Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for the Week of January 30, 2023

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.

ChatGPT: 6 Ways It Will Transform Customer Experience by Paul Pember

(CX score) The promise of how AI will revolutionise the world has often lacked practical application on how it will impact our day to day lives. This is why the launch of ChatGPT feels like a defining moment for AI, the buzz and excitement are centred around its real-life practical uses for everyday tasks. It feels like the moment AI becomes mainstream, and even though it’s still in testing stage, it’s difficult not to get carried away with the possibilities. This article will explain what ChatGPT is and why it has the opportunity to transform customer experience.

My Comment: ChatGPT is one of the most talked about topics this year. Will ChatGPT (or some other for of AI) takes over the customer support world? Will it take over the world? Seriously, this is a critical discussion to have. Start your thinking about how this technology will impact customer support and CX by reading this article.

The Importance of Maintaining Customer Service in Difficult Times by Nick Gold

(theHRDIRECTOR) As 2022 drew to a close, most of us craved a period of calmness, both economically and emotionally. But as global recession looms, 2023 will bring continued uncertainty. Business leaders will need to find yet more inner strength to weather the storm. But one key differentiator can help businesses get through difficult times, helping you retain clients and increase revenues: excellent customer service.

My Comment: The last thing you want to do when times are tough are to cut places where the customer will notice. Customer service and support become more important than ever in difficult times. Sales may slow, but don’t give reasons for customers to not come back when they are ready.

How to Improve the CX in 5 Charts by Arielle Feger

(Insider Intelligence) Providing a good customer experience (CX) isn’t just about getting positive reviews online—it’s about creating a relationship with your customer. It’s also about a better bottom line, which is harder to achieve these days as consumer spend slows. Here are five charts on how and why you should be thinking about CX, and who is responsible for it.

My Comment: Here is an interesting article, not as much for the content (which is still good), but for the charts and graphs that give a visual display on ways to improve the customer experience. The fifth (last) chart is a survey about who owns the customer experience. It doesn’t surprise me that the top response was “Everyone owns it,” but the last choice had 5.3% of the respondents choosing “Not sure.” That concerns me!

10 Tips to Develop Client Trust by The Ritz Herald

(The Ritz Herald) Running a successful business means that you have to have clients or customers to support you. Developing client trust is a process. Think of it as more of a marathon than a sprint. There are a lot of steps and backend efforts that go into forming a relationship with a client that will lead them to trust you and your brand. Since this can be a tricky thing to develop, we’ve asked our favorite industry experts to give us the scoop on their favorite tips when it comes to developing client trust. Here’s what they had to say.

My Comment: Here’s an article that resonates with me, and it should you, as well. Our CX research found that a better experience equates to higher levels of trust. This excellent article features ten tips on how to develop trust. Most of these fall under treating people the right way. You’ll find simple ideas with a big impact.

Why Customers Are Switching Brands More Often by Dan Gingiss

(Dan Gingiss) Driven by cultural shifts that were heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic, more American consumers are switching brands than ever. The trend has reached the point where some observers are calling it “the death of brand loyalty.” It didn’t used to be this way. Back in the day, if you banked at a certain financial institution, it might very well be your bank for life. Same with your family doctor or dentist. That was partly because what are known as the “switching costs” for moving to a new brand – money and time spent – were considered such a hassle that people rarely did it.

My Comment: Creating customer loyalty is getting more difficult, especially in the retail industry. My friend and fellow customer experience expert, Dan Gingiss, tells us why and shares some insights and lessons on how to keep your customers coming back.

BONUS

5 Customer Experience Predictions for 2023 by Kate Rogerson

(Comm100) 2023 looks to be a year of great change in customer experience (CX). With economic uncertainty ahead, some organizations are asking employees to make do with fewer resources, while others are increasing CX investment. This is all occurring against a backdrop of incredibly high CX expectations across industries and ever-developing technology.

My Comment: Our friends at Comm 100 shared their top five customer experience predictions for 2023. One of the predictions they shared is one featured in a recent article on my weekly blog (The Shepard Letter), which is that the employee experience (EX) will match the importance of the customer experience (CX).

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.