We’ve been busy doling out tons of customer service advice that should carry your small business well into the new year. Our Holiday Survival Guide has covered everything from how to manage customer stress without losing your mind to tips for dazzling your customers in the upcoming year.
This time we’re going to pass the proverbial microphone and allow some of our favorite customer service experts do the speaking.
We know — you’re an ace when it comes to customer service for your small business. You know your customers better than anyone. Who could possibly have advice on making it even better than it already is?
Your business is your life. No one knows all of its components better than you. But small business owners can use a dose of inspiration from time to time. It is hard launching a new business and harder still to make it successful. There are so many incredible books for entrepreneurs, but maybe you don’t have the time to absorb one. Enter social media.
If your business isn’t on social media (Why? Get on there!), now is the time to start. It is a fecund ground of actionable tips and insightful blogs posts that will keep you on the forefront of service trends and current standards.
Ready to glean some of that sweet, sweet customer service knowledge from the experts? Here are 16 pieces of advice that will help you provide superior customer service in 2016.
- “You can’t satisfy customers with disengaged employees. Start there first.”
Bill Quiseng, Customer Service Expert, Blogger and Writer - “Employees who are controlled cannot respond caringly, you need superior knowledge and real leadership, not management. Because of this we specifically developed a selection process for leaders; we don’t hire managers.”
Horst Schulze, Former Ritz Carlton President - “Biggest question: Isn’t it really ‘customer helping’ rather than customer service? And wouldn’t you deliver better service if you thought of it that way?”
Jeffrey Gitomer, Author and Professional Speaker - “You should always be one or two moves ahead of your customers, anticipating what they might want or need.”
Shep Hyken, Customer Service Expert, Author and Speaker - “Use feedback to drive your Customer service mission – NEVER ignore it.”
Kate Nasser, The People Skills Coach©, Speaker and Trainer - “There are many who subscribe to the convention that service is a business cost, but our data demonstrates that superior service is an investment that can help drive business growth. Investing in quality talent, and ensuring they have the skills, training and tools that enable them to empathize and actively listen to customers are central to providing consistently excellent service experiences.”
Jim Bush, EVP American Express - “The smallest good deed is better than the grandest good intention.”
John Burroughs, Author - “Your ability to communicate is an important tool in your pursuit of your goals, whether it is with your family, your co-workers or your clients and customers.”
Les Brown, Author and Motivational Speaker - “We improve customer service when we show them our gratitude. It inspires and sustains them.”
Kate Nasser, The People Skills Coach©, Speaker and Trainer - “Today customers care about how their fellow humans, online and off, have been treated by the humans who work for your company. This is the reality of our new, customer-driven world.”
Micah Solomon, Speaker, Customer Experience Consultant and Author - “It is not your customer’s job to remember you, it is your obligation and responsibility to make sure they don’t have the chance to forget you.”
Patricia Fripp, Professional Keynote Speaker - “When you make a mistake, there are only three things you should ever do about it: admit it, learn from it, and don’t repeat it. ”
Bear Bryant, Former College Football Player and Coach - “When a customer complains, he is doing you a special favor; he is giving you another chance to serve him to his satisfaction. You will appreciate the importance of this opportunity when you consider that the customer’s alternative option was to desert you for a competitor.”
Seymour Fine, Author The Marketing of Ideas and Social Issues - “Never let making a profit stand in the way of doing the right thing.”
George W. Jenkins, Founder of Publix Grocery Stores - Never accept or be too comfortable with the status quo, because the companies that get into trouble are historically the ones that aren’t able to adapt to change and respond quickly enough.”
Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos - “Solve it. Solve it quickly, solve it right or wrong. If you solve it wrong, it will come back and slap you in the face, and then you can solve it right. Lying dead in the water and doing nothing is a comfortable alternative because it is without risk, but it is an absolutely fatal way to manage a business.”
Thomas Watson, Jr. Former President of IBM and US Ambassador to the Soviet Union
Have a favorite quote that inspires how you interact with customers or motivates you? Share it with us in the comments!
Check out our entire Holiday Survival Guide for more tips that will keep your customers merry all season long.
What a great list of quotes and advice from outstanding customer service and experience experts! Implementing some of these ideas should almost guarantee that 2016, at least as far as the customer is concerned, will be an outstanding year! And, thank you for including me on this list. Honored and flattered!
What a great way to start off the year; reading 16 amazing ideas and tips for delivering amazing customer service. And, thank you for including me as part of this elite group.
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Great! Thanks so much! Glad you found our blog useful.
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Thanks so much for visiting and for leaving such a nice comment. Much appreciated!