Cheers to the new year! Start 2022 off right by setting your business up for success with customer-centric goals. Just take it from the CX experts! Here are the must-have resolutions brands should be ringing in the new year with:

Insight From 6 CX Experts:

“It should go without saying that customers expect a frictionless online shopping experience, from beginning to end, and that includes returns and exchanges. Brands should make a resolution in 2022 to put their customers first and provide a returns experience that is simple, sustainable, and self-service. By making something such as returns quick and painless (which is often the worst part about online shopping) shoppers are more likely to come back and shop with you again.”

-Alyssa Baroody, Sr. Manager, Customer Success at Happy Returns by PayPal

“One resolution that I am committing to in 2022 and feel many brands could benefit from is to focus on the bigger picture. In CX, it's so easy to get absorbed by the details, but those one-off requests and issues ultimately distract us from building out and taking action on strategies that will improve the experience of our customers across the board. That isn't to say that we shouldn't address our customers' unique needs, but if our goal is to drive a best-in-class experience for all our customers, we need to stay focused on the solutions that have the greatest impact. Prioritizing our time and attention is essential for accomplishing our goals, especially as we enter a high-growth phase.”
-Jess White, Sr. Director of Customer Success, Cooleaf

“Create connected customer journeys. Customers will continue to engage across multiple, increasingly mobile-centric, channels and the companies who can make it feel like a single continuous experience will be the most successful in 2022 (and beyond).”
-Devin Poole, Senior Director, Strategic Marketing, Dixa

“Brands should increase their customer care and back-office budgets to ensure the highest of quality interactions and reduction of any friction in their customer relationships.”
-Aaron Fischer, Chief Customer Officer, OP360

"It's terrible when an agent feels like they can't serve the customer. The policy is important, but there are times when exceptions are needed and agents should be allowed to deliver great news in extenuating circumstances. I myself had an experience where I was out of town when the return window closed. Even though the agent wasn't able to give me a refund, they were able to offer an exchange, which worked out well. For those brands that want to take it a step further, finding a way to combine exceptions and automation, that's where those teams will shine because you'll be delivering good news at a faster speed."

- Reyna Juan, Director of Customer Success and Deployment, Thankful

"Before the age of computers and the internet, businesses relied on delivering personalized experiences to their customers when they walked into a store. If you went to the shoe store, the owner of the store knew your name, your favorite shoe styles, or perhaps was a neighbor or friend. With the internet growing as rapidly as it has, DTC companies have had no choice but to adapt to the world of e-commerce. We're now entering a very exciting time for businesses with solutions like e-mail service providers, e-commerce platforms, loyalty programs, and reviews platforms that are able to replace that same in-store experience that was provided 20+ years ago on the web and at an affordable price. This has allowed smaller DTC brands to bridge the gap in competing with the big fish who have endless resources to make that shift from in-store or online."
- George Moser, Customer Success Manager, Omnisend

Brands that set customer-centric, frictionless, and individualized CX intentions will stand out from the competition. For more resolutions that will bring success in the new year, check out the top CX trends for 2022.

Additional Resources:

AI in Customer Service | AI Ecommerce Platform | AI Email Automation | Artificial Intelligence in Customer Service | Customer Service and Support Automation | Customer Service Platform | Customer Service and Automation | Ecommerce Customer Service Automation | Ecommerce Customer Service Outsourcing | Future of Customer Service