‍Yes, we still do pick up the phone to speak to a live person in customer service. How we handle these calls with our customers is not something you should take lightly; you and your team should know how to sound, what should be said (and not said), and more. Why? Because it will always be about the customers and your relationships with them. They are why you are successful.

The best practices in this Zendesk article are dead on. Make sure to also watch the very entertaining video that is a playful look at the many things customer service agents say over and over again (which make us a bit crazy!).

"The phone, also referred to as the voice channel in customer service, remains a very popular way for your customers to contact you for support. It’s immediate and direct and it gives customers the chance to ask and to quickly get answers to any follow up questions they may have. It’s second only to live chat for high customer satisfaction ratings.

To make your phone interactions with customers as smooth and satisfying as possible, and sharpen your customer service skills, follow these best..."

‍Successful and effective customer relationships are of significant importance in every business. In this article, you are given valuable tips for driving customer engagement, which ultimately results in better relations and increased sales. While they mention "marketing leaders" as being the drivers of this, we believe that all team members who face the customers are leaders—they play a very important role in your business since they are forward-facing, which means they better know how to positively interact and build lasting relationships with your customers. Read on to learn more...

"Client engagement is an essential part of any successful client retention strategy. The concept of engagement can be applied to consumer brands, but it is even more crucial in business relationships for long-term success.

Then why is customer engagement so difficult to plan and execute?

In a surprising number of cases, client engagement isn't rational nor is it just about the physical product or tangible aspect of the service. Client engagement is emotional, intangible, and very personal..."

Shifting the focus from articles that directly relate to customer service skills and those practices that drive success, let's now think about something that might make business people cringe...negative feelings. Why do we feel this is important to discuss/learn more about? Simple—when you and other employees have these emotions, your customers may feel the impact, in a not-so-positive way. So let's not shy away from discussing this because we all have bad days, and we all could use a little help with knowing how to capitalize on these moments when we aren't feeling so positive. Believe me—you and your customers will be thankful because, as Susan David says, the author of the new book Emotional Agility, "Negative' moods summon a more attentive, accommodating thinking style that leads you to really examine facts in a fresh and creative way."  Your interest is piqued, so keep on reading.

"Everyone wants to be happy.

When we're happy, the coffee tastes better. The flowers look prettier. The glass is always half full, and there's no challenge too big to handle.

When we're happy, everything is all right in the world.

But there are some drawbacks to happiness. If we're over-exuberant, we may not think clearly. We say yes to everything, because we're in a good mood. But later, when it comes time to deliver, we're no longer so happy...or so willing..."