Striking a chord with customers

Gladly Connect Live 2023 Recap

New Orleans, LA – Gladly Connect Live 2023, the annual customer service conference hosted by Gladly, took place in New Orleans this week. The event brought together over 1,000 customer service professionals from some of the world's most beloved brands to learn from industry leaders, network with peers, and share best practices.

Winning in the Loyalty-Driven Economy

The conference kicked off with a keynote address from Joseph Ansanelli , CEO of Gladly . Ansanelli discussed the importance of customer experience in the modern economy and how customer service can be used to drive growth and loyalty. He also shared insights into exciting new features and capabilities coming soon on the Gladly platform. Needless to say, generative AI was front and center with a focus on improving both the customer and Hero (agent) experience.

Sessions

The event featured a variety of sessions on a range of customer service topics. Some of the highlights included:

• How to Build a Customer-Centric Culture
• The Future of Customer Service
• How to Use Data to Improve Customer Experience
• How to Build a High-Performing Customer Service Team
• How to Manage Customer Expectations
• How to Handle Customer Complaints

All the sessions were great, but a couple that really resonated with me and worth checking out again included:

Putting the Customer First — The Key to Building Long-Term Loyalty in Today's Crowded Market touched upon building long-lasting customer loyalty and how critical it is for for any business to thrive. But in today’s crowded marketplace, it’s not easy to achieve. In this session, Mara Castro , EVP of Customer Experience at Evolve , shared how to break through and find success by way of trust, transparency, and seamless and personalized experiences that not only meet customer expectations, but exceed them.

Navigating the New Normal and Embracing Uncertainty in Today’s Commerce Landscape Being able to navigate uncertainty and remain adaptable is critical to a business’s success, especially as it relates to customer experiences. This session by Matt Powell , Chief Technology Officer at FTD , addressed the challenges that brands are facing today, and led with the tools and strategies you need to continue delivering outstanding customer service in an unpredictable world.

All the sessions and presentation will be available on-demand very soon as we publish all the great content. You can sign up for on-demand here.

Workshops

In addition to the sessions, Gladly Connect Live also offered a variety of workshops on topics such as:

• How to Use Gladly to Improve Customer Experience
• How to Use Data to Drive Customer Insights
• How to Build a Customer-Centric Culture
• How to Manage Customer Expectations
• How to Handle Customer Complaints

Networking

One of the best parts of Gladly Connect Live was the opportunity to network with other customer service professionals. Attendees had the chance to connect with speakers, panelists, and other attendees in a variety of settings, including the welcome reception on Monday, New Orleans walking tours (yes, included multiple pit stops at the great neighborhood bars), break out sessions, and a great party on Tuesday evening.

Here are some of my key takeaways from the conference:

• Customer experience is more important than ever before. In today's competitive marketplace, customers have more choices than ever before, and they are more likely to take their business elsewhere if they have a negative experience.
• Data can be a powerful tool for improving customer experience. By collecting and analyzing data, businesses can gain insights into what their customers want and need. This information can then be used to improve the customer journey and create a more positive experience.
• A customer-centric culture is essential for delivering great customer service. When employees are empowered to make decisions that are in the best interests of the customer, it creates a positive and welcoming environment for customers.
• A positive customer journey is the key to customer loyalty. When customers have a positive experience with a company, they are more likely to do business with that company again in the future.

We hope you enjoyed Gladly Connect Live 2023!

We look forward to seeing you next year and don't forget to join our newly launched Gladly Connect Community to learn, connect, and grow with fellow members who share your passion.

Let me know what you think. Would love to hear your feedback and ideas for next year's event.