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 …
It’s hard to believe that Contact Center Management on Fast Forward is in its fourth edition. It is a testimony to the strategic importance of contact centers to organizations of virtually any type. It has been a privilege to be a part of an industry that is dedicated to connecting with customers and helping organizations succeed. If you’ve read any …
The impact of employee engagement is incredible. In fact, engaged employees are four times more likely than non-engaged employees to go beyond what’s expected of them according to the Temkin Group, a US firm focused on customer experience. Other studies show that quality improves, customer loyalty goes up, and employee turnover goes down. Learn more about the power of employee …
Sam Del Rowe recently wrote an article for www.destinationcrm.com titled “The Top Customer Service Trends: Building Better Service Beyond Voice.” In the article, Mike de la Cruz of Directly and I provide insight into artificial intelligence (AI), omnichannel strategies, and agent involvement in the future. If these are issues on your mind for the future of your customer service center, …
Is there a secret to ensuring that your customer service strategy is effective? Are there common denominators among organizations getting the best results? I’ve observed four key factors that you can use to take inventory and get a good sense of how well your strategy is performing. These four factors are explained in the video below, “Gauge the Effectiveness of …
Customer service matters. It matters to customers and more and more statistics are showing just how much. Below are a few statistics that may help you make the case to others. Fully engaged customers represent a 23% premium in terms of share of wallet, profitability, revenue, and relationship growth compared to the average customer. (Source: Gallup) 74% of customers use …
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.” …
Too often, I’ll see a vision or mission statement on an entry wall, but then observe very different priorities in day-to-day operations. We put our customers first, but keep the time you spend with them to three minutes. Or we deliver world class service, but we sure don’t have the resources we need on Mondays. In the most successful organizations, …
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 …
