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Top 5 Customer Service Articles For the Week of October 15, 2012

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. Infographic: What makes customers stay loyal? by David Moth (Econsultancy) So what helps to drive […]

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.

Infographic: What makes customers stay loyal? by David Moth

(Econsultancy) So what helps to drive brand loyalty? This infographic from Zendesk shows that consumers rank quality (88%) and customer service (72%) as the two biggest drivers of loyalty.

My Comment: Want to know what drives customer loyalty?  Study this infographic from Zendesk.  It comes as no surprise that quality and service (in that order) drive loyalty.  However, you can’t have one without the other.  A great resource with fascinating information.

Mark Hurd on the Customer Revolution: Oracle’s Top 10 Insights by Bob Evans

(Forbes) Businesses that fail to focus on customer experience will hear a giant sucking sound from their vanishing profitability. Because in today’s dynamic global marketplace, consumers now hold the power in the buyer-seller equation, and sellers need to revamp their strategy for this new world order.

My Comment: Mark Hurd, president of Oracle, shares some valuable tips and reminders about how to deliver customer service, keep your customers loyal and eliminate customer churn. This is a great list of Hurd’s top ten insights about the “customer revolution” that is impacting every company – large or small.

The Myth of Customer Service By Rieva Lesonsky

(Small Business Trends) There’s a pervasive myth about customer service that, if you believe it, could have devastating consequences for your small business. It’s one you’ve probably heard dozens, if not hundreds, of times over the life of your business. The myth goes something like this: “Customer service is the most important thing your business can do”, or “Customer service is the one area where your business can distinguish itself from the big guys”, or “Customer service matters more than anything else.”

My Comment: No matter how good our customer service is, if the product or service you sell doesn’t do what it is supposed to do, the customer will go elsewhere.  This article emphasizes that customer service alone won’t make your customers happy and keep them from going to the competition.  It takes service and quality (product).  When you have both, it is a winning combination, where the sum is greater than its parts.

Four Things Field Techs Should Never, Ever Say by Darren Weiss

(SmartVan) When a service tech is called out to a job, something has probably already gone wrong. But the danger to your brand’s reputation doesn’t end there. Aside from failing to make the fix, there are a few absolute no-nos when it comes to things customers don’t want to hear.

My Comment: Great article, and I’m flattered that you used my comments. Thank you! These tips go beyond field techs showing up to someone’s house. Change the phrasing just a little, and you could be dealing with a customer contacting a call center, a guest at a restaurant, etc. This is a good lesson for everyone in virtually any business. What do your customers hate to hear?

How customer service stories can fire up your staff! by Christopher Brown

(Market Culture) One way to drive continued momentum is to hear stories of great customer service that inspire and motivate. Here are a couple of great videos from some Customer Service experts describing some of the experiences they have had and the impact it had on them.

My Comment: A great way to teach customer service, or virtually any business lesson, is by story. It’s much easier to relate to a business lesson if there is a practical example or case study to go along with it. This article has some great customer service videos from YouTube. Watch these and other videos you find on YouTube to learn – and teach – valuable business lessons.

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.

(Copyright ©MMXII, Shep Hyken)

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