Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for the Week of June 13, 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.

Sign Me Up! 10 Tips for Success with Subscription Business Models by Amanda Davis

(CustomerThink) Some of us are old enough to remember when subscriptions were limited to just sports clubs, newspapers, and magazines. In fact, the subscription-based business model has been around since the 1770s. It was originally established in London as a way to expand newspaper sales. In 2009 only 18% of the value of the top 100 brands was in subscriptions. This grew to 29% by 2018.

My Comment: We kick off this week’s Top Five with an article about the subscription model. If you say the word “subscription,” most people think of magazines and newspapers. Not anymore! Just about any business can offer a subscription. You can even subscribe to a car! This article shares excellent examples of different subscription models and success strategies.

Why AI Customer Journeys Need More Friction by Renée Richardson Gosline

(Harvard Business Review) Friction isn’t always a bad thing, especially when companies are looking for responsible ways to use AI. The trick is learning to differentiate good friction from bad, and to understand when and where adding good friction to your customer journey can give customers the agency and autonomy to improve choice, rather than automating the humans out of decision-making.

My Comment: I was immediately drawn to this article because of the title. Why would you want to put more friction into a customer journey? The answer has to do with AI (Artificial Intelligence). The short version is that too much AI is not a good thing. Do not “automate the humans out of decision-making.” Is there really such a thing as good friction? This article has the answer.

Customer Experience Is Getting Worse by Katie Deighton

(The Wall Street Journal) The quality of customer experience offered by consumer-facing brands and government agencies declined in the year through April 2022. That’s according to Forrester Research Inc.’s latest annual study on customer experience, which analyzed 96,211 U.S. consumers’ perceptions of 221 companies and federal agencies. Forrester derived customer experience scores of 0 to 100 from respondents’ answers to questions such as how easy a brand is to work with and how likely they are to use a brand again.

My Comment: Here’s another title that grabbed my attention. I can confirm, based on the numbers, customer experience (CX) is getting worse. Between supply chain problems and employee issues, it is difficult for many companies to provide the same level of service they have in the past. While this article doesn’t have the answers, the points throughout can make for great conversation starters in your next leadership meeting.

Tools to Manage Customer Unhappiness by Servicebrand Global

(Servicebrand Global) Is it admirable to pursue a business model or strategic plan that aims to ensure all your customers are happy all the time? Or is this approach unrealistic, leaving your organization open to criticism and self-doubt when faced with genuine customer dissatisfaction and unhappiness?

My Comment: It’s back to basics, as this article shares what to do when your customers aren’t happy or have a complaint. Here you’ll find some of the ingredients that can turn around that unhappy customer. Again, these are the basics; listen, show empathy, apologize, and more.

4 Things Customers Want in 2023 by Salesforce

(Salesforce) “What do my customers want?” It’s one of the biggest, most important questions for success in business…and it changes all the time! Not to worry though. Tech influencer, Brian Tong has you covered. Watch to learn the four key takeaways from Salesforce’s State of the Connected Customer research report.

My Comment: We close out with something a little different. It’s not an article, but a short video from our friends at Salesforce sharing the four things customers want in 2023. This summarizes four findings from the State of the Connected Customer study. Tech Influencer, Brian Tong is your host and brings great energy and enthusiasm to this important topic.

Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, professional speaker, and New York Times bestselling business author. Go to The Customer Focus™ to learn more about our customer service training programs. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken