5 Top Customer Service Articles for the Week of January 21, 2019

Each week I read a number of 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.

Before you automate people’s jobs, here are some things to consider by Kindra Cooper

(LinkedIn) Industry wisdom holds that CX automation squares away the “boring” and “repetitive” parts of an agent’s job, thereby “freeing them to do more high-value work.”

My Comment: AI has been creating “quite a stir” in the customer service and support world. There has been talk about how AI and automation will take the jobs of the support team. We are a long way from that happening. While it can handle lower-level issues and repetitive tasks, there is (for the foreseeable future) the need for a balance between AI and people. This is an excellent article that lays out some of the facts, and as the title implies, some things to consider.

As Trust Among Consumers Wavers, Authenticity is Critical by Michael Fertik

(Forbes) Facebook might be under fire for questionable data management practices, but that doesn’t mean businesses should shy away from social media as a means of connecting with customers.

My Comment: Trust and confidence are part of the customer experience. The idea that a customer trusts you weighs into their decision to do business with you. Consider the facts from this article.”A high Reputation Score correlates with a 3.9% boost in sales.” And that 86% of people say authenticity matters when making a buying decision. This excellent article makes the case for the importance of including trust as part of your marketing and experience strategy.

It’s Never Too Late to Win with Customer Experience: The Comcast Turnaround by Adam Toporek

(Customers That Stick) Many organizations can survive, even thrive, without providing excellent customer experiences, without being customer-centric. Perhaps they have a dominant market position, perhaps they have little competition or none at all.

My Comment: Late last year a number of customer service and experience experts visited the Comcast headquarters. We were treated to a day of executive presentations that shared how they are turning around their customer service reputation. Several of us summarized that day. This is Adam Toporek’s view of the experience. Comcast is a great case study on how a big company goes about turning around its customer service reputation.

CX 101: What Is Customer Experience, AnyWay? by Erin Ollila

(SmarterCX)  The SmarterCX team hit the streets to find out just how many people are or are not familiar with the term “CX” — so if you think you’re the only one who’s not 100% sure, this may put your mind at ease.

My Comment: I’m often asked what is the difference between customer service and customer experience. A number of years ago, those terms were interchangeable. While customer service is part of CX, but there is so much more to it. This short article has a great definition of CX and covers some of the basics.

Customer Experience by Tom Fishburne

(Marketoonist) Whenever I’m in the midst of a frustrating customer service exchange, I find myself reaching for a sketch pad.

My Comment: I’m a big fan of business cartoons that make a point, especially if the topic is around customer service and experience. This past week a post featuring some of Tom Fishburne’s cartoons popped up on my radar. As you read these, you’ll smile as you recognize the truth behind the humor.

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