There is something special that happens when someone takes the time to put pen to paper and leave a thank you for your kindness or business. I was recently a guest at Crowne Plaza in Philadelphia and I left a tip for the housekeeper. (Note: I really am a good hotel guest, I don’t leave a mess and my towels are always hung up.) Even though I always leave a tip for the housekeeper something different happened. This time I got a note back from her. I was delighted.

Ever been frustrated when you ask someone who works in a place of business about a product and they really can’t answer your questions? Trained associates can help. As detailed in The Gourmet Retailer,  The International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association (IDDBA), Madison, Wis., has partnered with LearnSomething, Inc. (LS), Tallahassee, Fla., prominent cheese manufacturers DCI Cheese Company, Président and Land O’Lakes, and several major retailers to produce “Cheese: Product Knowledge for Retail Staff.” This is an online training program that teaches cheese and deli department associates how to engage customers and deliver cheese solutions to meet shopper needs.

I’ve put a twist on the KISS acronym we’ve all heard before. In case you haven’t heard of it before, KISS stands for Keep It Simple, Stupid.

This funny little phrase reminds us that life is much easier if we keep things simple. When we make things too complicated, we freak out worrying how we’ll get things done, or how we’ll ever achieve the level of perfection we desire.

An example of “Drive-By” Communication is when you swing by someone’s desk to ask or tell them something. You say what you wanted to say, then you go on your merry way without a clue what kind of impact your conversation just had on the other person. You have no idea if they understood you clearly or if they’re capable of doing what you requested.

11 Ideas* for Companies and Customers (*An extra idea because times are tough!)

In these economic times, when our nerves are raw and we are stretched like a rubber-band ready to snap…we all need a kinder hand, a kinder voice…just plain more kindness in our life.

The perennial cry from CEOs around the globe is that they are focused on their customers.  It is their A-#1 mission, the critical job of their company – and everything emanates from understanding what customers need and want and delivering on it.  You may have said this yourself.

Starting a customer service improvement initiative is challenging for most organizations. I’ve seen countless leaders so frustrated over where to begin that they don’t begin at all. The question of how to get things started freezes some initiatives in their tracks, and what could’ve been a successful improvement initiative never gets out of the gate.

Here are three ideas for getting started:

Every company is (or should be) concerned about how they serve their customers. But many company leaders and managers have no idea what their customers want from them. They don’t know what customer consider good or bad) customer service. And it can be hard to really, truly know what your customers want.

Until now.

Perhaps the headline of this post offends you. You are thinking, “I’m honest with my customers; I pride myself on being ethical.”

Unfortunately, too many “ethical” companies, comprised of many ethical people, lie to their customers on a regular basis. Not necessarily big lies, or calculated lies, but rather broken promises. From the broadest advertising campaign promise, to a commitment made by an individual employee, any time a promise made to a customer is broken, they’ve been lied to.

I was having lunch with my best childhood friend, Eileen. I was telling her that I am working on a booklet on How to Greet Your Customer. She mentioned that when she was 16 she worked for her father who was a CPA. She told me how when she started her job she was given rigorous training in customer service and phone skills. Apparently at the time, Michigan Bell, trained people on the appropriate way to use their switchboards and talk to customers.

Much of how we help people deliver better customer service is with examples. These are fun and useful because we all have them (since we’re all customers.) And sometimes it helps to look at examples of things we shouldn’t say to customers. That is, if we want them to keep coming back.

So, here is my top 10 list of things you should never say to a customer:

1. “Now just calm down.”

Chet Phillips, Boardman Oregon’s new mayor understands the importance of a great greeting.

In an article in the East Oregonian, Erin Mills reports about Phillips first city council meeting. At this meeting Phillips announced his “Welcome to Boardman” campaign. He has asked all business owners to greet every new customer with “Welcome to Boardman.”