Top 5 Customer Service Articles For the Week of September 15, 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.

DiGiorno Is Really, Really Sorry About Its Tweet Accidentally Making Light of Domestic Violence Reminder to always check the context on hashtags By David Griner

(AdWeek) DiGiorno Pizza has become one of the top brands on Twitter thanks to its quick wit and good ear for real-time conversations, but one careless tweet last night put that reputation at risk.

My Comment: Social media is a powerful customer service tool. However, sometimes a company can make a mistake. Digiorno Pizza is a great case study about how respond and turn around a major blunder. Kudos to Digiorno for stepping up, taking responsibility and restoring the confidence of their customers.

Leadership Lessons From Walt Disney: Perfecting the Customer Experience by Bruce Jones

(Disney Institute) At Disney Institute, we were recently reflecting on the phrase, “simple is the new smart,” and it reminded us of a leadership philosophy we share with our clients and training program attendees – keep it simple so that everyone understands.

My Comment: Walt Disney’s leadership lessons seem to always be focused on employees and the guest/customer experience.  It’s not a coincidence!  The root of any company’s customer experience starts at the top with leadership defining and getting the company to execute on the vision and strategy. Disney is a case study on the connection between leadership and the customer experience.

3 Mind Blowing Tips for Delighting Your Customers by Susan Tucker

(Get Susan Marketing) There are four pillars to the inbound marketing methodology: attract, convert, close and delight. When thinking about growing your business, it’s easy to focus on the first three. Who doesn’t want more business? But, did you know it actually costs 6-7x MORE to acquire a new customer than it does to keep a current customer?

My Comment: When it comes to customer service, common sense is not always so common. Yet if (when) anyone reads this article they will not only say this is common sense, they will also say this is simple. Don’t let the simplicity fool you. Sometimes simple is powerful. The ideas in this article should be considered by every company.

Businesses Like McDonald’s And Sears Are Getting Complacent — Here’s Why It’s A Problem by Fran Tarkenton

(Business Insider) All the stereotypes we associate with Big Government can just as easily be applied to Big Business. And increasingly (and unfortunately), those same traits can also be applied to Small Business. I want to talk about how we can change that.

My Comment: Fran Tarkenton reminds us of how some of the problems in bigger businesses are potential problems for small business, too. I think they apply to just about any business. And Billy, the 14-year-old, is a great example of the type of engaged employee every business would like to have.

What Customer Service People Really Wish They Could Say to You by Sajeel Qureshi   

(Huff Post Business Canada) Here’s a few things a support person wants to tell you, but can’t.

My Comment: This article is a fun look at what customer service reps would like to say to “certain” customers in confrontational situations. The explanation behind what causes CSR’s to feel this way are worth using as examples in a training class.

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