Who Likes the Word 'No'?

I have been asking this a lot recently at work: 'Who likes to be told - 'No'? In meetings, in induction sessions with new staff (as part of customer service training), during customer service sessions to learners as part of careers and skills week and during discussions with my team. Funnily enough, no-one ever puts their hand up to agree that they like the word No!!!

No-one likes being told 'No'. From the very beginning of our lives when we push the boundaries as children and teenagers to adults wanting everything now, at the touch of a button. No is something that our parents and grandparents would hear, but not in the 21st century.

So if we don't like people telling us 'No', why would we tell our customers 'No'?

I am a big believer that anything is possible apart from getting over paying tax, and death. I am a big believer in saying yes and then working out how to do it.

I want to clarify at this point that when a customer is being rude, doing something immoral or illegal or against company policy, then of course 'No' is the only answer. But even then, 'No' can be used in a positive way; how I hear you say?

Because we all do have to use the word 'No' at some point: in work, in our lives when turning down an event or night out for instance. We hate doing it as we don't want to disappoint and we feel bad but what if we could say 'No' and it not feel bad?

Well its simple. Say 'No' but have a solution at the end of it so the other person does not feel the process or conversation is ended. Because we want a solution to enable us to get what we need and also to make it easy. By just saying 'No' it means we have to go away and find out more information to get to the end point. What if we did that for our customers, internal (in our daily jobs with colleagues) and external (our paying customers)?

The world would be a much happier place if we were solutions driven as these examples prove:

• "No, don't put that there" but you say instead, "Please give that to me and I will sort it for you, or

• "No, we don't have that in right now" and you say instead, "Although we don't have that right now, it is coming in next week, so let me take your name and number and I will ring you when it arrives."

• "No, I cannot sort that right now as the 'computer says no'" and you say instead, "I am sorry but I cannot check that right now, let me take your name and number and I will ring you back when our systems are working."

• "No, I cannot attend that event" could be "I am sorry but I cannot attend that event, but let me know when the next one is and I will make sure I am there."

We all need solutions in our fast paced, noisy lives full of admin. I dealt with this this morning with an energy company. The sales person told me why he had to say no to a request I made about paying standing charges and he then offered me a solution and completed the transaction within the 10 minutes I asked for it to be completed. Customer delight indeed!

So remember, why you consider saying no to someone ...... chances are you don't like the word either.

Say yes to every opportunity that comes your way and then just figure out how to do it!