The Opportunity When You Can't Say Yes

While not saying "no" to a customer should always be your goal, sometimes the inability to say "yes" can also give you an opportunity to delight or wow. The key is to always tell the customer what you can do for them, not what you can't.

Here are two good examples.  I'm in New York City last week speaking and moderating a panel at a Jewelry Show.  Since I was driving to the city I brought my family with me for a mini-vacation.  I'm staying at a new Sheraton Four Points, which has small but well-appointed rooms.

Sunday night I called down to the housekeeping to request an extra bedspread and sheets for one of the girls to use to sleep on the floor.  Three times we called but got no answer. We called the front desk and still got no answer.

So I took the elevator down 25 floors to find two people working the front desk.   When one of them finally looked up I told her that I needed an extra blanket or quilt for my daughter to use as padding to sleep on the floor.  I barely got the words out of my mouth when she snapped, "We don't have extra bedspreads or rollaways."  And then silence.  She didn't offer a single alternative.

Not surprisingly, I was getting annoyed by now and snapped, "Great.  At least in the future please answer your phone so I don't have to come all the way down here to not be helped."  She frowned and said, "Well, I can get you some blankets and sheets if you want." At least Ms. Happy was now trying to help me.  I took her up on her offer and 10-minutes later housekeeping showed up with a couple of sheets.  Still not great but better than nothing.

Think about how this different this experience could have been if she had responded to my first request without saying "no."  She could have said, "I'd be happy to help make the floor a little more comfortable for your daughter.  While I don't have any extra bedspreads, I bet we can find something else.  Can I send someone up to your room in the next 10 minutes?"  With a response like that I could have cared totally forgiven my unanswered calls.

Simply telling me what she could do instead of what she couldn't do would have easily moved me from frustrated to delighted.

Here's a great example of not saying "no" and WOWing a customer.  Monday morning I went to the local Starbucks to order coffee.  The smiling barista told me, "We've had a problem with our coffee maker but I'll be happy to make you an Americano instead."  Then she added, "And I'll even make it on the house."

Not only did she not say "no," she WOW'd me by giving it to me at no charge.  And drinking the Americano reminded me how much better it is than a bold, and chances are I'll start drinking the higher priced Americano for now on.

This employee took a situation where she could have said no and sent me on my way, but instead she WOW'd me in a way that will result in my spending more money with her company. That is how you maximize the opportunity in not saying "yes."

So let me ask, do you and your team maximize the opportunity when you can't say yes?

Comments

[Justin]

Excellent article. This is excellent advice and further emphasizes the value in true "customer service", as in serving our customers, even if we can't please them 100% of the time.