{"id":57170,"date":"2024-03-11T06:00:21","date_gmt":"2024-03-11T06:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hyken.com\/?p=57170"},"modified":"2024-03-11T11:10:26","modified_gmt":"2024-03-11T11:10:26","slug":"top-5-customer-service-cx-articles-for-week-of-march-11-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hyken.com\/customer-experience\/top-5-customer-service-cx-articles-for-week-of-march-11-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for Week of March 11, 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"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 comments about each article and would like to hear what you think too.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\r\n

5 Straightforward Ways Small Business Owners Can Create a Stellar Customer-Focused Culture<\/a> by\u00a0Steven Van Belleghem<\/h3>\r\n(America’s Small Business Network) Embarking on a journey to craft a customer-focused culture within a small business landscape isn\u2019t just about adhering to the norms\u2014it\u2019s about redefining them. Drawing inspiration from my experiences and insights into the evolving dynamics of customer interactions, let\u2019s explore five pivotal strategies that can elevate your small business from being good to unforgettable.\r\n\r\nMy Comment:<\/em> We start this week\u2019s Top Five Roundup with an article from one of my favorite CX thought leaders, Stephen Van Belleghem. He always offers up powerful and usable ideas, and this time, he\u2019s sharing how to create a customer-focused culture. Even though the title implies the article is for small businesses, this information could be valuable for any sized business.\r\n

Seven Easy Ways to Make Your Customers Feel Valued<\/a> by Rolling Stone Culture Council<\/h3>\r\n(Rolling Stone) As their business grows, it\u2019s all too easy for business owners to get swept up in the numbers and forget that there are real people behind their profits. If they want to continue to succeed, it\u2019s key that they make their customers feel valued and that they truly care about them and their experience with the brand.\r\n\r\nMy Comment:<\/em> The Rolling Stones Culture Council shares some common sense ideas that could work for any type of business. If I had to sum these up in one word, I would say these fall under the category of \u201cfriendly,\u201d which, according to our customer service and CX research<\/a>, is a top reason customers will say, \u201cI\u2019ll be back!\u201d\r\n

Is Customer Empowerment the New Customer Engagement?<\/a> by Chitra Iyer<\/h3>\r\n(CMSWire) Employee empowerment, especially frontline customer service staff, has been a key element of customer experience (CX) for years. But brands in touch with consumer realities are also waking up to the power of \u201ccustomer empowerment\u201d as a lever for their CX strategy.\r\n\r\nMy Comment:<\/em> A self-service experience falls under at least two categories. The first is a self-service solution that simplifies the experience, allowing the customer to resolve their problems, find answers to their questions, etc. The second category is the company\u2019s conscious decision to empower the customer to create their own buying experience. Amazon comes to mind as a rockstar example of what it\u2019s like to give customers control over their experience. And you don\u2019t have to be Amazon or in the retail world to empower customers. Elements of empowerment can be given to a customer for just about any type of business in almost any industry.\r\n

Surge Pricing a Growing Part of Consumer Experience, Says Expert<\/a> by Doug Hunt<\/h3>\r\n(Phys.org) The public reacted swiftly this week when news spread that Wendy’s had potential plans to test-run surge pricing in its restaurants. While the popular fast-food chain has since indicated it will not increase prices during the busiest times at its restaurants, the situation has shed light on both current and potential future surge pricing practices, says Brock University’s Eric Dolansky.\r\n\r\nMy Comment:<\/em> Surge pricing has made recent headlines as Wendy\u2019s shared the news of introducing a version of the strategy into their restaurants. When you hear the words \u201csurge pricing,\u201d companies like Uber come to mind. Hotels and airlines have been practicing this for years, raising and lowering rates based on busy (or not-so-busy) times. This is an interesting strategy that could work for many businesses, but it doesn\u2019t come without risks. This short article may not give you a lot of answers but should raise your interest and make you wonder if this is a strategy that could work for your business.\r\n

How to Identify and Improve Your Customer Journey Touchpoints<\/a> by SurveyMonkey<\/h3>\r\n(SurveyMonkey) The customer experience is a direct result of several interactions across their journey. Everything counts, from initial contact with your website to the ease of buying a product to how helpful your post-purchase support is. Here\u2019s how to identify and improve your customer journey touchpoints and create a winning customer experience.\r\n\r\nMy Comment: Jan Carlzon, the former president of Scandinavian Airlines, introduced a definition of a Moment of Truth, which is whenever customers have an interaction with a company, they have an opportunity to form an impression. This excellent article talks about touchpoints, and I love how they broke them down into three areas that include pre-purchase, during-purchase, and post-purchase. And touchpoints don\u2019t always involve customers interacting with employees. It\u2019s any and every type of interaction.\r\n

BONUS<\/h3>\r\n

Top Five Customer Experience Blogs<\/a> by Steve Towers<\/h3>\r\n(CX Obsession) In the digital jungle, we\u2019re all on a safari to spot the rarest of beasts: focus! Amidst the wild thicket of information, we\u2019ve tracked down the \u2018Big Five\u2019 of blogs, as voted by our tribe of savvy members. These blogs will help you tame the wilds of business busyness with wisdom, wit, and a few well-timed roars of insight!\r\n\r\nMy Comment: Once again, I\u2019m honored and flattered to be on a list with some amazing customer service and CX, this time featuring the Top Five Customer Experience blogs. Imagine that\u2026 A Top Five List!\r\n\r\nShep Hyken<\/a>\u00a0is a customer service\/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep\u2019s\u00a0customer service and customer experience keynote speeches<\/a>\u00a0and his\u00a0customer service training workshops.<\/a>\u00a0Connect with Shep on\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/em>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Each week, I read many customer service and customer experience articles from various resources. Here are my top five picks from last week. 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