Excellent Customer Service Books
Unfortunately, I haven't found the Customer User Manual yet...
Anyway, I've narrowed my list down to three customer service books, that I currently use over and over again for reference. They are pretty beat up now, as you can imagine. One of the choices I list here may astound you... no matter how you turn it, you would normally not find it with the customer service books. It has given me some valuable insights anyway. Now let me see... shall I start with that one?
...nope, I'll leave that one for last. ;-)
Let's start with the regular customer support books!
Customer Service on the Internet
by Jim Sterne
Jim Sterne is not an unknown in the world of (Internet) Marketing. I've read articles of him before I bought this book,
and his easy and anecdotal style has always delighted me. He sure has a way with words. As a man who specializes in Internet
Marketing strategies, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that he now sees excellent Customer Service as a Marketing must
in this book, Customer Service on the Internet (2nd edition). The book starts with a brief history of the web, in context of customer service,
but he doesn't go all out to convince his readers of the importance of excellent customer service, to him, that is a no-brainer.
But he'll give you plenty of arguments to convince your boss, because there are $$$ to be saved and made!
In the next chapters he gives insightful information on the usefulness of FAQ's, how to manage e-mail (the anecdotes that show how not to do it are hilareous) and the need for opening up conversation with your customers. Then, you'll find more on harvesting the information you can get from analyzing traffic and customer orders, and using that info to personalize the customers web experience.
All this is riddled with the personal experience and anecdotes of Jim Sterne, that will make you slap your forehead and say "Duh!". You don't have to be a techie to get Jim's message. This is a great book, and I wholehartedly recommend it. It's my current favorite of the customer service books.
e-service
by Ron Zemke and Tom Connelan
The by-line of this customer service book says: 24 ways to keep your customers - when the competition is just a click away,
but actually it's much more than just another tips book on how to keep customers coming back.
I loved the ETDBW concept that the two authors bring forward. ETDBW stands for Easy To Do Business With, and that's exactly what I think companies should become. In order to retain customers, it must be as frictionless as possible for customers to order (this part most companies get right), but also to return goods, and get or give extra information.
Also, the information given on the correlation between likelihood of repeat business and overall customer satisfaction is invaluable. The authors speak of hockey-stick loyalty, because the correlation is not linear, but has a shape of a hockey-stick. If customers are "satisfied" this does not mean that the customer will return. Even a "good" experience doesn't really increase the likelihood of repeat business all that much. Only an "excellent" experience does.
If you're looking for customer service books this is an excellent read!
#3 on my list
OK, your still here, so I guess I'll now have to unveil my final choice for this list. As I stated, you normally wouldn't find it on a list of customer service books.It's a...
psychology relationship book.
In fact, it's:
Relationship Rescue
by Dr. Phil McGraw
No, my marriage is not in the ditch. But I love the direct and uncompromizing style of the man. I frequently hear
myself saying phrases like "You cannot change what you don't acknowledge" and "There is no truth, only perception" in
my daily worklife.
This book, although it is about rescuing an intimate relationship, has many such insights that you can use on your relationship with your customer. "Promote your partners self-esteem" is such a soundbyte. It has two good points going for it: 1. you could start to see you customer as a partner, and 2. if you build your customers self-esteem, this will help you since people tend to like people who like them.
There are much more goodies to find in this book that you can use. I'd recommend this book to anyone, even if you don't have severe problems with your spouse.
I added it also to the list to remind you that knowledge on any subject, can be found anywhere.
More book reviews
The Napkin, the Melon, and the Monkey
This modern day fable is not too big, an easy read. Don't let the size deceive you though, this little book has a powerful story to tell.
Recently I've been reading the highly acclaimed UP Your Service! series by customer service guru and professional keynote speaker par excellence, Ron Kaufman.
The Edge Up--Customer Service for Small Businesses
This customer service book, The Edge Up, tells how small and home-based businesses can leverage customer service as a competitive advantage.
Internet Marketing books
Street Smart Internet Marketing by Justin Michie
Recently I was asked to review the new Internet book by Justin Michie called “Street Smart Internet Marketing”. Michie, a self made Internet Marketeer, has written this book as an easy to understand “how to” on Internet Marketing.
Make your Site Sell! by Ken Evoy
This e-book is one of my favorite Internet Marketing books! It has a customer-centric approach that has been very insightful to me, and
might be for you. NOW FREE!
E-Loyalty by Ellen Reid Smith
Ellen Reid has a lot of experience with loyalty programs, for example, she was responsible for the loyalty program of an Airline company. and her knowledge truly shines in this book.
