Important: This page is under construction and subject to change.

I set up this publication on Medium to provide a space on the platform that is independent, and focused on all aspects of customer service. You can be a part of it and contribute as a writer (or if you are good, as an editor).

Articles We Would Like To See

Anything related to customer service is fair game. However, it should pertain directly to customer issues — for example, articles about customer experience and how to improve it are great. Dealing with difficult customers might be another. …

Sometimes it seems that it’s impossible to figure out what an angry customer really wants from you and your company. It’s not uncommon for an angry customer to continue to act out, or be abusive even though you’ve actually been able to resolve his or her apparent problem. This doesn’t make any logical sense on the surface, but it’s makes perfect “human sense”.

It is true that customers want their problem or issue resolved, but their anger doesn’t necessarily disappear instantly, when the problem is resolved. That’s because angry customers want some other things — human things, and if they don’t get them, they often continue to be difficult. …

It’s often the case that small businesses exist in a market that includes at least one, and often many other LARGE businesses or chains.

On the surface of it, it would seem that the small business is in competition with these giants, but that’s more of an illusion or a poor business strategy, rather than a reality.

Small businesses do not want to compete with the giants on the home field of the larger corporation.

Small businesses have unique capabilities, and can do things big business cannot, particularly when it comes to the experiences customers have.

The key is simple: Don’t go head to head on features or business elements where large firms hold an advantage. …

Summary: Some organizations have climates that are unhealthy for those that work in them. We call these organizations toxic organizations. Within toxic organizations conflict thrives like weeds. Read more about toxic companies.

Toxic Organizations

We can think of organizations as falling on a continuum. One end is anchored by organizations that function well. In the middle we find the average organization that is effective but could be better. Finally, we have the toxic organization, an organization that is largely ineffective, but is also destructive to its employees and leaders.

What Is A Toxic Organization?

A toxic organization shows two characteristics that distinguish it from healthier workplaces. First, it has a history of poor performance, and poor decision-making. …

Have you ordered something via a Facebook ad and received something different than what you ordered — an item with no value at all. And if you paid for it via PAYPAL you are probably up the creek without a paddle.

Here’s the scoop. Chinese companies (often owned by the same parent company, ouyiec.com) buy ads for popular products, pretending to sell them at crazy discount prices. The landing pages are slick, and professional looking, as are the ads.

HOWEVER, when you receive your “order” it will contain some worthless item worth pennies.

For example, I ordered a Snow Joe electric snowthrower which was advertised as shipping from the USA (it wasn’t). When my package finally arrived, it contained…well, here’s a picture. …

Congratulations On Your Courage

Although getting involved in therapy is more common than ever, it still takes courage to recognize you have a need for outside help. Keep in mind that the majority of people who seek out counselling are “normal” and just need some help in tweaking their lives. Your decision to try therapy is the first proud step.

Finding the right therapist for yourself is a challenge that can intimidate the best of us. This card is here to help you through it.

Comfort vs. Discomfort

Before we start, here’s an absolutely crucial issue. You need to be comfortable with the methods, style and techniques of your therapist (to be). That doesn’t mean you will never be uncomfortable in the therapy process. …

In an ideal world, your customers would understand your policies and procedures and abide by them. You know we don’t live in an ideal world.Whether it’s a policy regarding return of merchandise in the retail sector or a policy regarding who can receive specific government services, often customers don’t understand why those policies and procedures are in place. A customer who doesn’t understand the purpose of a policy is more easily angered when the policy interferes with getting what he or she wants. …

Each minute of every day, 24 hours a day, there are 32,343 Google searches for the phrase “customer service”. That’s JUST on Google, not any other search engines. Amazon lists 424,469 titles for books and documents related to the same phrase. That’s a whole lot of books.

Hardly a day goes by without the release of research and advice about what customers want, and how to improve customer service. Companies like Gallup, Forrester, The Temkin Group, and several hundred others churn out findings, and sell their advice to companies looking to gain a competitive advantage.

Customer advocates deliver keynote addresses at conferences, write blogs, tweet their tweets and exhort companies to do this, that and the other thing to “up their service game”. …