With an influx of data on the web due to the explosion of social media users, it can be quite hard to filter those that offer valuable insight. It is easy to be read but hard to be noticed and more importantly, followed. Much has been written and said about customer service and how it has evolved into being more of an experience for customers and not necessarily just service.
We have a list of who we think are the top thought leaders on customer experience (#custexp). These people are subject matter experts in their fields and have consistently shared their views, opinions and data to the world through their books, articles, blog posts and social media status updates. We call them influencers because their theories and suggestions have valuably shaped what is the customer service of today. Customer experience management has become a top priority for any business today. Read on who made it to our list (in no particular order):
1. Shep Hyken
When one talks about customer service management, one can’t help but quote Shep Hyken. He is a known customer service expert, business speaker and New York Times bestselling author of “The Cult of the Customer”. He stresses the need for building customer loyalty and customer centric mindsets within organizations. He knows customer service like no other. A huge advantage of following his Twitter account is that he does the work of filtering out the good content and shares it to followers, often adding his own insight, amping up the value even more. He is definitely worth following.
Twitter: @Hyken
Website: www.hyken.com
2. Bruce Temkin
Temkin is labeled as a transformist in customer service management, producing valuable content on his Experience Matters website, gaining a lot of followers that often have varying viewpoints. His research in the field is noteworthy, proof why is that he’s co-founder and the Chair of the Customer Experience Professionals Association.
Twitter: @btemkin
Website: Experience Matters
3. Bob Thompson
As the CustomerThink founder, Thompson’s known for being the global evangelist for customer-centric business. His top three words: CRM (customer relationship management), CEM (customer experience management), and Social Business.
Twitter: @Bob_Thompson
Website: CustomerThink
4. Annette Franz
Franz’ blog doesn’t only focus on a single area of customer experience but also explores other areas like employee experience and leadership. Known for being great at listening to customers, Franz has run Services departments for organizations that want to focus on improving both employee and customer experiences by using their software tools.
Twitter: @annettefranz
Website: Annette Franz Gleneicki
5. Arie Goldshlager
Goldshlager is known as a visionary consultant with his unconventional wisdom on marketing, customer strategy and insight, and innovation. His expertise lies on customer lifecycle management having content-rich posts about the topic in his blog.
Twitter: @ariegoldshlager
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/goldshlager
6. Colin Shaw
Like Goldshlager, Shaw is known as visionary in the customer experience field, having trend predictions come true based on his understanding of factual psychology of Customer Experience. He notes that positive customer experience can stimulate brain activity in customers so negative emotions like frustration and impatience should be reduced to enhance loyalty, retention, and advocacy. Shaw’s best insights are housed in his book, The DNA of Customer Experience.
Twitter: @ColinShaw_CX
Website: Beyond Philosophy
7. Flavio Martin
Martin is a known avid customer service enthusiast, being VP of Customer Support at DigiCert, Inc. and included in the Customer Experience and Atlanta 2013 Huffington Post Top 100 Social. His blog, aptly named Win the Customer, has topics that range from customer service and loyalty to other customer-centric subjects.
Twitter: @flavmartins
Website: Win the Customer
8. Jeanne Bliss
Bliss calls herself a customer experience expert and speaker helping increase customer loyalty, improve culture and coach executives in organizations. She has led Customer Experience for five major U.S. corporations.
Twitter: @JeanneBliss
Website: Customer Bliss
9. Barry Dalton
Dalton has spent 25 years in pursuing customer experience and relationship management. He describes himself as consumed with anything customer experience, loyalty, CRM, social business and technology. He is a leader in customer service and enterprise collaboration, having consulted with Fortune 500 and mid-market companies on the implementation of customer experience strategies, operating models and technologies.
Twitter: @bsdalton
Website: Barry Dalton
10. Ted Coine
Coine is one of the most influential thought leaders on Twitter, being named one of Forbes’ Top 10 Influencers. His blog focuses on leadership, culture, customer service, and social media’s effect on the world of business. He is a web TV host and co-CEO of the Human Side of Business (#humanbiz).
Twitter: @tedcoine
Website: Switch & Shift