Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for Week of July 8, 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.

This is What is Missing From Your Customer Experience Playbook by Anne Marshall

(Entrepreneur) One-size-fits-all customer experience playbooks don’t exist — and for good reason. Every business has distinct customers with distinct feelings, needs and preferences.

My Comment: The first idea this article shares is something I’ve been preaching for years: If you want to improve your customer journey, invest in your team. A strong EX (Employee Experience) drives a strong CX. I love the second idea, which is to remove customer anxiety. There’s a third idea that’s a good one, too. But I’ll let you discover that one when you read the article.

The Opportunity in a Customer Experience Slump by Greg Kihlstrom

(CMSWire) Those in the customer experience space might feel good to hear all the talk about how important it is for brands to be customer-focused these days. Yet recent studies have shown some rather bleak numbers in regard to how well brands that say they are customer-focused are actually performing. Do you have a strong customer experience strategy?

My Comment: Is there a “slump” in customer service and CX? The data appears to indicate a decline in customer satisfaction, which opens the door for customer-focused businesses. CX can be a differentiator. It’s the reason customers come back. Decide which direction your CX is headed. Here are a few ideas to point you in the right direction.

Customer Journey AI: The Future of Customer Experience by Rebekah Carter

(CX Today) Virtually every company is investing in the latest AI solutions to help them boost workplace efficiency and productivity, deliver more convenient and personalized customer experiences, and reduce costs.

My Comment: Yes, another article on how AI can help create a better customer experience. While there is nothing earth-shatteringly new, there are some reminders of what we can do now and expect in the future. AI is a powerful force, and we only see a small fraction of the possibilities and capabilities that it will provide.

5 Big Ways to Turn up the Voice of Your Customer in Your Marketing by Bunny Tharpe

(MarTech) What your customers have to say about their experiences with your brand should inspire and drive innovation in your marketing.

My Comment: Do your customers talk about you and your products and/or services? If so, what are you doing with that information? It can be a form of feedback, but it can also be one of your best marketing strategies. Consider this line from the article: “For all the claims of being “customer-obsessed,” brand stories focus too much on the brand itself and not the reason for its existence.”

Customer Sentiment: A Definition, Ways to Measure, & Best Practices by Rebekah Carter

(CX Today) Every company today knows that delivering exceptional customer experiences is the key to sustainable growth. Unfortunately, delighting customers on multiple channels isn’t easy. Business leaders need an in-depth understanding of their target audience, which means going beyond simply listening to what they say in a conversation.

My Comment: Customer sentiment is a phrase used in the customer contact/support center to identify how a customer feels about the company, its products, and customer support. To take the guesswork out of knowing how a customer feels, calls are recorded (for quality assurance). The customer’s tone of voice, words they use, and more are “measured” to gain an understanding. The information can be powerful, but only if you take action on it!

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.