Top 5 Customer Service Articles for the Week of October 7, 2019

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 One Customer Experience Management Tool That Every CX Leader Must Use by Denise Lee Yohn

(Forbes) CX leaders can use a CX Maturity Model to assess the current state of CX in their organization, diagnose where improvements should be focused, and guide the evolution and optimization of CX.

My Comment: I’m intrigued by the concept of a CX Maturity Model. Looking to identify opportunities to enhance CX is an ongoing, continuous effort. This author shares a model that includes five phases that companies go through as they work on their CX strategy.

6 of the Best Ways to Improve Customer Experience [Infographic] by Gaurav Sharma

(Social Media Today) Customer experience is one of the most important factors that influences business growth – in fact, it’s expected to become the main brand differentiator by 2020. According to research, many businesses generating a billion dollars in yearly revenue could bring in $700 million more within three years, just by improving their customer experience.

My Comment: Anytime an article has a title that has the word “Best” in it, I’m intrigued enough to at least give a quick look. Well, this infographic shares some “best practices” that all companies should consider. Not all of these practices are practical for every organization, but they will get a good conversation started.

Give your agents a real gift for Customer Service Week by Paul Selby

(A Customer Service Perspective) It’s easy to see why celebrating the work of customer service agents is important, but it shouldn’t be limited to one week a year. Show praise by making work easier the other weeks of the year. There are several ways to accomplish this.

My Comment: Customer Service Week is this week… Are you doing anything to celebrate the great people in your organization that are taking care of your customers? And, I love that the author mentions that while the celebration lasts a week, the effort should be throughout the entire year.

We Still Need To Deliver On The Human Factor In Customer Service by Ryan Hollenbeck

(Forbes) The fear of automation supplanting humans in the workplace has been the stuff of science fiction for decades, but as the pace of technological change picks up, many people have begun to wonder: Is it becoming more fact than fiction?

My Comment: One of the most popular discussions I’m hearing at conferences has to do with the balance between a digital experience and a human experience. The fear is that companies are doing away with the human experience – and that fear has merit. We’re not quite there yet. At least for the foreseeable future, don’t ignore the importance of the human-to-human connection.

7 Tips for Creating a Customer-Centric Organization by Elizabeth Brockey

(MarTech Series) Client Satisfaction is more important than ever. No matter what industry you are in, customers will make comments—online and off—that affect the future of your business. Therefore, entrepreneurs need to prioritize Customer Success (CS) and teach their teams to deliver exceptional service that builds meaningful relationships with clients.

My Comment: Customer service is not a department. And customer experience is not just a strategy. Both are philosophies that must run through the entire organization. At the best companies, it’s part of the culture. This article is a reminder, along with a few good ideas, to become a more “customer-centric” organization.

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