16 inspiring customer service quotes to swear by

When you’re a part of a customer-facing team, it is easy to feel bogged down by the sheer volume of customer queries or complaints you need to resolve. C-level executives who head customer experience and customer service functions feel similar heat too, when customer ratings drop. On such days, you might have needed that extra bit of motivation to really drive you… and that’s completely normal! A shot of espresso could work one day, a pizza can do the trick on another. But how about letting yourself into some inspiration that will stand the test of time? Customer service quotes from industry leaders and CX experts could just be what you need.

We have compiled a set of great customer service quotes, from which you can consume as quick thought leadership lessons on delighting customers. These quotes about customer service will help you realize the huge positive impact you’re making on the daily lives of customers and the success of your organization. You can also find a contextual breakdown of the takeaways from each customer service quote.

16 great customer service quotes

#1 “Customer service shouldn’t just be a department, it should be the entire company.” – tony hsieh

It’s not just your customer-facing teams that need to strive for excellence in customer service. Delighting customers should be an organization-wide commitment from every department. For instance, support agents are required to gather information from product, billing, account management, and other customer-facing teams to resolve several queries. Going by the customer service quote, when all the organizational functions are focused on customer delight, it will empower every team to go above and beyond to help each other and collaborate to solve problems for customers.

#2 “To the customer, you are the company.” – shep hyken

This customer service quote from renowned CX thought leader, Shep Hyken, refers to how customers judge a company based on the service and support they get from agents. As someone who interacts with customers on a daily basis, you directly influence the brand perception of your organization through the customer service you offer.

#3 “When you are making a decision about how best to serve your customers, your own experience is often a better guide than a more sophisticated analysis of the market.” – richard branson

Here’s your motivation to back your instincts and abilities as a customer service practitioner. You have tasted success as one only because you’re good at it, so it’s wise to bring your experience into play. And you also have the upper hand of sensing emotional cues from customers to take service conversations forward on the right path. When Richard Branson received a customer complaint about the quality of food at Virgin Atlantic, he personally had it checked himself–and actually ended up hiring the complainer as an advisor for Virgin Atlantic’s cabin food. Personal experiences can be enlightening and drive you to make crucial decisions with conviction.

#4 “To create a good product, it’s not enough if product managers are on support. Customer support should be on product management too.” – girish mathrubootham

Customer service as a core brand value must be inculcated across every team in your organization, from your CEO to your marketing teams and of course – your product and engineering teams. While product managers can solve a lot of use-cases when they spend some time on support, a good service culture will also push every team member to have the product knowledge to serve customer needs better. 

#5 “If you’re competitor-focused, you have to wait until there is a competitor doing something. Being customer-focused allows you to be more pioneering.” – jeff bezos

This comes from Jeff Bezos, who started a customer-first revolution of his own with Amazon. Being too focused on what the competitors are doing could have you lose track of the inherent potential of your customer service. The pioneering opportunities you can identify and the gaps you can fill by being customer-focused knows no bounds. Channel the attention you pay your competitors towards your customers, and you’ll be surprised at what your customer service teams are capable of.

#6 “What is necessary is to listen to your customers: understand their needs, expectations and jobs to be done, and design an experience that meets those needs. The same goes for your employees.” – annette franz

Avoid leading customer service conversations into actions that are favorable to your business. Take the time to listen to your customers, personalize resolutions to their needs and expectations, and make your service (and products) easily accessible. Truly engaging with customers will also open up a lot of business opportunities through feedback.

#7 “Our greatest asset is the customer! treat each customer as if they are the only one!” – laurice leitao

This is a great customer service quote to draw inspiration to your work. Customer experience transformations are usually reflected at a macro level. While it could improve the overall experience of your customers, your company shouldn’t lose sight of tending to them individually. Personalization at a deeper level is what inspires customers to keep coming back to you. While handling a customer, imagine he/she is the only one left for your company–so that you can put in the efforts to make sure they stay on with your brand. That’s the kind of commitment you need to show to every customer and gain their trust and patronage.

#8 “Memorable customer service can only take place in a human-to-human situation.” – jeffrey gitomer

Though customer service is being managed using technology like automation, self-service, and chatbots, it will never replace the elusive and much-needed human connection that customers seek. All the memorable customer service examples you hear about feature a ‘human touch’ that elevates the entire experience. So, despite the inroads of technology–which is a great way to improve productivity–your qualities as a customer service agent who strikes a chord with customers matter the most!

#9 “Make a customer, not a sale.” – Katherine Barchetti

Making a customer goes beyond selling. It’s about building a relationship, educating them about your products and services, helping them through their journey before and after a sale, and fostering them to become loyal customers. Understanding your customers at a deeper level breaks the confines of seeing them as mere numbers and helps you develop long-lasting relationships.

#10 “The most important adage and the only adage is, the customer comes first, whatever the business, the customer comes first.” – kerry stokes

Being customer-first is a virtue that has to be ingrained in the service culture of your company. It is about prioritizing customers ahead of every business or service process and policies (refund, replacement, privacy, etc.). Putting customers first can start from something as simple as going with the customer-preferred communication channel for support, rather than asking the customer to switch to a channel that is organization-preferred.

#11 “When a customer complains, he/she is doing you a special favor; he is giving you another chance to serve him to his satisfaction.” – seymour H. Fine  

Customer complaints are golden opportunities to revisit not just your customer service strategy, but also for improving and troubleshooting your products. Turning around a poor customer rating into memorable one can be achieved by getting into the grassroots of the problem, admitting the mistake graciously to the customer, and making amends with excellent customer service and product experience.

#12 “Courteous treatment will make a customer a walking advertisement.” – james cash penney

The founder of J.C.Penney Stores made this great customer service quote almost a century ago, which is still as relevant as ever. Brand advocacy and word-of-mouth are some of the strongest pillars of a successful business, and the bulk of it comes from customers, to whom you must provide an excellent customer service experience.

#13 “You’ll never have a product or price advantage again. They can be easily duplicated, but a strong customer service culture can’t be copied.” – jerry fritz

Brands are now being differentiated based on the customer service they offer. Product and pricing are no longer the lone benchmarks that defined customer success. You cannot put a metric to having your customers feel valued every time after a conversation with your organization’s customer service team. Also, companies are considering measuring customer service teams on revenue goals, which recognize the key role they play in getting repeat customers – that’s why it’s a good reason to take customer service more as a revenue center than a cost center.

#14 “At a car dealership, the person who sells the car is the hero, and also gets the commission. But if the mechanics don’t service that car well, the customer won’t return.” – roger staubach

This is one of the best customer service quotes that stresses the importance of support agents with a great alternative scenario. The product developers and sales and marketing teams do play a major part in getting the products out in the marketplace, creating demand, and selling them. But it’s the customer service that keeps your brand afloat for the customers to come back and also spread the good word.

#15 “You are serving a customer, not a life sentence. Learn how to enjoy your work.” – laurie McIntosh

It is easy to get carried away with your workload when you are serving customers like clockwork. But when the going gets tough, take a step back and reassure yourself that you are doing something you love. Enjoying your work can reflect positively on the customers you are handling, and this customer service quote reminds you of the factors that had made you fall in love with customer service.

#16 “As far as the customer is concerned, the interface is the product.” – jef raskin

The ease with which a customer can reach out for support or product information can make or break relationships. This is where the interface of the software, support portal, or product page plays a huge role in hassle-free customer service. Having dedicated support agents serves little purpose if connecting with them is a trek. Empowering customers with self-service to solve problems by themselves is a brownie point every business needs to consider.

Customer service quotes offer the spark you need

Going through customer service quotes, understanding their essence, and aligning them to your work will transform the way you look at handling customers and reinvent yourself to bring customer success. To keep constant tabs on best customer service quotes, you can also follow CX experts on social media, and imbibe their thought leadership advice on customer service.