Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for the Week of May 2, 2022

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 comment about each article and would like to hear what you think too.

The True Costs of Bad Customer Experience Management by Brittany Hodak

(Brittany Hodak) We’re in a new era of competitiveness. No matter your industry, your customers can find another option out there. If you aren’t willing to take customer experience management seriously, odds are someone else will. However, this is also an opportunity to do better, stand out, and create more superfans. In this guide, we’ll explore the true costs of bad customer experience management.

My Comment: What will bad customer experience management cost you? Brittany Hodak, the expert on how to create a “Super Fan,” shares the consequences of mismanaging CX. Britany’s definition for CXM is A system of strategies focused on boosting customer satisfaction and engagement.” She shares the benefits of a good CXM and the potential losses from a bad CXM.

The Savannah Bananas Baseball Team Has Hit It Big With ‘Fans First’ by Dan Gingiss

(Dan Gingiss) The Savannah Bananas are an independent baseball team in a summer college league—a level or two below in quality of an “A-level” Minor League Baseball team. The owner, Jesse Cole, admits that the Bananas are “an average baseball team.” So how in the world does the team sell out every single game and have a ticket-waiting list that is thousands of fans long?

My Comment: If you haven’t heard about Jesse Cole’s Savannah Bananas baseball team, you must read this article. It will whet your appetite for more of Jesse’s wisdom on how he takes the ordinary (a minor league baseball team) and turns it into something extraordinary. Customer experience expert, Dan Gingiss, has done an excellent job of summarizing some of Jesse’s philosophy about how customer service and experience can deliver amazing results!

Break the Nps Plateau: Create a Culture of Customer Experience by Chris Albertson, Andrew Robertson, and Anson Vuong

(Gallup) Over the past decade, financial services firms have positioned the customer’s experience as a way to enhance the firm’s brand promise and differentiate their firm against competitors. While some organizations have always operated with a “customer-centric” approach, it’s in vogue today — many leaders wonder where this customer-centric journey will lead them.

My Comment: It’s nice to get a good NPS (Net Promotor Score). It validates that you’ve done well for your customers. But don’t be happy with just a good score. NPS (and any other survey, such as CSAT) is a history lesson. It rates past performance. This article by the Gallup experts shares some fascinating insights into exploiting the rating. Financial services seem to be the focus, but I believe almost any type of organization will benefit from reading this article.

Level Up Your Cx Game With These 4 Content Types by Amy Balliett

(Inc. Magazine) If you’re looking to take your strategy to the next level, these content types can be your secret weapon.

My Comment: Content marketing is part of the customer experience. Customers love to learn more about the products they are buying, how to use them better, and what’s new and exciting. According to the article, the average customer views three to five pieces of content before calling a salesperson. That’s an experience before the purchase, and it’s a powerful way to start the relationship. The article goes on to share four content strategies that will enhance your customer’s experience with you and your organization.

Social Media as a Service Differentiator: How to Win by Avinash Chandra Das, Malcolm Gomes, Ishwar Lal Patidar, and Renny Thomas

(McKinsey & Company) With customers increasingly moving their service interactions onto social media, companies have an opportunity to leverage these channels to differentiate their service experience.

My Comment: I found this article interesting for several reasons. The first was that it claims that customers are increasingly moving their customer service interactions to social media. Our customer service research shows that while social customer care is increasing as a viable channel, it still has a long way to go before becoming a primary channel like phone, texting, and email. Still, there are some interesting and important insights you can’t ignore, so take the time to dig into it and glean all of the insights the McKinsey experts have to share.