Top 5 Customer Service & CX Articles for the Week of August 7, 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.

25 Ways to Proactively Spot Your Customers’ Pain Points by Call Centre Helper Magazine

(Call Centre Helper Magazine) When struggling to deal with customer demand, a lot of contact centres try to recruit more people. Instead, leaders need to understand why demand is so high – by spotting their customers pain points so they can do something about them. Here are 25 ideas to help you tune into, and better understand, your customers’ pain points.

My Comment: I love a great list, and there will be a few of them on this weekly roundup of excellent customer service and CX articles. We kick off with an article that features a number of experts sharing their insights on how to spot and proactively manage problems, complaints, and anything the customer considers a “pain point.” Pay attention to number nine when they share my contribution to the list, which is to go through the Moment of Misery™ exercise.

The 11 Customer Service Skills You Need to Succeed in Any Industry by CX Network Editor

(CX Network Editor) In the last few years we have witnessed an acceleration of technologies that remove friction from customer interactions, partly thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, consumers carry higher expectations for customer service than ever before – and they will vote with their feet when these demands are not met.

My Comment: I was intrigued by the title. Since the beginning of my career, I’ve preached about that many customer service skills and CX strategies apply to every type of company in any industry. That includes B2C, B2B, and G2C (Government to Citizen). Here’s a list of eleven, and while many of them may seem like common sense, that doesn’t mean they are commonly practiced.

Customer Retention Statistics – the Ultimate Collection for Small Business by Matt Mansfield

(Small Business Trends) Customer is strategic efforts a business makes to keep existing customers engaged and loyal over time. It involves nurturing positive relationships with customers to encourage repeat purchases, foster brand advocacy, and reduce customer churn.

My Comment: I admit to geeking out over stats and finding in survey reports, and here you’ll find an extensive list of customer retention-related stats. And even though the title mentions small business, you’ll find plenty of info that applies to any size business.

Ways to Maximize Customer Happiness & Satisfaction by AppleMagazine

(AppleMagazine) Making your customers happy should be your business’s number one priority. Happy and satisfied customers mean that you can maintain regular sales and profit, which can help you maintain success.

My Comment: I didn’t know Apple had a magazine. (I do now!) Once again, another list of tips and tactics to keep your customers satisfied. There are twelve of them, and to get you interested in reading the article, let me share the last couple of sentences: “At the end of the day, without customers, your business would be nothing. Hence, use many of these tips and do more to maximize your customer satisfaction.”

Using AI to Build Stronger Connections with Customer by Maureen Burns, Sharona Sankar-King, Priscilla Dell’Orto, and Eduardo Roma

(Harvard Business) As companies learn to use generative AI to create value, there’s a risk that they take the wrong approach when applying the technology to the customer experience. In fact, research shows AI can help boost customer satisfaction when it’s used to offer customers more personalized solutions or to help human employees provide better service than they would without the technological assist. Some examples of companies experiencing early success with this are in the financial services industry.

My Comment: This is a very short list (just two ideas), and there not even numbered, but there is much value to reading this shorter than usual HBR article that focuses on the popular topic of the day, AI. When using AI for customer support, consider this point in the article: “Every interaction enhances or diminishes a customer’s perception the company involved.” Using AI the right way will enhance the relationship versus frustrate the customer.

BONUS

State Of Tipping Culture In America – Survey Report by Malia McCabe

(DealAid) In America, minimum federal hourly cash wage for tipped employees is $2.13 as of 2023 and minimum federal wage of $7.25 remains unchanged since 2009 while inflation reached 6.2% in 2022 and 5.4% so far this year; over 14 million of workers in the food service and related service industries are forced to rely on tips to make a living wage. While corporations continue to set record setting profits, the cost of living wages is being transferred via tipping prompts onto American consumers, even at self-checkouts, who are now facing unprecedented pressure to tip more than ever before.

My Comment: In the past few months, I’ve written several articles about tipping for service. Is it getting out of hand? Some e-commerce websites now give their customers an option to leave a tip when they check out. There are plenty of interesting findings in this report, such as the percentage of people who like to leave for different services, the percentage of people who feel pressured to leave a tip, and more.

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.