Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for the Week of August 28, 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 Customer Experience Lessons You Can Learn From the Eras Tour by Brittany Hodak

(Brittany Hodak) Beyond the spectacle of the show-stopping performances, the unique celebrations, and the staggering economic impact, the Eras Tour is a testament to Taylor’s fan-centric philosophy and serves as a masterclass in customer experience. In this article, I’m going to break down the customer experience lessons you can learn from the Eras Tour that will help you get the loyal audience of your wildest dreams. So, are you ready for it?

My Comment: I love learning and reading articles about how iconic brands treat their customers. Brands like Amazon, Chick-fil-A, Ritz-Carlton, and others have “cracked the code” on the customer experience. This week, we start our Top Five roundup with another iconic brand to learn from, which comes from superstar Taylor Swift. Customer experience expert Brittany Hodak breaks down five ways Taylor creates raving fans that you can use in your business.

What’s Wrong With Customer Satisfaction? by Chip Bell

(Forbes) Research shows that 75% of customers who leave a company to go with a competitor assess their experience of the company they abandoned as “satisfied” or “completely satisfied.” So, why do too many leaders continue to focus on customer satisfaction as a measure of customer affinity, even loyalty?

My Comment: I’ve always said there is a big difference between satisfied customers and loyal customers. Satisfactory isn’t enough. Chip Bell dissects the word “satisfied” and shows you why you need to be better than that.

Optimizing Your Customer Feedback Strategy in 2023 by Lumoa

(Lumoa) Your customers are sharing their experiences online. They’ve been doing it for years, but with the continuing proliferation of social media platforms, their voices are only getting louder. No matter what industry you’re in, your customers are eager and encouraged to share their feedback: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Businesses that want to grow in 2023 (and beyond) realize that this isn’t a problem—it’s an opportunity.

My Comment: As Peter Drucker was often quoted as saying, “You can’t manage what you can’t measure.” How do you know what your customers think of you? Ask them. That feedback could give you the answer to whether your products, services, processes, and more will survive or die. This is a very robust article all about taking advantage of the gift of customer feedback.

Two Elements of Successful Branding You Don’t Want to Overlook by Jacob Goldberg

(The CEO Magazine Global) Branding and marketing have changed in recent years. Gone are the days when they merely revolved around flashy logos and catchy jingles. In the digital age, building a successful brand requires a strategic and holistic approach. We’ve consulted top experts in the industry to uncover the crucial factors that can either make or break a company’s brand in today’s fast-paced digital landscape.

My Comment: Many have said that customer service and CX are the new branding. This short article emphasizes that with several strategies, one of which is worth highlighting, which is to understand the journey your customer takes to loyalty. Customer loyalty doesn’t happen by accident, so this idea, a variation of a journey map exercise, will help you understand the customer’s behavior on their way to loyalty.

How to Ensure AI Enhances, Rather Than Ruins, the Customer Experience by Marketing Mag

(Marketing Mag) When it comes to great customer engagement, AI enhances your experience. It can be your best friend. Or, an inadvertent foe. When used in the right way, AI can eliminate many challenges faced by both customers and agents – reducing operational costs and agent stress, allowing greater personalisation and a seamless experience for consumers. However when used incorrectly, AI can swiftly turn customers away.

My Comment: I couldn’t go a week without an article about AI. So, let’s round out the Top Five with this short article showing us how AI and automation create a better experience for customers and employees.

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.