The Future of Social Media (And How to Prepare For It): The State of Social Media 2016 Report by Ash Read (Buffer) Imagine being able to predict the next big thing on social media, knowing what social media will look like in 2017 and beyond and how will brands use social platforms to connect with their audience. My Comment: Buffer has shared their insights on the current and future state of social media marketing. I’m surprised at how many companies have not yet embraced social media for marketing and customer care. Read this report to get a better understanding of the importance of using social media as a way to connect with your customers. The NPS Handbook to Analyze the Drivers of Loyalty by CustomerGauge (CustomerGauge) A unique attribute of Net Promoter is the simplicity; everyone understands the concept and how to calculate the score. However, companies without analysts often see analysis as the complex part of the Net Promoter process due to the use of statistical tools. In this guide, we will not only explain the statistical side of Net Promoter but also how to do driver analysis with simple math that doesn’t require any statistical knowledge. My Comment: CustomerGuage has released an “eBook” about the power of NPS (Net Promoter Score). It’s short – about 21 pages with a lot of pictures – but is packed with information you’ll need to know to get the most out of NPS and how to properly survey your customers. Don’t let the fact that you’ll have to give them your email address deter you for downloading the eBook. It’s worth it. Salesforce Survey Shows Customer Experience Now Job No. 1 by Chris Preimesberger (eWeek) Priorities of sales teams are facing mandates for change, thanks to intense new competition online among vendors of all types. My Comment: Salesforce has released a report that customer experience (CX) is now “Job Number One.” This short article by Chris Preimsberger highlights some of the key findings from the report and gives you a link to download the entire document. While the focus is on sales, it emphasizes that the customer experience, overall, is becoming the key performance metric that cannot be ignored. 7 Tips For Fostering Loyalty In Your Customers by Sophie Andrews (Huffington Post) It is well known in the business world that it costs a minimum of five times more to gain a new customer than it does to keep one. While the time, effort, and resources may be worth it from time to time, it is more prudent to foster loyalty in your customers. My Comment: Let’s close out this week “Top Five” list with an article that lists seven ways to create customer loyalty. While we all may find much of this common sense, pay close attention to number seven, which reminds us to focus not only on our customers but also our employees. Remember that what is happening on the inside of an organization is felt on the outside by the customer. Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, professional speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information contact or www.hyken.com. For information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs go to www.thecustomerfocus.com. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken
