What to Say to a Porcupine: 20 Humorous Tales That Get to the Heart of Great Customer Service

126 Pages·2008·1.11 MB·English

by  Richard S. Gallagher

16831-What to Say 3/13/08 9:07 AM Page i
What to Say
to a
Porcupine
16831-What to Say 3/13/08 9:07 AM Page ii
This page intentionally left blank
16831-What to Say 3/20/08 10:48 AM Page iii
What to Say
to a
Porcupine
20
HUMOROUS TALES
THAT GET TO THE HEART OF
GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE
Richard S. Gallagher
American Management Association
New York • Atlanta • Brussels • Chicago • Mexico City • San Francisco
Shanghai • Tokyo • Toronto • Washington,D.C.
16831-What to Say 3/20/08 10:43 AM Page iv
Special discounts on bulk quantities of AMACOM books are
available to corporations,professional associations,and other
organizations.For details,contact Special Sales Department,
AMACOM,a division of American Management Association,
1601 Broadway,New York,NY 10019.
Tel.:[phone]. Fax:[phone].
Website:www.amacombooks.org
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative
information in regard to the subject matter covered.It is sold with the
understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal,
accounting,or other professional service.If legal advice or other expert
assistance is required,the services of a competent professional person
should be sought.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Gallagher,Richard S.
What to say to a porcupine :20 humorous tales that get to the heart /
of Great Customer Service Richard S.Gallagher.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN-13:978-0-8144-1055-4
ISBN-10:0-8144-1055-3
1.Customer services—Humor. 2.Customer services—Management—Humor.
3.Customer relations—Humor. I.Title.
HF5415.5.G353 2008
658.8'12—dc22
2008008103
© 2008 Richard S.Gallagher
All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America.
This publication may not be reproduced,stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted in whole or in part,in any form or by any means,electronic,
mechanical,photocopying,recording,or otherwise,without the prior written
permission of AMACOM,a division of American Management Association,
1601 Broadway,New York,NY 10019.
Printing number
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
16831-What to Say 3/13/08 9:07 AM Page v
To Colleen, my most blessed customer relationship
16831-What to Say 3/13/08 9:07 AM Page vi
This page intentionally left blank
16831-What to Say 3/13/08 9:07 AM Page vii
Contents
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction xiii
Section I
The Basics
Chapter 1. Send in the Clowns • 3
Moral: Make a good first impression
Chapter 2. Running with the Pack • 8
Moral: Listen to your customers
Chapter 3. My Big Fat Greek Chorus • 14
Moral: Don’t hassle your customers
Chapter 4. Squawk! • 18
Moral:Avoid negative expectation
Chapter 5. The Snipe Hunt • 23
Moral: Don’t be a snipe
vii
16831-What to Say 3/13/08 9:07 AM Page viii
Contents
Section II
On the Front Lines
Chapter 6. What to Say to a Porcupine • 29
Moral: Never confront someone who is prickly
Chapter 7. Bear with Me • 35
Moral: Good service is all in the mechanics
Chapter 8. Murphy’s Law Practice • 38
Moral: Shine when things go wrong
Chapter 9. Chilly Willy • 42
Moral: Silence isn’t golden
Chapter 10. Whatever • 47
Moral: Focus on your customer
Section III
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Chapter 11. The Knight Shift • 53
Moral: Treat customers with respect
Chapter 12. Piggies • 59
Moral: Good products don’t excuse bad service
Chapter 13. The Bee Line • 63
Moral: Respect diversity
viii
16831-What to Say 3/20/08 10:43 AM Page ix
Contents
Chapter 14. Going to the Dogs • 67
Moral: Use positive reinforcement
Section IV:
Service Strategy
Chapter 15. Shrink to Fit • 73
Moral: Get into your customers’heads
Chapter 16. Sloth Is Not a Vice • 77
Moral: Undercommit and overdeliver
Chapter 17. The Mopes • 82
Moral: You don’t have to be perky to give great service
Chapter 18. By a Hare • 86
Moral: Go the extra mile
Section V:
You and Your Service Team
Chapter 19. Can I Help You? • 91
Moral: You can’t create good service with rules
Chapter 20. The Coach • 95
Moral: Motivation is all about them, not just you
Epilogue: Good Service Is More Than a Fable • 99
Index 109
About the Author 111
ix