Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for Week of November 20, 2023

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.

5 Ways to Track Customer Satisfaction by Foundever

(Foundever) Satisfied customers are more likely to remain loyal to a brand, to recommend its goods and services to friends and family and are more likely to show forgiveness after a single disappointing customer experience.

My Comment: The obvious way to track customer satisfaction is by asking the customer for feedback. That’s the first of the five ways shared in this article. And then, there are other clues, such as how many tickets or requests for service/help, how long it takes to respond to a customer, and more. This short article will get you thinking about the clues indicating your customer support and CX efforts are working.

Qualtrics Announces Top Consumer Experience Trends for 2024 by Qualtrics, LLC

(Skagit Valley Herald) Just under half (48%) of consumers are comfortable engaging with chatbots and AI-powered customer support. Consumers are increasingly less likely to provide companies with direct feedback about bad experiences, so brands need to tap into feedback where customers are giving it.

My Comment: As we head toward the end of the year, there will be plenty of articles (including mine) that predict customer experience trends for 2024. Let’s start the “prediction and trends” season with one from Qualtrics. Technology is making a big difference in CX, and that’s the leading stat: “Just under half (48%) of consumers are comfortable engaging with chatbots and AI-powered support.” My take on this is that a year ago, hardly anyone knew about technologies like ChatGPT. Now they do, and customers are becoming more accepting of AI. Of course, there are plenty more predictions and trends in the article.

Are You Taking Risks On Behalf Of Your Customers? by Chip Bell

(Forbes) Every encounter a customer has with any service provider involves a trust gap. It is the emotional space between hope and evidence, and between expectation and fulfillment. Think of it as a trust walk.

My Comment: My friend Chip Bell is back this week with an interesting article about taking a risk on your customers. A simple example he shares is the customer who left his wallet at home. The manager says, “Just pay next time you’re in.” While this is a simple example, it illustrates how taking a risk and trusting your customers has the benefit of customers trusting and appreciating you. That can turn into more business – even customer loyalty. I’ve always preached, “Before you can expect your customers to be loyal to you, you must be loyal to your customers.”

Manage Expectations, But, Where It Matters…by JC Quintana

(Relationship-Focused) Expectation-setting forms the groundwork for communication and interaction in every aspect of personal and business relationships. It is the process of defining, communicating, and managing the anticipated outcomes or standards that individuals or groups expect from themselves, others, or specific situations.

My Comment: If you can’t meet your customers’ expectations, they will find someone or another company that will. This article focuses on how to manage expectations. The author provides a simple framework that includes defining the desired outcome, communicating the expectation, and ensuring both sides are in sync with the expectation.

Brand Loyalty in the Digital Age: Strategies to Build Trust by Meghana Dalal

(YourStory) Explore how businesses in the digital age can foster brand loyalty through authenticity, exceptional customer service, and social responsibility. Learn about the strategies that build trust in an era where consumers seek meaningful connections with the brands they choose.

My Comment: Loyalty doesn’t happen without trust. In a digital age, where customers communicate with machines rather than people, there are still ways to create positive emotions and trust. This article includes seven ideas. While there may not be anything new here, the ideas are valid and will give you some “food for thought” as you think about how your digital strategies can maintain and build trust with your customers.

BONUS

15 Surprises for Boosting Agent Morale by Call Centre Helper Magazine

(Call Centre Helper Magazine) Are you tired of using the same old games and prizes? Then look no further as we have put together some fresh ideas to help boost agent morale in your contact centre – recommended by our consultants panel of industry experts.

My Comment: Our friends at Callcentre Helper periodically interview me for an article. The most recent piece was about boosting agent morale. The article includes 15 ideas from nine experts, myself included. I’m happy they also included a short summary of my Employee Hierarchy of Needs, which is all about driving employee fulfillment.

Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops. Connect with Shep on LinkedIn.