Interest is growing in this position because it puts a public face to the importance of customer service, and signals a public declaration that the customer—because of the rise of social networks and the dissemination of opinion and ideas on the Internet—should be represented in the boardroom. Continue reading →

Most entrepreneurs think big. Take an idea. Turn it into a company. Shepherd it to success. In this podcast by Lendio we hear Alex Bard’s path to success, culminating in acquisition by salesforce.com. The title is Entrepreneur Addiction #14 — Building a Company to Sell with Assistly CEO Alex Bard. Continue reading →

LiveChat,  a premium live chat product, is now integrated with Assistly. Chat is an effective and growing support channel that moves engagement way past the traditional definition of the help desk. It is personal, real time, and engaging—a way of … Continue reading →

For nearly 15 years, Netflix has completely outclassed every one of its competitors. Better product. Better pricing. Better service.

Now we are watching them become the poster brand for customer ire. A decade of brand equity and customer love has evaporated in 90 days. Could there be any more relevant illustration of the power and position of today’s customer? Continue reading →

Social media is changing how customers communicate with companies and consequently, how companies communicate (or fail to) with their customers. Perhaps the fastest growing category of communications via social media is one companies can ill afford to ignore—complaints. Today, an increasing number of customers are avoiding traditional customer service channels in favor of Tweeting and posting their complaints online. Further, these legions of customers are not just venting their complaints, they expect companies to respond. Continue reading →