| | CX enlightenment: Look no further than the Biden-Harris administration’s crackdown on “corporate tricks”
Earlier this month, the Biden-Harris administration announced new actions to take on “corporate tricks and scams like excessive paperwork” and “long wait times”.
The fact sheet released from the White House Briefing Room is striking for its combative language on everything from customer service chatbots that can’t help with complex problems (“give the run-around to customers seeking a real person”) to the often Kafkaesque task (“hoops and hurdles”) of cancelling subscriptions.
The effort, dubbed “Time is Money”, includes a variety of new measures across different government depts such as:- The Federal Trade Commission making it easier to cancel subscriptions and memberships.
- The Department of Transportation working to require airlines pay customers back automatically when their flight is cancelled or significantly changed.
- The Department of Health and Human Services working with the Department of Labour to allow health claims to be submitted online.
- The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) tackling customer service “doom loops”.
In many places, the statement seems to nod towards what those in the UX fraternity would call ‘deceptive patterns’ i.e. that deliberate decisions are taken in order to manipulate or delay the customer, as the fact sheet puts it, “all with the goal of maximizing profits”.
On chatbots, the statement also includes mention of how the CFPB will look for unlawful use of automated chatbots and AI voice recordings, “including in situations in which customers believe they are speaking with a human being”.
The release ends with some mantra that are as catchy and empowering as anything that internet-era doyens of customer-centricity have been championing for the last decade. e.g. “Companies should make it as easy to do things that you want to do as it is to do things they want to do,” and… “Americans should be able receive customer service on their terms and their own time without significant hassle or hardship.” Amen!
For advice on customer experience, see our guide on implementing a CX strategy.
Another moment in the M&S turnaround
For those in the UK, go back to 2014 when the retailer was in the middle of its 13th consecutive quarterly drop in clothing sales, and imagine somebody had told you that in 10 years time, M&S clothes would be very cool. And then imagine that person takes you to the derelict Battersea Power Station and tells you that the site will be revitalised, hosting 150 high-end shops including, yes, an M&S boutique (alongside Chanel and Apple).
In short, Marks & Spencer is launching a new format store, with a “curated” edit of its womenswear, menswear and beauty products, allowing it to “test and learn”. Heady days for the venerable retailer.
See more in Marketing Week. |
Fast Track to Ecommerce: Partners and Platforms – Next intake: 8 October 2024
This Fast Track is designed specifically for organisations that sell through retail partners and third-party platforms, to upskill teams of one to one thousand, all included in the Econsultancy membership.
The Fast Track empowers learners to:- Navigate indirect ecommerce and optimise partner relationships
- Master product data and dominate the digital shelf
- Understand the online shopper and win the path the purchase
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Case Study of the Month: Frontify achieves 96% inbound lead boost in two weeks with gamified content campaign
The B2B SaaS company partnered with Fight or Flight to produce a simple, addictive game demonstrating a core message that distinctive brands are worth investment. |
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| The Marketing Capability Leaders Forum
September 26th, Waterloo, London, 9am GMT
At Econsultancy HQ, we’ll be hosting our Q3 meet-up for senior leaders in marketing and ecommerce. You’ll hear from a panel of marketing leaders as they reveal how they have navigated transformation, placing capability at the heart of their strategies.
Please note, the forum is invite-only, so registrations are subject to approval. |
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Learn to confidently and effectively manage your brand with the Mini MBA in Brand Management. 10 online modules over 12 weeks, delivered by your favourite marketing professor, Mark Ritson. |
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Optimising the Retail Media Opportunity
Part of the Ecommerce channel, this learning plan, includes three courses and a scenario-based assessment.- Course 1: Approaching Retail Media Ad Investment
- Course 2: Activating Retail Media Sponsored Product Ads
- Course 3: Activating Retail Media Product Display Ads
- Assessment: Test your Retail Media Learning
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