The Answer is “Yes”

One of my clients is a large, well-known retail jeweler. The family has trained their staff in an interesting way. Their motto when a customer approaches with that curious look is pretty simple. They say, “The answer is yes. What’s your question?” The result has led to some very interesting requests, from large, one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces to something as unusual as a gold-tipped fireplace poker.

The point of this, of course, is that this jewelry family aims to please their customers without regard to the extremes of client requests. And their efforts over the years have paid off.

Like everyone, they were affected by the “Great Recession” several years ago, but that didn’t change their focus on customer service. And their business? Well, they have expanded greatly and have more than doubled their sales over the last five years.

This store’s success is likely the result of many things, but customer service is surely one of them. So the next time a customer approaches you with that curious look, tell her the answer is yes, and ask ‘what’s your question.’

Keep Your Cool

We all get frustrated or angry at times and tend to take it out on those closest to us. It could be family, friends, or co-workers, but regardless, we often dish out negative energy on those we love and care about the most. I’m not a psychiatrist, but I know when my actions and reactions reflect a less than admirable trait in my behavior, and so do you.

Instead of reacting with our “inner child,” a better method might be to slow our emotions down and rise above the need to blow off steam. In fact, our ability to turn a negative into a positive is always available to us, if we only engage that behavior with a more mature level of thinking.

I’m not saying that I’ll never get mad when I hit a golf ball out of bounds, or when my computer decides to crash, or when my next airline flight is delayed for two hours, but I can certainly step back and put these normal life events into better perspective. Doing so will make me a better person to those closest to me, or to anyone I touch during the day.

Here are a few Business and Life tips to think about:

Business Tips

• There is no substitute for quality preparation in almost any pursuit in business. Are you committed to prepare properly?
• Integrity is being fair and balanced in any partnership so as to create a win for each person. Win-win is the best outcome of all.
• Building your brand is all about delivering a consistent, dependable product or service, one that completes the promise you have made.

Life Tips

• Want to change the world? Start closer to home. Change yourself. Care more, give more, and expect nothing in return.
• Opportunity often lies in the unknown, so seeking new ideas, new concepts, and new discoveries is key.
• We put things off, thinking problems or challenges will simply go away. Deal with issues that come your way. Don’t procrastinate.

Tags: Advice, Business Tips, Crisis Management, Customer Service, Leadership Excellence, Leadership Skills, Life Tips, Personal Development, Relationships, Reputation