Shep Hyken's Blog, page 89

Amazing Business Radio: Elma Beganovich

The Perks of Influencer MarketingUsing Social Media to Build an Engaging Customer Experience

Shep Hyken interviews Elma Beganovich, founder and COO of A&E Digital Marketing. They discuss the importance of influencer marketing in the customer experience.

 

 

Top Takeaways:Influencer marketing is a way to add to your customer journey. It starts with social media. One of the first things customers look at when exploring a brand is their social media presence.Influencer marketing enhances customer experience through people, visuals and content that are relatable, unlike traditional ads made in a studio.A strong, influential social media presence can also help B2B companies negotiate collaborations and partnerships with other B2B companies.Current customers can be some of your best social media influencers.Social media profiles are the new ‘showrooms’ for manufacturers to present and promote their products or services.Negative reviews or comments on social media are a good way to showcase to the public (which includes current and potential customers) how your business handles customer complaints.Look at your competitors to see which social media channels they focus on and how they utilize those platforms within their business. That’s a good place to start.Your followers want to interact with influencers. That’s why social media platforms work so well. They have the capability to interact, , unlike traditional media like TV, radio and print.Social media is a great opportunity to engage with your customers and marketing efforts on a personal level.Quotes:

“Think about how you can customize the different social media channels to fit your business, regardless of your industry.”

“Negative reviews provide an opportunity for brands to show potential and existing customers how well they handle issues and complaints.”

“Remember that social media provides free tools for business to advertise, engage with customers, collect feedback, and even research the competition.”

About:

Elma Beganovich leads A&E’s efforts in building the company’s list of world-renowned partners and clients. Her area of expertise includes identifying roles that A&E can play for a variety of brands in different industries, as well as developing terms and scope of those partnerships.

Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and your host of Amazing Business Radio

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

What is influencer marketing?How can social media help your business?How to handle negative comments on social media?Why is a social media presence important?What can social media influencers do for your business?

The post Amazing Business Radio: Elma Beganovich appeared first on Shep Hyken.

5 Top Customer Service Articles For the Week of March 1, 2021

Each week I read a number of customer service and customer experience articles from various resources. Here are my top five picks from last week. I have added my comment about each article and would like to hear what you think too.

Three Common and Enormous Mistakes Companies Make with Customer Experience (CX) Programs by Augie Ray

(Gartner) I will share three significant ways organizations may seed the eventual downfall of their CX programs in their early days.

My Comment: Augie Ray is a rock star analyst with Gartner. Here’s his take on CX programs, and specifically, building and sustaining a customer-centric culture that contributes to repeat business (even loyalty) and evangelism.

Foundational Steps for Customer Journey Mapping Initiatives by Dom Nicastro

(CMSWire) Organizations approach customer journey mapping in many ways. We’ll explore some of the foundational elements, the initial steps in crafting a customer journey mapping program.

My Comment: I’ve featured journey-mapping articles in this weekly round-up in the past. It’s been a while, so here’s another one. A good understanding of your customer’s journey throughout the different ways they do business with you is foundational (to use a word the author uses to describe his article) to building a good service and CX program. Without it, you risk service that is inconsistent, at best.

5 key principles for a successful e-commerce user experience by James Brooke

(Retail Customer Experience) James Brooke, Amplience founder and CEO, offers five fundamental principles retailers should understand in order to differentiate in e-commerce and benefit from the massive surge in traffic caused by the pandemic.

My Comment: If eCommerce is part of how you interact and sell to your customers, you’ll want to read this short article featuring five ways to have a better digital experience. What stands out are the concepts of speed, design and being locale-sensitive.

Biggest Pitfalls with Customer Service AI…. And How to Avoid Them by Can Ozdoruk

(Business2Community) When you’re adopting AI for customer support, there are five common pitfalls to avoid to ensure a positive customer experience.

My Comment: Here are some reminders of what NOT to do when it comes to integrating AI into the customer support experience. Some good reminders here. Be sure to pay attention to number five, which is to make it easy for the customer to move easily and seamlessly from a digital/self-service channel to a human-to-human channel when they want/need to.

How IoT Devices Can Enhance the Connected Customer Experience by Linda Rosencrance

(IoT World Today) As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc around the world, consumers have put health first as they interact with companies.

My Comment: Sometimes it’s not people or processes that create a better customer experience. Sometimes it’s a “thing,” which is what this article is about. The IoT (Internet of Things) is about devices that make your life better. In this article, the author showcases several technologies that allow for a contactless experience. COVID-19 accelerated the use of these technologies. What used to be something from a sci-fi movie is now a reality and being used in everyday life.

BONUSES

5 ways to have WFH love their jobs by Centrical

(Centrical) This eBook explains how you can make work from home – work. It covers 5 actionable tactics that will ensure your WFH employees love their work, your company, and your clients.

My Comment: If you have any WFH (Work From Home) employees, you will definitely want to read this report from Centrical. You’ll have to share your email to download it, but it’s worth it. And, I’m honored they included some of my thoughts to support their ideas.

Get inspired by these 5 podcasts by MadeFor

(MadeFor) This shortlist highlights just some of the great content that is out there, but if you don’t know where to start then my top 5 (in no particular order) is for you.

‍My Comment: If you’re into podcasts and customer service and/or CX, then you’ll want to read this article that shares five of the top podcasts in the industry. And, my podcast, Amazing Business Radio, is featured.

Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, professional speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information on The Customer Focus customer service training programs go to www.TheCustomerFocus.com. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken

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Guest Post: How to Use the Customer Journey to Create an Engaging Affiliate Marketing Strategy

This week we feature an article from Jyothi Tulasi, Outreach SEO Specialist at SmartKarrot Inc. She discusses how an affiliate marketing strategy can help you attract new prospects for your business.

Developing an affiliate marketing strategy comprises multiple aspects. An affiliate marketing strategy needs to be effective, target well and work well for brands and customers. The foremost among them is to understand your customer in the best manner possible. Becoming customer-centric is important for brands to stay in the loop with the competitive world. Having an affiliate marketing strategy will drive traffic, improve leads, sales, and encourage customers to engage with your brand. One of the main aspects is how affiliate marketing engages with the customer- direct, professional, and easy. In affiliate marketing, the traffic comes from a third party. It needs a detailed approach that is more than just a simple funnel. The traffic needs to be converted into revenue to continue the prospects on the customer journey.

The Affiliate Funnel: All about it

An affiliate marketing funnel can best be described as the route the customer takes before actually purchasing a product. Through a variety of methods, customers can move towards purchasing the core product and generate sales. A good affiliate sales funnel is one that-

Offers improved value to potential customers or prospects gradually with each stepMaximizes leadsIncreases action by prospects on company offeringsProvides a good solution to customer problemsHelps you earn the trust of buyers so that they come back

Companies usually choose affiliate programs based on the niche. The affiliate funnel is a path every customer goes through before they purchase the product. The funnel can be broken into four parts.

Awareness

This stage is where customers encounter your brand for the first time. Their initial interaction with the brand is what the awareness stage is made of. When people become aware of your brand, they connect with the ethos on a personal level. This awareness is essential for building a customer base. To make customers connect with your brand, this is where you need to connect.

Exploration

This is when consumers get to know the brand well. They can be referred through an article, review, newsletter  or on social media. This is where customers begin to know the brand exists and look forward to associating with them. They will also look at competitor sites and products. This is when they will compare products and services on various factors like cost, delivery, availability, features, longevity, and more.

Action

In this stage, the customer is ready with purchase. They will now look for a coupon code, discount or something that will help them avail the product at a lesser cost. This is the part which a company looks for. The right action from a prospective customer. This can be the purchase, intent to buy, or more. When the customer signs up to be associated with the company- the action they undertake is this.

Retargeting

This stage is meant to target customers who did not complete their purchase with the brand. Those with abandoned baskets are retargeted with offers that make it difficult for them to ignore. This can include promotions or discounts of any kind to keep the customer. It is important to reactivate customers who may seem lost to optimize their buying experience.

Affiliates and Customer Journey

A deeper understanding of individual customer journey maps can help companies know what to promote or not. Making sure that affiliates are matched to each stage in the customer journey will help. Good content works best in every stage of the customer journey. Through social media, companies can tap into the customer’s mind. More than 80 percent of companies use affiliate marketing to engage with customers.

Understand the channels

For companies to give customers the best value, it is necessary to look for a cross-channel marketing approach. A cross-channel marketing avenue is one that allows companies to check the performance of affiliates. Companies can then provide customers the channel that offers the best experience. While aligning customer journey with affiliate marketing, you combine a few channels to give a common message. With this, you can test the impact of one campaign on others. This will improve customer experience and result in better upselling and conversions.

Monitor results

Affiliate marketers work based on high value. It is necessary to have the data to drill down into what customers think and why. Having the right data will help understand customer activity better, improve planning, and make the customer journey more pleasant. This insight can be helpful in influencing customers via advertising. Results of the affiliate marketing campaigns can be helpful in showing customer behavior. Tracking results will also investigate and identify fraud.

Ensure a good user experience

If a prospect lands on your page, you have won half the battle. That is the first impression of your brand and it makes a great difference. If your UX interface is confusing, the chances of customers being put off are more. If your site UX is not transparent and does not appeal to the viewer, they will click over. Making sure the message is consistent across the page or website is important. If customers have to click multiple times to get what they want, they will get frustrated.

Collect customer data

Whether the customer is looking for a long or short relationship is irrelevant. It is necessary to know everything you need about them. Same goes with website visitors. Making sure you capture all the information of the visitor will help. Companies can contact those users via email and tailor their marketing approach based on user requirements. When customer data is available, it is easier to align what the customer wants with the brand.

Bottom Line

Affiliate marketing is a great way to get new prospects for any company. Having a great customer experience plan is also important to make it better across the customer journey. Having a tailored approach is necessary to ensure that customers and brands are aligned with respect to their needs and demands. However, the same information you get from digging customer data can be beneficial in improving your affiliate marketing strategy in a helpful way.

There are multiple tools and data in the market that make it easier to get customer data. This information will improve the customer journey and create a seamless siloed approach. Using those insights can lead to good results- it can be in any form. Customer acquisition, retention, reduced churn rate, improved strategies or more.

Jyothi Tulasi is tech-savvy and proficient in technical SEO optimization for various SaaS products. She has profound expertise in outreach. She loves connecting to people and singing in her free time.  

F or more articles from Shep Hyken and his guest contributors go to customerserviceblog.com.

Read Shep’s latest Forbes article: Customer Engagement Is Your Secret Weapon To Beat The Competition

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Reducing Friction Makes You Money

Reducing friction is all about creating an easier experience for the customer. In my book, The Convenience Revolution, I identify six ways to create convenience.

The first, reducing friction, is tied to all five other principles. And, all of them focus on creating convenience and reducing friction for customers. But how about we look inside our organizations and the way we conduct business internally? Do we think about the friction we cause our employees? What extra work do they do because of antiquated systems and processes?

For our outside customers, when we reduce friction, they find it easier to do business with us. Internally, when we reduce friction for employees, we make it easier for them to do their jobs, which has a direct impact on the customer.

That brings me to an excellent article posted by Josh Linkner, innovation guru, who wrote about how tiny air bubbles led to a potential $28 billion cost savings. Noah Silberschmidt is the founder and CEO of Silverstream Technologies, a company that reduces friction – not for customers, but for large oceangoing ships that move people and cargo through the seas. Apparently, large ships going through water create a lot of friction and drag. Silverstream Technologies has an air lubrication system that reduces friction by blowing tiny bubbles, less than one millimeter in diameter, in front of the ship, creating an “air carpet” for the ship to ride on. This reduces fuel consumption by as much as 10%. If the 50,000 large oceangoing vessels in the sea used this technology, there would be approximately $28 billion in fuel cost savings. That’s a lot of money – and a lot of bubbles!

The point is this: We use convenience to create a better customer experience. We reduce friction by eliminating unnecessary effort. But, convenience and lower friction need to go beyond the customer experience. I really encourage you to look at the internal side of what you do. What friction can be eliminated for your employees, making it easier for them to do their jobs? What processes could be updated to save time and effort?

Freeing up employees from cumbersome processes, systems and operations has a positive impact on many levels. In some cases, it eliminates frustrating tasks. It can save time – and time is money! It makes employees more productive, and a byproduct of feeling productive is fulfillment. That means employees are happier, and subsequently more engaged in their jobs and with customers. And, happiness means less employee turnover.

So, your innovation may not be blasting bubbles into the ocean, but it has the same impact. It makes your company and employees more efficient and potentially saves you money. And, who doesn’t want that?

Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling business author. For information, contact 314-692-2200 or www.hyken.com. For information on The Customer Focus customer service training programs, go to www.thecustomerfocus.com. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken

(Copyright © MMXXI, Shep Hyken)

 

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Amazing Business Radio: Rafi Glantz

Delivering an All-Inclusive Online CXHow Web Accessibility Creates a Better Customer Experience for Everyone

Shep Hyken interviews Rafi Glantz, Strategic Partnerships Manager of accessiBe. They discuss what web accessibility means and why it’s important for businesses to be more accessible.

 

 

Top Takeaways:Web accessibility is required by the law for almost every business in the United States.According to the CDC, 26% of American adults are living with some form of a disability, and it’s up to American businesses to make sure that all their public spaces are accessible to everyone.Accessibility cannot truly be widespread until it is affordable, simple enough for the average business owner to install, and in a format that allows businesses to ‘set it and forget it’ with minimal to no upkeep.Right now, the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) created by the W3C, is the only internationally recognized set of guidelines for web accessibility.After surveying over 10 million web pages, 98% of those pages failed to be completely accessible.The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) states that public places of accommodation need to be accessible to everybody. In 2018, the Department of Justice said business websites are also considered places of public accommodation.Customers who have disabilities sometimes already have assistive technology that can detect web accessibility when navigating different websites.Being an accessible company increases brand reputation and helps ensure every customer has a positive experience with you.Quotes:

“Advertising that you’re an accessible company that wants to open their doors to everybody, is a positive message that will increase your brand reputation and help ensure that every customer has a positive experience shopping with you.”

“Web accessibility is not only the law but a moral imperative.”

“Many businesses have no idea that they are required by law to be web-accessible, mostly because no one has ever brought their website’s inaccessibility into question.”

About:

Rafi Glantz is a sales and marketing executive, small-time musician, and big-time dog lover who currently leads accessiBe’s Strategic Partnerships efforts and collaborates with both partners and people with disabilities worldwide to increase awareness of web accessibility.

Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and your host of Amazing Business Radio.

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

What is accessiBe?How do I make my website accessible to everyone?How to be inclusive in the customer experience?How to make my business accessible to everyone?Why is accessibility in the customer experience important?

The post Amazing Business Radio: Rafi Glantz appeared first on Shep Hyken.

5 Top Customer Service Articles For the Week of February 22, 2021

Each week I read a number of customer service and customer experience articles from various resources. Here are my top five picks from last week. I have added my comment about each article and would like to hear what you think too.

Carole McCluskey: Create Memories That Count by SMG Events

(CMSWire) Carole McCluskey’s late grandmother once told her that it was easier to remember the dirty jokes than the clean ones, and that is often the case with customer service, too: The bad experiences are often the most memorable.

My Comment: Here’s an interesting article that we’ll start with, mainly because I love the opening sentence: “Carole McCluskey’s late grandmother once told her that it was easier to remember the dirty jokes than the clean ones, and that is often the case with customer service, too: The bad experiences are often the most memorable.” Unfortunately, that’s human nature. Enjoy this article that focuses on creating positive memories for your customers.

How to Win Over your eCommerce Customers’ Loyalty? by Pratik Dholakiya

(Small Business Trends) If you’re wondering how top eCommerce brands turn their customers into loyal brand advocates, then this comprehensive guide will help you with just that. Read on to learn about tips and tricks, and that will help you do the same.

My Comment: Many companies are incorporating an eCommerce option for their customers. For some, it’s an option. For others, it’s 100% expected. It can be difficult (but still possible) to gain loyalty with online purchasing. The human-to-human connection is missing. But, it can be done. This article shares seven ways to get eCommerce customers to come back.

Here’s why the experts think empathy is the key to customer experience by Kate Rogerson

(Comm100) Buzzwords come and go in the customer experience world, but while we lose our patience with most, there are some that rightfully stick around. In 2013, Forrester Research landed on one such phrase – the ‘age of the customer’. Customers have more power than ever to get their voice heard and listened to. Brands are forever fearing that one viral tweet could severely damage or even destroy their carefully constructed brand image in a fleeting yet far-reaching flurry of complaints.

My Comment: I’ve been saying that the “Word of the Year” is empathy. This article starts with my comments about empathy and then calls upon a number of noted experts in the customer service and CX space to weigh in on the topic. Some interesting commentary that should make you realize just how important that is to today’s customer experience.

The state of customer-centricity after a year of monumental change: Predictions for 2021 and beyond by Greg Heist

(Retail Customer Experience) Greg Heist, chief innovation officer at Gongos, Inc., shares his insight on why, in the quest to achieve customer-centricity in 2021 and beyond, retailers must stay in tune with customers to ensure experiences are as emotionally in touch as they are functionally touchless.

My Comment: We’re not quite two months into the year, so reading relevant predictions for 2021 are still being written. This is a good one with eight trends/predictions for us to consider. Number eight covers the “exponential acceleration” of digital transformation but also mentions creating frictionless experiences. That’s music to my ears! Customers love low or no friction. We’ve gotten used to a new way of doing business throughout the pandemic, and much of that is going to be here long after it is over.

How to Develop Challenging (Yet Realistic) Customer Service Goals by Salesforce

(Salesforce) Set attainable goals for your team with an actionable framework.

My Comment: This excellent article shows a process on how to create customer service goals. We have revenue goals, sales goals, and more – so why not customer service goals? If your goal is to create loyal customers, it can’t happen by accident. Make a plan. Set goals. Manage and measure the progress. This is a fairly robust article on how to do all of that, and more.

BONUS

Who’s Who in Digital Experience? by Neringa Mikutyte

(Onalytica) This Who’s Who report brings a varied list of Digital Experience influencers ranging from Social Amplifiers, Analysts, Industry KOLs, Event Speakers to experts in User Experience (UX), Customer Experience (CX) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) providing a broad overview of the most influential voices within the topic.

My Comment: Our friends at Onalytica have compiled a list of experts, practitioners, and thought leaders in the DX (Digital Experience) space. If you’re looking for experts to follow, you’ll find more than enough people here to fuel your need for good information.

 

Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, professional speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information on The Customer Focus customer service training programs go to www.TheCustomerFocus.com. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken

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Guest Post: Improving Employee Experience for Your Customer Service Team

This week we feature an article from Emily Lavin, Content & Social Executive at Oak Engage. She shares a 3-step guide on how to improve the employee experience while maximizing customer engagement.

Where would a business be without a customer service team? There’s no denying that without an effective customer service team, a business would fall apart. They’re on the frontline of a company day in, day out, dealing with customer requests, resolving complaints, and striving to deliver exceptional service at every turn. It’s their job to make sure that their customers have the best experience possible. Seems like a lot to have weighing on your shoulders, right?

Of course, there are positives to being in a customer service team; they get to see the many successes of the business and it can feel rewarding when working directly with customers. However, they also have the deal with the aspects of the business that aren’t so great; dealing with customer complaints, resolving issues and striving to keep customers on your side when a crisis strikes. Therefore, it’s essential to put customer service engagement at the top of your priority list.

Ensuring all employees are engaged with your business is essential but making sure your customer service team is engaged is paramount to retaining a strong customer support team and increasing productivity. Thanks to the advancement in technology there are plenty of ways to monitor employee engagement and track employee satisfaction; employee engagement apps, HR software and Intranets to name a few. So if you are struggling to monitor engagement for your customer service team, fear not, we’re going to bring you a simple 3-step guide on how to improve employee experience and maximize customer service engagement.

Step 1: Implement Employee Engagement Software 

The world of internal communications has changed, sending your communications out via email just doesn’t cut the mustard anymore. You need a system where you can track employee engagement, monitor employee wellbeing and promote social interaction between teams all in one place.

Whether you’re looking for specific HR software to store information or you want an engagement app to promote social interactivity, they’re all key to improving employee engagement. You’ll not only get better communication between departments but you’ll also see a rise in productivity levels. So, expect an influx of positive feedback from your customers complimenting the level of service from your customer service team.

Step 2: Recognition is Important 

Want to improve employee experience and enhance job satisfaction for your customer service team? Then recognize their hard work and efforts!

Working hard towards a goal only to have it dismissed by your leadership team can be incredibly disheartening and can lead to a dip in performance levels and confidence. In fact, the lack of recognition and engagement in the workplace is causing 44% of employees to look for another job.

Your customer service team are the ones that spend the majority of their time with the people important to your business, your customers. So, why not get some feedback from your customers and ask them their opinions on the service they’re received recently? If you get some positive responses (which you will), you should always share these with your team. It will boost morale and give a confidence boost to your customer support team.

Step 3: Offer Support 

The final step is to always offer support to your customer service team when needed. Being on the frontline of a company can be tough. If a customer isn’t happy with your product or service, your customer support team has to face the brunt of it.

If you notice that someone in your customer service team has an unpleasant experience with a customer, try to offer support instead of questioning them on where things went wrong. A bad interaction with a customer can knock confidence in your customer service team and leave them feeling unhappy at work.

Checking up on your customer service team regularly will give your employees the feeling of support they most certainly need. We’ve all had a bad day at work and sometimes a little pick-me-up from a teammate is all we need.

Summary

Obviously, in business we put a lot of time and energy into our customers, they are the ones detrimental to your company of course. But from time to time it’s important to give recognition to the ones that strive to deliver the best service and give your customers a great experience. Remember, if your employees are happy, your customers will be even happier!

Emily Laven is the Content & Social Executive at Oak Engage. Emily is passionate about employee engagement and often writes articles relating to internal communications and employee wellbeing.

F or more articles from Shep Hyken and his guest contributors go to customerserviceblog.com.

Read Shep’s latest Forbes article: The New Economy Is The Meconomy

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The ER Strategy 2.0: Small Improvements Add Up

Not long ago I wrote about how small improvements can make a big difference. Even just a 1% improvement can make an impact.

And, if you focus on 1% (or more) again and again, over time you will make big improvements that will have a positive impact on your customers, employees, internal processes, and your bottom line. You’ll find ways to save money, make money, develop better ways of doing business and much more.

One of our team members at Shepard Presentations reminded me of an article I wrote a long time ago, and that maybe it was time to revisit the concept. The article she was referring to was written almost 10 years ago and was about the concept I refer to as the ER strategy.

First, a short recap of the concept. Here, ER does not stand for Emergency Room. It has nothing to do with that or any other type of emergency. ER is about adding two letters to describe making something better. The last two letters of better are E and R, which is where the ER strategy comes from.

You can return a call quickER. You can make something safER. You can do something fastER. Remember when McDonald’s used to SupER-size its meals? I think you get it. And sometimes the words don’t have to end in ER. It could be about moRE, which is ER backward.

After rethinking the ER strategy, I love the idea of how small improvements can turn into big game-changers even more. Think of the areas you can do bettER:

Returning calls fasterGetting to work earlierStaying later to help a colleague or a customerMaking your message clearerCreating a better process

There are endless possibilities, but you get the idea.

What I didn’t do last time I wrote about this was describe how to go about implementing ER. We’ll do that now.

Take a look at the process customers and employees go through with your organization. My suggestion is to have a team meeting to brainstorm different ER strategies. Come up with as many as you can. Don’t overthink it. All ideas count, good and bad, large and small. Fill a wall with yellow Post-It notes.

Next, decide which of these ideas have the most potential. Put those ideas into a group. You could have dozens of them. Now, prioritize those and choose the 10 best. These are the “low hanging fruit” that make the most sense to put into action. Assign these ideas to different people and groups. Then, go to work. Make the ideas come to life. Come back a month later and discuss the results. That’s ER in action!

Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling business author. For information, contact 314-692-2200 or www.hyken.com. For information on The Customer Focus customer service training programs, go to www.thecustomerfocus.com. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken

(Copyright © MMXXI, Shep Hyken)

 

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Amazing Business Radio: Christy Augustine

Creating Customer Loyalty in a Digital WorldHow the Pandemic Transformed the E-Commerce Experience

Shep Hyken interviews Christy Augustine, Chief Operating Officer of Bloomreach. They discuss the digital commerce trends companies have been forced to adapt due to the pandemic and how those companies can succeed moving forward.

 

 

Top Takeaways:Personalization has been and continues to be the big buzz word in the world of customer experience.In just a matter of a few months, COVID-19 forced businesses 2-3 years into the future of digital commerce and digital customer experiences.COVID-19 has also affected the way customers shop, especially with grocery stores, which saw a 300% increase in online purchasing over the last year.Amazon has set the bar for the eCommerce experience. Customers are learning to expect Amazon levels of service and CX from everyone else.The pandemic has introduced us to an era where customers are buying almost everything they need online.Success today involves customer acquisition, customer loyalty and continuing the same customer experience so that customers can predict what to expect.Information and transparency from your business is the key to creating confidence and building loyalty with your customers.Companies need to tie technology, algorithms and AI into the experience customers have with human employees instead of sacrificing one for the other.Quotes:

“Realize that the customer’s experience with you isn’t just when the customer is on-sight, but all the way through the customer’s journey, from the beginning until they come back the next time.”

“COVID-19 forced ten years of digital commerce transformation to happen in three months.”

“Even though you lack a personal empathetic connection with a digital experience, you can still create loyalty. Just make sure the experience is easy and streamlined. Think about the total end-to-end experience.”

About:

Christy Augustine, Chief Operating Officer at Bloomreach, leads Bloomreach’s efforts to arm customers with the tools and knowledge they need to successfully compete in demanding markets. She is a leading thinker in e-commerce, having been a manager at Bain & Co., focused on technology, retail and strategy.

Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and your host of Amazing Business Radio.

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

How to create an easy customer experience?How to keep loyal customers?How to communicate with your customers?How to incorporate digital solutions into the customer experience?What are the tools for success in a post-pandemic era?

The post Amazing Business Radio: Christy Augustine appeared first on Shep Hyken.

5 Top Customer Service Articles For the Week of February 15, 2021

Each week I read a number of customer service and customer experience articles from various resources. Here are my top five picks from last week. I have added my comment about each article and would like to hear what you think too.

The do’s and don’ts for creating a customer service knowledge base by TechGenyz

(TechGenyz) In this post, we will be exploring the benefits of a customer service knowledge base and what you should and should not when building a customer knowledge base for your business.

My Comment: Here’s a great article on creating a knowledgebase for your customers. Often, the first place a customer goes when they have a question is your website. When they get there, is it easy to find the answers they are looking for. While there is nothing all that fancy with a knowledgebase, it’s still a powerful and useful self-service tool that, when done well, your customers appreciate.

My 12 golden guidelines for your Customer Experience Strategy by Steven Van Belleghem

(Steven Van Belleghem) Here are my 12 golden guidelines that will help your company build a powerful vision about customer experience.

My Comment: Steven Van Belleghem is one of the most respected thought leaders in the CX space. When he talks or writes, be prepared to listen and read. Here is an excellent article with a dozen tips. At the end is the video covering the same content. If you like what you read (and I know you will), show the video at your next team meeting.

How to Create a Customer Service Plan that Drives ROI by Krishna Charan

(FreshDesk) No matter how pathbreaking the product or service is, your company’s customer perception is only as good as the support you offer. So what’s the best way to increase the likelihood of your customers staying with your company? It’s all about your customer service plan.

My Comment: Customer service shouldn’t cost. It should pay. I’ve always believed that a Customer Support Department should be renamed as the Revenue Generation Department. If the agents handle the customer well, they will come back, spend more, etc. That is why I included this article. It takes a fairly deep dive into creating a customer service plan that generates ROI. And, isn’t that the point?!

Rethinking customer service: No longer the weakest link in the customer’s journey by Brian Solis

(ZDNet) New research shows that high performing organizations are investing in service innovation to digitally transform customer service into a customer engagement engine for driving business growth and loyalty.

My Comment: Following up on our third submission for this week’s Top Five articles, here’s another point of view regarding the ROI of customer service. More and more organizations are investing in service innovation that drives revenue and growth. Brian Solis sums it up in a quote (that’s tweetable): Customer service isn’t a cost center, it’s an investment in customer relations and loyalty.

Want More Loyal Customers? Offer a Community, Not Rewards. by Ana Andjelic

(Harvard Business Review) Loyalty programs — that effectively bribe people into buying more of your products — are lazy. In the modern aspiration economy, people develop true brand affinity only when it gives them a sense of community. Membership strategies are an effective way to achieve that goal. To do this effectively, remember to focus on the micro, niche groups of passionate consumers. Create myths around the clubs you’re creating, helping people buy into your brand story. Encourage customers to meet up with one another, virtually or in person. And maintain the connection, offering routine touchpoints that keep members connected to your brand.

My Comment: Your customers want the best deal, and that deal is not always tied to a low price. Some of our customers have taken a bigger interest in how they feel connected to the brands they buy from. That’s trumping price. It’s about being a part of a community. Now, there’s nothing new about this. Creating communities have been happening for years. And now there is a surge in popularity. So, what are you doing to make your customers feel connected to you and your other customers?

BONUS

7 technological advancements in the retail industry to make you say wow by Benedict Clark

(Retail Customer Experience) Benedict Clark, a content editor at Acquire, shares insight on the seven technology advancements driving retail’s phygital future.

My Comment: I wanted to include this amazing list of very cool technological advancements in the retail world. As you read through these, think back to just two years ago. For much of this, my take is that these technological advances were already here. The pandemic accelerated the adoption of these. None of these were invented recently. They just started to become more common recently.

 

 

Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, professional speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information on The Customer Focus customer service training programs go to www.TheCustomerFocus.com. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken

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