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. Customer Experience Matters Most When The Economy Is Doing […]
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.
Customer Experience Matters Most When The Economy Is Doing Well by News Staff
(Science 2.0) Unless you are part of the 1 percent with your stock portfolio climbing, you are probably not an American who factors your experience into which price you pay these days.
My Comment: When (economic) times are good, some companies can get a little too comfortable or complacent. Price becomes less sensitive to the customer, so the company may raise the price. That’s fine, but on the other side, you must keep up with the value proposition, which usually comes from the customer experience. I’ll argue that in tougher times when customers are more price sensitive, service becomes even more important to differentiate yourself from the competition. And, in good times, service becomes important to create the loyalty needed, so when times are tough again, the customer stays with you.
How to provide great customer service through social media by Daniel Scheltinga
(Startup Smart) Because the consumer—not the brand—wields the most power over a brand’s image on social media, the bottom line is that neglecting conversations that occur on sites like Facebook and Twitter can have staggering consequences.
My Comment: It still surprises me that more companies aren’t taking social media customer service more seriously. Once you discover a customer service issue via a social channel, it’s how you respond that not only wins back the customer, it also shows the rest of the customers “watching” how good you are.
How to Hire the Right People for Customer Service by Mary Shulzhenko
(Provide Support Blog) Do you agree that exceptional customer service begins with the hiring process? Having the right people on board to do the customer service job is the first step towards delivering outstanding customer service at your business.
My Comment: Once a company decides they want (or want to continue) to deliver excellent customer service, it becomes up to the people to execute. You can’t do it without the right people who have been properly trained to do so – and have a certain aptitude for customer service. This article is an excellent reminder of the basics we need to be thinking about when hiring people to fit into a customer-focused culture.
Customer Service as Product Experience by Tatiana Mejia
(Business2Community) To stay competitive and command a premium, brands need to sell a customer experience, not just a product. Customer service is at the heart of this effort. Increasingly, customer service is considered part of the brand promise, the product, and the marketing that helps sell it.
My Comment: This excellent article reminds us that customer experience is more than just customer service. To many customers, they mean the same thing. The best companies understand that a good product, by itself, isn’t the answer. And, great customer service won’t make up for a lousy product. It takes both.
Why I’m Going All-In On Customer Service by Joshua Steimle
(Forbes) If you’re selling lemonade and your neighbor starts selling lemonade as well, you’ve got to make yourself better by being different, otherwise you’ll split your revenues with your neighbor, at best.
My Comment: This is a great article that emphasizes three of the biggest benefits of delivering excellent service and maintaining a customer-focused culture: It’s your best marketing, it increases revenue and helps retain your best employees. Who, and what company, wouldn’t want to be “all in” with customer service?
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
Sign up for instant access to Shep’s research report on customer service and customer experience.
"*" indicates required fields
© 2023 Shepard Presentations, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Legal Information | Sitemap Legap
Site by: digitalONDA
