a complaint, it’s an opportunity to resolve the problem and turn a Moment of Misery™ into a Moment of Magic®. For inventory issues, it’s an easy fix. Always think to yourself, even if you have to give up the sale to a competitor, “Is what I’m doing right now going to get the customer to come back?” When you have the customer’s best interest in mind, they will!
Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops at www.Hyken.com . Connect with Shep on LinkedIn .
April 21, 2025
The Benefits of AI-Powered Customer Experience with Isabelle Zdatny
This episode of
Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken
answers the following questions and more:
What is Agentic AI?
What is the difference between generative AI, analytical AI, and agentic AI?
What impact does AI have on analyzing and predicting customer behavior?
How do companies balance AI with the need for human empathy in customer service?
Why is it crucial for companies to start implementing AI to improve customer experience?
Top Takeaways
As technology advances, the quality of customer experiences is gradually improving. However, customers are becoming less tolerant of poor experiences. Businesses must realize that one bad interaction can significantly impact customer loyalty.
In Shep’s recent customer service and experience survey, we found that the average customer is willing to give you two chances before they switch to a competitor. Loyal customers will give three chances. Maintaining consistent positive experiences is critical to retaining customers.
Traditional approaches to getting customer feedback are less effective in measuring loyalty. Consumers are leaving less feedback because they don’t trust that their voice is acknowledged. They often see little value in answering surveys and may prefer to quietly switch to a competitor.
Unlike traditional AI, agentic AI can process data and understand the customer. As a result, it can take action without constant human assistance. Unlike analytical or generative AI, which are great at specific, focused tasks but still rely on people to prompt chatbots or act on predictions, agentic AI can manage entire end-to-end customer journeys and adapt to changes as they happen.
Customers should know when interacting with a bot rather than a human. Companies employing AI in customer interactions must be transparent about their use to maintain trust and ensure that experiences align with customers’ expectations ethically.
Human interaction is still needed in customer service. AI can handle routine tasks, allowing human agents to deal with complex issues requiring empathy.
According to recent Qualtrics research, there is a $860 billion ($420 billion for B2B and $440 billion for B2C) opportunity for organizations using AI to improve customer experiences systematically. This value is generated through increased employee productivity, process improvement, and revenue growth.
Plus Shep and Isabelle discuss more insights from Qualtric’s free report, Unlock the Potential of AI-Enabled CX . Tune in!
Quotes:
“Customers are less tolerant of friction these days. So even if you deliver consistently good experiences, just one bad interaction can send your relationship down a bad path more quickly than it used to.”
“Customer relationships are becoming increasingly transactional because switching between brands is easier and low-cost. Consumers have many options today, so they don’t need to tolerate companies not meeting their expectations.”
“There is a disconnect between how executives view AI’s role in their industry and how they embrace it. While they understand the value and potential, they are not always taking the necessary actions to leverage AI in their organization.”
“AI creates compounding advantages. Every single customer interaction makes these systems smarter. Every insight builds more value. Every experience improvement will deepen the company’s relationship with the customer.”
About:
Isabelle Zdatny is Head of Thought Leadership at Qualtrics XM Institute. She creates leading content on experience management trends and best practices, delivers training, and advises organizations on CX and EX strategy.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
What is Agentic AI?
What is the difference between generative AI, analytical AI, and agentic AI?
What impact does AI have on analyzing and predicting customer behavior?
How do companies balance AI with the need for human empathy in customer service?
Why is it crucial for companies to start implementing AI to improve customer experience?
Top Takeaways
As technology advances, the quality of customer experiences is gradually improving. However, customers are becoming less tolerant of poor experiences. Businesses must realize that one bad interaction can significantly impact customer loyalty.
In Shep’s recent customer service and experience survey, we found that the average customer is willing to give you two chances before they switch to a competitor. Loyal customers will give three chances. Maintaining consistent positive experiences is critical to retaining customers.
Traditional approaches to getting customer feedback are less effective in measuring loyalty. Consumers are leaving less feedback because they don’t trust that their voice is acknowledged. They often see little value in answering surveys and may prefer to quietly switch to a competitor.
Unlike traditional AI, agentic AI can process data and understand the customer. As a result, it can take action without constant human assistance. Unlike analytical or generative AI, which are great at specific, focused tasks but still rely on people to prompt chatbots or act on predictions, agentic AI can manage entire end-to-end customer journeys and adapt to changes as they happen.
Customers should know when interacting with a bot rather than a human. Companies employing AI in customer interactions must be transparent about their use to maintain trust and ensure that experiences align with customers’ expectations ethically.
Human interaction is still needed in customer service. AI can handle routine tasks, allowing human agents to deal with complex issues requiring empathy.
According to recent Qualtrics research, there is a $860 billion ($420 billion for B2B and $440 billion for B2C) opportunity for organizations using AI to improve customer experiences systematically. This value is generated through increased employee productivity, process improvement, and revenue growth.
Plus Shep and Isabelle discuss more insights from Qualtric’s free report, Unlock the Potential of AI-Enabled CX . Tune in!
Quotes:
“Customers are less tolerant of friction these days. So even if you deliver consistently good experiences, just one bad interaction can send your relationship down a bad path more quickly than it used to.”
“Customer relationships are becoming increasingly transactional because switching between brands is easier and low-cost. Consumers have many options today, so they don’t need to tolerate companies not meeting their expectations.”
“There is a disconnect between how executives view AI’s role in their industry and how they embrace it. While they understand the value and potential, they are not always taking the necessary actions to leverage AI in their organization.”
“AI creates compounding advantages. Every single customer interaction makes these systems smarter. Every insight builds more value. Every experience improvement will deepen the company’s relationship with the customer.”
About:
Isabelle Zdatny is Head of Thought Leadership at Qualtrics XM Institute. She creates leading content on experience management trends and best practices, delivers training, and advises organizations on CX and EX strategy.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for Week of April 21, 2025
Each week, I read many customer service and customer experience articles from various resources. Here are my top five picks from last week. I have added my comments about each article and would like to hear what you think too.
What Are the Results from GenAI in Customer Service? Case Studies from Verizon, ING & United Airlines by Rebecca Sentance
(Econsultancy) From improved customer satisfaction to an uplift in sales, we examine three companies who have successfully applied GenAI in customer service alongside the takeaways from their usage.
My Comment: It’s not the topic of the day. It’s the topic of the year (and also last year). It’s GenAI, and it continues to improve. When used the right way, great results are achieved. Here are case studies from three recognizable brands and how they have found success using AI to create better customer service.
What 73% of Consumers Say About AI and the Customer Experience by John Smallwood
(Hotel-Online) As AI technologies become more prevalent in the hospitality industry, the challenge becomes even more pronounced. How can AI provide efficient, automated service without losing the human touch that makes guest interactions personal and memorable?
My Comment: As long as we’re on the subject of AI, here’s an interesting article about what customers are saying about it. What’s missing is empathy. As AI technologies become more prevalent in all industries (not just hospitality, which is the focus of this article), the human-to-human connection can be lost.
Study: Emotional Bonds Top Discounts in Driving Brand Loyalty by BusinessWire
(MarTech Cube) Bloomreach, the agentic platform for personalization, announced a new research report conducted with EMARKETER, “The Power of Trust and Emotions in Building Customer Loyalty.” Surveying more than 150 marketers, the report highlighted that today’s customers are less brand loyal than five years ago, with more than half of the study’s participants agreeing that marketing with an emotional message would resonate more than transactional or financial incentive-based marketing.
My Comment: How do you create loyalty? Create an emotional connection. Amanda Cole, CMO at Bloomreach, an agentic platform for personalization, sums it up well: “What truly drives lasting relationships is the emotional connection brands forge with consumers through personalized experiences… Companies that invest in understanding and responding to their customers’ emotional needs go beyond creating loyalty programs because it’s the thing to do – they’re creating brand advocates.” This article emphasizes the emotional connection, trust, and several other topics you must consider to create customer loyalty.
Five Expert Strategies to Boost Sales and Retain Customers in a Down Market by Rolling Stone Culture Council
(Rolling Stone) In a year marked by continued business closures and shrinking profit margins, declining sales remain one of the toughest challenges for companies trying to stay afloat. To regain stability, businesses must move beyond surface-level fixes and focus on proven strategies that drive revenue and strengthen customer loyalty.
My Comment: The market is down. There’s a lot of uncertainty about the short-term future. Consumers are concerned, if not downright scared. This article features five members of the Rolling Stone Culture Council who share their strategies and tactics on how to increase sales and keep customers coming back. By the way, these ideas are also great for doing the same in good financial times, as well!
Do You Focus on Volume Customers or Valued Customers? by Annette Franz
(CustomerThink) In today’s business environment, not all customers are created equal – nor should they be treated as such. While every customer contributes to a brand’s success in some way, understanding the difference between valued customers and volume customers is critical for building sustainable growth.
My Comment: Annette Franz is one of my favorite customer service and experience experts. In this excellent article, she shows the difference between volume customers, who may buy a lot but are transactional and have little or no loyalty, and valued customers, who are loyal, refer others, and are emotionally connected to the brand. It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that, over time, the valued customer is more profitable.
BONUS
Shep Hyken on Strengthening Customer Experience during Uncertain Times by Jasmine Daniel
(CBT News) Transparency is the most essential tool dealers have right now. Hyken encourages dealers to clearly explain why prices are rising and which specific components are impacted. Rather than avoiding the conversation, being upfront about the reasons behind price increases helps build long-term trust.
My Comment: I’m honored (again) to have been interviewed by Jim Fitzpatrick on CBT News. This article summarizes the interview, which is about how to strengthen customer experience when companies are forced to raise prices due to inflation and tariffs. Be sure to watch the video, too.
Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops. Connect with Shep on LinkedIn.
What Are the Results from GenAI in Customer Service? Case Studies from Verizon, ING & United Airlines by Rebecca Sentance
(Econsultancy) From improved customer satisfaction to an uplift in sales, we examine three companies who have successfully applied GenAI in customer service alongside the takeaways from their usage.
My Comment: It’s not the topic of the day. It’s the topic of the year (and also last year). It’s GenAI, and it continues to improve. When used the right way, great results are achieved. Here are case studies from three recognizable brands and how they have found success using AI to create better customer service.
What 73% of Consumers Say About AI and the Customer Experience by John Smallwood
(Hotel-Online) As AI technologies become more prevalent in the hospitality industry, the challenge becomes even more pronounced. How can AI provide efficient, automated service without losing the human touch that makes guest interactions personal and memorable?
My Comment: As long as we’re on the subject of AI, here’s an interesting article about what customers are saying about it. What’s missing is empathy. As AI technologies become more prevalent in all industries (not just hospitality, which is the focus of this article), the human-to-human connection can be lost.
Study: Emotional Bonds Top Discounts in Driving Brand Loyalty by BusinessWire
(MarTech Cube) Bloomreach, the agentic platform for personalization, announced a new research report conducted with EMARKETER, “The Power of Trust and Emotions in Building Customer Loyalty.” Surveying more than 150 marketers, the report highlighted that today’s customers are less brand loyal than five years ago, with more than half of the study’s participants agreeing that marketing with an emotional message would resonate more than transactional or financial incentive-based marketing.
My Comment: How do you create loyalty? Create an emotional connection. Amanda Cole, CMO at Bloomreach, an agentic platform for personalization, sums it up well: “What truly drives lasting relationships is the emotional connection brands forge with consumers through personalized experiences… Companies that invest in understanding and responding to their customers’ emotional needs go beyond creating loyalty programs because it’s the thing to do – they’re creating brand advocates.” This article emphasizes the emotional connection, trust, and several other topics you must consider to create customer loyalty.
Five Expert Strategies to Boost Sales and Retain Customers in a Down Market by Rolling Stone Culture Council
(Rolling Stone) In a year marked by continued business closures and shrinking profit margins, declining sales remain one of the toughest challenges for companies trying to stay afloat. To regain stability, businesses must move beyond surface-level fixes and focus on proven strategies that drive revenue and strengthen customer loyalty.
My Comment: The market is down. There’s a lot of uncertainty about the short-term future. Consumers are concerned, if not downright scared. This article features five members of the Rolling Stone Culture Council who share their strategies and tactics on how to increase sales and keep customers coming back. By the way, these ideas are also great for doing the same in good financial times, as well!
Do You Focus on Volume Customers or Valued Customers? by Annette Franz
(CustomerThink) In today’s business environment, not all customers are created equal – nor should they be treated as such. While every customer contributes to a brand’s success in some way, understanding the difference between valued customers and volume customers is critical for building sustainable growth.
My Comment: Annette Franz is one of my favorite customer service and experience experts. In this excellent article, she shows the difference between volume customers, who may buy a lot but are transactional and have little or no loyalty, and valued customers, who are loyal, refer others, and are emotionally connected to the brand. It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that, over time, the valued customer is more profitable.
BONUS
Shep Hyken on Strengthening Customer Experience during Uncertain Times by Jasmine Daniel
(CBT News) Transparency is the most essential tool dealers have right now. Hyken encourages dealers to clearly explain why prices are rising and which specific components are impacted. Rather than avoiding the conversation, being upfront about the reasons behind price increases helps build long-term trust.
My Comment: I’m honored (again) to have been interviewed by Jim Fitzpatrick on CBT News. This article summarizes the interview, which is about how to strengthen customer experience when companies are forced to raise prices due to inflation and tariffs. Be sure to watch the video, too.
Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops. Connect with Shep on LinkedIn.
April 16, 2025
I Quote Dead People
The other day, I was talking to a friend about famous movie lines. He said one of his favorite movies was The Sixth Sense starring Bruce Willis, and his favorite line came from 9-year-old Cole, played by Haley Joel Osment, who said, “I see dead people.” I responded, “That’s funny. I quote dead people.” He looked at me strangely. He laughed. We’re both speakers, and we often use motivational quotes to emphasize our points. I told him the story of a client who felt one of my quotes was outdated. She said, “Nobody knows who you were referring to,” even though I prefaced the quote by mentioning that most of the audience wouldn’t recognize the actor I was about to quote, but that what he said was still relevant.
I could have quoted my father, my third-grade teacher, the 16th president of the United States or Aristotle, who died in 322 B.C. The point is, it doesn’t matter if the person is recognizable, living or dead. It’s what we can learn from them.
So my line, “I quote dead people,” is now in my standard explanation prior to quoting someone who has passed and whose name may not be recognizable. Here are six of my favorite quotes I’ve used in customer service and experience keynote speeches:
Leonardo da Vinci said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Companies that are easy to do business with will win over competitors that offer complicated, cumbersome and inconvenient experiences.
Aldo Gucci said, “Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten.” Our customer service research shows that people will pay more for a quality experience.
Zig Ziglar said, “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.” Help your customers get what they want – not always what you want to sell them – and they will reciprocate by giving you business.
The 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, said, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” There are many ways you can interpret this. I’ll go with the importance of preparation. When you have an important meeting, your customers deserve your best. Take time to prepare!
Sam Walton, the founder of Walmart, said, “There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.” Keep that in mind each and every time you’re interacting with a customer.
Tony Hsieh, the founder of Zappos, said, “Customer service shouldn’t be a department, it should be the entire company.”
I’ve quoted many great minds of the past – some well-known, others less recognized. Their words can be powerful, educational and inspiring. But no matter who said them, always give credit where it’s due. Why? Because it’s the right thing to do, and as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wisely said, “The time is always right to do the right thing.”
Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops at www.Hyken.com . Connect with Shep on LinkedIn .
April 14, 2025
How to Get an Endless Stream of Customers with Marcus Sheridan
This episode of
Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken
answers the following questions and more:
Why is building trust important in business?
How to get more customers?
How can businesses stand out at the beginning of the buyer’s journey?
Why is it important for businesses to adapt to buyers’ changing behaviors and needs?
How has the shift to online research influenced how businesses approach customer interactions?
Top Takeaways
The more you know what your customers want, the better you can serve them. Your customers’ questions help you understand what they want, including their fears and concerns.
Becoming a teacher in your industry helps you establish yourself as an expert and builds trust with your audience.
Using content to showcase unique aspects of a business can be a game-changer. Demonstrating processes, sharing behind-the-scenes looks, or providing valuable insights into products can capture the attention and trust of potential customers.
Trust will always be critical in business. Continuously working towards being credible and trustworthy in the eyes of your customers will future-proof your business.
Marcus shares The Four Pillars of a Known and Trusted Brand:
Pillar #1. You’ve got to be willing to talk about what others in your industry aren’t willing to talk about.
Pillar #2. You’ve got to be willing to show what others in your space aren’t willing to show.
Pillar #3. You’ve got to be willing to sell in a way that nobody’s willing to sell.
Pillar #4. You’ve got to be more human in this time of AI and technology.
Plus, Marcus shares actionable tips on applying the four pillars in your business to make your brand stand out. Tune in!
Quotes:
“80% of the buyer’s journey is done before they fill out that form on your website or call you. If you want to win during that period, you can’t be like everyone else.”
“If you want to build an extraordinary brand, you must be willing to do things differently than the marketplace. So many rules are meant to be broken, so break the rules of your space.”
“We are all in the business of trust. Become the voice of trust for your customers, and your business and brand will be built to last.”
About:
Marcus Sheridan is a communication expert, keynote speaker, co-founder of PriceGuide.ai, and the co-founder of The Question First Group. He is the bestselling author of They Ask, You Answer: A Revolutionary Approach to Inbound Sales, Content Marketing, and Today’s Digital Consumer. His latest, Endless Customers: A Proven System to Build Trust, Drive Sales, and Become the Market Leader, is now available on Amazon.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
Why is building trust important in business?
How to get more customers?
How can businesses stand out at the beginning of the buyer’s journey?
Why is it important for businesses to adapt to buyers’ changing behaviors and needs?
How has the shift to online research influenced how businesses approach customer interactions?
Top Takeaways
The more you know what your customers want, the better you can serve them. Your customers’ questions help you understand what they want, including their fears and concerns.
Becoming a teacher in your industry helps you establish yourself as an expert and builds trust with your audience.
Using content to showcase unique aspects of a business can be a game-changer. Demonstrating processes, sharing behind-the-scenes looks, or providing valuable insights into products can capture the attention and trust of potential customers.
Trust will always be critical in business. Continuously working towards being credible and trustworthy in the eyes of your customers will future-proof your business.
Marcus shares The Four Pillars of a Known and Trusted Brand:
Pillar #1. You’ve got to be willing to talk about what others in your industry aren’t willing to talk about.
Pillar #2. You’ve got to be willing to show what others in your space aren’t willing to show.
Pillar #3. You’ve got to be willing to sell in a way that nobody’s willing to sell.
Pillar #4. You’ve got to be more human in this time of AI and technology.
Plus, Marcus shares actionable tips on applying the four pillars in your business to make your brand stand out. Tune in!
Quotes:
“80% of the buyer’s journey is done before they fill out that form on your website or call you. If you want to win during that period, you can’t be like everyone else.”
“If you want to build an extraordinary brand, you must be willing to do things differently than the marketplace. So many rules are meant to be broken, so break the rules of your space.”
“We are all in the business of trust. Become the voice of trust for your customers, and your business and brand will be built to last.”
About:
Marcus Sheridan is a communication expert, keynote speaker, co-founder of PriceGuide.ai, and the co-founder of The Question First Group. He is the bestselling author of They Ask, You Answer: A Revolutionary Approach to Inbound Sales, Content Marketing, and Today’s Digital Consumer. His latest, Endless Customers: A Proven System to Build Trust, Drive Sales, and Become the Market Leader, is now available on Amazon.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
April 13, 2025
Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for Week of April 14, 2025
Each week, I read many customer service and customer experience articles from various resources. Here are my top five picks from last week. I have added my comments about each article and would like to hear what you think too.
Bridging Generations: How Personalization and Proactivity Shape CX by Brian Higgins
(TotalRetail) Here’s a strategy to please everyone from every generation. It starts with the two Ps: personalization and proactivity.
My Comment: Our opening article is about personalization. Not all customers are the same. Some are dramatically different. In this article, we learn from Verizon‘s CXO about how AI can help gather information about a customer to create an experience where the customer feels recognized and known.
Ask Jill! How employee feedback surveys fuel customer experience excellence by Jill Raff
(Nation’s Restaurant News) How employee surveys can help you ensure your team feels heard and empowered.
My Comment: I’ve often written, “What’s happening inside an organization is felt on the outside by the customer.” It doesn’t matter what kind of business you are in – retail, B2B, restaurants, etc. – employees can make or break the customer’s positive perception of doing business with you. While many companies survey customers to find out how they are doing, few survey their employees. That’s why, as the title of this article implies, employee feedback can fuel customer experience.
5 areas where businesses need to improve their customer experience by Mike Pastore
(MarTech) Businesses need to decrease customer effort if they want to improve the perception of their brand, and better search and AI experiences can help, according to a new report.
My Comment: Here are several reminders about important areas that all companies should pay close attention to. Done well, the customer’s impression of the company is positive. Two of the five ideas stood out to me: The website experience is often overlooked. It can be a beautiful website, but if it’s not easy for the customer to navigate, the effort to make the website look beautiful is wasted. I also want to emphasize the fourth idea, self-service expectations. Be sure you’re meeting your customers’ needs in this area. Some demand it, or they will choose to do business elsewhere.
3 Winning Brands, 3 Unique Approaches to Member Retention by Josh Liberatore
(Athletech News ) ATN breaks down how three top brands across different sectors of the industry – boutique fitness, big-box gyms and luxury lifestyle – are winning members over by creating a special and unique atmosphere.
My Comment: I love learning from different companies and industries. For example, one of the articles in this week’s roundup is about restaurants. Any business can use the ideas shared, and that is also the case with this article about the fitness industry. Here are three ways fitness centers keep their members/customers coming back. (I love the second example where Chuze Fitness, a chain with 50 locations) brings hospitality into the gym.
Back to Basics: What Is Customer Experience? by Jeannie Walters
(LinkedIn) Today, I’d like to introduce you to three tools that can help you create a foundation of Customer Experience Success.
My Comment: Let’s wrap up this week’s Top Five roundup with an article from one of my favorite CX experts, Jeannie Walters. She shares a “back to basics” article that will remind us of what CX is all about, along with some actionable ideas.
Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops. Connect with Shep on LinkedIn.
Bridging Generations: How Personalization and Proactivity Shape CX by Brian Higgins
(TotalRetail) Here’s a strategy to please everyone from every generation. It starts with the two Ps: personalization and proactivity.
My Comment: Our opening article is about personalization. Not all customers are the same. Some are dramatically different. In this article, we learn from Verizon‘s CXO about how AI can help gather information about a customer to create an experience where the customer feels recognized and known.
Ask Jill! How employee feedback surveys fuel customer experience excellence by Jill Raff
(Nation’s Restaurant News) How employee surveys can help you ensure your team feels heard and empowered.
My Comment: I’ve often written, “What’s happening inside an organization is felt on the outside by the customer.” It doesn’t matter what kind of business you are in – retail, B2B, restaurants, etc. – employees can make or break the customer’s positive perception of doing business with you. While many companies survey customers to find out how they are doing, few survey their employees. That’s why, as the title of this article implies, employee feedback can fuel customer experience.
5 areas where businesses need to improve their customer experience by Mike Pastore
(MarTech) Businesses need to decrease customer effort if they want to improve the perception of their brand, and better search and AI experiences can help, according to a new report.
My Comment: Here are several reminders about important areas that all companies should pay close attention to. Done well, the customer’s impression of the company is positive. Two of the five ideas stood out to me: The website experience is often overlooked. It can be a beautiful website, but if it’s not easy for the customer to navigate, the effort to make the website look beautiful is wasted. I also want to emphasize the fourth idea, self-service expectations. Be sure you’re meeting your customers’ needs in this area. Some demand it, or they will choose to do business elsewhere.
3 Winning Brands, 3 Unique Approaches to Member Retention by Josh Liberatore
(Athletech News ) ATN breaks down how three top brands across different sectors of the industry – boutique fitness, big-box gyms and luxury lifestyle – are winning members over by creating a special and unique atmosphere.
My Comment: I love learning from different companies and industries. For example, one of the articles in this week’s roundup is about restaurants. Any business can use the ideas shared, and that is also the case with this article about the fitness industry. Here are three ways fitness centers keep their members/customers coming back. (I love the second example where Chuze Fitness, a chain with 50 locations) brings hospitality into the gym.
Back to Basics: What Is Customer Experience? by Jeannie Walters
(LinkedIn) Today, I’d like to introduce you to three tools that can help you create a foundation of Customer Experience Success.
My Comment: Let’s wrap up this week’s Top Five roundup with an article from one of my favorite CX experts, Jeannie Walters. She shares a “back to basics” article that will remind us of what CX is all about, along with some actionable ideas.
Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops. Connect with Shep on LinkedIn.
April 9, 2025
How to Reverse Declining Customer Satisfaction
One of our subscribers asked, “How can I reverse our company’s declining customer satisfaction ratings?” Not knowing specifics about the company, its customer feedback, how long the scores have declined, and other details makes it a difficult question to answer. Still, I felt compelled to share something that could help. What I came up with is a list of three “to-dos” that any company should use to find out what’s causing a downward trend.
As I was writing down my ideas, I realized that this list could also be used to find out what is causing customer satisfaction to go up. After all, don’t you want to know why customers are happy – and then do more of the same? Think about that as you read my short list. With that in mind, we’ll focus on the question of declining customer satisfaction.
My first response was three words: Find the friction!
Often, there are specific places in the customer’s journey that cause a drop in satisfaction. I refer to those as friction points. We want to eliminate or at least mitigate them. So how do you find these places? Three ideas:
Mystery shop your company. If you want to find out what customers experience, become a customer of your own company. Find out what customers experience during busy times, how long they have to wait on hold, how long it takes for someone to respond to an email and more.
Ask your customers. Get feedback through surveys and direct communication. When you hear about a complaint, follow up directly with the customer to learn more. Don’t assume it’s a one-off situation. If it’s happening to one customer, it could happen to many.
Ask your employees . The people working the front line, which includes the customer support team, salespeople and anyone else who interacts directly with customers, hear customer comments, both good and bad. Have ongoing conversations with front liners to learn what they are hearing.
Learning what customers are experiencing firsthand and having conversations with customers and employees is far different than reading a report. There’s nothing wrong with a report, and I advocate for that as well, but why not both? And once you have the information, don’t just talk about it. Do something about it. Find where there’s friction. Learn what makes customers unhappy. Change what needs to be changed. Then, watch for a trend of declining complaints and start to reap the benefits of rising customer satisfaction.
Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops at www.Hyken.com . Connect with Shep on LinkedIn .
April 8, 2025
Serving Up Elevated Customer Experiences with Michael Cecchi-Azzolina
This episode of
Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken
answers the following questions and more:
What is hospitality mentality?
What are the differences between technical service skills and the soft service skills (the softer, people-focused side of service)?
Why is emotional connection important in business?
What lessons can businesses learn from the hospitality industry?
How can businesses identify candidates with a natural aptitude for delivering exceptional customer service?
Top Takeaways
The “hospitality mentality” is about the attitude and warmth that staff bring to their roles in serving customers. People crave acknowledgment and kindness, elevating a customer’s experience from good to amazing.
Customer service is not just about technical execution. Customers resonate with the “soft side” of service, which is all about the emotional connection that makes them feel welcome and motivates them to come back.
An emotional connection is a powerful tool in hospitality. Customers go to restaurants not just for the food but for the joy and comfort it brings them. When you understand and cater to the customer’s emotional needs, you can generate repeat business and nurture loyalty within your customer base.
Creating a great customer experience hinges on hiring the right people. Technical skills can be trained for, and experience can be earned. Look for candidates with a people-oriented mindset and a genuine passion for creating great customer experiences.
Building an amazing customer experience is all about the details. In a restaurant setting, details such as ensuring the music is just the right volume so as not to disrupt the conversation, lighting that sets the perfect mood, and friendly staff that acknowledge customers right away all contribute to the overall experience.
Kindness can be the golden rule in any industry. It’s a simple yet overlooked way to enhance customer and employee interactions and build loyalty.
Authentic leaders can transform a business. When owners or managers work alongside their staff, it elevates the whole team’s performance. It improves employee morale and connects with customers, making everyone feel appreciated and special.
Plus, Michael shares how running a restaurant is like being on a Broadway stage. Tune in!
Quotes:
“If you’ve worked in a restaurant, you can work anywhere.”
“Don’t just hire based on a resume. A resume might show experience and skill. But it takes a truly special person to understand real hospitality and connect person to person.”
“It’s all about the hospitality. People want to be acknowledged. They want to be treated kindly, connected, and remembered.”
“Be kind. Be nice. If you start with that, you’re in a winning position.”
About:
Michael Cecchi-Azzolina has nearly forty years of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry. He is the owner of Cecchi’s Bar & Grill and author of Your Table Is Ready: Tales of a New York City Maître D’.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
What is hospitality mentality?
What are the differences between technical service skills and the soft service skills (the softer, people-focused side of service)?
Why is emotional connection important in business?
What lessons can businesses learn from the hospitality industry?
How can businesses identify candidates with a natural aptitude for delivering exceptional customer service?
Top Takeaways
The “hospitality mentality” is about the attitude and warmth that staff bring to their roles in serving customers. People crave acknowledgment and kindness, elevating a customer’s experience from good to amazing.
Customer service is not just about technical execution. Customers resonate with the “soft side” of service, which is all about the emotional connection that makes them feel welcome and motivates them to come back.
An emotional connection is a powerful tool in hospitality. Customers go to restaurants not just for the food but for the joy and comfort it brings them. When you understand and cater to the customer’s emotional needs, you can generate repeat business and nurture loyalty within your customer base.
Creating a great customer experience hinges on hiring the right people. Technical skills can be trained for, and experience can be earned. Look for candidates with a people-oriented mindset and a genuine passion for creating great customer experiences.
Building an amazing customer experience is all about the details. In a restaurant setting, details such as ensuring the music is just the right volume so as not to disrupt the conversation, lighting that sets the perfect mood, and friendly staff that acknowledge customers right away all contribute to the overall experience.
Kindness can be the golden rule in any industry. It’s a simple yet overlooked way to enhance customer and employee interactions and build loyalty.
Authentic leaders can transform a business. When owners or managers work alongside their staff, it elevates the whole team’s performance. It improves employee morale and connects with customers, making everyone feel appreciated and special.
Plus, Michael shares how running a restaurant is like being on a Broadway stage. Tune in!
Quotes:
“If you’ve worked in a restaurant, you can work anywhere.”
“Don’t just hire based on a resume. A resume might show experience and skill. But it takes a truly special person to understand real hospitality and connect person to person.”
“It’s all about the hospitality. People want to be acknowledged. They want to be treated kindly, connected, and remembered.”
“Be kind. Be nice. If you start with that, you’re in a winning position.”
About:
Michael Cecchi-Azzolina has nearly forty years of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry. He is the owner of Cecchi’s Bar & Grill and author of Your Table Is Ready: Tales of a New York City Maître D’.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
April 6, 2025
Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for Week of April 7, 2025
Each week, I read many customer service and customer experience articles from various resources. Here are my top five picks from last week. I have added my comments about each article and would like to hear what you think too.
The Inside-Out Blueprint for Customer Experience by Greg Kihlstrom
(CMSWire) Medallia Experience showed how organizations win when culture, AI, and leadership all work in harmony.
My Comment: Just two weeks ago, Medallia Experience 2025 took place in Las Vegas, bringing together CX leaders and practitioners from around the world to discuss the trends, changes, and opportunities in CX. The first article in this week’s Top Five roundup features a recap of how culture, AI, and leadership work to create the best experience (for both employees and customers).
The Top Customer Service Trends and Technologies for 2025: Agentic AI Is Poised to Remake Self-Service by Phillip Britt
(Destination CRM) It’s long been known that excellent customer service is critical for companies’ bottom lines, and the numbers continue to support that. Research from The Harvard Business Review found that customers whose experiences with companies met or exceeded expectations spent 140 percent more than customers who had negative experiences. Additionally, customers with higher satisfaction levels are 74 percent more likely to still be customers a year later, compared to only 43 percent who rate their customer experiences as poor.
My Comment: We’re in April, and there are still articles about top trends for 2025. I appreciated the stats and findings shared in the article, which emphasize the importance of a good CX. Even with the help of AI, there is still much work to be done. And here’s my prediction based on these trends (and what I know about AI). The near future – in less than a year – will see great improvements in CX for the companies who are investing in the new technology and leaving legacy systems behind.
How B2B and B2C Brands Are Winning Hearts with Memory-Driven CX by Annette Franz
(MarTech) The future of CX isn’t just personalized — it’s nostalgic. Learn to use past moments to create deeper customer connections.
My Comment: “Memory-driven CX” is recognizing your customer’s past experiences. When I go to a hotel, and the front desk agent says, “Welcome back. Last time you were here, we had you in a beautiful corner room. Would you like that room again?”, they don’t actually remember me, but the computer does. As that employee looks at the screen, they share knowledge of my prior experience, which enhances this interaction. Smart brands are finding ways to leverage these memories to create experiences that get customers to say, “I’ll be back!”
Customer Journey Management for Next-Gen CX by Nayan Teja
(CX Network) A customer journey is a structured series of interactions between a business (brand) and its customer. The brand designs these interactions to improve customer satisfaction, drive sales, reduce churn or enhance brand loyalty.
My Comment: The author of this article defines the customer journey as “A structured series of interactions between a business (brand) and its customer. The brand designs these interactions to improve customer satisfaction, drive sales, reduce churn, or enhance brand loyalty.” The author then breaks down some key components of the journey and shares some additional ideas. The conclusion is that managing digital-to-physical (and vice versa) journeys is important and necessary to remain competitive and successful.
How to Address Common Customer Service Gaps by Robin Gareiss
(TechTarget) Has customer service gotten worse? Customers and businesses disagree on the answer to that question.
My Comment: This article addresses the gaps in customer service that cause customers to switch companies or brands. It doesn’t surprise me that five of these gaps include AI. Only the fifth one touches on the problems with staff not being properly trained or the need for more people to support live customer support calls or chats. There are other gaps to consider, but this list is a good way to start a conversation around what gaps you might have that push customers away.
BONUS
How Customer Attitudes to AI in Customer Service Are Changing by Robyn Coppell
(Call Centre Helper) AI is playing a growing role in customer service, with more companies integrating it into their support systems. Customers are increasingly using AI to resolve issues, and confidence in its ability to handle complex queries is rising. However, concerns remain about accuracy, and many still expect access to human support when needed.
My Comment: Our good friends at Call Centre Helper interviewed me about the findings in my 2025 customer service and CX research (available by clicking on the link). This is an excellent recap of some of the most important topics and findings in the research, including generational differences in AI, the need for human backup, and more. Here’s a great stat from the video (and the report): 61% of Gen Zs, that’s the younger generation, have successfully used AI for support versus just 32% of Baby Boomers. That’s a BIG difference! Enjoy the video!
Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops. Connect with Shep on LinkedIn.
The Inside-Out Blueprint for Customer Experience by Greg Kihlstrom
(CMSWire) Medallia Experience showed how organizations win when culture, AI, and leadership all work in harmony.
My Comment: Just two weeks ago, Medallia Experience 2025 took place in Las Vegas, bringing together CX leaders and practitioners from around the world to discuss the trends, changes, and opportunities in CX. The first article in this week’s Top Five roundup features a recap of how culture, AI, and leadership work to create the best experience (for both employees and customers).
The Top Customer Service Trends and Technologies for 2025: Agentic AI Is Poised to Remake Self-Service by Phillip Britt
(Destination CRM) It’s long been known that excellent customer service is critical for companies’ bottom lines, and the numbers continue to support that. Research from The Harvard Business Review found that customers whose experiences with companies met or exceeded expectations spent 140 percent more than customers who had negative experiences. Additionally, customers with higher satisfaction levels are 74 percent more likely to still be customers a year later, compared to only 43 percent who rate their customer experiences as poor.
My Comment: We’re in April, and there are still articles about top trends for 2025. I appreciated the stats and findings shared in the article, which emphasize the importance of a good CX. Even with the help of AI, there is still much work to be done. And here’s my prediction based on these trends (and what I know about AI). The near future – in less than a year – will see great improvements in CX for the companies who are investing in the new technology and leaving legacy systems behind.
How B2B and B2C Brands Are Winning Hearts with Memory-Driven CX by Annette Franz
(MarTech) The future of CX isn’t just personalized — it’s nostalgic. Learn to use past moments to create deeper customer connections.
My Comment: “Memory-driven CX” is recognizing your customer’s past experiences. When I go to a hotel, and the front desk agent says, “Welcome back. Last time you were here, we had you in a beautiful corner room. Would you like that room again?”, they don’t actually remember me, but the computer does. As that employee looks at the screen, they share knowledge of my prior experience, which enhances this interaction. Smart brands are finding ways to leverage these memories to create experiences that get customers to say, “I’ll be back!”
Customer Journey Management for Next-Gen CX by Nayan Teja
(CX Network) A customer journey is a structured series of interactions between a business (brand) and its customer. The brand designs these interactions to improve customer satisfaction, drive sales, reduce churn or enhance brand loyalty.
My Comment: The author of this article defines the customer journey as “A structured series of interactions between a business (brand) and its customer. The brand designs these interactions to improve customer satisfaction, drive sales, reduce churn, or enhance brand loyalty.” The author then breaks down some key components of the journey and shares some additional ideas. The conclusion is that managing digital-to-physical (and vice versa) journeys is important and necessary to remain competitive and successful.
How to Address Common Customer Service Gaps by Robin Gareiss
(TechTarget) Has customer service gotten worse? Customers and businesses disagree on the answer to that question.
My Comment: This article addresses the gaps in customer service that cause customers to switch companies or brands. It doesn’t surprise me that five of these gaps include AI. Only the fifth one touches on the problems with staff not being properly trained or the need for more people to support live customer support calls or chats. There are other gaps to consider, but this list is a good way to start a conversation around what gaps you might have that push customers away.
BONUS
How Customer Attitudes to AI in Customer Service Are Changing by Robyn Coppell
(Call Centre Helper) AI is playing a growing role in customer service, with more companies integrating it into their support systems. Customers are increasingly using AI to resolve issues, and confidence in its ability to handle complex queries is rising. However, concerns remain about accuracy, and many still expect access to human support when needed.
My Comment: Our good friends at Call Centre Helper interviewed me about the findings in my 2025 customer service and CX research (available by clicking on the link). This is an excellent recap of some of the most important topics and findings in the research, including generational differences in AI, the need for human backup, and more. Here’s a great stat from the video (and the report): 61% of Gen Zs, that’s the younger generation, have successfully used AI for support versus just 32% of Baby Boomers. That’s a BIG difference! Enjoy the video!
Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops. Connect with Shep on LinkedIn.
April 1, 2025
Your Call Is Very Important to Us
Recently, I wrote an article about the
customer service farce
. One of several examples I shared was the line we often hear when calling customer support: “Your call is very important to us.” When we hear it, we hope it’s true. We hope it means that the company is going to respect our time, that someone will pick up the call quickly (versus being put on hold for an unreasonable amount of time), and that the agent we talk to will have the knowledge and skills to answer our question or resolve our complaint, and we’ll not have to repeat our story again and again.In our most recent customer service and CX research, we asked a number of questions about contact centers that convey the message, “Your call is very important to us.” The answers will make you smile – maybe even laugh. I’ve shared some of these findings from surveys from the previous year. Here are the latest with a couple of new ones.
Cleaning the Toilet: Nearly four out of 10 customers (39%) say they would rather clean a toilet than call customer support. (That’s gross!)
A Root Canal Is Better Than This: A third of U.S. customers (34%) would rather visit the dentist than call customer support. (That’s painful!)
Dinner with In-Laws: Half of the customers (53%) say they would rather have dinner with their in-laws than call customer support. (That could be painful, too!)
Glossophobia (The Fear of Public Speaking): Even though speaking in public is one of the greatest fears, often ahead of death, one in four customers (26%) would rather speak in front of an audience of 1,000 than call customer support. (Yikes, that’s scary!)
But seriously … as humorous as some of these findings are, there’s some truth behind them. Consider a few more findings from this year’s report:
Half of U.S. customers (51%) say that when they call customer support with a question or to resolve a problem, the company does not value their time.
And speaking of respecting time, over half of the customers we surveyed (55%) say they stopped doing business with a company or brand because it kept them on hold for too long.
Six out of 10 customers (63%) say they have stopped doing business with a company because of the inability to connect with someone from customer support.
It sounds like I’m being negative, but the reality is that this information gives me hope – for the companies that get it right. The more serious findings mean that more than half of customers are ripe to switch companies, and if you’re doing it right, they are hopefully going to switch to you.
Whether your company has just a few dedicated employees to support your customers or a large contact center, this information and the opportunities we take from it are applicable to you. Your customers deserve attention and respect. Don’t make them feel as if their call is NOT very important to you!
Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops at www.Hyken.com . Connect with Shep on LinkedIn .
