The world is changing, and customer expectations are evolving. So, innovation is the heartbeat of customer experience. But how do you innovate? Innovation, the late Peter Drucker points out in his landmark book, The Discipline of Innovation, is the “effort to create purposeful, focused change in an enterprise’s economic or social potential.” He adds that it’s different than other disciplines. …
It’s that time of the year, and as you head into budgets and budget presentations, I encourage you to make them as complete as they need to be — but as brief and to the point as possible. In a recent issue of The Edge of Service®, I include an excerpt from one of the LinkedIn Learning Courses that I’ve …
In a recent issue of The Edge of Service®, I relay my experience meeting actor and author Henry Winkler at a recent ICMI Conference. Winkler reminded me of advice that my mother used to give me, especially when facing awkward or difficult challenges—”just be yourself.” It was sound advice then, and it still is now. And I believe it’s good …
Recently I had the opportunity to visit the Australia Zoo, which is owned by the family of the late Steve Irwin. Irwin’s documentaries on wildlife and conservation helped make the zoo a popular tourist destination. As they describe it, “the Australia Zoo is a team of passionate conservationists working around the clock to deliver an animal experience like no other.” …
There are many technologies that can support and enable customer service. Many. A ton. And there are myriad decisions to be made around suppliers and solutions. Sometimes, the less you know, the better you are at asking the right “dumb” questions. The ones that really matter. “How does that make things better for our customers? Easier for our employees?” Don’t …
On a recent trip to the Bahamas, I was reminded of the importance of an effective service strategy. As a customer service professional, it’s easy to get caught up in the daily details and lose sight of what ties it all together. There are many ways to approach strategy, but there are some common characteristics among organizations that have the …
As 2017 comes to a close, it is a great time to reflect and consider plans for the new year. This past summer, I had the opportunity to spend time with four NFL quarterbacks, and hear their perspectives on leadership. These discussions reminded me of what Jim Collins refers to as “level 5” leadership—the highest level impact you can have. …
Customer comments matter. Positive or negative, they definitely have an impact. A past Edge of Service Newsletter includes the following numbers to ponder: 1% to 5%. Typical percent of customers who complain to companies when there are problems—for every 10 complaints, there are anywhere from 200 to 1,000 customers you don’t hear from. (John Goodman, Customer Experience 3.0) Word of mouth …
Customer advocacy is one of those terms that can be confusing. Does the customer advocate for us, the business? Or is it the other way around? One of the past issues of The Edge of Service® Newsletter suggests the answers to these questions is both! Take a few minutes to read this issue (The Edge of Service® Newsletter Issue 21: …
Need some inspiration? How about inspiration for your next team meeting? Check out the Edge of Service Newsletter archives for 20 brief articles on some of the most pressing issues facing customer service professionals today. They also include statistics and an action-oriented “To Do” section. Enjoy! Be sure to subscribe to receive the next issue in your inbox.
