Last Friday, I went to the new Northwell Urgent Care two blocks from my office. (I’m fine now.) It was a well-designed customer experience, and so different from the typical medical office intake, that it’s... Continue reading
“Why can’t we keep our customers happy?!?” a CEO called out during a meeting with his department heads. “Just take care of the problems! What’s the big fuss?!?” And he meant it. But that was... Continue reading
One day last week, in New York City for meetings, I was waiting in line at a subway MetroCard machine, and noticed that the woman behind me was practically vibrating with anger and frustration. Technically,... Continue reading
Whichever software platforms and development methods an organization relies on, the features and functionality that users want aren’t always available. As the Rolling Stones song goes, “if you try sometimes, well, you might find /... Continue reading
Have you experienced the stress of a complex, high-ticket customer-supplier relationship going awry? The problem often occurs when there’s a mismatch between the customer’s expectations and what the supplier has available and can actually deliver... Continue reading
“Tell me why you chose this place,” I said to the colleague I met at a hotel during an otherwise successful trip to Baltimore. “I always like the Kimpton properties,” she answered. “Why, did you... Continue reading
On Thanksgiving morning a few years ago, at the Hampton Inn in South Kingstown, RI, my teenage daughter dropped an earring into the sink drain. I consulted with the extremely pleasant young woman at the... Continue reading
If the correct thing to do isn’t obvious or easy enough, we usually do whatever seems best at that moment, even if it violates norms. When norms are violated multiple times, though, they generate a... Continue reading
When a business has to fight for every sale, the idea of intentionally turning customers away seems like sacrilege. In fact, taking advantage of customers is such a common societal trope that there’s a plethora... Continue reading
If an apology is observably insincere, what’s the point? Politicians, celebrities, and athletes are often taken to task for pro forma or grudging apologies that don’t express true remorse, take responsibility, show recognition of the... Continue reading
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