5 Top Customer Service Articles For The Week Of July 14, 2014
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.
10 Ways to Convert More Customers Using Psychology by Gregory Ciotti
(Help Scout) This resource includes 10 studies that reveal such insights into the minds of your customers.
My Comment: Love this article! Here are solid suggestions, using psychology, to deliver a better, value-added customer experience.
A Well-Trained Staff Shows at Marriott Courtyard Pioneer Square by Adam Toporek
(Customers That Stick) Now, I’ve stayed at a number of Marriott Courtyards over the years, but none have ever stood out for sheer service excellence like the Pioneer Square location in Seattle.
My Comment: This is a great customer service story. The initial communication (a reservation) was a good enough experience to get the business. However after that, it was how the entire experience that came from multiple employees in varied responsibilities that garnered the accolades in this article. Had one person in the chain of events or interactions not delivered at the same level, it would have potentially destroyed the entire experience.
The Inseparable Connection Between Customer Service and Sales by Ian Altman
(Grow My Revenue) Every situation is a learning experience. Here are 4 key takeaways you can apply to interactions with your customers.
My Comment: I’ve always believed that everyone is in customer service. It’s a philosophy, not a department. Some job responsibilities are more “customer-facing” than others. Sales is one of those extreme customer-facing responsibilities. My mantra is to “Sell with Service.” Customer service doesn’t just happen after the sale. It also happens before and during the sale. The four ideas shared in this article, while focusing on a call center agent’s desire to retain (or sell) the customer on staying with the company, can be applied to just about anybody trying to promote a company or a product.
Measure The ROI Of Customer Loyalty Marketing With These 5 Key Metrics by Lauren Licata
(Business2Community) Today, digital customer loyalty marketing platforms make it easy for us as marketers and business owners to attract and retain loyal customers and to understand their value.
My Comment: The saying goes, “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” Customer loyalty has been difficult to measure for many businesses because there isn’t just one way to do so. This article shares five ways to measure loyalty with a simplistic explanation. (And, I like simplicity!) While not all five may apply to every type of business, at least one or two will.
7 Tips for Getting Good Customer Support on Twitter by Rafe Needleman
(Yahoo Tech) Here’s Frank Eliason’s advice on how customers — you and I — can use Twitter effectively.
My Comment: While this article is written for a customer who wants to tweet about a problem, complaint or question, it shows just how important and powerful Twitter is to the customer service world. More and more customers are recognizing that social media channels are a way to be heard. A company would much rather avoid public recognition for its flaws. Perhaps this will cause more companies to not only monitor the social channels, but also improve their customer service to avoid the public embarrassment for delivering a poor experience.
Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, professional speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information contact (314)692-2200 or www.hyken.com. For information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs go to http://www.thecustomerfocus.com. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken
(Copyright ©MMXIV, Shep Hyken)
The post 5 Top Customer Service Articles For The Week Of July 14, 2014 appeared first on Shep Hyken.
