Top 5 Customer Service Articles For the Week of March 17, 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.

Experience Design: When Innovation Isn’t Enough by Patrick Newbery

(Wired) The allure of innovation has always been in the chance of finding the next “big thing;” however, businesses often find themselves on the treadmill of relentless innovation as markets mature and technology advances. In addition, innovation has a poor track record of delivering commercial success for businesses. Often, the value of the innovation requires a broader system of products and services for the true benefit of experience to be available to consumers.

My Comment: Very interesting article about designing the customer experience.  The goal is to create an engaged customer, which I believe, with the right experience, leads to a loyal customer.  What comes to mind is that we’re doing what we can to become less transactional and more interactional.  Getting a customer more engaged means building an experience and even a connection, and it starts with designing the customer’s experience.

8 ways to improve customer satisfaction by Saasu

(Saasu) Our team came up with eight top tips on how to improve your customer satisfaction, based on our personal experiences here at Saasu.

My Comment: I like these eight ways to improving customer service.  Especially glad to see the “self-service” tactic included.  Self-serve is becoming important to improving the customer experience.  The airlines have done an excellent job of training their customers to book online and then check-in online.  And if the passenger doesn’t check in on-line, they can do it at the “self-service kiosk” at the airport.  More and more companies are bringing self-service into their customer experience strategy, and it’s working.

Telling the right story: Best Western’s customer experience journey by Nadia Cameron

(CMO Australia) We find out how data-driven personalisation, story-telling and good old fashioned customer service are driving this hotel brand.

My Comment: The legendary companies in customer service and experience got there because they created the legends. Their stories became known.  Perhaps the most famous is the Nordstrom story about refunding a customer’s used tires.  It may not be easy to create a publically recognized story, but it’s not difficult to create the stories inside your own company, which eventually resonate with the company’s customers – and maybe even the company’s industry.  Bottom line is that every company should be able to tell their story; one that the customer appreciates and wants to experience.

6 Social Media Customer Service Mistakes to Avoid by Nicole Fallon

(Business News Daily) Because social media as a customer service tool is still a relatively new concept, companies of all sizes are learning the ropes as they go, which can sometimes result in a negative experience for both brand and consumer.  Ashley Verrill of Software Advice listed six mistakes to avoid when interacting with customers on social media based on research by Software Advice.

My Comment: Nice article about social customer service.  So many articles tell us what to do.  This one shares info on what not to do.  Seems obvious, but sometimes the obvious is not so obvious.

5 Quick Tips For Lasting Customer Service by Eric Schiffer

(Fast Company) Stay a step ahead of the competition–and your customers–with these tips.

My Comment: Sometimes it’s the simple ideas and concepts that are most effective.  These are five tips that any company – and any person in any company – can use to create a better customer experience. 

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

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