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Top 5 Customer Service Articles For the Week of April 20, 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. Loyalty programs boost businesses’ ability to keep customers by Jill Young Miller (Washington […]

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.

Loyalty programs boost businesses’ ability to keep customers by Jill Young Miller

(Washington University in St. Louis) In business, simple loyalty programs can strongly increase customer retention, Washington University in St. Louis researchers have found. And when the U.S. economy edges closer to normal following the global coronavirus pandemic, such programs may be a method to help businesses get back on their feet.

My Comment: I’ve always said that many loyalty programs are often marketing programs, where repeat purchases earn points or free merchandise. A research team at Washington University Business School came out with some interesting research about how just being part of a simple loyalty or rewards program, drives repeat business.

7 Ways to Add More Value to Your Loyalty Program by Emily Rudin

(Oracle) Let’s take a look at the ways you can build stronger, more profitable relationships with your customers and engage loyalty members beyond transactions.

My Comment: And while we’re on the subject of loyalty programs, our friends at Oracle in their Modern Marketing Blog share seven ways to add more value to a program. Even though it appears consumer-based (B2C), there is good info for any type of business. Also, pay attention to number seven, which is a strong way to create a better connection; by delivering the right content in a content marketing strategy. (My favorite company that does this is Nike.)

Surveys in the Time of Pandemic by Jim Tincher

(Heart of the Customer) I reached out to some of my CX thought-leader friends to get their perceptions of what we should be doing.

My Comment: In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, is it appropriate to survey our customers? The short answer is “yes,” but there is a right way and a wrong way to go about it. This article features the opinion of seven customer service and experience experts (myself included) sharing the do’s and don’ts of surveys in these unsettling times.

How to enhance customer service with a consultative approach by Andrea Grodnitzky

(Retail Customer Experience) Despite all of these factors, training your team to apply a consultative approach is a way to enhance the shopping experience for each and every customer.

My Comment: Many years ago I researched the idea of how customer service and sales belong together. The term “consultative selling” was the popular descriptor of that time. This article brings that concept back. The server at a restaurant that helps steer you into making a good choice for dinner. Or, the software sales rep who helps you choose the best solution for your business. They don’t take orders. They consult with you to get you the best. This is how you want your people to treat their customers; with a consultative approach, that enhances their customer experience.

Give Customers What They Want: 11 Tips On How To Listen Effectively by Young Entrepreneur Council

(Forbes) Today’s consumers demand transparency and honesty from brands they buy from. They expect their voices to be heard, which means attracting and retaining customers is all about listening to your audience.

My Comment: This article isn’t about personal listening techniques. It’s more about the strategy a company has to listen to its customers, and just as important, make their customers feel as if they have been heard. “Listening” is more than hearing one customer’s feedback. Here is a list of ideas that have something for every type of business.

BONUS

14 Essential Customer Experience Books to Help You Rethink Your CX by Tom Treanor

(Arm Treasure Data) To help you puzzle out the right response to rapidly changing consumer needs, we’ve compiled a list of 14 CX books to read right now.

My Comment: Looking to expand your mind while in quarantine? What a better time to do so… Grow when it’s slow. Here is a list of 14 customer experience books by a “who’s who” in this important field. I’m honored and flattered that my latest book, the updated version of “Cult of the Customer,” made the top of the list. Thank you, Tom Treanor, (@RtMixMktg) for including me!

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 at www.Hyken.com. Connect with Shep on LinkedIn.

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