Ice Chip #218
Last week we focused on the word “NO” and how it can be used appropriately and effectively.
In sales and customer service there is a two word phrase that is very common, and quite frankly–over used.
The phrase is: “No Problem”.
In the last week, think about how many times you have been in a business, sales, customer service, or personal situation — in conversation with another person; discussing an issue. AND one of you has used the phrase: “No Problem” — thinking you were putting the other person at ease.
Using the word “problem” brings the potential of one to the fore front. (Why would you want to do that?)
If you are providing customer service and want your customer to feel confident about your service you provided — consider using these two words instead:
My pleasure.
This comment avoids negating both the value you have offered and the sense of value your conversation partner received.
Remember the Ice is committed to its vision of eradicating “(K)notty Words” from the language landscape. It can extend to the use of phrases as well. The result is more effective communication.
I received a very nice comment from an RTI fan in Debary FL this past weekend. Pamela Mayer shared this:
Hi Bob, so good to hear from you. I think about you all the time as I am still struggling to change my inner monologue to a more positive one. I will keep working on it, meditate on it and read your book again.
So if I was in conversation with her, which comment do you think she’d like to hear?
I’m going with: My Pleasure.
To find out more about the training programs offered, respond to this email with your interest and we will find out which programs are best suited for you and your team.
Desiring more knowledge of BETTER Word Choice enhances your communication.
Empowering Regards,
Bob
Ice Chip #215
Creating a brochure for thousands of potential clients?
Choose your words carefully.
If you understand the power of using BETTER Word Choice as taught by the Remember the Ice team, you know that the message conveyed on the pictured brochure, for a Las Vegas hotel, appears to give a misguided welcome.
We think the Grazie club actually is looking forward to seeing their members again.
- We can’t wait to See You Again!
- We can‘t wait to See You Again!
- We look forward to seeing you Again!
Remember the Ice is a concept that helps you raise your awareness of misguided word choice — broken messages — and lazy language.
Watch for upcoming programs designed to help you shift your word choice and avoid planting the seed of the opposite!
Empowering Regards,
Bob
Ice Chip #214
I love change.
I love the excitement and pure joy of creating some new collaborations, ideas, gizmos, widgets, concepts, etc…..
Remember the Ice will turn 22 this July 23rd.
Over 191,000 hours of honing, practicing, re-framing, creating AND enjoying has gone into the BETTER Word principles of Remember the Ice.
We are moving forward with some exciting collaborations:
- Jim Niswonger – The Branding Zen
- Joan West and LuAnn Buechler (my co-creators of an amazing event…more on that later)
- Joe Sanchez and his team at: Shout Legacy
…….and there is more to come.
We are creating a new arena to enjoy the concepts of Remember the Ice!!
Watch for these new relationships, collaborations, added value and more!
We will be unveiling a new look and feel to our web site; with new programs and products created especially for our Ice Chip readers.
A grateful thank you to all who have assisted on these awesome changes
Here is a picture that captures the JOY and EXCITEMENT I am experiencing.
(Details of the photo: 40 seconds into overtime of game 4 in the 1970 Stanley Cup Finals – Bobby Orr celebrates scoring the CUP winning GOAL!!! - May 10, 1970)
So stay tuned.
Watch your in-box for special events.
Hold your hands out to receive the awesome tools, ideas, concepts and value coming your way!!
Empowering Regards,
Bob
Ice Chip #213
Note from Bob: When I received this story from a fan and student of Remember the Ice, I was excited to share it with all of my Ice Chip readers. Thank you Joan.
My name is Joan West, and I have been a huge fan of Bob Nicoll’s Remember the Ice program ever since I was introduced to it while attending the Get Connected Conference in The Woodlands, TX in Feb of 2011. His far reaching gems of wisdom that emanate from a simple story of changing two words have had a massive impact on my life.
When I read his last two Ice Chips (211 & 212) on Limbo and Incommunicado, I was compelled to respond with a story of my own.
My husband Don and I have been members of our local gym for 1 year in our small town of Ellabell, GA. The current owners of the gym gave us notice they were going to hopefully sell the gym or it would just be closed and out of business as of March 31st.
By the third week of March, we were still in Limbo and the owners were sequestered in Incommunicado. No communication of any kind acknowledging what was about to take place.
We decided let’s just wait until the first of April to see if the gym was going to be OPEN with new owners or be CLOSED.
A new sign was on the wall – 24/7 Gym. Alright!!!! We’re going to still have our gym!!!! On the door it had a small torn piece of lined paper with “Call Anthony with questions”. I immediately made a call before leaving the parking lot. Straight to a VOICEMAIL RECORDING: I’m sorry the mailbox is full. You’ll have to try back later.
Called the next day. Same response. The day after that…..same. Waited a week….still no answer. “The mailbox you’re calling is full”. Waited yet another week and called 2 more times…same answer! Are you kidding me? OK THIS IS IT!!! Surely if I connect on their website they will have to respond back to me. I left detailed membership information which would help them in knowing who we were. I included our prior badge (access key cards) numbers with our names, complete address and telephone number. I told them I was looking forwarding to hearing from them and reactivating our gym membership and I welcomed them to our town!
WHAT ????? This is now 1 week since the e-mail. STILL NO RESPONSE! AMAZING! All we wanted to do was renew our membership. I want to give them money! I’m shocked.
GAME NOW ON!!! I’m calling another branch and going to get someone on a phone call to help me re-activate our badges and renew our yearly membership. You’re probably thinking “just take your business somewhere else”.
The convenience of this location (3 miles down the road) out-weights all the hurdles we may have to stumble through to get our desired end result which was our renewed membership!
Thankfully we finally did get a response, and did renew. We really wanted to have access to a convenient gym.
My question is why did they leave us in Limbo and stay in Incommunicado for 5 weeks?
Phew!! What a way to run a business.
Thank you Bob for letting me share my story, and a BIG Grateful Thank You for what you teach with your Remember the Ice concept.
Respectfully,
Joan
Thank you, Joan, for sharing this example of poor customer service that occurs far too often. Exceptional Care for your Valued Client is a program that eliminates Limbo and Incommunicado. Respond to this email with your request for a 30 minute free consultation and let’s talk about starting your Exceptional Care training for your team!
Empowering Regards,
Bob
Ice Chip #212
Ice Chip (#211) introduced two places where the lack of communication lives:
Limbo
Incommunicado
We also re-introduced: Respectful Elegance.
Think of Respectful Elegance as the place where great communication thrives. Well thought out responses, built with clarity and congruency are nurtured here; and add tremendous value to your conversation. The key to demonstrating Respectful Elegance in communication is a focused, specific AND timely response.
Timely Response.
That is the focus of this week’s message.
Pause for a moment and think about the technological advances that allow us to connect instantly on a global scale. They are truly amazing. Perhaps you are reading this Ice Chip on your tablet or smart phone as you move through your day wirelessly connected to the pantheon of information available.
Yet; when it comes to getting back with a colleague, salesperson, friend or even family member – we sometimes take waaaaaaaay too long to get back with them. As mentioned in IC#211, too often the response is – “no response”, thinking the –patiently waiting with baited breath– receiver will automatically understand what was left unspoken.
Yikes!! Let’s pick up the pace of being Respond-able. (verb: having the ability to respond)
Let’s be responsible about being Respond-able. Let’s provide the common courtesy of an answer to a question, a sales proposal, or a negotiation; with specificity and clarity and timeliness.
If our responsiveness kept up with the pace of technology, imagine the massive increase in productivity that could be accomplished.
Let’s have a conversation. I look forward to your feedback and comments.
Empowering Regards,
Bob