Top 5 Customer Service Articles For the Week of January 18, 2021

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.

21 Tips for 2021 Customer Experience Excellence by Lynn Hunsaker

(ClearAction) Here are 21 tips for achieving 2021 customer experience excellence in these areas and beyond.

My Comment: We begin this list of the Top Five roundup with a list that includes 21 tips for 2021. I love lists and with this many ideas and tips, and this list has something for everyone. A few of them I could debate, but I also see the author’s point. For example, I believe you should obsess about customer journey maps, but they have to be done right. The author points out the mistake many companies make.

5 Key Customer Loyalty and Engagement Trends for 2021 by Michelle Wildenauer

(destinationCRM) It’s time to strategize and anticipate post-pandemic changes in outlook and behaviors. What challenges and opportunities should customer loyalty and engagement specialists consider as they move further into 2021?

My Comment: Add five more ideas to the list of trends. This article has some different ideas that are worth discussing with your team. Number three is about values and conscious capitalism. This is a hot topic, especially with younger generations who want the places they do business with to align with what’s important to them.

Enrich the customer experience by starting with your employees by Michelle MacCarthy

(Diginomica) How do you enrich the customer experience amidst the current turbulence? Unit4’s Michelle MacCarthy has three recommendations for managing customer success through culture, engagement, and technology.

My Comment: I enjoy articles that focus on the culture, and that is exactly what this article is about. Two big topics in the article that I’ve been preaching for years. First, a great customer experience starts with the employee experience. Second, to use the author’s words, “Customer service is an ethos, not a department.” These are fundamental concepts for every type of business.

Chatbots vs Knowledge Bases: Which One Is Better? by Tracey Ruff

(Userlane) A brief comparison between two customer self-service solutions for B2B businesses in terms of the functional and emotional experience they provide and their cost-saving potential.

My Comment: Chatbots versus knowledge base support. Both are self-service options, but what’s more effective? I enjoyed the author’s perspective on the benefits and drawbacks of both.

Celebrating Tony Hsieh’s Contribution to CX by Jeremy Watkin and Community

(CX Accelerator) Tony Hsieh, whether we knew him or not, was an influencer and mentor to so many of us in the world of CX. In this article, I’ll share some of the words from members of our community as a way of celebrating his life.

My Comment: I was shocked and saddened at the loss of one of the great customer service and experience icons. Tony Hseih of Zappos.com left us way too soon. Ten customer service experts and influencers shared some thoughts in a celebration of Tony’s contribution to the CX world.

BONUS

Expert Insights – B2B Marketing Trends In Post COVID-19 Era by Shane Barker

(UnboundB2B) In this blog post, we bring to you industry experts who will explore the trends in B2B marketing that businesses need to adapt to succeed post-pandemic.

My Comment: Here’s a compilation of customer service and experience experts sharing their insights on B2B trends post-COVID-19. It’s nice to see the emphasis on B2B, versus retail and other B2C industries.

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