For the fifth year in a row, "Fast Food" categories scored the worst among U.S. companies for customer service. Definitions from compilers varied from "rude and indifferent" to "inaccurate, unthankful." Yet, two in this category have seen remarkably "positive improvements," and in no surprise, each are outperforming the category.

Though everyone loves to hate McDonald's as much as contractors hate the Yellow Pages, they instituted a 108-point "Improvement Stimulus" (named before the trillion dollar bailout package of the same name) that helped rocket them into "most improved" category. Chick-Fil-A, long a company moral and ethical aptitude, making "social consciousness" grades before we knew what to call them, topped the list of "best in category". Sure, this could be the same as being the "most truthful attorney", but still, an honor to an honorable company.

So, where do you come in?

We started measuring one "Customer Service" performance criteria for contractors two years ago. In 6,000 calls, we found the information below.

My question: Since contracting customer service is often directed through the CSR, what training or strategies do you offer your CSRs to improve this "first line of contact" for customers?