Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for the Week of July 4, 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.

7 Top AI Trends in Customer Service by Zendesk

(EnterpriseAI) Ever-evolving technology is constantly changing how customer service is done. From call centers to contact centers, businesses are looking for ways to automate manual tasks and take care of their customers better. Customer support has always been a challenging task for companies to manage, and with the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, it’s easier than ever before.

My Comment: We open this week’s Top Five roundup with a list of seven AI (Artificial Intelligence) trends in the customer experience world. This is exactly how AI is being used today. It helps understand the customer better, allows you to personalize (at scale) marketing messages, improve the shopping experience, and more.

4 Strategic Approaches to Customer Journey Mapping by Jennifer Torres

(CMSWire) What’s in your abandoned cart? From a tube of mascara to a jade bracelet or water pump, retailers are paying the price for the items left behind. And the price tag? $260 billion in lost revenue over 10 years (in the US and EU) due to preventable cart abandonment, according to the Baymard Institute.

My Comment: Journey Mapping is no longer an option. You must understand the interaction points your customers have with you before, during, and after their buying experience. This is a “how to get started” type of article. Perfect for those that haven’t gone through the journey mapping process.

15 Metrics To Track If You Want To Keep Your Customers Happy And Loyal by Forbes Councils Member

(Forbes) Having many returning customers is the goal of most successful businesses. Returning customers not only keep a consistent revenue stream coming in, they also typically refer others to a business’s product or service, too.

My Comment: How do you measure customer happiness and loyalty? Let me count the ways! Actually, 15 of them. Starting with NPS (the likelihood that a customer would recommend you) to response times (how quickly you respond to a customer’s questions, inquiries, etc.), you will find some of the most effective ways to measure your focus on customers.

Easy Does It: Five Keys To Curating An Effortless, Loyalty-Building Customer Experience by Craig Halliday

(Newsweek) Whether your company sells home furnishings or software, being easy to do business with means embedding certain customer experience (CX) fundamentals into your organizational DNA. Here are five that have proven important in serving and supporting the customer.

My Comment: Just as the article implies, this is about creating an “easy” experience for your customers. While all five are important, number five, being a partner, is one to pay attention to. The most successful relationships in business are when your customers view you as a partner versus a vendor.

75% of Consumers Say Customer Experience Impacts Brand Loyalty, Merkle Report Finds by PRNewswire

(MarTech Series) Loyalty programs are no longer just about discounts and transactions. Consumers want brands to go the extra mile to connect with them, and more than 75 percent of consumers say consistent customer experiences and customer service improve their likelihood to do business with a brand. This shift requires brands to build loyalty across the entire customer experience, in close partnership with forward-thinking experience and commerce agencies, using human design principles.

My Comment: A loyalty program needs to be more than just points and perks. If you want customers to be loyal, you must create an experience that is easy and makes them feel appreciated. Just as the title implies, customers now want more than the points. They want the experience.

BONUS

Welcome to Sage Book Club! by Jay Baer

(Sage) Jay Baer shares his top six book recommendations to teach you all you need to know about customer experience. His favorite reads will help you on the road to building a resilient business.

My Comment: Fellow customer experience expert, Jay Baer, has put together his list of the top six customer experience books. I won’t argue with any of his choices and am honored and flattered he included The Cult of the Customer as one of his picks. If there was a book to add to the list, I would suggest Jay’s book Talk Triggers.