Blog

Be nice

A few years ago, I was seated in the boarding area at Dulles International Airport awaiting my fate as a standby passenger on the last nonstop flight to Denver. About ten minutes after the last passenger boarded, my name was called and I was given a seat assignment and permitted

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Owning a problem is the first step towards resolution

Studies by J.D. Power and Associates and others suggest that customer loyalty may increase when problems experienced by customers are resolved to their satisfaction (or, better yet, their delight). Even so, problems often go unresolved or ignored by employees who are in a position to make things right and win

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Decide to be exceptional

Exceptional customer service is always optional. Whether or not to deliver exceptional customer service is a choice made by employees—independent of the service culture in which they work. It’s a conscious decision that employees make to exceed the expectations of their customers every day, on every shift, during every customer

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At the tone, please leave me alone

Your voicemail greeting may be the first impression that callers (including customers) have of you and your business. Don’t miss your opportunity to make a lasting positive impression by recording a predictable voicemail greeting that lacks personality and may make callers feel rushed and unwelcome. What you said: “This is

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I’ve got good news for you. You’re late.

It’s happened to most of us. Your appointment ran a bit longer than expected. You check your watch. You know it’s going to be close. There is a sense of urgency as you plan your route to your car, weaving in and out of pedestrians on the sidewalk as you

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Power to the people

It’s a shame when service-based organizations use safety, liability, and policy as justification for delivering average customer service. “Your safety is our highest priority” is the mantra of most airlines. On the surface, it appears noble. The airlines have done a masterful job of limiting customer service in the name

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The best employees make it happen

What sort of response do you get from service providers when you share a preference that’s outside of the norm? Perhaps you prefer to have your bagel sliced and then cut in half. Maybe you like an ice cube in your black coffee so you can begin to drink it

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Does your customer feel like a guest or a nuisance?

Many companies use terms like “guest” and “partner” to convey the intimacy they have with their customers but the reality is that most employees, when given the opportunity, do not behave as though they are serving a valued guest. If you’d like to test this assertion, simply show up at

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They’re Just Not That Into You

Have you ever noticed the similarities between attracting a prospective customer and wooing a mate? There are lots of similarities when you think about it. For example, before the relationship develops, there may be frequent but informal contact. In business, that may look like a weekly e-newsletter that over time

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