Delight Your Customers

Delight Your Customers

by Steve Curtin
Released June 2013
Publisher(s): AMACOM
ISBN: 9780814432822

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Book description

Great customer service is rare. In fact, one survey found that while 80 percent of companies described themselves as delivering “superior” service, consumers estimated the number at a mere 8 percent. The problem, according to service expert Steve Curtin, is actually quite simple. When asked what their work entails, most employees list the duties and tasks associated with their position. Very few refer to the true essence of their job, which should be their highest priority—to create delighted customers who will be less price sensitive, have higher repurchase rates, and enthusiastically recommend the company or brand to others. Without this customer focus, all that exists is a transaction—and transactional service does not make a lasting positive impression or inspire loyalty. In Delight Your Customers, Curtin reveals three elements common to all exceptional service experiences. He also makes a compelling case that attention needs to shift from monitoring service activities to modeling, recognizing, and reinforcing the behaviors that actually create happy customers, such as expressing genuine interest, offering sincere compliments, sharing unique knowledge, conveying authentic enthusiasm, providing pleasant surprises, and delivering service heroics when needed. Illustrated with real-world stories and examples, this refreshing guide helps readers everywhere take their customer service from ordinary to extraordinary.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Contents
  5. Acknowledgments
  6. Introduction
  7. Part One: Function vs. Essence
    1. Chapter 1—Three Truths of Exceptional Customer Service
      1. Exceptional Customer Service Reflects the Essence of Every Service Industry Employee’s Job Role
      2. Exceptional Customer Service Is Always Voluntary
      3. Exceptional Customer Service Typically Costs No More to Deliver than Poor Customer Service
      4. Getting from Ordinary to Extraordinary
      5. Applying Three Truths of Exceptional Customer Service
  8. Part Two: Seven Simple Ways to Raise Customer Service
    1. Chapter 2—Express Genuine Interest
      1. How to Express Genuine Interest
      2. Getting from Ordinary to Extraordinary
      3. Applying Genuine Interest
    2. Chapter 3—Offer Sincere and Specific Compliments
      1. Be Attentive to Opportunities to Offer Compliments
      2. Factors Influencing the Offering of Compliments
      3. How to Offer Sincere and Specific Compliments
      4. Recognize Coworkers
      5. Getting from Ordinary to Extraordinary
      6. Applying Sincere and Specific Compliments
    3. Chapter 4—Share Unique Knowledge
      1. Unique Knowledge Brings More Value to the Customer Experience
      2. The Benefits of Unique Knowledge
      3. How to Share Unique Knowledge
      4. Getting from Ordinary to Extraordinary
      5. Applying Unique Knowledge
    4. Chapter 5—Convey Authentic Enthusiasm
      1. The Role of Leadership in Fostering Authentic Enthusiasm
      2. How to Convey Authentic Enthusiasm
      3. Getting from Ordinary to Extraordinary
      4. Applying Authentic Enthusiasm
    5. Chapter 6—Use Appropriate Humor
      1. When to Use Appropriate Humor
      2. When the Use of Humor May Be Inappropriate
      3. Getting from Ordinary to Extraordinary
      4. Applying Appropriate Humor
    6. Chapter 7—Provide Pleasant Surprises
      1. How to Provide Pleasant Surprises
      2. Getting from Ordinary to Extraordinary
      3. Applying Pleasant Surprises
    7. Chapter 8—Deliver Service Heroics
      1. Two Types of Service Heroics
      2. How to Deliver Heroic Service to Solve Customers’ Problems
      3. Getting from Ordinary to Extraordinary
      4. Applying Service Heroics
  9. Part Three: Incorporating Job Essence Into Job Function
    1. Chapter 9—From Ordinary to Extraordinary
      1. Why Ordinary Customer Service Is Common and Extraordinary Customer Service Is Rare
      2. How to Raise Customer Service Quality from Ordinary to Extraordinary
      3. Getting from Ordinary to Extraordinary
      4. Incorporating Job Essence into Job Function
  10. Index
  11. About the Author

Product information

  • Title: Delight Your Customers
  • Author(s): Steve Curtin
  • Release date: June 2013
  • Publisher(s): AMACOM
  • ISBN: 9780814432822