Claus is Coming to India in November 2010

Claus will be in India from the 14th to the 22nd of November, running three one day seminars in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore on the 16th, 18th and 19th respectively. He will also be doing a number of sessions with the gentlemen of the press.

To find out more and to book your place on one of the seminars to hear Claus's thoughts on Putting People First and the customer-centric organisation, click here.

The seminars are organised by TMI India/InspireOne.

A Complaint Is a Gift Seminar

Have you read the best-selling customer service book "A Complaint Is a Gift" and find yourself wondering how you can instill world class customer service and complaints handling in your organisation?

If so, why not book Claus for a one day seminar to explain the methods he has used to help some of the world's leading companies deliver world class service - and experience for yourself what this can do to re-vitalise your company, increase customer loyalty, and reduce customer defections and bad word-of-mouth.

As one of the world's leading authorities on customer service, Claus is an inspiring choice as a speaker for a conference for your customer service teams, but the message runs so deep it should be heard by anybody in your company if you want to improve your bottom-line results, be able to attract and retain the best staff, and develop a company culture where your staff work with you - and not against you.

To find out more about the unique customer service concepts and how we can also tailor any programme or seminar to meet your specific needs, please drop us a line.

Building A Customer-Focused Culture at Zappos.com

As promised, I wanted to give you some insight into the customer-centric culture at Zappos.com. Zappos is one of the fastest growing retailers in the US and on the Internet, with sales of their shoes and accessories set to hit $1 billion this year. It is run by Tony Hsieh, who gracefully accepted the invitation to write the foreword to the second edition of A Complaint Is a Gift, the book version co-authored with Janelle Barlow, of the customer service concept I pioneered back in the early 1990s.

Tony has instilled a culture at Zappos based around 10 core values, which not only guide their everyday dealings with internal customers as well as external ones, but they are also a part of the hiring process so you need to exhibit these traits if you dream of getting a job with Zappos. The 10 values are:

1. Deliver "WOW" through service
2. Embrace and drive change
3. Create fun and a little weirdness
4. Be adventurous, creative, and open-minded
5. Pursue growth and learning
6. Build open and honest relationships with communication
7. Build a positive team and family spirit
8. Do more with less
9. Be passionate and determined
10. Be humble

In addition to these 10 core values, Tony also has some incredibly good tips on how other companies can learn from Zappos and truly focus on their customers to achieve success. And what a success Zappos has become. 75% of all sales come from repeat customers and basket sizes increase from the first to the second transaction. This is all down to ensuring that the customers really do feel welcome and looked after by Zappos.

What impressed me most about Tony is his genuine interest in his customers. I read a story about how two sisters felt that they had been racially profiled by a Zappos outlet store in Las Vegas and how Tony personally dealt with the complaint along with other members of senior management. Read this inspirational tale of true customer service.

Try doing a Google search on Zappos and their customer service as well and you will find many fascinating insights into the company both from employees and from customers. The idea of doing an annual culture book is also something I like a lot, although I would like to see this being made available for free (perhaps as a PDF?)

Tony is very active on the speaking circuit and is not afraid to share the secrets of his success with people in all industries. The principles he has used to build the foundation for Zappos.com are evergreens in the field of customer service and customer relationship management and can be applied by ANY COMPANY in ANY FIELD. On Tony's blog he is more than happy to share his wisdom with you and you can watch several of his keynotes.

If you have time to watch only one, I would recommend that you watch Tony's keynote presentation below to be inspired to do something to improve your customer focus. I can guarantee you that just a tiny improvement in ONE of these areas can increase your customer loyalty and customer lifetime value (LTV) dramatically.

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BusinessWeek's 2nd Annual Customer Service Survey is Out

BusinessWeek have just announced the results of their second annual customer service survey in the US. The survey was done with the help of JD Power and shows some interesting results. You will definitely be able to pick up some interesting tips for your company to improve your customer service.

For a wealth of in-depth results, including the top 50, feature articles and for an opportunity to share your own customer service experiences head on over to BusinessWeek.