Celebrate customers more frequently and less formally by Steve Curtin (Steve Curtin) Rather than pass out logoed pens and koozies to call attention to customer service for one week in October, why not place the spotlight on customer service daily? My Comment: As I read this article (again) it is the end of National Customer Service Week. Customer service enthusiasts will love these ideas. And I think all will agree that these great ideas will work for the other 51 weeks of the year, too! Would you drive all night for a customer? by Kelley Styring (LinkedIn) One of those bad situations turned into a customer service experience that went way beyond what I’d call “going the extra mile.” My Comment: I’m a sucker for a good taxi-cab story. This one is awesome. A great story and metaphor to emphasize how important it is to go the extra mile – or extra 1,400 miles for your customer! Why A Chief Customer Officer Is Integral To Your Company by Blake Morgan (Forbes) In the old days companies would differentiate their services with logistics or price. While some companies today differentiate on quality, customer experience remains the most competitive tool to differentiate that we have today. My Comment: More compelling reasons why companies need to have the Chief Customer Officer in place – or at least someone with similar responsibilities. And, really enjoyed the video that accompanied the article. Four Cornerstones that “Create the Conditions” for a Service Advantage by Gregg Baron LinkedIn) Your investment in increasing the probability of complete and total customer satisfaction is among the highest ROI strategies you can focus on. The question is how do you actually execute on this so it is both a sustainable and substantial advantage for your organization? My Comment: There is a lot that can go into creating a customer service initiative. It includes the culture, the system and the people. And, it helps to have a good way to track and measure success. 6 ways you can keep your best customers coming back for free by Matt Quinn (Sauce) What you do want to do is give or tell them something that makes them feel extra special. After all they are extra special to the success of your store. So with this all laid out, below are 6 of my favourite things you can give to your best customers for free. My Comment: You don’t have to be a retailer to make use of some (or all ) of the six ideas here. Great ways to create extra value for your best customers.