Posts by Shep Hyken

Do you remember the famous line from George Orwell’s novel Animal Farm? “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” I’m reminded of that line as I think about how businesses treat their customers. Do we treat all customers equally? Or are some customers treated, well, a little more equally? I…

Are you focused on solving your customer’s problems? Doing so can actually be a bit more complex than you might initially think. It’s not enough to know what you sell. You have to understand the “why” behind the “what.” Why do customers want what you’re selling? Don’t just identify the surface, immediate issue; look for…

Customers want and expect better customer service than ever before—because we taught them to. Customers don’t just compare your business’s service to your direct competitors; they compare your service to the best service they’ve ever experienced, anywhere, from anyone. The bar is constantly moving higher, and when a business fails to clear that bar, customers…

I believe in the Employee Golden Rule: Treat your employees like you want the customer to be treated (maybe even better). The simple truth is that to have a good customer experience, you must have a good employee experience. What’s happening on the inside of your company is going to be felt by customers on…

Two of the most powerful words you can use are “I’m sorry.” But don’t abuse those powerful words by using them as a substitute for “too bad!” We’ve probably all had experiences where we asked for something, and got an “I’m sorry” response that did double-duty as both an apology and a statement of, “Too…

If a customer talks to two of your employees and asks them both the same question about your products or services, will they give the same response? If not, you could have a big problem with consistency. Inconsistent answers lead to customer confusion and a lack of confidence, which is a killer for trust! I…

Do you see customer complaints as problems? Or as opportunities? No matter how hard we try, mistakes will happen. What’s important is preparing and training your team to respond appropriately. I have long recommended the 5 Step Service Recovery Process: Acknowledge the problem Apologize Fix it Have ownership of the problem Act with urgency I…

It seems obvious that just by having a loyalty program, it must be creating loyalty. But are your customers loyal to your business, or are they loyal to the loyalty program? It’s a key difference! There are three general types of loyalty programs: Discounts/Perks Programs, Relationship Programs, and Membership Programs. Learn about some great examples…

Who sets the bar for amazing customer service with your customers? Is it the best service in your industry? Not exactly. You no longer have to keep up with your competition, but you now have to keep up with your customers’ expectations—and the bar is the best customer service regardless of industry. The best customer…