A new book on customer service is offering businesses all the ingredients for providing excellent customer service. "It's actually not that complex," says author Dr. Simon Hudson. "But few companies really get it right." One of the problems, he says, is that many companies think they are providing good customer service, when, in actual fact, their customers are saying otherwise. Hudson refers to a recent study that found 80 percent of companies believe they deliver superior service to their customers, but only eight percent of their customers actually agreed! "Unfortunately, many organizations just don't understand the significance of customer service, despite the exhaustive literature that has made the connection between service excellence, satisfaction and loyalty – and therefore profits," Hudson explains. "Customer service training is often viewed as a cost rather than an investment, and even if companies recognize the importance of customer service, they don't know how to deliver consistent, high quality customer service on an on-going basis."

The new book, entitled Customer Service for Hospitality and Tourism, is co-authored by Hudson's wife, Louise, who is a freelance journalist. Their work throws service businesses a lifeline by explaining the theory behind the importance of customer service, acting as a guidebook for those wishing to put this theory into practice. In essence it is the 'whys' and 'hows' of customer service. The book is easy to read, very current, and full of references to all the latest research from both academic and practitioner literature. Chapters cover important topics such as the financial and behavioural consequences of customer service, consumer trends, developing a service culture, managing service encounters, the importance of market research, building customer relationships, providing customer service through the servicescape, the impact of technology on customer service, the importance of service recovery, and promoting customer service internally and externally – as well as explaining what all the terms and service jargon actually mean.

Numerous case studies collected from all over the world look at customer service in practice. You will learn how Walt Disney created an outstanding service culture based on his commitment to meticulous customer service training; how a British tour operator can charge $18,000 a week for a holiday because of his dedication to satisfying his customers' needs; how the 70,000-strong cohort of volunteers was trained in the art of customer service for the London 2012 Olympic Games; and how an airport in Canada increased its customer satisfaction ratings with a comprehensive customer service training program. You will also discover how The Four Seasons has succeeded because of one Golden Rule – the simple idea that if you treat people well, the way you would like to be treated, they will do the same; how an Australian vineyard provides a personal touch to wow its customers; how a golf and safari resort in South Africa stays ahead of the 'game'; how a wine lodge in Argentina plays on the senses to provide the ultimate customer experience; how organizations like Virgin Atlantic and Vail Resorts are leveraging social media to elevate customer service; and how one Russian tour operator provides the ultimate personal touch by inviting guests to a private dinner and tour of her home.

And, to cap it all, the last chapter of the book is a handbook that practitioners can use to implement a generic customer service program. The book is published by Goodfellow in the UK, and is available everywhere at Goodfellowpublishers.com

Simon Hudson
University of South Carolina