Beyond Philosophy

MAY 22, 2017

With online shopping, transactions and communication as prevalent – and as easy – as it is today, it can often be tempting to focus most of your Customer Experience efforts on getting your virtual presence right. When many of your customers will engage with you solely on a virtual platform, it can make sense to favor it. However, neglecting your brick-and-mortar experience can lead to inconsistent CX and online backlash.

Consulting 360

Consulting Consulting Feedback Personalization 360

ShepHyken

MAY 24, 2017

Not long ago I was interviewing Kevin Berk, founder and CEO of ServiceGuru, on Amazing Business Radio. We were talking about the word fine. He commented that it is a four letter that begins with the letter F that you never want to hear from your customer. I then joked that fine is the “F-Bomb” of customer service. Ask someone how their experience with your company is.

Customer Service 301

Customer Service Customer Experience 301

Contact Center Pipeline

MAY 30, 2017

When trying to meet and improve service level agreements, reviewing agents’ performance and providing adequate training is imperative for success. Unfortunately, making time for agent training doesn’t always seem possible. Contact centers are notorious for being extremely busy and agent time is closely monitored to ensure that customers’ calls are promptly answered.

Contact Center 232

Contact Center Service level Coaching Call Center 232

Callminer

MAY 17, 2017

Most customer service remains lackluster and inconsistent—while executives routinely believe their customer service is better than it really is.

Customer Service 182

Customer Service 182

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Reports of the death of in-store shopping have been greatly exaggerated. This year’s retail survey found that more than 60 percent of consumers start and end their journey by visiting a store. Retail customers value price above everything, but the importance of other factors varies for different brands. In-store shopping is valued highly by grocery and home improvement customers Technology retail customers place less importance on in-store experiences – for them it only ranks sixth Digital exper

Surveys

CX Global Media

MAY 25, 2017

Rope can be used to create a lasso to help you. Or it can be used as a noose for hangings. And Lori Bocklund has seen both happen in the current Wild West of contact center technology that exists today. Unstable Contact Center Technology. Being unstable can mean different things. You may think about stability in operation and function. You may think about stability in a long-term brand.

Contact Center 185

Contact Center Technology CRM Finance 185

Beyond Philosophy

MAY 8, 2017

Back in 2011, Boston College performed an interesting study involving everyone’s favorite energy drink, Red Bull, and the behavior it evoked in study participants. In brief, the study asked a number of participants to “drive” a car in a video game and they measured several factors, including speed, power, aggressive behavior and risk-taking. Interestingly, those driving the cars painted with a Red Bull logo consistently drove faster and more aggressively than other participants, apparently beca

Customer Experience 352

Customer Experience Advertising Customer emotions Consulting 352

ShepHyken

MAY 10, 2017

I recently checked into a hotel in Chicago. The front desk clerk was so enthusiastic. Upon checking me in she stated, “I’ve put you in the best available room.” I was only there for one night, so I thought she was upgrading me. To match her enthusiasm, I responded, “I bet that room has a view of the ocean and the beach!” Of course, there’s no ocean or beach in Chicago.

Customer Service 255

Customer Service Management Customer Care Customer Experience 255

Contact Center Pipeline

MAY 3, 2017

Thank you for calling, your call is important to us, please wait for the next available agent… ♪ The contact center credo is simple: When somebody calls, somebody should answer. As such, ensuring that a sufficient pool of agents is available to competently handle incoming queries at any given time is key to mission success. […].

Management 196

Management Contact Center Call Center 196

Callminer

MAY 8, 2017

Companies today leverage business intelligence software to pinpoint and extract valuable insights from the large volumes of data they store.

Best practices 182

Best practices 182

Speaker: Nicholas Zeisler, CX Strategist & Fractional CXO

The first step in a successful Customer Experience endeavor (or for that matter, any business proposition) is to find out what’s wrong. If you can’t identify it, you can’t fix it! 💡 That’s where the Voice of the Customer (VoC) comes in. Today, far too many brands do VoC simply because that’s what they think they’re supposed to do; that’s what all their competitors do.

Customer Experience

CX Global Media

MAY 22, 2017

Justin Robbins and Jim Rembach share a preview and insight into ICMI’s Contact Center Expo Conference. What’s hot at the Contact Center Expo besides the Orlando air temperature? “Learn about what’s hot at ICMI’s Contact Center Expo.” Click to Tweet. What is Customer Experience going to cost? An emerging topic that we’re hearing consistently, whether it’s from the vendors on the floor, the keynotes sessions or even the breakout sessions is about elevating the importance o

Contact Center 185

Contact Center Best practices Interactive Voice Response Call Center 185

Steve DiGioia

MAY 22, 2017

This original article was written by Steve DiGioia. How can “kids” brought up with immediate access to information and short attention spans provide the service experience our “older” generation expects? Good question…. I remember watching old black and white movies where the “old guys”, sitting in front of the barber shop, would complain about the kids of today not having the same respect for others or the work ethic as they did.

Customer Service 176

Customer Service 176

Beyond Philosophy

MAY 10, 2017

If you’re like me, you have loyalty cards for three different supermarkets, a half dozen airlines, several hotels, a dozen or so assorted retailers and the local frozen yogurt shop. But how can I be loyal to Florida grocer Publix and also their competitor Winn-Dixie? Can I be loyal to American, United and Delta? To Starbucks and the coffee shop down the street?

Airlines 344

Airlines Consulting Consulting Education 344

ShepHyken

MAY 17, 2017

I recently had the good fortune to meet Frankie Saucier , the former director of social media customer service (also known as social care) for a major cable company. When the cable goes out, upset customers call, email, tweet, post on Facebook, etc. her cable company for two reasons. One, they want to express their complaint and anger. Two, they want to know when their cable TV will be fixed.

Customer Service 248

Customer Service Customer Care Customer Experience 248

Dive into the realm of contact center dialers with our infographic! Explore the various types – Preview, Predictive, Automatic, and Progressive Dialers – and unravel their roles in boosting call center performance.

Contact Center

Contact Center Pipeline

MAY 16, 2017

We know that agent turnover—particularly among entry-level staff—is still the No. 1 challenge for contact centers. As Matt Stevenson, Mercer Partner and Leader of Mercer’s Workforce Strategy and Analytics group, pointed out, the growth of the on-demand economy will only drive up turnover rates. One way to combat higher turnover in the center due to […].

Contact Center 179

Contact Center Analytics Gamification Call Center 179

Callminer

MAY 9, 2017

Managing a call center is no easy feat, which is why it is imperative to deploy tools that can measure progress, results and performance.

Call Center 182

Call Center Metrics Management 182

Convoso

MAY 23, 2017

Outbound sales offers a burgeoning career to many entering the field. However, entering outbound sales and attempting to be successful, while maintaining confidence can be difficult. Acquiring and learning any new skill often comes with many challenges. Understanding the ins and outs of what it takes to thrive in outbound sales can not only help you overcome challenges, but will also give you a serious leg-up on the competition.

Outbound sales 163

Outbound sales Sales 163

Steve DiGioia

MAY 8, 2017

a restaurant story adapted from my book This original article was written by Steve DiGioia. Do you know the other businesses around your restaurant or hotel? Are you one of those that just drive straight from your home to work without noticing what’s around you? If so then snap out of it! You need to be a fountain of knowledge… and I don’t mean about the menu.

Management 140

Management Customer Service 140

Advertiser: ZoomInfo

Marketing technology is essential for B2B marketers to stay competitive in a rapidly changing digital landscape — and with 53% of marketers experiencing legacy technology issues and limitations, they’re researching innovations to expand and refine their technology stacks. To help practitioners keep up with the rapidly evolving martech landscape, this special report will discuss: How practitioners are integrating technologies and systems to encourage information-sharing between departments and pr

Technology

Beyond Philosophy

MAY 24, 2017

The last time I went to an American baseball game, the food cost more than my ticket. And what food it was! A fish sandwich that tasted too fishy to eat. A massive yet strangely bland macaroni and cheese concoction. And a $12 light beer. No wonder I don’t go to the ball park very often. Apparently, I’m not alone, and it seems that major league baseball is paying attention.

Consulting 344

Consulting Consulting Customer Experience 344

ShepHyken

MAY 29, 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. How good is your company’s internal customer experience? by Nicolas Maechler. (McKinsey & Company) To excel with customers, frontline employees need high-level service from core support functions.

Airlines 237

Airlines Customer Service Chatbots Customer Care 237

Contact Center Pipeline

MAY 11, 2017

High agent turnover has been a leading source of frustration in contact centers for decades. Despite dealing with rapidly evolving technologies, digital channel expansion and ever-increasing customer expectations in recent years, agent turnover remains the toughest nut to crack. As Pipeline readers may recall from the Contact Center Challenges & Priorities for 2017 survey findings […].

Contact Center 178

Contact Center Surveys Technology Call Center 178

Customers That Stick

MAY 4, 2017

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Customer Service 129

Customer Service 129

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Contact center leaders understand that frontline agents need in-call guidance to manage complex calls and drive higher levels of employee and customer experience. Real-time agent assist technology is enabling leading contact centers to accomplish these goals.

Coaching

Kayako

MAY 25, 2017

When you’ve worked in support for a while, especially for the same company, it can feel like Groundhog Day. You feel like you answer the same questions day in and day out. That’s because you probably are! But that doesn’t mean it has to be boring. Practice makes perfect and setting yourself the challenge to improve keeps you interested. There are always things you could be doing better in your conversations.

Customer Support 112

Customer Support Best practices Accountability Engineering 112

Steve DiGioia

MAY 15, 2017

…I have too much respect for you to do that This original article was written by Steve DiGioia. Technology is your friend. You have an obligation to your readers to use every possible means to interact with them or, what are you afraid of? These are some of the comments I’ve received when I asked a few friends if I should put a chatbot on my blog. In case you don’t know, a “chatbot” is a computer program designed to simulate conversation with human users, especially over the Internet.

Chatbots 138

Chatbots Technology Customer Service 138

Beyond Philosophy

MAY 31, 2017

Find out what Google knows and your Customers won’t tell you: Economists hate surveys. They don’t trust them because people lie in surveys. Economists prefer to look at what people do instead, which, as we know, is what people are incented to do. Understanding these truths is critical to the work of an economist, and it is also vital to moving your Customer Experience to the next level.

Surveys 343

Surveys Big data Engineering Advertising 343

ShepHyken

MAY 30, 2017

Nick Friedman Explains What It Takes to “Move the World”. How can you create a purpose-driven, values-based, socially-conscious company that can deliver both success and significance? Shep Hyken interviews Nick Friedman, co-founder of College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving about how to develop a customer-focused, values-based company that can benefit you, your employees and your customers.

Customer Service 232

Customer Service Customer Care Customer Experience 232

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In the contact center industry, first-generation digital channels like email and web chat have seen significant adoption, along with video chat and co-browsing capabilities. However, customers are rapidly moving beyond these channels, seeking next-generation options. Social platforms are now becoming mainstream contact center channels. Download this guide today to learn how to help your business adapt to this evolving landscape and leverage the power of next-generation digital customer service.

Contact Center

Contact Center Pipeline

MAY 9, 2017

Every organization is different, and one area where those differences are very pronounced is the value that the highest placed leaders apply to the contact center. Yes, some C-levels are “service enlightened” and do not need convincing that those dealing directly with the customer are (or at least should be) a key area of corporate […].

Contact Center 177

Contact Center Call Center Management 177

Customers That Stick

MAY 1, 2017

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Customer Service 114

Customer Service 114

Joe Rawlinson

MAY 31, 2017

Vilfredo Federico Damaso Pareto coined the idea that 80 percent of results come from 20 percent of the action. The Pareto principle may date back to the 1800s, but it’s still relevant for the consumer marketplace today. Take a look at your most loyal customers. Forbes reports that most businesses find 20 percent of their most loyal customers actually make up 80 percent of their sales.

Omni-channel support 98

Omni-channel support Customer retention CRM Sales 98