Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for Week of March 11, 2024

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.

5 Straightforward Ways Small Business Owners Can Create a Stellar Customer-Focused Culture by Steven Van Belleghem

(America’s Small Business Network) Embarking on a journey to craft a customer-focused culture within a small business landscape isn’t just about adhering to the norms—it’s about redefining them. Drawing inspiration from my experiences and insights into the evolving dynamics of customer interactions, let’s explore five pivotal strategies that can elevate your small business from being good to unforgettable.

My Comment: We start this week’s 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’s 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.

Seven Easy Ways to Make Your Customers Feel Valued by Rolling Stone Culture Council

(Rolling Stone) As their business grows, it’s 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’s key that they make their customers feel valued and that they truly care about them and their experience with the brand.

My Comment: 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 “friendly,” which, according to our customer service and CX research, is a top reason customers will say, “I’ll be back!”

Is Customer Empowerment the New Customer Engagement? by Chitra Iyer

(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 “customer empowerment” as a lever for their CX strategy.

My Comment: 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’s conscious decision to empower the customer to create their own buying experience. Amazon comes to mind as a rockstar example of what it’s like to give customers control over their experience. And you don’t 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.

Surge Pricing a Growing Part of Consumer Experience, Says Expert by Doug Hunt

(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.

My Comment: Surge pricing has made recent headlines as Wendy’s shared the news of introducing a version of the strategy into their restaurants. When you hear the words “surge pricing,” 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’t 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.

How to Identify and Improve Your Customer Journey Touchpoints by SurveyMonkey

(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’s how to identify and improve your customer journey touchpoints and create a winning customer experience.

My 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’t always involve customers interacting with employees. It’s any and every type of interaction.

BONUS

Top Five Customer Experience Blogs by Steve Towers

(CX Obsession) In the digital jungle, we’re all on a safari to spot the rarest of beasts: focus! Amidst the wild thicket of information, we’ve tracked down the ‘Big Five’ 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!

My Comment: Once again, I’m 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… A Top Five List!

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.