The Difference Between Customer Service and Customer Experience

Every once in a while someone will ask, “What’s the difference between customer service and customer experience?”

My answer used to be easy. Customer service really drove the customer experience. That was during a time when the main way customers interacted with the companies they did business with was with people-to-people interactions. A customer could visit a store or business. Or a customer could call a phone number to ask a question, resolve a complaint, etc. It was all about delivering great customer service, which was 90% of the customer experience.

Today my answer is changing, as the customer’s experience goes far beyond delivering great customer service. Due to new and amazing technology, smart companies are interacting with their customers in ways never before imagined.Multiple social media channels allow companies to communicate with customers the way they want and like to communicate.  Gamification , (I love that word) allows for interactions that get customers to engage in some of the most fascinating ways.

Read more at  The Difference Between Customer Service and Customer Experience | Shep Hyken