Chip Bell

“She told me today that she knew for sure she really liked me a lot?” It was my son’s after school report as a 14 year old just-figuring-out GIRLS! This was his first foray into romance. And, he seemed noticeably unenthused about the apple of his eye’s characterization of her feelings for him. Bottom line, he was totally confused. “Dad, does that mean I’m her boyfriend?” The next day he came home on top of the world.

“What did she tell you today?” I casually asked, not wanting to pry too much. “She said she thought she might love me a little!” He was now convinced he qualified as her boyfriend. The previous day’s definitive “like you a lot” was today far inferior to today’s tentative “love you a little.” He is grown now with three young daughters who are a few years away from trying to figure out how to describe feelings of affection beyond their today’s innocent, “I love you, daddy!”

I recently reflected on his early puppy love challenge as I worked with a...

I love self-service...when it works. But when solo service fails me, it feels like losing your dollar in a vending machine at some remote location. Who you gonna call?

I love personalized service...when the person on the other side of the equation is there for me. I have been known to brag about my very own network of “go to” people--“Ask for Ted” or “Tell Susan I suggested you…” But, when that special person who knows my whims and ways is out sick or on vacation, I struggle to laboriously educate the fill-in person!

But, I love chorus service the best...a team of people equipped to make my experience one that is carefully choreographed to be there when I need them, the way I need them, and with the wherewithal to get done what I need done.

“Hi, I’m Kelly. I’m on Elena’s team. I have all your information in front of me. How may I help you, Chip?” These words started my second conversation with Dell after buying a computer from Elena.

Here is...

This is the season of gifts. Christmas trees are filled with gifts. Hanukkah has eight days of gift giving. Almost every faith in the world uses the giving of gifts for important symbols. And then there are gifts to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, retirements...we all seem to love gift-giving.

Gifts come in many forms. There is the convenient gift—usually cash or an affinity credit card. There is the homemade gift—like baked goods, croqueted items or the right-out-of–the-shop doll house. And, there is the “I don’t know what to get-you” gifts—like a book, tie or scarf. Gifts tell us a lot about the giver and their view of the importance of the event. It is a lot like customer service. Customers think of great service as the type that is laced with generosity. Even self-service can be an opportunity to add a special gift.

Early yesterday morning I stopped at a large gas station to fill up with gas at the start of a long drive. Before I...

Matthew Alexander is a strong critic of using harsh interrogation tactics with captured prisoners. A proponent of non-coercive methods and the author of the new book, Kill or Capture, he was a guest on the “Fresh Air” show of National Public Radio. As I was driving to a client meeting, I listened to the compelling interview with a master interrogator and 18-year veteran of the Air Force.

“The goal is to get detainees to share the truth—information that can be helpful in achieving your military mission,” said Alexander. “I started by building rapport. I always walked in with a copy of the Quran, a book I know well, and periodically quoted lines by heart. I was always respectful, humble and often acknowledged mistakes we had made as a country.”

At this point, I began to think about the parallels with obtaining customer feedback, evaluation and intelligence. Intrigued, I pulled into a parking lot and began taking notes.

“It is vital you understand your...