I read a great quote today from Seth Godin: "The problem with the race to the bottom is that you might win."

American consumers are an ever-changing breed, and a smart businessman knows to stay ahead of them – or at least to keep up.  This year, according to the American Express Global Customer Service Barometer, consumer changes include being less willing to deal with customer service that they view as becoming worse. This recently released report includes several undeniable trends and unsettling statistics regarding American consumers: 60% believe businesses haven’t increased their focus on providing good customer service 78% have ended a transaction or not made an intended purchase due to poor service 70% are willing to spend an average of 13%...

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The San Diego Padres earned the title of having the best season ticket agents in baseball according to IntelliShop’s 2011 Major League Baseball Ticket Agent Study (MLBTS).  In this first-of-its-kind study, mystery shoppers made more than 500 season ticket inquiries around the league, and results show that the Padres’ agents consistently knocked it out of the park by providing top-notch customer handling and sales skills. “The Padres agents did everything you want a great salesperson to do,” says Chris Denove, Senior Vice President of IntelliShop.  “They not only made the effort to tell fans...

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Dallas, TX (PRWEB) May 11, 2011 The results of a survey released on May 3 by American Express clearly bode well for companies that conduct mystery shopping programs and act on them. The American Express® Global Customer Service Barometer quantifies the business benefits of good service and the penalties for poor service, providing more evidence in support of the value of implementing mystery shopping programs. Good service is not just something Americans expect; it is something they are willing to pay for. American Express says seventy percent (70%) indicate they are willing to spend up to 13% more with companies they believe provide excellent...

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Below is Seth Godin's Blog entry from 5/6/2011.  His headline for it is What's High School For?  I would re-name it: Stuff You Can Always Use. When I read it, it struck me that I practice some, not all, some consciously, some not.  I think for anyone wondering how to make your way in the world, what to focus on, how to better your lot, what do you do to succeed, how to challenge yourself to grow personally, this is a good (but not complete)...

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