Comments on: Guest Post: Stamp Out Sugarcoating http://www.leanblog.org/2010/03/guest-post-stamp-out-sugarcoating/ Mark Graban's leanblog.org - Lean Healthcare, Lean Thinking, Lean Manufacturing, Toyota Production System Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:59:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Liz Guthridge http://www.leanblog.org/2010/03/guest-post-stamp-out-sugarcoating/#comment-9356 Liz Guthridge Thu, 01 Apr 2010 15:08:29 +0000 http://www.leanblog.org/?p=5744#comment-9356 Jason, if I were the rental car company, I would have sent an email message instead of a letter. Email messags are faster and able to reach customers who are traveling. As for the message, I'd get to the point immediately, recognizing the customer is busy--although I'd strive for a friendly tone. (And I'd certainly rethink the mega-surcharge on the toll, but that's not a pure communication issue.) I had the same reaction as Mark. And by the way, being courteous and friendly is different from sugarcoating. Sugarcoating is for pills, not communication. .-= Liz Guthridge´s last blog ..<a href="http://leancommunications.com/?p=1258" rel="nofollow">Get Conference Tips and Themes from a LEAN Summit Groupie</a> =-. Jason, if I were the rental car company, I would have sent an email message instead of a letter. Email messags are faster and able to reach customers who are traveling. As for the message, I’d get to the point immediately, recognizing the customer is busy–although I’d strive for a friendly tone. (And I’d certainly rethink the mega-surcharge on the toll, but that’s not a pure communication issue.) I had the same reaction as Mark.

And by the way, being courteous and friendly is different from sugarcoating. Sugarcoating is for pills, not communication.
.-= Liz Guthridge´s last blog ..Get Conference Tips and Themes from a LEAN Summit Groupie =-.

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]]> By: Mike Wroblewski http://www.leanblog.org/2010/03/guest-post-stamp-out-sugarcoating/#comment-9337 Mike Wroblewski Wed, 31 Mar 2010 21:43:19 +0000 http://www.leanblog.org/?p=5744#comment-9337 I disagree. Call me a Mary Poppins fan, "a spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down." Without a little sugar, these letters risk coming off cold and harsh however don't pour the whole sugar bag into it which tastes just as bad. Balance and moderation is best. This example was not too bad with the potential improvement of cutting the opening line. I disagree. Call me a Mary Poppins fan, “a spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down.” Without a little sugar, these letters risk coming off cold and harsh however don’t pour the whole sugar bag into it which tastes just as bad. Balance and moderation is best. This example was not too bad with the potential improvement of cutting the opening line.

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]]> By: Mark Graban http://www.leanblog.org/2010/03/guest-post-stamp-out-sugarcoating/#comment-9335 Mark Graban Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:12:19 +0000 http://www.leanblog.org/?p=5744#comment-9335 I didn't appreciate the puffery of the first paragraph about how they are trying to find new ways of serving me, as a customer... including sticking me with a $10 "administrative fee." I'd prefer they express their love for me as a customer in other communications and just get to the point in the letter. I missed a toll booth and ended up stuck in the transponder lane... just tell me I have a fine and that they're passing it along to me. "We welcome the opportunity to serve you" is a bit much, also, after that fee. I wish it had just been more of a bill than a letter. My bills from the MD office don't have tons of flowery language about how they enjoy having me as a patient - it's a business transaction, leave it at that, I'd say. I didn’t appreciate the puffery of the first paragraph about how they are trying to find new ways of serving me, as a customer… including sticking me with a $10 “administrative fee.” I’d prefer they express their love for me as a customer in other communications and just get to the point in the letter. I missed a toll booth and ended up stuck in the transponder lane… just tell me I have a fine and that they’re passing it along to me. “We welcome the opportunity to serve you” is a bit much, also, after that fee. I wish it had just been more of a bill than a letter. My bills from the MD office don’t have tons of flowery language about how they enjoy having me as a patient – it’s a business transaction, leave it at that, I’d say.

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]]> By: Jason M http://www.leanblog.org/2010/03/guest-post-stamp-out-sugarcoating/#comment-9332 Jason M Wed, 31 Mar 2010 10:32:20 +0000 http://www.leanblog.org/?p=5744#comment-9332 Now I'm curious. What form of communication would you have chosen and what would the exact content of the message be? Now I’m curious. What form of communication would you have chosen and what would the exact content of the message be?

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]]> By: Liz Guthridge http://www.leanblog.org/2010/03/guest-post-stamp-out-sugarcoating/#comment-9328 Liz Guthridge Wed, 31 Mar 2010 05:41:33 +0000 http://www.leanblog.org/?p=5744#comment-9328 Interesting comments! Thanks for sharing. My tolerance for poorly-written customer service letters is pretty low, probably lower than Jason's and Lewis'. I too admire and appreciate one-page letters. And you can be direct, friendly and empathetic in a short space. I still maintain that this letter--along with its messages--is a poor example of effective customer communication and relations building. .-= Liz Guthridge´s last blog ..<a href="http://leancommunications.com/?p=1258" rel="nofollow">Get Conference Tips and Themes from a LEAN Summit Groupie</a> =-. Interesting comments! Thanks for sharing.

My tolerance for poorly-written customer service letters is pretty low, probably lower than Jason’s and Lewis’. I too admire and appreciate one-page letters. And you can be direct, friendly and empathetic in a short space. I still maintain that this letter–along with its messages–is a poor example of effective customer communication and relations building.
.-= Liz Guthridge´s last blog ..Get Conference Tips and Themes from a LEAN Summit Groupie =-.

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]]> By: Lewis Lefteroff http://www.leanblog.org/2010/03/guest-post-stamp-out-sugarcoating/#comment-9321 Lewis Lefteroff Tue, 30 Mar 2010 14:41:57 +0000 http://www.leanblog.org/?p=5744#comment-9321 People say they want direct messages. They also say they are good with change and are open to taking risks. We know that often what people say is very different from the way they actually behave. This is one of the many, many fascinating elements of human psychology - we're a complicated bunch. Agreed that being direct is useful, but realize that it probably will still result in annoyed or offended people - just for different reasons. "Lean" communications are not necessarily the shortest, but the most effective. Just like coating bitter medicines with an easy-to-swallow coating really does make them easier to swallow, if a certain amount of "sugarcoating" makes the communication more effective, then go for it. People say they want direct messages. They also say they are good with change and are open to taking risks. We know that often what people say is very different from the way they actually behave. This is one of the many, many fascinating elements of human psychology – we’re a complicated bunch. Agreed that being direct is useful, but realize that it probably will still result in annoyed or offended people – just for different reasons. “Lean” communications are not necessarily the shortest, but the most effective. Just like coating bitter medicines with an easy-to-swallow coating really does make them easier to swallow, if a certain amount of “sugarcoating” makes the communication more effective, then go for it.

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]]> By: Jason M http://www.leanblog.org/2010/03/guest-post-stamp-out-sugarcoating/#comment-9319 Jason M Tue, 30 Mar 2010 11:45:08 +0000 http://www.leanblog.org/?p=5744#comment-9319 Sorry, but I have to disagree here. Their letter was terse and professional. While you could argue the first line is not necessary, the flow for the remainder of the letter is very logical and to the point: Paragraph 1: Statement of customer appreciation (nothing wrong with that although I suppose you could shorten the sentence somewhat) and general purpose for correspondence (follow-up on outstanding charges) Paragraph 2: Explanation of outstanding charge and the rental car's agency recent actions to resolve it Paragraph 3: Specific charge to customer (how much and when) Table 1: Evidence Paragraph 4: Brief closing with contact information *** They also confined their message to 1 piece of paper (A3) which is very important in my book. All that said, the $10 fee charged by the rental car agency is outrageous. If they had charged me $1 for administrative costs and cost of money, I would accept that. But a $10 fee on tolls is just another income stream for them. $10 - $.75 toll - $1.00 (admin + cost of money) = $8.25 profit. Sorry, but I have to disagree here. Their letter was terse and professional. While you could argue the first line is not necessary, the flow for the remainder of the letter is very logical and to the point:

Paragraph 1: Statement of customer appreciation (nothing wrong with that although I suppose you could shorten the sentence somewhat) and general purpose for correspondence (follow-up on outstanding charges)

Paragraph 2: Explanation of outstanding charge and the rental car’s agency recent actions to resolve it

Paragraph 3: Specific charge to customer (how much and when)

Table 1: Evidence

Paragraph 4: Brief closing with contact information

***
They also confined their message to 1 piece of paper (A3) which is very important in my book.

All that said, the $10 fee charged by the rental car agency is outrageous. If they had charged me $1 for administrative costs and cost of money, I would accept that. But a $10 fee on tolls is just another income stream for them. $10 – $.75 toll – $1.00 (admin + cost of money) = $8.25 profit.

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