5 Top Customer Service Articles For the Week of June 22, 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.

Why You Should Treat Your Employees Like Your Most Loyal Customers by Sarah Patterson

(Fast Company) It’s time for companies to think longer and harder about employee satisfaction. One way to do this is with technology.

My Comment: This article is spot on. For a company to become customer-focused, they must first be employee-focused. The best companies (as this article points out) have done just that. I’ve always said, what’s happening on the inside of an organization is felt on the outside by the customer. Treat your employees the way you want your customers treated – maybe even better.

How Social Media Has Forever Changed Customer Service by Jodi Bart Holzband

(Bloomfire) Social media enables companies to foster positive relationships by meeting consumers where they live.

My Comment: Social customer service is a hot topic these days. Most companies haven’t embraced it, and most of those that have just see it as a way to react to customers complaints. There is so much more to it than that, and as this article points out, companies must embrace this opportunity to enhance the value and relationship the company has with its customers.

How to live happily ever after with your customers by Olga Kolodynska

(LiveChat) But along the way, it’s easy for a customer to be amazed by the competition and try their service. For you, it means that once somebody buys a product, that’s when your hard work begins. Falling in love is the easiest part of any relationship. Maintaining it, that’s a different story. So, what do you do to keep your customers engaged over the years?

My Comment: Part of delivering a great customer experience is the connection you make with your customers. One of the more powerful strategies is personalization.  This article has some great examples of how to create the connection we want to have with our customers, and that we hope customers want to have with us.

Spend time in the field and get a customer service education by Ron Kaufman

My Comment: This short article has several ideas, but the concept of the support center getting out from behind a desk and going into the field is what stands out for me. It makes a connection between support, what’s happening in the field, and the customer.

The 3 Secrets To An Exceptional Customer Experience by Idit Aloni Halfon

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.