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Steve DiGioia

Customer Service Crusader, Author, Trainer at Steve DiGioia.com

Roxbury, United States

With 20+ years in the hospitality industry and a lifetime of customer service experience, Steve DiGioia shares real-world tips and tactics to improve your customer service, increase employee morale and provide the experience your customers desire.

As a certified trainer, author & speaker, Steve has been recognized as a 6-time “World’s Top 30 Customer Experience Professional” by Global Gurus.org and a “Top Customer Service Thought Leader” by multiple organizations. He is also a featured contributor to the leading hospitality and customer service websites. With a tagline of “Finding Ways to WOW Your Customer”, Steve continues his pursuit of excellence on his award-winning blog sharing his best strategies on customer service, management, and leadership. Follow Steve on Twitter @Steve DiGioia.

Steve DiGioia Points
Academic 0
Author 120
Influencer 34
Speaker 0
Entrepreneur 20
Total 174

Points based upon Thinkers360 patent-pending algorithm.

Thought Leader Profile

Portfolio Mix

Company Information

Company Type: Individual
Business Unit: Customer Service
Theatre: North America
Minimum Project Size: Undisclosed
Average Hourly Rate: Undisclosed
Number of Employees: Undisclosed
Company Founded Date: Undisclosed

Areas of Expertise

Business Continuity
Business Strategy 30.23
Culture
Customer Experience 32.12
Customer Loyalty 35
Entrepreneurship 31.36
HR 30.16
Leadership 30.12
Management 31.38
Public Relations 32.87

Industry Experience

Hospitality
Professional Services
Retail
Travel & Transportation

Publications

1 Advisory Board Membership
VIP Team of Goodworks 360
Goodworks360
February 04, 2019
We believe all nonprofits deserve access to the most brilliant minds in social impact — and that begins with you feeling comfortable interacting and working with our Team to drive the goals that are the most important. The GOODWORKS 360° Team is passionately dedicated to helping nonprofits – locally, nationally, and internationally enhance sustainability via streamlined access to high-impact pro bono services.

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Tags: Customer Experience, Entrepreneurship, Public Relations

50 Article/Blogs
Do You Do a Good Job? - Tip #18
LinkedIn
September 01, 2022
Businesses all over this country are littered with the remnants of employees who do a good job. But what about those employees who go above and beyond?

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Tags: Customer Experience, Management

What's More Important? - Tip #6
LinkedIn
June 09, 2022
Has your success come at the expense of the very same people that have allowed you to move up the corporate ladder or have a successful business? Yes, you have taken good care of them along the way; received wonderful guest surveys, comment cards, and rave reviews of your service…great job.

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Tags: Customer Experience, Management

Don’t Make Assumptions – Tip #3
LinkedIn
May 19, 2022
How many times did something “fall through the cracks” because you thought another co-worker was going to handle it? I’ve always told my team, don’t make assumptions.

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Tags: Customer Experience, Management

Customer Service is a 2-Way Street - Tip #2
LinkedIn
May 12, 2022
Customer service is a 2-way street. It takes both sides of the interaction doing their part to provide a great customer experience. The “give and take of life” doesn’t stop at the service counter – it continues, always. But sometimes, as customers, we fail to do our part and fail to understand what steps we must take to make this interaction successful.

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Tags: Customer Experience, Management

Stop the Sick Day Resentment
Steve DiGioia
May 03, 2021
Tomorrow is a busy day at work. You’ve planned for it, scheduled properly, made the needed operational adjustments, and kept your fingers crossed so that everything will work out as planned. Then it happened… Stop the Sick Day Resentment

The first thing in the morning you get a call from one of your key employees. She’s sick and is calling out for today. NOOOOOOO, how can this happen? What do you do now?

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Tags: Management, HR

Let Them Figure It Out – Tip #31
Steve DiGioia
April 22, 2021
Many managers love to micromanage. They just can’t help it. They believe that telling an employee exactly how to do something and when to do it will fix all their ills. This makes the employee’s job easier. They don’t have to think. Simply “tell them what to do” for every situation and they’ll do it.

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Tags: Management, Leadership, HR

Learn to Apologize to Customers Like You Mean It
Steve DiGioia
April 19, 2021
The best intentions only get you so far and sometimes, your “best” is not good enough for your customer. They are upset, they are disappointed, and they deserve an apology. And here is where your “best” gets even worse. When you sit down to write that scorned customer an email to say how sorry you are for the lack of service they received, sometimes the apology makes the situation even worse. Today’s guest post was written by my friend and customer service colleague Leslie O‘Flahavan. She is an expert in online communication and teaches others how to write in “plain language” that we all can use. I hope you enjoy her post.

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Tags: Customer Experience, Management

At Least Grumpy Old Guys Know What Great Customer Service Is
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April 05, 2021
As I’ve gotten older, I better understand why many “old folks” (speaking from the viewpoint of me as a kid) got so grumpy. They’re tired of dealing with years of B.S. from so many people and have had enough of it. They just want to live their lives in peace and will no longer accept […

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Tags: Customer Experience, Management, Customer Loyalty

What Does an Allergy Have To Do With Customer Service?
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March 22, 2021
Those of us in the customer service industry focus much on procedures, ease of use, product availability, and the steps of service, to name a few, all in the hopes of providing our customers the best overall experience. When we have these processes down pat, we believe that’s “all we need”

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Tags: Customer Experience, Management, Customer Loyalty

How to Stop Giving Customer Service Like a Useless Scarecrow
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March 08, 2021
The lowly cornfield scarecrow hangs idly in the field while a flock of birds, having long since gotten over their fear of the fake man, eat their share of the surrounding crops. He has failed in his mission. The scarecrow now serves no purpose and has outlived its usefulness. Sadly, it serves as a r

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Tags: Customer Experience, Management, Customer Loyalty

What Was Your Main Focus When You Opened Your Business? – Tip #30
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February 25, 2021
During the initial business startup phase, providing great customer service may not have been your first thought. Instead, you focused on getting the best location, trendy furnishings, celebrity appearances, and over-the-top promotions that you “knew” would jump-start your business. You thought,

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Tags: Customer Experience, Management, Customer Loyalty

Who Writes YOUR Words? – Tip #29
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February 18, 2021
Too many businesses continue to offer a workplace that leaves little room for the employee’s personality to shine through. They micromanage the heck out of each service step and expect their minions to follow the path without exceptions. Who Writes YOUR Words? I can understand the need for con

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Tags: Customer Experience, Management, Customer Loyalty

What Can the Mandalorian Teach You About Your Customer Service?
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February 15, 2021
The Mandalorian. The blockbuster hit on the Disney Channel. A keen and faithful observer can see many takeaways that relate to the way we offer service. I’ve already written about Bigfoot Customer Service and Landscaper Customer Service. Those two articles highlight the unique aspects of service t

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Tags: Customer Experience, Management

Did You Give Your Customers a Valentine? – Tip #28
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February 11, 2021
We get so bogged down in life’s everyday chores. As songwriter Harry Chapin famously said, “There’s planes to catch and bills to pay” – thank goodness there’s Valentine’s Day to remind us to stop and show how much we care about the special people in our lives. T

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Tags: Customer Experience, Customer Loyalty

How Dunkin Donuts Made the Super Bowl Better – Tip #27
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February 04, 2021
Earlier today I got into a silly conversation with a friend about one of the biggest issues that we face today – Which donuts are better, those from Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Kreme? Regardless of the answer, this question brought me back to one of the earliest posts that I wrote on my blog and [R

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Tags: Customer Experience, Customer Loyalty

32 Ways To See If You Can…
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February 01, 2021
If you can smile for every customer even though you recently faced your own personal tragedy, If you can keep your promise to a customer even if it costs you more money, If you can be accountable to follow through on a customer’s difficult request even though it takes you away from other responsib

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Tags: Customer Experience, Customer Loyalty

Sometimes You Get the Hiring Right – Tip #26
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January 28, 2021
Yesterday my wife and I did a little shopping after work and stopped into our local Eddie Bauer clothing store. We were greeted by a mature woman with the biggest smile who showed a sincere interest in helping me find the exact pair of pants I wanted. With patience, poise, and grace, she asked the [

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Tags: Customer Experience, Management, Customer Loyalty

Here’s 2 Sure-Fire Tactics That Have Never Let Me Down – Tip #25
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January 21, 2021
Most people have a few go-to strategies that they follow during times of need. They’re comforted knowing they have a tried-and-true method that works for them and have tactics that have never let them down. I’m no different. Experience has shown us…Read More »
The post Here’s 2

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Tags: Management

McDonald’s Hot Coffee Case and the Customer Experience
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January 18, 2021
We all know that the coffee McDonald’s sells is too hot to drink when served. If you put it to your lips, you’ll most likely receive a burn that will be far worse than anything most people have ever encountered. So why…Read More »
The post McDonald’s Hot Coffee Case and the Customer

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Tags: Customer Experience

Make Your World Revolve Around The Customer – Tip #24
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January 14, 2021
Customers need to know that you have their best interests at heart. As business owners or managers, we get too bogged down with the day-to-day machinations of business and forget the ultimate goal; to satisfy our customer’s needs. We forget what Peter…Read More »
The post Make Your Worl

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Tags: Customer Experience, Management, Customer Loyalty

Landscaper Customer Service – Tip #23
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January 07, 2021
Each Monday, the landscaping company comes to cut my lawn. They come with 3 men. Sometimes I’m home and get a chance to see them work but many times I’m not – but I do see their great results. I like to…Read More »
The post Landscaper Customer Service – Tip #23 appeared fi

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Tags: Customer Experience, Customer Loyalty

What Does Management Want From You?
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January 04, 2021
Safety, security, and peace of mind. Nice calming words they are. They come with little worries and little stress. Every employee wants this. But what does management want from you? For many in the customer service industry, there is little room for…Read More »
The post What Does Manageme

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Tags: Management

A Recipe for Success That Always Works – Tip #22
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November 05, 2020
Recently, I was asked, “what makes one business successful when another similar business fails”. Well, there are many reasons but here is the foundation of success for any business. I like to call it “a recipe for success that always works”. Here…Read More »
The post A Recipe for

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Be True To Yourself and Your Business – Tip #21
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October 22, 2020
We face many distractions and obstacles in our day-to-day lives so it’s not worth the effort to be something you are not. Eventually, your true self will come out. When it does, and if you are not showing desirable traits, you will…Read More »
The post Be True To Yourself and Your Busin

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Tags: Customer Experience

What Do You Do To Get Ahead? – Tip #20
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October 15, 2020
Is your glass half-full or half-empty? Are you a positive influence or one of negativity? Do you sugar-coat things or get straight to the point? What do you do to get ahead of others, to separate yourself from the competition, and get…Read More »
The post What Do You Do To Get Ahead? R

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Tags: Management, Leadership, Customer Loyalty

1 Book
Earn More Tips On Your Very Next Shift...Even If You're a Bad Waiter
Steve DiGioia
March 04, 2013
Many books about how to be a better waiter and make bigger tips focus on upselling tactics and improving the overall customer service. But this book is different. Upselling is important and of course, the service you provide is a major factor in how much you earn, but there is much more to learn. This book provides real-world examples of the situations any waiter or bartender will face each day and gives you the tools needed to create a memorable experience for your guests.

Sure, I can be a little sarcastic at times and definitely have my own opinions, but, after a 20+ year hospitality career and a lifetime of customer service experience, I will show you the BEST methods to use to connect with your customer that will lead directly to getting a big tip -

1) Make your customer feel important
2) Make them feel special, and
3) Make them feel appreciated.

Customer service can be mechanical, but a great customer experience is magical. Whether you're an experienced or brand-new waiter or bartender, this book is a must-have for you. This easy to follow training method can be used across all industries, resulting in better customer retention and repeat business for your company. I will teach you what really works...are you ready?

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Tags: Customer Experience, Customer Loyalty

1 eBook
10 Phrases That Should Never be Used In the Customer Service Business
Steve DiGioia
June 03, 2019
Our young workforce is not trained in the nuances of customer service, let alone the simple, courteous & professional terms that should be used during a conversation between a customer and store employee.

Have your conversations been reduced to short, cutesy phrases that may be suited for friends at a party but not in a business setting? Here’s how to fix that.

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Tags: Customer Experience, Customer Loyalty

2 Media Interviews
Stop Focusing On The Resume So Much
Contact Center Virtual Summit
July 09, 2020
​We all wish to hire the best person available for the job. But too often we're destined to fail from the start, even if we do find the best person. In this session, I describe the self-imposed pitfalls and obstacles we face before we even collect the first resume.

What you'll learn from this interview/webinar:

1. Cheat Sheet to use when interviewing an applicant.
2. Actionable checklist a business can use to determine if they are prepared to hire an employee for any position.
3. 13 Powerful Job Interview Tips You Need to Know Now

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Tags: Business Strategy, Leadership, Management

My YouTube Hangout with Evan Carmichael
Steve DiGioia
December 26, 2016
Businesses across the land champion their great service and the positive experience given to their throngs of loyal customers. They tout the benefits of their product and how they tend to the specific needs, wants, and desires of their customers. But as time passes many forget their original stated intent and lean more toward reducing payroll, lowering operational/product costs, and finally to increasing profit as their primary goal.

I asked Evan Carmichael this question: As an organization gets larger there is a tendency for the mindset to change from “the customer comes first” to “higher profits and lower payroll first”. What are the causes of this change and how do you keep this from happening?

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Tags: Business Strategy, Customer Experience, Management

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Steve DiGioia