Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for Week of September 14, 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.

Trust Is the New Competitive Advantage by Matt Fry

(CustomerThink) In an AI-mediated economy where price, choice and convenience are increasingly commoditized, the companies that win will be the ones customers trust to complete the transaction.

My Comment: We kick off this week’s Top Five roundup with an article about the importance of trust. Is trust a competitive advantage? I’ll say this: if your customer doesn’t trust you, “game over.” They will do business with a company they do trust. What helps build that trust? A great customer experience. Specifically, the author writes, “Everything connected to the transaction needs to inspire confidence.” My annual CX research supports this: 86% of US consumers say a great CX builds trust.

The Customer Who Never Complains Is Costing You More than the One Who Does by Todd Greenbaum

(Rio Grande Guardian) Every business has a support queue, a review page, and a rough sense of how often things go wrong. Almost nobody has a count of the customers who had a bad delivery, said nothing, and quietly moved on. They don’t churn loudly. They just stop appearing in your repeat-purchase numbers, and your dashboard reads it as normal attrition.

My Comment: You want customers to complain! I’ve preached this for years. When a customer voices their complaint, they are giving you a great opportunity. They are basically saying, “Here’s your chance to prove I made the right decision to do business with you.” Don’t blow it! When you handle the complaint well, you often build a stronger relationship than if the complaint never happened.

Business Matters: Small Business Secret Weapon: Customer Loyalty by VI Source

(VI Source) Business Matters is a feature from the Source dedicated to the local business community. Our goal is to explore the issues and opportunities affecting businesses today, from branding and marketing to the evolving worlds of brick-and-mortar and online commerce.

My Comment: Even though this article focuses on small businesses, it really is important for every type of business, large or small, to be reminded of the power of loyalty. The main takeaway is that some of your best growth opportunities come from the customers you already have. If nothing else, that reminder should emphasize that you don’t want to just grow through customer acquisition. You can also grow through customer retention.

The Postpurchase Experience Has Become Retail’s New Battleground by Christopher Copelan

(Idaho Statesman) After a brand pays to win the click, a vague tracking update or a hard-to-find return label can decide whether another order follows. Those small points of friction put fulfillment operators near a critical handoff, where a packed box becomes the customer’s next judgment of the brand.

My Comment: I’ve often written about how what happens after the sale is as, if not even more important, to the opportunity to do more business with the customer. This article focuses on that, emphasizing the importance of operational aspects such as order fulfillment, shipping, returns, and more.

Sometimes Bigger Is Better: What the Rest of the World Can Learn from US Grocery Stores by Claire Cunningham

(CX Network) Because the future of retail CX is not only about what technology we add next. Sometimes it is about getting the fundamentals so right that the customer barely has to think about the experience at all.

My Comment: In this interesting article, the author walks us through her experience at a large retail grocer, noting that some elements apply to many other types of businesses. She talks about product availability, proper staffing, friendly service, and more. And as you read the article, realize this: Any business you admire, not just a grocery store, is an opportunity to learn from. Take a few minutes to read the article to understand how the author thinks, then visit your favorite brand (outside of your industry), and take notes on what they do well that you can do, too.

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.