BusinessWeek's 2009 Customer Service Champs

BusinessWeek has just released their list of 2009 Customer Service Champs. Their methodology may be flawed, but one theme is clear: companies are working hard to keep the valuable customers they already have along with the talented employees that serve them.

You may want to start by reading BusinessWeek's Top 25 list here.

So, why is this list flawed?
To be clear, it is still a good message (more on that in a moment), but I disagree with their methodology.(You can read more about that here.) The biggest gripe I have with their rankings is the influence of the BusinessWeek Market Advisory Board. This is essentially a reader panel that was asked to provide a subjective assessment of their favorite and least favorite customer service organizations. Their opinions are balanced against other more objective factors, so an organization like Nordstrom can earn the #13 spot despite relative poor scores for quality of staff and efficiency of service from J.D. Power and Associates. (For the record, I am firmly convinced that Nordstrom jumped the shark long ago as a customer service icon.)

What's good about the list?
The list and supporting material keep the customer service conversation going, which is always a good thing. Their article "Customer Service in a Shrinking Economy" is especially on-target and is definitely worth a read.

The (business) road less traveled

Today was a gorgeous day in San Diego, so I went for a hike at Mission Trails.There must have been 50 to 100 people on the trail up to the top of Cowles Mountain. When I reached the top I kept going along a ridge to nearby Pyles Peak. There wasn't a single person on the trail to Pyles, but I was rewarded with better vistas, more vibrant plant life, and more active wildlife. Hiking alone on this part of the trail, I realized a few things about what sets the best companies and employees apart from the rest of the pack.

Click to read more ...

Zappos service secret is its world-class employee engagement

You've almost certainly heard of the online shoe retailer Zappos.com and their amazing customer service. They have an impressive 5 out of 5 rating on Epinions.com with over 16,000 customers posting reviews. Their "secret sauce" is actually a very simple employee engagement strategy, but they execute it far better than 99% of the companies out there. Zappos has built its core values around outstanding customer service and everything they do is connected to those values. Here are just a few examples:

Click to read more ...

Inc.'s Outstanding Business Tune-up Ideas

Inc. Magazine ran a fabulous article in their January/February edition called "The ultimate business tune-up for times like these". The article quotes a wide range of business leaders who give quick-hit ideas for all of us who want to improve performance. Here are my favorite (and not so favorite) suggestions:

Click to read more ...

Is McStarbucks a perception or a reality?

I know I'm not the only one to notice that Starbucks and McDonalds are starting to compete over the same customers. What's interesting to me is the customer service delimma Starbucks is apparently facing. Do they continue to appeal to more and more of the same demographic as McDonalds? Or, do they hold firm to their coffee house roots (with the power of a global brand). Is it even possible to be both?

Click to read more ...