Shep Hyken's Blog, page 13
February 12, 2025
Six Game-Changing AI Customer Service and CX Strategies
AI is reshaping customer service and customer experience faster than we could ever imagine. But some are getting it wrong. While everyone’s racing to implement AI, many are missing the most important part – keeping the human element alive. Smart companies have found the balance between the human touch and the digital experience. One of my favorite AI and marketing experts is Ford Saeks, who recently released his latest book, AI Mindshift: Unleash the Power of AI, Avoid the Pitfalls, and Keep the Human Experience . The book is filled with practical strategies and tactics to help organizations leverage AI while maintaining the personal touch. The book isn’t about which specific AI tools to use. Many of those will be obsolete in a very short time. It’s about how to think about AI, hence the title, AI Mindshift. With that in mind, here are some of my top takeaways from the book:
The Human-AI Balance Is Essential: This is the book’s central theme. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking AI can replace your customer service team. Instead, let AI handle the routine questions and problems while keeping your people focused on what they do best – building relationships and handling more complicated issues. This creates efficiency without sacrificing the personal touch customers value.
Speed Matters: Your customers want answers now, not later. AI can deliver immediate first responses through chatbots, but here’s the key – make sure your customers can seamlessly transition to a human agent when needed. I refer to this as Time to Happiness – how quickly you can move a customer from frustrated to satisfied. The faster, the better.
Feedback Is Your Friend: Create processes to continuously gather both customer and employee feedback about AI interactions. Consistently use this data to refine and improve your AI systems. If customers are frustrated with certain AI responses, fix them quickly. Otherwise, your faulty systems may frustrate your customers and drive them to the competition.
Practice “Ethical AI” in Customer Service : Saeks emphasizes two big areas: transparency about when customers interact with AI versus humans and making sure your AI technology protects your customers’ privacy and data.
Proactive Support: If you want to impress your customers, identify issues or problems before the customer finds them. Then, tell them you did. AI can help identify these issues.
Think Big, but Start Small : Begin AI implementation with specific, manageable customer service tasks rather than trying to overhaul everything at once. For example, start with AI handling basic FAQs, then gradually expand to more complex customer interactions as you learn what works. Remember the old saying, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”
The bottom line is this: AI isn’t about replacing your customer service team. It’s about making them more amazing at what they do. Saeks’ book reminds us that the future of customer service and CX isn’t about choosing between AI and humans. It’s about combining both to create experiences that get your customers to say, “I’ll be back!”
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 .
February 10, 2025
Making Your Company AI-Ready with Simon Kriss
This episode of
Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken
answers the following questions and more:
How can AI simplify the process of delivering a seamless customer experience?
How can AI enhance customer service while balancing technology and human interaction?
What is the impact of AI on customer service jobs?
How can customer support roles evolve with AI?
How can companies ensure their data is ready and accessible for AI to enhance customer experience?
Top Takeaways
AI is revolutionizing the customer experience by automating processes to make them faster, cheaper, and more efficient. By integrating AI into customer support, companies can meet their customers’ needs while simultaneously reducing operational costs.
The key is to use AI without losing the human touch. Customers still appreciate human interactions, but they also want convenience. AI can support this by handling routine tasks, allowing human agents to focus on more complex and meaningful interactions.
When starting with AI, building a tolerance for failure is important. Think of AI as an employee working on your business and realize that if you don’t train them properly (making sure AI can access your knowledge base, practicing writing clear and correct prompts, etc.), they will not deliver what you want.
As AI continues to evolve, it will change how customers interact with brands. In the future, individuals might rely more on AI to make decisions for them, like choosing which brands to do business with. Companies need to ensure their data is accessible and optimized for AI to keep up with customer expectations.
Will AI cause people to lose their jobs? Every new technology causes job loss. But, it is less about job elimination and more about job transformation. Many roles currently held by human employees that deal with simple, repetitive tasks can now be automated with AI. These changes can open new roles and opportunities, such as employees shifting to monitoring AI systems or developing AI-driven solutions.
AI can offer deeper insights into customer preferences and behaviors. By analyzing past interactions, it can predict what kind of service or products a customer might need next. This can enhance customer experience by helping companies anticipate customer needs.
Plus, Shep and Simon explore how AI continues to shape customers’ daily lives and how companies can leverage it to their advantage. Tune in!
Quotes:
“When it comes to customer service and experience, leaders need to think about how they can explore AI. What new things can they do? What new services can they offer? If you had a magic wand, what would you want to do for your customers that you can’t do today? And, how can AI enable that?”
“Your customers can now know more about your company than you do by using AI to scrape your website and documentation. If customers can self-serve like that using AI, when they come to you, they are expecting you to be just as smart.”
“Those that lean into AI earlier are the ones that are really going to win because they are going to be the AI leaders.”
“Get in, get your hands dirty, start playing with AI if you haven’t before, and build a tolerance for failure. This is a very new tech, and don’t expect that the first time you write a prompt or try to do something, it will work out exactly how you thought it would.”
About:
Simon Kriss is the Chief AI Officer at simonkriss.ai. He is a keynote speaker, author of The AI Empowered Customer Experience, The AI Empowered Customer Experience, podcast host, and one of CX Network’s top 50 customer experience influencers to follow in 2024.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
How can AI simplify the process of delivering a seamless customer experience?
How can AI enhance customer service while balancing technology and human interaction?
What is the impact of AI on customer service jobs?
How can customer support roles evolve with AI?
How can companies ensure their data is ready and accessible for AI to enhance customer experience?
Top Takeaways
AI is revolutionizing the customer experience by automating processes to make them faster, cheaper, and more efficient. By integrating AI into customer support, companies can meet their customers’ needs while simultaneously reducing operational costs.
The key is to use AI without losing the human touch. Customers still appreciate human interactions, but they also want convenience. AI can support this by handling routine tasks, allowing human agents to focus on more complex and meaningful interactions.
When starting with AI, building a tolerance for failure is important. Think of AI as an employee working on your business and realize that if you don’t train them properly (making sure AI can access your knowledge base, practicing writing clear and correct prompts, etc.), they will not deliver what you want.
As AI continues to evolve, it will change how customers interact with brands. In the future, individuals might rely more on AI to make decisions for them, like choosing which brands to do business with. Companies need to ensure their data is accessible and optimized for AI to keep up with customer expectations.
Will AI cause people to lose their jobs? Every new technology causes job loss. But, it is less about job elimination and more about job transformation. Many roles currently held by human employees that deal with simple, repetitive tasks can now be automated with AI. These changes can open new roles and opportunities, such as employees shifting to monitoring AI systems or developing AI-driven solutions.
AI can offer deeper insights into customer preferences and behaviors. By analyzing past interactions, it can predict what kind of service or products a customer might need next. This can enhance customer experience by helping companies anticipate customer needs.
Plus, Shep and Simon explore how AI continues to shape customers’ daily lives and how companies can leverage it to their advantage. Tune in!
Quotes:
“When it comes to customer service and experience, leaders need to think about how they can explore AI. What new things can they do? What new services can they offer? If you had a magic wand, what would you want to do for your customers that you can’t do today? And, how can AI enable that?”
“Your customers can now know more about your company than you do by using AI to scrape your website and documentation. If customers can self-serve like that using AI, when they come to you, they are expecting you to be just as smart.”
“Those that lean into AI earlier are the ones that are really going to win because they are going to be the AI leaders.”
“Get in, get your hands dirty, start playing with AI if you haven’t before, and build a tolerance for failure. This is a very new tech, and don’t expect that the first time you write a prompt or try to do something, it will work out exactly how you thought it would.”
About:
Simon Kriss is the Chief AI Officer at simonkriss.ai. He is a keynote speaker, author of The AI Empowered Customer Experience, The AI Empowered Customer Experience, podcast host, and one of CX Network’s top 50 customer experience influencers to follow in 2024.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
February 9, 2025
Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for Week of February 10, 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.
5 Touchdowns: How the NFL Is Winning over Fans by Francesca Di Meglio
(CX Network) By leveraging data analytics and offering personalized experiences, football is growing exponentially.
My Comment: We kick off this week’s Top Five roundup with a nod to yesterday’s biggest sporting event in the US, the Super Bowl. This article focuses on how the NFL (National Football League for those outside the US) continues to work on the customer/fan experience. You don’t have to own a football (or any other sports) team to take advantage of these ideas. And if you like this article, be sure to click on the links at the bottom of the article that include further insights into how sports teams and events around the world are meeting and exceeding their fans’ expectations.
Fresh Ideas to Spark Customer Engagement by Dan Pratt
(Call Centre Helper) Customer engagement is critical to maintaining a loyal customer base, but achieving this consistently is a challenge! So how do you keep things fresh and interesting?
My Comment: Our friends at CallCentre Helper have once again assembled a group of experts to talk about relevant customer service and CX topics, and this time, the focus is on ways to keep customer engagement fresh and interesting. I’ve always said that achieving excellence in service and CX is a journey without a destination. Over the years, CX has evolved with new ideas, enhancements, and technology that drive a better experience and engagement. This article includes 15 ideas from nine industry experts.
15 Customer Experience Predictions for 2025 by Adrian Swinscoe
(CustomerThink) This year, 208 different leaders in the service and experience space submitted 396 different predictions, which represents a nearly 50% growth in both the number of people who have participated in the process and the number of predictions they have submitted compared to last year’s predictions.
My Comment: Andrian Swinscoe is a fellow CX expert from the UK. He surveyed 208 leaders in the service and CX space, asking them to share their predictions. He received 396! (Some obviously shared more than one!) It must have been a tough job to narrow them all down to the 15 he included in this article. Perhaps he will do a “Part Two” or follow-up article later this year.
10 Customer Experience Leaders Share Their Most Valuable Lessons by Floyd March
(CX Today) When leaders share best practices and learn from one another, customer experiences improve. In this spirit, CX Today’s All-Star initiative was born. Today’s All-Star line-up is stacked with industry leaders who have seen it all: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Recalling these experiences, 10 leaders put forward their most treasured lessons, which have held them in good stead as their careers have progressed.
My Comment: Here’s another compilation of information from ten CX leaders. This time, we get lessons from leaders from all types of businesses and industries. These are short, pithy lessons that will make us think and hopefully take action. Number three is my favorite: Invest in CX, and Brand Loyalty will pay you back. Yes, repeat business and loyalty (and more good results) can come from investing in the customer experience.
Starbucks and the Future of Customer Loyalty by Bill Hanifin
(The Wise Marketer) Starbucks went on to report declines in guest traffic across all channels and day parts, with the most pronounced decline in the afternoon day part. A decline in non-Starbucks rewards member visits was highlighted as frequency also slowed across all Starbucks Rewards member deciles in comparison to the prior year.
My Comment: We wrap up this week’s roundup with insights from Starbucks. Brian Niccol is the new Chairman and CEO of Starbucks. He’s got a background with major brands that could positively impact the brand, which has had its share of problems in the past few years. What caught my eye was that Niccol may pull back from the Starbucks rewards program to focus on operational efficiency and the in-store experience. The perks of the rewards are one thing, but the way to get customers back is to give them the best experience possible.
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.
5 Touchdowns: How the NFL Is Winning over Fans by Francesca Di Meglio
(CX Network) By leveraging data analytics and offering personalized experiences, football is growing exponentially.
My Comment: We kick off this week’s Top Five roundup with a nod to yesterday’s biggest sporting event in the US, the Super Bowl. This article focuses on how the NFL (National Football League for those outside the US) continues to work on the customer/fan experience. You don’t have to own a football (or any other sports) team to take advantage of these ideas. And if you like this article, be sure to click on the links at the bottom of the article that include further insights into how sports teams and events around the world are meeting and exceeding their fans’ expectations.
Fresh Ideas to Spark Customer Engagement by Dan Pratt
(Call Centre Helper) Customer engagement is critical to maintaining a loyal customer base, but achieving this consistently is a challenge! So how do you keep things fresh and interesting?
My Comment: Our friends at CallCentre Helper have once again assembled a group of experts to talk about relevant customer service and CX topics, and this time, the focus is on ways to keep customer engagement fresh and interesting. I’ve always said that achieving excellence in service and CX is a journey without a destination. Over the years, CX has evolved with new ideas, enhancements, and technology that drive a better experience and engagement. This article includes 15 ideas from nine industry experts.
15 Customer Experience Predictions for 2025 by Adrian Swinscoe
(CustomerThink) This year, 208 different leaders in the service and experience space submitted 396 different predictions, which represents a nearly 50% growth in both the number of people who have participated in the process and the number of predictions they have submitted compared to last year’s predictions.
My Comment: Andrian Swinscoe is a fellow CX expert from the UK. He surveyed 208 leaders in the service and CX space, asking them to share their predictions. He received 396! (Some obviously shared more than one!) It must have been a tough job to narrow them all down to the 15 he included in this article. Perhaps he will do a “Part Two” or follow-up article later this year.
10 Customer Experience Leaders Share Their Most Valuable Lessons by Floyd March
(CX Today) When leaders share best practices and learn from one another, customer experiences improve. In this spirit, CX Today’s All-Star initiative was born. Today’s All-Star line-up is stacked with industry leaders who have seen it all: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Recalling these experiences, 10 leaders put forward their most treasured lessons, which have held them in good stead as their careers have progressed.
My Comment: Here’s another compilation of information from ten CX leaders. This time, we get lessons from leaders from all types of businesses and industries. These are short, pithy lessons that will make us think and hopefully take action. Number three is my favorite: Invest in CX, and Brand Loyalty will pay you back. Yes, repeat business and loyalty (and more good results) can come from investing in the customer experience.
Starbucks and the Future of Customer Loyalty by Bill Hanifin
(The Wise Marketer) Starbucks went on to report declines in guest traffic across all channels and day parts, with the most pronounced decline in the afternoon day part. A decline in non-Starbucks rewards member visits was highlighted as frequency also slowed across all Starbucks Rewards member deciles in comparison to the prior year.
My Comment: We wrap up this week’s roundup with insights from Starbucks. Brian Niccol is the new Chairman and CEO of Starbucks. He’s got a background with major brands that could positively impact the brand, which has had its share of problems in the past few years. What caught my eye was that Niccol may pull back from the Starbucks rewards program to focus on operational efficiency and the in-store experience. The perks of the rewards are one thing, but the way to get customers back is to give them the best experience possible.
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.
February 4, 2025
Don’t Wait to Get Feedback Until After the Experience Is Over
.
I love talking to other CX experts, especially when they are “in the trenches,” working for companies and organizations that practice what they preach. I recently talked with one of those experts, Gabriel Masili of Granicus, a company that provides government agencies worldwide with technology and support that creates a better citizen experience. Not only does Granicus create a good CX for its customers, but it also helps its customers create a great experience for their customers. G, as he likes to be called, shared a great idea in our recent interview on Amazing Business Radio. He talked about collecting feedback during the experience in addition to asking for it after the experience.
Asking for Feedback during the Process
If this topic sounds familiar, it might be because I covered the concept of real-time feedback after interviewing Adam Alfia, whose company is called Realtime Feedback. G’s take on the concept is a little different, especially as it relates to the government’s efforts to create a better experience.
In our interview, G mentioned that asking for feedback during the process is a way to capture the customer’s general sentiment about the experience they are having. For example, if there is a digital process you’re taking the customer through, you might ask, “Do you understand what we’ve shared so far?” A simple option of yes or no will give you insight. If everyone answers “Yes,” you know you have a good process. If many customers answer “No,” you now recognize there is an opportunity to improve. But what if just a few people answer, “No”? That is when you escalate the customer to someone who can help in real time. In G’s words, “You extract the customer from the experience” and help them at that moment rather than force them to go through a process that, for them, could be confusing, cumbersome, or just not pleasant.
“In the Moment” Feedback
This reminded me of an experience I am having more and more after checking into a hotel. About five or ten minutes after I’m in my room, the phone rings. It’s the person at the front desk checking with me to make sure the room is as expected. If it’s not, this “in the moment” feedback will fix any problems long before my experience is over.
The simplest example I can think of happens at a restaurant when the server comes back to our table a few minutes after the food was brought to us. He asked if everything was cooked to our satisfaction. If not, the entrée can be taken back to the kitchen. The alternative is to wait until the meal is over to find out about any problems, and by then, it’s too late.
The point is that there is a right time – even a better time – to ask for feedback, and sometimes, it is in the middle of the experience, not at the end. So here’s your homework. Sit down with your team and brainstorm how you can get feedback during the experience, not just after it. It may or may not be something you can do in your organization, but it is a conversation that is definitely worth having.
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 .
I love talking to other CX experts, especially when they are “in the trenches,” working for companies and organizations that practice what they preach. I recently talked with one of those experts, Gabriel Masili of Granicus, a company that provides government agencies worldwide with technology and support that creates a better citizen experience. Not only does Granicus create a good CX for its customers, but it also helps its customers create a great experience for their customers. G, as he likes to be called, shared a great idea in our recent interview on Amazing Business Radio. He talked about collecting feedback during the experience in addition to asking for it after the experience. Asking for Feedback during the Process
If this topic sounds familiar, it might be because I covered the concept of real-time feedback after interviewing Adam Alfia, whose company is called Realtime Feedback. G’s take on the concept is a little different, especially as it relates to the government’s efforts to create a better experience.
In our interview, G mentioned that asking for feedback during the process is a way to capture the customer’s general sentiment about the experience they are having. For example, if there is a digital process you’re taking the customer through, you might ask, “Do you understand what we’ve shared so far?” A simple option of yes or no will give you insight. If everyone answers “Yes,” you know you have a good process. If many customers answer “No,” you now recognize there is an opportunity to improve. But what if just a few people answer, “No”? That is when you escalate the customer to someone who can help in real time. In G’s words, “You extract the customer from the experience” and help them at that moment rather than force them to go through a process that, for them, could be confusing, cumbersome, or just not pleasant.
“In the Moment” Feedback
This reminded me of an experience I am having more and more after checking into a hotel. About five or ten minutes after I’m in my room, the phone rings. It’s the person at the front desk checking with me to make sure the room is as expected. If it’s not, this “in the moment” feedback will fix any problems long before my experience is over.
The simplest example I can think of happens at a restaurant when the server comes back to our table a few minutes after the food was brought to us. He asked if everything was cooked to our satisfaction. If not, the entrée can be taken back to the kitchen. The alternative is to wait until the meal is over to find out about any problems, and by then, it’s too late.
The point is that there is a right time – even a better time – to ask for feedback, and sometimes, it is in the middle of the experience, not at the end. So here’s your homework. Sit down with your team and brainstorm how you can get feedback during the experience, not just after it. It may or may not be something you can do in your organization, but it is a conversation that is definitely worth having.
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 .
February 3, 2025
Transforming Ordinary Businesses Through Extraordinary Experiences with Vance Morris
This episode of
Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken
answers the following questions and more:
What Disney customer experience principles can be applied to enhance customer service in other industries?
How can businesses create an emotional connection with customers?
How can businesses use unique customer experiences to stand out in a competitive market?
What role does employee interaction play in creating memorable customer experiences?
How does a business enhance customer loyalty without relying on points or discount programs?
Top Takeaways
People remember how they feel when engaging with a brand, which means creating unique and memorable experiences can truly set a business apart from the competition.
Customers are willing to pay more for excellent service. An elevated customer experience often allows companies to charge a premium price and cultivate a loyal customer base.
Building emotional connections with customers is more powerful than relying solely on points and perks in loyalty programs. When customers can relate to and feel an emotional bond with the brand or its employees (it takes only one), it creates loyalty. Sharing personal stories that resonate with customers and supporting social causes that are important to them makes customers love doing business with a company.
The points and perks are incentives for customers to do business with a company, but they shouldn’t be the only reason. If the customer experience isn’t great, you will lose your customers as soon as a competitor comes up with a similar program or something better.
Retaining existing customers is significantly more cost-effective than acquiring new ones. Loyal customers who have had positive experiences are more likely to make repeat purchases, spend more over time, and recommend a brand to others.
Plus, Vance shares examples of fundamental business transformation through amazing customer experience. Tune in!
Quotes:
“Customer service begins before the sale. It begins with marketing, preparation, and training. It begins with the first interaction your company has with your customers.”
“Customer experience is the only differentiator in a world of sameness.”
“Loyalty happens when an emotional connection between the employees and the customer is created. If you can create an emotional connection with your customers, they give you a lot of latitude. If you do screw up, they are more forgiving. And, they stick with you longer.”
“It’s not the customer’s job to remember us. It is our job to remind our customers that we exist and why.”
“Nobody wants to be sold to. If the only time you ever hear from a company is when they want to sell you something, that’s not a relationship.”
About:
Vance Morris helps businesses successfully apply Disney’s principles to create memorable experiences. He is also a keynote speaker and the author of Systematic Magic: 7 Magic Keys to Disnify Any Business: How to Out Serve, Out Price & Out Market Your Competition in Any Economy.
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 Disney customer experience principles can be applied to enhance customer service in other industries?
How can businesses create an emotional connection with customers?
How can businesses use unique customer experiences to stand out in a competitive market?
What role does employee interaction play in creating memorable customer experiences?
How does a business enhance customer loyalty without relying on points or discount programs?
Top Takeaways
People remember how they feel when engaging with a brand, which means creating unique and memorable experiences can truly set a business apart from the competition.
Customers are willing to pay more for excellent service. An elevated customer experience often allows companies to charge a premium price and cultivate a loyal customer base.
Building emotional connections with customers is more powerful than relying solely on points and perks in loyalty programs. When customers can relate to and feel an emotional bond with the brand or its employees (it takes only one), it creates loyalty. Sharing personal stories that resonate with customers and supporting social causes that are important to them makes customers love doing business with a company.
The points and perks are incentives for customers to do business with a company, but they shouldn’t be the only reason. If the customer experience isn’t great, you will lose your customers as soon as a competitor comes up with a similar program or something better.
Retaining existing customers is significantly more cost-effective than acquiring new ones. Loyal customers who have had positive experiences are more likely to make repeat purchases, spend more over time, and recommend a brand to others.
Plus, Vance shares examples of fundamental business transformation through amazing customer experience. Tune in!
Quotes:
“Customer service begins before the sale. It begins with marketing, preparation, and training. It begins with the first interaction your company has with your customers.”
“Customer experience is the only differentiator in a world of sameness.”
“Loyalty happens when an emotional connection between the employees and the customer is created. If you can create an emotional connection with your customers, they give you a lot of latitude. If you do screw up, they are more forgiving. And, they stick with you longer.”
“It’s not the customer’s job to remember us. It is our job to remind our customers that we exist and why.”
“Nobody wants to be sold to. If the only time you ever hear from a company is when they want to sell you something, that’s not a relationship.”
About:
Vance Morris helps businesses successfully apply Disney’s principles to create memorable experiences. He is also a keynote speaker and the author of Systematic Magic: 7 Magic Keys to Disnify Any Business: How to Out Serve, Out Price & Out Market Your Competition in Any Economy.
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 February 3, 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.
Employee Detachment Threatens Customer Satisfaction by Andy Kemp
(Gallup) Employees are feeling increasingly disconnected and disenchanted with their employers, and amid the Great Detachment, their connection to the mission and purpose of their organization continues to erode.
My Comment: I’ve said this many times before: What happens on the inside of an organization is felt on the outside by the customer. This article covers employees who are losing (or never had) pride in the companies they work for – specifically the pride in the quality and services they sell. (Last year I wrote an article about The Employee Hierarchy of Needs , and at the top of the pyramid is fulfillment.) How can you expect employees to be excited and fulfilled about working and engaging properly with customers if they are “detached,” which is how this problem is described? It’s imperative for companies to keep employees motivated and proud of the company they work for.
The 2025 Customer Service Transformation Report by Intercom
(Intercom) For years, we’ve tracked gradual changes – staffing struggles, rising customer expectations, the shift to digital-first. But AI has turned customer service upside down, forcing every team to rethink how they operate, scale, and deliver.
My Comment: I have the honor of working with Intercom, and they just released the 2025 Customer Transformation Report. This report is an overview of what’s happening in the customer service world and all the changes taking place because of AI. You’ll have to download the report, but it’s well worth taking a moment to do so. The insights shared are… dare I say it… “transformative.”
Are Your Cx Metrics Hurting Your Customer Experience? by Raj Sivasubramanian
(MarTech) Setting performance goals against CX metrics like NPS, CSAT or CES can backfire, demotivate employees and harm customer experiences.
My Comment: Using the right metrics can make a difference in understanding the opportunities, dangers, weaknesses, and more about your CX. The question I’m often asked is, “Which metrics are best?” It’s not which is best. Many are “best” based on how you use them. The key is to not use them for the wrong reasons. This article points out the problems that are associated with using the metrics the wrong way. The result can be a demotivated team and lower customer satisfaction scores.
61% of CX Practitioners Agree: Governments Should Mandate the Right to Speak to a Human In Customer Service by Floyd March
(CX Today) The study comes as the US Government strives to enforce “single button” human customer service
My Comment: This is an interesting article about governments requiring companies and brands to make it easier to connect to a live agent for support. Some companies make it easy to buy from them but make it hard – with lots of friction – to get help. It’s intriguing that the government wants to push this type of legislation. In the end, however, the customer will let the company know. If customers can’t get the support they need from one company, they may leave and try a different company hoping for a better result.
7 Signs Your Loyalty Program Needs a Redesign by Cassie Preston
(Retail Dive) In a fast-paced world where shopper behaviors evolve rapidly, loyalty programs must adapt to stay effective. A “set it and forget it” approach won’t engage today’s consumers. Regular reviews and updates are essential. Here are seven signs your loyalty program may need a redesign.
My Comment: Does my customer love my loyalty program… or not? Here are seven reasons why a loyalty program might fail. If you have a loyalty program and are experiencing any of these “symptoms,” it may be time to take a close look at how effective the program is.
BONUS
“What Twenty Years Is Worth To My Company”: 30 Of The Most Insulting Work Bonuses (New Pics) by Robyn Smith, Aurelija Rakauskaitė and Ieva Pečiulytė
(Bored Panda) People have been sharing the most ridiculous company bonuses, gifts and perks, and some are so strange they’re insulting: a rock, an empty tin, a handful of sweets. These are just a few of the random rewards that employees were expected to be grateful for.
My Comment: Appreciating customers and employees with gifts and cards can go a long way when doing it right. I was interviewed by Bored Panda about this topic, and the emphasis of their article turned to employee bonuses, gifts, and perks. I had a few ideas to share. When the article mentions that I completed an advanced masterclass in corporate gift giving, I was referring to what my late friend, John Ruhlin, taught me. There are plenty of bad examples of what companies have done for employees – may of which will make you laugh out loud.
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.
Employee Detachment Threatens Customer Satisfaction by Andy Kemp
(Gallup) Employees are feeling increasingly disconnected and disenchanted with their employers, and amid the Great Detachment, their connection to the mission and purpose of their organization continues to erode.
My Comment: I’ve said this many times before: What happens on the inside of an organization is felt on the outside by the customer. This article covers employees who are losing (or never had) pride in the companies they work for – specifically the pride in the quality and services they sell. (Last year I wrote an article about The Employee Hierarchy of Needs , and at the top of the pyramid is fulfillment.) How can you expect employees to be excited and fulfilled about working and engaging properly with customers if they are “detached,” which is how this problem is described? It’s imperative for companies to keep employees motivated and proud of the company they work for.
The 2025 Customer Service Transformation Report by Intercom
(Intercom) For years, we’ve tracked gradual changes – staffing struggles, rising customer expectations, the shift to digital-first. But AI has turned customer service upside down, forcing every team to rethink how they operate, scale, and deliver.
My Comment: I have the honor of working with Intercom, and they just released the 2025 Customer Transformation Report. This report is an overview of what’s happening in the customer service world and all the changes taking place because of AI. You’ll have to download the report, but it’s well worth taking a moment to do so. The insights shared are… dare I say it… “transformative.”
Are Your Cx Metrics Hurting Your Customer Experience? by Raj Sivasubramanian
(MarTech) Setting performance goals against CX metrics like NPS, CSAT or CES can backfire, demotivate employees and harm customer experiences.
My Comment: Using the right metrics can make a difference in understanding the opportunities, dangers, weaknesses, and more about your CX. The question I’m often asked is, “Which metrics are best?” It’s not which is best. Many are “best” based on how you use them. The key is to not use them for the wrong reasons. This article points out the problems that are associated with using the metrics the wrong way. The result can be a demotivated team and lower customer satisfaction scores.
61% of CX Practitioners Agree: Governments Should Mandate the Right to Speak to a Human In Customer Service by Floyd March
(CX Today) The study comes as the US Government strives to enforce “single button” human customer service
My Comment: This is an interesting article about governments requiring companies and brands to make it easier to connect to a live agent for support. Some companies make it easy to buy from them but make it hard – with lots of friction – to get help. It’s intriguing that the government wants to push this type of legislation. In the end, however, the customer will let the company know. If customers can’t get the support they need from one company, they may leave and try a different company hoping for a better result.
7 Signs Your Loyalty Program Needs a Redesign by Cassie Preston
(Retail Dive) In a fast-paced world where shopper behaviors evolve rapidly, loyalty programs must adapt to stay effective. A “set it and forget it” approach won’t engage today’s consumers. Regular reviews and updates are essential. Here are seven signs your loyalty program may need a redesign.
My Comment: Does my customer love my loyalty program… or not? Here are seven reasons why a loyalty program might fail. If you have a loyalty program and are experiencing any of these “symptoms,” it may be time to take a close look at how effective the program is.
BONUS
“What Twenty Years Is Worth To My Company”: 30 Of The Most Insulting Work Bonuses (New Pics) by Robyn Smith, Aurelija Rakauskaitė and Ieva Pečiulytė
(Bored Panda) People have been sharing the most ridiculous company bonuses, gifts and perks, and some are so strange they’re insulting: a rock, an empty tin, a handful of sweets. These are just a few of the random rewards that employees were expected to be grateful for.
My Comment: Appreciating customers and employees with gifts and cards can go a long way when doing it right. I was interviewed by Bored Panda about this topic, and the emphasis of their article turned to employee bonuses, gifts, and perks. I had a few ideas to share. When the article mentions that I completed an advanced masterclass in corporate gift giving, I was referring to what my late friend, John Ruhlin, taught me. There are plenty of bad examples of what companies have done for employees – may of which will make you laugh out loud.
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.
January 28, 2025
Don’t Make a Mythstake: Ten Business Myths You Can’t Believe
Some very popular business sayings are potentially detrimental to your organization. I recently wrote an article in my weekly Forbes.com column titled
The Five Business Myths You Can’t Believe
. It met with plenty of positive feedback, so I’m going to share those five myths with you, plus five more. I’ve written full articles about some of these topics in the past. I now share this compilation of 10 popular business myths. Don’t make the mythstake of believing them! A Repeat Customer Is a Loyal Customer: No, they are just a repeat customer. You must understand why they keep coming back. Maybe your location is more convenient. Maybe you have a lower price. As soon as a competitor has a better location or a lower price, don’t be surprised to see the “loyal” customer disappear.
We Want Satisfied Customers: Our annual customer service research found that one in four (23%) don’t return to a business that just satisfies them. Satisfactory is average. We need to be better than that.
Only the Front Line Needs Customer Service Training: Everybody in an organization is responsible for their role in customer service. If they aren’t dealing directly with customers, they are supporting someone who is, or they are part of the process that impacts the overall service and experience.
Customer Loyalty Programs Create Loyal Customers: Loyalty programs are usually about points, perks and discounts. In reality, they are marketing programs that do a great job of bringing customers back. We love repeat customers, but don’t get caught believing your repeat customers are truly loyal.
All Customers Should Be Treated the Same: All customers must be treated with similar levels of respect. However, today’s customers want a personalized experience. That means an individualized experience.
Technology Can Replace Human Interaction : Companies have tried, and it doesn’t work. Even Amazon has live customer support. I stand by something I said years ago: “The greatest technology in the world can’t replace the ultimate relationship-building tool between a customer and a business: the human touch.”
A Quality Product Will Ensure Success: It helps, but it’s not a guarantee. Studies have proven that even if you have the best product but treat the customer poorly, they will find another place to buy what you sell, even if the product is not quite as good. And the opposite is true. The best service won’t get your customers to come back if the product doesn’t do what it is supposed to do. It takes the combination of a quality product and quality service.
Customer Training Is a One-Time Event: Many companies include a customer service training module in their onboarding. That’s a great start, but it needs to be sustainable. I like to say, “Customer service training isn’t something you did. It’s something you do.” Ongoing training and/or reminders are the key to a successful customer-focused culture.
Customer Service Is What Happens When Customer Experience Fails : Customer service is not a department. It’s a philosophy to be embraced by everyone in the company. However, customer support is a department. Don’t confuse the two. One is about your culture. The other is about handling complaints and helping customers with their problems or questions.
The Customer Is Always Right: We’ll end with my favorite. No, the customer is NOT always right, but they are always the customer. So, if they are wrong, let them be wrong with dignity and respect!
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 .
Building Better Loyalty Programs Through Great Customer Experience with Aleksander Kaczmarek
This episode of
Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken
answers the following questions and more:
What role do loyalty programs play in enhancing customer engagement?
How can companies leverage loyalty programs to generate additional revenue?
Can loyalty programs drive repeat business without sacrificing the quality of customer experience?
How can technology help create a seamless customer experience within a loyalty program?
How can companies motivate inactive loyalty program members to become more engaged participants?
Top Takeaways
There is a difference between loyalty and repeat business. Loyalty programs, including points and rewards, are designed to encourage repeat business. Combined with a great experience, they create an emotional connection that leads to true loyalty.
If a company provides poor experiences, no loyalty program can retain its customers. If a company provides an amazing experience, a well-designed loyalty program can enhance it and inspire true customer loyalty.
Technology has transformed loyalty programs by creating a more seamless and personalized experience. Brands can now integrate perks and incentives directly into their primary products and services using apps and digital platforms.
In the US, a typical consumer might be a member of around 15 loyalty programs. However, what truly matters is the customers’ active participation in these loyalty programs, which is crucial to its success. Creating perks that resonate with customers and consistently provide value makes customers use the loyalty programs.
Millennials and Gen Z are changing how loyalty programs are perceived and utilized. For example, many prefer booking their travel through their bank’s credit card programs, which offer points or perks that can be used for flights, hotels, or car rentals. Loyalty programs must have flexible redemption options and seamlessly integrate into apps and digital platforms.
Loyalty programs must blend experiences, savings, and perks to maintain their appeal. Brands must understand customer needs and motivations when designing loyalty programs to make them engaging and memorable.
For more insights on loyalty programs, customer engagement, and enhancing customer experience, check out Driving Loyalty: Market Insights on Car Rentals & Reward Programs report by CarTrawler.
Plus, Shep and Aleksander discuss what can happen when multiple brands collaborate to expand the perks and benefits offered to customers. Tune in!
Quotes:
“Loyalty, when combined with a great experience, is deeper than just a savings and a repeat purchase.”
“A loyalty program can let customers earn points, but if the redemption experience isn’t great, they won’t return to earn more points. The overall customer experience must be fantastic, and attractive redemption options are essential for creating an ongoing engagement cycle.”
“Technology now allows loyalty programs to create curated, seamless customer experiences within apps. These programs incorporate perks and experiences in a very advanced way to customer engagement.”
“A loyalty program is only truly effective if customers actively use it. Customers might sign up, but if they are inactive, they are not loyal customers. The best loyalty programs keep customers consistently engaged and used regularly.”
About:
Aleksander Kaczmarek is the VP of Loyalty Partnerships at CarTrawler, a B2B tech business that partners with the world’s largest brands, including American Airlines and Uber, to provide car rental & mobility solutions for customers.
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 role do loyalty programs play in enhancing customer engagement?
How can companies leverage loyalty programs to generate additional revenue?
Can loyalty programs drive repeat business without sacrificing the quality of customer experience?
How can technology help create a seamless customer experience within a loyalty program?
How can companies motivate inactive loyalty program members to become more engaged participants?
Top Takeaways
There is a difference between loyalty and repeat business. Loyalty programs, including points and rewards, are designed to encourage repeat business. Combined with a great experience, they create an emotional connection that leads to true loyalty.
If a company provides poor experiences, no loyalty program can retain its customers. If a company provides an amazing experience, a well-designed loyalty program can enhance it and inspire true customer loyalty.
Technology has transformed loyalty programs by creating a more seamless and personalized experience. Brands can now integrate perks and incentives directly into their primary products and services using apps and digital platforms.
In the US, a typical consumer might be a member of around 15 loyalty programs. However, what truly matters is the customers’ active participation in these loyalty programs, which is crucial to its success. Creating perks that resonate with customers and consistently provide value makes customers use the loyalty programs.
Millennials and Gen Z are changing how loyalty programs are perceived and utilized. For example, many prefer booking their travel through their bank’s credit card programs, which offer points or perks that can be used for flights, hotels, or car rentals. Loyalty programs must have flexible redemption options and seamlessly integrate into apps and digital platforms.
Loyalty programs must blend experiences, savings, and perks to maintain their appeal. Brands must understand customer needs and motivations when designing loyalty programs to make them engaging and memorable.
For more insights on loyalty programs, customer engagement, and enhancing customer experience, check out Driving Loyalty: Market Insights on Car Rentals & Reward Programs report by CarTrawler.
Plus, Shep and Aleksander discuss what can happen when multiple brands collaborate to expand the perks and benefits offered to customers. Tune in!
Quotes:
“Loyalty, when combined with a great experience, is deeper than just a savings and a repeat purchase.”
“A loyalty program can let customers earn points, but if the redemption experience isn’t great, they won’t return to earn more points. The overall customer experience must be fantastic, and attractive redemption options are essential for creating an ongoing engagement cycle.”
“Technology now allows loyalty programs to create curated, seamless customer experiences within apps. These programs incorporate perks and experiences in a very advanced way to customer engagement.”
“A loyalty program is only truly effective if customers actively use it. Customers might sign up, but if they are inactive, they are not loyal customers. The best loyalty programs keep customers consistently engaged and used regularly.”
About:
Aleksander Kaczmarek is the VP of Loyalty Partnerships at CarTrawler, a B2B tech business that partners with the world’s largest brands, including American Airlines and Uber, to provide car rental & mobility solutions for customers.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
January 26, 2025
Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for Week of January 26, 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.
Verizon Customer Chief Talks Retail Customer Experience: It’s All About Personalization by Judy Mottl
(Retail Customer Experience) Brian Higgins, chief customer experience officer at Verizon, offers insight on Verizon’s CX strategy and what makes for a rewarding, compelling customer experience.
My Comment: We kick this week’s Top Five roundup off with advice from the CXO of one of the most recognizable brands, Verizon. I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing Brian Higgins several times. The title sums up the gist of the article. There’s power in personalization. What makes a great customer experience? Personalization and making the customer feel good whenever the engage with you (online, in person, on the phone, etc.) Whenever you can learn from a leader of an iconic brand, jump on it!
3 Things That Will Set Your Customer Service Team Up for Success by Brad Birnbaum
(Fast Company) To make the holiday shopping experience the best it can be for customers year after year, businesses must ensure they set their customer service teams up for success.
My Comment: Of course there are more than three things that will set your customer service apart from others, but these three are a good start for just about any company. The author shares more detail behind these three excellent strategies/tactics: 1) Proactive Outreach, 2) Immediate Response, and 3) Personalized Experiences.
Why You Need a Chief Experience Officer — the Right One by Eric Karofsky
(CMSWire) Most corporations take on customer experience with outdated thinking and approaches, relegating CX to junior employees and mistaking superficial cultural statements for genuine strategic transformation.
My Comment: Do you have a Chief Experience Officer (CXO) in your organization? Here, you’ll find compelling reasons to hire or assign someone to that role. This article takes a deeper dive into the reasons a CXO is essential to any organization. “The Gist,” as it is referred to in the article, is that CXOs help align initiatives throughout the company, companies led by a CXO see stronger customer loyalty and profitability, and the CXO helps eliminate departmental barriers and help implement the right CX technologies and solutions.
Consumers Crave More Than Discounts From Loyalty Programs by John Pedini
(Forrester) Most global consumers belong to at least one loyalty program, including 90% of online adults in the US, in Europe-5 (88%), and in Australia (93%). According to Forrester’s Consumer Benchmark Survey, 2024, 54% of US online adults agree that loyalty programs influence what they buy, and 64% agree that programs influence where they make purchases. Most agree that loyalty programs make them feel more connected to the brand.
My Comment: This short article will take less than two minutes to read, but it has a powerful message: A customer loyalty program should be more than a discount program. For example, rewarding a customer with a free sandwich after they buy nine sandwiches is the same as a 10% discount. That’s a nice perk, but customers want more, and the good people at Forrester share a few ideas and insights that will help you get the most from your loyalty program.
Are Your CX Metrics Hurting Your Customer Experience? by Raj Sivasubramanian
(MarTech) Metrics are a polarizing topic in customer experience. There are ongoing discussions about which CX metric is the best. Net Promoter Score (NPS) remains one of the most widely adopted metrics. However, it faces growing criticism, prompting many organizations to favor alternatives like Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) or Customer Effort Score (CES). Each year, a new metric emerges, championed by analysts or consultants claiming it solves the limitations of its predecessors.
My Comment: I’m a big fan of CX metrics like NPS, CSAT, etc. In the past few years, articles have come out against some of the ways companies and brands measure their customer satisfaction levels. My response to these comments is simple: Use the metrics the right way, and they make sense. This article examines how using these powerful indicators the wrong way can negatively impact employees and customers.
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.
Verizon Customer Chief Talks Retail Customer Experience: It’s All About Personalization by Judy Mottl
(Retail Customer Experience) Brian Higgins, chief customer experience officer at Verizon, offers insight on Verizon’s CX strategy and what makes for a rewarding, compelling customer experience.
My Comment: We kick this week’s Top Five roundup off with advice from the CXO of one of the most recognizable brands, Verizon. I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing Brian Higgins several times. The title sums up the gist of the article. There’s power in personalization. What makes a great customer experience? Personalization and making the customer feel good whenever the engage with you (online, in person, on the phone, etc.) Whenever you can learn from a leader of an iconic brand, jump on it!
3 Things That Will Set Your Customer Service Team Up for Success by Brad Birnbaum
(Fast Company) To make the holiday shopping experience the best it can be for customers year after year, businesses must ensure they set their customer service teams up for success.
My Comment: Of course there are more than three things that will set your customer service apart from others, but these three are a good start for just about any company. The author shares more detail behind these three excellent strategies/tactics: 1) Proactive Outreach, 2) Immediate Response, and 3) Personalized Experiences.
Why You Need a Chief Experience Officer — the Right One by Eric Karofsky
(CMSWire) Most corporations take on customer experience with outdated thinking and approaches, relegating CX to junior employees and mistaking superficial cultural statements for genuine strategic transformation.
My Comment: Do you have a Chief Experience Officer (CXO) in your organization? Here, you’ll find compelling reasons to hire or assign someone to that role. This article takes a deeper dive into the reasons a CXO is essential to any organization. “The Gist,” as it is referred to in the article, is that CXOs help align initiatives throughout the company, companies led by a CXO see stronger customer loyalty and profitability, and the CXO helps eliminate departmental barriers and help implement the right CX technologies and solutions.
Consumers Crave More Than Discounts From Loyalty Programs by John Pedini
(Forrester) Most global consumers belong to at least one loyalty program, including 90% of online adults in the US, in Europe-5 (88%), and in Australia (93%). According to Forrester’s Consumer Benchmark Survey, 2024, 54% of US online adults agree that loyalty programs influence what they buy, and 64% agree that programs influence where they make purchases. Most agree that loyalty programs make them feel more connected to the brand.
My Comment: This short article will take less than two minutes to read, but it has a powerful message: A customer loyalty program should be more than a discount program. For example, rewarding a customer with a free sandwich after they buy nine sandwiches is the same as a 10% discount. That’s a nice perk, but customers want more, and the good people at Forrester share a few ideas and insights that will help you get the most from your loyalty program.
Are Your CX Metrics Hurting Your Customer Experience? by Raj Sivasubramanian
(MarTech) Metrics are a polarizing topic in customer experience. There are ongoing discussions about which CX metric is the best. Net Promoter Score (NPS) remains one of the most widely adopted metrics. However, it faces growing criticism, prompting many organizations to favor alternatives like Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) or Customer Effort Score (CES). Each year, a new metric emerges, championed by analysts or consultants claiming it solves the limitations of its predecessors.
My Comment: I’m a big fan of CX metrics like NPS, CSAT, etc. In the past few years, articles have come out against some of the ways companies and brands measure their customer satisfaction levels. My response to these comments is simple: Use the metrics the right way, and they make sense. This article examines how using these powerful indicators the wrong way can negatively impact employees and customers.
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.
January 21, 2025
Convenience Is King: Creating Experiences and Crafting Products for Today’s Customer
I’ve written about creating convenient, frictionless experiences many times in the past, and I will continue to do so in the future as it may be one of the most important customer experience strategies in our arsenal of tactics for getting customers to come back again and again. As humans, we love convenience, and we’re willing to pay for it. In our annual CX research (sponsored by RingCentral), we found that 70% of customers felt convenience was so important that they would pay more if convenience was tied to the customer experience. But, what if that convenience was built into the product?
A few years ago, I wrote about this and shared the example of Ciari, the manufacturer of guitars that fold in half and fit in a backpack for easy travel. I referred to it as the most convenient guitar on the planet. In that same article, I also wrote about using keys to unlock a door. Who ever thought we wouldn’t need a key to unlock our car door? Just push a button on the fob, and the door unlocks. Today, it’s even more convenient. The newest technology does away with the key, replacing it with a plastic card that looks like a credit card. Keep it in your wallet or purse, and when you get close to the car, it automatically unlocks the door.
So, how much do people love convenient products? Just like customers who love a convenient experience, they will also pay more for a convenient product. Here is another example:
This past summer, a large watermelon cost around $5. If I wanted chunks of watermelon, I could cut it myself or, for convenience, I could pay $10 to Double Market for a small container of pre-cut watermelon. It tastes the same, but buying it pre-cut is more convenient. Is it worth paying twice as much for a smaller amount of watermelon? It is if you appreciate convenience. The store selling the watermelon probably gets three or four containers from one watermelon. Do the math, and you’ll see they get as much as $40 – eight times more – for that same $5 piece of fruit. Sure, there is a cost of labor to cut up the watermelon, but that’s why customers are willing to pay more – they would rather have the store do it for them.
Convenience is becoming the standard expectation. At one time, it was something unique and special – even a competitive differentiator. Today, customers notice it and want it. In addition to creating a convenient customer experience, how can you give your customers a convenient product experience? Come up with that answer, and your customers will appreciate you even more.
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 .
