Monica Postell

There’s a customer service skill that I particularly like because of its power to impact customer satisfaction. It’s called “give to get.” In essence “give to get’ suggests that rather than acting like the Grand Inquisitor, I should provide some information – like what’s in it for you or why I need whatever I’m asking about – before asking for it. I find it fosters cooperation, nets better results, and truly encourages collaboration if I do that rather than demanding information from customers without explanation.

It strikes me that the concept also applies to customer service, technical support, and sales situations in which you’re trying to promote a solution to a problem. Scott Anthony wrote about the “curse of knowledge” in a ...

As a customer, how do I know what I want… if I don’t know what’s possible? It’s as though I’m blindfolded.

I was on a flight recently. We’d just been advised to turn off all electronic devices so I had to close my Kindle and was forced to choose between quiet contemplation and reading the airline’s Sky Mall catalogue one more time. Perhaps because I was 3 hours into a less than customer-focused flight experience, the idea of enriching customer experience came to mind. And I went with it.

The idea of “adding value” popped into my head. At first glance, adding value certainly sounds like a good thing—not so much the “adding” part as the “value” part of the concept. I subscribe to...

I’m inspired. I want to be a HERO, but not just any kind of hero. I want to be a Highly Empowered and Resourceful Operative.

I learned about this cool designation from a Harvard Business Review article (July/August 2010) by Josh Bernoff and Ted Schadler entitled “...

For me, job enrichment is all about providing mental stimulation and opportunities to grow professionally so your employees – especially the talented ones that you and your customers appreciate so much – stay both happy and with you.

I just returned from facilitating the classroom portion of our blended Getting to the HEART of Telephone Sales™ training for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhodes Island. I was working with a newly formed team recruited from existing customer service reps and it struck me, “Wow, this is a terrific example of job enrichment!”

Before I explain how, I have to commend Diane Camella, Director of Training, and Al Means, Senior Trainer, for the really smart and very effective manner in...