Articles by Brian Cantor

Even amid this so-called “age of the customer,” hesitance, if not outright resistance, to the multi-channel concept is unavoidable.  As a result, customer management thinkers who advise brands to firmly commit to multi-channel customer service risk coming off like nagging parents rather than strategic advisors. But, as evidenced by directives to wear seatbelts, call if one will...Full Article »

If your organization views customer complaints as a burden, let alone a nuisance, it is severely misguided when it comes to customer management. A customer-centric organization recognizes a complaining customer—even one with a rude, abrasive, annoying personality—as an opportunity.  Complaints bring issues to the forefront, enabling the organization to actively resolve issues...Full Article »

Publicity stunt or not, when Abercrombie & Fitch publicly asked “Jersey Shore” star Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino to stop wearing its clothing , few criticized the brand’s philosophy. Some certainly questioned the logic of refusing free exposure from an individual who, at the time, was one of TV’s most recognizable personalities, but no one deemed...Full Article »

Editor’s note:  Because Twitter and Google do not necessarily engage in direct transactions with all users, one is free to take umbrage with use of the word “customer.”  However, insofar as these users do have a relationship of mutual consideration with the organizations, often engage in commercial activity and partnerships on the networks, are the main recipients of...Full Article »

When it comes to strategy in today’s multi-channel climate, there is investing in social, and there is going social. Investing in social is not without its benefits.  It provides brands another channel—and a rather inexpensive one—through which they can market to customers.  It enables them to increase their brand awareness and further integrate themselves in the...Full Article »

It is not what the teacher intends to teach but what the student is able to learn. While Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the brains behind “Seinfeld,” certainly knew their sitcom provided a platform for commentating on the ways in which humans behave and relate in society, they doubtfully planned to write a guide for customer management professionals. But as we have seen from an...Full Article »

Multi-channel is not merely a way of saying “build a presence in new channels.”  It is not a synonym for a first foray into social media or live chat. It, instead, is a call to assure your customer experience is integrated--and effective--at every conceivable touch point.  It refers to the mindset all customer-centric organizations must adopt: the customer, not the brand,...Full Article »

Under the irrefutable philosophy that happy, productive agents create satisfied, engaged customers, wise brands implement meaningful incentive programs. By showering compelling rewards—not simply pats on the back—on top performers, leaders simultaneously encourage productivity and improve morale.  In theory, the result should be drastically-more engaged agents who are...Full Article »

In this new feature, Customer Management IQ investigates some of the contact center, customer experience and marketing stories impacting professionals . Gamification: The Answer to Engaging Millennials in the Contact Center They’re just people.  But if you’re a contact center professional, you are required by law to also see Millennials as scary, enigmatic, unfamiliar, difficult...Full Article »

Ask a panel of business leaders about the importance of the customer experience, and brace yourself for a universal, endless display of gushing about its significance. Ask that same panel how they define the customer experience, and you will need the world’s biggest notebook to keep track of all the disparities. With research continuing to demonstrate a pivotal link between a...Full Article »

When thinking about critical business priorities, you are in good company if you place the customer experience atop the list.  When thinking about models for customer experience strategy and philosophy, you are in good company if you identify organizations like Disney, Apple, the Ritz-Carlton and Nordstrom. But if you follow that transitive progression and suggest that a critical business...Full Article »