Top 5 Customer Service Articles For the Week of January 20, 2014

Customer Experience Secrets Of Brick-And-Mortar Superstars By Jim Roddy

(Integrated Solutions for Retailers) “If you’re in the brick-and-mortar business,” said shopping center developer Rick Caruso, “you need to be in the hospitality business. Consider the human needs you meet every day.”

My Comment: It doesn’t matter if you are in the retail business (or not), the big “secret” in this article applies to just about any business.  The secret word is… hospitality.  If you are in a business to serve customers, you are in the hospitality business.

The importance of a great customer service experience: Statistics & trends [infographic] by Invesp Blog

(Alltop) When the life of a company depends on the goodwill of its customers, the importance of a positive customer service experience can’t be emphasized enough.

My Comment: Every once in a while it is important to remember the impact good and bad customer service has on a business. This infographic has many stats and facts worth considering. Depending on which surveys you read, and in which industries they come from, the numbers may differ – but the concepts are still valid. This is some excellent information.

Richard Branson on Growing Your Business by Building a Community by Richard Branson

(Entrepreneur) When you’re launching a startup, one of your first tasks is to identify potential customers and learn about their needs.

My Comment: Richard Branson is one of my favorite business people. I love his way of thinking. One of his core values is to give back to the community. While he truly gives back, he also reaps the benefits of the “Law of Reciprocity;” The more you give, the more you get. While I think that Sir Richard’s community-focused mindset is more altruistic than that, you can’t avoid the benefit of helping others. It just happens. We should all pay attention to how Richard Branson runs his empire. More than a rock star, he is a role model.

Running a Business: Customer Service Is Key by Allie Lewis

(Tailwind) Customer service is necessary, but it doesn’t need to be hard. Here are simple things that you can do to improve your customer service.

My Comment: I love articles that are quick to read and have advice that is direct and simple. The four ideas in this article are things we already know and hopefully do. If not, they are a reminder. My spin on the fourth idea, which is to “go above and beyond,” is that above and beyond is easy to attain, if you think of it in terms of just being a little better than average – all of the time. True “above and beyond” moments are opportunities that pop up along the way; hero moments, if you will, when something goes wrong. The best companies that are “above and beyond,” if you look at them closely, are simply better than average all of the time. Thinking of it like that puts “above and beyond” within the grasp of just about everyone and every organization.

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 http://www.thecustomerfocus.com. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken
(Copyright ©MMXIV, Shep Hyken)