Lore
Customer Service – 25 Leaders In A Recession
My most recent issue of BusinessWeek (March 2) came out with another great report on the top 25 companies for customer service.
In addition to the usual rankings and background, they dig into what it takes to “maintain customer service in a shrinking economy.” They also do in-depth profiles on four of the winners:
- Amazon (#1 this year)
- US Airways
- Zappos
- Four Seasons
While each of the profiles have important lessons, here are some of the highlights.
1. It’s tough to balance cutbacks in a recession without sacrificing customer service. At the same time, customers are demanding more bang for their buck. Check out their tips for “keeping costs down and customer service solid.”
2. Zappos is legendary for its overnight upgrades. Did you know they’re ending – if they haven’t already? Why? CEO Tony Hsieh explains in the article, “We decided we wanted to invest more in repeat customers,” says Hsieh. “We’re shifting some of the costs that would have gone into new customers.”
A VIP site (invite-only) for loyal customers launched late last year.
Read a great Zappos customer service story.
3. The pilots of US Air flight 1549 got the headlines (rightly so). But what about the response from US Airways? In a time where you get charged for peanuts, US Airways spared no expense to take care of the passengers and families. Results?
From the article, “US Airways says a third of Flight 1549’s 150 passengers have already flown the airline again since the incident. Hanks, the last passenger off the plane, has flown US Airways six times.”
What are you doing to create amazing customer service stories?