Top 5 Customer Service Articles for the Week of January 14, 2019

Each week I read a number of customer service and customer experience articles from various resources. Here are my top five picks from last week. I have added my comment about each article and would like to hear what you think too.

Ten top tips for building a customer-driven company in 2019 by cp2experience

(cp2experience)  I have framed all my top tips around the benefits to customers (and employees) and identified how technology can support the delivery of an enhanced, competitively distinct customer experience.

My Comment: Here’s a list of ten strong tips to help you and your organization become more customer-focused. There’s something here for every company. One I’ve been talking about since the begging of my career in customer service and CX is number nine, which is speed and urgency. Today, more than ever, customers expect a fast response.

The True Cost of Losing a Customer by Susan Preiss 

(Blue Ocean) One negative customer experience may seem like a drop in the ocean of all your customer interactions, but it’s never that simple.

My Comment: The cost of losing a customer is more than losing just one sale. Assuming your customer would have had a positive experience, he/she would likely come back and spend more. Not to mention the loss in word-of-mouth referrals. According to this article, only 42% of companies can accurately measure the lifetime value of a customer. But, once you do, you’ll have a better understanding of the impact of bad service and the cost of losing a customer.

Panviva Publishes E-Book: Building a Better Customer Experience—Tips from 10 CX Industry Experts by Dawn Corrente

(Panviva) Get a jump start on your 2019 planning with this collection of CX insights from our top 10 industry experts

My Comment: Are you ready to deliver a better customer experience? Of course you are. This is an ebook that features ten CX experts’ thoughts and strategies on how to go about it. I’m honored to be one of the ten. You’ll have to share your email address to get the download of the ebook, but it’s well worth it.

4 Ways Customer Journey Maps can Improve Customer Experience by Michael

(Freshdesk) Growing a successful business requires a strong understanding of your target audience. Beyond knowing the basic demographic information of the ideal customer, marketers also need to be familiar with their needs, interests, and decision-making process.

My Comment: I’m a fan of the customer journey map. It helps you identify important touchpoints that contribute (or detract) from the customer experience. Here’s a nice article that has several good ideas to help you take advantage of the work you put into the journey map exercise.

Great CX Requires a Cross-Team Commitment to Customer Centricity by Josh Brown

(Appcues) Great CX is not just a team sport—it’s a cross-team sport that requires a company-wide commitment to customer-centricity in order to get right.

My Comment: Customer experience is everyone’s job. Consider this quote: “… the goal should be for all members of your organization to consider themselves ‘guardians of customer-centricity’ in one way or another.” It’s not just for the front line. That’s the premise for this article that is filled with stats, facts and several excellent ideas to help your entire organization deliver a better CX.

Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, professional speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs go to www.TheCustomerFocus.com. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken