The customer is always right. No they’re not.
Some customers are a little annoying The simple reality is some customers are a little annoying and frustrating. Some can't make up their mind,...
How to give a good apology: a three-step formula
Apologizing is a tricky business In case you’re wondering, yes, I agree. We shouldn’t have to help people give a good apology. But the...
How to Master Tough Conversations. The Golden Rule: Only Use Facts. (It’s harder than you think.)
First, the video (It has captions so you can watch it without disturbing others.) Second, the transcript. What's the one thing? Hi, I'm Mark McPherson. After...
What to ask instead of: Where are you from?
Where are you from? and Where were you born? Have you ever heard someone ask ‘Where are you from?’ Or perhaps ‘Where were you...
The Complainer: one of the 52 types of difficult people.
#41: The Complainer We've all complained about something, right? Have you ever said to someone you’re unhappy about something? And gone on to say you...
Nine handy hints for giving compliments (and avoiding the pitfalls)
It’s a tricky business Giving a compliment is easy, isn’t it? Well, yes. It is. But here’s the thing. If you’re not very careful...
The six essential ingredients for delivering a brilliant customer experience. Have you got them covered?
I'm on holidays I couldn’t be happier. I’m on holidays and sitting in one of my favourite cafes. And I’m looking forward to relaxing...
If someone doesn’t ‘get’ what you’re talking about, do everyone a favour: say it’s your fault.
Trevor asked for a second chance My friend Trevor told me a story and it went like this: "Earlier in the week I was at...
The Patronizer: one of the 52 types of difficult people.
#37: The Patronizer: a devil in disguise. The Patronizer is condescending. How’s your little job going? It was a Saturday morning and as usual I was...
Things to avoid saying when suggesting an idea
Twenty odd years ago we had a rule for my team at work. It went like this: “When we make a suggestion, put forward...