Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for Week of August 25, 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.
Want to Boost Loyalty? Fix Your Customers’ Problems by Michael Brady
(CX Dive) Solving customer challenges shows that “a brand sees them, hears them and, more importantly, is willing to take action to make their experience better,” one expert said.
My Comment: The opening line in this article is: “Bad experiences cost companies return business.” True… unless the bad experience is handled well. My friend, Tom Baldwin, former CEO of Morton’s and Benihana’s, says, “Great customer service is complaints handled well.” His mantra was that a guest should never leave a restaurant unhappy. I recently wrote about the Customer Service Recovery Paradox, which states that a complaint handled well actually increases the customer’s confidence in the company more than if the complaint had never occurred. This article sums it up by saying every customer challenge is a loyalty-building opportunity.
Reducing Customer Wait Time: 4 Ways To Turn Frustration Into Loyalty by Brittany Hodak
(Brittany Hodak) The truth is, waiting isn’t just inconvenient — it’s emotional. When customers feel ignored or unappreciated, it erodes trust and loyalty. And most of the time, you won’t even know you’ve lost them…they’ll quietly move on to a competitor.
My Comment: Customers don’t like waiting. My annual customer service research report finds almost a third (29%) of customers are very likely to switch companies or leave a brand after a long wait – and 37% said they were somewhat likely. And that’s why you should read this article. Brittany Hodak, my friend and fellow CX expert, writes about how to turn the frustration of waiting into loyalty.
Using AI to Deliver WISER Customer Experiences in Any Industry by Dan Gingiss
(Dan Gingiss) In today’s competitive landscape, it’s no longer enough to offer a good product or service. Customers expect more – more personalization, more empathy, more convenience, and more wow. That’s where AI-powered customer experience comes in.
My Comment: My friend, Dan Gingis, known as “The Experience Maker,” shared how his WISER formula works for AI-fueled customer experiences. How about an AI experience that is Witty, Immersive, Shareable, Extraordinary, and Responsive? That’s the WISER experience! So, if you want your customers to use your AI customer support, follow this formula.
NPS Has Its Flaws — But When Is It the Right Tool for the Job? by Bryan Wassel
(CX Dive) The fluidity of customer experiences means a single label or number often doesn’t tell the whole story. For CX teams, that requires looking beyond NPS.
My Comment: I’m a big fan of NPS (Net Promoter Score). It’s been around for more than 20 years, and recently (as in the past few years), experts have been finding flaws in the measurement. My take is that the flaws aren’t about the NPS concept. It’s how it is used. It can be gamed. It doesn’t share the entire CX story. Even Fred Reichheld, the inventor of NPS, admits this and suggests that an even better measurement isn’t about the likelihood to recommend, but whether the customer actually makes the recommendation. The article points out something very important. NPS, when used properly, can measure both positive and negative customer sentiment, which is pretty darned important!
Why Your Customer Experience Metrics Miss the Boat by Sean Albertson
(CMSWire) In business, we’re addicted to measurement. ROI. NPS. CSAT. CES. We track every blip and bounce, hoping numbers will tell the full story. But here’s the truth many leaders are starting to confront: great numbers don’t always equal great experiences.
My Comment: As long as we’re talking about customer service/CX metrics (like NPS), this is a great article that emphasizes the limitations some metrics may have. This article focuses on FLOW, which the author defines as the outcome of alignment. It’s when the needs of the customer, employee, and the business are all flowing together in the right direction and reinforce each other.
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.
Want to Boost Loyalty? Fix Your Customers’ Problems by Michael Brady
(CX Dive) Solving customer challenges shows that “a brand sees them, hears them and, more importantly, is willing to take action to make their experience better,” one expert said.
My Comment: The opening line in this article is: “Bad experiences cost companies return business.” True… unless the bad experience is handled well. My friend, Tom Baldwin, former CEO of Morton’s and Benihana’s, says, “Great customer service is complaints handled well.” His mantra was that a guest should never leave a restaurant unhappy. I recently wrote about the Customer Service Recovery Paradox, which states that a complaint handled well actually increases the customer’s confidence in the company more than if the complaint had never occurred. This article sums it up by saying every customer challenge is a loyalty-building opportunity.
Reducing Customer Wait Time: 4 Ways To Turn Frustration Into Loyalty by Brittany Hodak
(Brittany Hodak) The truth is, waiting isn’t just inconvenient — it’s emotional. When customers feel ignored or unappreciated, it erodes trust and loyalty. And most of the time, you won’t even know you’ve lost them…they’ll quietly move on to a competitor.
My Comment: Customers don’t like waiting. My annual customer service research report finds almost a third (29%) of customers are very likely to switch companies or leave a brand after a long wait – and 37% said they were somewhat likely. And that’s why you should read this article. Brittany Hodak, my friend and fellow CX expert, writes about how to turn the frustration of waiting into loyalty.
Using AI to Deliver WISER Customer Experiences in Any Industry by Dan Gingiss
(Dan Gingiss) In today’s competitive landscape, it’s no longer enough to offer a good product or service. Customers expect more – more personalization, more empathy, more convenience, and more wow. That’s where AI-powered customer experience comes in.
My Comment: My friend, Dan Gingis, known as “The Experience Maker,” shared how his WISER formula works for AI-fueled customer experiences. How about an AI experience that is Witty, Immersive, Shareable, Extraordinary, and Responsive? That’s the WISER experience! So, if you want your customers to use your AI customer support, follow this formula.
NPS Has Its Flaws — But When Is It the Right Tool for the Job? by Bryan Wassel
(CX Dive) The fluidity of customer experiences means a single label or number often doesn’t tell the whole story. For CX teams, that requires looking beyond NPS.
My Comment: I’m a big fan of NPS (Net Promoter Score). It’s been around for more than 20 years, and recently (as in the past few years), experts have been finding flaws in the measurement. My take is that the flaws aren’t about the NPS concept. It’s how it is used. It can be gamed. It doesn’t share the entire CX story. Even Fred Reichheld, the inventor of NPS, admits this and suggests that an even better measurement isn’t about the likelihood to recommend, but whether the customer actually makes the recommendation. The article points out something very important. NPS, when used properly, can measure both positive and negative customer sentiment, which is pretty darned important!
Why Your Customer Experience Metrics Miss the Boat by Sean Albertson
(CMSWire) In business, we’re addicted to measurement. ROI. NPS. CSAT. CES. We track every blip and bounce, hoping numbers will tell the full story. But here’s the truth many leaders are starting to confront: great numbers don’t always equal great experiences.
My Comment: As long as we’re talking about customer service/CX metrics (like NPS), this is a great article that emphasizes the limitations some metrics may have. This article focuses on FLOW, which the author defines as the outcome of alignment. It’s when the needs of the customer, employee, and the business are all flowing together in the right direction and reinforce each other.
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.
Published on August 24, 2025 23:00
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