5 Top Customer Service Articles for the Week of April 13, 2015

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.

10 Customer Service Tips from the Transportation Industry by The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center

(The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center) The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center spoke to some of our past clients in the aviation and automotive industries and asked how they provide outstanding service for their customers. They kindly shared their most effective customer service tips.

My Comment: When the Ritz-Carlton shares great tips from other industries, you have to pay attention. Here are ten universal customer service tips that will work for just about any organization. Two of my favorites from the list are number two, which is “Practice Anticipatory Service” and number five, which is to “Invite Interaction.”

Customer Loyalty Month Special: 10 Great Tips To Foster Customer Loyalty by Lavanya Donthamshetty

(HappyFox) April is Customer Loyalty Month, tweeted Shep Hyken a few days back. I have to say, till then, I never realised we have a whole month dedicated to Customer Loyalty and all that it entailed.  One month to appreciate the continuing loyalty and one month for a whole bunch of lessons in this so vital ingredient in any organisation’s success story! And what a better way to kick off the learning than by seeing what the great and the good have written?

My Comment: Customer Loyalty Month is the month of April. We’re just about half-way through it, and I ran across this great article with ten tips from other customer service and relationship experts.

6 New Ways to Celebrate Customer Wins by Jonathan Hinz

(1to1 Media) Try these tips to show your customers you care and stand out from the competition.

My Comment: Most organizations try and sell the customer a product, but the best sell the customer a solution. They know their customers’ ”goals.”  That’s the first of six great tips from Jonathan Hinz, who writes on how to show your customers you care.

4 Tips to Forge Winning Client Relationships for the Long-Term by Gabrey Means & Cassie Hughes

(Entrepreneur) No matter what industry you’re in, the following 4 principles provide a great foundation for creating long and beautiful partnerships.

My Comment: Sales and service are closely linked. I want to do business with, as the old adage goes, with people I know, like and trust. I enjoyed reading this article and the tips about how to be more customer-focused and less sales-focused (which should lead to more sales).

What is Culture? How People Think, Believe, and Act by Bruce Temkin

(Customer Experience Matters) I often say that the customer experience your organization delivers is a reflection of your culture and operating processes. In other words, what customers experience outside is based on what’s going on inside. To consistently differentiate your customer experience, you need to transform your culture.

My Comment: This excellent article can be summed up in the first sentence, which states that the customer experience your organization delivers is a reflection of your culture and operating processes. The creation of that culture starts with leadership defining and communicating their vision for the culture. From there people are trained and the culture is put into action. Done correctly, the result is a better place to work, more engaged employees and happier customers.

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