I know you’re all just dying to know what I’m reading in my spare time. Who wouldn’t want to know? (Actually, I’m kind of curious as to who would actually want to know . . . .) But that is beside the point! I’m going to share with you (whether you like it or not) what I’m reading, planning on reading, and why. (If you don’t care, please click here now to read something else.)
Some of you may have noticed the carousel widget filled with books in the right-hand column. This is my to-read list of customer service books. It’s not a complete list, but it’s a start and, I think, a good representation of the kind of books I’m looking for. To be upfront and honest: yes, this is an Amazon Affiliate widget. It’s one of the easier ways for me to make up and display a visual to-read list, and it’s also a possible revenue maker. That said, I’m not encouraging you (or discouraging you) from clicking and buying! Personally, most of the books on the list now I’ve gotten at a local used bookstore. Buy when and where and how you’d like.
My plan with these books is to share a bit of what they’re about and what nuggets of wisdom about customer service I might gain from them – a mini-review, if you will.
So here’s the current list:
What: Nuts! Southwest Airlines’ Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal Success by Kevin and Jackie Freiberg.
Why: Because (in case you haven’t heard me rave before) I love Southwest. They’re a great company, and I’d love to learn what’s behind their business model. Also, I’m fascinated by the “Employees First” model of business (which is something Barry Dalton wrote about and something I’d like to explore further).
What: The Starbucks Experience: 5 Principles for Turing Ordinary Into Extraordinary by Joseph Michelli.
Why: I’ve heard great things about Starbucks and their customer service. I can’t personally think of a time when I got bad customer service there. I’m curious to know what’s behind their business model a what makes their brand so sought after by so many.
What: The Celebrity Experience: Insider Secrets to Delivering Red Carpet Customer Service by Donna Cutting.
Why: Who doesn’t want to walk down a red carpet? Or at least feel like you’re the most important person in the store/restaurant/etc.? The title of this one is intriguing, and I’m wondering what the secrets are. Are there secrets I’ve used before when I’ve been in customer service?
What: Customers for Life: How to Turn That One-Time Buyer Into a Lifetime Customer by Carl Sewell.
Why: My sister and brother-in-law always tease Warner and me about how much we rave about CarMax, but I’m not ashamed to be a fan for life. We were one-time buyers, first-time buyers and CarMax wowed us enough to tell everyone we know and make us swear to buy every car we will ever own from them. I’m curious to know if what CarMax did is in this book. Also, I think it’d be great for other businesses to know to do this.
What: It’s Not My Department!: How America can Return to Excellence–Giving and Receiving Quality Service by Peter Glen.
Why: This is a huge pet peeve for me! Both as a customer and as someone who’s working in customer service. “I’m not in charge of that.” or “I’m not responsible for that.” Ugh! What a way to shirk responsibility and piss off the customer while you’re at it! I want to know what Peter Glen has to say about this topic.
What: Your Call Is (Not That) Important to Us: Customer Service and What It Reveals About Our World and Our Lives by Emily Yellin.
Why: Because something is wrong with a majority of call centers and the service they give! There are a few gems out there, but the systems are far from perfect. I want to read this because I want to find out what it reveals about our world and our lives, with the hope that Emily Yellin reveals some solutions for our call center customer service “epidemic”.
Got a book you think I should read? Tell me what it is in the comments or at sara@customerserviceftw.com.
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Tags: book list
great list! One I'm going to add to my Kindle for sure. The only one I have read is Emily Yellin's and I have to tell you it was a thoroughly enjoyable read. I read it in prep for hearing her keynote at SOCAP last month. The fresh perspective from an outsider's point of view. and by outsider, I mean a customer, not one of us that pontificates about the subject all day, was spectacular.
if you really want to know what customers think of your service, don't listen to the 'gurus', read Emily's book and take her words to heart.
On the 'guru' side, I would suggest “Strategic Customer Service” by John Goodman (no, not the actor), the Chairman of TARP, a strategic consulting group. He coined a great expression that I wrote about and experienced personally called “psychic pizza'. Your at home thinking about what to have for dinner and the doorbell rings from the pizza guy holding the pizza you where about to order. Meaning? Anticipating customer needs is a key to delivering an exceptional experience. good read
Good to hear I'm in for a treat with Emily's book! And thanks for the recommendation – I like the idea of the psychic pizza (haven't read the entire archive of your entries, but I'll be sure to look at this one).
Thanks for the comments!
I've been recently re-reading some of the classics, and two I'd reccomend to anyone are “The Service Profit Chain” by Schlesinger, Heskett and Sasser (makes the best case I've seen for the linkage between employee engagement, customer sat and corp. performance) and “Discovering the Soul of Service” By Leonard Barry. Of course, those are all-timers. There are plenty of good ones out right now.
Thanks for the suggestions! I'll have to add those to my list as well. I'm definitely curious about the employee engagement/customer satisfaction area of business.
Thanks for stopping by!