5 Top Customer Service Articles For the Week of June 4, 2018

Each week I read a number of customer service and customer experience articles from various 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.

Stop Trying to ‘Delight’ Customers, Says CX Expert Paul Greenberg by Noreen Seebacher

(CustomerThink) Known in customer relationship management (CRM) circles as the “Godfather of CRM,” Greenberg suggests businesses are better off consistently meeting their customer’s expectations.

My Comment: The title might surprise you; “Stop Trying to Delight Your Customers.” The concepts of “delight” or “ going above-and-beyond” are reserved for specific opportunities, such as a special occasion or a service failure. Most of the time, service should be friendly and engaging. The goal is to be, at a minimum, a little better than average – all of the time. And, once in a while, when the opportunity presents itself, go for “above and beyond.” To me, that’s what “delight” is about.

How Companies Can Identify Racial and Gender Bias in Their Customer Service by Alexandra C. Feldberg & Tami Kim

(HBR) In April 2017, United Airlines encountered public outrage when an Asian passenger was dragged out of his seat and off of an overbooked United Airlines plane. Then, almost exactly one year later, two black patrons were arrested at a Starbucks store for sitting at a table without having made a purchase. Both events were recorded, uploaded to social media, shared widely, and broadly condemned as instances of racial bias.

My Comment: With the recent racial bias Starbucks incident, this is a very appropriate article to not just read, but study and use. There are a number of good ideas that will help your organization be more inclusive and diversified. A hot topic that warrants your attention.

Why Great Customer Service Doesn’t Cut It by Adam Butler

(Forbes) What do I mean when I say great customer service doesn’t cut it? Isn’t great customer service one of the top selling points of any successful business? The answer is, not exactly.

My Comment: The title should grab your attention. Great customer service, by itself, doesn’t cut it. And, the concept of “great customer service” is becoming a hallowed promise for some companies. Furthermore, in some cases, customer service has become a commodity. It is expected. However, certain levels of service can make you stand out. The key is to know where to put your efforts.

My Comment: Happier employees mean happier customers. It’s true. Stats and facts from numerous surveys show the best places to buy from are also the best places to work. This short article shows three ways to create a better employee experience that sets the tone for the customer experience.

Eight simple rules to keep customers (and mom) happy by Jay Robb

(The Hamilton Spectator) So picture your mom as a customer, client, student or patient where you work. Here are eight ways you can make her proud and win over the people who keep you in business.

My Comment: We wrap up this week’s Top Five with a book review of one of my favorite customer service books to come out this year. Jay Robb reviews “Make Mom Proud” by Jeanne Bliss and shares eight great tips from the book.

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