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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

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

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Fix Fast to Reduce Stress – 2/4/14 TOW

Posted on February 4, 2014 in Customer Service Tip of the Week 1 Comment


This tip is all about you. The vast majority of the advice we provide involves helping the customer, serving them better, or the benefits to the organization or the customer for creating a great experience.

For example, when we discuss service recovery – dealing with complaints or issues – we often talk about how quick resolution increases your chance for customer retention. We note that many customers feel better about the company when an issue is resolved quickly than if no issue had ever happened.

But when you think of service recovery and their impact on you, oftentimes you think of stress. When you’re on the phone or face-to-face with a griping customer, you may think “I’m dealing with an emotional customer” (or a raving lunatic, however you like to describe them). Your heart starts to pump, your temperature starts to rise; it’s not a situation that many of us find comfortable. It can create stress.

So when you’re considering how to deal with the situation, there is a benefit to you to resolve it quickly. A fast fix may reduce your stress. The longer the delay in identifying a solution, moving the customer to the next step, making that fix occur, the more time that you are dealing with the emotions, thinking, worrying.

On a more basic level, the longer it takes to deal with a complaint, the more likely you are to have to add items to a To Do list, to play phone tag with others, to send e-mails flying back and forth to co-worker and customer.

Please don’t misconstrue this advice to be to “give the customer whatever they want to get them off your back.” Instead, when faced with an opportunity to call the customer back the next day or take care of it while they’re on the phone, take care of it then. When given the options to resolve it over the next week or to begin the process now, begin. When you have a chance to get them in touch with your co-worker immediately or take their information and tell them someone will call them later in the week, handoff now.

Cut your stress by looking for the faster path to the fix.


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