Marketers, Ad Agencies, and Consultancies who fundamentally understand A.I. are incorporating customer feedback loops throughout the customer journey. Every touchpoint feeds the system with information that pushes brands and customers closer together in ways that are relevant and valuable.
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Sharing the experience: 7 CX blogs worth reading
Wading through the vast landscape of blogs just to find the best ones talking about customer experience is not exactly a CX experience I’d ecommend. So, to help you in the search for CX how-tos, strategy and philosophy I’ve compiled this set of resources.
These are blogs I most often read to keep up with best practices in achieving customer satisfaction, improving customer service, and increasing customer engagement. Your mileage may vary.
@BrianSolis
Brian Solis is a thought leader in the use of social media in marketing and is a sought-after speaker in the relationship between technology and people. In addition to his blog, which features his webcast, Brian shares his insight in an online video series on YouTube.
Interesting Excerpts:
The Art Of Storytelling In An Era Of Connected Audiences
“Once upon a time, brands and agencies set out to tell the most engaging, transparent and shareable stories the world had ever seen. Little did they know, the audience would become storytellers in their own right.”
And here’s a fresh video that breaks down CX in a way only Brian can do:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yavB2uTU2U
Forrester
As you might expect, Forrester’s blog covers customer-facing trends with senior analysts offering data-driven perspectives on a variety of marketing topics, including customer experience. When it comes to CX, many still missout on Forrester’s top not content, industry leading thinking and innovative takes on CX. If you only follow one team exploring CX – Forrester might be it.
Interesting Excerpt:
The Healthcare Industry Is Not Immune From The Amazon Effect
“Healthcare leaders should prepare now for the future to look very different. This is great news for customers who have been stuck with digital experiences that look like they belong in the early millennium and costs that continue to escalate.”
brandwatch.com
Brandwatch offers social media analytics software for many well-known global brands. While the blog often touts the company’s solutions, the content goes beyond a sales pitch, often with an entertaining and educational spin on CX, Social, Data and Analytics. The nice thing about Brandwatch is that they are “doers” and “makers” of the modern internat landscape and few others offer the “hands on” insight that they do.
Interesting Excerpt:
Master Planning for CMOs: Leveraging CX Mapping to Harness Everything, and Everyone
“Aligning multiple personas, segments and experiences needs a smart blueprint.
This often means starting with a workshop to gather cross-functional teams and stakeholders to align around a common view of the consumer.”
Customer Experience Matters
Bruce Temkin calls himself a “customer experience transformist” with a goal of showing businesses how to improve their results by changing the ways they deal with customers. His blog has a wealth of research-supported information, often accompanied by useful infographics.
Interesting Excerpt:
Customer Focus Boosts Employee & Business Performance
“It turns out that customer focus isn’t only good for customers, but it’s also good for employees and financial results.”
ForeSee
ForeSee specializes in voice of customer (VOC) solutions that measure and improve CX. The blog is often focused on the company’s methodology and analytics, but the insights are broad enough to be of use to any CX professional.
Interesting Excerpt:
Understanding ‘Data Driven Design’ and how it extends to CX
“Many people think about a pleasing look-and-feel and pretty pictures when they think of design. While important, those things are not what defines a great design. At the heart of every great UX design is a relentless focus on the user.”
The Disney Institute Blog
With a methodology based on years of Disney success, the Disney Institute works with companies that want to make positive transformation in the areas of employee culture, leadership, and customer experience. The blog covers all three of those areas, but the insights from Disney on CX are worth a bit of extra digging.
Interesting Excerpt:
The Secret to Delighting Customers...Put Employees First
“In our experience, the best way for companies to create emotional connections with their customers is by ensuring that every interaction delights them. To do that, you need more than great products – you need motivated, empowered people at the front line.”
PeopleMetrics
Many top brands use the PeopleMetrics platform, but the company’s CX blog is a well-written collection of advice and case studies that cover every facet of customer experience.
Interesting Excerpt:
American Airlines Creating Wi-Fi Friction
“Wi-Fi is just one touch point on a flight out of many. But for me and, my guess, many frequent business travelers, it is a “moment of truth” touch point that often makes or breaks the experience.”
What’s your experience with customer experience blogs? I’d love to know what CX blogs are on your reading list.
The 9 can’t-miss customer experience conferences in 2018
If networking and career development are part of your aspirations for 2018, you’ll want to make industry conference part of your plans. But choosing which customer experience conferences to attend can be a challenge. To help you narrow the field, here’s a list of U.S. CX conferences I recommend.
March 25-29, 2018
Las Vegas, NV
Adobe has the resources to bring together thousands of speakers and thought leaders — including big names like Richard Branson — to share CX trends and solutions. You’ll have the opportunity to network with marketers who will teach you their strategies, share their stories, and inspire you reach the next level of customer experience.
April 10-12, 2018
Chicago
Featuring Oracle product experts who are developing the next wave of CX innovation, this conference is a great introduction to the fundamentals of customer experience as well as a mind-expanding preview of artificial intelligence, virtual assistants, and other industry-shaping technologies. And don’t miss the chance to celebrate the week at CX Fest with headliner Weezer.
April 23-25, 2018
San Jose. CA
The line between marketing and technology is fading fast, and MarTech is the place to learn why. You’ll learn about the latest technological resources for marketing experts, while being challenged to find ways to utilize them in crafting outstanding customer experiences.
Disney Institute Customer Experience Summit
May 7-9, 2018
Anaheim, CA
Disney was specializing in CX long before we coined a term for it. This summit gives you an inside look at time-tested models for designing and delivering superior customer experience. In addition to hearing presentations from top Disney executives, you’ll participate in guided activities that help you develop best practices for your own organization.
June 19-20, 2018
New York City
Forrester’s customer experience conference leverages the research company’s latest data to help you expand your CX strategy with the goals of discovering new businesses opportunities, expanding customer relationships into new verticals, and generating explosive revenue growth. For exposure to the analytical side of CX, this is the place to be.
Digital Customer Experience Strategies Summit
September 19-20, 2018
Chicago
Details are pending, but this conference always attracts the key players in digital CX from companies that set the standard for customer experience. Here’s where you’ll learn the strategies that work, from industry professionals you might not encounter otherwise.
September 25-28, 2018
San Francisco, CA
Sponsored by Salesforce software, Dreamforce centers around the innovations possible using the company’s cloud-based CRM platform. You’ll meet people from companies that successfully use the products. The company describes Dreamforce as “a week of powerful sessions, amazing keynotes, outrageous networking, and intense innovation.”
October 28- November 1, 2018
San Francisco, CA
Cloud technology users and leaders have gathered at Open World for two decades, attracted by speakers and peers from major companies that use Oracle technology. For users of Java technology, the JavaOne conference occurs concurrently, and attendees can crossover for the most useful sessions. Headliners have yet to be announced but count on a great night of dancing at the CloudFest party.
Gartner Application Strategies & Solutions Summit
November 27-29, 2018
Las Vegas, NV
Creating unique customer experiences requires innovation and transformation — the focuses of Gartner’s summit. The program covers evolving technologies like cloud-based and mobile strategies and how to employ them to optimize customer experience.