Eric Jacobson On Management And Leadership

If you want to delight your customers, then the book by  Steve Curtin ,  Delight Your Customers -- 7 Simple Ways to Raise Your Customer Service from Ordinary to Extraordinary , is a must-read for you and your employees. The book explains the  seven ways  for you and your employees to demonstrate  exceptional customer service : Express genuine interest Offer sincere and specific compliments Share unique knowledge Convey authentic enthusiasm Use appropriate humor Provide pleasant surprises Deliver service heroics "Exceptional customer service typically costs no more to deliver than poor customer service," explains Curtin. For example: How much does it cost to express genuine interest in customers or to anticipate their needs? Does it cost more to display a sense of urgency or to pay attention to detail? Do you pay your employees more to smile, to make eye contact, or to add energy to their voices? Curtin reminds readers that: Customers don't establish relationship...

Flavio Martins ' book,  Win The Customer , teaches you  70 simple rules for sensational service . "These can be used as a top-down resource in organizations looking to develop or enhance a service culture," explains Martins. "They can also be used as a resource for individuals who want to transform the way service is handled from the ground up, even when lacking the full commitment and support from organization-wide training and change efforts." To deliver sensational customer service, you need to have the  right culture . Martin says that the right culture: Inspires  -- Culture isn't a mission statement; it's a statement of action. Fosters  -- When united in a common goal, people contribute to an environment where everybody willingly comes to work each day and pours their best efforts into doing what they believe will make the greatest difference. Transforms  -- When working toward a higher purpose, the right culture has a real, positive effect on the w...

Author  Harvey MacKay  wrote the following spot-on advice years ago in a column in the  Kansas City Business Journal .  He wisely points out that all employees at every level should  never  use these four words in front of a client/customer for both obvious and perhaps not so obvious reasons: Can't --  As in, "We can't do that."  "We can't meet that deadline."  Unless you honestly cannot produce and then be honest and help them find another vendor. Busy  -- As in, "I'll call you when I'm not so busy."  "I'm really busy right now." The word "busy" gives your customer the impression they are a low priority. Safe  -- As in, "Let's play it safe."  Customers typically want to engage in calculated risks versus playing it safe. Fear  -- As in, "I fear that we may be moving too fast."  That tells your customer you haven't done your homework. MacKay writes, "Common sense, thorough ...

Whether you are in a new customer service role or simply need some customer service refresher tips,  Customer Service Training 101 , is the book for you.   Now in its third edition (originally published in 2005), you’ll find practical and actionable techniques and behaviors to ensure you are providing the best possible service for your customers.   Along with dozens of scenarios, examples, guidelines and practice lessons, author,  Renee Evenson , also provides a focus on customer service in today’s marketplace, which includes  effectively using social media .   My favorite parts of the book include Evenson’s techniques for  effective customer service via the phone  and for  properly responding to customer complaints .   First, for effective  customer service via the phone : Verbalize what you are doing  – explain to your customer what you are doing throughout the phone contact. Never assume that the perso...