Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for Week of June 17, 2024

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 comments about each article and would like to hear what you think too.

The Secret to Dealing With Awkward Customers by Call Centre Helper Magazine

(Call Centre Helper Magazine) From repeatedly sending back products and making apparently unwarranted complaints, to demanding something over and above your offer… Not to mention taking up too much of your agents’ time!

My Comment: We start this week’s Top Five Roundup with 18 tips on how to deal with awkward customers. What is an awkward customer? Here’s the first line of the article: “Let’s talk about awkward customers… You know, the ones that make you seriously think that some people aren’t worth doing business with!” What follows are tips from some of the top experts and practitioners in the customer service and CX world.

Marketing to Young People? It’s as Easy as A, B, (Gen) Z…by Mike Wickham

(The Drum) Gen Z has been on marketers’ radars for some time now. But with Gen Alpha just around the corner, Yasmin Burchill and Mike Wickham of Impression take a look at how best to connect with young consumers.

My Comment: Marketing and CX go hand-in-hand with each other. The experience a company provides can be the best marketing strategy. Smart companies and brands recognize the difference in their customers – specifically their ages. Gen Zs are the customers of our future. The next generation, Alphas, is just around the corner. How they choose the companies they do business with is very clear. This article has three simple tips on how to connect and attract young consumers.

Consumer Insights: Customer Loyalty Has Changed by Anastasia Lloyd-Wallis

(Jeweller) There’s been a significant shift in the focus of loyalty in the retail sector. Customers want to create an emotional connection with a business. They want to interact with brands, to be ‘part of the tribe and part of the team’. In essence, they’re becoming brand advocates.

My Comment: This article on customer loyalty appeared in an Australian and New Zealand jeweler magazine. You don’t need to own a jewelry store to appreciate the ideas. There is some interesting information about customer loyalty programs, and even more interesting and enjoyable to read (at least for me) was the breakdown of the different groups and labels they used to describe different types of customers and what motivates them to return.

How Retailers Can Fight Theft without Hurting Customer Experience by Bryan Wassel

(Retail Dive) More and more retailers are locking products inside cabinets to prevent theft. While this approach can thwart would-be thieves, it can also frustrate customers who have to wait for assistance to access common products.

My Comment: Shoplifters are a problem for retailers and their customers. I recently went to a drugstore to buy shaving cream. I had to find an employee to unlock the display to get the tube of cream. Why was so much of their merchandise under lock and key? One word: Theft. The problem is now interfering with the customer experience. Customers must find an employee to unlock display cases, adding a layer of friction to the shopping experience. In this article, you’ll read how some retailers are dealing with theft while not inconveniencing their customers.

Five Insights on the State of CX in 2024 by Melanie Mingas

(CX Network) When CX Network researched the Global State of CX in 2024, 282 CX practitioners, consultants, authors and analysts told us how CX is being reshaped by new technological developments, changing customer demands, the continued digitalization of the modern enterprise and, of course, AI.

My Comment: We close this week’s Top Five Roundup with five insights from five CX practitioners who helped analyze CX Network’s Global State of CX. You’ll find comments and opinions about AI, the importance of rapid adaption, the problem with inconsistency, and more. Listening to and learning from people who are doing this every day is important to staying on top of the latest and greatest opportunities that give you and your organization a competitive advantage.

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.