We must think beyond automated sales emails or chatbots to serve today’s customers. Ask yourself if you’d like to be pitched to immediately after you’ve downloaded an ebook or white paper. We’re guessing no.
So, what’s changed in customer loyalty programs?
How do you keep ramping up customer retention?
What does amazing customer service mean these days?
How do top companies build their customer service training programs?
We’ve compiled the 50 best customer service articles you MUST read to get started on all these!
Top 50 Customer Service Articles You MUST Read
Each of these customer service articles here falls under any one of these categories. Feel free to click these jump links to go straight to that section!
- What is Customer Service?
- The Evolution of Customer Service
- Why Customer Service is Important
- How to Improve Customer Service
- Dealing with Unfit Customers
What Is Customer Service
1) Sixteen Ventures: Customer Success Definition
What defines customer success at your company? Is it entirely explained to all employees and then provided to customers in the way that it’s defined?
Now’s the right time to start with the basics!
Read it here: Customer Success Definition
2) LinkedIn: Purpose of “Customer Service” is?
So, you’re meeting all your SLAs. There are rarely ever any tickets overdue. Your first time to response is the fastest it’s ever been.
What does it all mean? And how much of it are you doing to help customers vs. helping yourself?
Read it here: Purpose of ‘Customer Service’ is?
3) Business 2 Community: The 4 Types of Customer Service and How To Use Them
You may be familiar with the types of customer service by now. But do you know how to preempt service escalations right from the start?
Take your support to the next level with these tips.
Read it here: The 4 Types of Customer Service and How To Use Them
How Customer Service Has Changed
4) Business News Daily: 5 Ways Customer Service Has Changed
We hinted at this in the introduction. If you’re using the same ole support playbook that you created in 2010, you’re failing already.
Self-service is a priority. Social media is stronger than ever, and companies refresh their CX strategies every year!
Need more data than this to revamp your support game?
Read it here: 5 Ways Customer Service Has Changed
5) Customer Gauge: A Brief History of Customer Success
Customer service has been around for quite some time. Knowing its history is the key to understanding its evolution and future.
Often to learn where something is going, you must first discover where it has been. Take a look back at the brief history of customer service.
Read it here: A Brief History of Customer Success
6) Forbes: The Evolution of Customer Service
There have been a lot of changes since the beginning of customer service, and it’s still evolving. Learn how far it has come to get a glimpse at where it’s headed!
Read it here: The Evolution of Customer Service
7) Harvard Business Review: Reinventing Customer Service
Let’s get real for a second. No one likes dealing with unhappy customers. Reps definitely don’t want to get called out for poor customer service.
So, they end up chasing first response times or service level agreements.
Gets monotonous, right? Shake it up a bit?
Read it here: Reinventing Customer Service
8) McKinsey & Company: Introducing Customer Success 2.0
Feel like it’s time for your team to “level-up?” Let’s talk about that customer service and customer success hand-off.
Read it here: Introducing Customer Success 2.0
9) Provide Support Blog: The History of Customer Service and Future Trends
Businesses used to define what customer service entailed. These days are no more as it now rests in the hands of customers. History shares all the ups and downs with customer service. It has certainly evolved and continues to as we head into tomorrow.
Read it here: The History of Customer Service and Future Trends
10) PwC: Future of Customer Experience
There are many roads customer experience can take because your customers guide it. One way to gain insight into what customers want is by looking at what’s popular or trending.
Customers will share the future of the service they want from your business. Only if you are willing to listen.
Read it here: Future of Customer Experience
11) Harvard Business Review: The Future of the Customer Experience
Customer experience is the new differentiator. That’s obvious by now. Online reviews, referrals, loyalty programs, etc., decide who buys and who bails.
How easy are you making each of these touchpoints? Do you measure friction at, say, a cart abandonment? Don’t fall behind.
Read it here: The Future of the Customer Experience
How Customer Service Has Changed
12) Nextiva: 30 Customer Retention Strategies Used by Top Companies
Retaining customers is arguably more important than acquiring new ones. Follow these customer retention strategies from top companies today!
Read it here: 30 Customer Retention Strategies Used by Top Companies
13) Chron: Why is Customer Service Important to an Organization
Every organization must understand the importance of customer service and the “Why” behind it. The appropriate amount of effort comes from knowing why customer service is vital to every business and organization. You must know the “why” before the “how” to implement it correctly.
Read it here: Why is Customer Service Important to an Organization
14) Nextiva: Importance of Customer Reviews
How often do you ask for customer feedback? From upsells and cross-sells to branding and product, you can’t ignore customer reviews’ importance!
Read it here: Importance of Customer Reviews: Building Real Credibility in 2023
15) Chron: The Importance of Quality Customer Service in the Workplace
Customer service is not an option; it must come standard with every interaction at your company. Your workplace needs to be willing to understand why quality matters and deliver it with high standards in mind. Your customer relationships depend on it.
Read it here: The Importance of Quality Customer Service in the Workplace
16) Nextiva: 100+ Customer Service Statistics & Trends
When your company is uncertain as to why customer service is “so” essential or if all the trends are vital, it’s best to look at statistics. Numbers do not lie.
Your customers are looking for you to continually improve your service to show them how important it’s to you.
Read it here: 100+ Essential Customer Service Statistics
How to Improve the Customer Experience
17) Customer Think: 10 Ways to Improve Your Customer Service and Increase Sales Performance
People will only buy from those they can trust. Customer service is the bridge that fills this gap for businesses and creates loyal buyers. Get your team involved and gain customer feedback to ensure they are treated correctly. Otherwise, you could lose money.
Read it here: 10 Ways to Improve Your Customer Service and Increase Sales Performance
18) CMO: 15 Mind-Blowing Stats About Customer Experience Management
Every company’s objective is to beat the competition, but this cannot be achieved without customer approval. For them to want to choose you over your competitors, you must be willing to learn about customer service and how to manage it better.
Reviewing relevant statistics that are eye-opening is sure to start the movement toward change.
Read it here: 15 Mind-Blowing Stats About Customer Experience Management
19) Entrepreneur: 10 Reasons Why Good Customer Service Is Your Most Important Metric
Insights, analytics, and data are all collected for various reasons. Some of it may be from marketing efforts, while others from monthly sales.
There is a metric that rises above all other metrics, which is necessary for tracking the quality of customer service at your business. It’s more expensive to attempt to gain new customers, so you must know how to retain them.
Read it here: 10 Reasons Why Good Customer Service Is Your Most Important Metric
20) Nexxt: The Purpose of Customer Service
Gain knowledge of the purpose behind the actions you perform every day. It’s easy for customer service to become mundane or redundant, but once you know why you do it, you will hold the power that can change how you see everything.
Read it here: The Purpose of Customer Service
21) Monster: Three Secrets to Customer-Service Success
To make customer service successful is what every team member at your company needs to learn. Possess the three secrets to customer service success and provide your newly gained knowledge to your team.
Read it here: Three Secrets to Customer-Service Success
22) MIT Sloan Management Review: Why Customer Experience Matters for B2B
Customer experience is not solely for “customers.” Although not often considered, it’s significant for Business-to-Business interactions too. It matters more than most realize.
Read it here: Why Customer Experience Matters for B2B
23) Nextiva: The 10 Best Customer Service Examples
Unlocking the door to excellent customer service means there must be a key.
Knowing how to provide excellent customer service is the only way to open the door to outstanding customer experiences.
Read it here: The 10 Best Customer Service Examples
24) Harvard Business Review: The Key to Great Customer Service
Unlocking the door to excellent customer service means there must be a key.
Knowing how to provide excellent customer service is the only way to open the door to outstanding customer experiences.
Read it here: The Key to Great Customer Service
25) Harvard Business Review: 6 Ways to Build a Customer-Centric Culture
Many companies struggle to create a less sales-like and customer-centric culture. Businesses can take six significant actions to enhance their culture and improve their customer service.
Read it here: 6 Ways to Build a Customer-Centric Culture
26) Nextiva: 30 Customer Service Tips (with Examples)
What is at the center of customer service is “action.” Some refer to it as an effort, which is exactly right. Customers’ needs have grown and shifted the buyer’s journey, including your company’s service.
Learn ways to better your customer service by increasing your list of how to provide it.
Read it here: 30 Customer Service Tips (with Examples) to Try
27) Constant Contact: 20 Ideas to WOW Your Customers
The more ideas and tactics you have to build a customer service strategy, the better. Customers want to be “Wow’d” by companies, but unfortunately, not too many are up for the challenge.
Gaining knowledge is what makes it much easier than it sounds. Give your customers the gift of “Wow.”
Read it here: 20 Ideas to WOW Your Customers
28) Harvard Business Review: Transforming Customer Experience with Analytics
You need to track performance to replicate excellent customer service or know what areas are not working. Analytics provides more than insights.
Each number, graph, and piece of data tells a story. They will share with you what your company needs to do to give customers the experience they deserve.
Read it here: Transforming Customer Experience with Analytics
29) Hotjar: The Top 5 Most Important Customer Experience Trends
What do customers want most? The only way to know is by looking at the trends. These trends are how customers share what they enjoy most. Knowing what customers want will impact the customer experience you provide.
Read it here: The Top 5 Most Important Customer Experience Trends
30) Thriving Small Business: 7 Steps to Creating a Customer Service Strategy
Employers work hard at creating a team that meets the needs of customers, along with sales quotas. First, there are essential steps to creating a customer service strategy aligning with employee goals. Thus, making objectives easier to accomplish for the entire organization.
Read it here: 7 Steps to Creating a Customer Service Strategy
31) The Balance Small Business: 8 Rules for Good Customer Service
Providing exceptional customer service is how to keep customers from going to the competition. The goal is to ensure customers will be back for business, which is why vital learning rules are necessary.
Read it here: 8 Rules for Good Customer Service
32) The Balance Small Business: 9 Tips for Providing Excellent Customer Service
When employees gain the ability to provide excellent customer service, they also acquire many new ways of how to deal with customers. Nine tips will help improve your team and equip them for the next customer interaction at your company.
Read it here: 9 Tips for Providing Excellent Customer Service
33) Career Addict: 15 Examples of Exceptional Customer Service
Many companies still do not provide the customer service many buyers expect. Leaving them dissatisfied with the service they receive. Your company’s goal is to avoid these types of experiences.
Check out these 15 examples of exceptional customer service for ideas!
Read it here: 15 Examples of Exceptional Customer Service
34) Keeping: How to Provide Excellent Customer Service
Being a leader of a team of customer service representatives or being one yourself does not mean there is nothing left to learn about it. Growing your skills and enhancing your qualities effectively deliver even better customer service going forward.
Read it here: How to Provide Excellent Customer Service
35) GrooveHQ: 10 Psychology Tips for Better Customer Service
Psychology is used in sales and marketing, but it’s not said often enough how it can help better customer service. Use ten psychology tips for your company to make the buying experience exceptional every time.
Read it here: 10 Psychology Tips for Better Customer Service
36) Nextiva: 21 Customer Service Phrases That Can Make or Break Your Business
Customer service is the backbone of your business. We profile nine awful customer service phrases to avoid and 12 customer service phrases to use frequently.
Read it here: 21 Customer Service Phrases That Can Make or Break Your Business
37) Social Media Today: 4 Strategies to Help Improve Your Customer Service Standards
Delivering only the best customer service is an ongoing process related to improving standards. It’s about using different strategies and advancing the customer support team at your company.
Read it here: 4 Strategies to Help Improve Your Customer Service Standards
38) GrooveHQ: 5 Best Practices for Delivering Excellent Customer Service
Customer service studies are about how to be an excellent representative or salesperson. The goal is always to create happy customers.
For this, customer service must be more than “good enough.” There are various ways to gain new customers, but one of the best ways is to get a referral from satisfied customers.
Read it here: 5 Best Practices for Delivering Excellent Customer Service
39) Survey Monkey: 6 Keys to Improving Your Team’s Customer Service Skills
There are many ways to improve customer service, but the majority of customer experiences rest on the shoulders of company leaders and their service teams. To grow, there are key methods for teaching a team how to become even better at servicing customers.
Read it here: 6 Keys to Improving Your Team’s Customer Service Skills
How to Deal With Unfit Customers
40) Nextiva: 10 Ways to Identify (and Lose) Bad Customers
Businesses must let go of their worst customers to serve their loyal, most profitable customers. While it sounds counterintuitive detecting toxic customers and let them go, you can focus your time and resources on maximizing the clients that value you the most.
Several useful tips explain how you can turn around a bad customer relationship.
Read it here: 10 Easy Ways to Identify & Deal with Bad Customers
41) Boomtown: Customer Service Strategy Framework for Serving Customers & Measuring Success
It can be intimidating to build out a customer service strategy from scratch. This post breaks down the areas you should focus on to improve your customer service and measure it effectively. It’s perfect for those who are newer to customer service leadership.
Read it here: Customer Service Strategy 101: A Framework for Serving Customers & Measuring Success
42) Oberlo: 20 Great Customer Service Ideas to Surprise and Delight Shoppers
Give your customers the service they deserve by delivering an unparalleled experience every time they interact with your company. Provide them with quality service exceeding their expectations and making them happy to shop with you.
Read it here: 20 Great Customer Service Ideas to Surprise and Delight Shoppers
43) MIT Sloan Review: Make Your Communication Technology Work for Customers
Communication is one of your team’s most valuable skills, and it needs to be utilized correctly. With the many technological advancements, customer service can only improve if used correctly.
Read it here: Make Your Communication Technology Work for Customers
44) Dan Gingiss: Customer Service on Twitter Increases Revenue & Satisfaction
Can social customer service increase company revenue? According to a study conducted by Twitter, providing customer service can positively affect company revenue. We think it’s more correlative; nevertheless, this article to shows the relationship between customer experience and company revenue.
Read it here: Customer Service on Twitter Increases Revenue and Satisfaction
45) The Muse: 4 Brilliant Tips for Dealing with Angry Customers
Here’s a story about a technical support rep and what he picked up from a co-worker. I must say, tip 4 is genius.
Read it here: 4 Brilliant Tips for Dealing With Angry Customers
46) Harvard Business Review: How Customer Service Can Turn Angry Customers Into Loyal Ones
You can’t shy away from responding to unhappy customers when you’re in support. What should you do instead? According to stats, three more key actions. See below.
Read it here: How Customer Service Can Turn Angry Customers Into Loyal Ones
47) Forbes: How Much Customer Service Increases Customer Satisfaction
It may sound strange at first, but it’s true. It’s the human connection that makes customers stay.
Customer retention, satisfaction, and loyalty rest on this cornerstone.
Read it here: How Much Customer Service Increases Customer Satisfaction
48) Training Mag: How to Handle Customer Complaints
Have your reps hung up on customers? Do they ignore customer complaints? Well, that won’t work in 2023.
Before your team gets frustrated or infuriates a customer, share this article internally.
Read it here: How to Handle Customer Complaints
49) LiveChat, Inc.: How to Keep a Positive Attitude When Working in Customer Service
Being in customer service is not always easy. Unhappy customers are tricky, but you can’t let that get to you. Here’s how to stay motivated and ahead of the game!
Read it here: How to Keep a Positive Attitude and Stay Successful When Working in Customer Service
50) Nextiva: The 25 Top Customer Service Skills According to Statistics
Finally, a curated list of (only the most essential) 25 customer service skills that your support reps need. Downloadable infographic inside!
Read it here: 25 Call Center Best Practices for a Flawless Customer Experience
