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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

Last Impression Faux Pas - 11/4/25


Rightfully so, many customer service experts harp on the importance of the first impression.  It happens quickly, and it can impact the individual’s perception of you and the organization.  We even wrote a Tip of the Week on this years ago called First Impression Faux Pas. What many people tend Read more

Familying with Customers - 10/28/25


In our transactional society, it’s hard to think about customers in the long-term.  But if we want to be as successful as we can as an individual or as a business, we need to view customers through a relationship lens. What do we need to know about them to Read more

Avoid These Techniques - 10/21/25


We had a Customer Service Tip of the Week recently that addressed gaining control of the conversation.  One of the key points was that the focus should be on gaining control of conversations in various circumstances, but trying to avoid making it your goal to gain control of the Read more

View Quality through the Customer’s Eyes - 10/14/25


Geri had been dealing with backups in the downstairs plumbing system of her house on and off for the past year.  The most recent company that she called in to unclog the pipes stated that they could send a camera down the pipes and tell her exactly where the Read more

Be Supportive, Not Defensive - 10/7/25


[An employee on the phone with a customer…] Who told you that you didn’t have to submit that form? … Bob?  Oh brother!  You see Bob is our “special” co-worker.  He seems to always tell customers the wrong thing to do, and we’re having to clean up after him.  Read more

Some Customers LOVE Predictability - 9/30/25


I was facilitating focus groups of businesses that utilize local government services.  The phrase that popped up multiple times was “Time Is Money!”  What these municipal customers were conveying was that their time was valuable, and delays were wasting their time.  But the conversations were not just about how Read more

Find Your Special Sauce - 9/23/25


When I watch a football game and I see a great quarterback (somebody who may be considered a “Star”), he might be an excellent runner, have a big arm, be able to diagnose the defense and get his team into the right play.  But he’s likely not great at Read more

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Body Language Tips from Other Experts – 2/17/15 TOW

Posted on February 17, 2015 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment


Sometimes it’s as important to admit what you don’t know as what you do know. By understanding the gaps in your knowledge or expertise, you allow yourself to be open to learn. You allow yourself to grow personally and professionally.

I pride myself on being able to read others’ body language and being very intentional about my own expressions, gestures, and other non-verbal cues when needed. But I’m not THE expert, and I don’t know anyone who has that title. However, I read this online article (17 Tactics For Reading People’s Body Language) with enough specific and interesting tips, that I wanted to share it with you.

In particular, note the use of the open palm to convey honesty; it’s akin to taking notes at a meeting; when I do so, I always leave my tablet flat on the table, in plain sight of the customer so they could easily read any note being written. This helps them to trust me more and become more comfortable in the conversation.

The article talks about a lack of crinkles around the eyes as being a red flag about a fake smile. I’m BIG on the eyes – making good eye contact, smiling with the eyes, watching other’s eyes. You can sometimes truly see into the soul and spirit of others through their eyes.

Finally, see “If they mirror your body language, the conversation is probably going well.” I don’t often look for people to mirror my body language, but I’ll often mirror theirs if they seem uncomfortable or not open at first. If I can get them to relax their body, open their arms, open their hands, then I’m sensing that they’re feeling more comfortable and open. And in customer service, the customers will become more confident in your response if they’ve first become more comfortable with you.

Be yourself. Be sincere. Be genuine.

And also be the best you can be with your body language.

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Reach Out and Touch Someone…Literally – 2/10/15 TOW

Posted on February 10, 2015 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment


Okay, so I’m going to get in trouble with some of you for this one – but it’s an idea to consider.

When face-to-face with that co-worker or customer, sometimes a gentle touch on the shoulder or arm is appropriate or helpful. Studies have shown that hugs can create chemical reactions that can aid one’s health, feelings, and even healing. I’m no clinician, but this point isn’t clinical. It’s personal. Sometimes it’s difficult to connect with people if there’s an invisible wall not allowing any contact. It can be tough to convey we care purely with words when we’re not willing to extend our hand to the other.

It’s hard to be empathetic during those conversations where pain and hurt are involved if we keep an artificial barrier between us.

Now we don’t want to become the grocery store chain that got sued by their check-out clerks because management encouraged the clerks to make eye contact with customers and smile (some customers felt that the clerks were flirting, which led to…uh…awkward exchanges).

We don’t expect you to act like the French, where a Ken Cooper study once showed that French patrons at outdoor Paris cafés casually touched each other 110 times per hour. But it also means we don’t have to be like some Londoners (0 touches per hour) or some Floridians (2 touches per hour).

The point is that sometimes caring for others requires that we do more than check their vital signs. It means that we have to do more than say “I care.” It means that we have to do more than smile or nod. Sometimes to show we care, to go beyond “professional” to “human,” we have to provide that human touch.

It’s a hand on the arm, a gentle pat on the shoulder, shaking the hand, or placing a hand on the back.

Do what’s appropriate and what you are comfortable doing – but be willing to do something. Don’t make the short distance that you stand from another person seem infinite…or infinitely impersonal.

Bridge the gap with the human touch.

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Apply “Inside/Out” to Yourself – 2/3/15 TOW

Posted on February 3, 2015 in Customer Service Tip of the Week Please leave a comment


A point we’ve made more and more over the years with clients is this: To create a great experience for those outside your organization, you need to have a great culture inside the organization. Don’t focus so much on how to treat customers that you end up neglecting how you treat employees and how employees treat and work with each other.

For this Tip, instead of talking about the organizational perspective, let’s talk about this personally.

I heard a speaker recently who quoted a 20th century philosopher who said “What you consume eventually consumes you.” Just think about that for a minute – What you consume eventually consumes you. What does that mean to you?

Here is what it means to me.

If entertainment you experience (the books, videos, TV shows, and movies) are about blood and gore, about hate and anger – then those visual experiences impact you. The same lenses through which you witnessed that entertainment are the lenses that sometimes slant your perspective on the world toward the negative and selfish.

If you surround yourself with people who are negative, put down others, and are constantly viewing themselves as the victim, then how easy is it to be positive with others? Do you find yourself assuming negative intentions in the acts of others? Do you find yourself focusing on who’s to blame instead of taking responsibility?

If what you – literally – take into your body is full of junk food (guilty!), carcinogens, or drugs, how clear of mind and purpose will you be in interacting with each other?

If your self-talk is negative, where you beat yourself up about what you do wrong and tell yourself what you can’t do, how comfortable and confident will you be in serving others?

I have issues with several of these examples as I assume most people do – but the point isn’t to determine how great we are or aren’t today. The point is to ask How can we get better tomorrow? How can we better serve others, be a better teammate, and be a better role model?

The answer? Look at what you bring into yourself. Avoid filling yourself with the ugly, the negative – with the junk. Try to fill up with good.

Apply “Inside/Out” to Yourself.

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