Unveiling The Top 17 Best Customer Service Books Of All Time
Diving deep into customer service books has been a game-changer for me. Each case study and lesson has not only enriched my knowledge but also influenced real-world practices, pushing our team members towards proactive and excellent customer service. Every business owner understands the value of a satisfied customer and the cost of no service or unresolved customer complaints.
The best books do more than teach—they inspire a customer-focused culture and refine service skills, ultimately enhancing retention and the bottom line. If elevating from great to the best service is your aim, you’ve landed at the right spot.
17 Best Customer Service Books
- The Effortless Experience: Conquering the New Battleground for Customer Loyalty by Matthew Dixon, Nick Toman, and Rick DeLisi
- Uncommon Service: How to Win by Putting Customers at the Core of Your Business by Frances Frei and Anne Morriss
- Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose by Tony Hsieh
- The Customer Rules: The 39 Essential Rules for Delivering Sensational Service by Lee Cockerell
- Be Our Guest: Perfecting the Art of Customer Service by The Disney Institute and Theodore Kinni
- The Nordstrom Way to Customer Experience Excellence: Creating a Values-Driven Service Culture by Robert Spector and Breanne O. Reeves
- The Thank You Economy by Gary Vaynerchuk
- Hug Your Haters: How to Embrace Complaints and Keep Your Customers by Jay Baer
- Customer Satisfaction Is Worthless, Customer Loyalty Is Priceless: How to Make Customers Love You, Keep Them Coming Back and Tell Everyone They Know by Jeffrey Gitomer
- The Starbucks Experience: 5 Principles for Turning Ordinary Into Extraordinary by Joseph Michelli
- The Service Culture Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Your Employees Obsessed with Customer Service by Jeff Toister
- The Amazement Revolution: Seven Customer Service Strategies to Create an Amazing Customer (and Employee) Experience by Shep Hyken
- Ignore Your Customers (and They'll Go Away): The Simple Playbook for Delivering the Ultimate Customer Service Experience by Micah Solomon
- Chief Customer Officer 2.0: How to Build Your Customer-Driven Growth Engine by Jeanne Bliss
- The New Gold Standard: 5 Leadership Principles for Creating a Legendary Customer Experience Courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company by Joseph Michelli
- Customer Success: How Innovative Companies Are Reducing Churn and Growing Recurring Revenue by Nick Mehta, Dan Steinman, and Lincoln Murphy
- Exceptional Customer Service: Exceed Customer Expectations to Build Loyalty & Boost Profits by Lisa Ford
Overviews Of The 17 Best Customer Service Books
Here’s a quick summary of each book, what you’ll learn, and why you should read it, plus a quote I like from the book. I added the author’s LinkedIn and other places to connect with them online.
1. The Effortless Experience: Conquering the New Battleground for Customer Loyalty by Matthew Dixon, Nick Toman, and Rick DeLisi
Summary:
This enlightening book argues that companies should stop going above and beyond in their customer service and instead focus on making things easy. Based on extensive research, the authors show that exceeding expectations during service interactions only marginally impacts customer loyalty.
What You'll Learn:
The key drivers of customer loyalty and disloyalty; how to create a low-effort customer experience; and why simplicity and ease are more important than delighting the customer.
Why You Should Read It:
If you're aiming to build lasting customer loyalty without wasting resources on fruitless strategies, this book offers a transformative approach.
Quote From The Book:
"Loyalty is driven by how well a company delivers on its basic promises and solves day-to-day problems, not on how spectacular its service experience might be."
About The Author:
Dive into the minds of Matthew Dixon, Nick Toman, and Rick DeLisi, seasoned experts in the customer experience field. Connect with Matthew Dixon on LinkedIn, follow Nick Toman on Twitter, or explore Rick DeLisi's LinkedIn.
2. Uncommon Service: How to Win by Putting Customers at the Core of Your Business by Frances Frei and Anne Morriss
Summary:
Frei and Morriss delve into the need for businesses to choose what they will excel at and what they will lag in, to provide superior service. Their counterintuitive approach emphasizes the importance of making tough choices to ensure exceptional service delivery.
What You'll Learn:
How to use strategic service models to gain a competitive edge; why perfect service for every aspect isn't attainable or even desirable; and methods for aligning your business model with your organization's service strategy.
Why You Should Read It:
For an innovative perspective on service that shuns a one-size-fits-all approach and embraces imperfection for excellence.
Quote From The Book:
"Excellence comes from doing one thing really well. Trying to excel everywhere leads inevitably to mediocrity."
About The Author:
Step into the world of Frances Frei and Anne Morriss, acclaimed authors and thought leaders in customer service strategy. Engage with Frances Frei on LinkedIn, get insights from Anne Morriss on Twitter, or visit their joint website.
3. Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose by Tony Hsieh
Summary:
Tony Hsieh, the CEO of Zappos, shares his insights on how company culture and a focus on customer service can lead to immense success. Hsieh weaves a compelling tale of his entrepreneurial journey, intertwined with lessons on happiness and business.
What You'll Learn:
The story behind Zappos and its unique company culture; the role of happiness in business and life; and strategies to provide top-notch customer service.
Why You Should Read It:
For an inspiring journey of a startup that became a billion-dollar business by prioritizing employee happiness and customer satisfaction.
Quote From The Book:
"We wanted to run our own business and be in control of our own destiny."
About The Author:
Meet Tony Hsieh, a renowned entrepreneur and visionary who transformed the way online retail operates. Explore more with his insights on Amazon.
4. The Customer Rules: The 39 Essential Rules for Delivering Sensational Service by Lee Cockerell
Summary:
Lee Cockerell, drawing from his vast experience managing operations at Walt Disney World, pens down a set of 39 rules that encapsulate the essence of unparalleled customer service, making it a must-read for anyone seeking to excel in the service domain.
What You'll Learn:
The indispensable rules for providing top-tier service, how to make your clients the centerpiece of your business, and the art of managing and motivating your team to deliver sensational service consistently.
Why You Should Read It:
To get a deep dive into actionable principles that are proven to create service magic, straight from a maestro of the service industry.
Quote From The Book:
"Great service doesn’t cost a lot. Bad service—at any price—is costly."
About The Author:
Lee Cockerell, once at the helm of operations at Walt Disney World, is an authority on operations and customer service. Connect with him on LinkedIn, follow his insights on Twitter, or explore his personal website.
5. Be Our Guest: Perfecting the Art of Customer Service by The Disney Institute and Theodore Kinni
Summary:
Unraveling the mechanisms behind Disney's legendary service, this book offers a comprehensive look at how meticulous attention to detail, consistency, and organizational culture converge to create an extraordinary guest experience.
What You'll Learn: Disney’s unique approach to service, the significance of a cohesive organizational culture, and how to adapt the Disney model to various business settings.
Why You Should Read It: For an inside look into one of the world's most renowned service cultures and actionable takeaways that can be adapted to any business context.
Quote From The Book: "You don’t build it for yourself. You know what the people want and you build it for them."
About The Author:
The Disney Institute is Disney's external business training arm, while Theodore Kinni is a respected business writer. Engage with The Disney Institute on LinkedIn, or delve into Theodore Kinni's insights on LinkedIn.
6. The Nordstrom Way to Customer Experience Excellence: Creating a Values-Driven Service Culture by Robert Spector and Breanne O. Reeves
Summary:
Dive into the ethos of Nordstrom's enviable service culture. Spector and Reeves intricately detail how Nordstrom became synonymous with exceptional customer service by fostering a values-driven service approach.
What You'll Learn:
The foundational principles of Nordstrom’s renowned service culture, how values drive exceptional service, and actionable strategies to infuse similar values into your own business.
Why You Should Read It:
To glean insights from a retail giant known for its impeccable service and understand how to translate these lessons to your own organization.
Quote From The Book:
"At Nordstrom, we value the richness that diversity brings to our workforce - it makes our Company better and the communities we serve stronger."
About The Author:
Robert Spector, a best-selling author, specializes in customer service insights, while Breanne O. Reeves is a business strategist. Connect with Robert on LinkedIn, follow Breanne O. Reeves on LinkedIn, or explore Robert's personal website.
7. The Thank You Economy by Gary Vaynerchuk
Summary:
Gary Vaynerchuk delves into the importance of authenticity, kindness, and strong customer relationships in the modern business landscape. He illustrates how the internet and social media have brought back the significance of personal connections.
What You'll Learn:
The transformative power of caring in business, ways to humanize companies in the digital age, and strategies to authentically connect with customers using online platforms.
Why You Should Read It:
To understand the changing dynamics of customer-business relationships and harness the potential of genuine interactions in the age of impersonal digital transactions.
Quote From The Book:
"The Internet, in its present form, has only been around for 20 years, yet it's already changed the way we communicate, the way we shop, the way we date. Why wouldn't it change the way we do business?"
About The Author:
Gary Vaynerchuk is a serial entrepreneur, best-selling author, and social media guru. Connect with him on LinkedIn, and follow his thoughts on Twitter.
8. Hug Your Haters: How to Embrace Complaints and Keep Your Customers by Jay Baer
Summary:
Jay Baer emphasizes the importance of feedback, even when it's negative. With a strategic approach, he suggests turning haters into assets, leveraging complaints to promote loyalty and continued business.
What You'll Learn:
Methods to handle and benefit from negative feedback, the immense value of complaints in a digital landscape, and techniques to transform detractors into promoters.
Why You Should Read It:
To transform your approach towards negative feedback and harness it as a powerful tool for growth and customer loyalty.
Quote From The Book:
"Answer every complaint, in every channel, every time."
About The Author:
Jay Baer is a renowned marketing consultant, speaker, and author. Engage with him on LinkedIn, gain insights from his Twitter, or explore more on his personal website.
9. Customer Satisfaction Is Worthless, Customer Loyalty Is Priceless: How to Make Customers Love You, Keep Them Coming Back and Tell Everyone They Know by Jeffrey Gitomer
Summary:
Gitomer's masterpiece discusses the difference between mere customer satisfaction and the golden standard of customer loyalty. He provides insights and strategies to go beyond fleeting satisfaction and ensure lasting loyalty.
What You'll Learn:
The intricate dynamics between satisfaction and loyalty, actionable strategies to foster unshakeable customer loyalty, and the mistakes businesses make that jeopardize long-term relationships.
Why You Should Read It:
For a fresh perspective on what true customer loyalty looks like and a roadmap to achieve it in your own business.
Quote From The Book:
"You don't earn loyalty in a day. You earn loyalty day-by-day."
About The Author:
Jeffrey Gitomer is a sales and customer service expert, keynote speaker, and best-selling author. Connect with him on LinkedIn, and stay updated via his Twitter.
10. The Starbucks Experience: 5 Principles for Turning Ordinary Into Extraordinary by Joseph Michelli
Summary:
Joseph Michelli delves deep into the iconic Starbucks brand, revealing the quintessential principles that transformed an ordinary coffee shop into a global sensation.
What You'll Learn:
The five core principles that underpin Starbucks' success, strategies to cultivate customer loyalty, and the secrets behind creating a unique and memorable customer experience.
Why You Should Read It:
To understand and replicate the philosophies and strategies of a brand that turned a daily beverage into a global phenomenon.
Quote From The Book:
"People are not just buying a beverage, they are buying an experience."
About The Author:
Joseph Michelli is an internationally acclaimed speaker and business consultant. Connect with him on LinkedIn, follow him on Twitter, or discover more on his personal website.
11. The Service Culture Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Your Employees Obsessed with Customer Service by Jeff Toister
Summary:
Jeff Toister provides a comprehensive manual on building a service culture that not only delights customers but also engages employees. He outlines the path to instill a customer-centric mindset at every level of an organization.
What You'll Learn:
The ingredients of a robust service culture, techniques to engage and train employees, and steps to transform service from a strategy into an organizational way of life.
Why You Should Read It:
For actionable insights on how to create a culture where exceptional service is not just a goal, but a natural way of operating.
Quote From The Book:
"A strong service culture leads to sustained customer satisfaction."
About The Author:
Jeff Toister is a recognized thought leader in customer service. Engage with him on LinkedIn, gain insights from his Twitter, or delve deeper into his personal website.
12. The Amazement Revolution: Seven Customer Service Strategies to Create an Amazing Customer (and Employee) Experience by Shep Hyken
Summary:
Shep Hyken uncovers the transformative power of consistently amazing service. He presents seven potent strategies to ensure that both customers and employees have experiences that resonate and are memorable.
What You'll Learn:
The foundational strategies behind companies that consistently amaze their customers, tools to drive customer and employee engagement, and methods to stand out in a crowded market through exceptional service.
Why You Should Read It:
To learn from a customer service expert on how to consistently exceed expectations and create lasting, positive impressions.
Quote From The Book:
"Moments of Magic are not about the task or function; they are about how the task or function is delivered."
About The Author:
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, as well as a hall-of-fame speaker. Connect with him on LinkedIn, and get inspired by his Twitter.
13. Ignore Your Customers (and They'll Go Away): The Simple Playbook for Delivering the Ultimate Customer Service Experience by Micah Solomon
Summary:
Micah Solomon delves into the modern dynamics of customer service, emphasizing the consequences of neglecting customers and offering a comprehensive playbook to deliver unparalleled customer experiences in today's competitive market.
What You'll Learn:
Strategies to elevate your customer service game, insights into modern customer behaviors, and actionable tactics to prevent customers from turning away from your brand.
Why You Should Read It:
In an age where customer loyalty is hard to earn, Solomon's playbook provides the tools to not only retain but also mesmerize your customers with exceptional service.
Quote From The Book:
"If you're not serving the customer, your job is to be serving someone who is."
About The Author:
Micah Solomon is heralded as one of the world's leading authorities on customer service, customer experience, and company culture. Dive deeper into his insights on LinkedIn, follow his thoughts on Twitter, or explore more on his personal website.
14. Chief Customer Officer 2.0: How to Build Your Customer-Driven Growth Engine by Jeanne Bliss
Summary:
Jeanne Bliss provides a comprehensive roadmap for leaders to integrate customer-driven strategies, showcasing the role of the Chief Customer Officer in modern businesses.
What You'll Learn:
The core competencies of the Chief Customer Officer role, methodologies for uniting the organization around customer goals, and tactics to drive sustainable growth through customer-centricity.
Why You Should Read It:
To understand and implement the leadership role that unites every part of a business around its customers.
Quote From The Book:
"Your customers' memory of your brand is the sum of the experiences they have with you."
About The Author:
Jeanne Bliss is a pioneer in the role of Chief Customer Officer and has transformed her experience into guiding other leaders. Engage with her on LinkedIn, connect on Twitter, or explore her insights on her personal website.
15. The New Gold Standard: 5 Leadership Principles for Creating a Legendary Customer Experience Courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company by Joseph Michelli
Summary:
Joseph Michelli delves into the legendary service principles of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, presenting a blueprint for businesses to create unparalleled customer experiences.
What You'll Learn:
The five leadership principles that underpin Ritz-Carlton's legendary service, tools to engage and inspire employees, and secrets to deliver impeccable service consistently.
Why You Should Read It:
For an in-depth look at how one of the world's most luxurious brands maintains its standard of excellence.
Quote From The Book:
"Luxury is a comfort of a higher order. It touches the spirit and stirs the heart."
About The Author:
Joseph Michelli, having explored some of the most iconic brands, is a beacon in customer experience and service excellence. Connect with him on LinkedIn, join the conversation on Twitter, or learn more on his personal website.
16. Customer Success: How Innovative Companies Are Reducing Churn and Growing Recurring Revenue by Nick Mehta, Dan Steinman, and Lincoln Murphy
Summary:
This groundbreaking guide delves deep into the world of customer success, focusing on how top companies manage customer relationships to reduce churn, increase recurring revenue, and drive business growth.
What You'll Learn:
The core principles of customer success, strategies to nurture long-term customer relationships, and the importance of a customer-centric mindset in today's business landscape.
Why You Should Read It:
To grasp the transformative power of customer success in scaling modern businesses and to align organizational objectives with customer outcomes.
Quote From The Book:
"Customer success is where 90% of the revenue is."
About The Author:
Nick Mehta, Dan Steinman, and Lincoln Murphy are key figures in championing customer success as a critical business function. Connect with Nick on LinkedIn, Dan on LinkedIn, and Lincoln on LinkedIn.
17. Exceptional Customer Service: Exceed Customer Expectations to Build Loyalty & Boost Profits by Lisa Ford
Summary:
Lisa Ford masterfully presents the importance of delivering exceptional customer service and provides actionable insights on how companies can exceed customer expectations, thereby building loyalty and maximizing profits.
What You'll Learn:
The nuances of top-tier customer service, methods to consistently exceed expectations, and strategies to turn customers into lifelong advocates for your brand.
Why You Should Read It:
To understand and implement the tools and tactics that can set your company apart in a competitive marketplace through outstanding customer service.
Quote From The Book:
"Customers remember the service a lot longer than they remember the price."
About The Author:
Lisa Ford is a globally recognized speaker and expert in customer service, bringing decades of experience and insights to businesses and audiences. Connect with her on LinkedIn, follow her on Twitter, or discover more on her personal website.
Which Customer Service Books Do You Recommend?
I've curated this list based on extensive reading and insights. However, the world of customer service books is vast and ever-evolving. If you believe there's a must-read title I've overlooked, I invite you to share your recommendations. Together, let's continue to enrich our understanding of customer service excellence.