Podcasts about customer service solutions

Listen Here: Stacey Oliver-Knappe is owner of The Customer Service Gurus where for 20 years, she has delivered exceptional customer service and developed an innovative customer service training program that… The post Customer Service Solutions appeared first on Annie Jennings PR Elite Wire.

There are some industries where customer perceptions are more based on how you handle the tough situations than on whether or not you deliver the “WOW” experience. In this episode, Ed Gagnon of Customer Service Solutions explains to Alan some of these examples, and then the key things the customer wants us to do when "things go bad". This discussion is based on one of Ed's "Tip of the Week" postings on the Customer Service Solutions web site: cssamerica.com/how-good-are-you-when-things-go-bad-8916-customer-service-tip/. And, as always, Alan and Ed share their "Customer Service Story of the Month". This month, both hosts share positive experiences that illustrate how the "little things" can make a big difference our perception of the service we are receiving. Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at wwww.thejacksongroup.com.  

This month's episode addresses how many market professionals are claiming that customer service is really just a form of marketing... and how that’s a good thing. Alan and Ed talk through examples of how marketers are co-opting customer service and using as a core element of their marketing strategy. Ed explains how this is overall good for the customer service culture of an organization and how it can be good for customer service professionals. Plus, Alan and Ed share their "Customer Service Story of the Month"... with both of them having a positive story to share! Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at wwww.thejacksongroup.com.

Ed Gagnon (Customer Service Solutions) shares a personal story about his experience with a telecommunications company and how their poor internal communications resulted in a unsatisfactory customer experience.  Ed and Alan Jackson (Bivarus) discuss the various failure points of the experience and how this it could have been improved through stronger communications - both internally and externally.  Alan and Ed also share their Customer Service Story of the Month at the end of the episode. Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.  

There are many great values that come to mind when thinking about what makes a great customer service team.  But Ed Gagnon of Customer Service Solutions (www.cssamerica.com) talks with Alan about how some of these terms - while seemingly contradictory - actually mesh very well to showcase different aspects of a high-performing team.  Alan and Ed also share their "Customer Service Story of the Month" at the end of the episode. Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

Employees of any organization play a critical role in the level of service that is delivered to customers.  And employees that feel appreciated by the organization for the work they perform are going to have more incentive to deliver the best service possible.  Alan and Ed discuss why showing appreciation to employees for the work they do is important, explain some of the aspects of effective appreciation, and then provide examples of ways that appreciation can be shown to a variety of employee types. Alan and Ed also provide their "Customer Service Story of the Month" where they share their own experiences from the last 30 days and lessons we can learn from those encounters. Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

This month’s episode is different than previous installments; in this episode, Alan Jackson (Bivarus/The Jackson Group) takes over the microphone to relay a recent customer service experience that has him a bit frazzled.  Along the way, Ed Gagnon (Customer Service Solutions) offers insight as to the various “pain points” Alan experienced and what the vendor should have done to make things right.  It’s an “Epic Rant” episode, but some valuable customer service tips and reminders emerge from the discussion. Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

As customer service needs continue to change and evolve with time, it is important to make sure the employees we have in the future exhibit the qualities that are going to meet those needs.  Like the example of the "Six Million Dollar Man", Alan and Ed discuss how to design the ideal future employee to meet your customer service needs.  Ed explains the six traits that we need to look for in these future employees, and how those skills address emerging customer service requirements.  Plus, Alan and Ed share their “Customer Service Story of the Month” where Alan steps on his soapbox and issues a task to everyone that owns a store, restaurant, movie theater, or runs a government office. About the hosts: Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

Many customers nowadays note that “respect” is very important to them and they get angry when they feel “disrespected.”  Alan Jackson (The Jackson Group) and Ed Gagnon (Customer Service Solutions) discuss what customers see as “respect" and what the idea of “disrespect" looks like to them.  Ed gives several examples of what employees may be doing that could make the customer feel disrespected…and how to avoid those anger-inducing actions.  And to close out the episode, Alan and Ed share their “Customer Service Stories of the Month”. About the hosts: Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

Alan Jackson (The Jackson Group, www.thejacksongroup.com) and Ed Gagnon (Customer Service Solutions, www.cssamerica.com) discuss how employee engagement requires an emotional connection between the organization and its employees…and how emotional engagement with employees is so important providing better customer service to your clients.  Ed explains the importance of the emotional engagement with employees and several steps to take to make it happen within your organization. About the hosts:Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com.Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

Sometimes all we need are simple, everyday reminders about the importance of customer service in our organization. Quotes by famous – and sometimes not-so-famous – people can provide us with those reminders in a very memorable way. In this episode, Ed Gagnon of Customer Service Solutions shares twenty “Customer Service Quotes” with his co-host, Alan Jackson of The Jackson Group, quizzing him along the way as to the author of each quote. These quotes are great for sharing with co-workers or colleagues to keep customer service in the forefront of our daily work. About the hosts: Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

In many organizations, losing a customer could come as a shock or surprise…. but there may have been pieces of information that could have helped you predict which customers are planning to leave.  Gathering and using this information is critical to helping “predict the exit” of a customer or client.  Ed Gagnon of Customer Service Solutions shares with Alan Jackson (of The Jackson Group) specific examples of how to predict which customers may leave your business and what to do about those most at-risk. About the hosts:Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com.Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

In this episode, Ed explains to Alan the four “Must Do’s” to have the foundation your organization needs for a successful customer experience.  Some of these aren’t what you’d think – there are surprises galore!  This topic is based on one of Customer Service Solution's "Tip of the Week” which can be found at this address:http://cssamerica.com/the-4-ss-of-the-customer-experience-101315-customer-service-tip/ About the hosts:Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com.Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.  

The generation known as “Millennials" are a large and growing segment of the customer base of many businesses. They are a unique – and in some ways – very demanding group.  When it comes to providing them with the customer service they are expecting, there are a few tips we all need to keep in mind.  Ed discusses this unique group, their needs and expectations, and how we can match those needs in this month’s episode of “Stepping Up Service”.  And, as always, Alan and Ed share their “Customer Service Story of the Month” with you at the end of the episode. About the hosts:Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com.Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

If there is one phrase that is heard commonly when describing poor customer service experiences, it is “that person was RUDE.”  The term “rudeness” is used to describe a variety of ways customers may feel neglected, talked to in a condescending way, or treated with harshness.  But what is the cost to an organization of someone saying they were “rude”?  What causes people to perceive things as rude?  And, most importantly, what can we do to avoid being given this label?Alan and Ed discuss the concept of “rudeness” and ways to avoid having customers use that word to describe our service.  Plus, they give their “Customer Service Stories of the Month”, all in this episode of “Stepping Up Service.” About the hosts:Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com.Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

Alan and Ed talk about the concept of having “empathy” for your customers and why it is so important to delivering outstanding customer service.  Empathy is explained through the idea of “knowing the customer’s story”… understanding where they are coming from and what is driving their needs or requests can help to better serve the customer.Alan and Ed also talk about “Customer Service Story of the Month” where they share an experience they each had since the last episode and use it as an example of how to get customer service right (or wrong, in some situations).   About the hosts: Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com.Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

E-mail has become one of the most useful tools for marketing your organization… but many people forget that there is also a customer service element to using email to communicate with current or potential customers.  Alan Jackson of The Jackson Group talks with Ed Gagnon of Customer Service Solutions about some tips for applying a customer service approach to your organization’s e-mail marketing strategy.  Plus, Alan and Ed share their Customer Service Stories of the Month at the end of the episode, so make sure you stick around until the end! Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com.Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

We talk a lot on “Stepping Up Service” about listening to the “voice” of the customer to see how we can improve the customer service they receive. But few realize that asking our employees is the second best way of learning about our customers! Alan Jackson of The Jackson Group (www.thejacksongroup.com) speaks with his co-host, Ed Gagnon of Customer Service Solutions (www.cssamerica.com), about how to gather and use the voice of our employees in order to better serve our customers. Ed describes how to use our employees to learn more about our customers, and then how to use their input to elevate the organization’s customer service culture. The two then provide their “Customer Service Stories of the Month”, where Alan’s negative experience is still very fresh on his brain! Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com.Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

What should our approach be towards new customers that are experiencing our organization for the first time?  How should we cater the customer service experience, what should we hope to learn, and what are some strategic approaches for handling “first-time” customers differently than long-term ones?  Alan and Ed discuss this topic, as well as share their Customer Service Stories of the Month, on this episode of “Stepping Up Service”. Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

There are several examples of how a company’s actual customer service experience impacted their brand (positively and negatively).  Alan and Ed talk through some of these real-life examples and how the company’s reputation for customer service - or lack thereof - has helped create a brand image even stronger than the service it actually provides.Alan and Ed also share their “Customer Service Story of the Month”, talking through a recent experience they each had and how the service they received made a lasting impression on them. Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com.Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

What makes a “Customer-Centric Leader”?  Ed shares three examples of high-profile leaders that spend a great deal of their time and energy focusing on the customer experience and why it helps their companies be successful.  Mark Cuban’s fan-focused activities, Richard Branson’s “2nd Impression” philosophy and Jeff Bezos’ customer service tips are all covered during this episode.  Plus, Alan and Ed share their Customer Service Story of the Month! Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com.Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

Alan really likes metrics… so imagine his surprise as Ed discusses 13 Customer Service metrics every organization should be using! These metrics can be used to benchmark and track their own customer service culture and experiences, all in an effort to move from “Good” customer service to “Great". Ed also provides some industry standard goals for some of the metrics, and how organizations should always strive to exceed those numbers. And, as always, Alan and Ed share their “Customer Service Story of the Month”… which, naturally, have something to with car wrecks (again!). Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

It’s Thanksgiving, so Alan and Ed decided to show a little love to some companies that have set high standards for customer service during recent encounters.  Ed talks about four companies, from various industries, that have made big impressions on him recently, and have caused him to be truly “thankful” for their service.And, as always, Alan and Ed share their Customer Service Story of the Month, with Alan’s story being about a new company he has become very thankful for, while Ed’s story is not as pleasant. Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com.Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

Let’s say you want to better understand your organization’s customer service “culture”, and you need a straightforward way to self-assess the culture and opportunities for improvement. Ed Gagnon of Customer Service Solutions walks Alan through such an assessment for his fictional Halloween Costume business, talking through the 8 keys to changing the culture and how we should measure them.Alan and Ed also share their Customer Service Stories of the Month, with Alan’s being a particularly frustrating one this month. Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com.Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

Imagine if you had the opportunity to completely rebuild your organization’s “service culture”, defining how you are going to serve your clients and customers and the values that will be communicated at all levels.  For some new organizations, or new leaders in an existing organization, those opportunities exist.Ed Gagnon of Customer Service Solutions talks with Alan about the five key strategies and principles to undertake if you are in a position to either build a service organization from scratch or are charged with reshaping an existing organization’s service culture.  And they conclude their discussion with their “Customer Service Stories of the Month”, as always. Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com.Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.This episode is sponsored by the Greater Hickory Kia Classic at Rock Barn Golf & Spa in Conover, NC. For tickets and additional information go to www.greaterhickorykiaclassic.com

A customer of one of the largest internet providers in the nation tried to have their service disconnected… and in the process had a very frustrating “retention call” experience that he then recorded and posted for the whole Internet to hear.  Alan and Ed discuss this infamous call, and point out some of the more interesting phrases used by the retention agent and why they should be avoided.  Along with this discussion, Alan and Ed share their “Customer Service Stories of the Month”… and just as a heads up, all of this month’s stories are about bad experiences!   Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com.Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.This episode is sponsored by the Greater Hickory Kia Classic at Rock Barn Golf & Spa in Conover, NC. For tickets and additional information go to www.greaterhickorykiaclassic.com

We’ve all had those experiences where we hear that dreaded word “NO” from a customer service representative, whether we are asking for assistance in a matter or looking for a company to do something a bit outside of their normal operations.  Unfortunately, in many situations, those people we are speaking to are saying “NO” to us because their organization has not made it easy for them to say “YES”.  Alan talks with Ed about how an organization can set up an environment that enables and empowers its employees to say “YES” more often to customers.  Some of these goals are discussed in this episode, including making goals clear, modifying policies/procedures, motivating, and modeling these behaviors.   Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com.Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

Ed and Alan have always discussed the importance of listening to the “Voice of the Customer” whether through surveys, focus groups, etc.  However, effectively using that customer “voice” information takes more than just conducting the survey or gathering the data.  Ed and Alan discuss how to develop strategic approach for using customer “voice” information to improve the service your organization delivers. Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com.Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

You may think of yourself as a strong advocate for customer service in your organization … but what about that employee that is obviously not engaged in their work or in providing the best service possible? How can we motivate the “unmotivated employee”? Alan and Ed talk through four ideas to help get those employees on the right track and to help them go the “extra mile” for your customers. Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

Keep your your clients and customers happy is critical… so the idea of managing “retention” becomes very important for every business or organization.  There are many ways to use research and data to help manage and improve your customer retention, and in this episode Alan and Ed discuss several of them and some best practices for their application.  Plus, they end the episode with their traditional “Customer Service Story of the Month”. Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com.Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

Many organizations are adopting the concept of creating an "Always Culture", especially in the healthcare industry where standardized satisfaction surveys ask patients to tell us how often good customer service takes place.  The goal is to not have customer service be a light switch (turning on and off as needd), but instead for it to be an "all the time" thing.  Alan and Ed discuss how to create and maintain an "Always Culture" in your organization in this month's episode of Stepping Up Service. For more information on creating an "Always Culture", take a look at Ed's blog post on the Customer Service Solutions web site:  http://cssamerica.com/develop-an-always-culture-21814-tow/ Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

So let's say you're wanting to enhance your organization's Customer Service Experience, and you want to do it quickly.  Sometimes the best way to get something started quickly is to adapt what others have done... even if those other organizations are from other industries.  In this episode, Ed explains to Alan how we can use organizations as "best practices", and adopt some of their practices into our own situations.  Some of the best names in the world of customer service are discussed - Zappo's, Amazon, and others - with thoughts on how we can take their experiences and find ways to make them work for us.  Alan and Ed close out the episode with their "Customer Service Stories of the Month". Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

After a full year of “Stepping Up Service” episodes wrapped up for 2013, it’s time to start looking into the future… what are the trends we see for the Customer Service world in 2014?  Ed shares his predictions with Alan, as they talk about the potential shift to a more holistic, face-to-face customer service world, and how “big data” may be a bit overplayed.  Plus, what is an “octopod”?  Alan and Ed also share their Customer Service Story of the Month at the end of the episode. Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

For your listening pleasure this holiday season, Ed and Alan become storytellers for this episode of “Stepping Up Service”.  Ed Gagnon of Customer Service Solutions shares five stories (with almost all of them true!) about customer service experiences… and discusses what we can learn from these stories and use in our own businesses or organizations.  Not to be left out, Alan Jackson of The Jackson Group also shares a couple of stories… with one of them being somewhat embarrassing for Mr. Jackson himself.  It’s story time on “Stepping Up Service”!. Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs.  Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development.  Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

Ed brought up a blog post recently where an avid NFL fan explained that they were not renewing their season tickets because of the "fan experience".  This leads Ed and Alan to define "Customer Experience Management", and address how what brings your customers in often differs from what keeps them.  Ed and Alan go through some various industry scenarios where the customer experience could make the difference as to whether we, as customers, "stay" or "go". Plus, as always, everyone's favorite portion of the show... the "Customer Service Experiences of the Month"! SHOW NOTE:  Ed's blog post, where he references the original NFL fan's post, can be found at http://serviceadvice.cssamerica.com/2013/10/16/is-your-fan-experience-a-reason-to-stay-or-leave/ Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs.  Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development.  Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

Everyone has their own definition of good customer service... so leaving it to employees of an organization to provide their own defined level of customer service could result in an inconsistent experience for your customers.  Many organizations are setting "Customer Service Standards", which define the core expectations of their staff in terms of how they will treat each other and customers.  Ed and Alan discuss the purpose of customer service standards, the process involved, and sprinkle in some examples from various industries including Sports, Government and Healthcare. Plus, as always, everyone's favorite portion of the show... the "Customer Service Experiences of the Month"! Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs.  Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development.  Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

E-mail has become the primary method of communication for many people and organizations. However, poor use of e-mail can have a huge impact on your company's customer service efforts.  Alan Jackson and Ed Gagnon review their own "e-mail horror stories", offer a series of tips on how to best construct e-mail communications, and address when to use/not to use e-mail.  Ed surprises Alan with another game, this time putting Alan in charge of his own outdoor supply company!  Plus, the hosts give their "customer service story of the month"… are we looking at more "horror stories", or will these end on a happy note? Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs.  Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development.  Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

Alan and Ed take a bit of a break from their normal discussion format as they decide to sit back and listen to Ed tell us the "Lessons Learned from a Young Hitchhiker."  Ed came into contact with an individual who had hitchhiked over 200 times in the past, and found that many of the things this person did to encourage people to pick him up are similar things we need to be doing when providing service to our customers. After the story and lesson-sharing, Alan and Ed both share their "Customer Service Experiences of the Month". Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs.  Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development.  Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

Let's say you took our advice on the last episode and started gathering customer satisfaction and experience data.  Great!  Now what?  How can we take that data and actually use it to make changes within your organization?  Ed Gagnon of Customer Service Solutions and Alan Jackson of The Jackson Group describe several ways to use customer research data and examples of ways it can impact your operations and your bottom line.  And, as always, they end the show with their "Customer Service Experiences of the Month", where they share an experience — either positive or negative — they had recently and what we can learn from them. Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs.  Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development.  Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

So you've been trying to improve the level of customer service in your organization, and you feel that things are starting to improve.  But how do you find out if your changes are truly affecting your customers' satisfaction?  It's time for some measurement!  Ed Gagnon of Customer Service Solutions and Alan Jackson of The Jackson Group discuss the importance of measuring satisfaction, various methods for conducting your measurement, and some pros and cons for each method.  They also end the show with their "Customer Service Experiences of the Month", where they share an experience — either positive or negative — they had recently and what we can learn from them. Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs.  Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development.  Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

 If communications within your office or organization are complex and prone to errors, then your customers are the ones that may ultimately pay the price.  To help serve customers, clients and partners more effectively, we need to make sure our communications are as simple as possible within our workplace.  Ed shares some tips and planning approaches with Alan to ensure communications in the workplace are clear, flow well, reach the intended parties, and are simply done.  Plus, Alan and Ed share their "Customer Service Experience of the Month". Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs.  Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development.  Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

A while back, we discussed "Great Service Examples from Small Businesses" and received very positive feedback from listeners.  We realize, though, that there are just as many stories of some big, household name companies providing excellent customer service to their customers.  In many ways, the larger businesses have a tough challenge in front of them as they try to deliver good service despite multiple locations, a large employee base, and a large, demanding client base.  Alan and Ed discuss four examples of large businesses providing strong customer service to their clients, and explain what we can take from those examples and apply to our own organizations.  Plus, Alan and Ed share their "customer service story of the month", with Ed having a good month while Alan found himself completely lost. Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs.  Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development.  Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

This episode focuses on getting employees not to fear confrontations when they have bad news to share.  Alan and Ed address the benefits of being proactive when you have to share bad news with a co-worker or a customer.  They also discuss keys to setting up those conversations so they’re bigger on solutions than on emotions.  And along the way, they make an extraordinary number of references to college basketball. Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs.  Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development.  Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

Most of the episodes of this show so far have talked about what businesses and organizations can do to improve their customer service abilities and ensure that service continues to improve.  But what about the individual employee?  What can they do to create a "continuous improvement mindset" and become a stronger asset for the organization?  Ed gives Alan a checklist of questions that any employee should be asking themselves on a regular basis to develop that mindset and help their organization meet their customer service goals. Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs.  Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development.  Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

The new year is upon us; what better time to gaze into the crystal ball and talk about the trends we can expect to see in the world of customer service in 2013?  In this episode, Ed Gagnon of Customer Service Solutions talks Alan through his four top trends for customer service for the coming year, ranging from the use of technology in enhancing the customer service experience to the overall speed in how that service is delivered.  It's the 2013 kick-off episode of "Stepping Up Service"! Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs.  Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development.  Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

When confronted with hostile Black Friday shoppers, "compassion" is an emotion that can be hard to have and show to others in the customer service world. Yet, studies have shown that compassion is one of the most important attitudes traits for someone in customer service to have when dealing with clients, customers, or patients. In this episode, Alan and Ed discuss the idea of compassion in customer service, ranging from how to show empathy to others to the ways to properly communicate compassion to your customers. The co-hosts also share their "Customer Service Experiences of the Month"! Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs. Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development. Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

For most of this podcast series, Alan and Ed have been talking about improving overall customer service at your company or organization.  But how can a customer service strategy actually lead to improving customer retention, and - even better - customer growth?  Ed educates Alan about the four keys to customer retention and growth, and shares some examples along the way.  The co-hosts also share their "Customer Service Experience of the Month", with both stories this month having some positive outcomes! Ed Gagnon is the President of Customer Service Solutions, helping organizations develop long-term relationships with their clients and partnering with them to meet their core customer service needs.  Learn more about Customer Service Solutions at www.cssamerica.com. Alan Jackson is President of The Jackson Group, a survey and consulting firm specializing in employee engagement surveys, patient satisfaction surveys, market research studies and leadership development.  Learn more about The Jackson Group at www.thejacksongroup.com.

The irate customer can be like a time bomb, and its important for anyone in a customer service role to know how to properly "defuse" that customer before things blow up.  To help as an example, Ed leads Alan through a story of "Alan and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" to illustrate how a series of exhausting service experiences can lead to a very tense customer and what the person handling that customer needs to do to put the encounter back on the right track. Ed Gagnon is President of Customer Service Solutions (www.cssamerica.com), helping organization improve the service they provide to their customers through training, consulting, mystery shopping and process improvement.  Alan Jackson is President & CEO of The Jackson Group (www.thejacksongroup.com), specializing in employee and customer satisfaction surveys and consulting.

With the election in full swing, the latest “Stepping Up Service” podcast focuses on “The Politics of Customer Service.” Hosts Ed Gagnon, President of Charlotte-based Customer Service Solutions, Inc. (www.cssamerica.com) and MESH Executive Producer Alan Jackson, also with The Jackson Group (www.thejacksongroup.com) address the lessons learned of corporate politics, and how these internal clashes impact the customer, the culture, and the ultimate success of a company. “It’s exciting to be part of a podcast that can take the 2012 election and relate the politics of Washington to the politics of any given business,” says Gagnon. “Companies can overcome internal politics, but they have to understand the root causes of infighting to come up with the right solutions.” “This podcast is important in that we address six typical drivers of corporate politics and how to overcome them,” says Jackson. “It’s a quick listen for the audience, full of methods and key tactics to ensure that internal fights don’t limit organizational performance.”

The Masters are happening at the time of this month's recording... which got us thinking: how is handling customer complaints like scoring in golf? Ed Gagnon with Customer Service Solutions (www.cssamerica.com) and Alan Jackson with The Jackson Group (www.thejacksongroup.com) tackle this question and help you see how the two are related. Handling customer complaints takes planning, collaboration, and forethought... much like playing a good round of golf. Ed shares his top suggestions for handling customer complaints, and along the way teaches Alan a few things about what many consider to be one of the toughest game you can play... all in this month's episode of "Stepping Up Service".

The topic of the month is mystery shopping, known to some as secret shopping. While many perceive mystery shopping as a practice involving retail specific organizations, the idea of mystery shopping has transformed into a practice that allows for many types of industries to take advantage of the service gauging technique. In this episode of Stepping Up Service, join your hosts Alan Jackson and Ed Gagnon as they discuss the practice of mystery shopping and how it can aid in stepping up your service. For more information about Ed Gagnon and Customer Service Solutions, visit www.cssamerica.com, and for information about Alan Jackson and the Jackson Group, visit www.thejacksongroup.com Running Time: 54 Minutes

In light of the recent Super Bowl, Stepping Up Service hosts Alan Jackson and Ed Gagnan ask the question, “What can we learn from football?” Hailed the ultimate team sport, this episode ties the methods used in the world of football to the methods used in today’s culture. From setting goals to satisfying a market, there might be more similarities between America’s favorite sport and the way we handle our services that ever imagined. Find out how this metaphor can help you step up your game… only on Stepping Up Service. Running time: 46 minutes The Jackson Group is a management consulting firm specializing in customer and employee satisfaction surveys as well as leadership development. Learn more about them at www.thejacksongroup.com. Customer Service Solutions is a consulting firm specializing in customer retention and growth strategies, training and research. Learn more about CSS at www.cssamerica.com.

As we start a brand new year, Alan and Ed talk about the trends they foresee affecting the customer service world in 2012. How are customers and their expectations changing? What role will technology and social media play in this coming year? What do businesses need to be prepared for as they plan to enhance their customer service experiences in the coming months? All of these questions are discussed, along with Alan and Ed sharing their "Customer Service Story of the Month". All of this on the first "Stepping Up Service" for 2012! Running time: 55 minutes The Jackson Group is a management consulting firm specializing in customer and employee satisfaction surveys as well as leadership development. Learn more about them at www.thejacksongroup.com. Customer Service Solutions is a consulting firm specializing in customer retention and growth strategies, training and research. Learn more about CSS at www.cssamerica.com.

You want to make your customer happy... but sometimes you have to say that dreaded word: "NO". This month's episode discusses how to handle those "NO" situations with the best customer service mentality possible. Show hosts Alan Jackson (The Jackson Group, www.thejacksongroup.com) and Ed Gagnon (Customer Service Solutions, www.cssamerica.com) talk through some ways to smooth out tough situations when customers are not able to get what they need due to unrealistic expectations or a limitation of your business. Also, as always, Alan and Ed share their "Customer Service Story of the Month". Running time: 39 minutes The Jackson Group is a management consulting firm specializing in customer and employee satisfaction surveys as well as leadership development. Learn more about them at www.thejacksongroup.com. Customer Service Solutions is a consulting firm specializing in customer retention and growth strategies, training and research. Learn more about CSS at www.cssamerica.com.

This month's episode discusses the importance of Social Media in the Customer Service experience. Show hosts Alan Jackson (The Jackson Group, www.thejacksongroup.com) and Ed Gagnon (Customer Service Solutions, www.cssamerica.com) explain why organizations are looking at using Social Media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to enhance or supplement their existing customer service processes. Along the way, they also discuss some of the challenges and potential pitfalls to watch out for when going this route. Running time: 56 minutes The Jackson Group is a management consulting firm specializing in customer and employee satisfaction surveys as well as leadership development. Learn more about them at www.thejacksongroup.com. Customer Service Solutions is a consulting firm specializing in customer retention and growth strategies, training and research. Learn more about CSS at www.cssamerica.com.