5 Top Customer Service Articles For the Week of April 27, 2020

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.

Shake Shack to return $10 million government loan intended for small businesses by Allyson Chiu

(Washington Post) Shake Shack is returning all $10 million it received from a federal loan program intended to help small businesses amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the burger chain announced in a statement.

My Comment: Our first article in the Top Five roundup is about community. “Giving back” is part of the customer experience. And, that’s exactly what restaurateur Danny Meyer, CEO of Union Square Hospitality and founder of Shake Shack, did when the company gave back $10 million to the government after receiving the funds as part of the PPP stimulus package. In the words of the company executives”… We’re fortunate to now have access to capital that others do not. Until every restaurant that needs it has had the same opportunity to receive assistance, we’re returning ours.”

15 Customer Service Strategies To Help You Deliver A 5-Star Experience by Forbes Coaches Council

(Forbes) If your company is struggling, transforming your customer support into a 5-star experience can inject new life into your business. Not sure where to start? Try these 15 tips from the members of Forbes Coaches Council.

My Comment: It doesn’t matter if we’re in a crisis or in “normal” times, it makes good business sense to deliver a strong customer experience. The Forbes Coaches Council compiled a list of 15 strategies to consider as you and your organization strive to create a “Five Star Experience.”

Top 10 Digital Customer Experience Trends to Look Out For in 2020 by David Gasparyan

(CustomerThink) While product differentiation and marketing strategies are important, companies that focus on customer experience are poised to win in the long run. After all, multiple surveys show that customers are looking for much more than the product when deciding which brands to engage with.

My Comment: Even though we’re at the end of April, it’s still not too late to compile a list of trends in 2020. This list has the author’s “Top Ten” list of digital customer experience trends that will impact our businesses. I’ve written numerous times that technology has the ability to create a better experience, but can also distance a company from its human-to-human connection. The best companies find the perfect balance between digital and human. Here are some ideas/trends to get the conversation started.

How to “Center” Your Business on Customer Experience Excellence by Lynn Hunsaker

(Clear Action) Here are the first 5 of 10 proven principles for centering your business on customers. They will lead to organic growth: an upward trajectory set in motion without ongoing stimuli

My Comment: Creating a good customer experience is more than a strategy. It’s baked into an organization’s culture. Here are five ways to help you get customer-focused. And, be sure to click on the link toward the end of the article for five additional strategies.

Short guide: Delivering great customer service during a pandemic by Harsh Vardhan

(Hiver) Customer service professionals are going out of their way to assist people during the coronavirus pandemic. But, delivering great customer service is not easy at this time. Many support reps have just started working remotely. It’s a difficult time for them as well. They’re helping their families cope up with unpredictable situations. And they still have to keep assisting customers.

My Comment: We’re still in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. As I read this article, I thought about how we’ve been treating our customers throughout this time of crisis – and it’s been wonderful to see how so many companies and people are stepping up. Delivering customer support and working remotely has put a strain on businesses and customers, but we’ve endured. There are a number of lessons here, and this article shares some of them.

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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