I just finished a great chat session with someone at Google. I needed something swapped out on an account and couldn’t figure out how to do it. So I clicked the chat button in the help page and a few minutes later I was chatting with a great customer service rep. What a thankless job. People come to you because they need something fixed. They probably weren’t expecting the inconvenience and so they’re often cranky. Having been the person with a stick up their rear more than once, I need to apologize for it. A cheery and helpful customer service rep can make a world of difference!

Yesterday I heard a great podcast interview with Mario Batali. Yeah, sales lessons from Molto Mario- who saw that coming? He said something that I really liked. He empowers his team members to make sure the customer has the best experience. “We don’t put parmesan cheese on this dish, but you asked for it, so here it is!” He wants his customers happy. I’ve been to a couple of his restaurants, and Eataly, his amazing food emporium in New York City. It’s amazing – who isn’t happier grocery shopping with a glass of wine in their hand?

Give your team the tools they need to help your customers. Empower your team to do what’s right, don’t hold them back. There’s a ton of things we do each day that can make or break our day, or someone else’s.

I still can’t find nice things to say about Comcast, and it’s because it always seems they can’t do something I asked. A few years ago I was having so many issues with Comcast, I would call and ask directly for the supervisor, it was just easier than wasting my time. I hate that. Don’t be Comcast. Be Google.

Give your team the tools they need. Don’t waste your customers time. They’ll leave you.