Shep Hyken interviews Jill Nelson. They discuss her company, Ruby Receptionists, and how to use both technology and humanity to deliver an amazing customer experience. The Interview with Jill Nelson:The driving force behind good customer service should be human engagement and connection. Technology can allow employees to be more helpful, but it should not be the only layer to the customer experience.Even with the many ways a customer can connect with a company, there is still an expectation of instant availability. Customers increasingly prefer to connect with companies via the phone, and phone calls have the highest conversion rate of interaction to sale.The money you spend on marketing will be wasted if you don’t inject care into the customer’s experience beyond getting them to connect with you. Companies need to communicate that they are there for their customers, that they care, and that they’re human, too. At the end of the day, people want to do business with people.It’s important to hire right from the beginning, as is continuous training. Be careful not to “untrain” or demotivate your employees; assume they want to succeed and help their customers succeed, so empower them to do so.Cultivate a mindset where the customer’s needs supersede your own. Use the customer’s success as your compass, and ask yourself what you can help them accomplish and how you can go about doing so.Quote: “Hiring right is important, but it’s a waste if you don’t also give your employees the freedom, space, and ability to be human and do great things beyond following the rules.” - Jill Nelson About: Jill Nelson is the founder and CEO of Ruby Receptionists. She is a member of Entrepreneurs’ Organization and was honored as the Oregon Technology Executive of the Year in 2017. Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and your host of Amazing Business Radio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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