You only get out of it what you put into it. So how much effort are you putting into making sure that your customer service and sales practices are top notch? Do you have training and quality assurance measures in place? If not, you might be losing out on untapped revenue. Never fear- we have some delicious ideas for your "pudding" so you will know what to do to make sure that you are putting in what it takes to make a difference.
Having strong customer service and sales skills are your key ingredients in making sure your "pudding" is something your customers continue to want to taste, buy, and talk about. What 5 ingredients do you need in your "pudding"? Here they are (click on the image to download it and share as you please- you're welcome!)...
Even if you need very specific information... a good strategy is to start with a few open-ended questions and become more focused as you go. This gives you the opportunity to develop a rapport with the other person while at the same time getting some valuable background data. It just takes a little patience, which is essential anyway if you want to get honest, reliable information.
Some of you may recall when we introduced this concept nearly a year ago, and we are re-introducing it due to some great love for it and since we want you all to have the freebie that we are including. 
Faulty assumption #1 – The customer is always right. Using such polar thinking – right versus wrong – precludes getting at the real issue of how we can build mutually useful relationships…Rightness and wrongness is less important than finding solutions.
Respond to your customer's opening statement with an assurance that you can help. Say something like, "Absolutely. I can help you with that." Even if you are going to refer the customer to another department or employee, you can give an assurance. Say, "I'm going to transfer you to the department that can take care of this for you, but I will stay on the line until someone answers."