Recently I visited a Big Box store to find a water filter for my refrigerator. Nothing was where I had seen it last, so I enlisted the help of an associate who checked the store's computer and located said item. Two minutes and a couple mouse clicks later versus a half hour of wandering and the filter was in my hand. I expressed my gratitude with a resounding "Thank you!" to which my young almost-new-best-friend replied, "No problem!" with equal enthusiasm.
"What was that?" I said.
"No problem!" he said again, still smiling.
"Oh," I said, feeling confused.
Had I just been dissed? Wasn't the expected response to my thanks supposed to be "you're welcome"? What did "no problem" mean? Had there been a problem? Did I have something to do with that problem?? My joy at receiving his help suddenly faded.
Responding to my look of bewilderment, my new acquaintance asked, "Is something wrong?" No doubt he thought he had just provided me a most excellent shopping experience and was probably anticipating glowing remarks from me to his manager about his outstanding customer service. At this point I was torn between delivering a brief but well-meaning lecture or letting go of the exchange and consigning the experience to the inevitable devolution of social niceties. Not one to overlook the opportunity of a teaching moment, I decided on the former, and here's why.
"What was that?" I said.
"No problem!" he said again, still smiling.
"Oh," I said, feeling confused.
Had I just been dissed? Wasn't the expected response to my thanks supposed to be "you're welcome"? What did "no problem" mean? Had there been a problem? Did I have something to do with that problem?? My joy at receiving his help suddenly faded.
Responding to my look of bewilderment, my new acquaintance asked, "Is something wrong?" No doubt he thought he had just provided me a most excellent shopping experience and was probably anticipating glowing remarks from me to his manager about his outstanding customer service. At this point I was torn between delivering a brief but well-meaning lecture or letting go of the exchange and consigning the experience to the inevitable devolution of social niceties. Not one to overlook the opportunity of a teaching moment, I decided on the former, and here's why.
cont'd
Mind Yours
Miss Manners had the right idea when she admonished us to employ our pleases and thank yous. For the most part, people seem to engage those two phrases reliably and at the appropriate intersections of personal interaction. The missing sibling, "you're welcome", appears to have run off (or has been run off) without a backward glance roughly a decade ago, supplanted by the now ubiquitous "no problem".
But 'no problem' is a problem. Despite the best of intentions, "you're welcome" and "no problem" are not interchangeable, never have been, and, in my very not so humble opinion, never should be. "No problem" delivers neither acknowledgement nor acceptance of "thank you." As a response, "no problem" is dismissive of both the thanks offered and of the person offering thanks. Whether we're conscious of it or not, how does that feel? Think about it for a moment. Is that really what you want to convey? In a business context, this can have unintended negative consequences.
So, here's the thing with words: they have definitions, they carry intent, and they most certainly will fight back against misuse, even if only temporarily or subconsciously. Sometimes they lose the battle and fall out of common usage to be replaced by more contemporary phrases or acronyms. Often they're not missed and life goes on as if they never existed. And, like the double images our eyes see but our brains translate, filling in the missing pieces to form one meaningful picture, often we are fooled into believing the substitute is the same as the original.
However, on a deeper level, we interpret what we hear somewhat more literally. We hear "no problem" and we see the smiling person who just said those words with the sincerity of someone who really believes they meant something positive, yet in the depths of our brains we know that something doesn't feel quite right, that, in truth, there is a problem in there somewhere, otherwise why would someone go to the trouble of negating it?
I Feel You
Companies that understand and deliver excellent customer service have addressed this head on. Several years ago I had the occasion to stay at the Disney Hotel in California. The personal attention and service expressed value in a way I had not often experienced elsewhere. While the accommodations were wonderful and thoughtfully designed and delivered, it was the staff with whom I interacted during my stay that really stood out. And they did so because of one single phrase that was the cornerstone response to any request or acknowledgement, including "thank you". It was: "My pleasure!" Now, roll that one around in your head for a moment. How does it feel? Better than "No problem"? Sure does.
As with all things Disney, this was no accident. The staff, from ticket taker to concierge, are well coached. And from the volume of business and the stellar reputation Disney enjoys, it's worth every penny of their investment. This payoff from good will goes well beyond guests' initial experience. It extends to the perception of everything attached to the name Disney. Because of this, the company doesn't have to rely on up selling in that annoying way so many companies have trained their customer service reps to answer phones or 'suggest' additional services or products to customers at the register. One simple, meaningful phrase, delivered with sincerity and a smile does it all and does it effortlessly. More than that, it fosters positivity.
So, back to my helper. I shared my theory of "no problem" and Disney's solution. It elicited a "wow" and a look of epiphany. What more could I hope than that?
As I left, he said, "Thanks."
"You're welcome," I said, as I went to find his manager to tell him what great customer service I just received.
How do you let your customers know they matter? What experience would you like them to take away and share with others?
Mind Yours
Miss Manners had the right idea when she admonished us to employ our pleases and thank yous. For the most part, people seem to engage those two phrases reliably and at the appropriate intersections of personal interaction. The missing sibling, "you're welcome", appears to have run off (or has been run off) without a backward glance roughly a decade ago, supplanted by the now ubiquitous "no problem".
But 'no problem' is a problem. Despite the best of intentions, "you're welcome" and "no problem" are not interchangeable, never have been, and, in my very not so humble opinion, never should be. "No problem" delivers neither acknowledgement nor acceptance of "thank you." As a response, "no problem" is dismissive of both the thanks offered and of the person offering thanks. Whether we're conscious of it or not, how does that feel? Think about it for a moment. Is that really what you want to convey? In a business context, this can have unintended negative consequences.
So, here's the thing with words: they have definitions, they carry intent, and they most certainly will fight back against misuse, even if only temporarily or subconsciously. Sometimes they lose the battle and fall out of common usage to be replaced by more contemporary phrases or acronyms. Often they're not missed and life goes on as if they never existed. And, like the double images our eyes see but our brains translate, filling in the missing pieces to form one meaningful picture, often we are fooled into believing the substitute is the same as the original.
However, on a deeper level, we interpret what we hear somewhat more literally. We hear "no problem" and we see the smiling person who just said those words with the sincerity of someone who really believes they meant something positive, yet in the depths of our brains we know that something doesn't feel quite right, that, in truth, there is a problem in there somewhere, otherwise why would someone go to the trouble of negating it?
I Feel You
Companies that understand and deliver excellent customer service have addressed this head on. Several years ago I had the occasion to stay at the Disney Hotel in California. The personal attention and service expressed value in a way I had not often experienced elsewhere. While the accommodations were wonderful and thoughtfully designed and delivered, it was the staff with whom I interacted during my stay that really stood out. And they did so because of one single phrase that was the cornerstone response to any request or acknowledgement, including "thank you". It was: "My pleasure!" Now, roll that one around in your head for a moment. How does it feel? Better than "No problem"? Sure does.
As with all things Disney, this was no accident. The staff, from ticket taker to concierge, are well coached. And from the volume of business and the stellar reputation Disney enjoys, it's worth every penny of their investment. This payoff from good will goes well beyond guests' initial experience. It extends to the perception of everything attached to the name Disney. Because of this, the company doesn't have to rely on up selling in that annoying way so many companies have trained their customer service reps to answer phones or 'suggest' additional services or products to customers at the register. One simple, meaningful phrase, delivered with sincerity and a smile does it all and does it effortlessly. More than that, it fosters positivity.
So, back to my helper. I shared my theory of "no problem" and Disney's solution. It elicited a "wow" and a look of epiphany. What more could I hope than that?
As I left, he said, "Thanks."
"You're welcome," I said, as I went to find his manager to tell him what great customer service I just received.
How do you let your customers know they matter? What experience would you like them to take away and share with others?
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