All right lets define some terms and make sure we are all speaking the same language:
Customer Service: How your customers are treated, talked to, and dealt with during every single interaction with your company, product and service.
Customer Experience: Every touchpoint/interaction that your customer has with your company from your website to the final bill they receive… and everything in between.
So customer service is what occurs within the customer experience. This can be everything from phone interactions to reading an email you sent out.
So when we say Customer Service is not a department within your company this is why. Its all encompassing and involves everyone, even those who do not directly interact with your customers. Most people will make a decision, conscious or subconsciously, about your whole business based on the level of customer service they receive at ANY one touchpoint in your company.
I see customer service as a mindset. I see it as understanding the human psyche. Understanding what drives decisions, conversations, choices etc. The foundation of any great company is this understanding (or attempt to understand) this psyche.
The reading list below will reflect this need to understand the human psyche (you’ll notice a couple books have to do with YOUR mindset)… along with the other reads.
THIS needs to be your first read!! You get this nailed and your whole biz world becomes far easier.
- “The Customer Rules: The 39 Essential Rules for Delivering Sensational Service” by L. Cockerell (Amazon) (Audible)
This is a great mindset book behind the Disney experience and the overall higher level thinking that goes into customer experience and customer service. I had the opportunity to be part of a Therapy Insiders podcast that interviewed the author Lee Cockerell.
My favorite word hated by most in Healthcare.. SELL. Pink does a great job describing “Non sell selling”. Will help YOU to better understand YOUR thoughts and perceptions into delivering what is needed to a customer.
- “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” by R. Cialdini (Amazon) (Not on Audible)
Simply put, “….explains the psychology of why people say ‘yes’….” key word here is WHY not yes.
- “Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions” by D. Airley (Amazon) (Audible)
When it comes to making decisions in our lives, we think we’re making smart, rational choices. But are we?
Awesome technical read on how great companies map out their customer experiences so that they can make sure they are delivering the best customer service… Again pretty technical so wouldn’t make a first read from this list.
- “Be Our Guest: Perfecting the Art of Customer Service” by Disney Institute/T. Kinni
(Amazon) (Audible)
Great at describing the principles and systems behind Disneys customer experience and customer service. Would not make this the first read.
So, those are all books I’ve read…. Here’s a short list of books I want to read:
Yeah, goes without saying. I’ve heard him speak and have read multiple case studies on Zappos… so that’s why its still in the “To Read” pile.
- “Words Like Loaded Pistols: Rhetoric from Aristotle to Obama” S. Leith (Amazon) (Not on Audible)
I love WORDS and understanding the power they hold, soooooo obviously this is on my short list. Found this through the Farnam Street Blog.
Lastly some websites I visit frequently:
The Association for Customer Loyalty
Click on newsletter and sign up… Every Sunday AM you will thank me!
Final note: You will have noticed that there was not one Healthcare related book or website mentioned. On purpose?… No, its because other industries do it far better, so let’s learn from THEM!
Thanks… Happy Reading
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