Hi Kim, tell us about yourself and your background.
I started out my career in User Experience and while working for a UX Company I moved over to a Customer Success Role. It is all interrelated and all about the Customer and their experiences using a product, working with a company and satisfaction. I have been involved in CX the majority of my career and am also involved in mentoring and volunteer organizations such as the Customer Success Leadership Network.
What is the biggest misunderstanding about customer experience, in your opinion?
When you say customer experience everyone has their own interpretation of it. It is related to what they know, have hear or experienced. A misunderstanding is that it is related to one thing and focused in one role. However, customer experience is related to all aspects when a customer is touched by your company or interacts with your company. That means everyone is involved in the customer experience from an Ad they see, email they get, Customer Support issue they have, sales experience product experience and so on.
What are some of the newer CX companies/solutions you’re keeping your eyes on right now?
Well since my company is a CX/UX company I would definitely say our product MUIQ which we just started licensing a year ago. One of the many reasons I joined the company is because of the CX solution. I watch all the companies, of course, as there are many.
Kim’s tips for improved customer loyalty
What can companies do to improve customer loyalty and retention?
I think it is pretty simply really. If they trust you and like you and you are meeting their needs then there should be no reason. I think number one is put the Customer First. Live in their shoes, have empathy, don’t try to sell them what they don’t need and don’t try to upgrade them with things they won’t use. If you make a mistake, own it. If you product or a employee interaction fails, learn from it and rectify it. Customers are not only loyal to a company but they become loyal to the people at your company that they interact with.
What do you think is most relevant and why: CSAT (customer satisfaction score), NPS (net promoter score), or CES (customer effort score)?
I think they are all relevant and have their place and purpose. CES and CSAT are short-term metrics while NPS is a long-term metric. Sometimes CSAT and CES can be used interchagebly, however, CES would be used more so with customer service and is a little more directed. I never use one metric. I use the metric that best provides the right insight.
How can companies better use social media in the era of customer-centricity and personalization?
Focus on what your customers want to see and not what you want to push to sell. The companies that also excel in social media engage the audience and personally respond to all comments whether negative or positive.
What is your opinion on AI-based chatbots to handle customer support?
I think to gather initial information they work well but once customers start to ask more detailed questions that is where they can break down and fail. This causes frustration for the customer. If you are asking something simple they work very well. However, you will always need a live human interaction prior to the point of frustration. A good AI for support would interject early rather than ask multiple questions of the user and never get them to the help they need or the correct answer.
What was the best movie you saw that has come out during this past year?
Has there been new movies this last year? 🙂 I think Unhinged but that could be because it is probably the only movie I have seen that was new. I do like Russell Crowe.
Last but not least, what is your favorite CX metric?
If I had to pick one it would be the tried and true CSAT because customers understand what you are asking and it is a very versatle metric.
