What part of, "No", don't you understand?
Apparently most of it. "No", might be the most mis-used concept in all of business. It is used indiscriminately when it should be actively avoided. It is diligently avoided when it should be used liberally.

Customer Service "No"
Unfortunately, it's often easier for the person in customer service or technical support to say, "No", than it is to say, "Yes". This is because they are often presented with the opportunity to solve for ambiguity in an environment of being measured by service level metrics. So the individual customer service or technical support person can choose to go for the quick close (which makes their metrics look good), or try to solve a customer problem that they might be able to argue isn't directly in their span of responsibility. In such a case, the best outcome for the customer and the company is some form of "Yes" and the most likely and safest approach for the customer service person is "No". This is a management problem.

• I'm sorry
• I can't
• I don't know
• We don't handle that
• I'm not sure
• Our policy is
• That's not my job

Negotiating "No"
When negotiating a business arrangement with a customer or vendor, the context often introduces pressure for the negotiator to agree with the offer. To do so avoids conflict and added work. This is frequently ineffective for the company, and even health of the overall relationship. So when we need more, "No", how can we get it with minimal conflict?

Validate first, analyze/discuss the point of difference, counteroffer
Pressure cooker - "You'll have to do better than that."
Guilt - "I could do that, but then I'd have to polish my resume."

FastWrap
When the easiest, most stress-free approach for the person in direct contact with the customer or vendor is often the wrong approach, training and leadership are required to ensure the organization performs beyond mediocrity.

Randall S. Pearson

© Pearrari Solutions, Inc.