Published on: Nov 21, 2023
Last updated: Oct 21, 2024

20+ Of The Best Customer Support Resources: Books, Podcasts & More

We cover the best customer support and CX resources from books to podcasts to blogs to communities and more.

TL:DR

  • Customer support is crucial in today's empowered customer landscape.
  • Exceptional service leads to increased revenue and loyalty.
  • This guide offers resources, including podcasts such as Support Ops Hangout and Punk CX, blogs such as The Fullview Blog, HubSpot Service Blog, Books like 'Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless', and conferences such as Support Driven Expo to take your customer service and CX skills to the next level.

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The latest and greatest from the world of CX and support. No nonsense. No spam. Just great content.

Customer support - it's a wild world out there. With customers more empowered than ever, delivering top-notch service is mission-critical. Mess it up, and you'll be watching those profits plunge faster than a failed parachute jump!

But get it right?

You'll be seeing smiling faces, revenue rising, and loyalty that lasts. Today's customers want to be heard, understood, and helped — not brushed off or bounced around like a ping pong ball.

So, how can you transform your support into something magical? Into an experience that wows and delights? Well, you've come to the right place.

In this handy guide, we'll point you toward the best customer support resources around — from insightful books to game-changing podcasts.

With over 20 cherry-picked gems, you'll get all the inside knowledge, smart strategies, and helpful communities you need to take your support to dizzying new heights!

Intrigued? Eager to get started? Then let's get going, friend! With the right resources in your back pocket, you'll be ready to deliver truly world-class experiences. Your customers will thank you for it - maybe even send some cookies your way!

So get comfy, grab a drink, and let us take you on an epic journey through the exciting landscape of customer support.

Podcasts

Let's be real - who has time to read lengthy reports and endless articles these days? Enter podcasts - the perfect way to stay on top of customer service while multitasking. You can listen during your commute, your workout, or while cooking dinner. Talk about convenience!

Podcasts bring together the sharpest minds in customer experience. You get to soak up their tips and tactics for wowing customers and building loyalty. Plus, hosts often interview industry trailblazers, so you gain multiple perspectives in one episode.

Here are some top-notch podcasts that will keep your customer service skills on point:

The Support Ops Hangout

Ready to take your customer support skills to rockstar level? Add Support Ops Hangout to your podcast playlist! These weekly episodes deliver need-to-know advice straight from the frontlines of customer service.

The host gathers genius support leaders from top companies like Buffer, Wistia, and Basecamp. These pros have seen it all and share their hard-won lessons so you can crush support like a pro.

You'll get the inside scoop on everything from crafting empathetic responses to building knowledge bases that wow. It's like getting personalized coaching from the masters! Whether you're new to the world of support or looking to get to the next level, this podcast will equip you with tips and frameworks to handle virtually any scenario.

Support Ops Hangout is your backstage pass to real-world support ops. Tune in each week and watch your skills skyrocket! You'll gain the confidence and expertise to deliver exceptional experiences that turn customers into evangelists.

Punk CX

For a fresh take on wowing customers, plug into Punk CX. Host Adrian Swinscoe brews up conversations with leading entrepreneurs and thinkers to share unconventional wisdom. You'll uncover practical tips for building insanely customer-centric cultures.

Expect insights on responding quickly to customers, amping up employee engagement, and using tech to deliver standout service. Punk CX equips you with the rebellious ideas to set your CX apart from the herd.

All Things Considered CX with Bob Azman

Want to go beyond surface-level CX conversations? Bob Azman's podcast delivers in-depth discussions from CX experts and newbies alike.

Bob hosts lively chats covering everything from emerging trends to timeless concepts. You'll get well-rounded perspectives from CX veterans, rising stars, and even Fullview's own founders.

Every episode thoughtfully explores different angles on elevating customer and employee experiences. It's a front-row seat to the CX community's leading minds wrestling with today's biggest opportunities and challenges.

Whether you're a longtime CX leader or just getting started, Bob Azman's podcast broadens your outlook. Tune in for a robust understanding of all things CX.

The Modern Customer Podcast

Ready to give your customer experience strategy a modern makeover? Let Blake Morgan be your guide! Her podcast is a goldmine of forward-thinking CX insights.

Blake explores everything from building trust to leading with vulnerability. You'll discover new perspectives on timeless topics like storytelling. Plus, get a peek into the future of contact centers.

With each episode, Blake prods you to reimagine CX through a fresh lens. You'll walk away with creative concepts and actionable tips to help your approach evolve.

If you're itching to get out of a CX rut, dive into The Modern Customer Podcast. Blake Morgan will expand your perspectives and equip you with strategies for wowing modern customers.

Focus on Customer Service Podcast

Most brands overlook social media for customer service. But the Focus on Customer Service Podcast reveals how top brands are nailing it on social media!

The hosts interview companies nominated by delighted customers. These are brands using social media to deliver remarkable support in surprising ways.

You’ll hear straight from customers about their standout social media service experiences. And the show uncovers the strategies and know-how behind the scenes.

Expect a steady stream of overlooked CX insights, lessons, and practical tips. Focus on Customer Service brings a unique spin to help you transform your own social media support.

Blogs

Podcasts are awesome for snippets of CX wisdom - but sometimes you need more. Enter blogs, the perfect medium for an in-depth look at customer experience topics.

Through blog posts, experts share detailed analysis, how-to guides, case studies, and thoughtful perspectives. It's like getting your own personal masterclass from industry leaders!

Blogs let you dive deep into customer service optimization, emerging trends, best practices, and more. You come away with enhanced knowledge to step up your CX game.

Coming up, we'll highlight some top-notch blogs to add to your CX reading list. Get ready for inspiring insights! With a habit of regular reading, you'll stay on the cutting edge and continually evolve your customer experience skills.

The Fullview Blog

Want CX insights served up in a whole new way? The Fullview Blog delivers.

These posts explore customer experience from unexpected angles. You'll find everything from data-driven guides to deep dives on remote access tools.

Fullview serves up thoughtfully curated articles to advance your CX skills. Learn how to create rich customer profiles, find out what customer support software best suits you, cultivate your service standards, and measure employee satisfaction.

Whether you're interested in emerging trends or timeless best practices, The Fullview Blog offers invaluable strategies on it all.

Stay ahead in this rapidly changing field with regular reading. The fresh perspectives will help you continually improve and evolve your approach to wowing customers.

HubSpot Service Blog

Ready to take your customer service skills to the next level? HubSpot Service Blog needs to be on your reading list.

This treasure trove of articles covers all things customer support. You'll find the latest on customer retention, AI, CX trends - you name it.

Expect strategic advice grounded in new industry data. Plus, tips and tricks for tackling everyday service challenges. It's like having a support pro whispering over your shoulder!

HubSpot Service Blog is more than a blog - it's an always-up-to-date learning platform. Follow along to stay ahead of trends and supercharge your service strategy. The brilliant insights will help you deliver wow-worthy experiences.

Zendesk Blog

For a complete CX education, enroll yourself in the Zendesk Blog. This digital hub explores customer experience from every angle through articles, infographics, podcasts, and more.

You'll uncover insider tips on delivering wow-worthy customer service. Discover unique industry perspectives. Master new tools and media for interacting with customers. The content ranges far and wide to provide a well-rounded CX resource.

Zendesk makes it easy to find what you need with categories like Support, Sales, and Trends. Whether you want to polish your skills, understand metrics, or stay on top of new trends, Zendesk has you covered.

Consider Zendesk Blog your official CX university. By regularly immersing yourself in a wide range of insights, you'll gain a comprehensive understanding of customer experience. Graduate with the know-how to create raving fans.

Huffington Post

When it comes to current events and savvy opinions, HuffPost is a household name. And they bring the same perceptive lens to customer experience topics.

HuffPost articles provide unique takes on critical CX issues like customer service, employee satisfaction, and leadership strategy.

You'll get insights on strengthening customer relations from fresh angles. Whether it's the latest trends or timeless relationship-building, HuffPost covers it all.

With a broad range of perspectives from respected thought leaders, HuffPost is a valued resource for CX professionals. Tap into the wisdom of this trusted publication to evolve your approach.

The Intercom Blog

Want stellar insights on wowing customers? Explore The Intercom Blog. This rich hub shares diverse viewpoints on crucial support topics.

You'll get the inside scoop on boosting customer engagement, sparking product innovation, and driving growth. Intercom blends case studies, expert opinions, and personal experiences for well-rounded perspectives.

This treasure trove delivers practical guidance you can apply immediately. Use the insights to craft innovative solutions and create standout CX.

By tapping into Intercom's expansive knowledge base, you can take your support to the next level. Discover new ways to captivate customers and skyrocket satisfaction through this stellar blog.

Books

While blogs and podcasts are great, sometimes you need to truly immerse yourself in a topic. That's where books come in!

These knowledge wells allow you to soak up every detail, case study, and strategy. You'll come away with a deep, comprehensive understanding of customer relationships.

Through insightful narratives and meticulous information, books provide next-level learning. They arm you with the know-how to succeed in customer support.

Coming up, we'll highlight page-turners that will help shape you into a CX pro. Add them to your reading list and watch your skills evolve! Books offer an invaluable, in-depth education to take your service and strategy to new heights.

“Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless" by Jeffrey Gitomer

Sales superstar Jeffrey Gitomer lays down golden truths in "Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless." He spotlights the crucial difference between satisfaction and the higher goal: unshakeable loyalty.

Gitomer reveals how to cultivate lifelong customers through real-world examples and signature straight-talk. Find out where companies commonly stumble and get step-by-step strategies to turn even satisfied buyers into vocal brand advocates.

With several bestselling books under his belt, Gitomer knows this topic inside out. Tap into his hard-won wisdom to learn how customer loyalty becomes your competitive edge. Discover insider tips on transforming your approach to support and service.

Whether you're a CX leader or a small business owner, this book equips you with tactics for keeping customers coming back again and again. Because loyal customers are the key to a thriving, sustainable enterprise.

"Raving Fans: A Revolutionary Approach to Customer Service" by Ken Blanchard, Sheldon Bowles, and Harvey Mackay

Get ready for a customer service revolution! "Raving Fans" by Ken Blanchard, Sheldon Bowles, and Harvey Mackay lays out step-by-step how to create passionate brand advocates.

Through an entertaining story, they break down the essentials for wow service. You'll discover proven techniques to deliver consistent, extraordinary experiences that turn satisfied customers into raving fans.

With Ken Blanchard's expertise in management, Mackay's sales savvy, and Bowles' customer service insights, this book is packed with credible guidance.

Any business leader looking to stand out should dive in. You'll uncover the secrets to driving loyalty and word-of-mouth enthusiasm. Adopt these strategies to transform your customer relationships and empower your company to new heights!

"Customer Success: How Innovative Companies Are Reducing Churn and Growing Recurring Revenue" by Nick Mehta, Dan Steinman, and Lincoln Murphy

Reduce churn, drive recurring revenue, and build lasting loyalty. An impossible feat? Not with the fresh strategies in "Customer Success" by Nick Mehta, Dan Steinman, and Lincoln Murphy.

This playbook reveals the cutting-edge concept of Customer Success - the new model for creating lifelong fans. With in-depth advice from CS leaders, you'll master proven techniques to continually delight customers and meet their evolving needs.

Walk away with actionable tips to grow revenue by reducing churn and energizing your customer base. Whether you're a CX professional or business leader, this book equips you with innovative ideas to turn customers into company ambassadors.

Get ahead of the curve by tapping into the authors' expansive expertise. Discover forward-thinking ways to drive growth through unwavering customer loyalty.

"The Service Culture Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Your Employees Obsessed with Customer Service" by Jeff Toister

Think engaged employees are the key to service excellence? Jeff Toister agrees in "The Service Culture Handbook."

Toister, a customer service guru, maps out the route to creating a thriving, customer-centric culture. You'll get strategies and actionable steps for rallying employees around WOW service.

Learn Toister's trade secrets for driving buy-in, removing roadblocks, and equipping staff with the passion and skills to go the extra mile.

Whether you're a CX pro or business leader, use this playbook to ignite your team. Motivate them to own customer relationships and deliver outlier experiences.

Rallying employees at all levels is crucial to providing unforgettable service. Toister shows you exactly how to get your staff obsessed with CX and exceed every expectation.

Conferences

Ready to take your customer experience skills to the next level? Attend a top-notch conference!

These events let you connect face-to-face with CX leaders and fellow professionals. You'll gather game-changing insights through keynotes, workshops, and panel discussions.

Nothing beats learning from experts in person and exchanging ideas with your peers. Conferences open up unique opportunities to find mentors, brainstorm innovations, and get inspired.

Coming up, we'll highlight some standout CX conferences to add to your calendar. Mark your attendance and get ready to come back armed with new strategies and motivation to wow your customers!

Support Driven Expo

Calling all customer support pros - the Support Driven Expo needs to be on your calendar! This premier event connects and enlightens individuals involved in delivering wow-worthy CX.

Presentations and workshops are led by seasoned Support Driven community members. Expect real-world insights without any sales pitches.

Hear from CX superstars talk about the power of empathy and takeaway actionable strategies to implement immediately.

Whether you're a seasoned support leader or just getting started, the Expo equips you with knowledge and connections. Come ready to collaborate, get inspired, and bring fresh ideas back to your team!

The Call & Contact Center Expo

At this can't-miss conference, you'll discover cutting-edge technologies and strategies from the world's top thought leaders. Enjoy masterclasses, panel debates, networking events, and more.

The Expo delivers an immersive experience focused on innovation. You'll walk away armed with insider knowledge to transform your contact center.

Arguably, one of the highlights of this year's conference would be the presence of Fullview. As a prominent player in customer support technology, Fullview will exhibit at booth CC-J82. Attendees can drop by to understand how Fullview's Cobrowsing can revolutionize their call center performance, offering real-time assistance without compromising customer privacy.

The Call & Contact Center Expo helps you stay steps ahead. Come ready to collaborate, strategize, and bring envelope-pushing ideas back to your team!

Customer Contact Week Europe

This event gathers contact center and customer experience leaders to learn, collaborate, and drive innovation. Through research insights, expert talks, and engaging formats, you'll uncover ways to navigate disruption.

You'll leave armed with actionable strategies and outside-the-box ideas. Implement them to help your business stay cutting-edge in our ever-shifting CX landscape.

Don't get left behind - Customer Contact Week Europe will equip you with the know-how to continually evolve. Come ready to brainstorm and bring bold, new approaches back to your team!

Communities

The digital world has unlocked new ways for customer service pros to connect and collaborate. CX communities on platforms like Slack and Reddit allow you to crowd-source insights, exchange ideas, and learn from peers anytime, anywhere.

These digital spaces create a hive mind focused on driving improvement. Members share advice, brainstorm solutions, and stay on top of new strategies together.

You can lean on community know-how when tackling everyday challenges. And contribute your own hard-won knowledge to help fellow members succeed!

Coming up, we'll highlight some standout communities to join. Be part of a collective trying to push CX forward. Contribute your perspective and continually expand your skills through nonstop interactions.

Support Driven

Want to connect with fellow rising stars in CX? Dive into Support Driven - "the community dedicated to customer support as a career."

This 10,000+ member crew shares insights, troubleshoots challenges, and levels up their skills together. Conversations happen in real time on Slack.

Support Driven creates a judgment-free zone focused on growth through peer learning. Ask questions, share struggles, and celebrate wins together.

You'll gain perspective on tackling issues in the real world. And make connections to enhance your career. Plus, access member-exclusive events and resources.

Every CX pro deserves a circle that gets them. Join Support Driven to find your people - a network invested in helping you continually improve.

ElevateCX

Looking to step up your CX game? Surround yourself with the global minds of ElevateCX. This community cultivates relationships and know-how sharing among CX pros.

ElevateCX connects you to seasoned managers, team leads, and frontline stars. Tap into their diverse expertise through interactive events on emerging trends and best practices.

Within ElevateCX, you gain a circle invested in your success. Brainstorm challenges together. Collaborate on innovations. Celebrate milestones.

Being part of this community means you never stop learning. Take away actionable insights from every interaction to bring back to your team.

Join ElevateCX to expand your global perspectives. By regularly engaging with fellow CX leaders, you'll bring fresh thinking to continually refine your approach.

r/CustomerService

Want to pick the collective brain of customer service pros? Plug into the r/CustomerService subreddit. With thousands of subscribers, it's one of Reddit's most active CX communities.

Members discuss everything from tough issues to personal experiences to company-specific insights. The anonymous format creates an open, candid environment.

Professionals can crowdsource advice on service strategies or understanding new trends. Customers can leave honest reviews. Everyone gains perspective.

This forum thrives on collaboration. Any Reddit user can post questions, share stories, offer support, and shape discussions.

Leverage the hive mind! r/CustomerService connects you to real experiences and advice to help strengthen your customer skills.

r/CallCenters

Do you work in a call center? Meet your people on the r/CallCenters subreddit. With thousands of members, it's a digital watering hole exclusively for call center pros.

Here, you can vent about tough calls, swap war stories, and get advice on handling specific situations. Everyone there knows the call center grind.

Among fellow call warriors, you can speak freely and find empathy. Share frustrations, celebrate wins, and support each other through the ups and downs.

Getting caller insights off your chest or crowdsourcing a solution is a click away. Tap into this hive mind tailored for your unique call center needs.

Join r/CallCenters to find comfort in shared experiences. Surround yourself with a circle that just gets it.

Conclusion

Providing amazing customer service gets tougher by the day. But with the right community and tools, you can stay ahead of the curve.

Plugging into forums like Support Driven gives you an always-available support crew. While conferences and books provide in-depth learning.

Yet, as communication goes increasingly digital, you need solutions that close context gaps. How can you resolve issues quickly if you can't see customers' journeys?

That's where Fullview comes in! Their session replay and cobrowsing give you real-time visibility into each user's experience.

Understand struggles as they happen and provide instant support without compromising privacy. Plus, boost team productivity with actionable customer insights.

In today's digital age, Fullview equips you with the missing context you need to deliver wow-worthy service.

Join the future of CX - start exploring Fullview today! Their leading-edge features ensure your team can continually exceed customer expectations.

Sources used: 

Sources last checked: 21-Nov-2023

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