We all know it when we see it – a great service experience. Some of the greatest companies in their respective industries come to mind – Starbucks, Zappos, Apple and The Ritz Carlton. One of the common denominators that all of these companies possess is a unique culture that puts customers first and empowers their

As I read a recent blog post on Fast Company.com, “Culture Eats Strategy for Lunch,” I found myself repeatedly saying, “Yes!”. If you haven’t read it, I recommend it to anyone interested in cultivating a service culture. And as pointed out in the post, this should be everyone! The article highlights many of the reasons

The beginning of the year is a good time to take a fresh look at things, and how you may want to change direction in the New Year. Of course I’m not sure there is a bad time. Stepping back to ask the right questions and plan for adjustments can pay dividends. Recently I was

Technology and social media vehicles have provided us with more opportunities than ever before to connect with our customers. From live chat and online communities, to Twitter and blogs, we are able to interact and collaborate with our customers on a day-to-day basis. Technology has made it easier to gain feedback and metrics through surveying

Last week I had the privilege of attending the Technology Services Industry Association’s (TSIA) Technology Services World (TSW). The conference was an opportunity to connect with associates in the services business, collaborate with colleagues, and explore new ideas. In my previous post entitled “Rethinking Customer Support,” I discussed the new book entitled “Consumption Economics.” The

It is becoming increasingly difficult to find innovative ideas in the services industry. Technology has led to new capabilities and efficiencies but generally supports traditional delivery models. Whether we are in the services business or product engineering, we are always looking for a way to leap the competition by bringing something new to our customers

“Technology is evolving at such a rapid pace, that it can be challenging to stay up-to-date.” I’m guessing this statement will not instigate much of a rebuttal. I find myself on a constant quest for knowledge through reading and talking directly to customers and several subject matter experts. In my discussions, it seems many are

A Harvard Business Review article I read last year resurfaced on my desk. It initially grabbed my attention because the headline, “Stop Trying to Delight Your Customers,” seemed counter-intuitive to our work as customer service professionals. The article is largely focused on Customer Effort Score (CES) as a key metric in determining the likelihood of

As VMware rolled out its major vSphere launch this week, it’s important for us to show our alignment in how we help customers build, deploy and manage joint EMC-VMware solutions. Integral to this alignment is how EMC drives the highest levels of VMware-related service excellence – particularly from a customer support perspective. While I personally

With more than 25 years in the customer support arena, I’ve witnessed many changes in the technology industry and certainly an evolution within customer support delivery. While we strive to continually innovate in areas that will benefit our customers, it’s important that we not lose sight of the basics.  A simple question worth pondering is,