5 Top Customer Service Articles of the Week 12-19-2022

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 comment about each article and would like to hear what you think too.

Here’s What Really Builds Customer Loyalty in the B2B Industry by Brandon Spear

(Entrepreneur Media) While experience loyalty has been around the B2C world for decades, the B2B industry is now catching on that delighting customers doesn’t build loyalty. Instead, reducing buyer effort, or the work a buyer must do to get their problems solved, does. For today’s B2B customers, the “problem” that needs to be solved starts with the first purchase: Is it easy to start doing business with your company?

My Comment: What’s more important? How easy a company/brand is to do business with or a good customer service experience? It turns out that “easy” is the winner, with a much higher likelihood of getting the customer to come back. This article dives into different ways you can get the customer to come back and eventually be deemed a loyal customer.

PwC Report: Give Customers Good Reasons to Be Loyal to Your Brand by PwC

(Hospitality Net) Here’s the good news this holiday shopping season: Consumers are open to trying new brands, which means the door is open for savvy consumer-facing companies to entice new customers by delivering on their fast-changing preferences. The not-so-good news? The flip side of the same finding: Consumers are trying new brands. That means consumer markets (CM) companies have to keep up with their customers’ fast-changing preferences. No more resting on your laurels.

My Comment: And as long as we’re on the subject of loyalty, here’s another article with several tips on how to get your customers to come back again and again. And there are some interesting stats and findings, including a section on branded credit cards and loyalty programs that are broken down by the four generations (Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers).

Customer Experience: 10 Tips for a Successful CX Strategy by Mary Pratt

(CIO Online) Customer experience (CX) has become a top priority for IT leaders, who must embrace a customer-centric mindset, develop cross-functional teams, and define the right KPIs to succeed.

My Comment: If you’re in the C-Suite, this is a compelling list of tips for your CX strategy. This ties tech to CX. The article states, “57% of IT leaders say improving customer experience is a top goal, while 81% are implementing new tech to support customer interactions.” That’s good news for customers. Often in a shaky economy, companies and brands make the mistake of cutting back where customers notice. Kudos to the organizations that recognize the power of a good CX in more challenging times.

8 Customer Experience Statistics You Need to Know by Scott Clark

(CMSWire) Pandemic fatigue has taken its toll, and chatbots are gaining ground, but for now, the phone is still king of customer service channels. Customer experience has taken on a new level of importance for brands in 2022. Post-pandemic fatigue has taken its toll, and customers are expecting and demanding an exceptional, omnichannel experience across the channels of their choice. Let’s take a look at eight customer experience statistics you need to know.

My Comment: I love stats, facts, and findings. Each year we conduct our own customer experience research, and I “geek out” over the numbers. Well, here are eight stats that will give you insight into the 2023 trends in CX. If you have a contact center or customer support department, be sure to pay attention to the section titled “Customer Service is Key to Exceptional CX.”

KPIs and Metrics Every SME Should Understand by JAM

(JAM) Customer satisfaction is at the forefront of practically every business. A happy consumer base is key for both long and short-term goals – especially if you’re a smaller company that relies on repeat business and word of mouth.

My Comment: Business management guru Peter Drucker is credited with the line, “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” But what are the KPIs and metrics you need to know? Here’s a guide to help you choose the right ones for your business. And even though the focus is on smaller and medium size enterprises, many of these KPIs and metrics are appropriate for larger companies. If you’ve wondered what metrics to pay attention to, this is a great resource.

[image error]Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, professional speaker, and New York Times bestselling business author. Go to The Customer Focus to learn more about our customer service training programs. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken

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