Many times, clients ask me for recommendations on how to keep the training evergreen. They invite me to visit their location to give a talk or training on IT customer service and they want to continue the momentum started with my visit.
Start a Customer Service Book Club
I frequently recommend they start a book club to read and discuss books oriented around people skills.
It makes sense to start with my book The Compassionate Geek since their staff has just spent time with me learning the five principles and other concepts from the book.
You’ll find ideas for conducting a book club on this page of my website.
The challenge for some organizations is how to continue the book club after finishing The Compassionate Geek. The books on this list are either books I used in preparing my speeches and seminars or which have influenced my thinking:
- The Compassionate Geek: How Engineers, IT Pros, and Other Tech Specialists Can Master Human Relations Skills to Deliver Outstanding Customer Service by Don R. Crawley
- The 5 Principles of IT Customer Service Success by Don R. Crawley
- Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
- Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown
- Don’t Believe Everything You Think by Thomas N. Kida
- Win Forever: Live, Work, and Play Like a Champion by Peter N. Carroll, Yogi Roth, Kristoffer A. Garin
- Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ by Daniel Goleman
- Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships by Daniel Goleman
- Generations at Work: Managing the Clash of Boomers, Gen Xers, and Gen Yers in the Workplace, 2nd Edition, by Ron Zemke, Claire Raines, and Bob Filipczak
- Power Phrases, by Meryl Runion
- One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way by Robert Mauer, PhD.
- 8 Minute Meditation Expanded: Quiet Your Mind. Change Your Life by Viktor Davich
- Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
- The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz
Timeless Classics
- How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
- Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor N. Frankl
- 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
- First Things First by Stephen Covey
- Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
Additionally, look for books by Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, Sheryl Sandberg, and Simon Sinek.
Check out Bill Gates reading recommendations at gatesnotes.com/Books and the New York Times Best Sellers at nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/.
Want to go even deeper? Do a search on “reading lists“.
Obviously, there are many additional books which are well worth reading related to customer service, interpersonal communication, personal growth, and professional development. This list is not intended to be comprehensive, it’s merely a starting point.
The key is to read.
Whether you’re in a book club or not, read much and read often. Read authors with whom you disagree.
If you have suggestions, please leave a comment.
Full disclosure: I get a small commission when you purchase books using the above links.