Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for the Week of July 3, 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.

100 Customer Experience Stats For 2023 by Blake Morgan

(Forbes) Customer experience in 2023 looks different than it ever has before. With a looming recession, changing customer preferences and priorities, and new technology, CX teams have incredible opportunities to innovate and connect in new ways. But they have to understand their customers and the industry first. Here are 100 fresh statistics about the state of customer experience in 2023.

My Comment: I geek out over customer service and CX stats, so much so that I conduct annual customer service and CX research to help understand what consumers want and expect regarding service, communication, and more. My friend Blake Morgan has done some of her research and compiled a list of 100 stats from multiple sources that interest and intrigue you.

Bringing Customer Experience to Life by Braden Kelley

(HCLTech) When it comes to doing great customer experience work on behalf of HCLTech clients, personas are foundational. But it is harder to create meaningful, actionable personas than people might think.

My Comment: Creating personas is important to delivering a personalized experience. Not all customers are the same, therefore, they shouldn’t be treated as such. If you’re new to creating customer personas, this article includes several ideas and tactics on how to take advantage of this powerful marketing and CX strategy.

The Four Secrets to Nordstrom’s CX Success by Saskia Tillers

(The CEO Magazine) For any brand, revamping CX will only ever be a valuable exercise. The unequivocal leader in this domain, for already well over a century, is Nordstrom. And the lessons that can be observed from its enduring success are easily applicable to any business, regardless of the field.

My Comment: Nordstrom is one of the most recognized brands for their amazing customer service and CX. I love learning from the best, so here’s an article that showcases four (I’m sure there are more) “secrets” to their success. I love that it starts with the idea that happy customers start with happy employees.

ChatGPT and Customer Service: Get Ready for an Epic Disruption by Muddu Sudhakar

(CMSWire) ChatGPT’s core technology — which is called generative AI – is poised to transform just about all industries. But there are some that are likely to feel the impact sooner. Just look at customer service. Already, a variety of the software vendors have retooled their systems with generative AI functions.

My Comment: I’m NOT sick of reading or hearing about ChatGPT and Generative AI. I’m still fascinated by the capabilities – and its shortcomings. People refer to the technology as a disrupter. I think it is more of a “changer” at this point. That said, this article will shed some light on how it is being used for customer service.

Customer Experience: What It is and Why is Crucial for Every Brand by The Doxee Marketing Team

(Doxee) In 2023, 60% of brands said that by investing in customer interactions, they were able to improve their ability to meet customers’ changing needs. This shows that since the pandemic, global adoption of digital solutions that support development of a customer experience has accelerated by three years (source: Statista). In fact, the trend had already taken hold before the crisis caused by Covid-19, but today, two years later, it has taken on even greater strategic importance.

My Comment: For decades, I’ve been preaching about customer service being a differentiator and competitive advantage. Every week I read articles that continue to promote the same idea as if it is new. It surprises me that some companies are just realizing this, which is why I include this article in the Top Five roundup. The information shared in this article will help you start a CX strategy or confirm you’re doing the right thing.

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.