Welcome to the holiday edition of the Customer Service Carnivale! Can you believe that the New Year is just up ahead? It's been a great year here and I hope you've learned a thing or two about customer service from reading this blog! This will be the last carnivale for 2009 as I've decided to take a break for the rest of the month...

Gavin Ingham shares his experience with using a real estate agent to sell his home and offers some sales lessons that every estate agent should think about!

Need a refresher on what customer service is all about? Check out these 7 Customer Service Tips.

Do you have a follow-up system for customers?  Perhaps you may want to read Ankesh Kothari's post, Book Review: The 60 Second Referral.

Want to know how not to treat customers?  Check out 5 Customer Service Goof-Ups.

What are your thoughts on customers or clients who want your service for free?  Kathleen Gaga shares Give Me Your Internet Marketing Services For Free!

Case Ernsting shares Asking Your Client the Right Questions For SEO Success, saying, "When dealing with customers or clients, a successful relationship begins with asking the right questions and getting on the same page. This blog post identifies which questions are the most crucial as you begin the initial stages of customer service."

Want to know the crazy life of a Banquet Manager on Thanksgiving?  And for a little chuckle, watch the video posted at That Damn Waiter Keeps Taking Away My Drink!

Oh, the life of a customer service rep!  How would you have handled this situation?>>> Do You Know Your Address?

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of customer service carnivale using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Have a great holiday season!!

How much do you really know your customers? That's the question that came to mind when I finished reading Ginger Conlon's post, Marketing Must Keep Pace With Customers.

I agree with Ginger's thoughts regarding internet marketing and how companies focus too much on sales and leads instead of using their websites or social networking campaigns as a way to build long-term relationships with customers.

My idea of building long-term relationships with people is by actually getting to know them. Sure, you could set up a Twitter or Facebook account for your company, but if you're not actually interacting with people...I don't see the point of using social networking for business. Likewise, you could have a blog or website, but if you're not capturing people's information and getting their feedback, then you're missing out on valuable information to help your business grow.

If you have a designated person within your company operating the social networking efforts, do you know if that person is aware of what your customers want or need?

Business is no longer about the quick sale...and people are beginning to wake up and realize...You know what? I'm going to start doing business with people who value and respect my business! I'm going to do business with Mr. Smith because he knows what I like.

I Want to Be Like Jim

Here's a great example of someone I love to do business with...

I do quite a bit of traveling on Amtrak between my home in San Diego and my parent's home in a little town in Central California (Lemoore). My parents pick me up at the train station in Hanford, CA.

There's one Amtrak employee named Jim who works at the station in Hanford. He is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. He remembers my name, he knows what I do for a living, and he knows that I travel often between San Diego and Lemoore. The first time I purchased a ticket from Jim, he told me about the places where I could eat during my layover in Los Angeles.

It's gotten to the point now that Jim gives me a hug when he sees me!  He's a great reminder of what it means to be of service to others.

Do you have a person like Jim who works for you? What can you do to be more like Jim?

Bottom Line:  People like to do business with people who pay attention to their needs and get to know them as people.  Would you like to be viewed as just another sale or lead?

All across the world the holiday season is the biggest shopping season of the year.  Despite the current economic situation, this year should probably be no different.  Although it's been said that less spending is predicted this holiday season, it's still important that customer service is top of mind so that you maximize each and every interaction with your customer.

I didn't go shopping on Black Friday because I was sick, so I can't share any thoughts on whether or not customer service has improved.  I will say, though, that I didn't hear any horror stories about customers being trampled or killed, so perhaps companies like Walmart have taken precautions to make holiday shopping safe for everyone. 

Dennis Snow offers a tip to improve service this holiday season in his post, What Can Your Business Learn From the Holiday Shopping Season? I also like Kevin Stirtz's Top Ten Ways Retailers Can Sell More This Holiday Season.

Both Dennis and Kevin share the idea of putting yourself in your customers shoes. All of us go shopping and we know how we want to be treated. Think about your personal standards of customer service and apply them to your own customers.  It all goes back to that Golden Rule:  Treat others like you want to be treated.  I recommend writing that Golden Rule down and posting it in a place where you see it everyday.  It's especially important now to be reminded of this while you're rushing around helping customers during the upcoming crazy shopping days!

Do you have any customer service tips to share for the holiday season?

Photo Credit:  Steven Depolo