5 Top Customer Service Articles For the Week of January 11, 2016

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.

In the Spirit of Dr Seuss – A Customer Experience Holiday Poem by Sven-Olof Husmark

(CustomerThink) The poem’s general message can serve as food for thought moving into 2016 – Give your customers want they want – smooth and seamless journeys.

My Comment: This is a very clever way to promote a message – or a lesson. It’s a short poem that was written just before the holiday season about giving customers what they want, which is a smooth and painless experience.

16 Effective Things You Must to Do in 2016 – for Hospitality People by Rupesh Patel

(LinkedIn) What are your major goals and plans for this new year? Is it to be a better person or to learn something new? Or could it be to once-and-for-all, drop that bad habit you put on last year’s resolution list. Here are some reasons why you may have procrastinated.

My Comment: Even though the title of this article mentions it is for “hospitality people,” you don’t have to be in hospitality for most, if not all, of these ideas to work. Everyone who has a customer-facing responsibility should have a hospitality mentality.

58 Customer Experience Quotes From 52 Weeks of Podcasts by Tema Frank

(Frank Reactions) This collection includes quotes from people like: Jay Baer, Jeanne Bliss, Kerry Bodine, Pat Flynn, Lynn Hunsaker, Shep Hyken, Jerry Manus, Bruce Temkin and many more!

My Comment: Great article about why we should love to get complaints from our customers. Complaints are opportunities to show your customer how good you are by how you resolve them. A good complaint can change the way you do business. (Sometimes complaints are a customer’s way of giving advice and feedback – that is valid.) Complaints are our friends!

Why a Complaining Customer is Good for You! by Sourov Roy

(LinkedIn) The better way in my opinion, is to use this opportunity to actually get the customer satisfaction level back up from this slump.

My Comment: Here are 58 excellent quotes around the topic of customer experience. They are perfect to use as conversation starters for your next team meeting.

Customer Retention for Agencies: 6 Tips on Keeping Clients for the Long Haul by Erin Sagin

(WordStream) If you want to run a successful digital marketing agency, your #1 job is to foster a group of happy, long-term clients. Unfortunately, this can be quite a daunting feat.

My Comment: This article is written from the perspective of a digital ad agency who wants to retain clients. However, with a little thought, these tips are appropriate for all types of businesses in any type of industry. I don’t think anyone would be unhappy with more loyal clients (or customers, guests, etc.).

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