Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for the Week of December 13, 2021

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.

Please Hold: How AI Is Changing Customer Service in Call Centers by Defined.ai

(VentureBeat) Excellent customer service is vital to the long-term success of any business. Yet, millions of people around the world are frustrated daily as call center agents keep customers on hold for long periods, are oblivious to a customer’s distress, or are unable to provide accurate information.

My Comment: AI continues to improve. And, in the next 12-18 months you’re going to start interacting with IVA’s (Intelligent Virtual Assistants), and you may find it difficult to distinguish the AI/Digital voice experience from the human experience. This article gives us a glimpse into the benefits of AI as it applies to customer service.

Seth Godin Reveals the 1 Truth About Customer Service Most Companies Just Don’t Understand by Jeff Steen

(Inc. Magazine) Ensuring your customers have the best possible experience — and come back for more — isn’t about spending more money on staff and technology. It’s about getting “service” right.

My Comment: When Seth Godin speaks (or writes), I listen (or read). In this case, it’s Jeff Steen sharing his thoughts on a Seth Godin blog post. Godin suggests that all good service requires is just a bit of energy, attention, and the right information. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to make that happen. Sounds simple, but doesn’t mean it’s easy.

Study: Bath & Body Works, Ace Hardware Among Retailers With Best Reputations by Marianne Wilson

(Chain Store Age) Customer service can make — or break — the shopping experience. That’s according to reputation experience management company Reputation’s “2021 Retail Reputation Report.” The study, which examined 3.7 million shopper reviews across the U.S. and the U.K., ranks the top U.S. brands of 2021 based on shopper sentiment.

My Comment: What retailers get top marks for delivering great customer service? Bath & Body Works takes this year’s award, closely followed by Ace Hardware and then Nordstrom. No surprise with any of these “rock star” brands. The article shares the top 30 retailers. So what! It’s just a list. Yes, but it’s worth taking a few of the companies you admire on this list and digging a little deeper. A simple Google search will get you more information that may lead you to some powerful customer service and CX lessons.

What Social Media Trends Will Emerge for 2022? by Pierre DeBois

(CMSWire) 2021 was a busy year for social media platforms and 2022 is shaping up to be even busier. Earlier this year I offered up some predictions on what I thought the year would hold for social media. Here’s how I see social media shaping up in 2022, along with what strategies marketers should develop for a complete customer experience.

My Comment: I haven’t included an article on VOC in quite a while, so let’s fix that. When the customer speaks, listen! That’s a version of a VOC (Voice of the Customer) program. Keep in mind that a formal VOC program is proactive, not reactive. And you need to understand the best way to listen and understand (and measure) the success you have with your customers.

Three Ways to Cultivate Loyal Customers Through Social Media by Michael Koh

(Business IT) As we gear up for 2022, here are three ways you can leverage social media to take your CX to the next level and build customer loyalty for your business:

My Comment: This is a short article, but a good one. Three simple ideas on how to use social media to better engage and create customer loyalty. Here’s the first one. Respond to customers faster. So simple, but how many of you reading this experience slow response times? (Rhetorical question!) It doesn’t matter if it’s social media – or phone calls, emails, etc.

BONUSES

The 2022 Customer Experience Predictions From 10 International Top Cx Experts by Steven Van Belleghem

(Steven Van Belleghem) More and more, companies are recognizing that behavior is the secret to understanding what’s happening now and in the future. It’s more than a satisfaction rating. It’s real, it’s what’s happening now, and it’s measurable. And with AI becoming more powerful, future behavior can be predicted.

My Comment: My friend and fellow customer experience expert, Steven Van Belleghem, compiled a list of ten experts (myself included) to share their customer experience (CX) predictions for 2022. It’s going to be a great year!

Customer Service Trends 2022 by ultimate.ai

(ultimate.ai) Level up your customer support in 2022. In this free guide, our experts will speak to the future of customer service & show you how to stay ahead of your competition while keeping customer experiences exceptional.

My Comment: Here’s a nice report with 2022 trends/predictions focused on AI and personalization from our friends at Ultimate. AI. It’s gated, so you’ll have to give your name and email address to receive the report. You’ll be happy you did.