If the customer is always right -- and he is -- then customer service training is always important. In fact, improving customer service is in everyone's best interest, company and customer alike. Customer service consultants are veritable saviors, therefore, to businesses that are struggling to satisfy consumers. When it works its magic, after all, customer service consulting can turn even the curtest companies into the most courteous.

Of course, customer service consultants can do more than make consumers smile. With their strict attention to customer-centric details, the best customer service consultants can help business owners improve nearly every aspect of their business. For instance:

1. Customer service training can help with marketing, as the most effective advertising isn't the kind that sells to customers, but rather the kind that serves them.
2. Customer service consulting can help with customer retention, as satisfied customers are customers for life.
3. Customer service tips can help with human resources, as they can give business owners improved people skills, with customers and employees alike.
4. Customer service consultants can help businesses with cash flow, as happy customers spend more money more often.
5. Customer service consulting can help companies develop a competitive edge, as superior customer service is a key point of differentiation within the marketplace.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Ask customer service consultants to help you both solve and prevent problems

Most customer service consultants can help companies address specific customer service problems, as well as build broader customer service infrastructures.

I recommend: McNeil and Johnson, AchieveGlobal and Signature Worldwide are just a few of the many customer service consulting firms that are looking for your business.

Arrange call center training for individual employees in order to increase productivity

For many companies, the front lines of customer service are the phones. A special breed of customer service consulting therefore focuses especially on call center training for employees.

I recommend: Worldwide Call Centers, ISC Consultants and Phone for Success are examples of companies that provide call center training for customer service-minded companies.

Hire mystery shoppers, who can offer customer service tips for front-line employees

Mystery shoppers offer a unique brand of customer service consulting that's designed not only to teach good customer service, but also to test it.

I recommend: You can find customer service consultants who specialize in mystery shopping online via the Mystery Shopping Providers Association's member directory, in which member companies such as Service Excellence Group, Shop'n Chek and GfK NOP are listed.

Tap customer service consultants for help building loyalty and retention

Some customer service consultants specialize in building customer loyalty programs. If your goal is customer retention, they can help.

I recommend: The king of customer loyalty, Disney, offers unique customer service training and customer service consulting via the Disney Institute.

Glean motivational customer service tips from the occasional guest speaker

Customer service consultants aren't the only customer service experts that can serve your business well. In the absence of formalized customer service training, consider bringing in expert speakers to informally inspire your staff to better customer service.

I recommend: Speakers bureaus such as AEI Speakers Bureau, International Speakers Bureau and Executive Speakers Bureau allow you to search for speakers specializing in any number of topics, including customer service training.

Invest in high-quality CRM software for virtual customer service consulting

Sometimes, software can provide all the customer service training you need. In fact, the best customer relationship management (CRM) solutions include features not just for organizing, but also for improving customer service functions.

I recommend: Salesforce.com and RightNow Technologies offer CRM solutions that are perfectly suited for customer service training needs.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Customer service consulting begins with a needs analysis; be prepared to discuss candidly with potential customer service consultants your challenges and opportunities, as well as your strengths and, most importantly, your weaknesses.
• •  Customer service consultants aren't identical; look for customer service consultants who specialize in your area of need, whether it's customer service training for employees, call center training or customer loyalty programs.
• •  Small businesses don't always need, and can't always afford, full-blown customer service consulting. If you're small, or just need some basic customer service tips, look for customer service consultants that offer individual or small group customer service coaching.
• •  Customer service starts at the top. Managers and owners must therefore participate in all customer service training; it's not enough to sit your employees down with customer service consultants if you don't sit down with them.
• •  While many customer service consultants have standard customer service training programs, companies that want to focus on radically improving customer service should ask their customer service consultants to develop programs customized for their business.