old mea culpa routine that endears you to everyone, especially when
they realize it wasnt your fault.
Residents of Toronto, Canada, have a well-earned reputation for grace.
They demonstrated it last year in a downtown Toronto drugstore. A shopper
attempted to stroll out through the security system with a purloined object
in his pocket. Instead of a shrill alarm shattering all shoppers eardrums, as
in many American cities, a tasteful little chime sounded. A charming voice
came across the public address. Excuse us, we have failed to inactivate the
inventory control system. Thank you for your patience while you wait for a
customer care representative to come help you. Isnt that a nicer way of
saying Freeze, punk, while we come frisk you?
Now lets move on to the next technique to keep people from messing
upand to help them give you their very best.
Technique #89
Leave an Escape Hatch
Whenever you catch someone lying, filching, exaggeating, distorting, or
deceiving, dont confront the dirty duck directly. Unless it is your
responsibility to catch or correct the culpritor unless you are saving other
innocent victims by doing solet the transgressor out of your trap with his
tricky puss in one piece. Then resolve never to gaze upon it again.
How to Get Whatever You Want from Service Personnel
A complimentary letter is called a buttercup because it butters up the
recipient. Buttercups are nice. Even nicer are buttercups about someone to
their boss.
I once needed a massive photocopying job. It was so immense that the
assistant manager of Staples office-supply store didnt think it could be
finished by the end of the week. Nevertheless, grudgingly, he grumbled, Ill
try. In my enthusiasm and hope he could, I gushed, Wow, youre great!
Whats your bosss name? Your supervisor should get a letter of
congratulations on hiring you. You really try harder for your customers. To
my astonis ment, not only was my printing job done two days early, but
every time I walk into Staples, the assistant manager rolls out the red carpet.
Hmm, I began to think. I may be on to something. A prmature letter of
commendation for favors not yet received could be a clever tactic. I decided
to check it out with a few heavy hiters on my consultation list.
One fellow I know, Tim, a top travel agent, is a real can-do guy. He gets
anything his friends ask for in a finger snap. Hes the fellow to call when
ooja
(Ooja)
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