Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for Week of April 20, 2026

Every week, I read dozens of articles on customer service and customer experience from a wide range of sources. Below are my top five picks from last week, along with my takeaways. I’d love to hear your thoughts as well.

Consumer Sentiment Crashed This Month. What Does It Mean for CX Leaders? by Kristen Doerer

(CX Dive) The broader economic atmosphere weighs heavily on consumers, who grow less tolerant of friction — and less patient with companies — as they become more stressed.

My Comment: This week’s Top Five Roundup features an article with some tough news that is impacting many businesses. Gas prices are rising. Food costs are rising. Many consumers are feeling squeezed. Depending on your customers, they will react differently. Your job is to find out what your customers want, need, and appreciate during these times. Most importantly, do your customers trust you? That is part of the value that will keep your customers coming back.

End of the Price Game: What Marketers Must Do Next by Greg Kihlstrom

(CMSWire) In economically uncertain times, it would seem safe to assume the best way to win over customers hinges on this uncertainty. Yet, relying on price as a primary market differentiator is growing increasingly unsustainable for CPG brands. This is no longer a theoretical concern, but an operational reality.

My Comment: Here’s a second article on how the economy is changing consumer behavior. One might think price may be most important when the economy is tough. While price is relevant, there’s more, and once again, it’s the value we create.

Where Points Succeed, and Fail, in the Loyalty Program Equation by Bryan Wassel

(CX Dive) Points can provide reasons for customers to engage with a business while offering the company levers it can pull to adjust consumer behavior.

My Comment: Here’s an interesting article about loyalty programs that offer points and perks and how they help drive repeat business. When customers are accumulating points and zeroing in on a reward, their behavior changes. They like to know there is something of value in their near future.

Speed Not Perfection Defines Customer Experience by Martin Mrugal

(Fast Company) Brands must consistently deliver great experiences at every moment in the buyer’s journey to win and maintain customers. For multi-location brands, customer experience (CX) is both a significant challenge and a powerful opportunity. When executed well, CX becomes a true competitive differentiator.

My Comment: I’ve always been an advocate for the CX that includes speed. Most of the time, speed is about reducing friction and making the interaction easier (and faster) for customers. And when it comes to complaints, a speedy response and resolution are confidence builders. According to this author, speed matters more than perfection. Acting quickly earns trust that can lead to loyalty.

What Companies Can Learn from Their Biggest Fans by Marcus Buckingham

(Harvard Business Review) Despite decades of effort by companies to boost engagement and loyalty, employee trust and customer commitment continue to decline. Most organizations try to fix deficiencies or incrementally raise satisfaction levels. But human behavior does not change in response to mildly positive experiences.

My Comment: We close out this week’s roundup with an article from the very smart people at HBR. This article is about what we can learn from our best customers. And once you’ve learned what makes them love you, operationalize it to give some of the customers who may not yet be your biggest fans a reason to keep coming back (and becoming a fan). The article makes the case for the human connection, which is really about creating an emotional connection.

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. Connect with Shep on LinkedIn.