Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for the Week of January 31, 2022

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 comment about each article and would like to hear what you think too.

10 Ways to Build Trusting Relationships with Your Customers by Atlanta Small Business Network

(Atlanta Small Business Network) In a world where business competition is fierce and consumers are more informed than ever before, building customer trust is vital. Building that trust starts with the very first interaction you have with your customers, and it should continue through every interaction you have following that initial one. There are many ways for businesses to build this essential element of their reputation. Here are 10 practical tips that businesses can use to gain and maintain trust with their customers.

My Comment: Trust is a hot topic and more important than ever in building repeat business and ultimate loyalty. In short, a company that builds trust has the potential to make more money. This article shares ten ways to create trust, which in a sense, are ten ways to create a better customer experience.

Digital Trends to Influence Better Customer Experiences by Dakota Murphey

(TechDay) Customer experience can be a difficult element of your business to measure, but it has a tremendous impact on your business as a whole. Be it customer loyalty, your brand reputation or improving conversion rates, customer experience plays a part in various aspects of your business.

My Comment: Every company, from the smallest to the largest companies, should be looking at their digital customer experience. Here are some of the trends that are impacting (positively) the customer experience. The hot topics are personalization, omnichannel, and content marketing (storytelling). This article shares a short description of these topics and several more.

How Do You Solve a Problem Like… Eroding Customer Loyalty? by Sam Bradley

(The Drum) Customers are fickler than ever when it comes to consumer brands. The web has made it easier than ever to switch providers or brands, and easier again to publicize poor service

My Comment: Here’s a popular headline I’ve been reading for several months: Customer Loyalty Is Up For Grabs. Many companies/brands in the past two years have not kept up with their customers’ changing demands and expectations. The result is they defect. This short article has several ideas on how to serve disloyal customers.

The Best Customer Service Starts With a Smile by The Tech Report Staff Reporter

(The Tech Report) A smile offers distinct advantages in the best customer service. Creating an amazing approach is more sophisticated than ticking off a few boxes on a checklist. There is a level of personal contact that cannot be ignored.

My Comment: This article falls into the category of attitude versus skill. Yes, a smile can go a long way, but just how long? This author has taken the smile concept to new levels.

How to Put Empathy Into Action in Your Customer Experience by Adrian Swinscoe

(CustomerThink) I’ve long advocated about the importance of empathy in customer experience, the need for more of it and why organizations should consider building an empathetic musculature if they want to sustainably improve how they engage and serve their customers.

My Comment: In 2020, I claimed the business word of the year was “empathy.” The word continue to be important as the pandemic continued through 2021. Here we are, getting ready to head into year three of pandemic life and empathy may be more important than ever. If you haven’t done so, it’s time to focus on empathy tied to customer service and CX.

BONUSES

200 Most Powerful Influencers to Follow in 2022 by Engati Team

(Engati) Whether you’re looking for inspiration, or you’re interested in getting fantastic insights on the latest Customer Experience and Artificial Intelligence trends, Engati CX is the place to be. Meet our 200 luminaries who have taken these worlds by storm and have created a community like no other.

My Comment: I’m honored that Engati included me on their list of 200 Customer Experience thought leaders to follow. There are some amazing people on this list. Thank you, Engati!

State of the Contact Center 2022 by Fonolo

(Fonolo) In this new report, we reflect on the most significant trends from the past year with insights from industry leaders and CX experts. This is an essential resource for contact center leaders looking to make data-driven decisions for their operations this year.

My Comment: If you have customer support, you should take a look at this report from Fonolo. It is gated, so you’ll have to give up your email address to get the report.