Programs
Rewarding High-Value Customers
At Forbes, Ali Ispahany provides a crash-course on the essentials of loyalty program design. One highlight: “A rewards program that is well-thought-out and can provide real value not only for the customer but also for the merchant is the way to go. But know that this type of development is not cheap if done from scratch. It will require a six-figure capital investment, as well as a development cycle of six to 12 months.”
Customer Experience
The Limitations of Customer Service for Apps
Katharine Bindley writes about the realities of CX when something goes wrong with an app. “Living with apps has its perks: rides show up in minutes and couriers bring food to you from restaurants that wouldn’t otherwise deliver. It’s all fine until something goes wrong, like a delivery guy leaves your burger and fries on your doorstep—as in outside, inches from the sidewalk, free for anyone to dine on—and never tells you. How do you report that?”
What Uber Does Where Ridesharing Is Banned
Ridesharing is illegal in Japan, which has lead Uber to think outside the box. No need for vehicles, rather “think grandma in running shoes delivering ramen noodles.”
Unique, Interesting Hotel Perks
Resorts are pricey, and in order to achieve differentiation, they are starting to go beyond just offering free wi-fi. “For example, the Fairmont Southampton in Bermuda offers complimentary daily garden and Hamilton Harbor tours. And the JW Marriott El Convento Cusco offers built-in oxygen systems in every room and coca leaf tea to help guests acclimate to the high altitude in Peru.”
Employee Engagement
Robot Workers and the Employee Experience at Amazon
Robo-workers have changed what it is to be an Amazon employee, increasing productivity but also monotony. “Robots have also made the job far more repetitive. Unlike pickers in manual warehouses, the pickers on Staten Island have almost no relief from plucking goods off shelves, other than their breaks. A picker named Shawn Chase said he motivated himself by competing with a friend in a different part of the warehouse to see who could earn the higher productivity ranking.”