5 Top Customer Service Articles for the Week of November 4, 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.

Gypsy and Your Customers Expect Kindness by Chip Bell

(Forbes) Your customers are a lot like Gypsy in their expectation of kindness.  Their trips to Starbucks or Chick-fil-A or Trader Joe’s or lots of other places that deliver exceptional service have taught them to expect respectful attention and kind treatment.

My Comment: Halloween was this past Thursday. I read this article from my fellow customer service expert and couldn’t resist sharing. He writes about looking through service and kindness through his black cat’s eyes. Nothing spooky about that cat. Just some good customer service insights.

[Infographic] ‘Channel’-ing Your Customers Expectations by Zareen Islam

(Gladly) A look at the channels your customers are on, how long they’ll wait for service on each, and their expectations when it comes to their experience between them.

My Comment: I’m often asked which channels do companies need to be on to best support their customers. This is a great look at the channels your customers are on as well as their expectations for each channel.

Infographic: We expect a personalized experience by Customers 2020

(Walker Insights) The reality is, we all want to be treated as an individual. We want the companies we do business with to value us as a person, not a number. And, it doesn’t just apply to customers. It’s also about employees, partners, investors, our community, etc.

My Comment: Our customers enjoy a personalized experience. They want to do business with a company where, like the theme song to the TV sitcom “Cheers” implies, “everybody knows your name.” This article and infographic are a quick look at the power – and challenges – to creating the personalized experience that our customers are looking for.

Take Your Personalized Marketing One Step Further To Increase Customer Loyalty: 13 Expert Tips by Forbes Communications Council

(Forbes) To help those companies interested in going above and beyond in their marketing efforts, 13 members of Forbes Communications Council offer insight into what methods a business can incorporate into their personalized marketing to make an unforgettable impression on the customer and gain a loyal following.

My Comment: And, as long as we’re on the topic of personalization, here’s a compilation of 13 experts sharing their tips; everything from data to digital to human is covered.

17 Resources for Customer Support Professionals: What to Read, Who to Follow, and How to Connect by Valeriya Yordanova

(Sessionstack) Even though access to information is only one google search away, it’s still difficult to find and choose the resources that will help you and your team grow, learn, and connect.

My Comment: If you want to keep up with your customer service and experience reading, then you’ll want to keep this list close by. Session Stack has compiled a list that includes customer support stats and reports (from Salesforce, McKinsey and more) to who to follow in social media (experts like Annette Franz, Jeanne Bliss and others) and what Blogs to read (from organizations like Forester and Hubspot).

BONUS

The Greatest Avenger of the CX Universe by Jeremy Watkin and Community

(CX Accelerator) You are looking to hire one Avenger from the Marvel Cinematic Universe who will build the best CX program in all of the universe. Which Avenger would you hire and why?

My comment: Couldn’t resist adding this one to the list – especially with the Halloween theme of Chip Bell’s article listed above. If you were thinking of what costume you would have worn if you were a customer service super-hero, then you’ll love this article. And, you’ll get to see why I think Spider-Man is the super-hero of choice… And, you’ll see what I look like in a Spider-Man outfit!

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