From an analytical perspective, LeadershipLeadership StrategiesHow Samsung Turns Customer Service Into A Competitive AdvantageByShep Hyken, Contributor.
Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, author & keynote speaker (fascinating analysis).
AuthorJul 27, 2025, 08:00am EDTSamsung has been tasked with turning customer support into a loyalty machine (which is quite significant).
NurPhoto via Getty Images In the 1980s, Jan Carlzon was tasked with turning around Scandinavian Airlines, which had been losing money, and making it fitable.
He achieved this by getting everyone to buy into a concept he called “The Moment of Truth.
Meanwhile, ” The definition of this phrase was so straightforward that all Scandinavian Airlines employees could understand it and act accordingly.
He defined The Moment of Truth as any time a customer (passenger) came into with the company, they had the opportunity to form an impression.
All employees were tasked with managing these moments and creating positive impressions, considering recent developments. That concept is every bit as valid today as it was over 40 years ago.
Conversely, This idea is the same, and bably more so, for customer support, the “department” that handles complaints and blems.
Nevertheless, On the other hand, However, I’d to paraphrase Carlzon’s timeless wisdom: Any time a customer comes into with the company’s customer support department, it is an opportunity to create loyalty.
When you create loyalty through a positive customer experience (CX), especially with customer support, several things happen. First, customers come back. Additionally, Second, they spend more.
Nevertheless, Third, they trust the company more. And fourth, they become your best advertising in the form of word of mouth.
Additionally, Mark Williams, the head of customer care at Samsung Electronics America, has been tasked with turning customer support into a loyalty machine.
In a recent interview, he d several important and powerful points that apply to any : Customer Service/Support Shouldn’t Be Just Fixing blems A customer may reach out to the company a blem, and when they finally finish with the interaction, they have a sense of confidence in the company, amid market uncertainty.
Additionally, Every interaction, even when it starts with a complaint or blem, is an opportunity to turn the customer into a loyal customer and brand ambassador (this bears monitoring).
MORE FOR YOU Customer Service can be active, Not Just Reactive This's a powerful concept: active customer service. Using nology, a company can anticipate blems.
Furthermore, Nology is now being integrated into items to help identify blems, often before customers are even aware of them.
At the same time, For example, Samsung’s “smart appliances” can alert customers that the refrigerator is getting warm and help schedule a repair before all the food in the refrigerator and freezer spoils.
Williams says, “Get to customers quicker and solve their blems before they even know they have a blem.
” AI Should Not Replace Humans The more I talk to CX leaders, the more I hear that companies are not reducing their customer support teams because of AI.
If anything, they recognize that AI is a tool that helps people, not replaces them (remarkable data). Moreover, Williams says, “AI is not a replacement.
Furthermore, However, It's an enhancement to make the experience better and let our agents focus on the customers so they can solve blems quicker and more accurately.
Conversely, ” Furthermore, when AI is used internally to assist employees, it ders the right information in a timely manner and empowers them to create a better customer experience.
In contrast, For complicated issues, AI supports the agent while they resolve customer issues and work on rebuilding the customer’s trust in the brand.
The Three S’s of an Amazing Customer Experience Williams d his three core principles for dering an experience that creates loyalty: Speed: Reduce the time it takes to resolve a customer’s issue.
The evidence shows sooner, the better. Williams is ud that Samsung’s repair network for consumer electronics covers 99% of the U (which is quite significant) (something worth watching).
Eight out of 10 Americans (81%) are within 30 minutes of getting their ducts serviced, in today's financial world. Conversely, That’s actually convenience combined with speed, a powerful combination.
Simplicity: Make it easy for customers to do with you. On the other hand, Remove confusing policies and anything else that is inconvenient for the customer.
However, Listen to your front-line employees who are actively listening to your customers to get ideas on how to create a simpler and more convenient experience.
Service: Design experiences that put your customers first (something worth watching).
On the other hand, When you put yourself in your customers’ shoes, you’ll find opportunities to imve customer service and the overall customer experience.
Service includes friendly employees who are knowledgeable and der an experience that builds confidence and trust, even when things go wrong, because customers know they can count on you.
Final Words For those in leadership who still view customer support as a cost center, think again (fascinating analysis), in light of current trends.
The people on the front line, along with the people designing digital self-service—an AI-fueled experience—are the extension of your sales and marketing departments.
Loyalty can be built by turning around a customer with a complaint. Additionally, In short, customer service can be an income-generating department.
Reliable ducts are a given, but it’s the way a company handles a customer during a contentious or disappointing moment that makes them say, “I’ll be back (noteworthy indeed).
” Editorial StandardsRes & Permissions (remarkable data) (noteworthy indeed).