Reposted from Tim Richardson

Let’s be honest – nobody likes to hear the word “no.”
For customers, no is more than a two-letter word.
It’s discouraging. It’s frustrating. It’s the sound of a door closing.

“No, we can’t do that.”
“No, that’s against policy.”
“No, my manager said it’s not possible.”

No is about rules, not people. And in today’s world, it’s service poison.
On the other hand, yes is visionary.
Yes builds trust, loyalty, and connection.
Yes keeps customers and attracts new ones.

I don’t like hearing no—and I certainly don’t like saying it—so maybe that’s why my recent trip to Greenland started off with hearing no too many times.

The Trip That Almost Wasn’t

I had just finished giving a keynote in St. Augustine on a recent Monday and stayed at the hotel with my family after the conference. But since the event was still in full swing, I kept running into attendees—even during what was supposed to be my “vacation.” I also had some other business to attend to during vacation, so my mind wasn’t fully disengaged.

By Thursday, I was spent, and my vacation was almost over.

Thankfully, we have a family cabin in the mountains of Western North Carolina. My wife, understanding my need for solitude and space, gave her blessing for me to head up for a week of rest, reflection, and writing.

But before I left, I found out that one of my sisters-in-law had to cancel her spot on a long-planned cruise to Greenland. I’d always wanted to go—and suddenly, the door opened. I called my brother. I called the airline. I called the cruise line. And I heard there the first no.

“No, it’s too late to change the name on the passenger record”
“No, our system won’t allow it.”
“No, my supervisor said it’s not permitted.”

But I wasn’t ready to give up.
The Power of the (Polite) Pushback

I kindly asked to speak to another supervisor. I asked why the rules were in place. The agent didn’t know—but promised to check. After an enthusiastic plea, an hour later, I got the call:

“You’re in!”
And with that, I was heading to Greenland.
Of course, hearing no didn’t stop there. During the trip, I heard:
“No, you can’t play the piano in the lounge.”
“No, we can’t serve the regular dining room meal in the themed restaurant.”
“No, we can’t allow you to speak during our evening story time, it’s only for our staff”
“No, that’s not how it works.”

And yet—every time someone said yes instead of no, it was memorable. It made the experience feel personal. It felt like someone cared. Fortunately, I heard yes too. For example, I heard yes when

• the expedition team was asked to pause for picture taking or turning off the boat motor to enjoy nature more fully
• Leo, our server in the restaurant, was asked anything!
• Even a yes, when the hotel general manager heard I would play the piano very early in the morning each day.

But remember, having a yes experience four times can be squelched by one no.

Why Yes Matters

When I worked at a luxury oceanfront resort years ago, I was tasked with leading the effort to earn the prestigious Five Diamond Award. Part of my job? Redesigning our training program to elevate every guest experience.

One of the golden rules we taught:

There’s almost never a good reason to say no to a guest. Always look for the yes.

Yes, isn’t about ignoring boundaries. It’s about creative service. It’s about being solution-oriented, not excuse-driven.

“Yes, I’d be happy to check into that for you.”
“Yes, we can find a way to make that work.”
“Yes, let’s explore some options together.”

Saying yes tells a customer: You matter.

From No to Loyalty

Every time someone says yes, they create the potential for something powerful:
Not just a satisfied customer—but a raving fan.

A fan who tells others.
A fan who returns.
A fan who remembers how you made them feel.

So, the next time a customer makes a request, ask yourself:

Is there really a good reason to say no?
Or is there a better reason to say yes?

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