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The Holidays continued It's all very daunting, but what are you going to do? Cancel Chanukah and Christmas? Head for the nearest island for the holidays? Lock yourself in the basement and play video games? If those choices aren't feasible, here are some suggestions: 1. Chill out. Accept that you won't be all things to all people. You're not per- fect, so stop trying to be perfect. It's OK that the house doesn't look perfect or your special fruitcake turns out like a brick of chalk. Your family will still love you. 2. Decide what is most important to do and make a list. Prioritize the list with the must "do's" first, "nice to do's" second, and don't even write down the others. Make that list now and start working on it today. The earlier you start, the better. My sister does all of her shopping online in August. Then, in December, when the rest of us are drowning in the hoard of holiday shop- pers at the mall, she's addressing and writing her thank you notes for the presents she hasn't received yet (she leaves the name of the present blank until the day after Christmas). Of course, the rest of the family considers her obsessive compulsive to a fault, but she sure has the last laugh during the holidays. 3. No matter how busy you are, take time to exercise, even if you have to get up at 4:00 AM to do it. The endorphins you acquire will help you get through the hassles of the holiday rush with a smile. You'll be one of those people you see at the mall during the rush who actually look like they're enjoying them- selves. 4. Allow for downtime–even 15 min- utes. Between the shopping, the clean- ing, the entertaining, the calling, the cooking, and the decorating, give your- self little mini-breaks where you can sit quietly and de-stress from the holiday rat race. 5. Understand that everyone else is stressed, so cut family members, store clerks, rude drivers, slow cashiers at the grocery store, and everyone else who is bugging you a little slack. 6. Have some fun, no matter how 56 FEDA News & Views much fun you're not having. For exam- ple, you're standing in a slow checkout line. You could fume about the inade- quacy of the cashier, or beat yourself up because the guy who got in the next line over is now checked out while you're still waiting. Or, you could start a conversation with the person behind you by telling her how much you admire the electric Christmas tree hat she's wearing, or by making funny faces at the screaming child in the bas- ket in front of you, or by getting every- one in line to join in a rousing rendi- tion of "Oh Come All Ye Faithful." You're going to be there anyway, you might as well enjoy it. Telling Customers You're Out Of Stock And Surviving The Ordeal Given that your customers will be more stressed out than normal during the holidays, it's likely that you will incur the wrath of a few when you're unable to fulfill their requests. No one likes to hear the word no, especially customers. Although it is wise for customer serv- ice to make every effort possible to give customers what they want, when they want it, and where they want it deliv- ered, sometimes the impossible is the impossible. In those cases, telling your customer that you can't do it becomes necessary. Your challenge is to do this in such a way that your customer, though disappointed, will continue to maintain her good will toward you and your company. Here are some things you can do to minimize the damage. 1. Take the customer seriously. Even the most outrageous request makes sense to your customer. Your tone of voice, facial expressions, and verbal responses all send a message to your customer that says whether you care. So when the customer asks if he can get more peppermint baklava shipped in today, and you know that there's none to be had, don't smirk, or look at him like he's crazy, even though you might think he is. 2. Acknowledge the customer's feel- ings. By clearly letting him know that you understand how he feels, you've put yourself on his side, rather than in an adversarial position. "You were counting on that product. I don't blame you. It is wonderful stuff. " 3. Decline without saying no. Most of us have a psychological aversion to this word, dating back to when we went through our own terrible twos. By explaining why, the reason for the decline will say "no" for you. "That pep- permint baklava seems to be unusually popular this season. There was a huge run on it over the weekend and we're completely sold out. " 4. Offer alternatives that address the concern. This not only facilitates the problem solving process, it also gives the customer a way to save face. It's also a chance to demonstrate that you're willing to go the extra mile. For exam- ple, "I can call our warehouse and have it overnighted to you directly. offer you another kind of baklava." Even if none of the alternatives you offer the customer satisfies him, the very fact that you are trying says that you care. 5. Recycle the process. The customer may not want to accept the limitations of what you're telling her. You may have to go through the steps several times. Always deliver the message with a car- ing attitude and a helpful tone. 6. Tell her what you CAN do by focus- ing on what you can do, rather than on what you can't do. You move the con- versation from negative disappoint- ment to positive problem solving and give yourself the opportunity to say YES. u About the Author Professional speaker and author Larry Johnson delivers fresh insights and practical "how to's" for leading change, retaining customers, and developing effective work relation- ships. His clients include Harley- Davidson Motor Company, Nordstrom Department Stores, American Express, United States Telecom Association, and the American Medical Association. To reach him call 800-836-6599 or email him at larry@larry-johnson.com. " Or, "I can