— ©Janelle Barlow. All rights reserved. March 2023

Empathy Matters

I once received service that was so touching it turned me into a loyal customer—even though it was other parties that caused the complaint. Whoever displays empathy, regardless of responsibility for the complaint, gives a sense of connection that enables all troubles to float away.

— ©Janelle Barlow. All rights reserved. February 2023

Power of Reciprocity in Service

 The next time you receive excellent service, notice how it creates a feeling of obligation to return the favor. The ways consumers reciprocate a favor to a business is to return, purchase more, and then say good things about them.

 Psychologists call this effect “reciprocity.” Reciprocity can also be a useful psychological tool when a customer complains — perhaps even more powerful than offering discounts for future services or reduced fees for past services.

©Janelle Barlow. January 2023

When Cust complain, ask for business

I dropped off a complex print job that took almost fifteen minutes to explain. I left concerned as to whether my instructions would be followed precisely, especially since I had brought special paper on which the print run
would be printed. The price of this paper added dramatically to the cost of the printing.

When I returned to hopefully pick up1500 printed sheets of paper, I discovered a host of problems. One of the sheets had three times as many copies made as requested, which meant the shop ran out of my special paper, substituting a much lower quality paper for the remaining copies.