They Serve Like We Lead - My new book is designed to be a really practical guide going deep into the application of all of the principles of service leadership. And it is my greatest joy to share this news with you all first. I can't wait to share more with you over the upcoming weeks, including the release date, pre-orders, and also the upcoming book launch. I want to thank you all for inspiring this book. It has been the work that I have done with the customer service community, both the frontline and leaders that have inspired every word that was written in this book.

Over the past twelve months, I have watched our customer service community continue to shine despite some very challenging circumstances including stock shortages, labour challenges, increasingly challenging customer behaviour and customer expectations continuing to rise. Regardless of whether you are working in the commercial, government or not-for-profit sector, customers are expecting an experience that is fast, easy and personalised. According to a recent PWC survey, nearly 80% of consumers say that speed, convenience/ease of use, knowledgeable assistance and friendly service are the most important elements of a positive customer experience.

Sarcasm can be defined as a “sneering or cutting remark.” It is interesting to note the word sarcasm comes from the ancient Greek word sarkázein, which meant “to tear flesh.” That verb became a metaphor for “speaking bitterly.” How often have you heard the expression that sticks and stones can’t break our bones? Words however, can be hurtful. Even the ancient Greeks recognized that sarcasm feels like someone is digging into you!

Personalisation is one of the most important factors in customer experience. Research shows personalisation can deliver 5 – 8 x the ROI on market share and can lift sales by 10%. It is undoubtedly worth the effort to try and get it right. Personalisation that is meaningful to a person shows a deep level of care and consideration. At the end of the day, we are all walking around with an invisible sign on our head that says, “Make me feel important.” The customer and employee experience is so much about how we make people feel. Seizing opportunities whereby that extra level of thought and care can go a long way to building and strengthening both customer and team member loyalty.

If you have ever run a marathon, delivered a speech, or prepared a dinner party or a special event, you will know the importance of preparation. I am sure you have all heard the saying: “Prior preparation prevents poor performance (or a version of this!)” There is so much truth in this statement!

I became acutely aware of how often we were referred to as “Hey guys”. This shift is something that from a customer service perspective, organisations can no longer afford to overlook, and creating an inclusive environment in all elements of diversity is critical. It has always been the goal of customer service to make all customers feel welcome, included, and comfortable and the consideration of gender pronouns and gender-neutral language in customer service interactions and customer experience design is essential.

I had a very insightful discussion with a fantastic Customer Experience Leader. He shared the story of one of his team leaders who had wonderful rapport and connection with her team, yet found it incredibly difficult to address a team member when they were not delivering the expected level of customer service. It filled her with dread and was something she actively avoided, therefore the behaviour continued and, in some cases, worsened.