Crowdsourcing can be an interesting way to get ideas.
For example, ICMI hosted it's Contact Center Demo and Conference in Las Vegas this week. Vee Rose used the conference hashtag to tweet a request for customer service leadership book and podcast recommendations.
It's been awhile since I compiled a list of my favorites, so I decided to write this post in response.
Books for Customer Service Leaders
Full disclosure: I've added affiliate links to each book's Amazon page, which means TPS gets a referral fee for each purchase. These are all books I've read and thoroughly enjoy.
Uncommon Service Frances Frei and Anne Morriss make a compelling case that a company can't be great at everything, so customer service leaders must make difficult decisions about where to focus and build on strength.
Amaze Every Customer Every Time Any book by Shep Hyken is bound to be interesting and useful. This one in particular focuses on ways that Ace Hardware developed a strong service culture. Hyken explains how service leaders can implement each of these tools in their own organizations.
Winning at Social Customer Care Dan Gingiss wrote this excellent playbook on how to run a social customer care operation. He draws from experience at organizations like Discover and Humana and is currently the Senior Director of Global Social Media at McDonald's.
Strategic Customer Service John Goodman (the customer service guru, not the actor) is responsible for the famous statistic about angry customers telling 10 friends. He brings a refreshing, data-driven approach to help service leaders understand what really moves the needle.
Kaleidoscope The latest book from Chip Bell is fun. It's packed with wonderful stories and ideas for innovative service. Look closely and you'll see that Bell reveals a clever strategy. Going the extra mile is unsustainable while being unique can set your business apart.
The Service Culture Handbook This is my own book. I wrote it to provide leaders with a step-by-step guide they could use to get their employees obsessed with customer service. There are many contact center examples plus profiles of other leading companies.
Podcasts for Customer Service Leaders
CallTalk A podcast about contact centers! Bruce Belfiore and his guests cover a wealth of topics related to contact center customer service and experience. Belfiore is the CEO and Senior Research Analyst at BenchmarkPortal, and he makes his living studying contact centers.
The Net Promoter System Podcast Rob Markey conducts in-depth and insightful interviews with customer service leaders who use the Net Promoter System (NPS) to better understand their customers and drive continuous improvement.
Crack the Customer Code Adam Toporek and Jeannie Walters host a wide variety of customer service and customer experience experts on their podcast. Both are accomplished experts and consultants who frequently supply their own numerous insights.
Amazing Business Radio Shep Hyken brings his signature enthusiasm for customer service to this series featuring interesting and fun conversations with customer service leaders. Hyken is one of the tops in our field and always worth listening to!
Frank Reactions Tema Frank hosts this podcast where she and her guests discuss the intersection of the digital era and technology in customer service. Her message really resonates with me as someone who is constantly striving to help employees do their best.
Blogs for Customer Service Leaders
Though this wasn't part of the request, here are a few blogs I regularly read: