Last week I was interviewed for a customer service podcast. The host has authored several books on the topic and has an excellent reputation as an industry thought-leader. During the interview, I was asked for my definition of customer service, which I shared: Customer service is a voluntary act that
An observation: While employees consistently execute the mandatory job functions (duties/tasks) for which they are paid, they inconsistently demonstrate the voluntary job essence (service behaviors) for which there is little or no additional cost to the employer. Why do you suppose that is? Possibly it’s because their duties and tasks
Last year I met with Zane, a manager of a fast-casual restaurant. During our conversation, he shared some of the recurring challenges he faces in trying to raise the level of service at his restaurant. One frustration he disclosed was the inability of his staff (with the exception of one
In an earlier blog post titled What is customer service?, I offered an 18-word definition of customer service containing seven unique elements that we’ll be exploring one-by-one in greater detail over the coming weeks. Too often, customer service is viewed as a department, a designated employee’s job role, or someone
Yesterday I met with Zane, a manager of a fast-casual restaurant. During our conversation, he shared some of the recurring challenges he faces in trying to elevate customer service at his restaurant. One frustration he disclosed was the inability of his staff (with the exception of one or two “superstars”)
If you want to find out just how bad customer service is, go buy something. It hardly even matters where you go, who you call, or which website you visit. Sure, there are exceptions—those fabled companies that spring to mind when one thinks about legendary customer service: Zappos, Disney, L.L.Bean,
This post is the tenth in a series that has identified 10 different obstacles that have emerged from my analysis of customer satisfaction data. Perhaps you have encountered one or more of these obstacles in your own business? The tenth obstacle is missed opportunities. Two years ago, I wrote a
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