Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for Week of May 5, 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.

Here’s Why Trader Joe’s Doesn’t Need A Loyalty Program… And You Might Not, Either. by Brittany Hodak

(Brittany Hodak) A recent article in Customer Experience Dive noted that 90% of grocery shoppers now switch between online and in-store, and most retailers are leaning hard into data, tech, and personalization to stay competitive. But not Trader Joe’s.

My Comment: I’ve often written about customer loyalty programs actually being marketing programs that drive repeat business, which can sometimes lead to loyalty. It turns out, some customers are more loyal to the loyalty program than the business they keep returning to. My friend and fellow CX expert, Brittany Hodak, has written an excellent article about Trader Joe’s, the grocery retailer who proves that providing the best experience is the ultimate loyalty program.

Inside USPS’s Plan to Reinvent Customer Service With AI by Franck S Ardourel

(CMSWire) The agency is doing more than upgrading tech — it’s building a smarter, more inclusive customer experience.

My Comment: When we think of great case studies for customer service and CX, companies like Amazon, Apple, Costco, and other iconic brands come to mind. But there are plenty of less obvious brands we can all learn from, which is why I enjoyed this article about the USPS—yes, the post office! The article dives into how the USPS is modernizing its CX with AI and more. When you see what the USPS is doing – and why – you might ask yourself, “What can we do to be more proactive versus reactive and create better experiences for our customers?”

Global Customer Experience Differences: How Culture Shapes Consumer Expectations Across Asia, Europe, and Beyond by Dan Gingiss

(Dan Gingiss) Global customer experience differences are often a matter of unique cultural elements that lead to differing consumer expectations.

My Comment: Customer service and CX are different depending on what part of the world you’re in. However, while there may be cultural differences, the result the business is trying to achieve is the same: create an experience that is good enough to make the customer say, “I’ll be back.” After a recent trip to Asia, Dan Gingiss, “The Experience Maker,” shares his insights about the cultural nuances he observed. Dan states in the article, “From Japan’s meticulous service standards to Germany’s efficiency-focused approach, recognizing these differences allows companies to create meaningful connections with consumers across borders.”

12 Customer Service Email Templates—Plus 6 Best Practices by Shopify

(Shopify) These templated customer service emails will give your team quick and polished responses to the most common customer service scenarios.

My Comment: This is a very tactical article that includes 12 templates for the most common customer service issues and experiences. The examples cover everything from a thank you note/email to responding to a complaint, customers unsubscribing to your list, birthday discount offers, and more. Having templates that allow for a little personalization will make customers feel they are appreciated and heard. In addition, templates can save your people time, increase response times, and create a standardized approach to common requests and issues.

3 Customer Service Trends to Drive Loyalty by Michael Podolsky

(Inc. Magazine) With economic uncertainty in the headlines, consumer confidence is crossing stormy waters—changing expectations, thus driving consumer trends, and making it critical for businesses to stay on top of what customers want from a brand.

My Comment: We started this week’s Top Five roundup with an article on customer loyalty—specifically loyalty programs, and how some customers are more loyal to the program than the company or brand. Let’s wrap up with a few strategies to drive loyalty by properly responding and reacting to customers who have questions, complaints, or other issues. A loyalty program won’t make a difference if the customer experience is mismanaged. These three tactics are somewhat common sense, but often, common sense is not so common.

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.