Category: Customers and customer service

  • Resolving to separate the person from the problem

    Many of us have resolved to be nicer to others in 2016, probably for ethical reasons. Yet, since this is a negotiations blog, I might also note that being nice to others—in the form of “separating the people from the problem”—also carries some important practical benefits. In many situations—but especially when dealing with incompetent service…

  • Get rid of that fee! Three strategies for negotiating without power

    “Fee.” The very word strikes fear, especially when we see it popping up on our own credit card, bank, or cell phone bill. Is there any hope of eliminating a fee once it appears? It’s negotiable more often than it seems. But since the party imposing a fee holds all of the cards, making it…

  • Don’t let them sell you! Disarming the aggressive salesperson through ratification

    Do you remember the last 24-hour period in which no one tried to sell you something? Can’t say that I do. From ever-cheaper utilities to ever-faster Wi-Fi, it seems that everyone is selling. And while slamming the door or ending the call is often the obvious option, uncomfortable instances remain when—thanks to the salesperson’s guile…