Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for the Week of July 31, 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.

12 Steps To Turn Customer Complaints Into Positive Experiences by Young Entrepreneur Council

(Forbes) By actively listening to the customer’s concerns, businesses can demonstrate empathy, foster trust and find effective solutions that resolve the issue at hand and encourage that person to keep coming back. To that end, Young Entrepreneur Council members share a few key actions you can take to address negative feedback and create a positive outcome for the customer—and ultimately, your business.

My Comment: I’m always quick to pick up an article that covers how to handle customer complaints. The Forbes YEC has shared twelve ideas on how to handle complaints. I can agree with most. There are some great ideas. Remember this. When managing a customer complaint, you’re not just trying to solve the problem. You’re trying to restore the customer’s confidence to continue doing business with you.

Embrace Multi-Sensory Customer Experience, Just Like Corona Does by Justin Racine

(CMSWire) Embrace the power of multi-sensory customer engagement, and let your brand journey take your customers on an unforgettable exploration, forging a lasting and meaningful connection. The future of customer experience is here, and it’s a multi-sensory approach to better service your customers.

My Comment: If you like beer, you will love this article. The author uses Corona as an example of what he refers to as “multi-sensory customer experience.” The Corona and lime example serves as an excellent metaphor to show how almost any business can consider this type of CX.

7 Things I’ve Learnt Since Launching the Business of Customer Love Podcast by Simeon Atkins

(Mention Me) Just because I have a loyalty card for the local coffee shop, doesn’t mean I wouldn’t drop them for a new one that’s just opened up down the road which has an even more appealing offer to entice me. True customer loyalty means your customers have built such a deep, emotional connection with your brand that they stay with you through thick and thin.

My Comment: This is a fun article. The author, Simeon Atkins, has a podcast, The Business of Customer Love, and he’s sharing the top seven lessons he learned from his guests. I’m honored he included a lesson from his interview with me. Beyond that, there are six more from some excellent guests.

Customer Centricity: Benefits and Implementation Tips by Fabyio Villegas

(QuestionPro) Today, companies in every industry face a battle for customer loyalty. This is no longer just about price, promotions and quality; experience also plays an important role. This is why organizations have implemented an approach called customer centricity.

My Comment: What is customer centricity? There are many definitions. They all point to the same idea, which is to create an experience that gets the customer to come back. This article defines customer centricity as “a business strategy based on putting the customer first and at the center of the business to deliver a positive customer experience and build long-term relationships.” That’s a great start. Read more to learn more!

Top 22 Benefits of Chatbots for Businesses and Customers by Gianna Maderis

(Zendesk) According to the Zendesk Customer Experience Trends Report 2023, 72 percent of business leaders said expanding AI and chatbots across the customer experience is their priority over the next 12 months. Bots and chatbots have been around for decades—but with the recent advancements in AI, the benefits of AI chatbots have become more apparent to businesses and customers alike.

My Comment: AI and ChatGPT are very hot topics. I’ve written numerous articles and now have a speech on how these technologies are impacting CX. This article lists many great ways to take advantage of the technology. I’m sure you’ll discover something you haven’t thought about before.

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 at www.Hyken.com. Connect with Shep on LinkedIn.