Shep Hyken's Blog, page 6
June 17, 2025
Every Customer Deserves Your “First-Time Energy”
While this isn’t formal research, I’ve asked many people the question, “What do you think is the most common question that customers ask employees?” I made the point that this isn’t about calling customer support; it’s a people-to-people interaction.
Almost everyone answers correctly: “Where’s the bathroom?”
If you were asked that every day – sometimes multiple times throughout the day – at what point would you start to act frustrated with any customer who asked you that question?
Here’s the point: The 50th person asking you where the bathroom is doesn’t know they are the 50th person. For them, it’s their first time asking you, and your response should make them feel that way.
This reminds me of my days performing magic shows at trade shows. One of my clients hired me for 10 straight days, during which time I performed twelve 20-minute shows daily – that’s 120 shows!
After the final show, my client asked, “How is it that after doing all of those shows throughout the week, you seem to be just as fresh as the first show?”
Every customer deserves your first-time energy.
I hadn’t thought about it, but with not much thought, I answered, “I think about each audience. Everyone in the audience deserves my best effort and energy, as if they were my first. If I came off as bored or tired, I’d be letting them down, not to mention letting my client down. So, even though I may have performed the same tricks and delivered the same lines for every show, each audience – even the 120th audience after 119 shows – deserved my very best effort – my first-time energy.”
When a server at a restaurant recites the daily specials for the 12th time that night, do you want to hear them delivered with enthusiasm or with the boredom of repetition? Or maybe it’s a chef who has been asked 20 times a night for many years to prepare a dish that earned him a reputation and keeps customers coming back again and again.
Baseball legend Joe DiMaggio understood this principle perfectly. The story is a perfect example of this concept. A reporter interviewed DiMaggio and asked why he played every game so hard. He replied, “Because there might have been somebody in the stands today who’d never seen me play before and might never see me again.”
The best employees, chefs, athletes, and entertainers understand that repetition is their challenge, not the customer’s problem. They find ways to keep their responses and reactions fresh, be it the first or 500th time. This mindset transforms an ordinary customer experience into something extraordinary. Every customer deserves your first-time energy.
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 .
June 16, 2025
Samsung’s Speed, Simplicity, and Service with Mark Williams
This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:
How can a brand turn customer service interactions into opportunities for brand loyalty?
What are the benefits of proactive customer service?
How does smart technology enhance the overall customer experience?
What role does customer feedback play in improving the overall service experience?
How can artificial intelligence enhance the role of customer service agents?
Top Takeaways
Every customer interaction is an opportunity to turn someone into a loyal fan, even a promoter of your brand.
Customer service shouldn’t just be about fixing problems. It should also be about preventing them. Customer care doesn’t always have to be reactive. By using technology to anticipate problems, brands can identify and resolve issues even before customers becomes aware of them. For example, Samsung’s smart appliances can alert you to issues like a fridge getting too warm and even schedule a repair before your food goes bad.
Loyalty can be built through customer service, even when it comes after a problem or a negative experience. When customers have a great experience getting help, and their problems are solved quickly, they are more likely to buy again and recommend the brand to friends and family.
Mark also shares his three core principles: Speed, Simplicity, and Service.
Speed: Reduce the time it takes to fix a customer’s issue. The sooner you solve the problem, the happier and more loyal your customers become. (In the U.S. Samsung’s repair network now covers 99% of the U.S. for consumer electronics, and 81% of Americans are within just a 30-minute drive of same-day mobile service.)
Simplicity: Remove confusing policies, eliminate unnecessary steps, and actively listen to employees and customers for ideas on how to simplify processes.
Service: When you design experiences that put customers first, understand their needs, and effectively solve their issues, you will attract lifelong customers who will continue to buy from you because they know they can trust you, even when something goes wrong.
Create easy ways for employees to share their thoughts and observations on what could be done better. Frontline workers know firsthand which policies and processes work and which ones frustrate customers.
AI works best as a tool that helps people, not as a replacement for them. It empowers staff to focus on understanding customers and resolving their issues, while AI provides instant and relevant information that accelerates the process and enhances accuracy.
Customer service is an income-generating department. Reliable products are important, but it’s the extra mile in service that makes people choose to do business with a brand again and again.
Plus, Mark shares why more than half of Samsung’s customer care team in the U.S. has been with the company for over 10 years. Tune in!
Quotes:
“Get to customers quicker and solve their problems before they even know they have a problem.”
“We want to make every service interaction a positive experience so we can turn customers into lifetime purchasers and promoters of our brand.”
“Having an incredible product should keep you with a brand, but when you experience truly great service on top of that, why would you ever want to leave?”
“AI is not a replacement. It is an enhancement to make the experience better and let our agents focus on the customers so they can solve problems quicker and more accurately.”
About:
Mark Williams is the Head of Customer Care at Samsung Electronics America. His work centers on proactive solutions that help customer service teams address issues quickly and efficiently.
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 June 16, 2025
Each week, I read many customer service and customer experience articles from various resources. Here are my top five picks from last week. I have added my comments about each article and would like to hear what you think too.
NiCE Research Reveals Customer Service Happiness Is Rising by Contact Centres
(Contact Centres) NiCE’s 2025 Global Happiness Index reveals that consumers are now experiencing the benefits of AI in CX, and 69% trust AI-powered companies as much, or even more, than those without it.
My Comment: We kick off this week’s Top Five Roundup with a reminder to check out the NiCE research about customer service happiness. This is what I found interesting. Global happiness (not related to customer service or CX) has dropped by 10 points to 58% from last year. However, happiness related to customer service increased by 5%.
Attract New Customers Without Alienating Your Old Ones by Ryan Hamilton and Annie Wilson
(Harvard Business Review) In the pursuit of growth, companies often strive to attract new kinds of customers. But if those new segments have needs, values, and preferences that differ from current buyers’, that approach can backfire spectacularly, driving away a firm’s loyal base and shrinking revenues.
My Comment: The gist of this article is to understand that pursuing new customers, if not done the right way, can potentially cause a loss of existing customers. At first, I thought this article would be about offering discounts to new customers and upsetting existing customers by not offering something of similar value. I was pleasantly surprised when the article went into examples of brands chasing a new customer segment and unintentionally alienating existing customers.
Is My Feedback *Really* Important to You? by Nicholas Zeisler
(CustomerThink) Customer Support, Customer Service, and Customer Care (whichever you call it) tends to be a predominantly transactional existence: Customer has a problem, question, issue, etc.; Customer contacts brand; brand helps Customer (ideally); Customer goes on about life. And on and on.
My Comment:
My Comment: Too many companies claim customer feedback is important, but then treat it like a checkbox exercise. Customers know this. My annual customer experience research found 62% of customers assume the company won’t make any changes based on their feedback. This article captures the difference between companies that genuinely want feedback versus those that go through the motions. The author, a customer service expert, offered to give feedback to two different brands. One brand eagerly embraced a 30-minute feedback call, and the other treated it as a burden.
Do Consumers Really Want, or Value, AI for Customer Service? by Beth Schultz
(nojitter) “Whom you often long to speak to during a customer service call.” This clue from a recent New York Times mini crossword puzzle gave me nary a pause, thanks to the CX analyst in me. I knew “human” had to be the answer … despite the industry’s best efforts to insert AI agents into customer interactions.
My Comment: There’s a disconnect between what businesses think about AI in customer service and what customers actually experience. According to the article, while 75.9% of businesses believe AI has improved their customer service, only 35.6% of consumers agree. Furthermore, the research shared that 41.1% of customers anticipate AI’s impact will be negative, yet businesses continue pushing AI solutions. (My take on this is that even if AI can do something, it doesn’t mean the company should use it for customer support.) This article reminds us that using AI requires understanding consumer preferences, not just operational efficiency.
3 CX Lessons from X4 2025 that Leaders Can’t Ignore by Jeannie Walters
(CX Network) CX leaders have an opportunity—and a responsibility—to guide their organizations through this evolution. With the right mindset, strategy and commitment to action, the impact absolutely will be transformative.
My Comment: We wrap up this week’s Top Five roundup with an excellent article by fellow CX expert, Jeannie Walters. She shares three ideas, and the first two summarize ideas from other articles in this week’s roundup. AI is moving from automation to human-centric augmentation. In other words, AI helps but doesn’t replace humans. The second idea focuses on listening to customers and how they only create value when action is taken. While the third idea doesn’t relate to the other articles this week, it’s still a good one, mentioning Danny Meyer’s idea that “The employee is our first customer.”
BONUS
Time For A Mid-Year Customer Experience Reset by Brittany Hodak
(Brittany Hodak) It’s hard to believe, but 2025 will be halfway gone before you know it. July 2nd marks the exact midpoint of the year—and that makes this your 3-week heads-up to pause and ask: Are you keeping the customer experience commitments you made in January?
My Comment: You’ve seen Brittany Hodak’s articles in my Top Five Roundup before. What you may not know is that we co-host The SUPER AMAZING Show and feature a short customer service/CX tip every week. Brittany’s recent article suggests a “mid-year CX Reset” to ensure you are keeping the commitments you made in January. She also suggests a quick customer survey, checking in with top clients, and getting feedback from your team.
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.
June 10, 2025
Details Count: How Small Flaws Can Taint the Entire Customer Experience
Have you ever walked into a restaurant bathroom and found paper towels scattered on the floor or an overflowing trash can? What immediately crossed your mind? What did you think about the restaurant? For most of us, our thoughts jump to, “If they can’t keep their bathroom clean, what is their kitchen like?”
I call this the Bathroom Experience, a powerful metaphor for how seemingly minor details can dramatically impact customers’ perceptions of a business. A clean bathroom goes unnoticed because it’s expected. But a dirty one? That sends customers a message that the restaurant might be neglecting other details.
This concept extends far beyond restaurants. Before moving into my current office, I toured the building and specifically checked the bathrooms on multiple floors. The way the building maintained its bathrooms told me what I needed to know about how the property management company handled details throughout the rest of the building.
The concept also extends beyond restrooms. Recently, I checked into a higher-end hotel, and as I was relaxing on my bed, I looked up and noticed thick dust coating the air vents. I found myself wondering what I would breathe in throughout the night. We could refer to this as the Vent Experience.
These mismanaged details are oversights that create a ripple effect. When a customer picks up a rental car and discovers the glove compartment won’t stay closed, they might wonder, “If they missed this, I wonder if they checked to make sure the brakes were working properly.”
Many years ago, my assistant sent a performance agreement to a client who booked me for a speech. The client called me to discuss canceling the booking. It turns out the agreement had a number of typos and punctuation errors. I was shocked and embarrassed. It turns out my assistant accidentally sent the draft she was working on instead of the final version. I apologized and explained what happened. Fortunately, the client accepted the explanation, but I’ll never forget his comment, which made me realize how important little details are. He said, “I am hiring someone who is supposed to be a good communicator. The document you sent had so many errors, I questioned your ability to do the job.” Ouch! That hurt, but he was 100% correct.
Here’s the point: Details that seem insignificant to you might concern your customers. For some, these examples cause customers to make assumptions about other things that they can’t see.
So, what’s your version of the Bathroom Experience? What small detail is your team overlooking that customers notice and use to judge you and your business? Finding and fixing these details doesn’t just solve small problems; it prevents customers from imagining bigger ones.
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 .
June 9, 2025
The Ecosystem of Customer Relationships with Ryan Hamilton
This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:
How does customer segmentation impact how customer experiences are designed?
How can businesses navigate conflicts between different customer groups seeking unique experiences?
In what ways do ideological differences between customers influence brand experience?
Why is it important for companies to continually adapt their customer experience as their customer base grows?
How do influencers impact customer behavior?
Top Takeaways
Some companies believe that they are only serving one type of customer. In reality, there are often several segments with different needs and expectations. Take Disney, for example. They serve both families with kids and “Disney adults”—grown-ups who love the Disney experience just as much. Each group may be looking for something different, but both are important to the overall customer experience.
Companies need to recognize how different customer groups impact the business and how they interact with one another. When companies do not understand the different customer segments that they serve, they risk accidentally leaving one group out (and losing their business) or even creating conflict between groups.
One way to keep different customer groups happy is to design experiences just for them, even if they are sharing the same space. Depending on your type of business, this could mean creating special areas, offering different products, or even building new locations with certain features in mind.
As a business grows, so will its customer base. This means adjusting and innovating to meet the diverse needs and expectations of their customers. Successful brands continually evolve to attract and serve new customers without compromising the identity that initially drew their original customers.
Innovation is a double-edged sword. It can bring about changes that improve or disrupt the customer experience. Brands need to be willing to listen to customer feedback and adapt accordingly. Good communication and flexibility show customers that their opinions matter.
Customer segments and expectations evolve. What works for a brand today might not work tomorrow. Brands need to continually monitor how their different customer segments change and interact with each other, and be ready to adjust products, services, and experiences to keep everyone happy.
Plus, Shep and Ryan discuss how influencer and follower relationships drive trends and customer behavior. Tune in!
Quotes:
“Serving one customer segment is challenging enough, but when you have multiple groups wanting different things, you’re managing a whole ecosystem where you need to keep each customer happy.”
“Brands need to understand that while different customer segments want different things, they can still interact with each other. Sometimes those interactions align, and magic happens, and sometimes those can misalign and cause conflict between your customers.”
“Different customer segments want different things. You can’t just assume that they’ll all get along. What are you doing to manage those differences so they don’t cause problems?”
About:
Ryan Hamilton is a keynote speaker and an associate professor of marketing at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. He is the co-author of The Intuitive Customer and the co-host of a podcast with the same name. His new book, co-authored with Annie Wilson, The Growth Dilemma: Managing Your Brand When Different Customers Want Different Things, is now available on Amazon.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.
June 8, 2025
Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for Week of June 9, 2025
Each week, I read many customer service and customer experience articles from various resources. Here are my top five picks from last week. I have added my comments about each article and would like to hear what you think too.
Marketers Underestimate How Loyal Customers Are and Don’t Understand What Drives Their Loyalty by Adrian Swinscoe
(CustomerThink) We are now just over a third of the way through 2025, and it’s fair to say that, regardless of where you are in the world, the average consumer is still under pressure and is becoming increasingly discerning about what to spend their money on and with whom. As a result, many brands are scrabbling around trying to win, retain, and earn the loyalty of their customers.
My Comment: In a shaky economy, customers pay more attention to price. Customer experience still drives repeat business and increases loyalty, but customers expect to receive value for what they pay. There are many interesting ideas in this article, but what I enjoyed most was the list of the five types of loyal customers, ranging from incentivized loyalty (through perks, discounts, etc.) to true/genuine loyalty.
Customer-Centric Excellence: Understanding and Delivering a Top-Notch Service by Alicja Lewandowska
(Atos) In today’s competitive business environment, customer satisfaction is more important than ever. Understanding what makes customers happy, what they expect, and what they value can help businesses provide exceptional service and build long-lasting relationships.
My Comment: This article takes us back to some of the foundational basics of customer service and CX. Sometimes it’s important to be reminded about what gets customers to return again and again. Customers want reliability, proactive support, professionalism, and more. This article has a nice description of these basics and reminds us of what it takes to get customers to say, “I’ll be back.”
Retail’s Turning Point: Why Now is the Time to Start Listening to Customers in Real Time by Tim Waterton
(Total Retail) With consumer sentiment at the second lowest level on record in 2025, and retailers facing rising operational costs, shifting shopper expectations, and intensifying competition, customer experience is no longer a “nice to have.” In 2025, it will be the decisive factor that separates brands that customers return to from those they walk away from.
My Comment: Getting customer feedback in the moment is a powerful tool that supports a CX initiative. Companies like HappyOrNot and Realtime Feedback have tools that capture feedback in real time, as in “in the moment.” This article points out three “pain points” that dominate customer feedback: 1) price, 2) the checkout experience, and 3) product availability. Capturing feedback in the moment will provide a roadmap for addressing chronic problems that may not be easily identified.
The Worst Examples of Saying “Sorry” to Customers by Paul Weald
(Call Centre Helper) “Sorry” can quickly lose its true meaning and even frustrate customers when not delivered correctly.
My Comment: One of the first steps in managing a customer complaint is to offer an apology. That’s just common sense, but what might not be so common is that the way some people apologize can do more harm than good. Our friend, Megan Jones at Call Centre Helper, has compiled advice from several CX experts on various ways to avoid the disingenuous apology and get to a meaningful resolution.
How to Turn ‘No’ into YES – In Four Steps by Christine Trippi
(TEDx Talks) What if one simple word could transform the way you lead, serve, and connect with others? In this TED Talk, Christine Trippi, reveals how embracing a YES mindset can unlock new opportunities, build stronger relationships, and create unforgettable customer and employee experiences.
My Comment: We wrap up this week’s Top Five roundup with not an article, but a video from Christine Trippi, a former award-winning hotel manager who now shares her experiences as a speaker and trainer. She understands the hospitality mentality and its importance to any type of business. The video that teaches how to say, “No,” without really saying, “No.” This is a short, 16-minute TEDx talk that shares Trippi’s concept in four steps.
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.
June 3, 2025
How to Create a “Remember When” Experience that Keeps Customers Coming Back
Why do customers go back to the companies they love doing business with? That’s what we asked more than 1,000 customers in our annual customer experience research, and here are some of the top reasons:
Employees who are helpful and knowledgeable
A friendly experience (thanks to employees)
A convenient and easy experience
A personalized experience
Employees who show empathy
Customers can decide to return based on any one or a combination of these experiences, or anything else they deem to be positive. And as good as these experiences are, are they good enough to get customers to return?
Recently, I read a MarTech article about creating emotional connections through CX memories and how B2B and B2C brands are winning over customers with “memory-driven CX.” The point of the article was that, more than just creating a good experience, it is the memory of the experience that drives repeat business and potential loyalty.
Some companies understand this better than others. Consider Netflix, which once a year sends its subscribers a “What We Watched” summary of the shows and movies they watched. Or Starbucks, which sends its “members” a free drink or food item for their birthday. These companies (and many others) have engineered a follow-up experience that recalls the experience, creating a Remember When Moment. This moment triggers a memory and hopefully creates an emotional reaction that gets the customer to want to repeat the experience.
You don’t need to be a big brand like Netflix or Starbucks to do this. Here’s a simple five-step process to get you thinking about how to create the Remember When experience:
Create an Experience Worth Remembering: If you don’t have that, stop here and start working on your overall customer experience.
Identify Key Touchpoints: Your journey map will help you identify your main interactions with your customers. (If you haven’t created your customer journey maps, stop here and do so!)
Enhance the Key Touchpoints You Want the Customer to Remember: Not all touchpoints need to be memorable. Sometimes it’s just a few – maybe even just one. Identify these key interactions and engineer them to be memorable. For example, a restaurant might bring a small plate of chocolate with the bill, capping off a wonderful dining experience. Last impressions leave lasting impressions.
Design a Follow-Up Campaign: Similar to Netflix, remind customers why they love doing business with you. Don’t combine this with a sales pitch; this is meant to create the Remember When experience.
Measure the Impact: Be sure to find out if the customer agrees with your memorable moments. Furthermore, determine if the follow-up campaign is working.
I’ve written about the I’ll Be Back experience. If you want your customers to come back, create the experience that gets them to do so. Then remind them about the experience. That will help get customers who say, “I’ll be back,” to actually come back.
(Note: This is a shorter version of a similar article I wrote for my week Forbes.com column. CLICK HERE to read the original article.)
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 .
June 2, 2025
Why Happy Employees Mean Happy Customers with Ryan Minton
This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:
What practical benefits come from creating an uplifting workplace culture?
How does a hospitality mindset improve customer service across different industries?
What impact does leadership have on employee morale and customer experience?
How does positive leadership help reduce staff turnover in customer-facing roles?
In what ways does an employee’s mood affect customer interactions?
Top Takeaways
The hospitality mentality is not just for hotels and restaurants. It is valuable in every industry because it sets the bar for the customer experience standard. It teaches every employee to always show care, gratitude, and kindness no matter what industry they work in.
A heartfelt “thanks for coming in today” can make a real difference in someone’s mood and attitude. It is a simple yet powerful statement that leaders can say to make their employees know that they matter. When employees feel appreciated, they’re more likely to enjoy coming to work and give their best. It creates a workplace where people want to come, stay, and grow.
Every employee becomes the face of your brand the moment they interact with your customers. When they are not happy at their jobs, customers feel it. High turnover and unhappiness can hurt customer satisfaction, so making sure that employees are engaged, equipped, and fulfilled helps create positive customer experiences.
Strict policies can sometimes get in the way of the human aspect of customer service. When employees are trusted to handle situations as they see fit, they feel empowered to do their jobs. Employees need to grow through training and be equipped with the right tools so that they can use policies as guidelines while exercising common sense to meet each customer’s unique needs.
Happy employees lead to happy customers, and happy customers come back. Invest in people through appreciation, empowerment, and uplifting leadership.
Loyalty programs and perks can encourage repeat business, but truly memorable companies don’t rely on them alone. Being helpful, friendly, and uplifting is the best loyalty program you can offer. When people feel good about you, they’ll keep coming back, with or without loyalty programs.
Plus, Ryan shares the “balloon effect” and how it can elevate customer and employee experiences. Tune in!
Quotes:
“Good old-fashioned customer service is just good old-fashioned hospitality. So many brands look to the hotel industry because it has become the standard for customer service.”
“If you want your employees to enjoy coming to work, make sure they feel like they matter and are truly appreciated.”
“If you’re serious about creating an environment focused on great customer service and experiences, your employees must genuinely enjoy what they do.”
“When you step in front of your team and your customers, you owe it to them to be on. Your energy will always be reflected in their experience.”
“If you’re really serious about providing a great customer experience, take the handcuffs off. Let employees do the job you hired them to do.”
About:
Ryan Minton is a Best-Selling Author and Keynote Speaker with over 20 years of experience leading world-class hospitality brands. He is the author of Thanks for Coming in Today: Creating a Culture Where Employees Thrive & Customer Service is Alive. His upcoming book Uplifted! The Remarkable Power of Positive Leadership on Frontline Teams launches June 10th.
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 June 2, 2025
Each week, I read many customer service and customer experience articles from various resources. Here are my top five picks from last week. I have added my comments about each article and would like to hear what you think too.
When AI Chatbots Help People Act More Human by Ben Rand
(Harvard Business School) Can an AI chatbot help customer service representatives, well, be more human? Maybe so, suggests a new study that adds to a chorus of findings on how businesses can best tap the new technology.
My Comment: When does AI work best for customer service? As the article implies, it helps people act more human. Specifically, it helps customer service agents. When AI supports an agent or salesperson helping (or selling) a customer, the results are a better customer experience due to efficiency, access to knowledge (better problem solving), and more personalized experiences. This article is filled with information about when AI works best – and when it doesn’t.
Keep CX Management Human in the Age of AI by Francesca Di Meglio
(CX Network) AI is a powerful tool that promises speed, scale and personalization that has never been realized previously. However, as chatbots answer questions and algorithms predict needs, a critical question emerges: Are brands losing the human touch that makes CX magical?
My Comment: This is a perfect article to follow the HBR article. The article points out that the biggest risk of using AI is when they lose the emotional connection due to chatbots and other AI-fueled solutions replacing humans. AI should enhance, not replace, the customer experience.
The CX Premium: What Customers Really Value (and When They’ll Pay for It) by Greg Kihlstrom
(CMSWire) Airlines, apps and investment firms see the biggest CX returns. Now it’s time to align your strategy with what customers really want.
My Comment: Last week, I included the Qualtrics article about a customer’s willingness to pay more for a better or upgraded experience. My customer service and CX research finds that 59% of customers will pay more if they knew they would receive a great experience, and 73% would pay more if the experience were easy and convenient. This article expands on the Qualtrics findings, including the industries that customers are willing to pay more for, gender and age differences of customers willing to pay more, and other insightful information.
Here’s How Gen Z Connects with Brands by Dan Berthiaume
(Chain Store Age) New research shows impressively high levels of consumer brand loyalty and reveals how Gen Z and other generations specifically form brand attachments.
My Comment: Age makes a difference. The way different-aged customers, from Gen Z to Baby Boomers, become attached and loyal to companies and brands differs. This article highlights some of these differences based on a survey of more than 3,000 US consumers. In addition to some interesting stats and findings, the author shares four recommendations on how to build loyalty.
The Loyalty Equation: Trust + Context + Community by Samson Adepoju
(CMSWire) Loyalty isn’t luck — it’s built through consistent, personalized experiences and a sense of belonging. CX leaders, here’s your roadmap.
My Comment: Here’s another article on customer loyalty. Something I’ve shared for years is my simple customer loyalty formula: Loyalty = Great Service + Confidence. Confidence comes from trust, which is one of the main points the author of this article makes: Trust is non-negotiable. Without trust, the other ideas shared in the article won’t have maximum impact. Some of those other ideas include personalization, building communities, using technology, and more.
Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops. Connect with Shep on LinkedIn.
May 27, 2025
Artificial Incompetence: An Undesirable Version of AI and Other CX Risks
I’ve been reviewing my customer experience research, specifically the section on the future of customer service and AI (Artificial Intelligence). A few findings prove that customers are frustrated and lack confidence in how companies are using AI: In general, 57% of customers are frustrated by AI-fueled self-service options.
49% of customers say technologies like AI and ChatGPT scare them.
51% of customers have received wrong or incorrect information from an AI self-service bot.
As negative as these findings sound, there are plenty of findings that point to AI getting better. And more customers feeling comfortable using AI solutions. The technology continues to improve quickly. While it’s only been five months since we surveyed more than 1,000 U.S. consumers, I bet a new survey would show continued improvement and comfort level regarding AI. But for this short article, let’s focus on the problem that needs to be resolved.
Artificial Incompetence
Upon reviewing the numbers, I realized that there’s another kind of AI: Artificial Incompetence. That’s my new label for companies that improperly use AI and cause customers to be frustrated, scared and/or receive bad information. After thinking I was clever and invented this term, I was disheartened to discover, after a Google search, that the term already exists; however, it’s not widely used.
So, AI – as in Artificial Incompetence – is a problem you don’t want to have. To avoid it, start by recognizing that AI isn’t perfect. Be sure to have a human backup that’s fast and easy to reach when the customer feels frustrated, angry, or scared.
And now, as the title of this article implies, there’s more. After sharing the new concept of AI with my team, we brainstormed and had fun coming up with two more phrases based on some of the ideas I covered in my past articles and videos:
Feedback Constipation
When you get so much feedback and don’t take action, it’s like eating too much and not being able to “go.” (I know … a little graphic … but it makes the point.) This came from my article How to Reverse Declining Customer Satisfaction , which teaches that collecting feedback isn’t valuable unless you use it.
Jargon Jeopardy
Most people – but not everyone – know what CX means. If you are using it with a customer, and they don’t know what it means, how do you think they feel? I was once talking to a customer service rep who kept using abbreviations. I could only guess what they meant. So I asked him to stop with the E-I-E-I-O’s (referencing the lyrics from the song about Old McDonald’s farm.) This was the main theme of my article titled We All Know What CX Means, But What about EX, WX, DX, UX and More?
So, this was a fun way at poking fun of companies that may think they are doing CX right (and doing it well), but the customer’s perception is the opposite. Don’t use AI that frustrates customers and projects an image of incompetence. Don’t collect feedback unless you plan to use it. Otherwise, it’s a waste of everyone’s time and effort. Finally, don’t confuse customers – and even employees – with jargon and acronyms that make them feel like they are forced to relearn the alphabet.
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 .
