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Running a Micro, Blog · July 14, 2016

Never Say These Things to Your Customer

You are here: Home / Running a Micro / Never Say These Things to Your Customer

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Adapted for teenage micro business owners from:

15 Things Retailers Should Never Say

Negative Customer Service Phrases to Avoid

By Shari Waters, for About.com

Shari has a great list of 15 things to never say to a customer.  Most apply to a retail business, like a store in a mall, so I pared down her list to those that most apply to teenage micro business owners.

1. I Don’t Know

Customers don’t expect retailers to know everything, but when it comes to answering a product question or other inquiry, they do expect the salesperson to be confident enough in their knowledge of the business to provide an answer.

Better: “That’s a good question. Let me find out for you.”

3. Calm Down

There may not be a more infuriating phrase in customer service than this one. If a customer has reached a boiling point and is ranting away, the best thing to say is nothing. Let the customer finish. Once he or she has gotten everything out, they will begin to feel better and may be more receptive to a solution.

Better: “I apologize.”

8. I Can’t Do That

This is another negative customer service phrase that should be banned from all store staff.

Better: “What I can do is ___.”

14. I’m Busy Right Now

Have you ever said, or heard, the following? “If it weren’t for customers, I could get some work done.” If you are in retail, chances are you’ve at least thought it. The truth is, without customers retailers wouldn’t have a job.

Better: “I’d be happy to help you.”

 

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My book, Running a Micro Business, has more tips on serving your customers.

 

Carol Topp, CPA is the author of the Micro Business for Teens

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Related posts:

  1. 10 Commandments of Customer Service
  2. Making the Sale. Tips for your Micro Business. Dollars and Sense Show #24
  3. How to find your customers. Marketing and creating a customer profile podcast
  4. A Customer Doesn’t Pay Your Micro Business. Dollars and Sense Show #25
  5. 5 Reasons Entreapreneurship Should Be Part of Every Education

Filed Under: Running a Micro, Blog Tagged With: customer service, entrepreneur, micro business, teen, teenager

Carol Topp, CPA

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tyloid says

    April 15, 2010 at 2:11 am

    This is the first time I went on your site and i must say it quite enjoyed it. I appreciated the fact that not only did say what not to do but that you also had a suggestion.

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From a parent

Thank you for your e-book on teen micro businesses. Your valuable experience and wealth of knowledge is vast.

Your presentations at Cincinnati homeschool conferences and sharing with us over the years have benefited us well.

I can hardly believe we are at this point in our life-and here he is a young man ready to try his fortune with the world.

-Mandy S

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