We Are Really Sorry For You, But…

I lost my mobile telephone. The telephone company told me to file a police report and then come down to their office to buy a new phone.

When I arrived, the counter staff member was helpful and understanding. She gave me a discount on my new phone purchase and a free replacement SIM card holding my personal account details. I was pleased and grateful.

Five months later I lost my handphone again! This time I knew what to do. I filed a new police report and went back to the company to buy a new phone.

The counter staff member was helpful and understanding, but she gave me neither a discount on the new phone nor a free replacement SIM card. I asked if she had forgotten, or if the company policy had changed.

She replied, We are very sorry that you lost the phone, and our policy is to give a discount and a free SIM card to make things a little easier for you. But our records show you lost your phone five months ago, and we can only feel sorry for you once a year.

Key Learning Point
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Generosity is a good service policy whenever your customers need help. If they need help twice, be generous twice. (No one loses their mobile phone twice on purpose.)

Action Steps
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Look for situations where your company policy restricts the flow of generosity towards customers who have a problem. Change the policy. Don't hold back. Give generously when customers need you. Over time they will reward you.

Ron Kaufman is an internationally acclaimed educator and motivator for partnerships and quality customer service. He is author of the bestselling "UP Your Service!" and founder of "UP Your Service College". Visit http://www.UpYourService.com for more such Customer Service articles, subscribe to his Newsletter, or to buy his bestselling Books, Videos, Audio CDs on Customer Service from his secure Online Store. You can also watch Ron live or listen to him at http://www.RonKaufman.com.

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