Who is the ideal candidate for a customer service position? What qualifications should that person have to succeed? Since customer service in inherently broad in scope, stretching across industries, sectors, and environments, no definitive set of qualifications exists. The skills one needs to deliver great customer service will differ between a wholesale jet fuel company …

7 Customer Service Qualifications Everyone Must Have Read More »

I wanted to share a great customer service story from customer service speaker Shep Hyken. Shep’s story of his encounter with a Texas taxi driver is a classic and demonstrates how any person or organization can deliver an incredible customer experience by focusing on the customer and by breaking through the boundaries of their industry. …

Customer Service Story: Shep Hyken’s Classic Taxi Tale Read More »

What makes your company and your service stand out from the crowd? Do your customers rave about your business when speaking with friends and family? Are your customers thinking about the standards of excellence created by your business when they are engaged in experiences elsewhere? To be remarkable is to be remarked upon — and …

Is Your Customer Service Remarkable? Read More »

How do you handle angry customers? It is a question you hear often when training for customer service. Anger is a trigger for most people. It creates an immediate psychological reaction in the recipient, and that reaction is different for everyone. While there are numerous techniques for handling angry customers, one of the most fundamental …

How Do You Handle Angry Customers? Patrick Swayze Style! Read More »

Are customers who use social media different than other customers? The American Express 2012 Global Customer Service Barometer (pdf) says Yes, they are. In addition to establishing a few key differences between consumers who use social media and those who do not, the AMEX Barometer sheds light on general consumer attitudes towards customer service and …

Customers Who Use Social Media Are More Vocal & Spend More Read More »

Guest Poster: Ken Mueller It is my pleasure to introduce Ken Mueller, owner of Inkling Media, a social media, marketing and communications consultancy based in Lancaster, PA. Inkling Media offers a personal, hands-on approach that gives you the education and tools necessary to create and manage a successful Internet marketing program. Customer service isn’t just …

Why Customer Service Is Important For Nonprofits Read More »

Hello everyone, in place of my usual Thursday post, we simply have an announcement. I will be embarking on a #DigitalDiet for a little bit. I will be around (so to speak) but disconnected from the Matrix.  🙂 In my absence, Ken Mueller, owner of Inkling Media, a social media, marketing and communications consultancy has …

A Digital Diet and an Upcoming Guest Post Read More »

When I first began blogging and engaging in social media, I was fortunate enough to be exposed to Mark Schaefer’s excellent introduction to Twitter, The Tao of Twitter. Mark’s book was the perfect introduction to a medium that I had dismissed as banal and incoherent only a few months earlier. As I leapt into social …

How a Customer Service Ethic Changed My Twitter Philosophy Read More »

The illustrious Stephen Covey passed away earlier this week. Covey was a legend in the business community. Author, speaker, and educator, Covey was most famous for his huge bestseller The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. The 7 Habits had a major influence on my life. It was released when I was in business school, …

The 5th Habit of Customer Service: A Shout Out to Stephen Covey Read More »