Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for Week of September 16, 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.

Beat Your Best Quality Scores – 15 Quick Wins by Megan Jones

(Call Centre Helper) Improving quality scores in customer service is an ongoing process that requires dedication, effective communication, and continuous training. But what do you do when your teams plateau on their best quality scores?

My Comment: We lead off this week’s Top Five roundup with an article of expert commentary compiled by Megan Jones at Call Centre Helper. I’m honored to be included in this article that focuses on how to get your best scores and ratings in the customer support contact center. With 15 ideas shared, you’re sure to find something to help you achieve high customer satisfaction scores.

Only 14% of Customer Service Issues Are Fully Resolved in Self-Service by CRM Magazine

(CRM Magazine) Customers resolve only 14 percent of their service and support issues fully in self-service, and even for issues that customers describe as very simple, only 36 percent resolve fully in self-service, Gartner found in a new consumer study.

My Comment: The title of this article surprised me. Self-service solutions for customer service and support have been around for years from website pages featuring frequently asked questions to the latest AI-fueled chatbots. The findings in the article surprised me. It also is a signal that we have a long way to go to get this right. Some companies have mastered self-service, while others are lagging. In addition to the findings in the Gartner research, there are some suggestions on how to improve.

Guide To Loyalty Programs For Small Businesses by Allen Kopelman

(Forbes) Loyalty is a key driver for any enterprise that depends on repeat business. Restaurants, retail stores, salons and a wide range of businesses leverage loyalty programs to keep customers coming back and transform occasional customers into frequent shoppers. Switchfly outlines how these programs have evolved from punch cards, trading stamps and airline miles into dynamic, tech-driven solutions.

My Comment: I’m a big fan of loyalty programs, and if you’ve followed me, I refer to most of them as marketing programs. The best loyalty programs are actually repeat-customer programs. The goal is to get customers to come back. If you’re really good, beyond the perks and rewards of the program, customers will become loyal. But I digress. This article makes a good point. The programs that used to be available to only the biggest companies with the budget for a robust program are now available to small and mid-sized businesses.

Why Loyalty Programs Fail by Maureen Burns, Andrew Pierce, and Basma Abdel Motaal

(Harvard Business Review) High-performing customer loyalty programs, while complicated to operate, have proven to be well worth the effort. Several successful airline loyalty programs have a higher valuation than the underlying airline.

My Comment: As long as we’re talking about creating a loyalty program (see the third article on this week’s list), here’s an article with reasons a loyalty program can fail. The authors also include ways several strategies and tactics to help you create a loyalty program that works.

The Five Elements Of An Effective Customer Experience Strategy by TheCustomer

(TheCustomer) Today, we live in the age of the customer, where customer expectations are higher than ever, and they have more choice than ever before. Customers are also making decisions and choices on a different basis than before. For many customers, the previous rational approach has been replaced by choices based on what is important to them and their values. Values alignment between organizations and customers is becoming increasingly important.

My Comment: Here are five concepts/strategies that can help drive your CX strategy. I like how Employee Engagement is listed before Customer Experience. The authors write, “Employees are the heart of any organization, and that goes for customer experience strategy, too.” That’s where CX begins: with the employee experience. In addition to strategy, you also need tactics, and this article has that as well.

BONUS

10 Top International Customer Service Books by Paolo Fabrizio

(Customer Service Culture) After reading them, I’m sure that you’ll enjoy great insights and inspiration. That’s why I’m glad to share my selection of 10 top customer service books. To each of them you’ll find a brief introduction note and a good reason to read them – because your time values! So, which ones have you read yet? What did you like the most? Let me know in the comments.

My Comment: It is truly an honor to be on this list of the “Top Ten International Customer Service Books.” What a surprise to find The Convenience Revolution at the top of the list. If you’re looking for some powerful ideas on how to deliver an amazing customer service experience, start reading any of these books!

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.