What do my customers ……… Want Need Wish Crave Demand Desire Yearn For Require Fancy Hunger Have a hankering for ? Simple questions with difficult answers. Where do you get the answers? Most would suggest going to the source, your customers, and I agree. Many companies today utilize Voice of the Customer [VoC] programs to […]
Why “Your Why” means everything in Customer Service
A personal story: We were all a little excited, done being on a plane for four hours, and ready to get to vacationing. My son, girlfriend, and I finally had a chance to get away to Orlando for a short, long weekend. As a Customer Experience Consultant, my schedule can run hot or cold depending upon my […]
Net Promoter Scoring is Asking the Wrong Question
By michaelpace on February 4, 2014 I’m not a huge fan of Net Promoter Scoring (NPS). Nope. I am sure this sounds like blasphemy from a Customer Service professional. Too bad. I would not recommend a family member, friend, or colleague to blindly use Net Promoter Scoring to understand or forecast the retention of their […]
Customer Service Fortune Cookies for 2014 and Beyond
By michaelpace on December 16, 2013 Complete, wild guess predictions and thoughts by my cousin Pacefucious about the trends in Customer Service for 2014. Note: The practice of adding “in bed” may or may not work with the following fortunes. Pacefucious say: Successful Customer Service leaders will be Customer Success Leaders Even now, Customer Success […]
A Gift That Keeps Giving: Review of Chip R. Bell’s “The 9 1/2 Principles of Innovative Service”
By michaelpace on October 1, 2013 I can remember when Chip first changed my world. Almost a decade ago, I attended an intra-company process management conference with the hope I would not literally be bored to tears. Luckily, the conference was very well run and “edu-taining” as a whole. On the morning of the second […]
The Best Medicine for Customer Success – Prescription
By michaelpace on February 26, 2013 Take two of these every 4 hours for 5 days Go home and rest Drink plenty of fluids Make some chicken soup Take ibuprofen to reduce fever Gargle salt water for a sore throat Steam to loosen congestion Etc… We’ve all been there. There is something wrong with our […]
“Well, it’s all about Trust”
By michaelpace on January 8, 2013 Last week my friend passed away. He wasn’t only my friend; he was a peer, my manager, a career changer, a mentor, and overall great guy. Larry (Streeter) and I had met up the Friday before Christmas to catch up and talk customer service and leadership shop. As it […]
Customer Service Needs a Romper Room Magic Mirror or Transparency is Innovation
By michaelpace on April 23, 2012 Magic Mirror, tell me today Did companies do as they say, I see Costco, Ritz Carlton, and Starbucks … Ah nostalgia. If you grew up in the late 70’s and the 80’s, you probably remember Miss Molly and the show that was Romper Room. At the end of every […]
5 Signs That Your Customer Service Sucks
By michaelpace on March 26, 2012 Talk to most any CEO, and they will tell you that they have great customer service. They will tell you how proud they are of their service, and how important it is to their business objectives. And it goes beyond C-Level executives. Lots of people think their company provides […]
Why NPS should stand for Near Pointless Scoring
By michaelpace on February 28, 2012 Just stop for a second and answer a question for yourself: Why are you measuring Net Promoter Score (NPS)? Does it provide you the best insight to your customer’s satisfaction? Maybe you read The Ultimate Question six years ago, and have found your silver bullet to customer service? Or […]