{"id":7473,"date":"2020-06-01T18:23:07","date_gmt":"2020-06-01T18:23:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/?p=7473"},"modified":"2025-03-13T06:26:37","modified_gmt":"2025-03-13T13:26:37","slug":"exceptional-customer-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/us\/en\/blog\/exceptional-customer-service\/","title":{"rendered":"The secret ingredient to exceptional customer service"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s no surprise that customer service needs to be a priority if you want your small business to succeed. We\u2019ve all heard it before\u2014happy customers make repeat purchases, send referrals your way, and boost your company\u2019s reputation.<\/p>\n<p>In an age where it\u2019s so easy for customers to leave negative <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/customer-review-examples\/\">customer reviews<\/a> or shop online for an alternative option\u2014while they\u2019re waiting on hold with support\u2014it\u2019s not enough to just have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/good-customer-service\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><i>good<\/i> customer service<\/a>. To turn your customers into raving fans, you need to go above and beyond. Your customer service needs to be <i>exceptional<\/i>.<br \/>\nAnd as a company that helps customer service teams communicate and collaborate with both customers and coworkers, we know <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/why-is-customer-service-important\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">why great customer service is so important<\/a>\u2014especially for small businesses.<\/p>\n<p>Today, we\u2019re diving into the kind of truly exceptional customer service that wows your customers and makes them stick with you (even through <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/customer-retention\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">customer retention<\/a> hazards like price increases and lapses in your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/customer-experience\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">customer experience<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>Most importantly, we\u2019re going to reveal the secret ingredient to how companies can provide truly exceptional customer service. (Each of the three examples from real-life companies we\u2019ll analyze has this one key element.) So, read on to find out:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"table-of-content\">\n<li><a href=\"#What \u201cexceptional\u201d customer service really means\">What \u201cexceptional\u201d customer service really means<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#How to know if you have exceptional customer service\">How to know if you have exceptional customer service<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#3 exceptional customer service stories to inspire you and your team\">3 exceptional customer service stories to inspire you and your team<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#How to start building a foundation for exceptional customer service\">How to start building a foundation for exceptional customer service<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p class=\"p1\">\u2b50\ufe0f\u2b50\ufe0f\u2b50\ufe0f\u2b50\ufe0f\u2b50\ufe0f<b>\u00a0<\/b>Ready to offer 5-star customer service?<b>\u00a0<\/b>Get strategies for every stage of the customer journey with this <b>free eBook<\/b>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">\n<div class=\"download-form-widget standart-download-form\" data-url=\"https:\/\/assets.ringcentral.com\/us\/ebook\/long-live-customer-service.pdf\" data-id=\"69d9095f15dd6\" id=\"69d9095f15dd6\">\n\t\t<button tabindex=\"on\"  on=\"tap:69d9095f15dd6.toggleClass(class='open')\" class=\"open-modal-download-action download-form-button\" type=\"submit\">\ud83d\udcd9 Get the eBook<\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"download-form-modal\">\n<div class=\"download-form-modal-body\">\n<div class=\"download-form-modal-content\">\n<div class=\"download-form-modal-title\">\ud83d\udc40Get this free eBook to learn how to win in customer service.<\/div>\n<form class=\"download-form SMB\" method=\"post\">\n<div class=\"download-form-part\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input class=\"download-form-input\" aria-label=\"Full Name\" aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" type=\"text\" name=\"fullname\" placeholder=\"Full Name\" data-dl-events-hover=\"true\" data-dl-element=\"text\" data-dl-additional-info=\"download form\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"download-form-part\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input class=\"download-form-input\" aria-label=\"Email (please enter a work email address)\" aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" type=\"email\" autocomplete=\"on\" name=\"email\" placeholder=\"Email (please enter a work email address)\" data-dl-events-hover=\"true\" data-dl-element=\"email\" data-dl-additional-info=\"download form\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"popup_form\" value=\"1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"Lead_Entry_Source__c\" value=\"RC Blog\" class=\"download-form-input\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"download-form-part\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"download-form-submit\" type=\"submit\" data-dl-element=\"button\" data-no-auto-dl=\"true\" data-dl-additional-info=\"download form\" data-dl-name=\"Get it now\">Get it now<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<button on=\"tap:69d9095f15dd6.toggleClass(class='open')\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\"  class=\"download-form-modal-close\"><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"download-form-modal-thank\">Enjoy!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a name=\"What \u201cexceptional\u201d customer service really means\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>What does <i>exceptional customer service<\/i> really mean?<\/h2>\n<p>We all know what <i>good <\/i>customer service looks like\u2014it\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/agile-customer-service\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">agile<\/a>, respectful, responsive, solves your problem, and hey, maybe the customer service agent even knows your name. But the thing is, this shouldn\u2019t be the goal.<\/p>\n<p>Why? Because this kind of good customer service is quickly becoming the baseline for small businesses looking to wow customers. Yes, this kind of service, which would\u2019ve wowed the socks off our parents and grandparents, is now becoming commonplace. It\u2019s unfair.<\/p>\n<p>That also means that if you aim a little higher and build a culture where good customer service is the <i>minimum<\/i>, you\u2019ll raise the bar overall in your business because your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/customer-support\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">customer support<\/a> team will make going above and beyond the rule rather than the exception (and banish <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/bad-customer-service\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">bad customer service<\/a> forever). It\u2019s a little bit harder, sure. But we can\u2019t say it\u2019s a bad thing.<\/p>\n<p>So, what do we mean when we refer to exceptional customer service? Here are the three calling cards of exceptional customer service:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"padding-bottom: 0px;\">\n<li><b>Generous<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px;\">\n<ul>\n<li>Generosity might be sharing free products, extra discounts, or surprise expedited shipping with customers. It can involve going above and beyond to fix issues by offering refunds <i>and <\/i>an extra coupon or replacement item. But it doesn\u2019t always need to be a monetary offer; just anticipating the next issue or question a customer might have and proactively offering to help is one way you can be generous with your attention and time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Unexpected<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px;\">\n<ul>\n<li>The service or product that you\u2019re delivering might vary, but you should also try to deliver something that the customer doesn\u2019t see coming. It\u2019s that wow factor that really makes service exceptional, and it\u2019s the key to exceeding (not just meeting) your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/customer-expectations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">customers\u2019 expectations<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Personal<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style: none; padding-bottom: 0px;\">\n<ul>\n<li>Another characteristic of great customer service is that it is personal. Encourage staff to show they\u2019re listening, and get to know customers while they\u2019re on the phone. Asking casual questions may open up opportunities to surprise and delight customers. You may even have to overstaff slightly to allow the time and space for agents to have slightly longer calls with customers, allowing more time for personal connections.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a name=\"How to know if you have exceptional customer service\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Key indicators: how to know if you\u2019ve actually got exceptional customer service<\/h2>\n<p>As with all business goals, it\u2019s not enough to just <i>declare<\/i> that you want to have exceptional customer service. You have to establish processes and goals that\u2019ll let you know when you\u2019ve actually achieved it.<\/p>\n<p>When you\u2019re thinking about indicators of exceptional customer service, consider the outcomes that you\u2019re shooting for. These are the core reasons that are driving your desire to have such awesome customer service.<\/p>\n<div class=\"tip\">\n<div class=\"tip-heading\"><b>\ud83d\udca1 Pro-tip: <\/b><\/div>\n<p>Examples of outcomes that might fuel a company\u2019s exceptional customer service include repeat customers or increased referrals. These are the indicators you should use as you\u2019re setting your <a class=\"waffle-rich-text-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/customer-service-kpi\/\">customer service KPIs<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/business-phone-numbers.html\">call center metrics<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>If you want to know if you have exceptional customer service, watch for these indicators:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>You don\u2019t just have customers; you have evangelists. <\/b>You get a ton of referral business, even if you don\u2019t have a formal referral program.<\/li>\n<li><b>You don\u2019t experience much churn for subscription customers,<\/b> or you have a lot of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/return-customer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">returning customers<\/a>. (This is why it\u2019s good to have a handle on your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/customer-experience-analytics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">customer service analytics<\/a>\u2014so you can actually measure these numbers.)<\/li>\n<li><b>You hear personal stories of gratitude from customers.<\/b> When someone asks to speak to the manager, it\u2019s usually to share a compliment, not a complaint.<\/li>\n<li><b>Morale is high<\/b> and your support team is happy, fulfilled, and free to do great work.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Here\u2019s an example of how this kind of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/customer-feedback\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">customer feedback<\/a> would look in, say, a Tweet from your customer:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-7475\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/image1-220-695x320.png\" alt=\"Dave Bell tweet\" width=\"695\" height=\"320\" \/><br \/>\n<a name=\"3 exceptional customer service stories to inspire you and your team\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>3 exemplary customer service stories from real-life companies<\/h2>\n<p>One of the best ways to be clear about what you mean when you say exceptional customer service is to share <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/great-customer-service-stories\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">stories of great customer service<\/a> with your team.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t just try to hit a \u201cdecent\u201d response time or add the customer\u2019s name to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/support-email\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">customer support email<\/a>\u2014we\u2019re talking exceptional here, not basic. Instead, share these stories with your team and see if you can provide suggestions on how your team might translate that kind of service for your industry.<\/p>\n<h3>1. Zappos and the best man<\/h3>\n<p>Shoe company Zappos is well-known for having the kind of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/customer-service-vs-customer-experience\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">customer service<\/a> that truly wows their customers.<\/p>\n<p>They built this reputation by giving their agents the freedom to have long conversations and get to know their customers\u2014as well as the financial freedom to upgrade shipping, refund orders, and even send flowers to customers.<\/p>\n<p>In one instance, a best man named Jay used Zappos to order a pair of shoes for the wedding he was attending, but accidentally had the shoes sent to the wrong address.<sup>3<\/sup><\/p>\n<p>When he realized his mistake, he called Zappos, knowing there was no way that he\u2019d get the shoes on time for the big day.<\/p>\n<p>Not only did the Zappos customer service agent overnight him the shoes he needed as a replacement, but they also gave him a full refund and upgraded him to VIP status so he\u2019d have free shipping in the future.<\/p>\n<p>The kindness and human compassion that the support agent showed Jay is the stuff that awesome customer service stories are made of\u2014and probably created a customer for life in Jay.<\/p>\n<div class=\"tip\">\n<div class=\"tip-heading\"><b>\ud83d\udca1 Pro-tip: <\/b><\/div>\n<p>Get more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/customer-service-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">customer service tips<\/a> here.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3>2. Southwest supports a cancer patient customer<\/h3>\n<p>Airlines don\u2019t have the best reputation for customer service, so it\u2019s especially impressive the way a customer support agent at Southwest was able to turn around a lost bag story into a positive experience.<sup>4<\/sup><\/p>\n<p>When a customer on a Southwest flight arrived home in Pittsburgh without her luggage, it wasn\u2019t just her shampoo she was missing. Her bag held medication as well as lucky charms and a rosary for the chemotherapy treatment she was headed to the next morning.<\/p>\n<p>Though it was already late at night, the Southwest agent promised to do all she could to bring the customer her bag before her 9 a.m. chemotherapy appointment.<\/p>\n<p>And she didn\u2019t disappoint, personally driving the bag to the customer\u2019s house at 3 a.m. since airport couriers were off for the night, and even leaving a note encouraging her to \u201ckick cancer\u2019s butt!\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-7476 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/image2-189-944x1024.png\" alt=\"Stacy Hurt Facebook post\" width=\"840\" height=\"911\" \/><br \/>\nThis is another example that showcases the importance of creating a human connection with your customers, a shift that empowers your support agents to go above and beyond to create an incredible customer experience.<\/p>\n<p>It goes beyond customer service; it\u2019s simple human kindness.<\/p>\n<div class=\"tip\">\n<div class=\"tip-heading\"><b>\ud83d\udca1 Pro-tip: <\/b><\/div>\n<p>Are you practicing these <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/customer-service-best-practices\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">customer service best practices<\/a>?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3>3. Starbucks employee learns sign language to ask a regular his drink order<\/h3>\n<p>When one Starbucks employee in Leesburg, Virginia, noticed how challenging it was for a deaf customer to communicate with herself and other Starbucks employees, she took it upon herself to find a solution.<\/p>\n<p>So, the next time he stepped up to order, she handed him a note: \u201cI&#8217;ve been learning ASL, American Sign Language, just so you can have the same experience as everyone else.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s right\u2014the barista had spent three hours of her personal time learning enough sign language to ask this customer his drink order. As she said, \u201cIf he&#8217;s a regular, and I want to make that connection with my regulars, I should be able to at least ask him what he wants to drink.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This story garnered national news, but that\u2019s not why she did it\u2014and not for a good tip, either.<sup>5<\/sup><\/p>\n<p>Again, it was all about thinking of a way to unexpectedly serve the customer better that took this story from good customer service to truly exceptional.<br \/>\n<a name=\"How to start building a foundation for exceptional customer service\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Build the foundation for exceptional customer service<\/h2>\n<p>A great customer experience depends on having a team with the right skills\u2014and giving them the freedom to use them. Whether your customer service department is one person right now or a larger team, prioritizing a culture of wowing customers can begin right from day one.<\/p>\n<p>There are three steps to create a foundation for exceptional customer service at your company:<\/p>\n<h3>1. Use technology to deliver great customer service<\/h3>\n<p>With <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/online-customer-service\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">online customer service<\/a> becoming more and more crucial, you need to build your foundation for exceptional customer service with the right technology. If your support team is fumbling to find the information they need or can\u2019t get their questions answered quickly, how can they wow your customers?<\/p>\n<p>Show your team that providing great customer service is truly a company priority by choosing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/communication-tools\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">communication tools<\/a> that make it easy to knock your customers\u2019 socks off.<\/p>\n<p>And the first priority in choosing that technology or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/customer-service-apps\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">customer service app<\/a>? Flexibility. As more of us become phone call-averse, providing flexible options for support communications is a no-brainer.<\/p>\n<p>Note that we said \u201cphone call-averse,\u201d not that phone calls are going to disappear altogether. Why? Because according to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/customer-communications-trends-report.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">survey of consumers<\/a>, people still prefer to call companies after a purchase:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/customer-communications-trends-report.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-7477 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/image4-5-695x364.jpg\" alt=\"Graph: Preferred Communication after Purchase\" width=\"695\" height=\"364\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nThat\u2019s why you should make sure your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/best-customer-service-software\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">customer service software<\/a> allows you to communicate with customers however <i>they<\/i> want\u2014whether it\u2019s voice, chat, text, email, or even <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/best-video-conferencing-for-small-businesses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">video conferencing<\/a>. For example, here\u2019s how that looks in RingCentral\u2019s Contact Center platform:<\/p>\n<p><center><iframe style=\"padding-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 20px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/PZC3o5YN90E\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" sandbox=\"allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/center><\/p>\n<div class=\"tip\">\n<div class=\"tip-heading\"><b>\ud83d\udca1 Pro-tip: <\/b><\/div>\n<p>Learn about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/omnichannel-customer-service\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">omnichannel customer service<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The concept of flexibility doesn\u2019t end with your customer\u2019s communication preferences either. There\u2019s your customer support team too. Using a cloud communications platform means you can have incoming questions ping all of your agents at once\u2014even if you have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/remote-support-team\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">remote customer support team<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Whether you want the flexibility to hire a remote team or just want to be sure your team can still work even if they\u2019re snowed in, RingCentral ensures that customers can always access the support they need.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, don\u2019t underestimate how important team communication is to delivering a good customer support experience\u2014and building the foundation for an exceptional one.<\/p>\n<p>By ensuring that support agents can connect with team members across the company quickly, the right internal communications platform sets your whole team up to serve customers. Using RingCentral, you can keep that internal and external communication in one place, avoiding wasted time between different communication platforms.<\/p>\n<h3>2. Nurture exceptional customer service&#8230; skills<\/h3>\n<p>To begin creating a great customer experience, it\u2019s crucial to look for and encourage the right skills in your support team. Communication and collaboration are two foundational <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/customer-service-skills\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">customer service skills<\/a> that you should look for in support agents.<\/p>\n<p>Good communication skills are, of course crucial, since that\u2019s the bulk of what your support team does all day. (Here are a few <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/empathy-exercises\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">empathy exercises<\/a> to try.)<\/p>\n<h3>3. Trust your customer service team<\/h3>\n<p>The most important factor in creating exceptional customer service, though, is hiring the right agents and then trusting them with the freedom to do their jobs well. Autonomy: this is the key ingredient!<\/p>\n<p>So often, even great support agents feel trapped by the rules, systems, and scripts they have to adhere to as a member of the team\u2014worrying they\u2019ll risk their jobs if they stray from the set path. By overregulating your customer-facing team, you\u2019re actually sapping them of their ability to relate to customers in a human-to-human way.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/customer-service-teamwork\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Customer service teamwork<\/a> is great, but give your customer-facing team members the autonomy and space to deliver a truly great experience. That means having a certain amount of trust in your team and giving them the freedom to be human.<\/p>\n<p>Skip the script and empower your support staff to communicate in a way that reflects your brand but is also natural for them. Educate your team on your brand voice and customer values so that you\u2019re confident that they can be a good representative of your company.<\/p>\n<p>You can even provide a small pre-approved budget designated for wowing customers. Ritz-Carlton Hotels famously allows any employee, from housekeepers to managers, to spend up to $2,000 per guest, per day, to resolve a problem without speaking to a supervisor.<sup>1<\/sup><\/p>\n<p>That might sound like a lot of money, but even a small budget for customer satisfaction\u2014Helpscout calls it the \u201cfrugal wow\u201d\u2014will empower your support agents to create an exceptional experience for customers.<sup>2<\/sup><\/p>\n<div class=\"tip\">\n<div class=\"tip-heading\"><b>\ud83d\udca1 Pro-tip:<\/b><\/div>\n<p>As you create a culture of superior customer service, it\u2019s important to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/small-business\/blog\/customer-service-oriented\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">center the customer<\/a> in your company discussions. From training to high-level brand and culture discussions to quarterly reviews, keep the focus on customers to emphasize throughout the company how important exceptional service really is.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>How to take your customer service from good to exceptional<\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s one thing to have good customer service\u2014the kind where calls are answered quickly and agents are polite.<\/p>\n<p>But if you truly want to create loyal customers and earn a stellar reputation, good customer service is no longer enough. Now, it\u2019s all about taking service to the next level. To be truly exceptional.<\/p>\n<p>Beyond just having the right technology and skills, you can take it up a notch by training your business as a whole to focus on the customer, giving your agents the freedom to connect with customers, and celebrating service interactions that go above and beyond.<\/p>\n<p>With these tools, be prepared to watch your support agents wow your customers and start reaping the benefits of your new, stellar service reputation.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<div style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><sup>1<\/sup> forbes.com\/sites\/micahsolomon\/2015\/04\/21\/ritz-carlton-president-herve-humlers-leadership-culture-and-customer-service-secrets\/#49481ae93b55<br \/>\n<sup>2<\/sup> helpscout.com\/blog\/frugal-wow\/<br \/>\n<sup>3<\/sup> medium.com\/@alessiafabbioni\/best-of-zappos-customer-service-stories-543606d76637<br \/>\n<sup>4<\/sup> huffingtonpost.ca\/entry\/southwest-cancer-luggage_n_598c99b9e4b09071f6983f8a<br \/>\n<sup>5<\/sup> cbsnews.com\/news\/starbucks-barista-asl-deaf-virginia-man-order-on-the-road\/<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\t\t\t\t<![CDATA[]]>\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":43028,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17901],"tags":[743,402,15541,18596,16725],"class_list":["post-7473","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-leadership","tag-customer-experience","tag-customer-service","tag-cx","tag-exceptional-customer-experience","tag-exceptional-customer-service"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v19.3 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The secret ingredient to exceptional customer service | RingCentral<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how you can create a 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