The Nordstrom Way to Customer Service Excellence: The Handbook For Becoming the “Nordstrom” of Your Industry by Robert Spector, Patrick D. McCarthy

When it comes to customer service excellence, no company stands out quite as much as Nordstrom. It’s been recognized as one of the best companies to work for, as well as one of the best brands for customer service. But how is Nordstrom able to maintain such stellar customer service?

In his book The Nordstrom Way to Customer Service Excellence: The Handbook For Becoming the “Nordstrom” of Your Industry, Robert Spector details the key components of Nordstrom’s success. He breaks down what it takes to create an environment of customer service excellence, starting with a company's culture and ending with its customer-facing operations. In this article, we will take a closer look at each of the six elements that constitute the Nordstrom way to customer service excellence.

The first key quality of Nordstrom’s outstanding customer service is its “personality.” Nordstrom’s employees are trained to be friendly and helpful, no matter what. They recognize that customers often come in looking for more than just a product; the Nordstrom team is prepared to provide the personalized experience for which their company is known.

The second quality of Nordstrom’s customer service excellence is its “people focus.” Nordstrom puts a special emphasis on hiring and training the right people for each job. The people who work at any Nordstrom location understand the company’s core values and mission. By focusing on the people, Nordstrom creates a unique customer service experience.

The third key part of Nordstrom’s customer service excellence is its “processes.” Nordstrom is committed to making sure it has the right processes in place to ensure a smooth and consistent customer experience. These processes vary from location to location, but they all have the same goal: to ensure that the customer has a great experience every time they come into any Nordstrom store or site.

The fourth quality of Nordstrom’s customer service excellence is its “service culture.” This culture is based on Nordstrom’s core value of ownership and accountability. Employees are encouraged to take responsibility for their actions and to make appropriate decisions in order to exceed customer expectations.

The fifth quality of Nordstrom’s customer service excellence is its “customer-centricity.” Nordstrom focuses on understanding its customers’ needs and providing the best possible service to meet those needs. Nordstrom’s customer service team is trained to be attentive and to listen to the customer. Nordstrom also has a customer feedback loop in place, which ensures that all customer feedback is taken seriously and addressed in the best way possible.

The last quality of Nordstrom’s customer service excellence is its “innovative solutions.” Nordstrom is constantly searching for new ways to improve its customer service and make it better. Nordstrom does not rest on its laurels and is continuously looking for new ways to make things easier, better, and more efficient for its customers.

In summary, The Nordstrom Way to Customer Service Excellence: The Handbook For Becoming the “Nordstrom” of Your Industry provides an in-depth look into the core values, processes, and strategies of the Nordstrom customer service system. From creating a personality-based customer service experience and hiring the right people for the job, to providing innovative solutions, process efficiency, and customer-centricity, Robert Spector provides a blueprint for creating a stellar customer experience. For anyone looking to create an environment of customer service excellence, The Nordstrom Way to Customer Service Excellence is an invaluable resource.