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

Hire a Team of Ruths by John Boccuzzi, Jr.

(LinkedIn) Hiring a team of Ruths could be one the most important things you do for your retail location(s) this year.

My Comment: I think we’d all like to have a woman like Ruth on our team. She gets it. She makes her customers feel special. She pays attention to them, creates confidence with her knowledge and expertise and she knows how to provide value. As some might say, “She’s a triple threat!” At least to the competition.

Customer Journey Maps – the Top 10 Requirements (Revisited) by Jim Tincher

(Heart of the Customer) Two years ago I posted Customer Journey Map – the Top 10 Requirements. Since then, it’s been viewed over 60,000 times at this site, as well as many times on other sites. After a little more than two years I decided to revisit it. While the core philosophy remains consistent, we’ve made a few small tweaks and brought in some new examples.

My Comment: I’m a big advocate of my clients creating a customer journey map. This article has a number of good ideas about how to create a journey map for any organization’s customers. Definitely worth consideration.

Seven Questions With Customer Strategy Expert Jeanne Bliss by Blake Morgan

(Forbes) Did you know some of the best companies in the world have Chief Customer Officers? These are board appointed roles who have the ability to create and drive customer strategy across the company, unencumbered by boundaries or traditional silos of business units.

My Comment: I’m a big Jeanne Bliss fan. When she talks, I listen, take notes and then execute. Great interview with some insights to the importance of the customer experience. And, I’m looking forward to reading her newest book, “Chief Customer Officer 2.0.”

Why customer love matters: Inspiring quotes from 9 business leaders by Kelvin Claveria

(Vision Critical) Showing customers the love and respect they deserve has never been more critical. In the age of mobile, cloud and social technologies, customers have more choices than ever. They have louder voices. And they have more opportunities to amplify their message.

My Comment: Here are nine inspiring quotes that should motivate you to show your customers the love and respect they deserve.

 10 Most Common Customer Service Failures by Manuel Grenacher

(LinkedIn) Many other companies suffer from the same common problems that frequently upset customers or that lead to customer complaints. If you want to delight your customers, avoid these customer service failures.

My Comment: Great list of what NOT to do if you want to deliver a great customer service experience. As much as we can learn from the best of the best, we can also learn from the worst.

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