Comments on: What to Say to a Porcupine – Part 3: Never Ever Say No http://blog.parature.com/customerserviceexperience/what-to-say-to-a-porcupine-part-3-never-ever-say-no/ The Parature Blog Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:02:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Rich Gallagher http://blog.parature.com/customerserviceexperience/what-to-say-to-a-porcupine-part-3-never-ever-say-no/comment-page-1/#comment-171 Rich Gallagher Tue, 02 Jun 2009 02:52:54 +0000 http://blog.parature.com/?p=69#comment-171 Thanks everyone for your kind words! To respond quickly: -Jill, good for you, good parents have a great head start on handling customer situations! I recently started practice as a family therapist, and it has been incredible to see the parallels between family and workplace communication. -Randi, I love your list! What I really like about these is that not only are they rude things to say, but they are "catch phrases" that we have all become programmed to react negatively to. This is why I also coach people to avoid the common phrases "I'm sorry" and "I understand" - the sentiments behind them are fine, just choose different words. -Frank, you are correct, this is one of the simplest techniques to implement, and in my own help desk experience, one of the quickest things people start picking up. -Doug, great question. I always focus on what *is* possible, because language is really important. Compare these two phrases and see what I mean: Bad: "I'm sorry, you'll have to upgrade to release X" Better: "I can see why you need this issue fixed. Here are a couple of options I can offer you - if you are ready for an upgrade, we have resolved this in release X. If you aren't ready for a full upgrade yet, I can also discuss some work-arounds you can use in the meantime." Both of these say exactly the same thing, but the way we process language is really important. Thanks everyone for your kind words! To respond quickly:

-Jill, good for you, good parents have a great head start on handling customer situations! I recently started practice as a family therapist, and it has been incredible to see the parallels between family and workplace communication.

-Randi, I love your list! What I really like about these is that not only are they rude things to say, but they are “catch phrases” that we have all become programmed to react negatively to.

This is why I also coach people to avoid the common phrases “I’m sorry” and “I understand” – the sentiments behind them are fine, just choose different words.

-Frank, you are correct, this is one of the simplest techniques to implement, and in my own help desk experience, one of the quickest things people start picking up.

-Doug, great question. I always focus on what *is* possible, because language is really important. Compare these two phrases and see what I mean:

Bad: “I’m sorry, you’ll have to upgrade to release X”
Better: “I can see why you need this issue fixed. Here are a couple of options I can offer you – if you are ready for an upgrade, we have resolved this in release X. If you aren’t ready for a full upgrade yet, I can also discuss some work-arounds you can use in the meantime.”

Both of these say exactly the same thing, but the way we process language is really important.

]]> By: MCE Round Table: Terrible Things We Do to Our Customers and Colleagues | Maximum Customer Experience Blog http://blog.parature.com/customerserviceexperience/what-to-say-to-a-porcupine-part-3-never-ever-say-no/comment-page-1/#comment-168 MCE Round Table: Terrible Things We Do to Our Customers and Colleagues | Maximum Customer Experience Blog Sat, 30 May 2009 09:25:09 +0000 http://blog.parature.com/?p=69#comment-168 [...] or Mars looking for pointers, they’d do well to take their cues from Rich Gallagher, writing What to Say to a Porcupine at The Parature Blog. He’s got smooth advice for service when you’re delivering bad [...] [...] or Mars looking for pointers, they’d do well to take their cues from Rich Gallagher, writing What to Say to a Porcupine at The Parature Blog. He’s got smooth advice for service when you’re delivering bad [...]

]]> By: Russ http://blog.parature.com/customerserviceexperience/what-to-say-to-a-porcupine-part-3-never-ever-say-no/comment-page-1/#comment-165 Russ Fri, 29 May 2009 01:12:14 +0000 http://blog.parature.com/?p=69#comment-165 I like your advice and approach Rich. Keep it simple and say "yes". Spend your time and efforts figuring out how to help the customer get it done. I like your advice and approach Rich. Keep it simple and say “yes”. Spend your time and efforts figuring out how to help the customer get it done.

]]> By: Doug http://blog.parature.com/customerserviceexperience/what-to-say-to-a-porcupine-part-3-never-ever-say-no/comment-page-1/#comment-163 Doug Thu, 28 May 2009 14:51:56 +0000 http://blog.parature.com/?p=69#comment-163 Similar to your "Out of warrantee" analogy is "The problem is fixed in release X, which is supported. However, the customer is not prepared (yet) to upgrade to X. How do you respond to this? Similar to your “Out of warrantee” analogy is “The problem is fixed in release X, which is supported. However, the customer is not prepared (yet) to upgrade to X. How do you respond to this?

]]> By: Frank Adams http://blog.parature.com/customerserviceexperience/what-to-say-to-a-porcupine-part-3-never-ever-say-no/comment-page-1/#comment-161 Frank Adams Thu, 28 May 2009 13:52:07 +0000 http://blog.parature.com/?p=69#comment-161 It sounds so simple! I shared this with my team today. It sounds so simple! I shared this with my team today.

]]> By: Randi Busse http://blog.parature.com/customerserviceexperience/what-to-say-to-a-porcupine-part-3-never-ever-say-no/comment-page-1/#comment-160 Randi Busse Thu, 28 May 2009 04:32:30 +0000 http://blog.parature.com/?p=69#comment-160 Great suggestion Rich. I coach the employees I train that they should eliminate the word "no" from their vocabulary. In addition, there are several other phrases that should also be eliminated. They are: I don’t know… We can’t do that... You’ll have to... It's our policy... It's not my department... I don't make the rules... We can change the way businesses treat their customers. It's just going to take us a while! :) Great suggestion Rich. I coach the employees I train that they should eliminate the word “no” from their vocabulary. In addition, there are several other phrases that should also be eliminated. They are:

I don’t know…
We can’t do that…
You’ll have to…
It’s our policy…
It’s not my department…
I don’t make the rules…

We can change the way businesses treat their customers. It’s just going to take us a while! :)

]]> By: Jill http://blog.parature.com/customerserviceexperience/what-to-say-to-a-porcupine-part-3-never-ever-say-no/comment-page-1/#comment-157 Jill Wed, 27 May 2009 23:41:56 +0000 http://blog.parature.com/?p=69#comment-157 I have used this as a parenting technique (learned from Parenting With Love and Logic) for my children's entire lives with wonderfully positve results. Since I was already in the habit of "not saying no", it has been easy for me to adapt this to the business environment, especially customer service. I have used this as a parenting technique (learned from Parenting With Love and Logic) for my children’s entire lives with wonderfully positve results. Since I was already in the habit of “not saying no”, it has been easy for me to adapt this to the business environment, especially customer service.

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