Suzie, a Dallas librarian who used to work at the Dallas Public Library, wonders why library administrators increasingly refer to library users as customers instead of patrons. Customer can make borrowing books sound like a cash transaction, while...
What is the best way to write an apology to a customer, especially if you’re handling complaints for a corporation. Some tips: be sincere, and make sure your wording makes clear that you understand the consumer’s complaint and that your...
brain gang n.— «A few years ago, Netflix offered a million dollars to anyone out there who could design a system to improve their system of rating DVDs by 10 percent. 17,000 submissions came in from the public. Dell Computers, once almost...
non’trée n.— «Bay Area waiters have a nickname for many of their customers these days: the non’trée. Non’trée (pronounced “non-tray”) refers to the folks who order appetizers rather than a pricier entree—a popular practice in...
walk on a bank n.— «More likely than the kind of exodus of depositors that quickly sank IndyMac is what some bankers call a slow-motion “walk on the bank” which could cripple financial institutions already weakened by credit...
junketeer n.— Note: The usual use of “junketeer” is to refer to a person who takes a junket, not the person who organizes it. «Junketeers organize casino trips that often include free meals, rooms or even transportation for...
