Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for Week of June 2, 2025

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.

When AI Chatbots Help People Act More Human by Ben Rand

(Harvard Business School) Can an AI chatbot help customer service representatives, well, be more human? Maybe so, suggests a new study that adds to a chorus of findings on how businesses can best tap the new technology.

My Comment: When does AI work best for customer service? As the article implies, it helps people act more human. Specifically, it helps customer service agents. When AI supports an agent or salesperson helping (or selling) a customer, the results are a better customer experience due to efficiency, access to knowledge (better problem solving), and more personalized experiences. This article is filled with information about when AI works best – and when it doesn’t.

Keep CX Management Human in the Age of AI by Francesca Di Meglio

(CX Network) AI is a powerful tool that promises speed, scale and personalization that has never been realized previously. However, as chatbots answer questions and algorithms predict needs, a critical question emerges: Are brands losing the human touch that makes CX magical?

My Comment: This is a perfect article to follow the HBR article. The article points out that the biggest risk of using AI is when they lose the emotional connection due to chatbots and other AI-fueled solutions replacing humans. AI should enhance, not replace, the customer experience.

The CX Premium: What Customers Really Value (and When They’ll Pay for It) by Greg Kihlstrom

(CMSWire) Airlines, apps and investment firms see the biggest CX returns. Now it’s time to align your strategy with what customers really want.

My Comment: Last week, I included the Qualtrics article about a customer’s willingness to pay more for a better or upgraded experience. My customer service and CX research finds that 59% of customers will pay more if they knew they would receive a great experience, and 73% would pay more if the experience were easy and convenient. This article expands on the Qualtrics findings, including the industries that customers are willing to pay more for, gender and age differences of customers willing to pay more, and other insightful information.

Here’s How Gen Z Connects with Brands by Dan Berthiaume

(Chain Store Age) New research shows impressively high levels of consumer brand loyalty and reveals how Gen Z and other generations specifically form brand attachments.

My Comment: Age makes a difference. The way different-aged customers, from Gen Z to Baby Boomers, become attached and loyal to companies and brands differs. This article highlights some of these differences based on a survey of more than 3,000 US consumers. In addition to some interesting stats and findings, the author shares four recommendations on how to build loyalty.

The Loyalty Equation: Trust + Context + Community by Samson Adepoju

(CMSWire) Loyalty isn’t luck — it’s built through consistent, personalized experiences and a sense of belonging. CX leaders, here’s your roadmap.

My Comment: Here’s another article on customer loyalty. Something I’ve shared for years is my simple customer loyalty formula: Loyalty = Great Service + Confidence. Confidence comes from trust, which is one of the main points the author of this article makes: Trust is non-negotiable. Without trust, the other ideas shared in the article won’t have maximum impact. Some of those other ideas include personalization, building communities, using technology, and more.

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.