Maintaining Customer Service During A Recession

From Business Week Magazine:

Sure, consumers are stressed, but the service expectations of those actually spending money are running higher than ever.

So treat your best customers better than ever. Preserve front-line, customer-facing jobs. Invest in inexpensive, service-improving technology...Twitter anybody? Cross-train call center reps to minimize transfers and reduce overall talk-time. Plow cost savings back into service improvements like longer hours and weekend staffing. Gain economies in ways customers won't feel - grouping supply and other purchasing decisions, for example. Get tough on suppliers that don't measure up.

Even better, you might find the ideas working both in good times and bad.

And here are Business Week's customer service champions.

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Health Care Strategist

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