Ever hear of the saying, "The best offense is a good defense"? Well, your customer loyalty strategy is no exception. When preparing for a busy second half of 2014, you need to be wary of the customer service challenges that lie ahead. A proactive approach is the best way to improve your customer service during the busy holiday season, says Jeannie Walters, CEO and founder of 360Connext, a customer experience consulting firm.

During last month's Retail Marketing Virtual Conference & Expo, Walters shared customer service best practices that you can implement today. In this audio snippet from the event, she discusses how customer loyalty is different today, why big brands are struggling, and how to design your customer experience strategy around your customer. (You can listen to the full session on-demand.)

"Its really important to look at the fact that just because your customers may be loyal today, it doesn't mean they'll be loyal tomorrow if an innovative competitor comes along," Walters said. "This all comes back to your customer experience strategy."

How is your company planning on handling customer service this holiday season? Let us know in the comments section below.