Guide to customer experience management best practices, technologies

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  Article

  How AI is rewiring retail customer experience

  AI infuses the customer experience not only online, but also in stores. To that end, SAP, Adobe and Microsoft have joined forces to share data and push AI even further. Read Now

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  Podcast

  How e-commerce, voice activated devices could upend CX

  Emerging e-commerce technologies offer exciting customization options, but what customers really want are solid products and a back-to-basics approach that makes them feel valued. Listen Now

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  Article

  CRM tools evolve to reflect consumer habits and provide greater insight

  As customer habits change, so do the tools that markers use to analyze them. Learn about a new generation of CRM capabilities that can provide more granular information faster than traditional CRM tools. Read Now

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  Podcast

  Enterprise AI tools enhance customer experience

  Enterprise AI is increasingly becoming integral to capturing the attention of customers, helping companies retain users. Listen Now

1Making the most of technologies and employees

Technology is important, but it's not much use without strategies on how and when to use it while managing customer relationships. This section has articles that describe how businesses are serving their customers by investing in their employees.

• Article

  Six customer service channels to support

  As the number of customer service channels grows, it is important to understand what your customers want in terms of service and what your organization can supply. Read Now

• Article

  Tips for a smooth transition to digital customer service

  Leading enterprises are shifting their customer service strategies from voice to digital channels to improve customer experience, but the process doesn't always go smoothly. Read Now

• Article

  The benefits of social media as a customer service channel

  Social media amplifies and publicizes customer feedback, so it is more important than ever for companies to a have social media strategy to react to concerns and provide service. Read Now

• Article

  Creating a unified multichannel customer experience can still be challenging

  Insight into customer interactions allows companies like Marathon Sports create a more positive customer experience.  Read Now

• Article

  Contact centers more central to customer experience than previously thought

  Organizations viewed contact centers as drains instead of assets, but recent developments in multichannel interactions have tipped the scales.  Read Now

• Article

  Personalized customer service integral to sales and marketing

  Tailoring the customer experience to individual interactions is crucial to successful sales.  Read Now

• Article

  Coca-Cola, GE and Virgin Airlines strategize technology to connect to customers

  To retain and attract customers, businesses are employing new technologies such as touchscreens and Web analytics tools. But, according to experts, new technology means nothing without strategies in place. Read Now

• Article

  Improve customer experience by focusing on employees

  Analysts warn that businesses are at risk if they do not capitalize on the link between satisfied employees and happy customers. But without executive support, the strategy will come to naught. Read Now

• Article

  Investment in employees yields better ROI

  It takes money to make money, as the old adage goes. A study shows that well-paid customer service employees are happier, resulting in better customer relationships, more sales and increased profits. Read Now

2Best practices for customer experience management

This section includes best practices for organizations to follow when managing the customer experience. The articles include both success stories and stumbles of businesses that employ CEM.

• Article

  To improve martech strategy and stack, hire CX staff

  Creating a frictionless customer experience may be as simple as investing in more staff with designated customer experience responsibilities. Read Now

• Article

  CRM vs. customer relationship manager: How are the roles changing?

  With the rise of cloud customer relationship management systems and technical CRM managers to run them, see how the traditional role of customer relationship manager has changed. Read Now

• Article

  Explicit data can enhance the customer journey

  Customer experiences can be improved through personalization by utilizing explicit data.  Read Now

• Article

  Understanding customers can lead to success

  Utilizing a knowledgeable customer engagement strategy, like Starbucks has, can lead to success.  Read Now

• Article

  Maintaining customer relationships requires companies to keep their word

  In order to keep a customer’s trust and create a positive customer experience, companies must keep brand promises.  Read Now

• Article

  Digital marketing derives success from linked campaigns

  Linking campaigns through omnichannel marketing results in a more seamless customer experience.  Read Now

• Article

  Content matters in customer experience management

  Delivering the right content the right way at the right time is essential for successful customer experience management. See what steps businesses are taking to communicate information to their customers. Read Now

• Article

  Customer experience continues after the sale

  Data suggests post-sale customer interactions are important to customer retention.  Read Now

• Article

  How to plan for customer experience management

  Customer experience management is not just about managing customers; it's also about managing the processes. Experts weigh in with advice on what companies should do to improve customer service quality. Read Now

• Article

  CEM a priority, not an afterthought

  Jeanne Bliss, co-founder and vice chair of Customer Bliss, a customer experience consultancy based in Los Angeles, shares her insights on why executives should regard CEM as the true work of their organizations. Read Now

• Article

  IT and contact center must join forces for great CEM

  For customer experience management to succeed, it is imperative that the contact center and IT department improve communication and work in tandem. Collaboration is key to preventing frustration and project delays. Read Now

• Article

  Customer journey maps help companies understand patrons

  Customer journey maps enable companies to create a better customer experience through insight.  Read Now

• Article

  Re-measure contact center metrics

  Evaluating employee performance is a catalyst for improving performance, but the metrics used to do so are sometimes outdated. Contact center metrics should be updated to relate more to customer experience management and business drives, not just tally call-handling goals. Read Now

3Terms related to CEM

This section contains common terms associated with customer experience management.

• Definition

  contact center

  A contact center -- also referred to as a customer interaction center or e-contact center -- is a central point from which all customer contacts are managed.  Read Now

• Definition

  CRM (customer relationship management)

  Customer relationship management (CRM) is the combination of practices, strategies and technologies that companies use to manage and analyze customer interactions and data throughout the customer lifecycle, with the goal of improving customer service relationships and assisting in customer retention and driving sales growth. Read Now

• Definition

  customer experience management (CEM or CXM)

  Customer experience management (CEM or CXM) is the collection of processes a company uses to track, oversee and organize every interaction between a customer and the organization throughout the customer lifecycle. Read Now

• Definition

  Customer Life Cycle

  In customer relationship management (CRM), customer life cycle is a term used to describe the progression of steps a customer goes through when considering, purchasing, using, and maintaining loyalty to a product or service. Read Now

• Definition

  customer service and support

  Customer service and support (CSS) is the part of a company's customer relationship management (CRM) department that interacts with a customer for their immediate benefit, including components such as the contact center, the help desk, and the call management system. Read Now

• Definition

  revenue operations (RevOps)

  Revenue operations (RevOps) is the strategic integration of sales, marketing and service departments to provide a better end-to-end view to administration and management, while leaving day-to-day processes within the departments. Read Now

• Definition

  social CRM

  Social CRM, or social relationship management, is customer relationship management and engagement fostered by communication with customers through social networking sites, such as Twitter and Facebook. Read Now

• Definition

  social media

  Social media is the collective of online communications channels dedicated to community-based input, interaction and collaboration. Read Now

• Definition

  social media listening

  Social media listening, also known as social media monitoring, is the process of identifying and assessing what is being said about a company, individual, product or brand. Read Now

• Definition

  Web self-service

  Web self-service is a type of electronic support (e-support) that allows customers and employees to access information and perform routine tasks over the Internet, without requiring any interaction with a representative of an enterprise. Web self-service is widely used in customer relationship management (CRM) and employee relationship management (ERM). Read Now

4How much do you know about customer experience management best practices?

Take this short quiz to see how much you've learned about customer experience management.

• Article

  Test your knowledge of customer experience management best practices

  Take this short quiz to test your knowledge about customer experience management best practices. Read Now