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Top 5 Customer Service Articles For the Week of July 11, 2016

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. “Oh when you smilin’, when you smilin’ The whole world smiles with you” – do […]

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.

“Oh when you smilin’, when you smilin’ The whole world smiles with you” – do happy customers = better customer experiences? by Ian Golding

(I J Golding) I make no secret of the fact that I am a fan of ‘old fashioned values’ in the delivery of great Customer Experiences. Championed by the most customer centric brands in the world, such as the Ritz Carlton, the importance yet simplicity of ‘pleases’ and ‘thank yous’ cannot be underestimated in the effect they can have on customers and the way they are made to feel in their daily interactions with organisations and their people. I have written about this subject in the past – yet I assure you this blog post is not a rehash of previous ramblings. I want to tackle the subject from the other way round – not employees or staff displaying politeness and good manners to customers, but customers doing exactly the same thing to employees.

My Comment: The old saying goes that the squeaky wheel gets the oil. That means the loud and complaining customer may get more attention than one who quietly and politely complaints. Unfortunate, but often true. Well, a friendly smile can also get the oil. This article is not about how a company gives better service with a smile, but how a customer gets better service with a smile.

Maritz Motivation Solutions: Six Questions to Ask Before Launching a Loyalty Program by PR Web

(Maritz Motivation Solutions) Maritz Motivation Solutions, a leader in providing consumer loyalty programs to US and global companies for more than 30 years, has released the Insider’s Guide to Customer Loyalty, providing insight and tips on loyalty programs for marketers and brands.

My Comment: While this is a press release put out by Maritz, it links to a free download of “The Insider’s Guide to Customer Loyalty.” Well worth your attention, especially if you have any type of customer loyalty program.

6 Quick Tips To Improve Every Customer Support Email You Send by Jack Plantin

(SupportYourApp) Working in customer support, it can be easy to forget the power that each email has to impact a customer’s experience after you’ve been writing them all day. Here are 6 tips that can help you write a perfect customer support email every time.

My Comment: Great article on how to properly use email for customer service. It continues to be a popular way for customers to interact/connect with companies, which is why you should pay close attention to these simple customer service email tips. I would also add a sixth tip, which is to act with urgency. If a customer emails us, it shouldn’t take five hours for us to respond. (Otherwise, I would have waited five hours to ask for help!)

Want Customer Loyalty? Don’t ‘Nickel-and-Dime’ Them by Tom Hoffman

(CustomerThink) One of the most infuriating things for customers is when they are hit with hidden or unexpected fees. Prime examples include being slapped with a double ATM fee for a cash withdrawal (the fee charged when you use an out-of-network ATM and then the penalty that your own bank imposes). Or when a hotel charges separate WiFi fees for each device that’s used. One of my favorites is the convenience fee that’s levied when ordering concert or other types of entertainment tickets online. On the flip side, consider the goodwill and loyalty that’s generated when a company provides assistance to a customer at no charge.

My Comment: I can’t stand it when a company “nickel and dimes” me with small extra charges. It erodes the customer experience and perception of the company. What small charges might your organization add to an invoice or check when a customer does business with you? Is the decision to charge for these “extras” a customer-focused or company-focused decision. This article will make you think about the extras you may or may be charging your customers.

The most important thing to know about customer experience competencies by Jeanne Bliss

(Customer Bliss) Customer experience work is often tremendously reactionary. Leaders are responding to the last round of surveys. That doesn’t work. The goal is to move past that and create an actual engine that drives growth and hits your business goals.

My Comment: Jeanne Bliss is one of the top CX experts. When she writes, I read. And, you should too. In this article she shares some ideas about customer experience competencies. I’m especially partial to the third competency, which has to do with listening.

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.

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