Contact Shep (314) 692-2200

5 Top Customer Service Articles For the Week of April 4, 2016

Each week I read a number of customer service articles from various online 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. Are You Competing on Customer Experience to Keep Up, Get Ahead, or “Leave a Dent”? […]

Each week I read a number of customer service articles from various online 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.

Are You Competing on Customer Experience to Keep Up, Get Ahead, or “Leave a Dent”? by Bob Thompson

(CustomerThink) Pilot programs of a new engagement strategy based on this “human” data generated a 400% increase in response to email and direct mail, validated across several hundred thousand names. Still, Roman cautions that successful pilots are just the first step. To gain a competitive edge requires scaling and operationalizing.

My Comment: Many stats and facts about how to be competitive in business emphasize the importance of the customer experience. The set-up to the three strategies shared in this article should be the motivation that any company (in any industry – B2B or B2C) needs to take their CX to the next level. Furthermore, the three strategies aren’t optional, but necessary for success.

Engineering a Service Revolution: How to establish a strong service culture fast! by Jochen Wirtz

(LinkedIn) We observed four common mistakes companies make when implementing service revolutions, and we propose a more effective and proven way to make sure a service revolution sticks and achieves sustainable service improvements.

My Comment: When customer service (Ron Kaufman) and marketing (Jochen Wirtz) combine, you have the new marketing! Of the strategies shared, I especially like 1 and 2. Everyone is involved in customer service, not just the front line. And service is as much about the culture – the concept of what is right – not just the specific tactics on how to make it right. Have the understanding of what good service is, and then train on how to deliver it.

What is Customer Experience and How it Unlocks Value? by Opinurate Team

(Opinurate) Executives fail to quantify the economic outcomes of differences in customer experiences, so their efforts end up having clear costs and unclear near-term results. That being said, let’s try to get a clearer picture of what customer experience really means.

My Comment: This excellent article is an overview of the importance of customer experience. I appreciate the stats and facts shared in the article, as they make the compelling case for what customer experience is, and will continue to be, the way to differentiate yourself and your company from your competition.

Delivering Unique, Attractive (Even Branded) Customer Experience Lagniappe: Any Company Can Do This by Michael Lowenstein

(CustomerThink) This week, Bob Thompson’s informative, timely blog on strategies companies can use to make customer experience a competitive advantage – and how most neither measure experience nor compete on it – puts me in mind of a line of discussion around customer experience lagniappe. Stan Phelps, Chip Bell, and I have all been exposed to, and reported on, what lagniappe can do for any company, irrespective of size, industry, or location.

My Comment: One of the secrets to creating a better customer service experience – actually a better experience overall – is something called “lagniappe,” which is about giving a little more than expected. This is about exceeding expectations, which is a powerful and competitive business strategy.

A Guide to Really Bad Customer Service (Written by Devil’s Advocate) by Justyna Polaczyk

(LiveChat) Here’s the one and only guide to really bad customer service!

My Comment: This past Friday was April Fool’s Day. While this isn’t the typical April Fool’s Joke, it’s a spin on what good service is all about. And, it’s fun to read. This is the opposite of what we would expect. Is there really an advantage to delivering bad customer service? Read this article and decide for yourself.

Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops at www.Hyken.com. Connect with Shep on LinkedIn.

Want to receive Shep’s latest customer service and CX research?

Sign up for instant access to Shep’s research report on customer service and customer experience.

"*" indicates required fields

Name*
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

© 2024 Shepard Presentations, LLC.
All Rights Reserved.

Legal Information | Sitemap Legap

Site by: digitalONDA