Uncovering the True Enemy of Great Customer Service with Brian Hamilton

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This episode of Amazing Business Radio with Shep Hyken answers the following questions and more:   

1. What is the biggest enemy of good customer service? 
2. How can companies get better customer feedback? 
3. What should companies look for when hiring customer service employees? 
4. How can businesses move beyond customer satisfaction metrics? 
5. What role does empathy play in customer service? 

Top Takeaways

• To provide excellent customer service, you have to genuinely care about people. Start with the mindset of serving the other person by understanding what it is like to be in their shoes.  

• No matter how good your product is, if you don’t have the experience and service to support it, and if you don’t have people who love what they do and love the customers, you will fail. 

• Your employees are just as valuable sources of feedback as your customers. While customer surveys and digital feedback are helpful, the most valuable insights often come from direct observation and conversations. Watch customers interact with your product or service, and regularly check in with your frontline staff who interact with your customers daily. Your employees on the front lines can often spot patterns, challenges, and opportunities for improvement that might not show up in a survey.  

• Pay attention to what customers are not telling you. Sometimes, customers accept inconveniences but don’t voice them. Mystery shop your own company and call your customer support line to learn what your customers experience when they do business with you.  

• Pride is the biggest obstacle to providing excellent customer service. When employees or businesses let pride take precedence, they block out constructive feedback and hinder growth. Everyone in the organization, from new hires to top executives, must be open to learning and change. 

• Embracing technology should enhance, not replace, the human connection. Technology like video conferencing, AI, or automated systems should be used to simplify processes and build meaningful connections.  

• If you want to lead, you have to love people. Training employees to care about customers is important, but true leadership is about setting an example.  

• Plus, Shep and Brian discuss why empathy and interpersonal skills are just as valuable as technical experience. Tune in! 

Quotes:

“Before you think about customer satisfaction scores and metrics, focus on truly understanding the customer. Train your people to be “the other guy” and see through your customers’ eyes.” 

“It all starts with the heart. You can measure every customer service metric imaginable, but if your company and staff don’t have serving others in their hearts, you’ll never truly get there.” 

“First, get your heart right, then ask your customers how you can improve, and finally, take action. If you get these three things down, you will separate yourself from the competition.” 

“What is the enemy of customer service? Pride.” 

About:

Brian Hamilton is the chairman of LiveSwitch, a leading expert on entrepreneurship, and the founder of America’s first fintech company, Sageworks. 

Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and host of Amazing Business Radio.