5 Top Customer Service Articles For the Week of September 19, 2016

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.

The Customer Service Strategies Behind Zappos’s Success by Sharpen

(Sharpen) The power behind the Zappos brand and majority of their success is attributed to the power of fantastic customer service, which is often overlooked as a sales strategy.

My Comment: It’s been a while since I’ve read an article about Zappos and their amazing service. This one came into my inbox and it is a great one. There is so much we can learn from Zappos and Tony Hsieh. This article is filled with comments about the company’s culture, empowering employees and much more.

10 Tips For Making Customers Feel Welcome by Richard R. Shapiro

(TCFCR) Here are my ten tips for making customers feel welcome.

My Comment: Here is a great article with ten tips that will not only make customers feel welcome (as the title indicates), but are good customer service strategies overall. While you may be familiar with some of the tips on the list, there are a few that have a different twist. My favorite is the first one, which is to “Give customers hope.” Your words can make a customer feel as if they have called or come to the right place. Simple yet, very powerful.

How to Avoid Creating a Negative Culture of Cynicism and Sabotage by Tracy Maylett

(Switch and Swift) Some employers fall victim to scare-tactic polls that report 80 percent of employees are either running for the exits, job hunting, or sabotaging their businesses from within as a result of a negative culture. On the other by, there are employees who’ve become jaded in the wake of “engagement” projects that are insulting, inauthentic, inept, or all of the above.

My Comment: Most companies that are known for their excellent customer service are also known for their excellent employee culture. This article takes a look at the inside of the organization, and how an improved culture can increase productivity, reduce turnover, enhance customer service and more. Happier (fulfilled and engaged) employees can mean a better experience for your customers.

To Boost Customer Service, Wow Your Primary Customers—Your Employees by S. Chris Edmonds

(CRM) The key to consistent, caring customer relationships is a purposeful, positive, productive culture.

My Comment: Just after I read the article by Tracy Maylett on how to avoid creating a negative culture in your organization, I came across this excellent article that proves the importance of focusing on your “primary customer” – your employees. The author writes that the key to consistent, caring customer relationships is a purposeful, positive, productive culture. And, then he proves it.

Are customer service chatbots full of chit? by Suzie Blaszkiewicz

(GetApp) Chatbot. No, it’s not a 21st-century nickname for your friend who won’t stop talking. A chatbot, short for ‘chatterbot’, is the latest revived craze among tech experts and businesses looking to use cutting edge technology to get a leg up on the competition.

My Comment: Chatbots are a hot topic in customer service. This is the text box that pops up on a website that allows you to interact with the company. You can ask questions about the products, get support and more. You might even think you’re dealing with a person, but you’re actually interacting with a computer. Is this good or bad technology? Does using chatbot technology make it better for the company or the customer? I’ll let you decide. (Personally, I think it’s good when a company invests in the right system.) After reading this article, you’ll have an even better understanding of this powerful technology and why it’s growing in popularity.

Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, professional speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information contact or www.hyken.com. For information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs go to www.thecustomerfocus.com. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken 

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