10 Examples of Good Customer Service That Will Blow Your Mind

Good customer service never goes out of style. You might be wondering: Is it really that crucial? Yes, it is. Excellent customer service is the backbone of any successful business. It’s what keeps customerss coming back and inspires them to spend more.

In the age of social media, negative feedback can often overshadow the positive. It’s easy to find stories of poor customer service, but examples of good customer service? Those can be harder to come by. That’s why we’ve decided to shine a spotlight on the positive.

Here, we offer ten steps to offering amazing customer service and highlight ten exceptional examples of good customer service from leading companies. These companies have met and exceeded customer expectations, going above and beyond to deliver experiences that truly wow their customers. So, read on to learn about these, at times, shocking examples of good customer service and the future of customer-focused businesses.

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What makes excellent customer service?

The definition of “good” is a moving target, and it’s more than just professional words. What constitutes “good” customer service today might not tomorrow. The perception of customer service can be influenced by a myriad of factors:

The industry in which the business operates

The cost of the product or service

The reputation of the brand

All these elements play a role in shaping the customer’s expectations and their perception of the service they receive.

For instance, customers of a high-end brand might value personalized attention, while customers of a budget brand might prioritize cost-effectiveness. Understanding these expectations is not just important, it’s essential. It’s about understanding what your customers value, what they expect, and what they need. This understanding allows businesses to provide personalized and memorable experiences that resonate with their customers.

Excellent customer service is about meeting customers where they are and then taking them where they want to go. It’s about creating a customer journey that’s as engaging and satisfying. And just as the best experiences leave customers eagerly awaiting their next interaction with the business.

Key elements of good customer service

Before we look into 10 stories that showcase mind-blowing examples of good customer service, let’s set the stage by understanding what makes customer service truly excellent. Just as a podcast needs a solid foundation of engaging content and a charismatic host to be successful, customer service requires certain key elements to truly shine. These elements are the building blocks that transform a simple customer interaction into a memorable experience, much like how the right mix of story, sound, and suspense can turn a podcast episode into an immersive journey. So, let’s tune in and explore these key elements of good customer service.

Responding quickly to customer inquiries and issues

The customer’s satisfaction with problems can often be a matter of how quickly a business addresses an issue. The speed with which a business can show its dedication to customer satisfaction directly addresses these concerns. When customers make contact, they seek not only solutions but also promptness. The importance of this demonstration of good customer service is comparable to the swift delivery of a punchline in a comedy show.

Actively acting on customer feedback and suggestions

Feedback is the lifeblood of improvement and all feedback should be considered a gift. It’s the raw, unfiltered voice of the customer, offering insights straight from the source. Just as a writer might pore over reader reviews to refine their next novel, businesses should actively act on customer feedback and suggestions. It’s not just about making the necessary changes to products or services, it’s about showing the customers that their voice matters, and that their opinions can make a difference. It’s about turning passive customers into active contributors to the business journey that is repeatable.

Showing empathy and understanding toward customer concerns

Empathy is not just a trait, it’s a tool to drive customer service. It’s the ability to step into the customer’s shoes, to see the world from their perspective, and to share in their emotions. When customers voice their concerns, they’re not just communicating a problem, they’re expressing a need for understanding. They want to feel that the business cares about their issues and is genuinely working to resolve them. It’s about turning a negative experience into a positive interaction, about turning a dissatisfied customer into a loyal advocate.

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Providing customer self-service options to empower users

Having the ability to take control and make their own choices is a strong driving force for individuals. Similar to readers who relish the opportunity to determine their own path in a book, consumers greatly value the availability of self-assistance alternatives. This grants them the authority to discover remedies at their preferred rate, to gain knowledge about the item or service on their own terms, and to experience a sense of empowerment. The focus is on furnishing customers with the necessary tools to assist themselves, while still ensuring assistance is accessible if required.

Emphasizing omnichannel support to cater to diverse customer preferences

In 2023, customers are everywhere. They’re on social media, they’re using smartphone apps, they’re sending emails, they’re using texting apps and they’re still making phone calls. Just as how the US president might be broadcasted on multiple TV channels and social media at the same time to reach a wider audience, customer service should be available across multiple channels to cater to where your customers already spend their time and have existing accounts. It’s about being where the customers are, about offering support on the platform where they already are. It’s about coming to them, not asking them to come to you.

Going the extra mile to exceed customer expectations and build loyalty

Going beyond the call of duty is what sets good customer service apart. It’s all about surpassing customer expectations and catching them off guard with the care and attention they receive. Similar to a chef slipping in a free dessert to make a diner’s day, businesses should push themselves to go the extra mile to bring joy to their customers. It’s these unsolicited acts of kindness that foster loyalty and transform customers into advocates. In the eyes of customers, it’s these instances of exceptional customer service that truly make a lasting impression.

The benefits of delivering excellent customer service

Good customer service is not just about solving problems; it’s about creating value, building relationships, and driving growth for your business. In this section, we’ll explore the benefits of delivering excellent customer service, highlighting the profound impact it can have on a business’s bottom line and reputation. Agent effectiveness and customer service improvement can have profound effects on your business, like increased customer retention.

Increased customer spending and brand loyalty

Just as a captivating story can keep a reader hooked in a book or a movie, excellent customer service can keep customers hooked on a brand. It’s a simple equation: the better the service, the more customers are willing to spend. This leads to increased brand loyalty, turning customers into brand advocates.

Improved return on investment (ROI) and higher profitability

Delivering excellent customer service is an investment, and like any good investment, it yields incredible returns. Businesses that prioritize customer service often see an improved ROI and higher profitability. It’s the financial testament to the age-old adage: treat your customers well, and they’ll treat you well in return.

Enhanced customer forgiveness and willingness to give second chances

Everyone makes mistakes, but not everyone gets a second chance. Excellent customer service can be your ticket to that second chance with your customers. When businesses make an effort to resolve issues and make amends, customers are more likely to forgive missteps and continue to use them.

Boosted customer loyalty and higher customer lifetime value (CLV)

Customer loyalty isn’t just about repeat business, it’s about the entire lifespan of the customer’s relationship with the business. By delivering excellent customer service, businesses can increase the Customer Lifetime Value (CLV), turning one-time transactions into long-term and profitable relationships.

Positive word-of-mouth marketing and increased customer referrals

Word-of-mouth marketing hasn’t just survived the digital transformation of everything, it’s thrived. Happy customers are more likely to share their positive experiences with others on social media, leading to increased customer referrals. It’s the ripple effect of excellent customer service, spreading from one satisfied customer to potential new ones like a virus in cyberspace.

In essence, these benefits are the fruits of the labor that goes into delivering excellent customer service. They’re the tangible and intangible rewards that businesses reap when they prioritize their customers. They’re real-life examples of good customer service transforming businesses and driving success.

How to Deliver Good Customer Service, Step-by-Step

Does your organization need a roadmap to excel at customer service? Here it is, step by step:

Define your customer service standards and policies

Hire and train the right people

Make it easy for customers to reach you

Listen actively to customer needs

Resolve issues promptly

Follow up

Use customer feedback

Show appreciation

Maintain knowledge resources

Review and improve

1. Define your customer service standards and policies

Have you set clear customer service standards for your organization? Without standards or an overarching customer service philosophy, your organization’s customer support efforts are left adrift. Here are ten customer service standards to consider for your organization:

Responsiveness

Transparency

Accountability

Empathy

Over-delivery

Availability

Positive Attitude

Omnipresence

A Commitment to Empowering Customers

The Use of Automation

2. Hire and train the right people

Good customer service starts with hiring employees with the right attitude, patience, and communication skills to deal with customers effectively.

Author and customer service consultant Jeff Toister, who wrote The Service Culture Handbook, says hiring positive, motivated people goes a long way toward achieving your customer service goals.

“If you hired correctly, you did not hire a demotivated employee. In other words, they didn’t walk into work on their first day saying, ‘I’m going to be disgruntled. I’m not going to do a good job and I’m upset.’ They came to work optimistic that this is going to be a great environment,” Toister says.

However, a lack of proper training can cause even the best hires to tank quickly.

“There’s a study that was done by a company called Benchmark Portal that found that agent job satisfaction takes a cliff dive after about 12 weeks on the job, and which is about how long new hire training takes,” Toister says.

Toister says the trick is to train employees properly so they don’t get burnt out. Provide comprehensive training on your products/services, policies, and soft skills like active listening and conflict resolution.

3. Make it easy for customers to reach you

Offer multiple contact channels like phone, email, live chat, social media, etc. Ensure they are staffed adequately during peak times.

Being available and easy to reach is key to keeping happy customers. CX expert John Sills, author of The Human Experience, laments that many organizations actively try to avoid their customers, which he says is a mistake.

“An organizational arrogance has appeared, with customers viewed as an annoyance, leading to the creation of escape-room-esque experiences if they have a problem and need to talk to someone,” Sills writes in The Human Experience.

All that does is frustrate customers and make it less likely they make a repeat purchase.

“You’re either trying to make your way past the chatbot guards or you’re trying to work your way through the escape room of the buttons. You have to press on the phone to get through to the right person. It is like being in a puzzle that you need to try and work out to be able to try and get through to speak to someone,” Sills tells us.

Sills says that customer service is expensive, whether good or bad, and good customer service can drive ROI, so you might as well provide good service.

Here’s the full video of our interview with John Sills:

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