As online shopping enters a period of hyper-growth and competition for consumers intensifies, getting the customer service experience right has never been more important for retailers. Those that are ahead of the CX curve have their fingers on the pulse when it comes to the latest trends and technologies—they’re reaping the rewards, too. In fact, 66% of companies agree that there’s a direct link between customer service and business performance.

In a recent study commissioned by Zendesk, just 39% of customer service agents said they were confident they could respond to customers in a conversational, convenient way. And only 32% said they could effectively manage and monitor customer requests during the working day. Both of these findings reveal powerful truths. Customer service staff often feel overwhelmed, particularly when they have to respond to everything quickly.

We are forever being reminded that retaining existing customers is more cost-effective than going out and proactively trying to attract new customers. But at the same time, we are told that new customers are the lifeblood of any successful enterprise. So which is it?

When done right, technology can help companies create great customer experiences. This is why 82% of top-performing businesses say they pay close attention to the human experience around digital and technology, according to a study by PwC. However, IT Services companies often view the quality of service through the lens of applications and infrastructure, while their customers are more concerned with outcomes and usage. This creates a disconnect, which can lead to low customer satisfaction.

While 2020 will certainly go down in history as the year that rocked our economic foundations, it’s not the only period to have done so. Just 12 years prior, we experienced the Global Financial Crisis, allegedly the worst economic disaster since the Great Depression. Traditional retail banks were largely blamed for the 2008 crisis, and consumer trust in them plummeted—this trust has not been regained yet, according to an Accenture report.

Everyone in an organisation needs to know what it takes to keep customers happy. According to research published in Forbes, 59% of companies with a CEO who is focused on customer XP report higher revenue growth, compared to companies without a customer-focused CEO. The customer-focused culture is led from the top and should be observed and adhered to company-wide. In a fast-changing world during a global pandemic, priorities are changing.

Discover how many social channels brands should be using, and which ones are likely to deliver the best results. To determine effective multi-channel planning for content and promotions, we will look at the vast array of channels, how to determine if they are appropriate and how an audit might reveal surprising results. will also look at the major platforms and sketch out a broad understanding of which industries they best serve.

Not all sales are created equal. Depending on the products, region, and size of a company, a business may require sales experts with different specialties. In 2021, Americans spent nearly $487 billion on technological products and services (a 7.5 percent increase from the previous year)—they’re expected to spend even more in 2022.

2001: A Space Odyssey is a cult classic; the quintessential "evil robot takes over" science-fiction tale featuring a soft-spoken killer robot with the neighbourly name of HAL. Arthur C. Clarke, who wrote the story the 1968 movie was based on, went through several creative bot names before deciding on HAL (Heuristically programmed ALgorithmic computer). He toyed with Autonomous Mobile Explorer-5, Socrates, and Athena.

Anyone who works in business development knows that it can be a tough job to explain. If someone asks you what you do for a living and you say, “Business development,” you’re usually met with a quizzical look. So if you don’t have a thorough grasp on what business development is, don’t worry—you’re not alone. The best way to understand business development is to break it into clear pieces. That’s what we’re here to do.