5 Top Customer Service Articles For the Week of May 7, 2018

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.

Overstock’s customer service texts have a 98 percent open rate by Ilyse Liffreing

(Digiday) Overstock.com knows the days are long gone when people would call or email about problems with its products or service. That’s why the online retailer now converses with its customers most frequently through text messages.

My Comment: There are many ways for customers to communicate with the companies and brands they do business with. Everything from the traditional phone, to live chat, email, etc. If you aren’t considering text messaging, perhaps you should, and that’s what this article is about. The author uses Overstock.com as the case study, and get this. Since Overstock started texting, they have received 14 percent fewer phone calls. Why are customers embracing texting?

How to set a return policy that works for the customer and you by Sam Kliger

(Retail Customer Experience) A store’s return policy is an important part of your overall approach to customer service, but it’s not as simple as making your guidelines strict or lenient. Return policies are very specific to your brand and what you’re looking to accomplish — there is no one-size-fits-all strategy.

My Comment: If you are in the retail business and you have returns, then this is an article you want to read. An easy return policy creates customer confidence and trust in the brand. This short article covers some basics and also includes some interesting and forward-thinking ideas.

The Humanoid Touch: How AI is Changing Customer Experience by Deb Miller

(CMSWire) Our expectations for good customer experience are changing. Or are they? All we have ever really expected is to be recognized, treated respectfully and served efficiently.

My Comment: What do customers want? According to this article, “All we have ever really expected is to be recognized, treated respectfully and served efficiently.” Agreed! However, some companies struggle to do so. The author of this article suggests that the way to meet these basic expectations is a combination of human and digital interactions that he refers to as the “humanoid touch.”

The Three Types of Brand Consistency that Drive Customer Loyalty by Christina Sanders

My Comment: What drives loyalty? One answer is consistency. This short article focuses on the three types of consistency that drives brand loyalty: a consistent customer experience, consistent brand values and consistent brand identity elements.

Take Your Company’s Customer Experience Efforts to the Community by Adrian Speyer

(CRM Magazine) Branded communities can capitalize on this emerging picture: Potential customers would much rather hear from their peers than they would from you.

My Comment: No doubt that getting people to talk about your products and services is your best marketing (also known as Word-of-Mouth). So, what can a company do to give their customers something to talk about? Understanding the customer’s journey is the start. This article says exactly that and supports the ideas with some good stats.