I distinctly remember coming home one day from kindergarten crying. I was embarrassed, I wouldn’t say anything for hours. That alone was enough to cause alarm as I have never been a crier, also I never shut up. They called me Brooke, as in a babbling brook that never stopped. We’ll save that story for my therapist though. Hours go by, not a peep besides the crying. Finally, my Dad did what any good parent should. He bribed me. He brought me a can of sardines and a milkshake, but I couldn’t have them until I spilled the beans. Clearly, you have gathered by this point that my childhood might not have been “normal”. There was no way five-year-old me was letting those goodies get away. 

“I FARTED. I FARTED AT SCHOOL. I FARTED AND EVERYONE HEARD IT!”

I went on to tell my parents how badly the kids laughed at me and teased me. Neil made all the boys call me “Squishy Pants Sari.” I was never going back to school. 

Now, most parents would lean in for a hug, tell you you’d be ok, they would say that kids are jerks, and that I am perfect. Not mine. My mother asked me, “Well, did it feel good?”. At this point I received some mommy wisdom. I was told that, “If it feels good, do it.” Followed by the caveat of, “If you have to lie about it, don’t do it.” Also, “Everyone farts,” (Sorry guys if I ruined that one for you). 

All these years after that horrific day the fabulous advice still resonates with me. Anyone that has ever asked me what to do about a specific customer request for more, about going above and beyond in a really crappy situation, or blurring the lines of our warranty coverage has heard me say this: “If it feels good, do it.”

How can you catch the feel goods? 

1. Take care of the customer—but for the right reasons. Do not be a yes man out of fear of a difficult conversation. Do not say yes because it’s less work than providing a different solution. If the step you take is motivated by fear or laziness, it’s probably not the best move. You will know that you made the right decision if it feels good.
2. Being right feels amazing, but only if you are right. Take a step back and see it from the customer’s point of view. Am I really doing enough?  Have I communicated thoroughly?  Was this unavoidable? If the answer isn’t yes to all of these, then stand tall, admit you/we goofed and do what you have to do to bring the feel goods back.
3. Ask questions. What does the customer actually want? Apologies and acknowledgement are free. Don’t give away the farm. Use reason. Unreasonable concessions will only leave you feeling taken advantage of and kind of dirty.  And don’t lie. It doesn’t feel good, and you are likely to be caught and make your customer angrier. Keep it brief and keep it factual. 

While I may have stretched the meaning of this advice in my teen years, I made it out alive. Alive and without a tummy ache.  If it feels good, do it. Take that Neil!