Improving Customer Experience | CX Buzz of the Week (6th November, 2017)

This week’s CX Buzz includes all the newest information on innovating your brand to give the best customer experience possible. Hear from Brian Solis, Kristel Kruustük, Jeffrey Phillips and more on giving your customers their best experience, and why it’s so crucial.

In an article that shows the numbers behind importance of the customer experience, Brian Solis proves why customers are willing to pay more for an exceptional service, and how more companies should be looking at how they deal with CX.

“The funny thing about customer experience is that, for all of its good intentions, it is a bit ironic. Many businesses talk about the importance of customer experience (CX). At the same time, many are prioritizing investments in new technologies and touchpoints to improve engagement. But, when asked about their understanding of modern customer behaviors, expectations, preferences and which experiences in their life they love and don’t love…you get crickets. All too often, customer experience doesn’t really start with the customer. But in reality, the customer experience can only be defined by the experience a customer has with a brand. And, it can only be measured by the experience they have in each moment and the sum of those moments. Said another way, customer experience belongs to the customer and it should start with them.” MORE

By Kristel Kruustük

Ever thought your beta testers were the key to all your problems? Think again. In this article, Kristel Kruustük conclusively debunks four of the most common customer experience myths.

“Who is most qualified to weigh in on the quality of your mobile app's experience? Hint: It's no one on your dev team. It might not even be anyone at your company. The best judge and jury of your app's user experience are real users. They'll rate their experience later, when they finally get their hands on it. But, later isn't the ideal time for you to find out you're not delivering the goods.” MORE

By Gerry McGovern

It’s well known that government agencies have a monopolistic mindset, but now with more people turning to other sources for the same information, the government must make the conscious decision to deal in customer experience to gain back the trust of the people.

“For too long, government has felt comfortable behind the shield that it is a monopoly. But today, if government can’t prove it’s useful, it will face continuing challenges to its authority and purpose. Over the years, when I have proposed making it easier for citizens to do things on the web with government, I have been met with a generally lukewarm response.
“They have no choice. They have to use us,” is often the reply. The government employees who have said this to me have not usually said it in an arrogant or contemptuous way. They merely said it in a matter of fact sort of way.” MORE

By Joe Martin

How can you ensure a great customer experience when using Social? Joe Martin walks us through the top three things to focus on in order to guarantee flawless customer service through social media.

“The 1960s brought about Volkswagen buses, MadMen advertisers, and the first call centers. For the next 40 years, these support farms led our customer service needs. Then came the gatekeeper, the automated voice trying to streamline the customer service process, but only succeeding in leaving you as a consumer saying, “there has to be a better way.” Nowadays, we have other, more successful, customer experience platforms like Social. Sixty-seven percent of consumers now tap networks like Twitter and Facebook for customer service, according to JD Power.” MORE

By Ronald Van Loon

Is AI the way of the future? The possibilities are endless, but for CX, the application of AI is outstanding. By streamlining processes and anticipating and predicting customer needs, AI brings a brand new level of sophistication to the customer experience.

“From being the plots of sci-fi thrillers to being seen as threats by the working populace, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has during the last few years jumped into the headlines as it has become a part of reality.
People are confused – AI is either considered to be a giant leap towards modernization or a leap towards massive levels of unemployment. It can turn out to be a sign of prosperity for many, thought of as a loyal servant, or it can turn the tide and become the master. The future of AI and what it transpires into, lies in the hands of those controlling the characteristics that bind this innovation.” MORE

By Jeffrey Phillips

It would seem that brand differentiation seems to be coming to a standstill. As so many aspects of business are fast-paced and hard to innovate, in this piece Phillips shows how the options for improving and perfecting the customer experience are unlimited and necessary in order to differentiate your company from all the others.

“Innovators and entrepreneurs are constantly searching for the next new technology, solution or capability that will vault their businesses into the realms of Amazon or Uber. This search is made more complex by the range of innovation possibilities. For example, an entrepreneur or inventor may create a completely new technology that supersedes an older technology. A new circuit or switch as an example. Or an entrepreneur may introduce a new business model, such as when Google offered software at no charge and covered costs (and made a nice profit) by selling ads. Or an entrepreneur may choose to focus on other aspects of the solution - the channel, the customer experience or other factors.”MORE

Employees who feel empowered are much more likely to take initiative and encourage them to make the right decisions on behalf of the customer, thus saving time and improving customer service. Continue on to learn just how leadership should strengthen their employees to feel creative and take risks that ultimately compliment the company as a whole.

“What does it mean to “empower employees” and why is it so important to delivering customer experience? Why should organizations go beyond enabling and equipping their employees, but also take the steps necessary to empower their employees to deliver on the promise of customer experience?
It is because our employees are on the front lines when it comes to delivering customer experience. It is those employees in marketing, sales, support, customer service, professional services, etc. who are interacting with our customers on a daily basis and they will make the difference in the experience that is delivered.?” MORE