If you’ve ever had to react on the spot to a situation that was so sticky, so icky that it left you speechless, read on to see how a friend of mine handled a recent conflict.

When you’re trying to persuade people to take action, identify a simple, powerful message and return to it as many times, and as emotionally, as you possibly can.

When it comes to customer service, why don’t businesses get it?

Put yourself in someone else’s shoes and see or experience a situation as they might. Better yet, give to them and be generous in your communications and relationships. You will reap the benefits.

Phone-based, voice-to-voice customer contact marks a swing back to the truest and most effective form of customer servicing.

Follow-up is so lost and so rare that people stand out merely by doing it.

Ultimately, communication — especially on sticky issues –works!

It’s remarkable that airlines still don’t get that a little communication goes a long way.

Great customer service is a huge differentiator.