Provide to customer service

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin In a bold move to cut costs, Frontier Airlines announced that it would no longer offer human-to-human customer support. As a customer service expert , I was surprised at this move. I have waited to see the fallout, if any, and thought the company might backpedal and reinstate traditional phone support. After almost two months, it hasn’t returned to conventional customer support. The dust has settled a bit, and people (passengers and employees) are adjusting to the decision. The decision to go digital is different from the decision Northwest Airlines (which eventually merged with Delta) made in 1999 to introduce online check-in to its passengers. The idea behind that technology, and eventually the technology driving online reservations, was to give the customer a better and more convenient experience while at the same time increasing efficiency. The big difference in that decision versus Frontier’s was that there has always … [Read more...] about Frontier Airlines Drops Human-To-Human Customer Service

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin The financial revolution is here. Here, we take a deep dive with one of the world’s top FinTech venture capitalists, Spiros Margaris , founder of Margaris Ventures , into the way AI and related technologies are transforming a key industry. Spiros, a senior advisor to, and investor in, several fintech, insurtech, cybersecurity, health care, and AI sector companies, including two FinTech start-ups with valuations of over $1 billion. Q: What issues, shortcomings, or inequities with financial systems are potential areas for transformation? Margaris: The financial technology industry — FinTech — seems to originate from the need to provide for a democratized financial system, at least, the FinTech companies that interest me. The long-term impact of those companies will be our industry’s true legacy. By democratization of the financial system, I mean an industry that provides for the unbanked or underbanked — people with … [Read more...] about The Coming Democratization Of Financial Services, Thanks To Artificial Intelligence

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin "You'll have to wait." "It's our policy." "We can't do that." "We're kinda busy right now." We all know the familiar sounds of bad or mediocre service about to happen. We cringe and suddenly feel the irony of being the sufferer while at the same time being the source of revenue! Thousands of articles have been written on how to deliver excellent service to customers. Unfortunately, far fewer have written about the other side of the relationship—how to ensure you, as the customer, receive excellent service. Time-tested practices can land you the best table at a restaurant, an upgraded hotel room, or expedited service from the contact center agent. I asked seven world-famous customer experience gurus to share their secrets for being well served. Their counsel proves it is no accident; it is carefully crafted with a heavy focus on nurturing a great relationship. Here are four secrets for getting awesome treatment. 1. Be the … [Read more...] about 4 Secrets For Getting Awesome Customer Service

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Companies around the world are making customer experience (CX) the top priority according to Harvard Business Review Analytical Services (HBRAS). But to do so takes more than lip service. To deliver an experience that customers value, you have to 1) know them, 2) organize around their unique expectations throughout their journey, and 3) serve them personally and in real-time. But companies aren’t there yet, not even close. In fact, HBRAS found that only 16% of CX-driven companies have a single (360-degree) view of customers. Even so, they lack the organizational structure to make use of those insights. It’s one thing to say you’re “customer-centered,” it’s entirely different when your company is literally organized around the customer. As customer expectations and behaviors evolve along with times, trends, tastes, and technologies, CX becomes intrinsic to business success. When you consider how the customer experiences your … [Read more...] about Becoming A Customer Company: The New Blueprint For CX-Driven Business Transformation

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin As the world starts to open up, digital-first behaviors are giving rise to an appointment economy to enhance customer engagement and experiences in the field. Appointments-as-a-service convey that customers’ and experts’ time is a precious commodity. Have you ever booked an appointment with a service provider and been asked to keep an open window of several hours because they couldn’t commit to an exact time? Have you ever scheduled an appointment at a healthcare facility and still had to wait for what seemed like an eternity in a waiting room? Have you ever walked into a business and waited in a long line, wishing there was a way to book an appointment ahead of time? We all have experienced these inefficiencies. Now as a result of the pandemic and its acceleration of digital adoption, more and more customers are starting to expect innovative and personalized services that value their time. This is giving rise to an … [Read more...] about The Rise Of The Appointment Economy: The Last Mile Of Customer Engagement Will Be Scheduled, Optimized And Personalized

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Robert W. Bache (aka "Medicare Bob") is founder and chief of sales for Senior Healthcare Direct , an AmeriLife company. In the Medicare business, the fourth quarter makes your year. We do nearly 40% of our business during the Annual Enrollment Period, Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. So if we’ve positioned ourselves well throughout the year, we stand to exceed expectations by mid-December. Looking back at the highlights of 2022, two major events stand out: market reactions to the Covid Special Enrollment Period (CSEP) and the enactment of new compliance guidelines. I think we’ve yet to see the full impacts of either. The SEP issued by the government because of the Covid-19 pandemic has lowered acquisition costs. But, considering customer turnover this past year, has it also lowered lifetime value? All industries go through periods of deregulation and, conversely, over-regulation. For us, it’s a balance between … [Read more...] about Medicare Year In Review: Regulations Renew Industry Focus On Customer Experience

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin When two or more brands partner up in a special collaboration, the results can help them boost awareness of their products or services in new markets and potentially gain new customers. In the upcoming holiday season, brands that combine their marketing efforts can get their offerings in front of more consumers, capture the attention of those who are in the shopping spirit and drive business and increase fourth-quarter revenues. To create the most effective co-branding strategy, brands must be able to lean on the strength of each other’s names and reputations, and ensuring this synergy requires careful planning and strategic thinking. Here, 12 members of Forbes Agency Council offer expert advice on how two brands can launch a symbiotic marketing partnership that will leave their companies in the black after the holiday shopping rush. 1. Start By Defining The Offering What can two brands bring to the marketplace … [Read more...] about How Brands Can Partner Up To Gain More Customers This Holiday Season

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Ashley Deland is a business consultant, owner of Maison De Land (formerly Deland Marketing) and a Business Elite top 40 Under 40 winner. When I’m hired as a business consultant, besides scanning the obvious business blueprint for necessities of success like marketing, branding, scalable systems and a uniformed digital ecosystem, I look at the customer journey and the multiple touch points within it. The customer journey is a pivotal piece to any business—but it's a piece that businesses often overlook. Having a well-designed customer journey is a core element of success that creates retention and referrals. When a brand focuses on providing an exceptional customer experience, they have the potential to see higher revenue rates and increased brand exposure. Why? In my experience, people are usually willing to pay more for better customer service and an elevated overall customer experience. Beyond profits, … [Read more...] about Five Tips For Elevating Your Customer Journey

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Greg Kihlström advises on CX, Marketing Technology, and Digital Transformation at GK5A, and hosts The Agile Brand Podcast. Customers reward brands that demonstrate they know and understand their needs. While this includes things like providing relevant messages, offers, products and services, it also includes the way that brands communicate with them. This not only means the way you send them communications, but also the way that your brand allows customers to communicate with you . Increasingly, we’re seeing customers wanting to use tools like online chat, which enable them to communicate and get answers to their questions in real time or near real time. This greatly speeds up the ability to make purchase decisions and get pointed in the right direction with product questions, and it can have a positive impact on the customer experience, which increases the chances of a sale. Conversational marketing … [Read more...] about The Benefits Of Using Conversational Marketing Approaches With Your Customers

Representative image As the economy recovers from the pandemic, banks are going aggressive with partnership models to expand their services and get new customers. Both public and private banks have been on a partnership spree in recent months to bring more customers on board. Lenders have also introduced offers by way of new debit and credit cards, digital banking services, and lending rates. State Bank of India, the country’s largest lender, has tied up with about 20 companies over the past five months to offer services ranging from digital banking and financial payment options to credit facilities. The lender recently partnered with Warehouse Development Regulatory Authority to provide low-interest rate loans to farmers. SBI also partnered with motorcycle company Jawa Yezdi to provide financial options to its customers. Canara Bank, another public sector lender, has joined with National E-Governance Service Ltd. to expand its digital banking services. The lender will … [Read more...] about Banks go big on partnerships to expand services, lure customers