Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for the Week of May 8, 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.

How Midsize Companies Can Repair Damaged Customer Relationships by Jason McDannold and Saurabh Singh

(Harvard Business Review) Addressing the tension between cost efficiency and customer intimacy is important for companies of any size, but it’s especially important for midsized companies, particularly those upper-middle-market companies with ambitions to rise to the top of their industry. In many cases, they built their brand, and their differentiation from the big guys, on the idea of personalization — of being closer to their customers than their multinational rivals can be — while also offering more sophistication, a broader offering, and more underlying service capability than small businesses can.

My Comment: It’s going to happen. One day, a customer won’t be happy with us. I know, it never happens to you and your company! (Sarcasm!) Seriously, when it does, there are ways to mitigate the damage. This article shares some ideas on what companies do to ensure a better experience and save/repair damaged relationships. By the way, don’t let the “Midsize” in the title dissuade you from reading this article. There’s something here for every company, from small to large.

Customer Loyalty and Loyalty Programs- How it Helps a Business? by Adil Husnain

(Film Daily) Providing outstanding customer service, delivering high-quality products and services, maintaining competitive pricing, and interacting with customers through marketing and communication initiatives are all necessary to cultivate client loyalty. To surpass client expectations and preserve a good relationship with them, constant work is necessary.

My Comment: I’ve suggested many different articles on loyalty over the year. Here’s another that includes over 20 “topics” on the benefit of customer loyalty to a business. Remember, most loyalty programs are more about creating stickiness versus nurturing true emotional loyalty. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s something to remember. Often, customers are loyal because of points or perks, not because they truly love the company. Regardless, what company doesn’t want repeat business?!

Should Brands Be More Authentic? by Wise Marketer Staff

(The Wise Marketer) Your customers will spend more and more often with you if they believe you are authentic, the latest research suggests. But what does this mean and how can brands and retailers demonstrate it right through the buying journey? Renaud Marlière, Global Chief of Business Development of Asendia, provides some of the answers.

My Comment: According to the research findings in this article, 73% of consumers said they would be more loyal to a brand or retailer they believe is “authentic.” The word authenticity has been bantered around for the past couple of years. Done right, it endears the brand to the customer. Customers tend to come back and spend more. Yet, as the author points out, you still need to deliver an excellent CX.

AI-Powered Personalization: How Machine Learning is Transforming Customer Experience by Dr. Tehseen Zia

(Techopedia) AI-powered personalization involves using artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyze customers’ data, understand their preferences and needs, and tailor their experience accordingly. The implementation requires clear objectives, high-quality data, continuous testing and refinement, transparency, and integration across all touchpoints. The benefits of AI-powered personalization include improved customer experience, increased revenue, reduced churn, and data-driven insights.

My Comment: What is AI-powered personalization? It’s best described as an example. If you’ve ever gone to Netflix and they recommend shows and movies to you, you have experienced AI-powered personalization. This is a powerful opportunity for some companies and brands. Anytime you can create an accurate, personalized experience, whether it’s fueled by AI or any other way you track a customer’s history (purchase and behaviors), you are deepening the relationship and, as the title of this article suggests, transforming the customer experience.

8 Tips to Become a Great Customer Service Leader by BOSS Editorial

(BOSS Magazine) It’s not a secret that good customer service equates to good customer experience. And those good customer experiences lead to more sales and more profits for your company. In fact, according to research by Zendesk, 73% of business leaders report a direct link between their business performance and their customer service.

My Comment: The focus of this article isn’t on leadership but on becoming a customer service leader in your industry. The first few tips focus on the inside of the organization; removing barriers to delivering effective service, focusing on people rather than numbers, celebrating success with the team, and more. These tips (and the others) are excellent reminders of what we must do to serve our customers successfully.

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.