Customer Service & Support

  • How Customers Want to Get Their Products Fixed and Problems Resolved

    Identifying and Measuring the Key Moments of Truth in "Break/Fix" Customer Scenario® Patterns

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    When something breaks, customers want it fixed! And they want a common set of actions. Learn about this customer scenario pattern.
    Sep. 22, 2022
    All Members
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  • Un-Empowered Employee Limits a CX "Save"

    Microtel Tries its Best, but can't Completely Remedy a Bad Situation

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    A loyal hotel patron expects front line customer service rep to be able to reimburse for minor losses. How much leeway should a front line service rep be given?
    Jun. 3, 2015
    All Members
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  • Angie’s List Doesn’t Arm Its Front-Line Troops

    Don’t Ask for Customer Feedback if You Don’t Know What’s Going On

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    A recent customer experience with Angie’s List went wrong on many levels simply because the company representative didn’t know what was going on!
    Apr. 16, 2015
    All Members
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  • When Comcast Insults Customers

    Who’s to Blame?

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    When customers are treated badly by customer service, something is wrong. But just where does the buck stop? With the CSR? With the company and its priorities and policies? With the customer? There is probably enough blame to pass around!
    Feb. 5, 2015
    All Members
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  • Framework for Evaluating Customer Service Software

    Delivering Answers and Solutions; Creating and Resolving Cases

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    Use this new version of our Framework for Evaluating Customer Service Software Products to produce actionable evaluations, comparisons, and selection. It’s adaptable to every type of customer service application.
    Oct. 15, 2014
    All Members
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  • Secure for “Your Own Good!”

    Cumbersome Security Measures Create Difficult Customer Experiences

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    Bank of America doesn’t streamline customers’ address changes across BoA product lines. Comcast sets long, arbitrary router passwords and discourages customers from changing them—using “security” as a flimsy excuse.
    Oct. 1, 2014
    All Members
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  • We’ll Get Back to You

    Callback Technology Can Give Customers Back the Time They Spend Waiting to Talk to You

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    We all hate waiting on hold. With automated callback technology, we may never have to again! But you have to make sure that you manage your implementation well so customers are never stuck waiting for a call that never comes.
    Jul. 3, 2014
    All Members
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  • Customer Service Supplier and Product Update 1Q2014

    1Q2014 Quarterly Overview: Renewed Focus on Customer Service Integration

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    Our review of customer service suppliers in Q1 2014 pinpointed a renewed focus on customer service integration. Integration of all customer-impacting information expands and streamlines the customer service experience.
    Jun. 5, 2014
    All Members
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  • Do’s and Don’ts of Telephone Support

    Making It Easy to Navigate through IVR Hell and Get a Positive Telephone Support Experience

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    Think you provide great customer service? When did you last check out what your customers experience when they call your support line? Are they stuck in an infinite IVR loop? And, when they get to a real person, are their issues resolved?
    May. 15, 2014
    All Members
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  • Inconsistent Customer Service Information from Bank of America

    Four Different CSRs; Four Different Responses

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    Trying to sign up to automatically pay my new Bank of America credit card balance each month turned into a long, frustrating mess because of inconsistent processes and the fact that not all CSRs knew what could be done!
    Apr. 17, 2014
    All Members
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  • Customer Service Supplier and Product Update 4Q2013

    4Q2013 Was a Good Quarter for Customer Service

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    4Q2013 was a good quarter for customer service for suppliers Clarabridge, Creative Virtual, eGain, IntelliResponse, KANA, Moxie, Next IT, Nuance, Oracle, and Salesforce.com. Verint acquired KANA in the 4th quarter of 2013.
    Mar. 7, 2014
    All Members
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  • How to Offer a Little Extra to Delight Customers

    My Most Recent Favorite Customer Experience Practices

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    Go beyond good – surprise and delight people with unexpected customer service. See examples from Amazon.com, Trader Joe’s, CVS, and BoltBus, with extrapolations for B2B organizations.
    Feb. 19, 2014
    All Members
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  • My 2013 Holiday Customer Experience Heroes

    Lessons to be Learned from Customer Support at Small Companies: Standing Stone Farms and Geoff & Drew’s

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    Small businesses often provide the best customer experience because they offer a personal experience. What can your organization learn from these small companies?
    Dec. 19, 2013
    All Members
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  • Why I Am No Longer a Sears Customer

    Sears.com Fails to Deliver on Promises

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    Sears has failed this shopper for the last time! Read the sad, sad story of hours wasted, responses not received, and powerless customer service agents following self-serving customer service practices.
    Dec. 5, 2013
    All Members
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  • Four Reasons Why Customers Prefer Twitter for Customer Service

    Quick Response, Fast Action, Public Shame, & Instant Updates

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    Twitter is becoming the preferred customer service channel for many people. But many companies aren’t paying attention. Providing good customer service on Twitter could differentiate your firm and reduce support costs.
    Sep. 19, 2013
    All Members
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  • Good Service, but Missed Opportunity for Greatness

    A Recommendation for Peapod Grocery Delivery Service

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    Peapod grocery delivery service does a fine job of customer service, but a recent experience revealed a barrier between what they know about a customer and the customer service department.
    Aug. 30, 2013
    All Members
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  • Improving Wretched Customer Service

    Beyond Giving CSRs Authority—Giving Them the Ammunition to Provide Great Service

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    What makes well-intentioned customer service so bad? Martha Brooke of Interaction Metrics offers four common mistakes, and we look at how to empower CSRs to avoid these mistakes.
    Jul. 3, 2013
    All Members
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  • Apple and/or Verizon: How Should Partners Provide Customer Support?

    What Each Did Right and What Needs Improvement When Helping Shared Customers in Need

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    Providers who together satisfy customer scenarios are part of a customer ecosystem. And the customer's experience should be seamless, as shown in this story.
    Feb. 14, 2013
    All Members
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  • Utility Customer Experiences: Stark Contrasts in Dealing with NStar and National Grid

    What Each Did Right and What Needs Improvement When Helping Customers in Need

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    Read the best (and worst) practices demonstrated by NStar and National Grid as they help customers deal with a repair.
    Jan. 31, 2013
    All Members
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  • When Do You Need an App for That?

    Do Mobile Apps Make It Easier for Customers to Do Business with You?

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    When do you need a mobile app for customer service and when is it better to provide mobile-friendly customer self-service portals or web sites?
    Jul. 6, 2012
    Strategies
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