Why?: Because You Get Paid to Smile and Serve

“Why? is filled with relatable rants about a subject Martha Humler knows well: customer service. My wish is one day stories like these will be few and far between—but in the meantime, I hope Martha’s book gives you a giggle.”

—Ken Blanchard, coauthor of The One Minute Manager®, Legendary Service, and Raving Fans

“Martha’s stories are a lighthouse of actionable insights for service professionals that are swimming in a sea of mediocrity.”

—Dr. John Timmerman, Chief Scientist, Customer Experience & Innovation, Gallup

We’re all consumers, which means we’ve all been frustrated by poor customer service.

Martha Humler, who spent her career in retail and advertising and is married to one of the kings of customer service—an executive with the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co.—shares her frustrations about mediocre customer service in a series of vignettes.

Along the way, she delivers common-sense tips and strategies that managers, leaders, and companies can use to cultivate a culture that revolves around customer service. In fact, this is one book business owners should provide to all staff. Topics include:

- self-checkouts and why they might not be the best way to slash costs;

- ways to keep delivering service after the sale;

- providing small amenities—like bread at restaurants—that build goodwill; and

- ways consumers can speak up to demand better customer service.

If you’ve ever left a drive-through window only to discover missing items, received items from an online purchase that look nothing like what you ordered or are tired of long-winded answering messages with dozens of prompts, then you’ll laugh out loud at these relatable rants.