Posts by Shep Hyken

You’ve likely heard that customer service is the new marketing. And social media customer service is an updated version. It’s something you cannot ignore! Social media channels are no longer alternative customer service channels; they’re primary channels that you must pay attention to. Make sure that you’re providing great customer service on social media channels.…

Delivering amazing customer service really sets your business apart. And the companies that deliver the absolute best customer service are always remembered by their customers. SquareMouth, a company that provides travel insurance reviews and comparisons, recently won the Gold Stevie Award for Customer Service Department of the Year—for the fourth time! So what is it…

What’s even better than taking care of customer’s needs with great customer service? Having customer service that anticipates your customer’s needs and takes care of them before they even think to ask! On the old tv show M*A*S*H, Radar O’Reilly was the ultimate assistant for Colonel Potter, anticipating his needs so thoroughly that he would…

Good sales skills can get you some business to start off with. But how do you get people to return and buy from you over and over. That requires mastering what happens after the buying experience, and is largely centered around having amazing customer service that lives up to all the promises and expectations that…

You hear a lot about the importance of making sure your business is customer-centric. But what does that really mean? I actually prefer the term customer-focused, but either way, the key idea is that all decisions are made with the customer and his or her best interests in mind. And that means all decisions, large…

April is Customer Loyalty Month. What is your company doing to create—and earn—loyalty from your customers? To improve your own customer loyalty initiatives, get some tips from a company that really knows how to create customer loyalty: Amazon.com. In this video, learn 5 specific ways that Amazon builds loyalty in its customer base, including: When…

One of the most quoted untruths in business is this: “The customer is always right.” However, when the customer is not right, there is still a right way to handle the situation. This is my take: The customer is NOT always right! But, they are always the customer. So if they are wrong, let them…

The CEO of Busey Bank, Van Dukeman, has an interesting concept he calls the Velocity of Business. I heard his presentation on the subject of how quickly a business moves when I had the privilege of working with the bank, and I realized the importance of how velocity applies to the customer service experience. What…

It’s common knowledge—and common sense—that customers want to do business with people they know, like, and trust. Business is all about relationships. Your customer relationships may fall on various levels, but at a minimum, customers should be able to count on you. They have chosen to spend money on your products or services, so to…