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Pressure is a Privilege, but... - 1/13/26


When athletes are asked about the pressure of a playoff match or a late-game situation, many times they will say that “pressure is a privilege.”  In other words, usually pressure exists because you’re in a match that matters most.  It exists because you are a player put in a Read more

While I’ve Got You on the Phone… - 1/6/26


I’m a big planner.  Whether it’s strategic planning or planning out the year or planning my week first thing on a Monday morning, I like to plan.  I do this because it gets all of my action items documented and ensures that I have some understanding of what I Read more

Pass the Quick Impression Test - 12/30/25


Some studies have shown that people create an impression of you in less than a second when they first meet you face-to-face.  Other studies have shown that that initial impression can take up to 7 seconds.  Regardless, first impressions are quick.  First impressions are not always the lasting impression, Read more

2025 Holiday Poem - 12/23/25


We hear the word change And that change can be good, But we like things to stay same, And sometimes they should.   The weather can be wet And then dry as a bone. We know things will change, Even if all left alone.   Our customers change. Our co-workers do, too. It seems like our resources Are often too few.   The technology Read more

Make the Long Wait Feel Shorter - 12/16/25


When Greg entered the Tax Office, he was thinking only about two things: (1) How he was going to get the tax value on his home reduced, and (2) Whether the wait would be 1 hour or 2.  He checked in with the navigator who asked a few questions, Read more

When Kindness Means More in Customer Service - 12/9/25


Since a large part of the work we do at CSS includes customer research, we have seen tens of thousands of comments over the years about staff, and it is great to hear the positives that customers, fans, and account holders say about our clients’ team members. One word that Read more

Don’t Create the Second Complaint - 12/2/25


Maria was upset.  Rightfully so.  The product delivery was delayed, she couldn’t get anybody on the phone, and nobody would reply to her e-mails.  So, she went down to the store, and she found a customer service representative. After the initial greeting, the employee listened to Maria’s complaint.  While Maria Read more

Refresh on the Reasons to Appreciate the Customer - 11/25/25


This is a great time of year to give thanks, not just because it’s Thanksgiving week in the United States, but also because – with 2025 coming to a close - it gives us the opportunity to do some reflecting on the recent past. The idea of reflecting on reasons Read more

Confirm the Customer is Cleared for Takeoff - 11/18/25


An airplane pilot is told when they’re “cleared for takeoff” before they begin to accelerate down the runway.  The air traffic controller (ATC) has looked at everything in front of the pilot, on the runway and in the air space, and checked to ensure the pilot is good to Read more

Build Relationships with First-timers - 11/11/25


We’ve worked with one of our sports clients for over 10 years, and although the main focus of our work is research with their fan base, we also provide informal consulting advice and guidance whenever possible.  One approach we’ve talked about on and off for years is the need Read more

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Don’t Create the Second Complaint – 12/2/25

Posted on December 2, 2025 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

Maria was upset.  Rightfully so.  The product delivery was delayed, she couldn’t get anybody on the phone, and nobody would reply to her e-mails.  So, she went down to the store, and she found a customer service representative.

After the initial greeting, the employee listened to Maria’s complaint.  While Maria told her story, the employee stood there…with a blank face.  There was some eye contact, but otherwise there was basically nothing.  No nodding.  No furrowing of the brow.  No outward signs of inward empathy.

Maria wasn’t getting any reaction, so she just kept talking, although she felt like she was talking to a brick wall.  Eventually Maria stopped, paused, and the employee asked to see her purchase receipt.

Maria’s frustration transitioned from the delayed product and the lack of responsiveness to the situation she was facing at this point – an employee who had not been trained on…how to engage someone who was upset…how to use her body language to convey a little empathy…how to note some understanding and communicate effectively.

Although Maria thought she went to the store solely to get some resolution to her issue, she soon realized what else she wanted.  She wanted to be heard.  She wanted to be understood.  She wanted somebody to convey that they cared.

When you’re dealing with a customer who is upset or frustrated, understand that – for most of them – it’s not just about the issue.  It’s about how they perceive your organization feels about them based on that negative experience.  The situation makes them think that the company doesn’t care, but how you engage them about the situation can convey that the company really does care.

Engage the person when you’re dealing with their issue.  Use your body language and expressions to show you care about them individually, even if the issue with their product or service may have given them the opposite impression.

Avoid giving them an additional reason to complain.

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Refresh on the Reasons to Appreciate the Customer – 11/25/25

Posted on November 25, 2025 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

This is a great time of year to give thanks, not just because it’s Thanksgiving week in the United States, but also because – with 2025 coming to a close – it gives us the opportunity to do some reflecting on the recent past.

The idea of reflecting on reasons to give thanks clearly applies to the world of customer service.  Although we’re providing the customer with some service or product, some answer or something to address their need – I’m a strong proponent of making sure that we initiate the thanks to the customer.  Thank them for…

  • Their Effort: Thank them for taking the time to come onsite, planning their trip and navigating the traffic to and from your location.
  • Their Communication: Convey appreciation for bringing an issue to your attention so that you can help them and possibly fix any issues before they cause frustrations for other customers.
  • Their Quality: Thank them for completing their paperwork correctly or filling out that form accurately so it saves everybody a bit of time.
  • Their Patience: Offer some gratitude for their waiting on hold while you were helping other customers, for being so patient, as you know they’re also busy.
  • Their Pleasantness: Thank them when they’re pleasant with you, when they smile, when they actually ask you how your day is going, or thank you – the employee – for being there, even though they know it’s your job to be there.
  • Their Business: Oh! And of course, thank them for their purchase and their business, their loyalty and their frequent returns.

 
To offer appreciation, it helps us to refresh on the effort, the attitude, the actions your customer is taking to do business with you.

Refresh on the reasons to appreciate the customer..

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Confirm the Customer is Cleared for Takeoff – 11/18/25

Posted on November 18, 2025 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment

An airplane pilot is told when they’re “cleared for takeoff” before they begin to accelerate down the runway.  The air traffic controller (ATC) has looked at everything in front of the pilot, on the runway and in the air space, and checked to ensure the pilot is good to go.  The ATC is there to ensure the pilot is set up for success.

Similarly, we want to make sure our customers are set up for success.  If there is any information about next steps or pathways or upcoming decisions, any clarification needed on the players involved in the situation that the customer’s dealing with, we want to make sure there’s clarity.

Here are some examples of the types of things to consider sharing with the customer to confirm they are ready for their version of the takeoff.  Is the customer clear…

  • How to get to a customer service representative?
  • How to locate the right item/office/information?
  • What options are available to them?
  • What their part is in a process?
  • Who the other employees are in the process and what will be their roles?
  • What the next step in the process is and when it will happen?
  • In general, how to get their question answered, their need met, or their issues resolved?

 
Then, even though the pilot is told they are cleared for takeoff, they verify it themselves, because they are the ones ultimately responsible for flying the plane.  Similarly, although we have all this information we want to convey to the customer so that they are clear, it helps for us to confirm with them that they actually are clear, that they actually do understand.

To set the customer up for success, before you end the conversation, confirm the customer is clear.

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