Do not tell them what you cannot do
When you are a customer and you have an issue with a vendor you would like to hear what will be done about your problem, not what will not happen. Most likely you are already upset because there is a problem with what you bought. Then you probably endured the telephone and voice mail jungles. Topping this off is some script following person who gives you a few paragraphs about what will most certainly not happen. Ready to go off like a Pershing rocket? I usually am by that time.
When you are the business owner or the service manager turning this around is really easy. You establish the things and the authority with which your service representatives can solve the average issue by themselves – without manager approval. There are a lot of easy solutions out there than you think. Customer service is all about providing options. Together with your service reps ponder them and generate an option list. Now they can tell a customer something along the lines of “I cannot do this, but you are in luck! We can do A, B or C by in x,y and z time frame and money”. Tada! You completely switch the conversation dynamics around and the rockets can stay on the launch pad.
Ralf
