Given the current news cycle with United Airlines, it seems apropos to revisit the topic of customer relationships and crisis management. Our companies are unlikely to be as large or newsworthy as United Airlines, but any and all companies are at risk for customer-facing events that can quickly snowball into public relations disasters if not Keep Reading...
Customers patronize many different companies, some small, some large. But customers do not differentiate between them when comparing their experiences as customers: every company is measured against the performance of all the rest. This means it is especially important for us to not only compete against our marketplace competitors, because every industry is our competitor Keep Reading...
Another name for a customer service representative is simply: Fixer. Our job centers around fixing customer problems. Sometimes they are problems with the product, or the website, or a return. But other times, they are problems customers have experienced at the point of sale or service. It is our duty to handle these situations with Keep Reading...
When we asked about easily avoidable customer service frustrations, responses ran the gamut of experiences. But one theme stood out overall: it is more valuable to be 100% accurate than it is to be 100% accommodating to our customers. Consider Greatta's story for an illustration as to why. Gretta had ordered a large rug online. Keep Reading...
Over the years, we've talked a lot about ensuring that it is easy for your customers to reach you and to interact with you. From prominently displaying multiple channels through which to contact you on your website, to logical phone trees (or live operators), to clearly developed FAQ's that are easy to find on your Keep Reading...
"I just made a big purchase: a car. The caveat was that they had to find one with my selected options, so it was a drawn out experience. And while I was very excited about the final product, the process was really stressful because I never knew what was going on or when things should Keep Reading...
A woman in Wilkesboro, North Carolina is the proud owner of Baxter, a special needs rescue dog. Baxter requires the assistance of a doggy wheelchair and, when his owner, Amy Jo Martin, decided to upgrade his chair with an anti-tip wheel, she headed to Lowe's for ideas as well as parts. Ms. Martin asked at Keep Reading...
As customers' buying behavior rapidly changes, businesses are constantly encountering new competitors. It used to be that brick and mortar stores predominately competed with other brick and mortar retailers, but online retailers are increasingly competing for customers' attention and dollars (and vice versa) as the lines between the two categories blur. So what can companies Keep Reading...
In customer service stories, we often hear about exceptional circumstances that compel a representative to provide service far out of the norm. But, like we've frequently discussed, quality service has to be consistently pursued day in and day out. Heidi, who works for the grocer Trader Joe's, shared her approach to ensuring a constant delivery Keep Reading...
A lot of stories about great customer service focus on grand gestures, but it is the sustained, day to day delivery of good deeds that make a company's service reputation excellent. We asked people this week to share an excellent experience they have had or heard about and these are the simple but lovely responses Keep Reading...
