# Kristen Bialik | Capterra

> Kristen Bialik is a senior specialist analyst covering customer experience for Capterra. She holds B.A.'s in English and Communications from the University of Michigan and an M.A. in Journalism Research from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Follow her at @kebialik for insight on CX for small and midsize businesses.

Source: https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/kbialik

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# /Articles by Kristen Bialik

Kristen Bialik

[Kristen Bialik](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kebialik/) is a senior specialist analyst covering customer experience for Capterra. She holds B.A.'s in English and Communications from the University of Michigan and an M.A. in Journalism Research from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Follow her at [@kebialik](https://twitter.com/kebialik) for insight on CX for small and midsize businesses.

[Technology for Small Businesses: What Your Peers Are Using

Published January 24, 2020

As a small or midsize business (SMB) owner, it can be hard to keep track of the latest essential business technology. Are your competitors farther ahead than you on must-have or emerging software?](https://www.capterra.com/resources/tech-for-small-businesses-what-peers-are-using/)[4 Tips on Using Business Software Reviews to Find the Right Product

Published December 3, 2019

It can take two years (24 months), on average, for a small to midsize business to go through the software-buying process. That's a lot of time to devote to a software search, especially when your time could be better spent growing your business.](https://www.capterra.com/resources/choosing-the-right-software-for-your-business-by-using-peer-review-sites/)[5 Call Center Interview Questions to Help Hire the Best

Published October 30, 2019

Call centers suffer from high employee turnover rates. The mean annual attrition rate for U.S. contact centers was 31% in 2018, and those surveyed say hiring the wrong type of person for the job was the No. 1 reason for their attrition.](https://www.capterra.com/resources/call-center-interview-questions/)[How to Diagnose and Cure Your Customers' Pain Points

Published October 16, 2019

All businesses like to imagine their customers are having pain-free experiences. But sadly, that's not the reality. About half (45%) of U.S. customers say they had at least one negative customer experience (CX) in the past 12 months, according to a recent Capterra survey.](https://www.capterra.com/resources/diagnose-and-cure-customer-pain-points/)[The Year Ahead: What Customers Want in Their In-Store and Online Experiences

Published September 25, 2019

A majority of U.S. customers now prefer to shop online, according to a recent Capterra survey. Overall, 60% of U.S. customers who completed an online or in-store purchase in the past 12 months say they prefer to shop online, versus 22% who prefer to shop in-store and 18% who have no preference.](https://www.capterra.com/resources/online-customer-experience-preferences/)[A Year in CX: What Your Business Can Learn From Our Customer Experience Survey

Published September 16, 2019

I've got good news and bad news for customer experience (CX) professionals. The good news: In a recent Capterra survey of Americans who've made an in-store or online purchase in the past year, 91% of respondents report having a positive customer experience.](https://www.capterra.com/resources/learn-from-our-customer-experience-survey/)[6 Best Customer Engagement Software Tools

Published August 20, 2019

"Engage!" Captain Jean-Luc Picard's oft-heard command doesn't just apply to the USS Enterprise crew. Businesses need to engage their customers. So, grab a cup of tea (earl grey, hot) from your nearest replicator while we set a course for customer engagement, warp six.](https://www.capterra.com/resources/top-rated-customer-engagement-tools/)[5 Crucial Questions to Ask When Creating a Customer Experience

Published July 11, 2019

Gartner defines customer experience (CX) as “the customer's perceptions and related feelings caused by the one-off and cumulative effect of interactions with a supplier's employees, systems, channels, or products." (Full article available to Gartner clients.)](https://www.capterra.com/resources/crucial-questions-when-creating-customer-experiences/)[5 Ways to Better Understand Your Customers

Published July 3, 2019

Understanding your customers is a crucial component of building a successful customer experience (CX) program. In fact, it's the first of three central CX pillars we'll address in the coming weeks. Combined with the second and third pillars (creating customer experiences and building a customer-centric culture), these three pillars create a strong foundation for a larger CX strategy.](https://www.capterra.com/resources/ways-to-better-understand-your-customers/)[What Is Contextual Data and How to Collect It

Published June 25, 2019

At one time or another, we've all heard a famous quote misconstrued or taken out of context. And though Robert Frost might actually tell you to just pick any old path and not mourn "The Path Not Taken," the paths you take toward understanding your customers and their broader contexts really do make all the difference.](https://www.capterra.com/resources/how-to-collect-contextual-data/)

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