Top 5 Customer Service Articles For the Week of January 1, 2018

Each week I read a number of customer service and 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.

15 Customer Experience Trends for 2018 by Bruce Temkin

(Customer Experience Matters) Every year, Temkin Group publishes a list of customer experience trends for the upcoming year. We identify some of the key things that CX professionals will need to be on the lookout for throughout the upcoming year. Well, it’s that time again.

My Comment: Let’s start the New Year with a list of 14 customer experience (CX) trends for 2018 by my friend Bruce Temkin. Bruce is one of the gurus in this area and when he talks – or writes – we should pay attention. If CX is important to you, and I know it is, then pay attention to what Bruce predicts for 2018.

Weird job titles like ‘rockstar’ ‘guru’ and ‘ninja’ are on the rise by Jeanette Settembre

(Moneyish) Companies are advertising for tech, sales and customer service jobs with quirky sounding job titles.

My Comment: This article falls on the topic of your company’s culture. It focuses on some of the fun and creative titles that companies now assign their employees. Job titles like rock-star, ninja and guru are finding their ways into the corporate world. We do it at our company. We have a “Manager of Many Things.” And, my title… Chief Amazement Officer.

AI is what dreams are made of. Just ask Disney. by Page Grossman

(Relate) We talk a lot about artificial intelligence and the impact AI will have on our culture and workforce, and invariably the emotions run high. From frustration to fear to anger—from job loss to cold customer service to disappearing storefronts and careers.

My Comment: Disney may be the self-proclaimed “Happiest Place on Earth.” Who am I to disagree?! I love Disney. And, I love how they are upping their game in the CX world by incorporating AI. The article is short but will give you some insight into a company whose success depends on creating one of the ultimate customer experiences.

Looking into the Customer Support Crystal Ball: 6 Predictions for 2018 by Anand Janefalkar

(CustomerThink) As we look towards 2018, forward-thinking organizations need to embrace emerging customer support trends in order to position themselves for success. Let’s take a look at what lies ahead in the coming year.

My Comment: Here’s another article focused on some predictions for 2018, this time in the customer support world. I especially like number five which touts that customer support will no longer be viewed as a cost center, but a driver of revenue. This concept has been around for a while. Customer support is actually marketing, disguised as customer support. And, marketing drives revenue. What’s happening today is more and more companies are believing it.

Everything you wanted to know about holiday returns by Debbie Carlson

(Chicago Tribune) Was the holiday gift you received the wrong size, or just not what you hoped for? The good news is you have extra time to return that ill-fitting sweater or those duplicate games. The bad news? The specifics of many retailers’ return policies don’t usually change just because it’s the holidays.

My Comment: To wrap up this week’s roundup of my favorite customer service articles, here’s one that ties into the holidays. It’s only been a week since Christmas. I’m sure you’ve received a gift that you “just don’t know what to do with.” (In other words, you want to return it.) This article will help you make that holiday return a little easier. And, one piece of advice that’s not in the article. If you can’t return the item, re-gift it. Or, even better, give it to someone who is less fortunate than you. There are plenty of organizations that would love you to donate the gifts you don’t plan to use.

Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, professional speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information contact or www.hyken.com. For information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs go to www.thecustomerfocus.com. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken