Leading a customer service team is tricky. 

From day-to-day issues like handling specific kinds of enquiries, to more holistic challenges like creating onboarding checklists, it can be useful to hear from those who’ve mastered it all — and the steps they took to get there. 

The good news? There’s no shortage of content available from experts sharing their tips and tricks to nail customer service. With that in mind, we’ve assembled a list of the 10 best customer service books and podcasts which cover a wide range of topics.

Check out some of the books and podcasts below, and be inspired from the cream of the crop to lead your customer service team into excellence. 

The best customer service podcasts

40 Minute Mentor

JBM London, executive level and leadership role recruitment experts specialising in startups, host a weekly podcast with business leaders. They feature topics like the best ways to use customer feedback, tips for scaling your business, and how to hire the right customer service team. 
Tune into their 40 Minute Mentor podcast with Surfboard’s founder, Natasha Ratanshi-Stein here. They discuss her upbringing, unique career journey, and mission to make work more human with Surfboard.

Customer Service Academy

Tony Johnson, a seasoned customer service expert and consultant on customer experience, hosts the Customer Service Academy podcast where he shares his extensive knowledge and experience in the field. Each episode covers a different facet of customer service, ranging from leadership skills and frontline tips to the latest industry trends. 

Focusing on practical strategies and actionable advice, the Customer Service Academy is a well-rounded resource and virtual encyclopaedia for you to build your customer service skills and create a customer-centric culture in your organisation.

The Modern Customer Podcast

Blake Morgan, dubbed “The Queen of Customer Experience” by Meta, is a renowned customer experience futurist and author. She brings together thought leaders and industry experts to discuss the future of customer service on The Modern Customer Podcast. The show covers a wide range of topics, including emerging technologies, strategies, and best practices for delivering exceptional customer experiences — in industries ranging from financial services to retail.

   

Through in-depth interviews and insightful discussions, Blake Morgan gives listeners the knowledge and tools they need to stay ahead of the pack in one of the best customer service podcasts.

Customer Service Revolution

Hosted by John DiJulius, a leading authority on customer service, this podcast aims to inspire a customer service revolution within businesses. Each episode features interviews with industry leaders and real-world case studies of companies that have successfully transformed their customer service practices. John DiJulius and his guests deliver practical advice and proven strategies for creating a customer-centric culture, improving service delivery, and achieving extraordinary results. 

Whether you’re a business owner or a customer service professional, this podcast will provide you with the insights you need to revolutionise your approach to customer service.

The Experience This! Show

Dan Gingiss and Joey Coleman host The Experience This! Show, a podcast that explores customer service through the power of storytelling. Each episode highlights fun, real-life examples of exceptional and poor customer service experiences, providing valuable lessons and actionable takeaways for listeners. 

Focusing on balancing entertaining and educational content, Dan and Joey offer practical insights and strategies for creating memorable customer experiences that drive loyalty and satisfaction. This podcast is a must-listen if you’re looking to learn from real-world examples and apply those lessons to their own customer service practices.

The best customer service books

Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose

In Delivering Happiness, Tony Hsieh, the CEO of Zappos, shares his inspiring journey of building a successful company by focusing on customer happiness. The book provides insights into how creating a strong company culture and prioritising customer satisfaction can lead to business success. 

Through personal anecdotes, practical advice, and the story of Zappos’ rise to prominence, Tony Hsieh offers a blueprint for businesses looking to achieve success by putting customers first in one of the best customer service books.

Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality

In Setting the Table, renowned restaurateur Danny Meyer reveals the secrets behind his success in the hospitality industry. Meyer emphasises the importance of creating a welcoming and hospitable environment for customers, offering valuable lessons that can be applied to any business.

Through his experiences in building some of New York City’s most beloved restaurants, Meyer provides practical advice on leadership, service, and the art of hospitality. Importantly, beyond just restaurants, Meyer explains how the lessons learned in the hospitality business are applicable on a wider scale in any customer-facing industry.

The Nordstrom Way to Customer Service Excellence

If you’re looking for good customer service books, look no further than The Nordstrom Way to Customer Service Excellence by Authors Robert Spector and BreAnne O. Reeves. This book explores customer service in the philosophy of Nordstrom, a retail company renowned for its exceptional service. Spector and Reeves provide practical advice and real-life examples of how Nordstrom’s principles can be applied to other businesses to achieve similar success. 

This book covers key aspects of Nordstrom’s approach, including employee empowerment, personalised service, and a commitment to customer satisfaction. Whether you’re a business owner or a customer service professional, this book offers valuable insights into creating and sustaining a customer-focused organisation.

The Thank You Economy

In The Thank You Economy, entrepreneur and social influencer Gary Vaynerchuk argues that businesses can thrive by genuinely caring about their customers and building strong relationships. He provides strategies for using social media and other tools to create a customer-focused business. Drawing on his extensive experience in the digital marketing world, Vaynerchuk offers practical advice on how to engage with customers, build loyalty, and drive business success in the modern economy. 

This book is a valuable resource if you’re looking to understand the importance of customer relationships and how to nurture them in today’s connected world, especially on social media platforms.

The Customer Rules

In The Customer Rules, Lee Cockerell, a former Disney executive turned customer service guru, shares 39 essential rules for providing exceptional customer service. Drawing on his extensive experience at Hilton Hotels, Marriott International, and Disney, Cockerell offers practical tips and strategies that can be applied to any business. The book covers a wide range of topics, from creating a customer-centric culture to handling customer complaints effectively.

With its straightforward advice and actionable insights, The Customer Rules is a great source of knowledge if you’re looking to improve your customer service skills and deliver sensational service.