Shep Hyken's Blog, page 19

How Aligned Teams Can Supercharge Your Customer Experience with Alan Williams

This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:   

Why is alignment within an organization important for the customer experience? 
How has the customer landscape changed in the last 20 years? 
Why does customer experience start with leadership? 
How is employee engagement linked to the customer experience? 
Why is brand identity crucial for an organization’s customer experience? 

Top Takeaways

Customer experience is not just a function or a set of processes. It’s not just some department or strategy. It is ingrained into the company’s culture from the top leadership to every employee. It’s in the DNA.  


Everybody’s job is important when it comes to customer experience. Every employee must understand how what they do impacts the customer, even if they’re two or three places removed. 


Over the last 20 years, customer decision has shifted to where it is 80% driven by emotion and values. Customers choose to do business with companies that share the same values and stand for the same social causes as them. 


Communication has greatly evolved thanks to the internet and social media. Customers’ thoughts about a brand can now be shared with millions of people in an instant. Companies need to ensure that their messaging is authentic to their brand identity and resonates with their audience. 


Organizations used to have the majority of control over brand perception. They could decide how they want to be perceived and hire a company to pump out that message. Now, customers put more trust in what their friends, family, or colleagues tell them.   


The customer focus should extend to the organization’s internal customers as well. Every role, whether customer-facing or support-oriented, plays a part in shaping the overall customer experience. Customers, employees, service partners, and communities now shape how people think about a brand. 


Customer experience should reflect the organizational brand identity. Every aspect of the customer journey, from arrival to departure, should embody the organization’s values. Every action, whether customer-facing or behind the scenes, should reflect the company’s mission. When this alignment occurs, and everyone in the organization understands and represents the brand identity it creates a consistent and compelling customer experience.


Plus, Alan shares examples of  customer experience from the hospitality industry (every type of business can benefit from a hospitality mentality.) Tune in! 

Quotes:
“A hospitality mentality helps drive customer experience. It is a brilliant training ground because you can learn a lot from that space and then apply it to other sectors.” 

“Customers use to make choices and decisions that are often driven by rational, financial decisions. Now, customers are making choices based on their values and what is important to them.” 

“The organizations that will be successful in the future are those that have established a sense of shared values across all of their stakeholder groups—the customers, the employees, and the investors.” 

“Delivering a fantastic customer experience is about the hard work and obsession with delivering it every single time. We don’t always come across great service because people don’t always have the discipline and longevity to maintain it.” 

“Customer experience is inextricably connected to all parts of the organization. If there is no alignment throughout the organization, CX is not going to be as good as it could be.” 
About:
Alan Williams is the founder and managing director of SERVICEBRAND GLOBAL Ltd and the co-author of Supercharging the Customer Experience: How Organizations Can Drive Performance in Today’s Values-Based 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 September 2, 2024

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.
Helping Companies & Organizations Create an Amazing Customer-Focused Culture by CXO Magazine
This week, we’re starting the Top Five roundup with a Bonus article. Actually, it’s more than an article, it’s an entire magazine devoted to CX. And I’m very proud that that CXO Magazine honored me with a cover story. Enjoy almost 56 pages of articles, opinions, and interviews. Thank you CXO Magazine for this honor!
An Experience-Focused Approach to Subscriptions by Wendy Karlyn
(Retail Customer Experience) A subscription model isn’t a golden ticket to success as it requires careful strategy and consistent execution. However, when retailers find the right fit and relevant subscription for customers, the model can be a differentiator and build an incredible experience.

My Comment: A subscription model is great for both the company and the customer. The company gets ongoing recurring revenue and the customer gets the convenience of their merchandise showing up on a regular basis without having to think about it. This article provides ideas and strategies behind creating a subscription model. Even though this is focused on retail, almost every company in any industry can create a subscription model.
How to Win in the Routine Economy: Elevate the Everyday by Jen Gray
(Retail TouchPoints) In the Routine Economy, the brands that get it are the brands that understand how powerful a routine is and how to seamlessly integrate and stay a part of a buyer’s routine.

My Comment: What is the Routine Economy? It’s when customers practice a daily routine. In the simplest example, most people brush their teeth at least daily – typically twice a day. That’s a routine. And when you combine that with certain segments of retail, such as beauty and personal care or health and wellness, you have a customer that buys on a routine basis. And when you combine that with the subscription model (see article one in this week’s roundup), you have an amazing strategy to work with.
4 Trends Impacting Retail Customer Loyalty, and How to Overcome Them by Foundever
(Foundever) Are your customers becoming more price-conscious and less loyal? Uncover four key trends reshaping retail customer behavior and learn strategies to keep shoppers engaged and coming back for more.

My Comment: I’m very optimistic, so when I read an article about trends negatively impacting anything, I usually think, “Yes, but…” That said, this article covers four trends that should concern you about customer loyalty, including that customers are buying less and overall less loyal than in the past. The good news is that the author provided the “Yes, but…” for us and included tips to negate the trends.
Building Hyper-Personalized Customer Experience in Digital: Time to Take Things Personally? by Kautilya Prasad
(HackerNoon) The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into customer experience (CX) strategies is transforming the way businesses interact with consumers. Customer expectations have never been higher. Let’s see how Hyper-Personalization helps in meeting those expectations.

My Comment: I was just asked how AI is impacting the customer experience. One of the big opportunities to exploit AI is personalization. This article on hyper-personalization shows how AI can quickly learn about customers and offer them an experience that feels like it is just for them.
Three Ways to Tell if Your Organization is Customer-Centric by Lori Laflin
(The CEO Magazine) Most companies say they’re customer-centric when it comes to their guiding strategy and investment, but this often isn’t the case. Here’s how to determine the prime focus of your business.

My Comment: Let’s wrap up this week’s Top Five roundup with a focus on culture. How do you know if you’re a customer-centric organization? The questions to ask are these: 1) Do you listen to customers? 2) Do you observe how your organization operates? And, 3) Do you ask and take action on feedback? The article focuses on tips and ideas around these three questions.

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.

In Customer Service, It’s Not the Destination – It’s the Journey

Ralph Waldo Emerson, the American philosopher, is often credited with saying, “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.” The idea is that the journey is just as important—maybe even more so—than arriving at the destination.  

I recently attended a lecture by the magician Jon Armstrong, who shared his “secrets” for creating a show that people want to come back and experience again and again. 

Armstrong shared that no matter how amazing the tricks are, it’s the personality and patter (the words used throughout the show) that make people laugh and entertain them along the way—as in the journey created on the way to the end of a trick.  

The concept of the “destination, not the journey,” not only applies in life and magic shows but also in customer service. Have you ever had a disagreement with someone in a company? (Of course, you have.) You knew you were right. You pleaded your case, asked to speak to a manager or supervisor, and after spending more time than necessary, the wrong was righted. The destination, as in the resolution, was what you wanted. The journey, as in what it took to get there, was a disaster.  

Not all that long ago, I wrote an article about a parking lot that had open spaces. Everyone could see them, but the employee at the gate claimed there were none. He dug his heels into the ground and refused to let me park in one of the half-dozen spaces we could both see. I asked to speak to the manager. He made a call, and five minutes later—even though it seemed like more—he begrudgingly let me in. Did it have to be that hard? Of course, not!  
The journey taints the destination
Was this a fight where I won, and he lost? That’s what it felt like, but it shouldn’t have been like that. Too many times, a customer has an unnecessary “fight” with a customer service rep to resolve an issue. If the end result is what makes the customer happy, don’t make them fight to get there. That journey taints the destination, sometimes to the point where the customer, even if they get what they want, won’t come back. 

In customer service, the journey is what truly shapes the customer’s perceptions. Businesses should strive to create a seamless, easy, and enjoyable experience at every touchpoint, just like a good magician’s show delights the audience from start to finish. By prioritizing the journey, companies can ensure that the resolution not only meets the expectations but also enhances the overall experience, encouraging repeat business and fostering trust and confidence, which leads to repeat business. Remember, it’s the memorable journey that will 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.

In Customer Service, It’s Not the Destination – It’s the Journey  

Ralph Waldo Emerson, the American philosopher, is often credited with saying, “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.” The idea is that the journey is just as important—maybe even more so—than arriving at the destination.  

I recently attended a lecture by a magician who shared his “secrets” for creating a show that people want to come back and experience again and again. 

The message was clear. No matter how amazing the tricks are, it’s the personality and pattern (the words used throughout the show) that make people laugh and entertain them along the way—as in the journey created on the way to the end of a trick.  

The concept of the “destination, not the journey,” not only applies in life and magic shows but also in customer service. Have you ever had a disagreement with someone in a company? (Of course, you have.) You knew you were right. You pleaded your case, asked to speak to a manager or supervisor, and after spending more time than necessary, the wrong was righted. The destination, as in the resolution, was what you wanted. The journey, as in what it took to get there, was a disaster.  

Not all that long ago, I wrote an article about a parking lot that had open spaces. Everyone could see them, but the employee at the gate claimed there were none. He dug his heels into the ground and refused to let me park in one of the half-dozen spaces we could both see. I asked to speak to the manager. He made a call, and five minutes later—even though it seemed like more—he begrudgingly let me in. Did it have to be that hard? Of course, not!  
The journey taints the destination
Was this a fight where I won, and he lost? That’s what it felt like, but it shouldn’t have been like that. Too many times, a customer has an unnecessary “fight” with a customer service rep to resolve an issue. If the end result is what makes the customer happy, don’t make them fight to get there. That journey taints the destination, sometimes to the point where the customer, even if they get what they want, won’t come back. 

In customer service, the journey is what truly shapes the customer’s perceptions. Businesses should strive to create a seamless, easy, and enjoyable experience at every touchpoint, just like a good magician’s show delights the audience from start to finish. By prioritizing the journey, companies can ensure that the resolution not only meets the expectations but also enhances the overall experience, encouraging repeat business and fostering trust and confidence, which leads to repeat business. Remember, it’s the memorable journey that will 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.

Revolutionizing Customer Connections: Digital Strategies with Elisabeth Zornes

This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:   

How does digital transformation impact customer expectations and experiences? 
What are the challenges and opportunities in personalizing the customer experience in a B2B environment? 
How does the concept of digital-first change the way businesses engage and provide value to their customers? 
What role does AI play in enhancing the customer experience and driving growth for businesses? 
How can companies leverage technology and AI to provide customers with personalized insights and experiences that drive long-term loyalty?

Top Takeaways

The customer experience is evolving rapidly across different industries. Customers today are more informed, empowered, and sophisticated. This has raised the bar for businesses to rethink and rebuild their customer experiences to align with the changing expectations. 


When you build and enhance digital experiences together with your customers, you create something very special. You go from interacting in transactions to building a digital relationship. Companies must design intuitive and personalized digital experiences that align with customers’ preferences and behaviors. 


Even in the B2B world, we need to be focused on customers as if they’re consumers because that’s what they’re basing their stories and expectations on. Customers compare you to the best experiences they’ve had across all industries, regardless of the type of business are industry they are in. 


Personalization is powerful in building a great customer experience because when customers engage with brands who know them, what they are likely to do, how they want to engage, and what they need, that signals that the company is where they can continue to get value. That reliability creates trust.  (This was confusing. I think adding the “them” helps. Agree?) 


Partnering with your customers is personalizing the relationship to the point where you understand so much of what your customers want and need that you can make the suggestions that will enhance their experiences, improve their businesses, and choose you over the competitors. 


The integration of AI in customer service should not be viewed as a replacement for human interaction but as a means to enhance and support human ingenuity.  


The future of customer service lies in transforming the entire organization’s mindset. It is about instilling a culture where every employee understands their role in delivering an exceptional customer experience—raising service levels and delivering value across the board. 


Plus, Shep and Elisabeth discuss more ways to leverage AI in customer service and experience. Tune in! 

Quotes:
“There is a significant shift in terms of who our customers are. They are much more sophisticated, informed, and empowered. They are expecting a seamless experience from start to finish.”  

“In the B2B world, our customers expect the same seamless engagement they experience in the B2C world. Not only do they want to have that seamless and personalized experience, but they want to be amazed at every step of the journey.” 

“Our customers are no longer just consumers of an experience. They have long turned into the protagonist, inviting us to write about their hero’s journey with them. We co-create the experiences together with our customers.” 

“With the technology we have available now, we can create insights for our customers that will amaze them. Creating amazing experiences is about using AI and digital technology to help customers with what they need now and might not even know they will need in the future.” 

“AI doesn’t replace humans. It augments human ingenuity and helps our customers focus on their most strategic, creative, and impactful work. “
About:
Elisabeth Zornes is the Chief Customer Officer of Autodesk. She oversees Consulting, Customer Success, Partner Success, Product Support, and Renewals to help businesses drive innovation for their 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 .

Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for Week of August 26, 2024

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.
How Employee Experience Connects with Customer Experience by Francesca Di Meglio
(HR Exchange Network) Positive employee experience begets customer experience. It’s the circle of life in business, in fact. The concept is simple to follow. Employees, who feel valued and whose wellness at work is a priority of their managers and executives, will have the motivation to produce and treat customers with respect and white-glove service. Any organization who abides by this philosophy is rewarded with employee retention and repeat business.

My Comment: We kick off this week’s Top Five roundup with an article that is about one of my favorite topics in the CX world, and that’s the EX (as in Employee Experience). The section on how a happy employee impacts the CX is spot on. There is even a suggestion on the KPIs you use to measure the success of an EX initiative. Finally, the initials you don’t see often enough are used, and that’s MX, as in Multi-Experience. That is the combination of the EX, the CX, and the UX (User Experience).
Avoiding the Top Self-Service Pitfalls to Deliver an Exceptional Customer Experience by Susie Harrison
(CX Today) Self-service has undoubtedly been a boon in CX. The benefits are numerous. Aside from the clear increases in efficiency, 24/7 availability and consistency – it also decreases operating costs by reducing the need for human agents to deal with mundane tasks and routine queries. But, as with most technological improvements – there are pitfalls. A recent high-profile case – as reported in CX Today – saw McDonalds discontinuing its AI drive-thru ordering experiment after viral TikTok videos highlighted its failures.

My Comment: A self-service (digital) customer service solution shouldn’t take away from a customer’s good experience with a company or brand. It should support and augment it. This article shares the concerns you should consider when putting technology between your customer and a live support agent. Personally, I think a good self-service experience (for most businesses) is imperative to the overall success of your customer experience goals. So, don’t make any of the mistakes found in this article!
The Trouble with Great Chatbots by Dan Tynan
(Freshworks) Customers love the support they get from most AI chatbots—until they find out they’re talking to a chatbot. How can companies solve this dilemma?

My Comment: This is a perfect follow-up to the second article on our Top Five list. This one focuses on chatbots and their use in customer support. The article mentions that even when bots provide service that is identical in quality to a human-to-human experience, the customer’s perception is negative. I’m not 100% in agreement with that statement, but the author makes a case for it based on research. The biggest problem with chatbots and self-service is inconsistency from one brand to the next. Unfortunately, the negative experience stands out. There are plenty of great ideas and suggestions in this article, and when you combine them with the list from the article already mentioned, you have a great list to get you thinking about the best way to deploy a digital self-service experience.
10 Barriers to Building a Customer-Centric Culture—And How to Overcome Them by Chris Brown
(CustomerThink) Creating a customer-centric culture isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a business imperative. But many leaders struggle to get there. Here are the top 10 factors working against building a customer-centric culture, actionable strategies to overcome them, and real-world examples of leaders who made it happen.

My Comment: I love a good list, and this one is a perfect way to describe the challenges some companies or brands might have in building a customer-centric culture. Two of my favorites (out of the ten) are the first one, which recognizes that leadership must be 100% on board. That’s where it starts! The second one to consider is a mistake many companies make, which is to make the customer-centric culture a theme versus something that should be forever (or at least very long-term). This can’t be a “flavor of the month” or a theme for the year. Customer centricity should be part of an organization’s vision and values statements.
50 Customer Service Quotes to Inspire Your Team by Rosemin Anderson
(Qualtrics) Take these 50 customer service quotes to your next meeting to help inspire you and your team to take your customer service program to the next level.

My Comment: It’s been a while since I’ve shared a list of customer service quotes. Here are 50 of them, and they are broken down into categories. It includes many people from the “Who’s Who” in the customer service world. There is much here to inspire your team. Find the ones you like and share and discuss them, one at a time, in a team meeting.
BONUSES
How To Scale Your Customer Service Operations: A CX Pro’s Roadmap by Niels Juist
(Capterra) Use emerging tech to streamline your customer service and boost your quality of service. When you’re getting more customer service queries than your business can handle, short-term fixes like extending call center hours won’t be enough to keep up with demand.

My Comment: We have several bonus articles this week. They are all excellent, so don’t pass these by. This first is a focus on using technology (AI) to support the customer. In addition to the article, there is also a video interview with my friends at Capterra.
Customer Effort and Emotion – 10 Reasons to Take Action Today by Brad Cleveland
(Centre Helper) Is the relationship between customer effort, emotion, and resolution tightly woven into your CX strategy, or is it always being sidelined by the next big thing?

My Comment: This excellent article includes an excellent list that ties into the emotional experience your customers have when getting support. Even if she didn’t include me in the article, I love the list. Yes, we want our customers to be happy and come back, but have you considered the emotional experience you create?
Sales and Service: Selling Doesn’t Stop at the Sale by SmallBizClub
(SmallBizClub) In many businesses, sales and service are viewed as two distinct functions: sales is seen as the starting point, where the initial transaction occurs, and service kicks in post-sale to address customer needs and ongoing issues. Keeping these functions separate overlooks a huge opportunity that can significantly enhance the customer experience and drive business success.

My Comment: I’m honored to be part of the team of experts that SmallBizClub put together. We met as a group earlier this year and were assigned a writing project. I teamed up with Leslie Rae and Whiteney Horton to collaborate on an article about the combination of sales and customer service. Yes, they go together like peanut butter and chocolate!

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.

Being Different or Being Better … It’s Your Choice

Do you want to be better or different? That’s the question that Sally Hogshead, an amazing professional speaker who specializes in being fascinating, shared in a recent speech I had the pleasure of experiencing. While most of her work is about how to be fascinating, this speech came from a different place. She talked about the power of being different versus better than others.  

Sally shared research that found 73% would rather be better versus 27% who would choose to be different.  

It’s one thing to be better than your competition. What makes you better? Is it your product? Is it the customer service or experience you provide? Is there something tangible that your customer could describe that proves you are better? 

And then there is being different. As I listened to Sally share her wisdom, I realized that as much as we would like to be better than a competitor – and we should strive to do so – being different is more obvious.  

I have a crazy idea. Why not both – especially as this idea applies to customer service and experience? 

First, let’s talk about being better. It’s likely that you sell what others also sell. It’s a similar product. It may or may not be better, and it could be exactly the same, as in a commodity. So, how can you be better? Provide a better CX. Yes, it’s always better to be better, but maybe you don’t have to be better than your competition. Maybe you just have to be better than what is expected.  

And here’s the interesting thing about your customer’s expectations – at least as it applies to CX. As important as customer service and CX are, the bar is fairly low. There are rockstar companies that have taught customers what a good CX looks like, but many companies struggle to create a similar experience. So, consider this idea: Delivering a better customer experience is as simple as consistently meeting customers’ expectations – with an emphasis on the word consistently. By the way, I used the word simple. That does not necessarily mean it’s easy, but if you meet expectations, you’re already better than most. 

Being different will make a difference – no pun intended. Being different allows you to stand out. Yes, it could be your service and CX that makes you different – think Chick-fil-A. Whatever it is, it needs to be something that customers notice and care about. That gives customers a reason to choose you over your competition.  

Sally’s short speech made me think. If there’s a way to be both better and different, you’ve got a winning combination that is hard to beat. However, even if all you do is meet the customers’ service and experience expectations, which already makes you better, continue to find a way – or ways – to stand out with something that makes you different. 

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.

Being Different or Being Better … It’s Your Choice

Do you want to be better or different? That’s the question that Sally Hogshead, an amazing professional speaker who specializes in being fascinating, shared in a recent speech I had the pleasure of experiencing. While most of her work is about how to be fascinating, this speech came from a different place. She talked about the power of being different versus better than others.  

Sally shared research that found 73% would rather be better versus 27% who would choose to be different.  

It’s one thing to be better than your competition. What makes you better? Is it your product? Is it the customer service or experience you provide? Is there something tangible that your customer could describe that proves you are better? 

And then there is being different. As I listened to Sally share her wisdom, I realized that as much as we would like to be better than a competitor – and we should strive to do so – being different is more obvious.  

I have a crazy idea. Why not both – especially as this idea applies to customer service and experience? 

First, let’s talk about being better. It’s likely that you sell what others also sell. It’s a similar product. It may or may not be better, and it could be exactly the same, as in a commodity. So, how can you be better? Provide a better CX. Yes, it’s always better to be better, but maybe you don’t have to be better than your competition. Maybe you just have to be better than what is expected.  

And here’s the interesting thing about your customer’s expectations – at least as it applies to CX. As important as customer service and CX are, the bar is fairly low. There are rockstar companies that have taught customers what a good CX looks like, but many companies struggle to create a similar experience. So, consider this idea: Delivering a better customer experience is as simple as consistently meeting customers’ expectations – with an emphasis on the word consistently. By the way, I used the word simple. That does not necessarily mean it’s easy, but if you meet expectations, you’re already better than most. 

Being different will make a difference – no pun intended. Being different allows you to stand out. Yes, it could be your service and CX that makes you different – think Chick-fil-A. Whatever it is, it needs to be something that customers notice and care about. That gives customers a reason to choose you over your competition.  

Sally’s short speech made me think. If there’s a way to be both better and different, you’ve got a winning combination that is hard to beat. However, even if all you do is meet the customers’ service and experience expectations, which already makes you better, continue to find a way – or ways – to stand out with something that makes you different. 

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.

How to Avoid Customer Experience Breakdowns with Rony Vexelman

This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:   

Why is it essential for brands to understand and orchestrate the customer journey? 
What are some common pitfalls that lead to broken customer journeys? 
How has technology changed the approach to customer journey mapping? 
How can AI tools empower professionals to expand their roles? 
Why is it essential for brands to break down silos within their organization?

Top Takeaways

Broken customer journeys result from multiple departments working in silos without integrated communication. Each department may have its automation system, which may lead to conflicting or uncoordinated customer experiences. By breaking down these silos and working towards a centralized system, your company can ensure a unified and smooth customer journey. 


Businesses need to prioritize customer needs and experiences over pushing products or campaigns. When making decisions, even the tough ones, it’s important to consider how these changes will impact customers and how to communicate them effectively.  


You will not always make decisions that will make your customers happy. For example, raising prices is not an easy topic to discuss with customers, but it is, at times, necessary. Acknowledge how it impacts your customers and communicate it with them. 


Traditional journey mapping focuses on creating an ideal journey for most customers, often neglecting outliers. With today’s technology, businesses can personalize the customer experience at scale, catering to individual preferences and needs. 


AI can empower “positionless professionals”, encouraging individuals to expand their skills beyond their specializations. With AI tools, employees can take on tasks outside their usual roles, becoming more versatile and adaptable. This adaptability can result in faster execution, better employee experiences, and better customer experiences. 


Extending personalized experiences beyond physical interactions, such as at a reception desk, to online platforms can significantly enhance the customer’s perception of the brand. 


Plus, Shep and Rony discuss why “breaking down silos” is still a hot topic for organizations after decades. Tune in! 

Quotes:
“Do your marketing from a customer point of view, not from a product point of view. “ 

“People want familiarity. They want to return to a good experience they’ve had. Brands need to continuously provide customers with reasons to return.” 

“Focus on the customer experience and let that be your end-to-end guide for everything you do as a brand and as an organization.” 

“AI empowers every employee to be well-rounded. AI allows organizations to be filled with employees who are richer in experience and have the ability to impact the customer. 

“Companies that put customers at the center are the companies that outperform their competition. They are the ones that get the results that the business needs, not from pushing a product or campaign but rather by focusing on what their customer needs and wants.”
About:
Rony Vexelman is the Vice President of Marketing at Optimove. He is a seasoned professional in multichannel marketing and customer engagement platforms. 

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 August 19, 2024

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.
Fueling growth through moments of customer delight by Ankit Bisht and Sangeeth Ram
(McKinsey & Company) Delight has the power to elevate customer experience as well as amplify loyalty and growth for businesses across sectors.

My Comment: We kick off this week’s Top Five roundup with a McKinsey article focused on customer delight. What makes this article different is the authors separate the meaning of delight from customer satisfaction. Yes, there is a difference! The result of delighting the customer is repeat business and referrals. What business doesn’t want that?!
US Government Tackles “Doom Loops” (But Risks Customer Service Chaos) by Christina McAllister
(Forrester) This week, the Biden administration launched the “Time is Money” initiative that — as the name implies — aims to crack down on “corporate tricks,” referring to processes that are made intentionally cumbersome for the customer, wasting their time and money.

My Comment: Some believe there are companies that purposely make it hard to get customer service. Customers are forced to use IVRs or Chatbots before talking to a live agent. This past week, President Biden’s administration introduced the  “ Time is Money ” initiative to help eliminate “tricks” that some companies are using that result in wasting customers’ time and money. At face value, this looks like it’s good for consumers. The author of this article recognizes the good and bad that can come from this time of program.
Are Customer Loyalty Programs the Best Method for Retention? by Dennis Limmer
(Retailwire) Customer loyalty programs are proving to be a decisive force in the retail industry, with varying amounts of data fueling the study and implementation of this retention strategy.

My Comment: Do loyalty programs create loyalty? It depends on how you define loyalty. The goal of most loyalty programs is repeat business. While that can lead to loyalty, the idea of getting a customer to come back again and again is a pretty compelling reason to implement a program. This excellent RetailWire article discusses this important topic and shares ten examples from brands that seem to get it right. And be sure to read the comments from the RetailWire Braintrust below the article.
How AI Is Fundamentally Reshaping How We Perceive Customer Experience by Larry Alton
(Inc.) AI is complicating customer experience strategies everywhere. What can we do?

My Comment: The opening line of this article sums up why I like this article: “AI is being heralded as a game-changing technology across almost every conceivable industry.” AI in the CX world is not just for customer support. It’s for virtually all areas of an organization and goes way beyond supporting customers and the front-line agents who service them. The article also covers some of the “pitfalls” that AI can cause.
Streamline Your Guest Checkout Experience Now to Drive Holiday Sales by Paypal
(Harvard Business Journal) To convert new or existing customers, businesses cannot overlook the guest checkout experience—particularly around the holiday season, when guest-shopper traffic is highest.

My Comment: As I read this article about the online checkout process, I thought, “This has happened to me.” I have found myself at the very end of the process, ready to pay, and the online retailer puts friction into the experience by asking for unnecessary information or using a clunky payment system. While the article is sponsored by PayPal (a great company and payment system – and they didn’t pay me to say that), it emphasizes the need to create an easy and convenient payment process for the customer to pay. Anything less could cause a customer to find another company that is easier to do business with.

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.