Lowering prices may be the traditional method to ensure customer retention, but research shows that the values and practices behind a company may be just as important to...
Businesses that want to venture into the mobile customer service apps space to improve customer contacts face many challenges in getting their customers to actually use these...
Online shopping made speed and convenience the most important aspects of the customer experience. Now that fast delivery and unlimited variety are the norm, customers are...
Airlines are making waves in the American media — and not in a good way. United Airlines made headlines with incidents of banning girls wearing leggings and a poor customer...
Listening to complaining customers and negative feedback all day long can poorly impact any customer service representative. If you don't make an effort to remain positive at...
The Internet of Things continues to change the American landscape, from connected refrigerators that know when your milk expires to sensors that tell factory machines when a...
A customer service nightmare can feel impossible to overcome, particularly when it goes viral or tarnishes your public image. Whether you're dealing with a small-scale snafu or...
Gone are the days when businesses could get away with selling poor-quality products or providing subpar service. The internet gives customers a powerful voice, which they can...
You want to do everything you possibly can to keep your company safe from harm. That includes maintaining a positive sentiment for your company. Part of that effort includes...
The way your company responds to an upset customer can either strengthen or sabotage the relationship. By training service department workers and other customer-facing staff...
In saturated marketplaces, it can be difficult for businesses to gain the competitive edge. Unless your company is fortunate to have proprietary ownership over a specific...
Approaching customer service as a "yes" or "no" situation drives away people who look to your company for fair solutions. Customers know nothing about the politics behind your...
Great customer service doesn't just happen in any organization. It's the role of leadership to build the framework in which customer service is a priority for employees....
Reducing customer effort for your company does several things for your bottom line. That's why your customer service numbers are so important when it comes to measuring how...
Customer service experts gathered in 2017 at the sixth annual Customer Experience Professionals Association Insight Exchange in Phoenix. These experts talked about trends in...
Customer loyalty is hard to earn and easy to lose. Consumers have many choices, and they quickly move on when products and services don't meet their expectations. Customer...
With competitors large and small disrupting almost every industry, smart brands are rethinking the customer experience to earn more market share. Businesses that want to drive...
Understanding the customer experience is a critical component of a successful business. Thanks to the proliferation of big data, companies have even more ways to evaluate how...
Some organizations believe the key to success is pouring more and more money into operations, using new technology and implementing expensive improvements that drive down the...
Customer surveys have been around a while, but their efficacy is still strong. The key is to use the information you collect. Customers want to know their voices are being...
These days, good customer service isn't enough to keep customers loyal and coming back. Today's customer expects consistency from all aspects of a company's customer service...
Chatbots may be the key to delivering fast, consistent customer support, but only if they can win over skeptics. Automation has a bad reputation for adding hurdles to the...
In customer service, a repeat customer is golden. That's because it takes less money and less energy to keep a repeat customer coming back than it does to attract a new one....
Gone are the days when a friendly smile and good prices were all you needed to keep buyers satisfied. Today, meeting customer service expectations is just as important. Social...
A killer knowledge base is essential to a healthy, successful business. With effective company knowledge management, an organization can capture, retain and share information...
Customer feedback is essential for determining how customers feel about your products or services. It also gives you insight into what your competitors do extremely well and...
Thanks to the Internet, social media and feedback requests printed on retail receipts, companies have tons of opportunities to seek answers from consumers. To avoid bombarding...
Customer experience can easily make or break a business, which is why many organizations are beginning to invest in dedicated customer experience management. Here are a few key...
You're likely already familiar with the roles of Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Chief Information Officer (CIO) in a business, but what about...
For many businesses, social media is no longer an optional customer service tool. As more companies jump on the Twitter and Facebook service bandwagon, customers come to expect...
Customercentricity — designing all elements of a company to better serve the customer — can be a transformative business practice. Whether you sell to other businesses or...
Buyer personas have long been a way for businesses to understand customers and make informed marketing, development and sales decisions. With the rapid introduction of personal...
Good customer service blends the efficiency of your staff with convenient technological tools and delivers results that make your customers happy. You don't want to spend too...
Building customer loyalty helps your business on two fronts. First, you have a steady stream of regular sales from a group of people who truly value your products or services....
To retain active customers and attract new ones, businesses must stay on top of the latest customer service trends and commit to providing the best customer service possible....
As the millennial age group grows to become the largest generation both domestically and internationally, it is more important than ever for businesses to implement customer...
Although "customer service" and "customer support" are often used interchangeably, the two terms are definitely different. The primary goal of both customer service and...
One of the most effective customer service strategies relies on gathering client feedback and incorporating it into future actions. Your client base matters, and taking their...
Customer service is the backbone of any organization. Good customer service keeps clients coming back for more, but it only takes one bad experience to send loyal customers to...
A customer intelligent company designs its operations around the customer. Each interaction, from a quick viewing of the website to a service department call, is engineered to...
What do companies such as Virgin Airlines and Ritz-Carlton have in common? Loyal customers. Behind the remarkable customer loyalty these companies experience is a commitment to...
Delivering bad news is an inevitable part of the job for customer service agents, and the language you use can play a big role in how customers receive the information. Certain...
What happens when you decide to take a closer look at the expectations your customers and clients have with regards to your company? Managing customer expectations is one way...
If your company is dismissing negative reviews, it could be detrimental to your success. Customer service strategies drive consumers to either praise your business or publicize...
For modern businesses, great customer service is more important than ever before. After all, with the tap of a screen, customers can share good and bad experiences instantly...
The act of providing good customer service used to be as simple as being helpful and friendly to customers and handling the occasional phone call or visit from an upset or...
When you think customer service, you probably imagine a salesman meeting with clients or a phone representative offering after-the-sale support to a customer. An example that...
Dissatisfaction with customer service is a recurring experience for most consumers, who often feel frustrated by inconsistent and indifferent responses from support staff....
Your firm's marketing plan must focus heavily on its target audience to successfully serve customers and attract new clients. With advanced technology, customer service...
Customer loyalty is the foundation of most strong businesses, and building loyalty requires an excellent customer service team. Your clients' customer service experience is...
Social media can be a godsend for a customer service department. Each conversation is fast, informal and visible to other customers who might be having a similar problem. Like...
Customer satisfaction scores are an often-used key performance indicator for many retailers and brands to gauge how customers view products and enjoy the overall transaction....
Customers and clients have increasing amounts of choice in today's marketplace, and the key elements that attract or retain your customers are great customer service and a bond...
Workers are generally required to act professionally towards all customers, which isn't always easy. Dealing with angry customers is a challenging and sometimes scary aspect of...
Good customer service requires a healthy mix of both hard and soft skills. Operational customer service skills, such as working a cash register or processing a return, are...
Customer expectations continue to increase as technology advances, and business owners must meet these expectations to compete and retain customers. Satisfy customers and...
Instead of calling a hotline or shooting off a quick email, today's customers are likely to contact companies on social media with their questions and complaints. Social media...
Recent trends in customer service point to different ways of doing things that do not necessarily involve having to pick up a phone to call someone at a company. While several...
Companies often experiment with customer service strategies to better meet the needs of their clients while also streamlining internal processes. While tapping into social...
A company is only as good as its customer support team, who should be skilled to masterfully handle service responsibilities as staffers deftly reassure loyal consumers having...
Client engagement is the ultimate goal of customer service, but with the digital age booming, the risk of losing sight of how to better serve customers is slowly becoming a...
The customer experience can make or break your company. While a great experience instills confidence and trust, and keeps customers coming back for more, a negative one can...
Consumers and companies alike believe the future of customer service lies in some kind of self-service solution that streamlines the process of solving a problem. Instead of...
The classic struggle of human versus machine plays out in customer service every single day. As technology makes customer interaction more automated, a self-service customer...
Consumers are attracted to companies and retailers based on products and services, but they are retained and transformed into loyal customers with quality customer service...
Exceptional customer service is the cornerstone to keeping repeat customers and the way to expand your customer base through word-of-mouth advertising. Therefore, you must have...
It's no secret that technology has significantly affected how businesses operate. You know that customer service strategies must embrace social media to better serve your...
With its high-visibility conversations and real-time interactions, Twitter can be a useful tool for customer service. When done correctly, customer service tweets can resolve...
Thanks to the Internet, businesses face a highly competitive online marketplace to try to win customers. This same technology also creates opportunities for companies to add...
Technology trends have significantly impacted customer service strategies. As businesses look ahead, though, the push for self-service and mobile access is driving the...
Dealing with customer complaints is difficult, but negative feedback can actually help your company achieve greater success. Not only can the complaint help you fix a business...
Whether you sit behind a desk and answer phones or stand at the front lines of a counter in a brick-and-mortar store, a customer service career entails a lot of hard work...
The best companies in the world evolve concepts of customer service, price and value into an overall paradigm known as the customer experience. This way of thinking takes into...
The key to gaining a competitive edge in any industry is to treat your customers well. It's no secret that the retention rate of your client base depends heavily on your...
Your customer service staff is the backbone of your business. Make sure your employees have the tools and resources they need to answer consumer questions, supply clients with...
In order to stay competitive, it is essential for companies to tailor their services to their targeted audiences. Customer service strategies must be in line with what your...
The internal dynamics of your company affects the quality of your customer service and how clients perceive your business. Every interaction with your staff gives customers a...
Fortune 500 companies know that good customer service is a cornerstone of a successful business, and their customer-focused strategies prove it. Smaller businesses may have the...
Good customer service never goes out of style, no matter how much the trends for this aspect of your business change over the years. Treating your customers the right way leads...
Businesses must keep up with current trends to provide the best customer service. The service you provide significantly impacts profitability and customer retention. Know how...
Focusing on customer service is an essential tool in growing your business. However, as customers become more demanding, it can be challenging to satisfy every single request....
A key element of successful customer service is to keep the client happy and satisfied. The phrase, "the customer is always right" still rings true, but changes to how...
The millennial generation — people born from around 1982 to 2004 — expect a certain level of customer service when interacting with a business or workplace. These people...
For many businesses, the month of December brings increased traffic and higher sales numbers, along with a tougher workload for customer service employees. Whether you're...
There are many ways to gauge customer satisfaction, from tracking complaints to calculating service scores for each employee. Unfortunately, compiling data takes a lot of time,...
Consumers seek to deal with businesses who are focused on fast and efficient customer service. Your company's growth and success depends on your ability to satisfy, recruit and...
How you phrase a response to a person on the other end of the line may make all the difference when it comes to managing a phone call from a concerned customer. Saying the...
As customers grow increasingly attached to online communication, the age of the service call center is drawing to a close. Instead, many customer service departments are...
Even the most successful companies would be nothing without their customers. In recent years, customer expectations have changed due to technological advances, and many...
In this day and age, many people have come to expect poor customer service from the companies with which they interact. This is unfortunate, as excellent customer service...
Customer service is an important part of any successful business model. If it's good, you retain loyal customers. If it's bad, the negative repercussions can make a serious...
Excellent customer service practices are crucial to any business' success and longevity. As modern technology changes the way customers and businesses interact with each other,...
The first step toward achieving good customer service is realizing that complaint-free transactions do not automatically equal happy customers. Customer complaints are often...
For businesses that seek loyal, long-term buyers, trust is one of the most important parts of the customer relationship. When you create trust, you make customers feel secure...
Over the last 20 years, customer service has expanded beyond the telephone and the written letter. Customers now have many additional communication options if they experience...
A business that invests in providing the best multifaceted service for its customers can maintain the pace of its competitors or exceed them in sales success. Consider how you...
When it comes to customer service, the millennial generation represents an extremely important consumer base. Generally defined as people born between the early 1980s and the...
In an age where social media is a key mode of communication, a single bad customer review can spiral into a customer service nightmare. Despite the risks, however, social media...
Customers, or a lack thereof, make the difference between a successful, thriving company and a failing corporation on the brink of ruin. In order to develop and flourish, any...
Understanding what customers want from the shopping experience is essential for cultivating a booming business that does not stumble in customer service. A business that fails...
Customer expectations have changed rapidly in the past few years, thanks mostly to changes in current technology such as mobile devices, smartphones and near-constant...
Successful executives understand that the three basic things customers want from them is to listen, adapt and deliver. They actively listen to customers and incorporate their...
A key element of buyer needs is quality customer service, and consumers have changing expectations that businesses need to know. Technology has enhanced the way companies can...
Employees are sure to encounter difficult customers from time to time. Consumers are demanding and want premium customer service at all times. Fortunately, you can learn how to...
Contrary to popular belief, there is a keen difference between customer success and customer service. Company representatives have to do more than develop strategies to...
Business owners rely on customer loyalty to prosper and grow within the industry. Clients who are attracted to the products and services you provide and leave each and every...
Poor customer service has the power to turn customers away for good. Many consumers complain about bad customer service at big-name retailers, but small businesses can also...
As more customers take to social media to remark on bad customer service, increasing numbers of companies are making it a priority to say "yes" to the customer. When your...
A successful customer service journey relies heavily on the storyline and plot of a company's branding strategies. Employees must embrace the mission and goals that outline...
Customer service professionals are tasked with the challenge of providing customer resolution while still upholding company policy to the best of their abilities. Research...
Customer service is an essential component of any successful business or organization. While a great customer experience keeps customers coming back and helps drive new sales,...
Customer service continues to evolve, which marks one of the main trends for 2015 throughout many industries that rely on data from consumer interaction. Managers in various...
Investing in customer service is one of the best things that a company can do. Without good customer service, operating a retail environment that consumers love is impossible....
Great customer service is no accident. How an employee or representative treats you depends not only on their company culture and business strategies, but also on how you...
The primary goal of customer service is to attract and retain loyal consumers by providing them with premium care. This goal has not changed over the years, but management...
Highly experienced salespeople understand the fundamental tenets of great customer service. The ugly truth is that poor customer service can be especially damaging to a...
Employee turnover is a serious concern for all business owners, but it is a particularly big issue for the customer service industry. Studies show up to 70 percent of customer...
In the past, the focus on customer service has revolved around attracting new clients through creative marketing strategies. A transition toward retaining customers has...
Customers don't always realize it, but emotions play a key part in their buying experience. Customer service strategies that focus on the emotional side of buying can create a...
Customer service is one of the most crucial aspects of a business. A great service department builds loyalty and delights customers; an ineffective department leaves no...
Even though online shopping has become more popular, many customers still prefer face-to-face or telephone contact for help with customer questions. Companies and...
Six Sigma represents a quality management program that gets companies to a very high standard of quality control. Firms that reach the highest mark of the program have only 3.4...
Great customer service can be hard to accomplish when companies have to please shareholders, support new initiatives, train incoming employees, and maintain products or...
Many companies focus on hiring friendly customer service agents and implementing policies that make the buying experience as pleasant as possible. Unfortunately, supervisors...
Service trends may seem fleeting, but they provide a valuable insight into customers' changing needs and communication styles. In 2015, the newest customer service ideas are...
Providing excellent customer service helps differentiate your brand and makes it easier to stand out in a crowded marketplace. Whether you provide in-person support or deliver...
Companies that sell products and services generally have two basic components to the value delivered to people. The first is the product or service itself. A more intangible...
Customer service is unpredictable in any industry, but it is a necessary practice to attract and retain clients. The purpose of catering to customers is to ensure your company...
Twitter posts present a different opportunity for companies to handle customer service in better ways than traditional methods. Social media websites have direct access to...
Now that many customers use social media tools to connect with others, customer service representatives have many opportunities to deliver social customer support. This type of...
How do your employees handle customer problems and complaints? Many companies train employees to immediately apologize to the customer and then try to solve the customer’s...
Clients and customers seek out customer service that shows a company genuinely cares about their business, their well-being and their satisfaction. Businesses that invest time,...
It's no secret that good customer service strategies retain loyal clients and improve profitability for businesses within any industry. Connections with customers are crucial...
In the age of constant connectivity, customer service is a round-the-clock activity. With a Twitter account, agents can meet your customers on their turf, in real time. By...
Language plays a significant role in customer service. The wrong choice of words can alienate customers or invalidate the entire interaction. By choosing customer service...
When a new customer is greeted by your employees, the first impression can determine if you gain business and retain clients. Companies that evaluate whether their customer...
A loyal customer base is the key to a successful business. Customer retention relies on your employees' ability to build that loyalty with every transaction, product and...
One way firms can provide continuous improvement opportunities, from the CEO down to entry-level positions, is by setting performance standards for customer service —...
Customer service professionals are taught to be empathetic while handing a complaint. Agents who go to great lengths to put themselves in the customer's shoes may find that too...
For your business to thrive and survive, customer service needs to be a priority. Retaining high-value customers is the key to profitability and productivity in all industries....
Each and every customer interaction should leave both the employee and the client satisfied. Answer questions, resolve issues and place orders with customer service and company...
Your growing business has a good problem when you get so many customers that you have too little time to pay attention to individual customer needs like you used to back when...
Listening skills are arguably the most important qualification for customer service professionals. When an agent takes the time to hear out the customer, he can gather all of...
Training is a key element of ensuring your customer service staff is prepared to represent the business on sales calls. Even the best training program may fail to emphasize the...
Tending to customers in a bustling call center can be a difficult job at times. Unfortunately, many customer service representatives find themselves completely stressed out by...
Companies focused on improving customer service strategies are well aware that attracting new clients and satisfying existing clients relies heavily on communication. Customer...
The leader of the National Cable and Telecommunications Association, Michael Powell, spoke out in February 2015 about the unacceptable state of customer service. The...
If your company has several major competitors, the best way to differentiate yourself in a crowded market is to provide excellent customer service. Unfortunately, many customer...
Today, digital services are broadening the customer service landscape in ways never imagined even a decade ago. Huge, over-the-top players, such as Amazon, Google and Facebook,...
At many large companies, customer service departments use a set of scripts to help staff find quick solutions to common problems. Over the course of business, however, you are...
It's no secret that a company's success depends on the satisfaction of customers and clients. Customer service must be a priority to survive and thrive in the business market....
Your customers and clients crave tools that make life easier. Customer service tools should provide convenience, simplicity and satisfaction. Companies who seek to adopt mobile...
It’s important that your customer service representatives know how to handle a variety of situations and are trained to speak properly to your customers. Most people know the...
Customer support for many businesses today is being reshaped by transparency and crowdsourcing because it proves to work as a win-win situation for both customers and...
As the technology has improved, global companies have been turning more to video chat as a means of conducting job interviews, long-distance business meetings and customer...
In the competitive business market, many companies fight to avoid losing their customers to savvy competitors. Studies show that even a small increase in customer retention can...
One of the most important customer service trends in business today talks about customer momentum. No matter how you add up sales figures, revenue, sales per client or dollars...
Solving a customer's issue during a single phone call saves staff time, money and extra effort. Therefore, one phone call per issue increases your company's profits. First call...
Technology changes at a rapid pace, and as it evolves it changes the way that customers communicate with companies. Easier access to needed information has increased consumer’s...
Customer service ideals continually evolve, much like the fast-changing world of retail sales and technology. Gone are the days when consumers tolerate holding for 30 minutes...
Staying on top of shifting trends in the world of customer service is a challenge for even the most dedicated workers. Fortunately, experts in the field are more than willing...
Creating value is the key to success for any business. Value is the benefit that customers gain from using your products or services, and actively striving to create and renew...
In a busy world, businesses are expected to provide some form of customer service 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Your customers are busy, and they don't want to settle for...
It's no secret that customers know what they want, when they want it and how they want it. Companies who employ customer service strategies to decipher consumer needs can...
The new year offers businesses the opportunity to evaluate policies, procedures and practices. Customer service trends should be a top priority when determining sales and...
Good customer service is the hallmark of any company that wishes to keep customers coming back again and again. Customer service skills go beyond just empathy, appreciation and...
Many brands focus heavily on their prices and costs, with the result that they neglect customer experience. However, research shows that customer experience can have huge...
A new year is the ideal time for businesses to investigate customer service trends and evaluate practices that were successful within the past year. Look forward, though, by...
Social media trends continue to drive business decisions and change the marketplace. Early indications for 2015 are that this movement will continue to accelerate. Here are...
Good customer service is an elusive concept to many. For most, the fundamental concepts of excellent customer service are empathy, appreciation and helpfulness. However, just...
Individuals provide customer service based on skills inherent in each person. However, a customer service culture comes from a company-wide statement created by a firm's...
A new year or even a new day provides employees with the opportunity to make a fresh start. Begin a quest for success by focusing on your client base to increase revenue and...
Training your customer service reps to smile when interacting with customers is likely the first thing you teach them. You may not fully understand why a smile should be the...
The journey a customer experiences while navigating your businesses products and services can make or break the potential of repeat service. Catering to customers with a...
Providing excellent customer service is a skill that every company must cultivate to survive. Gone are the days when consumers quietly accepted mistreatment and inconvenience...
The best customer service creates a customer experience that is consistently attentive and positive. Even an occasional long wait or unresponsive staff member is enough to keep...
Companies with vibrant customer support staff continually hone their skills in order to keep customers happy. Firms must, without fail, improve customer service with proper...
If you operate a customer service center, you expect your employees to treat your customers well, to be empathetic and to answer the phone with smiles on their faces. One of...
According to the 2014 customer satisfaction report from Zendesk, the United States is currently in 15th place when it comes to customer service. The U.S. score of 82 percent is...
Building a loyal customer base that grows every years is a challenge for many small business owners. With quality customer service, you can create a strong foundation with...
Improving customer service is vital for any company that regularly deals with the public. Whether you're selling services or retail goods, the way your customer service reps...
Customer service is a crucial component of any organization’s success. If a company fails to provide its customer base with effective assistance, the business is going to...
Businesses that fail to focus on the needs and demands of consumers are often plagued by lousy sales numbers. If you want your business to retain vital profits long-term, your...
Listening to customers is a key part of customer service, but too many businesses still aren't getting this simple part of the process right. Your organization can improve the...
Companies strive to foster great customer service experiences to maintain positive images of their brands but also to keep customers coming back again and again to improve...
Customer loyalty is the lifeblood of every business in every industry. With it, you can withstand almost anything, from economic failures to public-relations scandals. Without...
These days, it can be difficult to achieve the elusive work/life balance. Long hours and overtime are the norm, especially in work-intensive industries such as customer service...
In the age of the Internet, consumers have come to expect instantaneous gratification. For service agents who have trouble meeting modern time constraints, Twitter can be an...
Calling customer service can be a positive experience or a lengthy and annoying process. Taking a look at what goes on behind the scenes can help you understand what goes into...
The future of customer service could see robots taking the places of human workers if the latest innovations in Lowe's stores are successful. Lowe's is introducing robot...
Many companies make the mistake of focusing on price or value instead of the way the customer experiences and perceives the brand. Research shows that the customer experience...
Many consumers have experienced the frustration of working with a customer service agent who refused to budge in seemingly flexible situations. In most cases, the fault lies...
Can robots and mobile apps deliver the same great customer service as human representatives? Some retailers certainly think so, and they are using the new technology to enhance...
Customer service can make or break a business. Great service creates loyal customers, while poor service can damage your reputation irreparably. By understanding what customers...
Beverage giant Starbucks Coffee made headlines in October 2014 by announcing major changes to its dress-code policy. Previously, employees who regularly interacted with...
One of the key phrases often used in sales or retail is "added value." In the case of a hot dog salesperson, that means frying the sausage, adding a bun and offering ketchup or...
Automated customer service does not enjoy a great reputation among consumers; this is at least in part because may people only remember bad experiences with such services....
Customer service can be challenging. It's hard to deal with customers every day, especially as many of them can be unpleasant or downright rude. One bad experience with a...
Customer service metrics are a mystery for many professionals, particularly those that understand the qualitative nature of service. By finding ways to quantify the results of...
Customer service is more than just a smile and friendly attitude. In fact, there is a certain amount of seriousness required, especially if some customers aren’t happy with...
Businesses know customer communication is a key to success across many industries, but a surprising number of companies don't put that knowledge into action. Employees speaking...
Great customer service is one of the most important parts of running a successful business, and today's consumers need mobile and social customer service options. There are...
Customer service is a tough industry. Customer service representatives deal with customers day in and day out, and not all of them are as friendly or as pleasant as the rep...
AT&T plans to launch new customer complaint software that provides real-time data to its customer service employees. The program classifies complaints by location, verbal...
No matter what industry you work in, customer service is a crucial consideration. When you make an effort to keep customers happy, you build loyal relationships that last...
Multichannel marketing is a vital part of business, but so is multichannel customer care. While retailers expect to engage with their audiences across numerous platforms, some...
Self-service is one of the biggest business bywords of the 21st century, yet the self-service trend began in the early 20th century. The idea of allowing customers to walk in,...
Walmart is the biggest retailer in the world and arguably one of the cheapest. If price is everything, why doesn't everyone shop there? Customer service is vital, too. When all...
Treating your customers right is one of the best ways to build loyalty and remain competitive in your industry. All employees, from sales clerks to executives, should focus on...
Since 2002, when Friendster first opened its doors in cyberspace, social media has been changing the way the world acts and interacts. Facebook boasts 1.28 billion monthly...
Customer service is all about keeping customers satisfied. The most effective path to customer service satisfaction is spinning the traditional service model from reactive to...
According to Statistic Brain, social media is the new way that people meet and socialize. The statistics firm reports that as of 2014, there were 1.4 billion Facebook users...
Technology has made so many major advances over the past two decades that affect the way people live, work and interact with the world. The lifestyle of the past seems a...
Today, more and more people are relying on smartphones and mobile devices in their day-to-day lives. This has led to an explosion on the market for mobile apps, with tech-savvy...
In this day and age, tracking consumers and responding well to customers is necessary for strategic business survival. A company that values the customer and takes pride in...
How you handle angry customers can mean the difference between the success or failure of your organization. According to a 2013 survey conducted by ClickSoftware, 89 percent of...
Have you ever wondered why you hear so many more tales of bad customer service than stories of companies going the extra mile for their customers? The effect might not actually...
Customer service isn't what it used to be; customer service also isn't what it should be. Chalk it up to generation gaps, changes of economic climate or even entitled youth...
As a customer service representative, you are bound to encounter an irate, screaming customer from time to time. Whether the customer is wrong or right, it is your job to...
You have probably heard this familiar refrain: “The customer is always right.” However, this is not always the case. Sometimes the customer is wrong, and your customer service...
For companies that use organized service scripts, an off-script call can be confusing and difficult to handle. Without an internal protocol, agents may struggle to find the...
In an environment when one bad customer service call can be recorded and go viral, damaging a company's reputation overnight, it's more important than ever to give top priority...
Customer service is at the heart of any good marketing plan, or so the story goes. Nevertheless, anyone who has done business with the cable giant Comcast knows that good...
Social media has transformed entertainment, communication and daily life, but it also plays an important role in customer service. A customer's negative experience regarding a...
Viral videos are a staple of online entertainment, but that can be bad news for businesses when those videos are recorded to showcase poor customer service. Customer service...
Dealing with bad customers presents a myriad of challenges for business owners. On the one hand, "the customer is always right," as the old adage goes. On the other hand,...
In the past, companies typically created products first and then convinced customers that they needed them. Because corporations controlled the channels through which consumers...
Social media plays a very important role in how a certain company is perceived online and in general. Websites and forums allow customers to inquire, complain and write reviews...
When customers complain, it is natural for a business to go on the defensive. After all, no business wants to be told they are doing something wrong. However, creating a...
The Internet is filled with stories and even news reports of angry customers expressing rage at customer service representatives. Despite the old adage, "the customer is always...
In July of 2014, a recording of a difficult Comcast service call made the rounds on the Internet, racking up millions of viewers in a matter of days. After witnessing Comcast's...
In July 2014, a Comcast customer service rep took a call and did his job a little too zealously, not realizing that within days a recording of the call would go viral. That...
Dealing with bad customers frustrates workers across a wide assortment of industries. From rude retail shoppers to obnoxious corporate clients, curt customers infiltrate every...
When you work in the customer service industry, you’re bound to encounter angry customers. Sometimes the customer is justifiably angry, and sometimes they just might be taking...
Customer analytics are increasingly being used as a tool to improve corporate performance and to satisfy customer needs. These analytics can help companies examine customer...
Customer satisfaction is the best type of advertisement any business can have. When just 1 percent of the customer base becomes unsatisfied, the reputation of the business is...
In July 2014, Comcast customer service suffered further embarrassment and added to its already tarnished reputation when the recording of a call went viral. In the recording, a...
Quality customer service is at the center of many successful businesses. Companies providing the best customer service have high customer loyalty and easily win customers away...
Big companies are no strangers to succeeding at and understanding the importance of great customer service. Companies such as Lowe’s, Samsung, FedEx and State Farm all use...
T-Mobile customers may have been scammed out of millions of dollars, according to the Federal Trade Commission. The regulatory body announced on July 1, 2014, that it would sue...
In an age of online review sites, customer satisfaction is crucial for businesses. With a single click, an unhappy customer can damage a company's reputation. When you are...
Customer service experts understand that escalation is often inevitable. Not all customers will be content with the policies and procedures established by the organization, and...
Customer service representatives have one primary tool — their words. The words they choose have the ability to smooth an interaction with a frazzled customer or help a...
Setting up social media profiles for your business is a smart idea. Social media sites give you a convenient channel for communicating with customers and a way to market your...
Companies thrive or collapse by the level of customer service they provide. From large to small companies, customer retention and feedback mark the longevity and profits of a...
Language plays a powerful role in customer service. The wrong words can sour the mood and turn a customer off; the right words can make customers happy and create brand...
The modern age of technology and interconnection has created new opportunities for workers seeking a lower-stress work environment and greater flexibility in their personal...
An online help desk can make dealing with customers' problems much easier. By facilitating communication between customers and support staff, an online help desk allows...
Whatever line of business you are in, you occasionally meet customers who know (or at least think they know) more about your industry than you do. Although sometimes...
On a resume, numbers stand out to employers in a sea of text, providing solid, memorable facts to hold onto. As a customer service professional, who deals largely with...
Any business that has customers needs staff to provide customer service. That means that there are many customer service jobs available for people who have the skills and the...
Some of the largest companies are extremely successful at customer service. These companies recognize the importance of customer satisfaction and its impact on brand loyalty....
In business, customer service is not limited to the designated department; any employee who has contact with customers is, in effect, a service representative. By developing...
Capturing the attention of the young customer is a tall order for many businesses these days. Younger customers are more technologically advanced, more budget conscious and...
As technology changes the face of buying and selling, customer service has also shifted. Modern businesses, when faced with rising competition and a tough economy, often leave...
The business model for retailers and customer service professionals is constantly evolving. Customers' expectations keep increasing, and it is up to progressive companies to...
The consolidation of communications companies that provide cable television, Internet connections and telephone services appears to be the trend for 2014, based on the several...
Customer service is becoming increasingly important as customers gain buying power with improved economic conditions. The recent announcement of yet another GM recall reflects...
Many consumers have a love-hate relationship with automated systems. Sometimes they're convenient, and other times they're a hassle. For companies, automated email responses...
Google has long been known for its poor customer service. For years, customers have complained about slow response times and ineffective solutions. In May of 2014, however, the...
The Internet has made communicating easier than ever, but this means it's also easier to communicate dissatisfaction with a product or service. Customer reviews are key to any...
Effective customer service is essential for nearly any company to survive. However, exceptions exist to this rule. Comcast Corporation is one of the largest communications...
Phishing scams are getting more sophisticated. In April 2014, some Netflix users who thought they were logging in to the popular video streaming service were taken to a page...
Many catchphrases pepper the customer service industry. "Service with a smile" is everyone's motto. "The customer is always right" is another industry standard. "Thank you" and...
As a customer service professional, your job is to deliver timely solutions to customer problems while maintaining a positive customer experience. While this sounds simple...
An increasing customer demand for company interaction via social media websites has many companies integrating social media into their customer service strategies. Social...
Word-of-mouth advertising has long been the most powerful form of promotion. A personal recommendation can be considerably more effective than all other advertisements and...
Conflicts in the workplace are inevitable when individuals of all ages, backgrounds, levels of experience and personalities come together. Not only is fighting in the workplace...
In the recent past, email was the most advanced form of customer service; however, more and more options have appeared in leaps and bounds, such as online chatting and social...
Customer service has never been one of the Federal government's strong suits. Notoriously lacking the high-energy customer support that often characterizes the private sector,...
Michael Kors is a fashion designer mogul who commands massive worldwide retail sales for his brand. This award-winning style icon increased retail sales by altering his...
The Temkin Experience Survey rates the customer service experiences of 10,000 customers who have recently used the services of 268 companies. Temkin’s survey focuses on the...
If you have Comcast service, the odds are you have received poor customer service at some point. According to a recent Temkin Experience Ratings Survey, Comcast's customer...
From its humble roots in 1901 as a small shoe store, upscale fashion retailer Nordstrom, Inc. is opening stores while other retail companies are shuttering locations and...
Work in a call center can be rewarding and good for your CV, as it helps develop good communication skills, teamwork and patience. Finding a call center job to fit your skills...
Good customer service is what separates great businesses from average ones. Make a great product, then stand behind it by offering professional customer service. That is how a...
Customer service is one of the most neglected aspects of business management. Moreover, according to a 2013 study conducted by Customer Care Measurement and Consulting,...
Customer service professionals are the foundation of any successful business. In a world where competition is tough and the consumer is always right, customer service...
Most often, the only person your customer will come into contact with during a phone call to your business is one of your customer service representatives. Every email, phone...
Getting a cashier job is a great way to use your customer service skills and work with many different people each day. In many cases, the hiring process is more informal for...
The recent merger announced by Time Warner Cable and its rival, Comcast, has come as an unwelcome surprise to some, while others see the move as predictable and opportunistic....
Customer service resume samples are excellent tools to help you formulate the best resume and get the job you want. Your resume can often be seen as a one-way track to the...
If you want to become a customer service manager, you will need some skills that will help you in your new career. While some of these skills can be taught, others are learned...
Customer service used to be about interacting with customers and finding out why they were visiting your store or contacting your company. Now that online customer service is...
Customer referrals are one of the most cost-effective ways to generate new business, especially if you sell services rather than products. Unfortunately, many people do not...
Customer service representatives often learn quickly that certain customer service words can help calm down upset clients. Representatives may build their own selections of...
In many ways, good customer service is its own reward. The pleasure of meeting a customer's needs and getting the job done in a timely manner is one of the perks of working in...
There are an unlimited number of horror stories pertaining to bad customer service across all areas of business. The old adage of the customer always being right no longer...
The rise of automated customer service systems has been one of the most remarked-upon trends of the last several decades. From company managers pitching automation to...
Most companies strive to provide excellent service to customers, and successful companies know that they wouldn't succeed without good customer service departments. But, not...
Whether you're looking for a new customer service job or wanting an opportunity to advance your career, the new year is a great time to start the job search. Focusing on how...
Holiday season customer service is paramount for companies looking to cash in on the high level of retail sales activity that occurs in the final quarter of each year. Many...
Customer service is a hallmark of business, and it's one of the biggest factors when it comes to customer satisfaction. It's surprising, then, that cable companies continue to...
As a customer service professional, you know it's significantly easier to serve satisfied customers than unsatisfied individuals. It's also much easier to function in a...
As the first month of 2014 comes to a close, many businesses are taking steps to integrate customer service tips into their existing procedures. If you're at a loss about where...
The minimum wage debate rages regularly in America, and its effects are felt acutely by the customer service community. Many customer service jobs pay either the federal...
It's no secret that customer service can make or break a company; angry customers are bad for business. According to a recent consumer survey, however, the problem is even more...
Internet retail giant Amazon came out ahead in the latest ForeSee Experience Index with an overall rating of eighty-seven points. That marks a two-point increase in the rating...
For many years, the path to success in customer service call center management was to contract with an overseas offshoring firm to get customer service tasks done at a...
Customer service jobs can be difficult to find, and competition among applicants hoping to land one of the few available customer service jobs is fierce. Putting an action plan...
Your resume is the key that opens doors to opportunities. In today's competitive job market, you have thirty seconds to impress hiring managers and recruiters with your resume....
Providing excellent customer service is never easy, but the holiday season presents special challenges. Customers flock to busy malls and commerce centers to find gifts for...
If speed and convenience are the most important factors of customer service, plans for online retailer Amazon to deploy package-delivery drones should inspire brand loyalty...
No one likes coming last. Unfortunately for Sprint, that's exactly what happened to its ratings on one Consumer Reports survey that asked nearly 60,000 customers about their...
One of the most common complaints about wireless service providers is the poor customer service delivered by some sales associates and tech support workers. Fortunately,...
At any given time, Google has a number of new products it is working on, some with more success than others. For every unsuccessful and shuttered project like Google Wave,...
Is your job search stalled or dead-in-the-water? If you live in a major metropolitan area, like New York or Los Angeles, you may be sending out lots of resumes with little...
If you plan on taking on a CSR career, and especially if you are doing so in the capacity as a member of management, it is so important to understand some of the best ways to...
Mail carriers have traditionally been able to count on having Sundays off, but a new deal between Amazon and the United States Postal Service (USPS) could change that. The...
In October of 2013, the FAA announced that it would relax the rules governing mobile device use on planes. For customer service professionals, particularly those in the airline...
Of all the customer service tips you're likely to come across, perhaps none are as important as this: make the customer's experience with your company a pleasant one. Bad...
I would expect that everyone in a CSR field knows the saying “The customer is always right.” Usually this means always trying to satisfy the customer as best as possible....
Customer service delivery has gone through a lot of changes over the years. It began with face-to-face, personal service in every type of business. It expanded over time...
The holiday season is one of the busiest travel times of the year. Even though travel was down this past Thanksgiving, CNN.com predicted that over 43 million people would be...
A huge driver in any market competition is price, but companies can only bring prices so low before business longevity is put in danger. That's one reason today's businesses...
Back in November, I wrote about the issue of time, in the article entitled “Remember – Time is Money for You and Them,” which took a look at how a recent study found that the...
There are various types of workers out there, but I tend to sum them up into two broad sweeping categories – those who do their job and those who go above and beyond their job...
So you are now a customer service manager? Congratulations! Now what? Let’s look at the perks first: A bigger paycheck, probably a bigger, corner office with a nice view, and...
For decades, the DMV has been the last place anyone would look for customer service tips. This hasn't just been a problem in a few states; the delays, obstructions, and...
For small businesses, Yelp customer service reviews are a big deal. An academic study of Yelp's effect on the restaurant industry in Seattle found that every star in a...
If you do not handle customer service complaints properly, you run the risk of losing loyal customers and attracting negative attention to your company. There is no way to...
Experienced customer service agents encounter a range of customer emotions on a daily basis, from mild irritation to rage. Some of the most difficult types of customer...
A few weeks back, I wrote an article called Can You Actually Listen? which took a brief look at overcoming some of the hindrances to truly listening. As a brief recap, it...
Customer service is a tough job. Your job title may not include those two words, but no matter what your job, every job has a customer service component. You’re either...
Customer service managers and representatives know how much their roles can affect people. Netflix, the popular video service, recently impressed countless users with its...
Tis the season to be…shopping? Businesses are looking for ways to bring more customers into the stores to spend, spend, spend. That’s a great idea for the business and a...
Technology has done so much to make the customer service industry better, but it has still not made it perfect. With better websites, better social network connections and all...
There have been many more service philosophy slogans that have become popular in some CSR circles, and it is good to know and understand them, as each adds a little different...
For many consumers, technology is an integral part of everyday life. Devices from smart phones to tablet computers are changing the way people communicate and look for...
Companies know that in order to attract and keep customers you have to deliver great customer service. Yet when a company does deliver exceptional service, they stand out among...
How much is your time worth? For hourly workers, spending time in customer service is fine. It's what they do until the whistle blows. But for the consumer, time spent with...
You don’t have to look any further than any newspaper, TV news report, or the Internet to find the worst example of customer service. Nothing can match the fiasco that is the...
Gaining customer loyalty in a world of price competition is tough. A CSR manager can approach their job in various ways, and knowing some of the more efficient ways to do so...
Business loves customers. After all, without them, there is no business. If you’re in retail, sales or any other customer-contact business, you want those customers coming in...
Anyone in the CSR industry that is worth their weight in salt will know and understand the importance of properly, truly listening to a customer. Do you have this...
A few years ago, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz announced that Starbucks would welcome people carrying concealed weapons in states where it was legal to carry concealed. This...
Motivational speaker Zig Zigler once said, “Statistics suggest that when customers complain, business owners and managers ought to get excited about it. The complaining...
When a company looks for customer service representatives, they usually look for someone with a winning personality. They hire smiles. It makes sense, because customer...
When it comes to being a CSR, would you consider yourself a motivated, “engaged” employee? An engaged employee is one who is involved in, enthusiastic about, and committed to...
It's not enough for your customer service strategy to focus on upbeat client interactions and efficient call-center processes. New technology is hitting the market every day,...
Since the advent of the industrial economy, both manufacturers and service providers have found it necessary to maintain a costly customer service department to stay in touch...
The push to raise the minimum wage to $15 made the headlines, with plenty of controversy. Fast food workers, retail, customer service and a variety of minimum wage workers were...
Customer service is fraught with potential for errors. Representatives have to think on their feet and learn from mistakes quickly. Failure to do so can have negative...
When going in for a CSR job interview, if the hiring agent were to ask you for examples of how you would handle an upset and disgruntled customer, how would you answer? Have...
Some customers are easier to deal with than others. They are all, however, a gift to a business since they pay the bills. Make a customer happy, and she will sing your...
Customer service is where the rubber meets the road in business. Nowhere else in the supply network will the people who keep you afloat have such close contact with your...
Customer service applies to external customers who buy products and services. There is another kind of customer service – internal customer service. It has the same purpose,...
When it comes to desiring a career as a CSR, it should be with a goal at not just doing the job, but at becoming an exceptional CSR, and to accomplish that, there are many...
Customer service is more than greeting customers with a smile or being polite to them as some customer service tips would have you believe. It also includes having policies and...
With jobs in short supply everywhere, it's essential that your resume always at its best. Many resume tips focus on generic skills, but there are a few things you can do to...
In recent years, that CSR team has been assisted with various forms of technology, and when used properly, can be a great benefit. The Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system...
Trek makes bicycles. Trek Travel plans bike tours and hires people to be tour guides. What could be better than biking around Europe on great bicycles, seeing the world’s...
Regardless of how long you have worked within the CSR field, there are always new things to learn and since every customer is different, there are always new angles to approach...
Customer service is a common phrase, used in just about every business. It can pertain to actually creating a product that solves a problem or meets a need. Customer service...
Just because a company is making money does not necessarily mean they are making people happy with their service. That is what was discovered in a recent study by Empathica...
Consumer confidence and a stronger job market are a bit like the chicken and the egg. It's impossible to say which one comes first, but it's obvious the two are closely...
Job searching can become frustrating and tiresome. In fact, there are many things about the job search that could be causing you problems without you knowing it. Here are a few...
J.C. Penney has been around since 1902 when it first opened as the Golden Rule Store in Kemmerer, Wyoming. It now has over 1,000 stores, known for filling the retail needs of...
Remember your first day on a new job? Everything was new, exciting. There was so much to take in. First impressions at every turn. Seeing a place for the first time was...
There are so many great and various types of tips that can be given for those desirous of joining the CSR field, many of which I have written on in the past. When it comes to...
Not much has changed in the world of customer service since Harry Selfridge, founder of Selfridge’s department stores coined the phrase, “The customer is always right.” The...
During a job interview, it's common for the potential employer to ask about your reasons for leaving your previous job. For applicants, it's a challenge to come up with a...
For customer service professionals, social media sites offer an easy way to reach out to customers and interact with them on an informal level. If your company uses multiple...
We constantly hear people who say they are looking for a job, and rarely do we hear them say they are looking for a career. Many people have fallen on hard times in the current...
Despite a drop in earnings, Amazon is launching into yet another market to grab its share of customers and revenue. A New York Times article, “Amazon Delivers Hiring Boom,”...
Innovations in communication technology have spurred new customer service trends in recent years. Many companies, especially those that do a significant amount of business...
The CSR is a key position for most every company. CSRs play a critical role as the interface between customer and company, but the position does not always get the just dues it...
At a five-star resort you’d expect the guests to be jet setters, dressed to the nines in the latest fashion, adorned with diamond studded earrings, watches and bracelets. What...
It is always a good idea to examine the ideas and philosophy behind great businesses that have had great success in serving others. July 17 marked the 58th anniversary of the...
Kickstarter has become the go-to funding source for many artists, designers, videographers, and other creative professionals. The company's website, Kickstarter.com, allows...
Almost every career field has its own language. The jargon of your career is great for internal communication with others who speak the same language. However it is important...
So you think your customer service is great and you’ve got lots of happy customers coming through the door and accessing your online stores. You’re making money, making...
Okay, so now you’re fresh out of school, and ready to pound the pavement seeking a career path. Unfortunately, you have never, or rarely ever been to a professional interview,...
If your job search has stalled, it may not be the economy or job market or the lack of new jobs in your area, profession or industry. Entrepreneur magazine reported that...
The United States Postal Service has long had a reputation for long lines and bad customer service, leading some consumers to avoid the post office at all costs. Unfortunately,...
Customer service professionals use information from the American Customer Satisfaction Index to see how well they are doing in terms of providing excellent customer service....
Can customers learn to love their banks? Banks are losing their luster with e-banking sites like PayPal and Google Wallet making banking and completing financial transactions...
Having a great customer service team means building with diversity. The CSR position, unlike some other career fields, tends to be less age biased in practice, because when it...
We speak often about tips for providing excellent customer service, and the amount of real life tips seems almost endless. We speak of going the extra mile beyond just the...
Customer service professionals walk a fine line between providing just the right level of support and pushing customers away with too many offers of assistance. Most customer...
Buy one get one free (BOGO) is a favorite feature at many grocery stores. The thought of getting something for free brings customers in the door. If a shopper has coupons for...
Now that customers have access to social media and blogging platforms, they are more empowered than ever before. The customer service field has changed drastically as a result...
Social media tools make it easier for customer service professionals to identify and respond to customer issues. In fact, several companies are now using social media customer...
The idea of establishing a company culture is nothing new, but it is not something all that leadership takes seriously or always places as a priority. A couple of months ago, I...
The U.S. unemployment rate fell to 7.5 percent in April 2013, but it is still elevated when compared to historical levels of unemployment. This lower unemployment rate has an...
A great product or service is not always enough to keep customers happy, especially if you do not provide excellent customer service before and after the sale. The increased...
One wouldn’t think an app itself could be responsible for memorable customer service. But one app did just that, as reported in an Inc.com article, “Make Your Customer Service...
A few weeks ago I wrote a short post dealing with what I called magical phrases. These were positive words that customers benefit from hearing and should be used often. This...
Since the recession began (at least the last one), the job market has changed dramatically. Gone are the middle-management jobs—those multiple rungs on the corporate ladder...
In the past, customer service agents didn't have to know much about a company's products. As long as they could create positive customer experiences and answer basic questions,...
Pride – it’s that pesky little trait that can work for or against you, depending on the scenario and use of it. “Pride comes before a fall!” “Take pride in your job!” It is...
Before you order a taco from Taco Bell, you might want to check online to read about the controversy stirred by a photo released by the Consumerist, a blog put out by Consumer...
Customer service is a multi-function job. Not only must you take the right actions to satisfy the customer, but you must also learn to say the right things along the way. For...
If you’ve ever been late for a flight and had to scramble through a strange airport to your gate, you know the panic of trying to read confusing signs with arrows that seem to...
"Forbes" ranked customer service representative among the top ten best jobs for young people. More than 24 percent of workers ages 16 to 24 hold this title, and more than...
Providing good customer service is essential to the success of any company. A customer service professional must be able to calm angry customers, listen to customer concerns,...
Talk about versatility. How would you like to hire someone with a resume like this? Legendary star of TV’s Jeopardy. Medical miracle maker. Customer Service Agent...
The longtime, well-known motto for those in CSR is that “the customer is always right.” Of course, the essence of the saying is that you are to do anything and everything...
The difference between good and great customer service may easily boil down to how well representatives and managers listen to their clients. Many issue simple customer service...
You’re probably asking the questions, “What’s a net promoter score anyway, and why should I care?" That’s fair: most people wouldn’t know what the term means. It really doesn’t...
Times have changed. The world has changed. But don't let that distract you. Old-fashioned customer service skills are worth dusting off and restoring to the daily practice of a...
In 1962, when television was black-and-white, and gasoline was $0.31 a gallon, Texaco launched an effective ad campaign telling American drivers, “You can trust your car to the...
Many industry experts now advise consumers to judge companies mainly on their customer service records. With that in mind, it is more important than ever to implement customer...
When interviewing for a position as a CSR, you are likely to get asked all of the typical questions like: “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” – “What are your strengths and...
It is a good sign that a job change is in order if you have a temper that gets the best of you. Especially if you are working or desire to work in a customer service-based...
If anyone ever knew how to take care of customers, it was J.W. Marriott, the founder of the Marriott Hotels and Resorts. The cornerstone of his success was his belief in the...
When it comes to delivering top-notch customer service, good communication is essential. If you expect members of your customer service department to deliver excellent service,...
Job openings for customer service representatives may be plentiful, but the competition is also fierce. Entry-level positions may garner hundreds of applicants; supervisory and...
For business owners, customer service is a crucial consideration. The importance of excellent service is illustrated by a recent issue with the manufacturer of Maker's Mark...
Being active in a job search requires skills that may be above and beyond your normal every day or even career skills. For one thing, it requires leadership skills. You are the...
If you’ve ever started a business, or had a dream of starting one, you probably know how difficult it can be to write a business plan, attract investors or go through the...
Complex customer service policies confuse consumers and frustrate the professionals tasked with resolving customer service issues. Although you may not have control over the...
I have written recently on the new ways social media is effecting the job search. One of those articles looked at how things like tweeting on Twitter may become more important...
According to the U.S. Small Business Association, there isn’t anything “small” about small- and medium-size businesses. They may only have one employee, or start up in...
For many businesses, customer service is a crucial part of everyday operations. Excellent communication and friendly service can go a long way in building relationships. By...
If you are actively looking for job as a CSR, it is always great to have some up-to-date idea ammunition under your belt. Ideas on developing a customer loyalty program can be...
While such customer service events are not inevitable—or even very common—scandals like the recent Lululemon yoga pants issue can hit any business in any industry. When an...
A good customer service support team is imperative to the success of your business. It does not matter what you are selling, or even whether it is services or products. The...
Who likes to admit that they don’t know something? Most people like to think that they are experts at something. We go to school, then to college and often spend years studying...
For the CSR desiring to be successful, gone are the days of just providing basic service. Competition is fierce, and an attitude of always striving to go above and beyond is a...
In a corporate landscape littered with customer-service models based on quick sales and minimal human contact, some consumers are beginning to feel alienated. This phenomenon...
While customer service may seem like a fairly straightforward concept—satisfy customer needs to increase business—it requires a certain amount of legwork to prepare it for...
For companies seeking to offer better service to their customers as well as potentially increasing sales, properly accumulating and utilizing customer data is a must. Most...
Of all the applicants you interviewed for the Customer Service Rep position, the last one was the nicest. There were quite a few that had excellent skills and experience. Some...
Professional golfers or tennis players wouldn’t think of showing up for a tournament without their “A” game. Even amateurs strive to play on the “A” team with those players who...
If you are looking to step into new territory by entering the customer service community, there are many key issues you need to be aware of in order to be a better candidate....
A strange thing is happening to customer service. When just about everyone had to physically walk into a store to purchase anything, customers expected to get good service...
Everyone in business wants to make money and while suffering few losses. Keeping merchandise from walking out the door is one way to prevent loss and improve customer service....
When customers get upset, they may or may not contact the company for a resolution. By now, most companies should know that they need to have a reachable presence in the social...
Every career has its ups and downs. Some careers go along smoothly, and then because of a changing economy, slipping performance or conflict with a boss or co-worker, things go...
Customer service is the key component for the thriving of most consumer-based businesses. According to the 2012 American Express Global Customer Service Barometer, many...
Since St. Patrick’s Day is almost a national holiday and a non-gifting one, people tend to go to bars or restaurants to celebrate the “wearing o’ the green.” So besides serving...
Anyone who has read my posts with any consistency will know I harp on this topic all the time. The CSR team of the company is the front line and of most importance to customer...
Customer Service has many different aspects to it, but one of the most important is dealing with irate customers. One thing to keep in mind is not to lose your own temper when...
For years, a professional resume had a certain format. Contact information at the top. Next, a summary or career objective, detailed work history, education, professional...
There is nothing new about this news: retail stores are finding it hard to compete with the online world. More and more, customers browse locally, but buy online. Companies...
With an unemployment rate sitting at 7.8% there are plenty of job seekers looking for jobs. In some areas of the United States, the unemployment rates are much higher. At the...
The small, personalized floral shop may become a thing of the past. Don Goede of Skyway Creations explains, “Someone said to me, you should be excited that the competition is...
Great customer service – some places work at it, while others do not seem to as much. In my reading this week, I ran across a couple of articles that offer great reminders of...
“Neither snow, nor rain, nor gloom of night, stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” These words, ascribed to Herodotus in 530 B.C., are the...
Customer service is more than just helping your customer find something; it’s about letting the customer enjoy the whole shopping experience. There are lots of books and...
Rolestorming is a simple exercise in brainstorming techniques that was invented by Rick Griggs in the 1980’s. It was then described by Dr. Auther VanGundy in his 2004 book,...
Well, we are now more than a month into the new year, so how has it been so far? Stop for a moment and think back to see if you are on track for your resolutions. Most have a...
When a customer is unhappy with a purchase, she can take it back to a store or ship it back for a refund or replacement. Companies are so eager to please and retain customers...
Customer service is both simple and complicated. Companies have elaborate online customer service systems to handle inquiries and complaints from customers across the street...
Customer service has stepped into the age of social media networking. With customers looking for a direct line to customer service through media, you need to have answers ready...
It is common for managers to tell their CSR that they are doing a “super job,” or refer to someone as their “hero” when they really come through in a pinch. In a recent article...
About twenty-two years ago, the Harvard Business School was involved in a study with Bain & Company analyzing the impact and cost of gaining new customers as well as that of...
Retailers know that poorly executed pricing strategies can end up affecting the retail industry as a whole. Figuring out how to price a product is not always easy. Two key...
Here’s the good news. Social media provides a multitude of easy, online ways to connect to customers and provide fast customer service. Now for the bad news…well, it’s about...
At face value, it may seem outrageous to consider firing some of your customers. In a competitive market with a down economy, it makes more sense to cater to even the most...
When you decide on the layout of your store, plan it carefully. How your store is laid out can play an enormous role in your profit margin and your customers’ shopping...
When a customer walks into a store and seeks the attention of a CSR, what do they expect? Obviously, they are expecting service. But what kind of service? Should they expect...
A Yahoo! Finance article spotlights changes made by the global provider of extended service plans and product care, N.E.W. Customer Service Companies. Some of these changes are...
Looking for a hot new job in the New Year? Customer Service was ranked #10 in a list of the “13 Hot Jobs for 2013,” according to Randstad via PR Newswire. Hot means plenty of...
Newly-evolving software is now making it possible for the computer to listen to a conversation, and by analyzing the patterns tempo, tone, pitch and more, it can identify...
The New Year is a great time for making resolutions. The problem is, most people make a long list of unrealistic goals (lose 20 lbs. in two weeks, exercise every day, stop...
Traditionally, it used to be that women did 80% of the grocery shopping. With the leveling of male and female roles, an increase in single parent households and unemployment...
What did the local barber know about customer service that today’s digital powerhouses don’t know? They knew how to keep customers by building relationships, give great...
Many call centers like to limit how long their reps stay on the phone with a “less is best” attitude towards call times. Zappos, the online shoe and apparel retailer takes the...
Have you ever been out and run across one of those rare CSR encounters where they went above and beyond your expectations? It is very rare, but I have had such an experience....
Before everyone had a Smartphone or Internet access, unhappy customers would call a customer service line, write a letter or show up at the offending business provider’s store...
Counterfeit merchandising is the act of making or selling goods that look like name brand goods or services or have a fake trademark. Selling counterfeit merchandise is illegal...
In the past I have written many times of the importance of thinking of the Customer Service Representative (CSR) as an important frontline position, and not a secondary one as...
As companies struggle in the battle between brick-and-mortar stores and online shopping, the game plan is always changing. There is one thing that is consistently needed,...
If it takes you more than three minutes to read this article, you’ll most likely be distracted by an email alert, Facebook notification or someone passing by or interrupting...
When you are considering your sales strategy, don’t forget the Moms. According to Packaged Facts’, mothers are 43% more likely to go online for coupons than other food...
One of the problems with online customer service is the lack of visual and vocal clues that help to understand the writer’s intent or feelings. Words on a screen or in a text...
The end of the year is coming up quickly and with it, all the loose ends to tie up. You have tasks to complete and end of the year activities to review. Also, pausing to...
A lot can be said about how a company views their customers, just based on the type of customer service they provide. With the CSR horror stories frequently popping up in the...
'Tis the giving season. While children are making wish lists for Santa, working grown-ups have something on their lists that might surprise their employers. It doesn’t come in...
Color can influence a customer’s behavior and buying preferences. While the merchandise color itself can affect buying decisions, the colors surrounding the customer can also...
If your CSR crew is falling behind or just seems disengaged with the company’s goals, there are two basic ways you can approach the fix. You can focus on fixing the employees,...
Many times in the past I have written articles harping on the importance of having a strong front line of highly trained and professional customer representatives, and while...
What would you do if email suddenly disappeared? Well, according to an article in Fast Company, “Email Is The New Pony Express—And It’s Time To Put It Down,” you’d be more...
Employees resign for many reasons, even just quitting without notice. Training new employees to replace them is expensive, time consuming and affects your customer service....
As an entrepreneur of a small company, I used to scramble for more ways to attract new customers. Now, in looking back, I realize it might have been more advantageous to work...
You may have heard of the Oogieloves. You would--if you were one of the few people that saw the movie. According to data from Box Office Mojo, “The Oogieloves In The Big...
I was an online store owner starting in 1998, and overall I did fairly well before finally pulling the plug on it in 2011. In that time period, I tried a variety of ways to...
Let's imagine there are customers in your store that make all your alarm senses go on alert. One is picking up items randomly, glancing around, and putting them down again. Her...
Now that the presidential election is over, it’s safe to pick up the phone again. Gone are the hundreds of “robo-calls” with their scripted messages urging the caller to vote...
Customer service can be difficult when you're confronted with a tough customer. Customers are not always rational or considerate when it comes to how they deal with service...
Every company has complaints about their products, even your company. How you handle these complaints is the difference between a satisfied customer and an unhappy customer...
When discussing customer service, most companies will point to their excellent policies and procedures for making external customers happy. They go to great lengths to...
When it comes to great customer service, a quick response time is imperative. When something goes wrong, and a customer has to wait any real length of time, it just adds to the...
The mortar and stone retailers have Black Friday and you, as an online retailer, have Cyber Monday. Cyber Monday is the Monday after Black Friday, the biggest online shopping...
Corporate meetings can offer a pleasant escape from the monotony of the office to exotic, exciting places. While organizations expect to get something accomplished, many...
The more confident a person is at a given task, the more likely that person will succeed at satisfactorily completing that task. Without confidence, people tend to be more...
If you think that employers are looking for the best applicant for a customer service job, think again. That statement flies in the face of most job-search advice. You would...
Do you want to work for Google? Do you live in or near Mountain View, CA? If so, I wouldn't blame you. From the great employee perks like free meals and on-site massages, the...
Black Friday is one of the busiest shopping days of the year. The day was named because many retail businesses traditionally went into the black financially on that day....
It is pretty hard to expect great customer service from a staff of representatives that are less than happy with their surrounding work environment. Therefore, one of the first...
No one can deny that Apple is an industry powerhouse. Even though its latest iPhone 5 only brought in a disappointing $8 million in sales, they topped previous numbers with...
Customer service has always been about people helping people and usually it is considered to be that face-to-face interaction that accomplishes the goal of providing for the...
Customer service is all about pleasing the customer. Retailers, service providers and manufacturers spend lots of money on market research and focus groups to find out what the...
Customer Service is important for the entire year, but during the holiday season you have to step customer service up a notch. You and your customer service team’s primary...
As taxpayers, the US citizen is technically a customer of their government. However, if you have had to do much business with government agencies, you probably realize that the...
Several types of focus groups can be used for the purpose of learning more about your customers. Focus groups can be extremely helpful to discover what your customers are...
The shift to online shopping has affected a lot of businesses. Magazines and newspapers are shrinking—in size and pages--as more readers turn to their Smartphones and IPads....
Social media has exploded in growth and popularity over the past few years, and while many companies use it as a promotion tool, it now truly has the power to do more damage to...
No one likes to call a customer service line and get a robotic response that comes straight off a script, read in an unfeeling monotone. Or, stand in line at the customer...
There are positive signs of a change in attitude towards plus-size women in popular culture. Some of this change is because of the message that plus-size women such as singer...
The secret is out. No, not how Apple is able to turn out dazzling new iPhones and iEverythings at the speed of light and create a buying frenzy that singlehandedly boosts the...
Layaway programs are a fantastic way to increase your customer traffic and repeat business. To determine if a layaway program is right for your business, you must know...
Customer service representatives must serve – even the angry, somewhat hostile patrons. As a customer service professional, you are almost guaranteed, at one time or another,...
If your work includes dealing with the public, you’ve probably had days when you would like to hug one customer and strangle the next. Not literally, mind you. But more and...
The internet opens more ways to collect customer data than ever. Your main concern when you start collecting data should be protecting the privacy of the customer. With the...
When it comes to customer service, the key word to focus in on is service – to serve is the goal. But what does that look like, and why do some companies still seem to ignore...
“The Customer is Number One.” Isn’t that the golden rule of customer service? If you have a business or work for one, you’re only there to serve your customers. They are your...
I strongly believe that when you are working in customer service, you must be aware of your personal style and strengths. The keys in this are your ability to interact with...
When it comes to a business’s reputation in the consumer’s mind, a lot of weight comes from consumer experiences with employees in the first position of servicing the customer....
The old salesman’s saying—there’s no customer like an existing customer—rings true more than ever in these tough economic times. And one of the best ways to keep existing...
Making your business presence noticed online isn’t easy but even through the advertising and blurbs from an array of other businesses, it can be done. While Facebook and...
My husband and I were out shopping this past weekend and stopped at an upscale, boutique-style market. We shop there all the time for the hand-cut meats, fresh vegetables and...
When it comes to being in the field of customer service, there are as many tips and guidelines as there are potential customers; so being fully prepared for any and all...
Tap. I didn’t order this. Tap-tap. Why is only one register open? Tap-tap-tap. “Please press eight if you’re experiencing pangs of anxiety and regret.” As a customer, I keep...
A few days ago I went into my local cell phone providers store to look into upgrading my son’s phone as a birthday present. For the past few years, I have had the “fancy” phone...
My daughter decided to get married sooner than the original plans of next year. In fact, they gave me about a week and a half to get everything ready for a small wedding witht...
I attended a business roundtable last night called by our local officials to explore ways to make our city more business friendly. There were suggestions on lowering taxes,...
What do you do when life gets you down? Sing about it. That’s what 25 year old Starbucks Barista Christopher Cristwell did when the customer complaints at his job were...
With everything moving at the speed of business, where the bottom line is king and sales trump salesmanship, there lies the lost art of customer service. It’s something rarely...
I rushed into the supermarket to buy a gift card on the way to a friend’s birthday party. I decided a gift card would be a great way to show I know what he likes by my choice...
You decide to look for a job online in customer service but it is overwhelming for you. How do you know where to look? Is it better to focus on large job sites in your field?...
Consumer loyalty is taken for granted with some annoying customer service policies. For many companies, it seems to be a matter of seeing how many fees, how much bad service...
In previous weeks I have written regarding an ongoing issues I had which was started by a lightning strike to the ground outside my house, which sent a surge through the buried...
Every time I walk down the streets of our main downtown business area, I’m struck by the number of businesses that have closed after a short time and those with “going out of...
In a previous post two weeks ago, Laziness, Priorities, and Customer Service, I wrote about a recent horrible customer service experience I am in the middle of with my local...
Here is a real-life story that just happened to me the very day I am writing this. I will refrain from naming names, but not because of a desire to protect any “innocent”...
Angry customers are dangerous…to your business that is. While it may be that 99% of your customer base is generally satisfied by your company and service, the truth is, it is...
In this day and age, when almost everyone has a mobile phone and almost everyone has that phone tied into their Twitter, Facebook, and blog accounts, the spreading of bad news...
Have you ever received poor customer service and asked for a supervisor to report the problem only to have the situation made worse by management? Recently, I experienced...
When it comes to running a business, there are so many things that have to be focused on in order to keep things running smoothly. Keeping it all going can take a whole team of...
In my post last week, I began looking at some of the frustrating things that often occur or are assumed to be the normal way of doing things by many when it comes to the idea...
Being a great customer service representative and fully satisfying the needs of the customer does take a little effort, something it seems only a few want to take the time to...
A recent article by Michael Hess on the CBS Money Watch site seeks to get to the root of the issue that plagues customer service, and I am inclined to agree with his...
There are some important things that I learned about customer service as an executive in a small company. One was that we had to act and react to events like a big company....
Dealing with issues that arise while working in almost any kind of customer service position can require quick thinking and a good knowledge of your company and product, so as...
The fine art of excellent customer service is one that takes the proper amount of care for the customer, without becoming an irritant to them. There are many ways you can...
I recently had a very good experience with a company dealing with their customer service. As a retired executive of a small company, I know about customer service. This is...
If you work in a customer service field that requires you to deal with customers and clients mainly through telephone communication, then there are many tips you should be...
A recent expose’ looking into bad customer service at some major retail companies was recently posted, and the results are very saddening. The report was conducted by ABC15 out...
In recently looking through some various articles on customer service in general, I ran across one that gave some tips to consumers on how to reach out and acquire quick...
If you work in a branch of the customer service industry that gives you interaction with customers via a telephone, here is some interesting information from a study discussed...
In the past few postings, I have been examining various aspects and tips for what it takes to truly succeed in the customer service industry. At various times I have touched...
In my last week's post, we looked at the difference between achieving and succeeding, especially when it comes to working in the customer service field. Now I would like to...
I have written and touched upon the topic of required traits for a person to be really successful in a position in the customer service position; things like a certain kind of...
In Customer Service, it can be the little things that count. The little things make a difference in whether or not a customer returns to your store. Some little bothersome...
As I have been writing and reading more and more on what is the standard excellent customer service, it has made me more and more aware of the service I now receive as I go...
A company is only as good as what the customers think it to be - good words indeed. Remember, when you work in the customer service field, you are the "face" of the company -...
Time and time again, when we speak of working in the customer service field, we talk about the customer experience and the importance of treating the customer in a way that...
If you are looking to work or currently working in the customer service field, I would like you to pause for a moment and put on your customer hat. Let's do some role playing...
In Job Applications and You, Part I, we discussed how to fill out a job application for a job in customer service or for any job, for that matter, correctly. In Part II,...
Working in a customer service position is a job that requires a totally different frame of mind than is required on the street. When dealing with customers, your job is to give...
When it comes to good customer service, it is important to keep motivation and spirits up, since it can be easy to lose sight of the goal and purpose, and instead focus on the...
Do you enjoy driving different models of cars? Are you fast on your feet? Can you drive a stick-shift? If all these things appeal to you, you might consider a valet parking...
In the post "Do You Have What It Takes?" back in September, I took at look at some of the skills and personality traits needed to truly succeed and provide excellent customer...
Customer service positions are some of the toughest positions to properly handle for many people, because of the selfless requirements that come into play in such a career...
As I mentioned in my last post, a position in the customer service position can be one of the toughest positions for many people to function well in, since it requires a lot of...
In my previous two posts I discussed the need for all customer service businesses to provide some way to allow customers to give feedback, and the importance of using, and not...
I began in my last post looking at some issues in providing good customer service by examining a recent incident I had with a local food establishment. If you are seeking a job...
Customer feedback has been around for what seems like forever. Companies offer all kinds of incentives to get you to fill out a card, or go online and take a survey of some...
More and more these days, people have this "I don't care" and "whatever" type of attitude, and such an attitude is easily brought over into the job arena. If something is too...
If you have never worked in the area of customer service, and are considering moving into a career field that will require you to perform some sort of customer service, whether...
Being a customer service manager isn’t a job for everyone. It involves communicating with employees and the general public. Customers service managers must have strong...
Welcome to part two of a two part series looking at ways to better serve others in your customer service position. You can jump back and find part one HERE. As I started with...
Customers are always complaining and bad mouthing customer service representatives and customer service in general. How about surviving difficult and rude customers from the...
There are many different types of customer service jobs, from those where you are dealing face to face with a variety of different customer like in a retail business, to those...
Customer service representatives provide vital service to the survival of a business. They respond to customer’s questions and make sure that any problems they are having are...
When it comes to work in the customer service field, especially if you are in direct contact with assisting customers, either face-to-face or via telephone, there are so many...
There are many ways in customer service to kill a sale and lose a customer. See if you have been guilty of any of the following: 1. Saying “I don’t know” with an attitude. ...
Resumes are necessary when seeking out a new customer service job, but not at the top of the list. In one discussion I was having with a human resources manager, she explained...
It has been said that everyone in an organization or company is in consulting. However, many employees or managers don’t believe it applies to them. Don’t let that kind of...
Many business owners or staff who work in a customer service job have an excellent opportunity to leverage their relationship with their customers and clients. If you are...
Your customers are human beings with feelings. They like to feel appreciated. They like to feel like they matter, and they like to feel you care about them. One good way to...
As a follow up to my past three postings dealing with what to expect from the world of a call center position in customer service, let me briefly turn to the world of the help...
A barber shop I go to for my haircuts had an independent barber working there who just didn’t understand how her behavior affected her success. When she was not cutting...
For my past two postings, we have looked at some of the interview questions and job related scenarios you might consider if you are seeking a position as a customer service...
It never ceases to amaze me how some businesses tout how customer service oriented they are, but really aren’t. They may have good intentions of providing real service to their...
Picking up where I left off in my last week post, let's continue examining some call center related customer service issues. Since much of call center life is technology based,...
One of the biggest misconceptions in business today is the idea that “knowledge is power.” Knowledge is not power, “the effective use of knowledge is power.” According to Jay...
The other day a truck pulled up in front of our house. I heard a knock at the door and assumed it was the UPS man who was dropping off a delivery and letting us know it was...
I would like to continue along the same lines as my past few blogs, dealing with specific issues and questions you may have to deal with when interviewing for a customer...
In recent previous posts, I have been examining some of the questions and philosophy issues you might want to consider before going in to an interview for any general customer...
If you are a customer service representative, when it comes to making a purchase from your company, your customer makes a decision based on a number of different factors. In...
For the past two postings I have written, we have looked at some issue that make for great customer service, things that you can apply to your work if you are seeking a...
When a customer is calling to reorder, having a customer relationship management (CRM) system to track past orders, is critical in providing the best service possible....
I am resuming the discussion I started in part one in last week's blog, looking at being prepared when you interview for a customer service position, to answer question related...
Long lines of self-checkout counters at grocery stores. Kiosks that read printed boarding passes at the airport instead of friendly, full-service check-in counters. Food and...
The other day I telephoned a lawn fertilization in Southfield, MI company on behalf of our homeowner’s association. The purpose of my call was to get a price quote for the...
As you enter into the customer service job force, not only may you be asked to explain your view of great customer service, but you must also be prepared to perform and give...
The service sector claimed the highest jump in job openings in March. That’s good news for the economy and those who are now employed. McDonalds contributed to that rise with...
There are many factors that can contribute to your personal and professional success in life. I would like to share with you three of them that may have the biggest impact on...
A large amount of companies, probably most all of them, have some kind of customer service position, whether it is a reception position, a sales representative, a supply...
If you are like most people in a customer service job or career, you depend on your cell phone for a variety of reasons. You use it as a tool to communicate with your business...
We recently purchased some furniture from a well-known, high-end furniture manufacturer. When the first group of furniture was delivered, I noticed that the sofa cushions...
When I conduct my customer/client service programs for employees and managers who work in a customer service career, I divide the participants into small groups and ask them a...
If you are currently in or seeking a job or career which puts you in a position of a customer service representative, think back to the times you have dealt with other people...
Nordstrom’s philosophy for hiring is to hire people who love to work for and help other people. They do not want to hire individuals who are lacking in the basic human...
I have been intrigued and frustrated by diets for as long as I can remember. I have probably tried (or bought the book) for just about every diet introduced in the past 30...
If you land a job in customer service, be sure you are doing just that, servicing your customer. So often customers are sold what the representative thinks they need or tries...
Several years back, with the advent of technology, customer service took a back seat as corporations raced to implement the latest tools to automate their companies. When you...
A career in sales is not for everyone. First, you have to love talking to a lot of people you have never met and then try and convince them to buy something from you. You also...
Customer Service takes on a new meaning when applied to service jobs in the medical field. Doctor’s offices hire many skilled, licensed nurses and technicians, but every person...
It has often been said that there is no “I” in the word team. In other words, it takes more than one person to make a successful team. If your company or organization is going...
One of the most interesting and popular topics in my management training workshops is the differences between generations in the workplace. The “Silent Generation” who came to...
Plain and simple, providing great service to the people you serve cannot and will not be accomplished without a well thought out and executed strategy. Let’s take the example...
Far too often CEOS, business owners and managers think they know what kind of services and products they should be providing. Unfortunately, many times they don’t. Here is an...
About a month ago, my husband and I decided to take advantage of the bargain-basement housing prices and purchase a vacation home. I know what you are thinking. WHAT??? We...
Think about times where you have made a big blunder, said the wrong thing, made false accusations, or in some way offended or hurt a friends or loved one, causing a severe...
I had a problem with my water bill, and called the customer service number. Of course, instead of getting a real human being, I got an automated response. First, it told me...
A while back, I was in one of our local retail stores here in Canton, Michigan. I was looking for an item and wasn’t having any luck finding it. There were no clerks in sight,...
In previous posts I have been reminding us of many great tips to put into action when you hold a position in the customer service field, whether that is as a direct contact...
Every business or organization has two sets of clients. The first set are the internal clients. These are the people who work for the business or organization. They are the...
I’ve been surfing job sites, like http://www.customerservicejobs.com/ to see the types and number of customer service jobs posted in this “down” economy. Happily, there are...
When it comes to filling a customer service position, or being in a position where you are supervising a group of customer service reps, there are so many great tips to keep in...
When water reaches 211 degrees all you have is very hot water, but when it reaches 212 degrees you have steaming boiling water. The same goes for how you treat your clients and...
When working on a resume project for a client recently, I found that he had worked on a project to improve customer service that resulted in the hotel/resort achieving Four...
If you are looking for a position in the customer service industry, as a worker or supervisor, here are some industry tips that are good to understand and put into practice....
Far too often employers hire the wrong people. They hire someone who appears to be a good fit for the job, but after awhile it becomes clear they are not. One of the factors,...
There is a question that is indelibly written on everyone’s forehead with whom you do business. That question is “What’s in it for me?” If you approach servicing your customers...
Being prepared when it comes to sitting down for a job interview is one of the most important aspects of finding a job. There are many sites online that offer test interview...
Last week I was at the grocery store and after everything was tallied up and I had completed the debit card process, I waited for my receipt. The checker was staring first at...
This past Valentine’s Day, my Toastmasters Club was having an International Speech Contest. As the VP of Education, I had to be at the meeting to help with the details, so my...
There is a popular commercial for a credit card company that starts with someone calling to redeem their credit card reward points. They get someone in a foreign country in a...
I like to shop at Wal-Mart for groceries if I happen to be in that part of Savannah. One reason is that the produce always looks so good and there is lots of it. Of course, I...
A few years ago I was conducting a customer service training program for a nationally known metropolitan airport. During the program, I facilitated a brainstorming discussion...
I have worked in customer service positions over the past twenty years, and even going way back that far, the auto-dialer was in use. Whether it be for sales, collections,...
What is it about electronic communications that makes it OK to ignore or be rude to people? I left a message over two weeks ago regarding a refund for a class I wanted to...
Two of the most interesting things people are interested in are themselves and their concerns. Your customers and clients are no different. Yet, most times, you find owners,...
There is no simpler pleasure for a young family than to escape the daily routine of cooking, eating and then cleaning up the kitchen after meals. Add a bad winter keeping...
Last March, I walked into Canton Lawn and Snow, the lawn mower and snow blower repair shop, where I go each year to get my mower blades sharpened. Todd, the new owner, asked me...
When it comes to dealing with problem customers, or just customers who have problems, many companies just completely drop the ball. It is almost as if employees working in...
Most everyone is familiar with the age old saying "the customer is always right." What exactly does this phrase mean, and how do you apply it to customer service?Obviously, a...
According to both a University of Florida and Hayes International Study, shoplifting accounts for 30% to 40% of annual retail shrink/losses. It is no wonder that retail stores...
The other day I telephoned a business, and the woman that answered the phone was pleasant, positive and proactive. As a result, the impression I received was that she was a...
According to studies, it is 15 times easier to sell to existing clients, than it is to sell to cold prospects. Yet repeatedly, companies will spend far more time and money on...
My daughter lives in Atlanta and belongs to a gym. Since two of her three children are ages six and eight, she called the gym to take advantage of the free swim lessons they...
The beginning of the year is an excellent time to put in place a renewed effort to providing your clients and customers with the best possible service. Like an expensive...
The other day, my wife got a renewal bill from one of her credit card companies. Originally there was no annual fee, and now there was going to be one added for the upcoming...
After eleven years of faithful service, my old HP All-In-One finally went on to printer heaven last week. It didn’t go gracefully—it somehow choked on an imaginary paper jam,...
A football team can execute a well orchestrated drive down the field toward the goal line. A combination of plays, that result in perfect passes, and effective runs, can bring...
I remember attending a convention years ago, and hearing the speaker tell the audience, that regarding their customers, “Don’t Love Em’ and Leave Em.’” I always remembered...
Have you ever received a complaint from a customer? Not much fun is it? As a matter of fact it can be downright uncomfortable. However, it is a great way to learn and make your...
After the craziness of a house full of guests over the holidays, my husband and I decided to go out for a casual dinner at a local ribs place. They are known for their...
Even though I have been involved in customer service for 20 years, I am still surprised when I experience poor service at the most basic level. With all the training dollars...
The other day I was doing some shopping in a retail store and I needed some help locating an item. I looked around and saw a person who looked like he worked there, but I...
It has been said that “the eyes are the windows to the soul.” There is a lot of truth to that statement. In the field of Iridology, which is the science of using the human eye...
Customer service comes in many different forms. The smile, pleasant greeting and quick and efficient handling of a transaction, sale or other service is the more traditional...
Years ago, when phones sat on little tables in the hallway and were attached to the wall with long, black cords, phone lines were shared by several households. “Party lines”...
Marshall Goldsmith, executive coach, made the point in one of his programs, that customer service begins at home. Far too often we seem to put the major emphasis of our life on...
What do you suppose would happen if you, your employees and managers started making phone calls or visits to every one of your clients or customers? Bridget Lemberg, president...
During the Christmas holidays, my daughter and I participated in a couple of craft shows. We both sew, and made a variety of handmade items for children and adults. Gift bags...
If you are in a customer service position, you invariably experience stress. Trying to meet the unending demands of your clients and customers can eventually take its toll on...
Since most of your future business will come from your present customer base, why not put together a twelve month customer contact plan? By taking a portion of your advertising...
It is an increasingly valuable skill for customer service representatives to be bilingual. Employees fluent in Spanish are valuable assets as more and more immigrants enter...
Last week I was looking to replace my chair mat in my office with a high quality one that wouldn’t crack and break up every one to two years after purchasing it. I looked on...
Recently, my daughter ordered some items online from a distributor. After everything was said and done, there was just one small problem she had that couldn't be resolved...
I went shopping yesterday, and was suddenly aware of how much competition there is for a customer’s attention. Visually, the aisles were cluttered with tables groaning with...
It should go without saying that you should never tell a customer he is wrong. Yet, this is done by companies large and small on a regular basis. From the untrained employee to...
Whether you are the owner, manager or employee, when it comes to customer service, the question you must ask yourself daily is: “Are you making progress or making...
One of the age old problems of small business owners is their inability to continue to provide the same high level of quality products and service when their business starts to...
Many companies and organizations like the idea of providing their own employee customer service training and coaching. By designating a team of people to deliver a customized...
I just returned from a quick (or what I thought was going to be quick) shopping trip to my local grocery store to pick up a few items. I didn’t even get a cart; instead I...
There is a small business by the name of Affordable Automotive, an independent automotive repair service in my home town of Canton, MI. What makes this business so successful...
If you want your employees to give great service to your customers, you must have a system in place to regularly reward it. It never ceases to amaze me how business owners and...
Oh, the excitement of holiday shopping. The scramble to get a parking space at the mall, camping out all night to be the first one in the door to get one of the limited number...
There are many business mistakes that are written as epitaphs on a company’s tombstone. Here are three more deathly quotes from an expired business.Too Much of a HassleHere is...
As you may have heard by now, the editors of Consumer Reports have, for the first time ever, compiled a list of companies with "naughty" and "nice" customer service policies...
Business centers are popular haunts for business travelers, especially if they left their laptop at home or just want a change of scenery from the four walls of their hotel...
If you are not doing everything possible to attract and keep your customers ,then you are driving them away. When your customers get the feeling they are not wanted, they vote...
Over the years, I've had something of a love-hate relationship with Starbucks. Their coffee, though potent - nothing brings you back from the dead faster - I really don't like;...
When most people think of how to treat their customers, employees or coworkers they follow the “golden rule”; “Do unto others as you would want to be done unto”. There is a...
I often get asked by small business owners the question, “what should you call the people you serve”? This is a question that should be answered by every business owner,...
I am writing this blog while flying home from a wonderful vacation with my husband to Ireland and Scotland. At about 38,000ft, we are at the mercy of the pilots and the flight...
Your customers have a built in radar screen that alerts them when you make a mistake when dealing with them. Commit any of the following three mistakes and it could cost you...
Waiting on hold for a customer support representative has at times been the bane of my existence. Especially with computer technical support, it often seems impossible to...
Why do so many companies balk when it comes to investing in customer service and employee performance training? One reason is they do not see the immediate payoff for the money...
No one would dispute the fact that the most important aspect of customer service is a friendly smile and a warm greeting to a guest. Without this important first impression, it...
This is a continuation of the titled article which was published on 10/26 (Part II) and 10/19 (Part I). In Part I we referenced a survey that found 43% of customers experienced...
One of the smartest things you can do with your business in these tough economic times is to make your customers happy. This happens by design not by accident. Your business...
The other day I had the misfortune to have one of the crowns on my teeth pop off while I was flossing. If you have ever had it happen to you, I think you would agree it is very...
My husband and I are on vacation in Ireland, and tonight we were looking for a restaurant for dinner. We have been to Dublin several times, but as in all cities, restaurants...
Customer Perspective (is all that matters) (part two) By Randy L. SnyderThis is a continuation of Part one published on 10/26. We touched upon self service as opposed to full...
Drakeshire Dental Center in Farmington, Michigan is doing something unique. It is making a concerted effort to market its dental services to the Japanese population. One of the...
Anyone who remembers the goodwill Johnson & Johnson earned for promptly and publicly responding to reports of tampering with Tylenol bottles should understand the importance of...
Whenever one of your dissatisfied customers walks out of your business, hangs up the phone or stops making a transaction while on your website, a “reverse marketing” event has...
From bussing your own trays at McDonalds to pumping your own gas at the service station to checking out your groceries in the self-serve line at Kroger’s, customer service is...
Recently I read about a national customer survey that 43% of those surveyed had experienced a serious problem with a product or service in the last 12 months. The problem...
Every organization receives complaints. The key is turning a complaint into a win-win situation.Too often employees and managers take the customer’s complaint personally and...
I'm generally not that big on so-called "reality" TV programs, most of which I find as contrived as any scripted drama. But one newcomer has captured my attention, a show that...
Focus groups can be an excellent tool for finding out what your customers think of your company and the service and products it is providing.A focus group is simply a method by...
Customers come to your place of business for a number of reasons, but mainly because you have some product or service that they need and are willing to pay for it. When someone...
Whether you are an organization of 25 or 5,000, one of the greatest obstacles to a well run team is getting your managers and employees to consistently treat your clients and...
How often has it happened to you or one of your employees where you took a customer for granted? When you stop to think how much a customer is actually worth it makes you sit...
You can barely keep your eyes open since you got about an hour of sleep last night. Between writing a term paper that was due today, comforting a three-year old that kept...
The other day I was in my local electronics store and during the transaction the salesperson asked me if I wanted to purchase a service contract. I politely declined. Have you...
Can you imagine a collision shop hiring a person with no prior experience for the job of repairing damaged cars or a company hiring someone to work as a computer operator with...
This is a continuation of Part I published last week. We are relating to the old "axiom" of first impressions when shopping a store are the most important ones and a...
I pulled into the auto shop as I had so many times before. They had just opened and I knew to get there early. I was coming through the door as the manager was turning on the...
I recently booked some airline tickets online for an upcoming trip. I selected and confirmed my flights and hit the “book now” button which gave me the confirmation....
No one likes to be criticized, especially when they feel they haven’t done anything wrong. When dealing with customers, it is important to understand how we react to criticism,...
In an earlier article we covered two things your customers really want. In this article we will cover two more key factors in exceeding their expectations satisfying their...
A greeter is one of the most important players in businesses that choose to employ them. It may seem to some like all they do is say hello and good bye but their value is...
A recent study on what customers really want, discovered some interesting findings. The results of that research have been used as a guidepost for the customer service...
Some time ago, just about every media vehicle on the planet featured a story about a flight attendant who reached his boiling point and thrust himself out the airplane’s...
Two customers order breakfast at a nationally known restaurant. The waitress takes their order, thanks them and walks away. A few minutes later, she returns with the two...
Have you ever called the owner or the manager of a company and had them talk to you through their speakerphone? Or have you ever observed how some owners and managers seem to...
A potential customer called a fence company for an estimate on a split rail fence he wanted installed on residential property. The representative stopped over, gave the client...
Day in and day out, employees say some stupid things that should get them fired. Especially, in today’s economy, one would think that it would be best to be flexible with...
A lady once took a white dress to the cleaners with a small stain on the shoulder. When she picked it up, it has large brown rust stains on the shoulders and on the back of...
One of the toughest things about customer service is dealing with a customer whom you know is wrong, but thinks he is right. They are customers who order a meal, eat most of...
One summer, Elizabeth, my wife and I took a vacation through Northern Michigan. On a particular day we had several places we wanted to visit so we started out very early from...
More often than not customer service feedback seems to be a vehicle of payback for a job performed poorly. Whether it’s an extended wait, a less than promised product or a bad...
Have you ever seen these signs posted in various businesses:-If you BREAK IT - you BUY IT.-No Shirt-No Shoes-No Service-We Reserve the Right to Refuse Service to...
A customer patiently waits in line at the secretary of state’s office for license tags. Finally arriving at the window, he’s informed by the clerk that he was in the wrong line...
As two business partners are being seated in a restaurant, they mention to the greeter that they are in a hurry. A few moments later, a waitress is ready to take their order....
When I was working on the phones as a Customer Service Rep, as is policy with most companies, I was asked to follow a specific script. At first I was almost insulted. Did they...
I was driving down the main street where I live and noticed a car coming in the opposite direction with four brand new tires. How could I tell they were new? It was easy. I...
A number of years ago, I was flying back to Detroit, Michigan on Delta Airlines. After landing in Knoxville to connect with my transfer flight, I checked in at the airline...
On a warm Friday afternoon in Traverse City, Michigan, the owner of Ferguson Lawn Supplies and Equipment, Chuck Ferguson,was just about ready to close for the day. The phone...
People like to have fun. They like to be able to enjoy themselves. One of the best opportunities for pleasure can occur when they do business with your company or...
Do you know the names of most of your customers? As Dale Carnegie said, “A person’s name is to that person the sweetest, most important sound in any language.” Research has...
A few months back, a business manager approached me after one of my presentations and complained that he had been in the office supply business for over 20 years, during which...
One of the biggest advantages a business person has is her ability to be a friend to her customers, to help them in a personable way to solve their problems. By setting the...
"..There’s a man by the name of Tony Grech who owns and runs Grecko Printing &Imaging. Tony’s print shop is one of the busiest in the area. Whenever I walk into his store, he...
As I understand it, Vilfredo Pareto (who is credited with being the mentor of Benito Musillini, and was the inspiration for getting the trains to run on time) was gardening one...
Are you interested in a career that puts you on the front lines with customers? If you like helping people and have an outgoing personality, a career as a customer service...
Put the Spotlight on Service! 09/12/2006 Take time out to recognize the front-line contributions of your customer service staff during Customer Service Week, October 2-6....
Jon came to me with not only a problem, but also a great attitude. He wanted to know if I would exchange a higher priced PDA for a lower priced one outside of the exchange...
One excellent way that will help keep your employees motivated and help gather great ideas on improving your business is to use an employees’ suggestion box. It’s no surprise...
A recent study on what customers really wanted discovered some interesting findings. The result of that research has been used as a guidepost for the customer service industry....
Accenture published its seventh global report on government service delivery titled "Leadership in Customer Service: Building the Trust". According to the report, the...
It pays to please customers, because they will choose you over competitors even if they have to pay more to obtain your products or services. The following statistics show...
All customers want and expect superior customer service, and it is all too important that we give it to them. Otherwise, our competition will. Your customer doesn’t want...