News

Ask your customers to grade you

by Kevin Stirtz Here is your Daily Dose of Amazing Service: Ask your customers to grade you. And here are some additional thoughts on this topic… The best way to have more loyal customers is to give them what they want (in a way that is sustainable for your business, of... [Read more...]

Airlines ranked for customer service; Continental dominates

by Kevin Stirtz J.D. Power and Associates has released their 2009 North America Airline Satisfaction Study. Here’s how the major US airlines rank: Airline JDP Score Continental Airlines 669 Delta Air Lines 641 American Airlines 618 Northwest Airlines 614 United... [Read more...]

Kevin Stirtz writes for Examiner.com

This week I began another chapter in my adventures as the Amazing Service Guy. I am now writing a column on Examiner.com as one of their National Examiners. Examiner.com is a large media website that covers local and national news. Their readership/traffic is on a par with BusinessWeek.com.... [Read more...]

Books

Customer Service Book Review: Super Service

by Kevin Stirtz Customer Service Book Review: Super Service: Seven Keys to Delivering Great Customer Service… by Jeff Gee and Val Gee If you’re looking for a book with basic, useful, down to earth customer service advice, you should look at this one. It’s a... [Read more...]

Customer Service Book Review: Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless

by Kevin Stirtz Customer Service Book Review: Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless… by Jeff Gitomer This book throws a lot at you. It’s pure Gitomer. And it’s extremely useful, once you get past his “in your face” style. There... [Read more...]

Customer Service Book Review: More Loyal Customers

Customer Service Book Review: More Loyal Customers: 21 Real World Lessons to Keep Your Customers Coming Back Glenn Ross, Customer Service advisor at AllBusiness.com says… I believe this book has value for three types of people. First, If you’re a senior manager who... [Read more...]

Resources

Amazing Service Guy Featured on BusinessWeek Website

by Kevin Stirtz Recently I found a valuable resource on the BusinessWeek website. It’s called the Business Exchange and it’s full of recommendations to articles and other resources. The links are all grouped by topic or category. What I really like is many of them... [Read more...]

Free customer service resources

To make life a little easier for you, I have created a permanent page that lists all the free customer service resources available at AmazingServiceGuy.com. You can find it here: http://amazingserviceguy.com/customer-service-resources/  Read More →

New Resource: AllTop.com

by Kevin Stirtz File this under “cool new resources”. I just learned (via Chris Brogan with an assist from Guy Kawasaki) about a useful website called AllTop.com. They aggregate headlines from a variety of (what they consider) top sources of news and info. From their... [Read more...]

Surveys

What Can You Do While Waiting on Hold for Customer Service?

by Kevin Stirtz Play two or more games of solitaire. Make a meal. Watch a complete TV show. Go to the bathr…never mind. These are a few things people claim to do while waiting on hold for customer service, according to a recent survey reported by Reuters. The survey suggests... [Read more...]

Customer Surveys Don’t Always Tell the Whole Story

by Kevin Stirtz Last week I read that the Minneapolis - St. Paul (MSP) Airport had been named the best large airport in North America (and #3 in the world) for customer service quality. As a lifelong Minnesotan, I felt some pride that our hometown airport did so well in this... [Read more...]

Companies Still Need to Improve Service Says New Report

by Kevin Stirtz Today my company published a new report on customer service. It’s called: “The State of Customer Service” and it offers a glimpse of what real people think about customer service these days. Surprisingly, the news is not all gloom and doom. But... [Read more...]

Technology

iGoogle, Meet the Amazing Service Guy

by Kevin Stirtz The Amazing Service Guy is now officially a Web 2.0 geek.  Last fall I started Tweeting. I thought that made me Web 2.0 cool. But today we upped the ante. Thanks to my geeky, uh I mean good friend, Carl Tuttle, (for suggesting the idea) you can now get your daily... [Read more...]

AOL Tops in Customer Service, aka the “Best of a Bad Bunch”

by Kevin Stirtz In a recent report published by Forrester, AOL earned the top score among the USA’s largest Internet Service Providers. This seems like something to crow about until you look at the details, as Larry Dignan (of ZDNet) did. What he found took most of the... [Read more...]

Would You Waive Your Right to Rate Your Doctor?

by Kevin Stirtz Recently, on National Public Radio’s “Talk of the Nation”, I heard an interview with Dr. Jeffrey Segal, founder of an organization called Medical Justice.  He was explaining why he and his organization want patients to waive some of their rights... [Read more...]

Videos

Two Simple Rules for More Loyal Customers

by Kevin Stirtz I talk and write a lot about giving our customers what they want. Because if we fail to give them what they want they’ll leave us. That’s what customer loyalty is all about. But as we do this, we should keep in mind some guidelines. The following video... [Read more...]

Give Your Customers a Great Experience

by Kevin Stirtz One of the best ways to keep your customers coming back and get more referrals is to give your customers a great experience. And that’s true even when your customers aren’t human. When I watch this video, not only would I want our dog to be a “customer”,... [Read more...]

You Won’t Get that on United Airlines…

by Kevin Stirtz Part of serving your customers well is giving them a positive and memorable experience. In fact that’s the formula for “wowing!” them. When you do this they have fun, they remember you (and your company) and they say good things about you to... [Read more...]

Editor's Picks

Subway Offers Both Extremes of Customer Experience

by Kevin Stirtz Jay Leno and I both enjoy Subway. While I can’t speak for Jay, I can tell you why I like it. They offer relatively healthy food fast and at a fair price.  And, usually you get the same experience no matter where you are.The Subway in Montgomeryville, PA... [Read more...]

Why Are Big Brands Losing Customers?

by Kevin Stirtz Today Pointer Media Network released their study: “Losing Loyalty: The Consumer Defection Dilemma.” It shows many large well-known brands have lost a lot of loyal customers in the last year. According to the report, less than half (48%)of customers... [Read more...]

Customer Service Advice: Lose the Scripts. Hire Friendly.

by Kevin Stirtz The secret to improving customer service (and therefore, increasing customer loyalty) is simple: Hire friendly people and don’t make them use scripts.  In the past few weeks I’ve experienced both sides of this coin. I’ve had to deal with my... [Read more...]

Guest Articles

Do you really value your customers or do you just want their money?

by Jim Logan Guest Author Try to find someone in business who says they don’t value their customers.  It would be surprising if you found one - everyone values their customers. Or so they say. However, valuing your customers is little different than loving someone - saying... [Read more...]

Get Out Of The Kitchen!

by Mark Henson Guest Author I’m starting to sound like an old man because I find myself saying things only old men say. Things like, “Get off my lawn!”, “Slow down you little punk!” and “If you can’t do something well, why are you doing... [Read more...]

Customers Are Fighting Back

by Bill Hogg Guest Author Spotted a recent article online in AARP Magazineoffering strategies when you do not receive the customer service you deserve. If you are unfamiliar with the AARP, it is the largest membership organization (40 million members) for people 50+ in the... [Read more...]

More News and Articles

Customer Service Articles


Customer Service Blog

Ask your customers to grade you

July 3, 2009

by Kevin Stirtz

Here is your Daily Dose of Amazing Service:

Ask your customers to grade you.

And here are some additional thoughts on this topic…

The best way to have more loyal customers is to give them what they want (in a way that is sustainable for your business, of course). To do this you have to know what your customers want. And you have to constantly know how you’re doing delivering it. (It’s one thing to know. It’s another to do it well.) [Read more...]

Customer Service Quote for July 3, 2009

July 3, 2009

The customer is why you go to work. If they go away, you do, too.

-David Haverford

Kevin Stirtz writes for Examiner.com

July 2, 2009

This week I began another chapter in my adventures as the Amazing Service Guy. I am now writing a column on Examiner.com as one of their National Examiners. Examiner.com is a large media website that covers local and national news. Their readership/traffic is on a par with BusinessWeek.com. I’ll be writing about customer service, customer loyalty, customer experience and all the same topics I write about here at AmazingServiceGuy.com.

You can read my new column here.

If you have ideas for me, like companies that are delivering amazing customer service, please drop me a note.  Thanks!

Respond to every customer every time

July 2, 2009

by Kevin Stirtz

Here is your Daily Dose of Amazing Service:

Respond to every customer every time.

And here are some additional thoughts on this topic…

Often companies make it easy and convenient for customers to send messages to them. A contact form, a voice mail or even a comment card can do this very well. But it doesn’t mean communication has happened. It does not mean you’ve connected. One way communication does not serve customers. Nor will it build customer loyalty. [Read more...]


Customer Service Videos

Two Simple Rules for More Loyal Customers

July 2, 2009

by Kevin Stirtz

I talk and write a lot about giving our customers what they want. Because if we fail to give them what they want they’ll leave us. That’s what customer loyalty is all about. But as we do this, we should keep in mind some guidelines.

The following video helps us see (in a funny way) what some companies do wrong as they try to keep their customers coming back.

First, they forget to [Read more...]

Give Your Customers a Great Experience

June 25, 2009

by Kevin Stirtz

One of the best ways to keep your customers coming back and get more referrals is to give your customers a great experience. And that’s true even when your customers aren’t human.

When I watch this video, not only would I want our dog to be a “customer”, I want to go there too! If you like dogs you’ll love this video. It doesn’t tell you the experience this doggy daycare business provides. It shows you. And it does so brilliantly.

Customer service is more than [Read more...]

You Won’t Get that on United Airlines…

May 13, 2009

by Kevin Stirtz

Part of serving your customers well is giving them a positive and memorable experience. In fact that’s the formula for “wowing!” them. When you do this they have fun, they remember you (and your company) and they say good things about you to others.

Here’s an entertaining example of how Southwest Airlines wows their customers.

There are s couple things I really like about this:
[Read more...]


Current Headlines

Customer Service Podcast

Customer Service Blog


Customer Service Podcasts

Amazing Service Podcast #8 June 25, 2009 (”Dogs are people too” edition)

June 25, 2009

customer service podcast

by Kevin Stirtz

Welcome to the June 25 edition of the Amazing Service podcast, the world’s only customer service podcast that originates in Burnsville, Minnesota.

Today we discuss dogs, customer experience and a former restaurant guy who’s crazy about customer service.

Enjoy the show!

Play this podcast

 

———-
Kevin Stirtz is the Amazing Service Guy, a speaker and trainer who helps companies increase revenue and profits by delivering Amazing Service. Stirtz has been quoted in such major media as BusinessWeek, the Boston Globe, Smart Money and the Chicago Sun Times. Get a free copy of his Amazing Service Toolkit.

Amazing Service Podcast #7 - March 20, 2009

March 20, 2009

customer service podcast

Welcome to the March 20 edition of the Amazing Service podcast, the world’s only customer service podcast that originates in Burnsville, Minnesota.

Today we talk about Toxic Revenue, what it is, why it’s dangerous for your business and how you can avoid it. We also discuss Amazing Service Rules #25 (Put Yourself in Their Shoes) and #34 (See you customer only as someone who needs your help).

Enjoy the show!

Play this podcast

 

Amazing Service Podcast #6 March 13, 2009 (the “Good Luck” edition)

March 13, 2009

customer service podcast

Welcome to the “Good Luck” edition of the Amazing Service Podcast. In this segment we talk about Amazing Service Rules #1 (You’re here to serve your customers) and #6 (Give your customer your complete attention).

We start the podcast with a news items about my new book and a mention of the free resource page now available at this website.

Enjoy the podcast.

Play this podcast

 

Customer Service Articles

Ask your customers to grade you

July 3, 2009

by Kevin Stirtz

Here is your Daily Dose of Amazing Service:

Ask your customers to grade you.

And here are some additional thoughts on this topic…

The best way to have more loyal customers is to give them what they want (in a way that is sustainable for your business, of course). To do this you have to know what your customers want. And you have to constantly know how you’re doing delivering it. (It’s one thing to know. It’s another to do it well.) [Read more...]

Airlines ranked for customer service; Continental dominates

July 2, 2009

by Kevin Stirtz

J.D. Power and Associates has released their 2009 North America Airline Satisfaction Study. Here’s how the major US airlines rank:

Airline JDP Score
Continental Airlines 669
Delta Air Lines 641
American Airlines 618
Northwest Airlines 614
United Airlines 604
US Airways 559

These rankings are very similar to 2008.  NWA rose slightly in the rankings and US Airways dropped to last. Every airline had a lower score in 2009 than in 2008. And if you look back to 2008 and 2007, the rankings don’t change much. Continental Airlines is consistently on top, followed by Delta and American. NWA, United and US Airways trade places somewhat but always stay near the bottom.

And this parallels my experience over the last three years.

So even though the scores have been dropping, this tells me there is consistency in how the airlines are delivering customer service. Looking forward you might expect this pattern to continue. But it won’t. Things will actually get better over the next few years.

Delta CEO Richard Anderson has made a public commitment to delivering better customer service. He wants to win. And he’s acquired NWA so he has a much bigger airline now. A big improvement in customer service at Delta could be a game changer for the airline industry. And it will give Continental some competition in the customer service space. It could raise the bar for all big US airlines. Wouldn’t that be nice!

What are your thoughts? Is airline customer service improving or getting worse? And who will win the airline customer service wars?

———-
Kevin Stirtz is the Amazing Service Guy, a speaker and trainer who helps companies increase revenue and profits by delivering Amazing Service. Stirtz has been quoted in such major media as BusinessWeek, the Boston Globe, Smart Money and the Chicago Sun Times. Get a free copy of his Amazing Service Toolkit.

Respond to every customer every time

July 2, 2009

by Kevin Stirtz

Here is your Daily Dose of Amazing Service:

Respond to every customer every time.

And here are some additional thoughts on this topic…

Often companies make it easy and convenient for customers to send messages to them. A contact form, a voice mail or even a comment card can do this very well. But it doesn’t mean communication has happened. It does not mean you’ve connected. One way communication does not serve customers. Nor will it build customer loyalty. [Read more...]

Connect with your customers

July 1, 2009

by Kevin Stirtz

Here is your Daily Dose of Amazing Service:

Connect with your customers

And here are some additional thoughts on this topic…

Recently I reached out indirectly to several large companies. As a customer I’ve had less than desirable experiences and I wanted to let them know. But neither of them make it easy to offer feedback. A visit to each of their websites reveals no quick and convenient way to communicate. No phone numbers, no email address and no “Contact Us” links, buttons or forms. So I delivered my message using Twitter and other social media (because it’s convenient for me). Neither responded. So, from my perspective they either didn’t hear me or they don’t care. Either way, I feel like an invisible customer. [Read more...]