Shep Hyken's Blog, page 26
April 2, 2024
No” Is an Easy Answer
If a customer asks you to do something you haven’t done before, “No” is an easy answer. Why? Because… We don’t do that.
We’ve never done that.
We don’t carry that product.
That’s not our policy.
And more reasons – or excuses – like these.
Recently, I was the keynote speaker at a conference, and the CEO, who spoke just before me, teed up my presentation perfectly when he talked about going the extra mile. His approach to this concept was realistic. He said, “No one will be able to go the extra mile every time.” He emphasized that unless the customer has some kind of emergency, the extra mile is often something small—something we typically don’t do.
Customers can be our best source of innovation and opportunity. If we survey our customers and ask for feedback, we may find ways to improve our products and services. Or sometimes, they will come right out and ask for something out of the ordinary. It’s easy to ignore feedback or say “No, “when someone suggests something we’ve never done before. But what if we looked beyond the words and thought, “What if,” instead of, “That is something we don’t do.”?
Years ago, I wrote an article about the “Anti-No Zone.” The premise was employees at a restaurant were trained to find ways to say “Yes.” If you want to dig deeper into this idea, check out my article about Cameron Mitchell, a very successful restauranteur who authored a book titled Yes Is the Answer! What’s the Question? And I wrote another article featuring Christine Trippi on How to Say YES – Every Time .
All of these articles are about avoiding the word no. At the same time, it’s unrealistic to say yes to every request; however, maybe we can say “No” without really saying “No.” Instead, you can offer alternative solutions that, while not what the customer is asking for, will still make them happy.
So, going the extra mile is more than a customer service strategy. And it’s more than avoiding the word no. It is a mindset that customers will appreciate. At the same time, it’s recognizing that anything that you might say no to at first is a possibility to innovate and grow.
So, the next time you are about to say “No” to a customer or an employee, catch yourself and before you answer, and think, “If I could say yes, what would that look like?” Practice the mindset of not just going the extra mile but being proactive about finding ways to do so.
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.
Transforming Customer Feedback into Action with Sara Caldwell
This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:
Why is it essential for companies to understand the specific needs of their customers?
How can unstructured data from customer conversations be transformed into actionable insights?
How can companies use conversational research to gain insights and improve the customer experience?
How can companies effectively leverage customer feedback from call center recordings for improvements?
How do companies use customer feedback to enhance products and services and better serve customers?
Top Takeaways
Customer success in any business is about making your customers successful so that they can, in turn, be more successful with their clients. It means understanding your customers’ core needs and matching them to a solution. The goal is to focus on how often the product or service is used and how it helps the customer succeed in their role and achieve their objectives.
Researching customer insights is not limited to a specific role or department. It’s something that everyone in a company can do to help improve products and services. This allows various teams in a company to learn more about their users and build their products or services accordingly.
Organizations are increasingly recognizing the importance of understanding customer feedback to inform decision-making. By analyzing and understanding customer conversations, companies can gain valuable insights that inform product development, customer support enhancements, and overall business decision-making.
Self-service customer support is becoming increasingly important. Many customers prefer to resolve their issues without interacting with a support team. Companies must create a seamless customer experience where customers can find answers to their questions without interacting with a support representative.
Transforming complex, unstructured data into actionable insights is key to helping teams build products their customers love. This involves taking conversations with customers and consolidating them into understandable insights. By making customer insights accessible and actionable, organizations can continually leverage this information to enhance their products, services, and support systems.
Plus, Sara shares what every customer success manager needs to know. Tune in!
Quotes:
“If you’re confident in your resources and abilities to truly excel in providing a remarkable customer experience, and it fulfills a customer need while setting you apart in the market, then it’s worth prioritizing.”
“Sometimes, the best customer experience is achieved through self-service, allowing customers to resolve issues without interacting with support. It’s essential to understand that not all problems require a personal conversation.”
“Customer research is no longer just the responsibility of researchers. It’s something everyone in the company can do to help understand customers and improve the product for everyone , not just a specific segment.”
About:
Sara Caldwell is the VP of Customer Experience at Dovetail. A science school teacher by background, she transitioned into customer service and experience, gaining valuable insights and skills at companies like Asana, Reforge, and Neverware.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
Why is it essential for companies to understand the specific needs of their customers?
How can unstructured data from customer conversations be transformed into actionable insights?
How can companies use conversational research to gain insights and improve the customer experience?
How can companies effectively leverage customer feedback from call center recordings for improvements?
How do companies use customer feedback to enhance products and services and better serve customers?
Top Takeaways
Customer success in any business is about making your customers successful so that they can, in turn, be more successful with their clients. It means understanding your customers’ core needs and matching them to a solution. The goal is to focus on how often the product or service is used and how it helps the customer succeed in their role and achieve their objectives.
Researching customer insights is not limited to a specific role or department. It’s something that everyone in a company can do to help improve products and services. This allows various teams in a company to learn more about their users and build their products or services accordingly.
Organizations are increasingly recognizing the importance of understanding customer feedback to inform decision-making. By analyzing and understanding customer conversations, companies can gain valuable insights that inform product development, customer support enhancements, and overall business decision-making.
Self-service customer support is becoming increasingly important. Many customers prefer to resolve their issues without interacting with a support team. Companies must create a seamless customer experience where customers can find answers to their questions without interacting with a support representative.
Transforming complex, unstructured data into actionable insights is key to helping teams build products their customers love. This involves taking conversations with customers and consolidating them into understandable insights. By making customer insights accessible and actionable, organizations can continually leverage this information to enhance their products, services, and support systems.
Plus, Sara shares what every customer success manager needs to know. Tune in!
Quotes:
“If you’re confident in your resources and abilities to truly excel in providing a remarkable customer experience, and it fulfills a customer need while setting you apart in the market, then it’s worth prioritizing.”
“Sometimes, the best customer experience is achieved through self-service, allowing customers to resolve issues without interacting with support. It’s essential to understand that not all problems require a personal conversation.”
“Customer research is no longer just the responsibility of researchers. It’s something everyone in the company can do to help understand customers and improve the product for everyone , not just a specific segment.”
About:
Sara Caldwell is the VP of Customer Experience at Dovetail. A science school teacher by background, she transitioned into customer service and experience, gaining valuable insights and skills at companies like Asana, Reforge, and Neverware.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
April 1, 2024
Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for Week of April 1, 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.
Put Yourself 2nd to Place 1st in the Experience Economy by Barry Fiske
(Fast Company) Customers can sense when a company’s products and experiences aren’t loyal to their needs, so why should they be loyal to that business?
My Comment: I bet you would agree with this statement: Companies exist to solve customer problems. If I need a shirt, there’s a store that will sell it to me. If I need an upgrade on a software program, there’s a company that will design it for me. If we don’t have a product or service that meets a customer’s needs, we will go out of business. And when you combine it with meeting the customer’s service needs and expectations, you go to another level. According to the author, some companies have lost sight of that. That message is loud and clear in just the first two paragraphs of this article. Of course, there’s more!
10x Improvement in Customer Experience by Deloitte Center for Government Insights
(Deloitte) Combining digital public infrastructure like digital identity with tools like human-centered design can help governments significantly enhance customer experience.
My Comment: Kudos to the government! They are improving the customer (citizen) experience. According to our customer experience research, only 18% of consumers in the US believe the government delivers great customer service. But it looks like it’s getting (or going to get) better. Deloitte took a closer look at the service governments provide. According to the authors, “While the private sector has found that keeping customers at the center of their operations improves their overall performance, similar realization is taking root in governments.”
Customer Science: a New CIO Imperative by Thornton May
(CIO) It may be far-fetched to imagine a future where IT professionals morph into customer scientists, but next-gen IT needs to be on a path toward more rigorous and systematic customer analysis to craft cause-and-effect theories of customer behavior.
My Comment: What is customer science? This was a new term for me, and it probably is for you, too. The concept is simple. According to the author, companies (and specifically CIO’s) should take a more scientific approach to customer experience analysis. If you’re into understanding customer behavior through measurement, this article is for you.
For Legacy Industries, Influencer Marketing Is Key to Evolving the Customer Journey by Greg Scavuzzo
(Sprout Social) When you think of influencer marketing, what comes to mind? A fitness expert touting a new athleisure brand? A get-ready-with-me video singing the praises of the latest plant-based moisturizer?
My Comment: Influencer Marketing is part of the customer experience. A celebrity or recognized expert who uses, talks about, and promotes a product or brand is a combination of marketing, sales, and experience. While most of us see influencer marketing in the B2C world (food, fashion, health, lifestyle, etc.), there’s tremendous opportunity in the B2B world, especially as younger employees who appreciate influencers have careers in the B2B space. This article does a great job of explaining the power of using influencers, regardless of industry.
Find Products for Customers, Not Customers for Products by Annette Franz
(CX Journey) Seth Godin said, “Don’t find customers for your products, find products for your customers.” I’m a huge fan of this quote and have used it many times over because it summarizes nicely what I’ve preached over the years: solve problems for customers; do that, and your business will go far.
My Comment: After reading this article, it reminded me of a question: What business are we in? One of my favorite answers came from Howard Schultz (of Starbucks), who said, “We’re not in the coffee business serving people. We’re in the people business serving coffee.” When you flip what appears to be the right answer around, you get a better answer. Annette Franz has done the same thing with products and customers. She opens the article with a great quote from Seth Godin, who said, “Don’t find customers for your products; find products for your 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.
Put Yourself 2nd to Place 1st in the Experience Economy by Barry Fiske
(Fast Company) Customers can sense when a company’s products and experiences aren’t loyal to their needs, so why should they be loyal to that business?
My Comment: I bet you would agree with this statement: Companies exist to solve customer problems. If I need a shirt, there’s a store that will sell it to me. If I need an upgrade on a software program, there’s a company that will design it for me. If we don’t have a product or service that meets a customer’s needs, we will go out of business. And when you combine it with meeting the customer’s service needs and expectations, you go to another level. According to the author, some companies have lost sight of that. That message is loud and clear in just the first two paragraphs of this article. Of course, there’s more!
10x Improvement in Customer Experience by Deloitte Center for Government Insights
(Deloitte) Combining digital public infrastructure like digital identity with tools like human-centered design can help governments significantly enhance customer experience.
My Comment: Kudos to the government! They are improving the customer (citizen) experience. According to our customer experience research, only 18% of consumers in the US believe the government delivers great customer service. But it looks like it’s getting (or going to get) better. Deloitte took a closer look at the service governments provide. According to the authors, “While the private sector has found that keeping customers at the center of their operations improves their overall performance, similar realization is taking root in governments.”
Customer Science: a New CIO Imperative by Thornton May
(CIO) It may be far-fetched to imagine a future where IT professionals morph into customer scientists, but next-gen IT needs to be on a path toward more rigorous and systematic customer analysis to craft cause-and-effect theories of customer behavior.
My Comment: What is customer science? This was a new term for me, and it probably is for you, too. The concept is simple. According to the author, companies (and specifically CIO’s) should take a more scientific approach to customer experience analysis. If you’re into understanding customer behavior through measurement, this article is for you.
For Legacy Industries, Influencer Marketing Is Key to Evolving the Customer Journey by Greg Scavuzzo
(Sprout Social) When you think of influencer marketing, what comes to mind? A fitness expert touting a new athleisure brand? A get-ready-with-me video singing the praises of the latest plant-based moisturizer?
My Comment: Influencer Marketing is part of the customer experience. A celebrity or recognized expert who uses, talks about, and promotes a product or brand is a combination of marketing, sales, and experience. While most of us see influencer marketing in the B2C world (food, fashion, health, lifestyle, etc.), there’s tremendous opportunity in the B2B world, especially as younger employees who appreciate influencers have careers in the B2B space. This article does a great job of explaining the power of using influencers, regardless of industry.
Find Products for Customers, Not Customers for Products by Annette Franz
(CX Journey) Seth Godin said, “Don’t find customers for your products, find products for your customers.” I’m a huge fan of this quote and have used it many times over because it summarizes nicely what I’ve preached over the years: solve problems for customers; do that, and your business will go far.
My Comment: After reading this article, it reminded me of a question: What business are we in? One of my favorite answers came from Howard Schultz (of Starbucks), who said, “We’re not in the coffee business serving people. We’re in the people business serving coffee.” When you flip what appears to be the right answer around, you get a better answer. Annette Franz has done the same thing with products and customers. She opens the article with a great quote from Seth Godin, who said, “Don’t find customers for your products; find products for your 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.
March 31, 2024
Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for Week of April 1, 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.
Put Yourself 2nd to Place 1st in the Experience Economy by Barry Fiske
(Fast Company) Customers can sense when a company’s products and experiences aren’t loyal to their needs, so why should they be loyal to that business?
My Comment: I bet you would agree with this statement: Companies exist to solve customer problems. If I need a shirt, there’s a store that will sell it to me. If I need an upgrade on a software program, there’s a company that will design it for me. If we don’t have a product or service that meets a customer’s needs, we will go out of business. And when you combine it with meeting the customer’s service needs and expectations, you go to another level. According to the author, some companies have lost sight of that. That message is loud and clear in just the first two paragraphs of this article. Of course, there’s more!
10x Improvement in Customer Experience by Jaimie Boyd, Gretchen Brainard, NSN Murty, Joe Mariani & Pankaj Kamleshkumar Kishnani
(Delloite) Combining digital public infrastructure like digital identity with tools like human-centered design can help governments significantly enhance customer experience.
My Comment: Kudos to the government! They are improving the customer (citizen) experience. According to our customer experience research, only 18% of consumers in the US believe the government delivers great customer service. But it looks like it’s getting (or going to get) better. Deloitte took a closer the service governments provide. According to the authors, “While the private sector has found that keeping customers at the center of their operations improves their overall performance, similar realization is taking root in governments.”
Customer science: A new CIO imperative by Thorton May
(CIO) For businesses to become truly customer-centric, CIOs must instill a more scientific approach to customer experience analysis.
My Comment: What is customer science? This was a new term for me, and it probably is for you, too. The concept is simple. According to the author, companies (and specifically CIO’s) should take a more scientific approach to customer experience analysis. If you’re into understanding customer behavior through measurement, this article is for you.
For legacy industries, influencer marketing is key to evolving the customer journey by Greg Scavuzzo
(Sprout Social) Influencer marketing has the power to reroute the customer journey in some of the most traditional spaces. Why stagnate when you can innovate?
My Comment: Influencer Marketing is part of the customer experience. A celebrity or recognized expert who uses, talks about, and promotes a product or brand is a combination of marketing, sales, and experience. While most of us see influencer marketing in the B2C world (food, fashion, health, lifestyle, etc.), there’s tremendous opportunity in the B2B world, especially as younger employees who appreciate influencers have careers in the B2B space. This article does a great job of explaining the power of using influencers, regardless of industry.
Find Products for Customers, Not Customers for Products by Annette Franz
(CX Journey) I’ve preached over the years: solve problems for customers; do that, and your business will go far.
My Comment: After reading this article, it reminded me of a question: What business are we in? One of my favorite answers came from Howard Schultz (of Starbucks) who said, “We’re not in the coffee business serving people. We’re in the people business serving coffee.” When you flip what appears to be the right answer around, you get a better answer. Annette Franz has done the same thing with products and customers. She opens the article with a great quote from Seth Godin, who said, “Don’t find customers for your products; find products for your 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.
Put Yourself 2nd to Place 1st in the Experience Economy by Barry Fiske
(Fast Company) Customers can sense when a company’s products and experiences aren’t loyal to their needs, so why should they be loyal to that business?
My Comment: I bet you would agree with this statement: Companies exist to solve customer problems. If I need a shirt, there’s a store that will sell it to me. If I need an upgrade on a software program, there’s a company that will design it for me. If we don’t have a product or service that meets a customer’s needs, we will go out of business. And when you combine it with meeting the customer’s service needs and expectations, you go to another level. According to the author, some companies have lost sight of that. That message is loud and clear in just the first two paragraphs of this article. Of course, there’s more!
10x Improvement in Customer Experience by Jaimie Boyd, Gretchen Brainard, NSN Murty, Joe Mariani & Pankaj Kamleshkumar Kishnani
(Delloite) Combining digital public infrastructure like digital identity with tools like human-centered design can help governments significantly enhance customer experience.
My Comment: Kudos to the government! They are improving the customer (citizen) experience. According to our customer experience research, only 18% of consumers in the US believe the government delivers great customer service. But it looks like it’s getting (or going to get) better. Deloitte took a closer the service governments provide. According to the authors, “While the private sector has found that keeping customers at the center of their operations improves their overall performance, similar realization is taking root in governments.”
Customer science: A new CIO imperative by Thorton May
(CIO) For businesses to become truly customer-centric, CIOs must instill a more scientific approach to customer experience analysis.
My Comment: What is customer science? This was a new term for me, and it probably is for you, too. The concept is simple. According to the author, companies (and specifically CIO’s) should take a more scientific approach to customer experience analysis. If you’re into understanding customer behavior through measurement, this article is for you.
For legacy industries, influencer marketing is key to evolving the customer journey by Greg Scavuzzo
(Sprout Social) Influencer marketing has the power to reroute the customer journey in some of the most traditional spaces. Why stagnate when you can innovate?
My Comment: Influencer Marketing is part of the customer experience. A celebrity or recognized expert who uses, talks about, and promotes a product or brand is a combination of marketing, sales, and experience. While most of us see influencer marketing in the B2C world (food, fashion, health, lifestyle, etc.), there’s tremendous opportunity in the B2B world, especially as younger employees who appreciate influencers have careers in the B2B space. This article does a great job of explaining the power of using influencers, regardless of industry.
Find Products for Customers, Not Customers for Products by Annette Franz
(CX Journey) I’ve preached over the years: solve problems for customers; do that, and your business will go far.
My Comment: After reading this article, it reminded me of a question: What business are we in? One of my favorite answers came from Howard Schultz (of Starbucks) who said, “We’re not in the coffee business serving people. We’re in the people business serving coffee.” When you flip what appears to be the right answer around, you get a better answer. Annette Franz has done the same thing with products and customers. She opens the article with a great quote from Seth Godin, who said, “Don’t find customers for your products; find products for your 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.
March 26, 2024
We Work Hard to Make It Look Easy
My friend Norman Beck recently shared a quote that inspired him: We work hard to make it look easy. Isn’t that what the best people do? Whether it’s sports, entertainment, or business, some people are so good that what they do looks easy. I Googled the quote to find out who to attribute it to and found numerous variations:
In sports, Ken Griffey Jr., a professional baseball player, said, “Just because I made it look easy doesn’t mean that it was, and you don’t work hard and become a Hall of Famer without working day in and day out.”
In entertainment, Ben Mitchell, a fictional character from the BBC television series EastEnders, said, “It takes a lot of effort to make something look effortless.”
And in business, Steve Jobs of Apple said, “It takes a lot of hard work to make something look simple.”
There is some very practical wisdom in these motivational and inspiring quotes that we can apply to the customer service and CX world.
Think of the best customer experiences you have had.
Perhaps it was a person who was helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly, which, by the way, are the three experiences customers say are most likely to get them to come back, according to our 2024 CX research (sponsored by RingCentral). They made your experience enjoyable and easy. What you probably don’t know is that other than a pleasant demeanor – hopefully a natural part of the employee’s personality – there was a lot of training to get this person educated about the company’s products so they could deliver a knowledgeable and helpful experience.
Or consider the simplicity of ordering a product from Amazon. How complicated is the behind-the-scenes process that takes you from a few clicks on their website to what you ordered showing up on your front porch? It is incredibly complicated, but the Amazon experience is so easy!
When I’m invited to speak to a group of business leaders as the keynote speaker, I often share my Six Simple Steps to Building a Customer-Focused Culture. Yes, the steps are simple, but that doesn’t mean they are easy. There’s a difference!
The point is that simple is usually not easy. There’s lots of work, thinking, planning, practice, experimenting, training, and more that goes into creating an easy experience. And one thing customers really want, whether they express it or not, is an easy experience. So, consider this simple – but not so easy-to-answer – question: What do you do to give your customers an easy experience?
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.
March 25, 2024
The Fundamentals of Customer Engagement with Spencer Burke
This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:
How can companies use AI effectively to enhance customer experience?
How can businesses leverage multichannel marketing to increase customer engagement and retention?
Why is it important for marketers to balance personalization with customer privacy concerns?
What are the fundamentals of marketing and customer engagement that businesses should prioritize?
What role does AI play in unleashing creativity and improving customer experience?
Top Takeaways
Effectively connecting with customers is a crucial aspect of marketing and customer service. Understand where your customers are and what tools and data are available to create personalized experiences. The goal is to provide value to the customers and meet their expectations while respecting their privacy and preferences.
Keep focusing on the fundamentals when it comes to customer engagement. Just like in sports, where great athletes consistently work on the basics, we should do the same. Our fundamentals include understanding our customers, communicating with our customers, and serving our customers.
It’s essential to be where the customers are and experiment with different channels to understand their preferences and effectively engage with them. Using multiple channels, such as email, SMS, push notifications, and other emerging platforms, can improve customer relationships and increase retention and conversion rates.
One of the top trends that The 2024 Global Customer Engagement has discovered is that creativity and strategy work together with AI. Artificial Intelligence and technology can help automate processes, allowing marketers and customer support agents more time to focus on creativity and strategy. This can include automating repetitive tasks, enhancing analysis, and predicting customer segments. You can access The 2024 Global Customer Engagement for free.
Companies should aim to find the right balance between personalization and avoiding the “creepiness factor” by understanding and meeting customer expectations. Customers expect brands to provide value by understanding their preferences and needs. Companies need to use data to create personalized experiences while respecting customer privacy.
Plus, Shep and Spencer discuss what successful brands are doing to engage with their customers. Tune in!
Quotes:
“Marketing is about connecting brands and consumers. There are a lot of touch points in the customer journey that involve customer care and customer support that are done through traditional marketing channels.”
“Today is one of the best times to be a marketer. We have more tools and data at our disposal, providing us with many opportunities to connect with our customers in new ways.”
“It is so easy to get lost in all the shiny, crazy, exciting use cases for AI and tech. But sometimes, you must go back to the fundamentals like communicating as a team and getting your colleagues and stakeholders on the same page.”
About:
Spencer Burke is the Senior Vice President of Growth at Braze, a customer engagement platform that offers messaging solutions spanning push notifications, email, in-app messaging, and other channels.
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 companies use AI effectively to enhance customer experience?
How can businesses leverage multichannel marketing to increase customer engagement and retention?
Why is it important for marketers to balance personalization with customer privacy concerns?
What are the fundamentals of marketing and customer engagement that businesses should prioritize?
What role does AI play in unleashing creativity and improving customer experience?
Top Takeaways
Effectively connecting with customers is a crucial aspect of marketing and customer service. Understand where your customers are and what tools and data are available to create personalized experiences. The goal is to provide value to the customers and meet their expectations while respecting their privacy and preferences.
Keep focusing on the fundamentals when it comes to customer engagement. Just like in sports, where great athletes consistently work on the basics, we should do the same. Our fundamentals include understanding our customers, communicating with our customers, and serving our customers.
It’s essential to be where the customers are and experiment with different channels to understand their preferences and effectively engage with them. Using multiple channels, such as email, SMS, push notifications, and other emerging platforms, can improve customer relationships and increase retention and conversion rates.
One of the top trends that The 2024 Global Customer Engagement has discovered is that creativity and strategy work together with AI. Artificial Intelligence and technology can help automate processes, allowing marketers and customer support agents more time to focus on creativity and strategy. This can include automating repetitive tasks, enhancing analysis, and predicting customer segments. You can access The 2024 Global Customer Engagement for free.
Companies should aim to find the right balance between personalization and avoiding the “creepiness factor” by understanding and meeting customer expectations. Customers expect brands to provide value by understanding their preferences and needs. Companies need to use data to create personalized experiences while respecting customer privacy.
Plus, Shep and Spencer discuss what successful brands are doing to engage with their customers. Tune in!
Quotes:
“Marketing is about connecting brands and consumers. There are a lot of touch points in the customer journey that involve customer care and customer support that are done through traditional marketing channels.”
“Today is one of the best times to be a marketer. We have more tools and data at our disposal, providing us with many opportunities to connect with our customers in new ways.”
“It is so easy to get lost in all the shiny, crazy, exciting use cases for AI and tech. But sometimes, you must go back to the fundamentals like communicating as a team and getting your colleagues and stakeholders on the same page.”
About:
Spencer Burke is the Senior Vice President of Growth at Braze, a customer engagement platform that offers messaging solutions spanning push notifications, email, in-app messaging, and other channels.
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 March 25, 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 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Is Benefiting Customer and Employee Satisfaction by John Dijulius
(The Dijulius Group) AI and Machine Learning (ML) are not only here, but if it’s not already a major part of your business strategy moving forward, you may be in danger of becoming the next Kodak. According to an article in Craving Tech, organizations that have integrated this new technology into their operations saw a 25% boost in customer satisfaction in 2023. Through chatbots and empathy simulators are transforming customer service by taking over tasks traditionally done by humans, such as speech recognition, empathy, and decision-making.
My Comment: We kick off this week’s Top Five roundup with an excellent article on the most popular topic of the day (probably the year), AI. My friend and fellow customer service expert, John DiJulius, shares his thoughts on how AI is benefiting both customer and employee satisfaction. I loved one of his first topics: AI is not the end of call centers. It’s making them better. If you disagree, it’s because the call center experience you had isn’t using AI for its best capabilities.
The Post-Pandemic Customer: More Demanding, Harder on Employees by Ben Wigert, Kate Den Houter and Ed O’Boyle
(Gallup) Today’s organizations are rapidly transforming in response to economic forecasts and changing expectations among employees and customers. Customers in particular have formed new habits and expectations for customer service. Many of these changes are in response to conveniences adopted during the pandemic, such as home delivery, curbside pickup, on-site digital menus, on-demand video calls with experts and a general urgency to please customers.
My Comment: If you love stats, facts, and research findings, you’ll love this article from Gallup. I agree that customers are more demanding than ever. This has been going on since before the pandemic. However, the number of customers who are “harder” on employees seems to be increasing post-pandemic. It’s one thing to expect better service. It’s another to be abusive to an employee. In addition to the findings, there are also suggestions on how to manage the increased expectations.
How to Leverage AI for a Better Customer Experience by Hasan Saleem
(FastCompany) The intersection of AI and customer experience has paved the way for innovative, efficient, and personalized interactions between businesses and consumers. The stakes are high and the opportunities are endless.
My Comment: I promise this is the only other article on AI this week. It’s a perfect companion piece to the John DiJulius article (this week’s Top Five #1). It starts with some insight into using AI for personalization, moving into ideas to create a more efficient experience, continuing with some ideas on ethical considerations, and finishing up with a look at what the future of AI will bring to the world of business.
Brands Want Your Loyalty—and Will Offer More Than Points to Get It by Lauren Giella
(Newsweek) Loyalty programs offer customers rewards, discounts or other perks when buying from or using the products or services of a certain brand. Companies—from JetBlue to Dunkin’ to Walmart—will push loyalty programs to attract both new and returning customers.
My Comment: Here is an excellent and robust article on loyalty programs. A link to Newsweek’s 2024 list of America’s Best Loyalty Programs is included. There are examples of the best programs from the biggest brands. Today’s loyalty programs are more than just points and perks. Many personalize the offerings and incentives to the individual customer. With so many loyalty programs being offered, the company or brand must be careful not to overpromote or over-offer. Otherwise, just as we delete emails and text messages, we’ll also do the same to the brand’s loyalty program.
How the World’s Best Hotels Deliver Exceptional Customer Experience by Ryan Mann, Ellen Scully, Matthew Straus, and Jillian Tellez Holub
(McKinsey & Company) Luxury hospitality begins with a signature property, but a well-situated, beautifully designed hotel is only a start. Stellar service, driven by devoted hotel staff, is what makes a great property come alive. As one general manager (GM) of a luxury hotel told us in an interview, “Our facility is our stage, and guests are paying for a performance.”
My Comment: One of my favorite topics to share with clients from any and all industries is the concept of a hospitality mentality. This article shares ideas that any industry can use from the luxury hotel industry. While a luxury hotel offers beautiful rooms and amenities, it doesn’t matter how nice the hotel looks without the proper level of service. As you read the article, try to ask yourself, “How does this apply to my business?” I bet you’ll find several ideas worth pursuing.
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.
How Artificial Intelligence (AI) Is Benefiting Customer and Employee Satisfaction by John Dijulius
(The Dijulius Group) AI and Machine Learning (ML) are not only here, but if it’s not already a major part of your business strategy moving forward, you may be in danger of becoming the next Kodak. According to an article in Craving Tech, organizations that have integrated this new technology into their operations saw a 25% boost in customer satisfaction in 2023. Through chatbots and empathy simulators are transforming customer service by taking over tasks traditionally done by humans, such as speech recognition, empathy, and decision-making.
My Comment: We kick off this week’s Top Five roundup with an excellent article on the most popular topic of the day (probably the year), AI. My friend and fellow customer service expert, John DiJulius, shares his thoughts on how AI is benefiting both customer and employee satisfaction. I loved one of his first topics: AI is not the end of call centers. It’s making them better. If you disagree, it’s because the call center experience you had isn’t using AI for its best capabilities.
The Post-Pandemic Customer: More Demanding, Harder on Employees by Ben Wigert, Kate Den Houter and Ed O’Boyle
(Gallup) Today’s organizations are rapidly transforming in response to economic forecasts and changing expectations among employees and customers. Customers in particular have formed new habits and expectations for customer service. Many of these changes are in response to conveniences adopted during the pandemic, such as home delivery, curbside pickup, on-site digital menus, on-demand video calls with experts and a general urgency to please customers.
My Comment: If you love stats, facts, and research findings, you’ll love this article from Gallup. I agree that customers are more demanding than ever. This has been going on since before the pandemic. However, the number of customers who are “harder” on employees seems to be increasing post-pandemic. It’s one thing to expect better service. It’s another to be abusive to an employee. In addition to the findings, there are also suggestions on how to manage the increased expectations.
How to Leverage AI for a Better Customer Experience by Hasan Saleem
(FastCompany) The intersection of AI and customer experience has paved the way for innovative, efficient, and personalized interactions between businesses and consumers. The stakes are high and the opportunities are endless.
My Comment: I promise this is the only other article on AI this week. It’s a perfect companion piece to the John DiJulius article (this week’s Top Five #1). It starts with some insight into using AI for personalization, moving into ideas to create a more efficient experience, continuing with some ideas on ethical considerations, and finishing up with a look at what the future of AI will bring to the world of business.
Brands Want Your Loyalty—and Will Offer More Than Points to Get It by Lauren Giella
(Newsweek) Loyalty programs offer customers rewards, discounts or other perks when buying from or using the products or services of a certain brand. Companies—from JetBlue to Dunkin’ to Walmart—will push loyalty programs to attract both new and returning customers.
My Comment: Here is an excellent and robust article on loyalty programs. A link to Newsweek’s 2024 list of America’s Best Loyalty Programs is included. There are examples of the best programs from the biggest brands. Today’s loyalty programs are more than just points and perks. Many personalize the offerings and incentives to the individual customer. With so many loyalty programs being offered, the company or brand must be careful not to overpromote or over-offer. Otherwise, just as we delete emails and text messages, we’ll also do the same to the brand’s loyalty program.
How the World’s Best Hotels Deliver Exceptional Customer Experience by Ryan Mann, Ellen Scully, Matthew Straus, and Jillian Tellez Holub
(McKinsey & Company) Luxury hospitality begins with a signature property, but a well-situated, beautifully designed hotel is only a start. Stellar service, driven by devoted hotel staff, is what makes a great property come alive. As one general manager (GM) of a luxury hotel told us in an interview, “Our facility is our stage, and guests are paying for a performance.”
My Comment: One of my favorite topics to share with clients from any and all industries is the concept of a hospitality mentality. This article shares ideas that any industry can use from the luxury hotel industry. While a luxury hotel offers beautiful rooms and amenities, it doesn’t matter how nice the hotel looks without the proper level of service. As you read the article, try to ask yourself, “How does this apply to my business?” I bet you’ll find several ideas worth pursuing.
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.
March 19, 2024
You Can’t Do What You’ve Always Done (Anymore)
Recently, I read a RetailWire article about Macy’s shutting down 150 of its 500 stores. For those in other parts of the world, Macy’s is a department store chain, and its stores often anchor large shopping malls. However, while that describes more than 25% of its stores, it represents less than 10% of sales. Some might say Macy’s is “trimming the fat” or “getting rid of the dogs.” From a financial perspective, that may be true. But it’s more than that. What they are doing is what any good business would do, and that’s changing to keep up with customers’ ever-changing habits and expectations. As Macy’s is shutting down stores, it is opening others; however, it is breaking from its traditional large department store footprint and shifting to smaller stores at “off-mall” locations.
Macy’s refers to this change as A Bold New Chapter. According to Macy’s CEO Tony Spring, “This isn’t about shrinking. This is about resizing the portfolio to make sure we are giving people an opportunity to shop where they want.”
This is a lesson for all of us, in any business, and in any industry. If something is working, be excited, but at the same time, be looking ahead because you can’t do what you’ve always done. Otherwise, you will find yourself having to catch up and keep up with competitors who have figured out the way customers think today versus last year – or for the last 10 years.
I’m honored to be part of the RetailWire Braintrust and read their articles daily, often commenting on them. For the article about Macy’s, here is my comment:
Macy’s isn’t going out of business! They are just changing to keep up with consumer demand, trends, expectations and habits. And good for them! That’s what they must do to stay relevant. With the rapidly changing ways consumers shop, you can’t do what you’ve always done. If you don’t believe that, remember the story of Blockbuster Video. Enough said!
Blockbuster Video became a dinosaur when its leadership didn’t recognize its customers were gravitating toward a more convenient way to watch movies at home. Netflix was chipping away at its business by delivering DVDs to customers’ mailboxes, eventually shifting to streaming directly to their TVs. Blockbuster kept thinking customers would rather get in their cars, drive a mile or two – or more – to rent movies, pay late fees, etc. As I said in my RetailWire quote, “Enough said.”
The point is that people – as in customers – change, and you must do so as well. So, embrace what’s working today, but at the same time, study the most successful companies, both inside and outside of your industry, to see what they are doing to keep up with customers’ new habits and expectations. Be bold like Macy’s. Make the changes needed to stay relevant. Remember, you can’t do what you’ve always done anymore!
And, if you’d like to learn more about your customers’ ever-changing habits and current expectations in customer service and CX, click here to get our new Achieving Customer Amazement study (sponsored by RingCentral).
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.
March 18, 2024
Using AI Responsibly to Enhance the Customer Experience with Joe Tyrrell
This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:
How can technology aid in creating personalized customer experiences for businesses?
How does personalization impact purchasing decisions?
What role does data play in predicting and understanding customer preferences?
What are some ethical considerations when using AI and technology for customer interactions?
How can companies utilize technology and automation to assist and support their customer service representatives instead of replacing them?
Top Takeaways
Personalized experiences are essential for businesses to attract and retain customers. By understanding customer behavior and preferences and using technology to track interactions, companies can anticipate their needs and provide a seamless and tailored experience.
Businesses can harness various data sources, including feedback from surveys, social media, and customer history, to better understand and anticipate consumer needs. By aggregating and interpreting this data, companies can gain valuable insights to personalize the customer experience and improve service.
The goal of technology in customer service is not to replace human interaction but to assist and empower employees. Businesses can offer more personalized, timely, and effective service by supporting employees with technologies that help prioritize essential tasks and understand customer needs.
To deliver personalized experiences, companies should focus on using technological capabilities while maintaining empathy and a human touch. It’s a “balancing act.”
Personalized experiences can significantly impact customer purchasing decisions. Companies can influence consumer buying decisions by offering tailored experiences based on the customer’s preferences and history with the brand.
Plus, Shep and Joe answer the question: Is it possible to completely eliminate average hold times and average wait times? Tune in!
Quotes:
“We have to think about how we will use AI responsibly and ethically and not introduce unintended consequences or bias.”
“The goal of personalization is not just to make customers feel connected to a company or a place. It is to make them feel connected and seen as people.”
“Personalize every experience. The keyword is every. If you only do it sometimes, and then the next time you interact with that same consumer, you act as if it’s the first time you’re meeting them, you invalidate all the work you’ve done in the previous visits and the experiences you’ve created for them.”
About:
Joe Tyrrell is the CEO of Medallia. Before Medallia, he served as president of ICE Mortgage Technology.
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 technology aid in creating personalized customer experiences for businesses?
How does personalization impact purchasing decisions?
What role does data play in predicting and understanding customer preferences?
What are some ethical considerations when using AI and technology for customer interactions?
How can companies utilize technology and automation to assist and support their customer service representatives instead of replacing them?
Top Takeaways
Personalized experiences are essential for businesses to attract and retain customers. By understanding customer behavior and preferences and using technology to track interactions, companies can anticipate their needs and provide a seamless and tailored experience.
Businesses can harness various data sources, including feedback from surveys, social media, and customer history, to better understand and anticipate consumer needs. By aggregating and interpreting this data, companies can gain valuable insights to personalize the customer experience and improve service.
The goal of technology in customer service is not to replace human interaction but to assist and empower employees. Businesses can offer more personalized, timely, and effective service by supporting employees with technologies that help prioritize essential tasks and understand customer needs.
To deliver personalized experiences, companies should focus on using technological capabilities while maintaining empathy and a human touch. It’s a “balancing act.”
Personalized experiences can significantly impact customer purchasing decisions. Companies can influence consumer buying decisions by offering tailored experiences based on the customer’s preferences and history with the brand.
Plus, Shep and Joe answer the question: Is it possible to completely eliminate average hold times and average wait times? Tune in!
Quotes:
“We have to think about how we will use AI responsibly and ethically and not introduce unintended consequences or bias.”
“The goal of personalization is not just to make customers feel connected to a company or a place. It is to make them feel connected and seen as people.”
“Personalize every experience. The keyword is every. If you only do it sometimes, and then the next time you interact with that same consumer, you act as if it’s the first time you’re meeting them, you invalidate all the work you’ve done in the previous visits and the experiences you’ve created for them.”
About:
Joe Tyrrell is the CEO of Medallia. Before Medallia, he served as president of ICE Mortgage Technology.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
Using AI Responsibly to Enhance the Customer Experience with Joe Tyrell
This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:
How can technology aid in creating personalized customer experiences for businesses?
How does personalization impact purchasing decisions?
What role does data play in predicting and understanding customer preferences?
What are some ethical considerations when using AI and technology for customer interactions?
How can companies utilize technology and automation to assist and support their customer service representatives instead of replacing them?
Top Takeaways
Personalized experiences are essential for businesses to attract and retain customers. By understanding customer behavior and preferences and using technology to track interactions, companies can anticipate their needs and provide a seamless and tailored experience.
Businesses can harness various data sources, including feedback from surveys, social media, and customer history, to better understand and anticipate consumer needs. By aggregating and interpreting this data, companies can gain valuable insights to personalize the customer experience and improve service.
The goal of technology in customer service is not to replace human interaction but to assist and empower employees. Businesses can offer more personalized, timely, and effective service by supporting employees with technologies that help prioritize essential tasks and understand customer needs.
To deliver personalized experiences, companies should focus on using technological capabilities while maintaining empathy and a human touch. It’s a “balancing act.”
Personalized experiences can significantly impact customer purchasing decisions. Companies can influence consumer buying decisions by offering tailored experiences based on the customer’s preferences and history with the brand.
Plus, Shep and Joe answer the question: Is it possible to completely eliminate average hold times and average wait times? Tune in!
Quotes:
“We have to think about how we will use AI responsibly and ethically and not introduce unintended consequences or bias.”
“The goal of personalization is not just to make customers feel connected to a company or a place. It is to make them feel connected and seen as people.”
“Personalize every experience. The keyword is every. If you only do it sometimes, and then the next time you interact with that same consumer, you act as if it’s the first time you’re meeting them, you invalidate all the work you’ve done in the previous visits and the experiences you’ve created for them.”
About:
Joe Tyrrell is the CEO of Medallia. Before Medallia, he served as president of ICE Mortgage Technology.
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 technology aid in creating personalized customer experiences for businesses?
How does personalization impact purchasing decisions?
What role does data play in predicting and understanding customer preferences?
What are some ethical considerations when using AI and technology for customer interactions?
How can companies utilize technology and automation to assist and support their customer service representatives instead of replacing them?
Top Takeaways
Personalized experiences are essential for businesses to attract and retain customers. By understanding customer behavior and preferences and using technology to track interactions, companies can anticipate their needs and provide a seamless and tailored experience.
Businesses can harness various data sources, including feedback from surveys, social media, and customer history, to better understand and anticipate consumer needs. By aggregating and interpreting this data, companies can gain valuable insights to personalize the customer experience and improve service.
The goal of technology in customer service is not to replace human interaction but to assist and empower employees. Businesses can offer more personalized, timely, and effective service by supporting employees with technologies that help prioritize essential tasks and understand customer needs.
To deliver personalized experiences, companies should focus on using technological capabilities while maintaining empathy and a human touch. It’s a “balancing act.”
Personalized experiences can significantly impact customer purchasing decisions. Companies can influence consumer buying decisions by offering tailored experiences based on the customer’s preferences and history with the brand.
Plus, Shep and Joe answer the question: Is it possible to completely eliminate average hold times and average wait times? Tune in!
Quotes:
“We have to think about how we will use AI responsibly and ethically and not introduce unintended consequences or bias.”
“The goal of personalization is not just to make customers feel connected to a company or a place. It is to make them feel connected and seen as people.”
“Personalize every experience. The keyword is every. If you only do it sometimes, and then the next time you interact with that same consumer, you act as if it’s the first time you’re meeting them, you invalidate all the work you’ve done in the previous visits and the experiences you’ve created for them.”
About:
Joe Tyrrell is the CEO of Medallia. Before Medallia, he served as president of ICE Mortgage Technology.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio .
