Top 5 Customer Service Articles For the Week of August 31, 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.

Your Million Dollar Smile by Rupesh Patel

(LinkedIn) Show me your million dollar smile (or dare I say Billion). And I’m not just talking in the figurative sense. Your smile can literally bring your business (hotel) millions in potential revenue.

My Comment: A smile may seem basic, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t important. It is extremely important and we must all be reminded of just how important it is. Rupesh Patel owns a restaurant and shares how a smile works “magic” in his business – and how it can in your business, too.

Why Innovation Must Build from Your Customer Experience by Peter Cena

(Kapost) Innovation isn’t just another buzzword. It isn’t a “service” or even a “job”—it’s a way of existence. I’m talking about natural selection in the form of digital Darwinism coming for us all. Companies must adapt or die.

My Comment: As I read this article I couldn’t help but think about how some companies have pushed the envelope to deliver a better, different and even somewhat disruptive kind of customer service. It also reminded me of a little bit of the Steve Jobs philosophy. Our customers have problems they don’t even know about. So, let’s figure out what they are and create a customer experience like they have never imagined.

3 Common Ways Customers Make Decisions by Colin Shaw

(LinkedIn) The following three areas play a large role in Customer decisions making and must be understood to understand your Customer behaviour and move to the next level of Customer Experience.

My Comment: If we know how our customers make decisions, we can not only create products that better meet their needs/wants, we can be more effective in the sales process and we can give them a better customer experience.  I read this article twice.

Why Customer Experience in Digital Banking Matters by Connect Media Consulting

(Connect Media Consulting) Despite all the technology we have at our fingertips, a bank is still judged by one of the oldest standards known – the quality of customer experience offered.  How bank employees treat customers remains one of the most important yardsticks that people use to rank a business, and that means banks need to balance this traditional element with new technological developments.

My Comment: This is a customer service article about banks. I’m willing to bet that just about all of have a bank account. So, we can relate to the ideas shared in this article. You don’t have to be in the banking business to see just how important customer service is to virtually any customer in any industry.

These 6 Companies Are Boosting Growth by Delighting Customers by Sujan Patel

(Entrepreneur) If you’re serious about your future success and the growth of your business, you have to focus just as much on service as on sales. Here are a few companies boosting growth by investing in customer delight to help inspire you to greatness.

My Comment: I love mini case studies to illustrate how companies are successful – in this case, successful through masterful customer service. This article features six outstanding companies we can learn from.  And, each uses customer service in its own way to create and ensure their success.

Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops at www.Hyken.com. Connect with Shep on LinkedIn.