Top 5 Customer Service Articles For the Week of December 8, 2014

TOP CUSTOMER SERVICE AND BUSINESS ARTICLES

Each week I read a number of customer service articles from various online resources. Here are my top five picks from last week. I have added my comment about each article and would like to hear what you think too.

104 Fascinating Social Media and Marketing Statistics for 2014 (and 2015) by Tom Pick

(Webbiquity) 100 social and online marketing stats from 20+ different sources.

My Comment: While I no longer think that social media and social customer service are new ideas, apparently many companies still do. These stats and facts should help make the case for the importance social media can have on a business. I’d be impressed with just a dozen facts, but this post has more than 100!

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42 Experts Reveal Their Top Tips and Strategies on How Organizations Can Improve Customer Retention by NG Data

(NG Data) We asked 42 customer retention experts to answer this question: “What’s the #1 way organizations can improve customer retention?” We’ve collected and compiled their expert advice into this comprehensive guide on expert tips and best strategies for improving customer retention.

My Comment: First, thank you for including me on this list with so many great people. Second, this is a phenomenal list of ideas on how to retain customers and create loyalty. Amazing how many different ways there are to “skin a cat.” Thanks for putting this together.

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15 Strategies for Live Chat Agents by Michal Kouril

(LiveAgent) Good communication with visitors can lead into turning them to customers. Here are top 15 strategies to help you achieve just that.

My Comment: Live Chat is becoming a standard channel for customer support. If chat is part of your support strategy, read this post to learn what I’m calling the “Fifteen Commandments of Chat Support.” (Even better than ten!)

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Business Actions Guaranteed for Losing Customers by Mike Schoultz

(Digital Spark Marketing) Take a look at your business and see if any of these bad experiences may be losing your customers.

My Comment: I love a good list of ideas to help me improve a business. Follow the ideas shared on this list and you will almost guarantee failure! But, that’s exactly what we need to know. These are five (of many ways) companies lose customers. Learning what NOT to do is just as important as learning what to do.

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Personalized Interaction – the Third “I” of Service Excellence by Hansen Lieu

(LinkedIn) If you are reading this post, then you’ll probably agree that excellence in customer service is of paramount importance to your organization’s success in the market.

My Comment: The interaction between a company’s employees and the customer is where the “rubber meets the road.” People don’t just do business with a company or store. They do business with the people who work in that company or store. We must always manage the interaction for a positive experience. When every interaction is above average – even just a tiny bit above average – and it is consistent and predictable, then you have most likely met, if not exceeded your customers’ expectations.

Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, professional speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information contact (314)692-2200 or www.hyken.com. For information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs go to www.thecustomerfocus.com. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken