This book explores how customer service can become the singular competitive differentiator for organizations in the digital era. Given the accelerated pace of digitization and unprecedented rise in customer expectations post-pandemic, organizations must focus on customer-centricity in all functions. This business presents a unique opportunity for companies to revisit traditional customer service function and transform it for the digital age. The book provides a contemporary customer perspective on service experiences throughout the customer journey. It explores the essential success factors, enablers, and important processes for customer service in the digital age and shares best practices based on research from global experts. A valuable resource for students and researchers keen on understanding the new digital landscape in customer service, this book offers strategies to develop, maintain and enhance customer relationships through superior service experiences.

This edited volume elucidates how artificial intelligence (AI) can enable customer service to achieve higher customer engagement, superior user experiences, and increased well-being among customers and employees. As customer expectations dictate 24/7 availability from service departments and market pressures call for lower costs with higher efficiency, businesses have accepted that AI is vital in maintaining customer satisfaction. Yet, firms face tough challenges in choosing the right tool, optimizing integration, and striking the appropriate balance between AI systems and human efforts. In this context, chapters in this book capture the latest advancements in AI-enabled customer service through real-world examples. This volume offers a global perspective on this contemporary issue, covering topics such as the use of AI in enhancing customer well-being, data and technology integration, and customer engagement.

This book explores the challenges and precarity of higher education post-pandemic, explicitly focusing on higher education in emerging countries. Looking beyond the pandemic, the editors and contributors provide a holistic view of the residual legacies of global health crises like COVID-19 in developing countries. The book calls for the need to reimagine, reevaluate and reposition the higher education system: exploring the challenges experienced by students, staff, administrators and other stakeholders. Bringing forth insights from researchers, practitioners and senior leadership, the book shares theoretical and practical insights on dealing with the aftermath of a pandemic and what can be learned for the future. It will be of interest and value to researchers, practitioners and leaders who wish to understand a develop new approaches for their teaching and management post-pandemic.