5 Top Customer Service Articles For the Week of April 30, 2018

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 Opportunity Cost of Delivering an Average Customer Experience by Maggie Lin

(Solvvy) People naturally tend to initiate conversations about experiences that are either exceptionally good or really let them down. Unhappy customers tell between 9 and 15 people on average about their poor customer experience–and 13% of unhappy customers will complain to more than 20 people.

My Comment: A satisfied customer is not a loyal customer. If all you do is satisfy your customer – or give them an average experience – you are in a dangerous place. The cost of delivering average service and CX can be huge. The benefits of consistently being above average can take you and your company to another level.

We Asked 30 CX Influencers if They Would Recommend the Net Promoter System by Anna Pogrebniak

(Lumoa) The Net Promoter System® (or NPS) has been a popular customer experience metric since its creation in 2003. NPS is used by the biggest companies and leaders in its industries: from Apple to Airbnb, from Amazon to Tesla. At the same time, NPS is often a subject of critics and misunderstanding.

My Comment: I’m a big fan of NPS (Net Promoter Score), and many of you already know that. Lumoa asked 30 customer experience influencers their opinions on NPS. I’m honored that they included me, but there are 29 other comments you are going to want to read. A great compilation of comments that include NPS promoters, passives and detractors.

Phone Is King for Customer Experience by Blair Pleasant

(No Jitter) Recent Five9 survey data shows digital consumers, regardless of age, still want to talk to customer service agents.

My Comment: According to Jitter, the phone is not dead! It’s still the number one way customers connect with the companies they do business with. I don’t disagree, but some companies and their customers are finding other channels are just as powerful, if not even more so. They can be quicker and more convenient for a customer to interact with a company. And certain types of customers prefer to use the phone as a backup to other customer service support channels. But in spite of all the other ways customers connect, the phone is still king (at least according to the article)!

5 Predictions On The Future Of Customer Service by Mikhail Naumov

(Forbes) From process automation to customer self-service enablement, here’s what brands, executives, and service leaders need to know about what’s on the horizon for customer service.

My Comment: What does the future of customer service look like? Mikhail Naumov shares some of his predictions. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Mikhail several times, and he is one smart dude! Pay attention to what he says. He makes the complicated simple to understand, especially when we are in heavy discussions about AI and other customer service and CX technologies.

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