There has been much debate on whether call centers will survive. Since customers are armed with many options and channels to access help with issue resolution, the question seems timely and appropriate. However the best leaders of call centers know…
Customer service excuses leave the customer more frustrated, frequently irritated and certainly surprised. In two recent situations, excuses weren’t necessary. Ownership and action would have responded to the issues quickly. In the first encounter, I called a photography studio to…
Lisa Ford is a Hall of Fame speaker with over 30 years of experience presenting to businesses, associations and government. She helps companies create customer focused cultures by providing highly customized content for clients such as Edward Jones, Kaiser Permanente, Allstate,…
Customers want a consistent service experience. It seems like that would be easy to deliver yet it is not the norm. Since it is not the norm, consistency becomes a differentiator. Check how well you deliver consistency with these strategies.…
In the best of all worlds, happy customers mean loyal customers. Loyal customers talk, create buzz and can be an advocate that leads to more customers. Customers want an exceptional experience and will quickly switch to another company to get…
Customers want real and personalized experiences. The best companies are delivering value with individualized and meaningful messages to their customers. The key is the message must be appropriate, relevant and of value. Customers want to be loyal. It is much…
Research and studies consistently prove the power of a positive customer experience. The best organizations know customer experience continues to be a prime differentiator. Research can be very revealing about the reasons for customer’s dissatisfaction, their needs and the reasons…
Customers deserve respect. Their time and money are valuable and their loyalty is priceless. When you pay attention, you can elevate the customer experience. Here are some recent interactions that show the power of paying attention. Check your organization and…
All companies would love to be able to say they are a game changer. Whether it is with their service, brand or innovation, few companies really can claim such a grand statement. Some of the few who come to mind…
Culture is reflected in how people behave. It is a given if you want to change your culture, you must change behaviors. Leaders set the example as they demonstrate it’s about everyone’s behavior. Leadership has to be focused on the…
There is a lot of talk about customers and their use of social media. Data tells us customers are using it more and companies must be responsive and innovative with their use of it. However, I would like to remind…
Most organizations know how to talk about creating a customer focused culture yet implementation eludes them. Many roadblocks get in the way of the good intentions. The list of roadblocks is quite long. To get started, here are a few…
The best customer service organizations have many things in common. I believe the most important is that its leadership focuses on customer service and the customer experience. Check yourself and your leadership against these four strategies. Leaders dedicate dollars, time…
Do happy employees create happy customers? Could it be so simple? I define a happy customer as one who is loyal and willing to refer you to others. Happy customers mean their problems were solved and their needs met. Statistics…
There is much conversation around creating a memorable customer experience in order to gain customer loyalty. Whether a fad or not, customer experience is a differentiator and should be a part of your brand. Too often companies jump on the…
Every organization has a chance to deliver a positive customer experience. That experience has many starting points and touchpoints along the customer interaction. Each touchpoint will affect the customer’s perception of your business and even their loyalty. To remain competitive,…
When customers call a company, they deserve the best treatment. However many organizations continue to abuse their customers with poorly thought out phone handling. The guilty companies range from the largest to the smallest. The reality is many of those companies…
It is easy to think your service efforts are exceptional. Often the reality does not match your opinion. An often quoted piece of research from Bain and Co. tells us how executives tend to misread their performance. When surveying 362…
Customers want a consistent service experience. It seems like that would be easy to deliver yet it is not the norm. Since it is not the norm, consistency becomes a customer differentiator. Check how well you deliver consistency with these…
The customer experience is all about doing things that will be memorable and of value to the customer. Start with the basics and fundamentals. Once you have gotten them right, you will have earned the customer's trust and repeat…
