customer

An Uninformed Customer is an Unhappy Customer

So, I’m in Chicago last weekend with my family and decided to take Baby Marlow, our 3 ½ -year-old daughter, to American Girl on Michigan Avenue. I knew I was in for an expensive trip, but I wasn’t prepared for the single most ridiculous thing that has ever happened to me at the register in […]

The Customer is (Not) Always Right

I’ve come to think that the old adage, “The customer is always right!” is only useful for someone just learning service.  It’s a safe way for a new or entry-level employee to operate.  In my role handling escalations, responding to complaints and maintaining a company’s reputation, I have come to a deeper understanding, and you […]

Not All Customers Are Good Customers

If you are selling paperclips or pizza, this article may not be very relevant, but an increasing majority of US workers sell a service or a product plus the service to support it.  When service is a significant part of the customer or company relationship, not all customers are created equally.  Not all customers are […]

We All Work in Customer Service

While job searching a few years ago, I kept saying, “I don’t want to work in customer service.” I was several years into taking sales and customer service calls involving lots and lots and lots of angry customers. I was worn down from dealing with unreasonable requests, “No, I cannot overnight a 280lb item,” “No, […]

At Face-to-Face Value: Why I Leave My Cubicle

It’s early. It’s quiet and calm—until suddenly it’s not. The hallway doors open, and a large, loud moving mass streams in steadily—and they’re coming my way. It’s the first morning of the tradeshow, and as the very definition of introverted, I’m steeling myself for a whole lot of uninterrupted human interaction for the next few […]