Top 5 Customer Service Articles For the Week of December 25, 2017

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.

A Customer Service Christmas Story by Shep Hyken

(Customer Service Blog) A few years back I shared a story about an Ace Hardware manager who really went above and beyond for his customer. The story was about a Christmas tree and, during the holiday season, I can’t think of a better story to tell to illustrate an example of amazing customer service.

My Comment: Today is Christmas… So, Merry Christmas, and for those that don’t celebrate Christmas, Happy Holidays! For this first article for this week’s Top Five, I’m going to “break a rule” and go back to 2011 when I wrote an article about an amazing Christmas customer service story. So, on this Christmas day, I hope you enjoy this article and it brings joy to your heart.

The Secret Behind Great Customer Service: One Thing You Must Do by Rieva Lesonsky

(Small Business Trends) In reality, it may be easier than you think to win over shoppers as long as you can deliver on the key factor that creates an exceptional customer experience: quickly responding to customer problems with knowledgeable assistance.

My Comment: The title of this article caught my eye. It included the word “Secret” and “One Thing You Must Do.” Who doesn’t want to know the secret, let alone the “one thing” I must do? What is the secret? It’s really quite simple. Quickly respond to customer’s problems.

6 tips to hone your support superpowers by Amanda Roosa

(Zendesk) To hone your support superpowers, here are 6 tips to keep top of mind when offering customer support, from your very own support heroes at Zendesk.

My Comment: I always appreciate an article that is full of common sense ideas that any company in any industry can use. And, that’s what we have here. Six common sense ideas – that I wish were more common. All are worthy of your consideration.

How to Respond to Customers on Social Media by Tue Søttrup

(Dixa) In this article, I’ll first give you some of my own recommendations for how to respond to customers on social media as well as how to handle negative customer reviews on sites like Trustpilot, TripAdvisor and Yelp.

My Comment: Here is a great article that reminds us of how to respond to customers on social media. In short, respond quickly, if there is a problem, say you’re sorry and accept responsibility. And, even if the customer is not right, he or she has the right to be heard and understood.

The Future of Customer Experience Revolves Around Mobile by Jim Tierney

(Loyalty 360) Customer experience is the key differentiator among loyalty marketers and mobile currently plays and will continue to play, a starring role in its evolution, according to Krish Mantripragada, Chief Product Officer, Medallia.

My Comment: Just about everyone has a mobile phone, and the interesting thing is that, for many, the phone is the least used feature on this modern device. This is an interview with Krish Mantripragada of Medallia, who explains why the future of customer experience is in mobile.

Customer Experience: Your Customer Data Is Limitless, and So Is Its Value by Barton Goldenberg

(destinationCRM) Your company can either navigate the digital deluge or be swamped by it.

My Comment: I started this Top Five list with one of my own articles, a Christmas customer service story. That one doesn’t really count for the Top Five list, so here is number five, an article that focuses on the very hot topic of data. The ability to collect data, and properly use it, is a marketing and customer experience game changer.

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.