10 Best customer service books to read in 2025

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Creating the best customer experience starts and ends with providing excellent customer service.

While many companies invest heavily in extensive employee training programs to boost their customer service skills, a cost-effective alternative is equally practical: reading books on the subject.

Why books play a major role in improving service skills

From dealing with angry customers to handling complaints, there is a book for almost every scenario. Reading books helps employees develop new skills, improve their problem-solving abilities, and gain fresh perspectives on handling daily client interactions better.

Starbucks offers a great example of how books help employees acquire new and perfect old skills. The company has developed the “Green Apron Book” program, which encourages employees to read books related to coffee, customer service, and leadership.

Every employee who completes the program receives a “Green Apron Pin” and a certificate of achievement to recognize their efforts.

Our favorite customer service books

Enjoy our selection of customer service books to elevate your skills.

1. “The Customer Rules”

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Overview

In “The Customer Rules,” Lee Cockerell shares his insights on delivering exceptional customer service. He gives advice on how to build customer relationships, create memorable experiences, and drive customer loyalty.

Key takeaways

• The book emphasizes the importance of delivering consistent, personalized, memorable experiences to create customer loyalty.
• Cockerell provides 39 essential rules for delivering top service, such as “customer service is not a department” and “treat every customer like a regular.”

Who should read it

• Customer service professionals, managers, and leaders
• Anyone who wants practical tips on improving customer service

2. “The Nordstrom Way”  

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Overview

The book is based on Robert Spector and Patrick D. McCarthy’s industry “secrets” for building a customer-centric culture, creating memorable experiences that turn regular clients into recurring ones, and driving customer loyalty in the long run.

Key takeaways

• The book emphasizes building strong customer relationships and empowering employees to continually perfect their skills.
• Spector and McCarthy explain how to build a strong brand, create a personalized shopping experience, and exceed customer expectations.

Who should read it

• Retail professionals
• Customer service professionals, managers, and leaders
• Anyone wanting exceptional customer service insights

3. “Hug Your Haters“

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Overview

Jay Baer explores how to handle customer complaints and turn them into opportunities for growth. He provides advice on using social media and other channels to promptly respond to complaints, build customer loyalty, and improve customer satisfaction for every client segment.

Key takeaways

• The book tackles the importance of responding to customer complaints within a reasonable timeframe, regardless of the platform, and turning negative feedback into positive outcomes.
• Baer also provides tips on building a customer-focused culture and measuring the effectiveness of customer service efforts at every customer touchpoint.

Who should read it

• Customer service professionals
• Social media managers, marketers, and business owners
• Anyone who wants to learn how to turn negative experiences into opportunities for growth

4. “The Service Culture Handbook“

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Overview

This is a practical guide to transforming your organization’s support strategy with little to no effort. Jeff Toister gives advice on how and when to hire the right employees, train them effectively, and ensure that they have the right tools to deliver service that goes beyond the norms.

Key takeaway

• The book focuses on the importance of actionable strategies, simple exercises, and proven tools in boosting your customer service efforts.

Who should read it

• HR professionals
• Managers, leaders, customer service professionals
• Anyone looking to find and fix the cracks in their customer service strategy

5. “The Amazement Revolution“

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Overview

Shep Hyken explains how to turn customers into loyal advocates by providing a seamless journey down the sales funnel. The author shows how boosting your support efforts can set you apart from the competition and delivers seven strategies that generate customer and employee loyalty.

Key takeaways

• The book illustrates the seven strategies with case studies and offers measurable implementation tips.
• It teaches readers how to tackle customer service head-on instead of just fumbling for answers.

Who should read it

• Business owners
• Customer service professionals, managers, and leaders

6. “Be Amazing or Go Home“

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Overview

Shep Hyken shares seven habits people can adopt to provide better support. These habits include being proactive, friendly, knowledgeable, and sincere. The book contains real-life examples and tips for delivering customer service that turns one-time clients into recurring customers.

Key takeaways

• Create a culture of customer service excellence by establishing clear expectations.
• Empower employees to make decisions that benefit the customer.

Who should read it

• Front-line employees
• Business owners managers
• Anyone looking for practical advice that can be applied to any industry or business

7. “The Customer Service Revolution“

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Overview

Author John R. DiJulius III elaborates on his experience as a customer service consultant by providing practical advice on how businesses can revolutionize their approach to customer service and create a competitive advantage.

Key takeaways

• The author introduces the key principles of the customer service revolution.
• These include creating a vision, hiring for culture fit, and empowering employees to make decisions.

Who should read it

• Business owners, executives, and managers
• Anyone who wants to improve customer experience and create a competitive advantage through outstanding customer service

8. “The Effortless Experience“

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Overview

The book explores the idea that support should make interactions as easy and frictionless as possible, rather than just providing a positive experience. The authors draw on extensive research and real-world examples to show that customers with an effortless experience are likelier to become loyal.

Key takeaway

• An effortless client experience is based on the following: reducing effort, increasing empathy, creating a sense of personalization, and delivering proactive service.

Who should read it

• Frontline customer service representatives
• Managers and executives responsible for customer service teams
• Anyone interested in building and maintaining customer loyalty in today’s business environment

9. “Pre-Suasion”

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Overview

The book shows how effective communication can be turned into successful persuasion and explains why a message is only effective if the target audience has already been prepared to receive it.

Key takeaway

• To deliver a message persuasively, you must shift the audience’s focus before they take your desired course of action.

Who should read it

• People in sales, HR, and marketing
• Anyone who comes into direct or indirect contact with clients or employees

10. “No One Succeeds Alone“

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Overview

The book includes actionable lessons on how to build and improve communication skills to achieve success at the workplace and improve the relationships that define you. The author shares his experiences and insights as CEO of an expanding real estate startup, and includes practical advice on improving communication in different scenarios.

Key takeaways

• The book focuses on innovative techniques for building trust.
• It helps you overcome communication barriers, and encouraging a culture of open communication.

Who should read it

• Entrepreneurs
• Professionals in leadership positions
• People in sales or customer-facing roles

Additional resources

In addition to books, many other resources are available for improving customer service. Here are a few online courses, podcasts, and blogs to check out.

• “Customer Service Training” on LinkedIn Learning: This online course covers the fundamentals of customer service, including communication skills and problem-solving techniques.
• “The Customer Service Revolution”: This podcast by John R. DiJulius III features interviews with business leaders who have achieved success by offering personalized, client-oriented customer service.
• “Shep Hyken’s Customer Service Blog”: Shep Hyken shares his insights and strategies for delivering above-average customer service through his blog.
• “Customer Service Institute of America”: This organization offers a range of training and certification programs for individuals and businesses looking to improve their techniques and strategies for better serving their clients. 

How to choose a book on customer service

Here are some tips to help you choose the right books on providing above-average customer service.

• Before choosing a customer service book, you need to identify your goals. What do you hope to achieve from reading the book? Are you looking to improve customer satisfaction, reduce complaints, or increase sales?
• Look for reviews from people who have similar goals or challenges as you. These provide valuable insights into a book’s content and effectiveness. 
• Check the author’s background and expertise to ensure they have the knowledge and experience to provide relevant insights on customer service. 
• Consider your learning style when choosing a customer service book. Some people prefer step-by-step guides, while others prefer case studies or real-life examples. 
• Choose a book that is up to date and covers the latest trends and best practices in customer service.

Conclusion

Customer service books offer valuable insights into how businesses can improve customer service and their bottom line.

Businesses can achieve long-term success in today’s competitive marketplace by focusing on the customer experience and creating a culture of customer service excellence.