5 Top Customer Service Articles for the Week of August 21, 2017

Each week I read a number of customer service and experience articles from various online 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.

Tips On How To Handle Racist Customers by Kelechi Okeke

(CXService360) What do you do when a customer hurls racist remarks at an employee (you) or other customers? Here are tips on how to handle racist or bigoted customers.

My Comment: Let’s start off this week’s “Top Five” list with one of the most important articles you will read in a long time. What happens when a racist customer offends your employee. The author sets it up and turns it over to some industry experts to share their thoughts. This is a MUST READ!

The Future of AI in Customer Service by Nick Francis

(Martech Advisor) Nick Francis, Co-founder and CEO of Help Scout discusses, as artificial intelligence is poised to change everything about the way we work, many wonder where human workers fit into that picture. For the customer service industry, the future of customer support in an AI-dominated world lies in augmenting, not replacing, the human touch.

My Comment: Here is an excellent article that shows us a glimpse of how AI (Artificial Intelligence) is impacting customer service. While this is a look at the future, much of it is happening today. Will it frustrate customers? Will computers and AI eliminate jobs? Read the article to find out.

Top 5 Customer Service Care Changes You Need to Make Right Now by Lindsay Gibson

(Customer Think) Are you being left in the dust when it comes to your approach to customer service? Here are the top 5 customer service mistakes and easy to implement changes that will generate greater engagement, less costly overhead and better satisfaction.

My Comment: This excellent article covers five important topics including loyalty, friction, anticipation, customization and engagement. These concepts are important to every business.

1 0 Things That Matter to Customers and How These Affect Your Business [Infographic] by Adel Zsurzsan

(Transcosmos) In a customer-centric industry, your business should be able to identify and relate with customers’ wants and needs. Think of it as a ripple effect: when you make your customers happy, they will recommend your business, which then leads to improved company value and growth.

My Comment: What matters to your customers? This combination of a short article and infographic shares ten things that matter to customers. I’m sure there are a few – if not all – that you will agree with.

Does Tweeting at Companies Really Work? by Katy Steinmetz

(Time) Maybe your flight was delayed. Maybe your Wi-Fi went on the fritz. Maybe you spent hours assembling a crib, only to find out that it was shipped to you with a crucial thingamajig missing. The part that comes next – contacting customer service to get your problem fixed – is full of pitfalls that can add to the frustration, be it faulty voice recognition, boilerplate email responses, rude representatives or long waits. So it is little wonder that many consumers have stopped bothering with old-fashioned phone numbers and are trying a different avenue: pinging companies via social media.

My Comment: I’m a big fan of companies having a Twitter presence and responding to customers. It is an opportunity to acknowledge and help customers who are upset, have questions and are happy. This article discusses some of the good and the bad of this popular social channel. I especially appreciate the comments from StellaService, who are truly experts in this topic.

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

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