It has been my experience that all business owners and managers have their own values of customer service, which we try to identify in the seminar, Creating A Culture of Customer Service. It is each owner/operator's choice to prioritize the ranking that customer service has in their organizational values and culture.

The following are some of the requirements to land your business in the customer service Hall of Infamy:

1.   Never smile and a greet a customer - after all, you showed up for work didn't you -- what more do they want? 

2.   Always tell a customer with a plaint that you can't fix it because it is not your job or it goes against company procedure.

3.   Never make eye contact with a customer when they e to the desk or counter.

4.   Never ask a customer "How may I help you?" - after all if they want something they will ask.

5.   Never interrupt a personal phone call to answer the other line when it rings. After all, if it is important they will call back and that is what voice messaging is for. Never interrupt a personal phone call when a customer approaches you - ignore them and they will go away.

6.   Make certain that neither you nor your employees e out of the back office when a customer enters and either of you are doing paperwork.

7.   Always take a break or close up shop at the appointed hour regardless of how many customers are present.

8.   Never empower an employee to give an unhappy customer's money back and if they do, make certain that you penalize them.

9.   Never offer to see if you can procure an article for a customer that you don't have or that lies somewhere beyond your fingertips.

10. Never respond to a negative customer service survey or a written letter of plaint. Ignore it and if you are an employee, destroy the evidence.

When we make it as difficult as possible to do business with us, those pesky customers won't annoy us for long. 

We invite you to email your favorite behaviors to add to our list. Send them to me,