A conference is 1marketingidea which gives your brand the platform to deliver your latest innovations and offerings to a targeted captive audience. Conferences like Facebook’s F8 Developer Conference and Salesforce’s Dreamforce not only attract great presenters but high ticket performances by bands like the Rolling stones and even U2. But do they change lives?
In my opinion a Customer Service Conference (CSC) changes lives. Attendees get to experience 
a series of motivational and experiential presentations and workshops that resonate with not only their business persona but also with their humanity. It draws the ‘servant leader’ in them which in turn gives them different appreciation for their teams and customers. They seek to improve their employee culture as much as elevating the company’s levels of service. They seek to create a Customer Service Revolution.
In my 8 years producing these types of conferences I’ve learned a few things from these revolutionaries that are worth noting. Reasons why attending a CSC changes lives:
1- Shows you care
Attending a customer service conference will give you the impetus to inspire change in your people and consequently in the way they deliver service to your hard earned clients. When you attend a conference you have to leave your place of business for a number of hours. This helps clear the mind and empty your cup. The right CS presentation will fill your cup with the emotional knowledge to motivate your team to deliver world-class Customer Service.
2- Education
The right customer service conference will give you the chance to learn from multiple sources, in a short period of time. When you combine motivational speakers and brand executives who walk the talk, you learn at a logical and an emotional level. This type of learning is not available in other types of conferences more functional in scope.
3- Make alliances
Never will you be surrounded by such a group of successful business leaders who share a common servant heart. You can go to many networking events, but none of them will be solely focused around improving the experience you give to your customers. The connections you make at a CS conference last longer than those you make in other types of conferences. After all, everyone is there to help one another.
**Related: 28 Customer Service Skills Learned at America’s #1 Customer Service Conference
4- Become a leader
Attendees to many conferences go to capture ideas. Attendees to a CS conference come to learn
new initiatives and how to implement them. These types of events are confidence builders. You don’t leave the conference wanting to tell your CEO that you have a great idea, you leave having an idea, which you can turn into an initiative, implement, execute and change the way your company does business. A CS conference turns ordinary people into leaders.
5- Raise your value
In a world were you can always shop around for the cheapest product, customer service becomes the key differentiator between an average company and a great one. Learning how to improve the level of service at any organization increases the value you bring to your company. Many attendees get promoted a few months after they attend a CS conference. Some have gone into successful consulting practices on the side.
6- Differentiate yourself
What makes you any different than any of your competitors? Your level of service. You can’t
learn to improve your service without attending a Customer Service Conference. Attendees step away from their business responsibilities to learn from the experts on this specific topic alone. There are many sales conferences, marketing conferences, user experience conferences, but not many Customer Service conferences. World-class service is the only way you truly differentiate yourself from your competition.
7- Uncover new solutions
A great CSC will attract the right vendors. Attendees are introduced to new technologies and the latest experiential innovations that can help elevate their service levels. Finding new solutions for their businesses make their jobs easier.
8- Rapid change
A world-class CS conference will provide you with systems you can immediately implement. You will get to see results within a few months. No pie in the sky. Attend a CSC known for providing tools that translate into results. Find out how many repeat attendees does a conference have and you’ll know which conference is imparting the best strategies for your business.
9- Re-energizes
This is one of the most important reasons to attend a CS conference. It re-energizes your leadership team. It gives them the chance to get outside of their everyday activities, learn from top authors and speakers, and enjoy a world class experience in and of itself.
10-The Experience
The CS conference you attend must be a world-class experience itself. Find out how other conferences treat their attendees? Who are the keynote speakers? What workshops do they offer? Do they have concierges? Music? Multiple networking events? The conference must be a world-class experience like none other for you to submerge yourself fully into what it means to be the best.
Would love to hear of any conferences that have changed your life -in the comments below. Always looking for new ideas!