Just say "YES" to Your Customer

You walk into your supermarket with a store coupon that expired yesterday. You ask the cashier if they would honor the coupon. “No” the cashier responds. No explanation, no apology, just “No.” You leave the store feeling angry and unappreciated.

Or perhaps you call a local business asking if they would stay open a few minutes longer because you are caught in traffic and you hear “No.” You leave the conversation feeling frustrated and upset.

If you counted the amount of times you are told “No” from the very people who depend on your good will and business your head would spin. How many times after being told “No” do you make a mental note to never go back to that establishment.

Saying “No” is generally the lazy response from a disinterested person, or at least that is how it feels to hear it.

How many times do you say “No” to your customers or clients? Perhaps you hide behind policies and procedures. Do you really think that it feels better to hear “Sorry, No, it’s our policy?” Probably not.

But obviously we can’t say “Yes” every time our customer asks for something. So how do we know when to say “Yes” without it becoming a problem? Put it through a very simple filter that I learned from a friend. If it isn’t illegal, immoral or unethical, say “YES.”

Instead of saying “No,” the next time, stop, take a breath, and say “let me see what I can do.” Then do something, find a way around the issue, call a supervisor, be creative. Even if you can’t say “YES!” you can show the customer that you are doing everything possible.

When you say “YES!” you are showing your customer that you value their business and that you care about their best interest. Let them know you are as loyal to them as you want them to be to you.

Just say YES!