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. Why loyalty tiers no longer rank by Bryan Pearson […]
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.
Why loyalty tiers no longer rank by Bryan Pearson
(Retail Customer Experience) For a lot of loyalty program members today, getting to gold is a treasure hunt, and only the program operator holds the map.
My Comment: People join loyalty programs with the idea that they might get a discount or perk for being a part of the program. Unless they quickly see value, which typically means they return to do business, it is a wasted effort. The problem is that many companies confuse a true loyalty program with a marketing program. This article has some great thoughts on how to get more participation.
Amazon.com, L.L.Bean, Lands’ End Named Customer Service Champions by Pam Goodfellow
(Forbes) As many a marketer will likely attest, too often in today’s retail environment consumers’ final decision in the buyer process comes down one little five letter word: price. Shoppers, armed with their mobile devices, maintain a direct connection to the best deals, promotions, coupons, and offers with just a tap of their fingers, many times giving shoppers an intelligence edge over retailers competing for those buying dollars. In this age of smart consumerism, what’s a retailer to do?
My Comment: Congratulations to the Prosper’s new list of Customer Service Champions. The names on the list don’t surprise me at all. What I appreciate about this article that it not only tells us who the companies are, it shares why customers rate them so high. And, even though the list consists of retailers, we can take away lessons that apply to almost any industry.
Culture Essentials for Uplifting Leaders! by Tal Shnall
(Leadership Cafe) What makes a company’s culture a vibrant place for creativity, passion, enthusiasm and inspiring purpose? How did you feel when you worked in a place where people felt energized and fully committed to excellence?
My Comment: It takes an engaged and fulfilled workforce to deliver an amazing customer experience. This starts with the culture, which is defined by leadership. If you get that right, it’s felt on the outside by the customer.
Selling customer service by Jordan Lindberg
(PracticalEcommerce) The first half of the year is a good time to review your customer service policies and procedures, and to reinforce the importance of your service orientation with everyone at your company.
My Comment: Great tips here; Empower employees, communicate with customers the way they like to communicate, fix problems with urgency, be genuine and empathize. These are the ingredients of a good customer service culture – one that is less operations-focused and very much customer-focused.
Proactive vs Reactive Customer Service by Peter Rabbage
(Business2Community) 5 key steps to implementing an effective proactive customer service approach.
My Comment: The best companies practice proactive service. Think in terms of the server at a restaurant that doesn’t wait for the water glass to be empty before filling it. The idea of proactive service can separate you from your competition, give you a reason to engage with your customer and give the customer a reason to want to come back (also known as loyalty).
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 tohttp://www.thecustomerfocus.com. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken
(Copyright ©MMXIV, Shep Hyken)
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