大学核心商务英语读写教程 u8-C
Is the Customer Always Right
Contents
1
Background Information
2
Introduction to the Text
3
Business Terms
4
Words and Expressions
5
Notes to the Text
Introduction to the Text
Business Terms
3. processing fee /手续费
It refers to the money submitted for receiving certain service.
4.
is a global online sales organization, launched in August 2004, headquartered in Riverside, California. offers its customers tens of thousands of plumbing,home improvement, and building products in a range of categories including Kitchen and Bathroom, Water Heaters, Lighting, Pumps, Tools, Access Doors, Valves, Commercial and more. Individuals and businesses can shop quickly and easily at 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Business Terms
•
2. restocking fee /退货费
In retail, returning is the process of a customer taking
previously purchased merchandise back to the retailer, and in turn, receiving a cash refund, exchange for another item (identical or different), or a store credit. Many retailers will accept returns provided that the customer has a receipt as a proof of purchase, and that certain other conditions, which depend on the retailer's policies, are met. These may include the merchandise being in a certain condition (possibly being resellable), no more than a certain amount of time having passed since the purchase, or that identification be provided. In some cases, only exchanges or store credit are offered. Some retailers charge a Restocking fee for returned merchandise.
BБайду номын сангаасsiness Terms
1. profit margin /利润率
A ratio of profitability calculated as net income divided by revenues, or net profits divided by sales. It measures how much out of every dollar of sales a company actually keeps in earnings. Profit margin is very useful when comparing companies in similar industries. A higher profit margin indicates a more profitable company that has better control over its costs compared to its competitors. Profit margin is displayed as a percentage; a 20% profit margin, for example, means the company has a net income of $0.20 for each dollar of sales.
文体特征分析
本商务文体为论说文。文章通过题目提出了一个发人深 省的问题，“顾客永远正确吗？”文章利用总分的方法通 过实例说明顾客并非永远正确。商家与顾客之间的关系是 商界存在的基本关系。怎样处理好这两者之间的关系，是 彼此双方尤其是商家应该思考的问题。“顾客是上帝”频 频出现在各大商场的重要位置，可见商家都希望把顾客当 做上帝来看待。本文提出了一个值得思考的问题，那就是 顾客是否永远是正确的，是不是商家对于顾客的任何一种 意见和要求都应该全盘接受呢？作者通过给出具体的事实 来说明答案是否定的。不管商家如何以顾客为重，在与顾 客打交道时也要有自己的判断和思考。如果只是一味地迎 合顾客，或许更容易迷失自己，这是文章要说明的道理。
Looking at the earnings of a company often doesn't tell the entire story. Increased earnings are good, but an increase does not mean that the profit margin of a company is improving. For instance, if a company has costs that have increased at a greater rate than sales, it leads to a lower profit margin. This is an indication that costs need to be under better control.
21世纪大学英语读写基础教程Unit8内容介绍
21世纪⼤学英语读写基础教程Unit8内容介绍 导语：当⼀名七岁男孩宣称⾃⼰爱上了⼀名七岁⼥孩时，⼤⼈笑了起来，⽽年轻⼈却不明⽩为什么。
在他们眼⾥，他们的爱情确实是⾮常重要的。
下⾯是⼀篇讲述这个故事的英语课⽂，欢迎参考。
Text When a seven-year-old boy declared that he had fallen in love with a seven-year-old girl, the adults laughed, and the young ones did not understand why. In their eyes, their love was serious and important indeed. Young and in Love Jeanne Marie Laskas Ryan has never had a girlfriend. Not because he is against the idea, but because it has never actually occurred to him. He is 7. When Ryan's father tells him about Katie, a girl who will also be at the weekend getaway, Ryan starts bouncing around as if hit with an electric charge. Maybe it's just that there will be a kid the same age there. He gets so sick of being the only kid around when he and his dad do stuff. Or maybe it's that Katie is reported to like a lot of the same things Ryan likes. Maybe it's the words his father says, the words that Ryan will not be able to get out of his ears: "They say she has 311 Pokemon cards." Ryan has never met anyone with 311 Pokemon cards. He himself has 204. He gathers all of his and puts them in a box, so that he can show them to the girl named Katie. The place is filled with grown-ups when he arrives, old friends drinking beer. Ryan wanders around, saying, "Where's Katie?" until someone points to the family room. He charges in there, hoping it's true. He sees her there curled up on a couch with her mother, watching "Rug-rats." She has long brown hair and big green eyes. "I'm Ryan!" he announces. She looks at him. She says something Ryan has never heard before. She says: "I have pneumonia." Ryan has never met anyone with pneumonia before. There is no denying it any longer. This girl is special. He says, "Do you want to see my Pokemon cards?" She stands up, takes him away to compare collections. She does not brag about the fact that she has more cards than he does, which you have to admit is a class act. A half-hour goes by. Ryan and Katie return to the family room, where many of the grown-ups have gathered. "He asked me to be his girlfriend!" Katie announces. "I have a crush on her!" Ryan says. "I had two boyfriends before," Katie says. "But they were annoying. Not like Ryan. He is the best boyfriend I have ever had." Katie and Ryan can't understand why the grown-ups are laughing; they don't understand that sweethearts don't just come out and say these things. Love isn't like this. Love is something that happens in code. Love is a complicated game of pretending not to love, not to care, so that the other one will have no choice but to love and care. At least this is how it works when you're... mature. They spend the day comparing Pokemon cards. It feels as if they could do this forever. Katie gives Ryan a Psyduck card, and not just because she has six of them. She gives it to him because Psyduck is her very favorite Pokemon character. When it is time to go, Ryan asks if someone can please show him a map, so he can see how far away Katie lives. His father tells him it's a few hundred miles. Ryan feels like throwing up. Katie says, "How about e-mail?" Katie has all the good ideas. Katie's mom and Ryan'a dad agree to set up accounts for the kids. On the drive home, Ryan holds his Psyduck card. He flips it over. He places it next to his cheek. As soon as he walks in the door, he turns on his dad's computer. For his screen name he chooses Psyduck plus a few of Katie's favorite numbers, and KRKRKR for a password, as many K's next to as many R's as he can fit. In his message he says, "Dear Katie, Hi it's me. What's up? I was just wondering (what was up.) I miss you. Love, Ryan." He awaits her response. He waits an hour. By the second hour, he is sitting at the computer in tears. "What happened?" he wails to his dad. He wonders if she forgot about him, if any of it was really true. The answer could mean everything. This is love at ground zero. This is a trial run for a heart that will one day occupy a man. "You've got mail," the computer says. And there she is. "Dear Ryan," she writes. "I just got home. I miss you. I am so glad I am your girlfriend. Love, Katie." Ryan is so happy he can hardly type the words back. "I got your message!" he writes. "It was a great message. It's the only message I have ever got, so it is and always will be my favorite." New Words girlfriend n. ⼥朋友 weekend n. 周末 getaway n. a period of rest and relaxation, esp. a short one (离开⼤城市的)短暂休假 bounce vi. 1. jump up and down 蹦蹦跳跳 2. strike a surface and rebound 反弹 charge n. 电荷;电量 vi. rush forward 向前冲 dad n. 爸爸 grown-up n. 成⼈ beer n. 啤酒 * couch n. 长沙发 pneumonia n. 肺炎 deny vt. say that (sth.) is not true 否认;不承认 n. 收藏(品) brag v. say or declare sth. in a proud way ⾃夸，吹嘘 class n. (⼝)⾼质量;出⾊的风度 class act (美俚)出类拔萃的⼈;出⾊的事物 annoy vt. make (sb.) angry 使烦恼，使⽣⽓ sweetheart n. ⼼上⼈，恋⼈ code n. 代码;密码 complicated a. difficult to explain or understand 复杂的，难懂的' mature a. fully grown or developed 成熟的 e-mail n. electronic mail 电⼦邮件 * flip vt. turn (sth.) quickly 快速翻动;转动 cheek n. 脸颊 screen n. 屏幕 password n. ⼝令，密码 await vt. wait for 等待 wail vt. 哭着说 trial n. 试;试验 trial run 试⾏;试车;试航;试演 occupy vt. take up (a place) 占据 purpose n. an intention or plan ⽬的 mail n. 邮件 Phrases and Expressions be sick of be tired of 厌倦 curl up sit or lie with legs drawn up 蜷缩 brag about say or declare (sth.) in a very proud way 夸⼝，吹嘘 go by pass (时间)过去 have a crush on (⼝)⾮常喜欢;狂热地爱上 come out appear in public 露⾯ throw up vomit 呕吐 set up establish or arrange 建⽴ flip over turn over (quickly) 快速翻过来 in tears crying 哭泣着，流着泪 Proper Names Jeanne Marie Laskas 珍妮·玛丽·拉斯克斯(⼈名) Ryan 赖安(男⼦名) Katie 卡蒂(⼥⼦名) Pokemon “宠物⼩精灵”(⼜译“⼝袋怪兽、”“神奇宝贝”。
新时代核心英语教程写作2教学课件(U8)
新时代
urriculum 核心英语教程
2 写 作
8 UNIT
Exemplification
Key Terms
exemplification 范例，举例说明 exposition 说明文
illustration 例证 overgeneralization 过度概括
Байду номын сангаас
Main Contents
Those examples achieve vividness by creating interesting sensory images of the writer trying to evade writing. In other words, the writer shows his readers how he avoids writing instead of just telling them so. The last example brings the writer back to the beginning of his series of activities, implying that he will repeat those meaningless activities.
Activity 1
Read the second paragraph on p. 100 and then answer the following questions.
2. How many examples does the writer provide to illustrate her point? What are they? The author provides altogether six examples to prove her point. They are listed in the next slide.
新核心大学英语 读写教程 基础版 课后练习 Unit 8
Unit 8 》Part II 》Main Reading
15. any condition that makes it difficult to make progress or to achieve an objective (G)= _____ barrier 16. having divisions in more than two countries (H)= __________ multinational 17. to follow the tracks or traces of (H)= ____ track 18. obtaining goods or services from an outside supplier (H)= __________ outsourcing internally 19. on or from the inside (J)= ________ payroll 20. a list of employees and their salaries (J) = ______
Unit 8 》Part II 》Related Reading
Task 1 Guessing Meaning from Context Guess the meaning of the following words from context. The letter in parentheses refers to the paragraph in which the word can be found. Choose which meaning best fits the word.
d competition (A)
a 1. __ explanation (A)
2. __ landscape (C) e
综合商务英语教程第三册unit 8
• A resolute core purpose and supporting values. • A central organizational principle. • A compelling idea.
• 2. brand awareness
by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public
• • 3. brand engagement
recognition.
techniques from modeling. Data mining and game theory that analyze current and historical facts to make predictions about future events.
III. Reading
• Read the article about branding. Skim the
• IV. Language Focus • In this unit, we have met a number of appositive clauses. Appositive
clauses resemble relative clauses. However, they are different from each other. Study the following information and answer the following questions
商务英语综合教程第三册课件 Unit 8 International Business
Company Logo
Unit 8 International Business (5)
be willing to 乐意 愿意 (1) Scientists must learn to communicate
Unit 8 International Business (7)
2.Ghosh says boards of successful companies often seek out the founders and CEOs of failed companies because they value experience over a clean slate. After all, Henry Ford and Steve Jobs experienced multiple failures before achieving success. 戈什说许多成功公司的董事会经常挖破产公 司的创建者或首席执行官因为他们有弥足珍 贵的经验。要知道，毕竟，亨利·福特和史蒂 夫·乔布斯在成功之前是经历了很多失败的。
• 2. Steve Jobs: 史蒂夫·乔布斯（19552011），发明家、企业家、美国苹果公司联合创 办人、前行政总裁。
• 3. Silicon Valley: A region in California south of San Francisco that is noted for its concentration of high-technology industries. 硅谷
• 我们既需要向他人表达自己的谅解之意，也要愿意 诚心接受他人的歉意。
商务英语视听说教程2：U7U8答案(姜荷梅第二版).doc
商务英语视听说教程2: U7U8答案（姜荷梅第二版）一、Unit 7 答案1. Listening (听力)Part A (第一部分)1.B2.A3.C4.B5.A6.C7.B8.CPart B (第二部分)9.conference room10.provide some training11.make a presentation12.improve their performance13.schedule a meeting14.make a reservation15.arrange a business trip16.book a flightPart C (第三部分)17.training program18.market research19.customer satisfaction20.business trip21.job interview22.team building23.product launch24.staff meeting2. Speaking (口语)Part A (第一部分)篇章内容：Steve: Hi Karen, have you finished the report?Karen: Yes, I have. I just need to double-check a few details.Steve: Great. If it’s ready, can you send it to me via email?Karen: Sure, I’ll send it to you right away.Steve: Thanks, Karen. I appreciate your hard work on this project.Karen: No problem, Steve. It was a team effort. We all worked together to get it done.Steve: That’s true. We make a great team.Karen: Absolutely. We have a lot of talented individuals on our team.Steve: We should celebrate our success. Let’s go out for lunch tomorrow.Karen: Sounds good. We can discuss future projects and ideas over lunch.Steve: Perfect. I’ll book a table at our favorite restaurant.Karen: Thanks, Steve. Looking forward to it.Steve: Me too. See you tomorrow.Karen: See you then.Part B (第二部分)题目：Discussing Upcoming Business Trips篇章内容：Mike: Hi Lisa, I heard you will be going on a business trip soon. Where will you be going?Lisa: Yes, I will be traveling to Tokyo next week.Mike: That sounds exciting. What is the purpose of your trip?Lisa: I’ll be attending a conference and meeting with our Japanese business partners.Mike: Have you made all the necessary arrangements?Lisa: Yes, I have booked my flight and hotel. I also prepared a detailed itinerary.Mike: That’s great. Is there anything I can help you with?Lisa: Actually, I have never been to Tokyo before. Do you have any recommendations for sightseeing or restaurants?Mike: Sure, I can give you some suggestions. I’ll send you an email with all the information.Lisa: Thank you, Mike. I really appreciate your help.Mike: No problem, Lisa. I hope you have a successful trip.Part C (第三部分)题目：Discussing Performance Evaluation Results篇章内容：Kate: Hi Mark, have you received your performance evaluation results?Mark: Yes, I received them this morning. How about you?Kate: I got m ine too. Let’s discuss our results and see how we can improve.Mark: Sure, let’s go through the feedback we received.Kate: Overall, my evaluation was positive. However, there are a few areas for improvement.Mark: Same here. I need to work on my time management and communication skills.Kate: It’s good that we are aware of our weaknesses. We can create a plan to address them.Mark: Definitely. We can also seek guidance from our supervisor if needed.Kate: That’s a good idea. Let’s schedule a meeting wi th him to discuss our performance goals.Mark: Great. I’ll send an email to arrange the meeting.Kate: Thank you, Mark. I’m confident we can grow and excel in our roles.二、Unit 8 答案1. Listening (听力)Part A (第一部分)1.B2.A3.C4.C5.B6.A7.B8.CPart B (第二部分)9.product promotion10.market segmentation11.advertising campaign12.customer loyalty13.brand image14.target audience15.sales strategypetitive advantagePart C (第三部分)17.market research18.product launch19.advertising budget20.sales forecast21.marketing strategy22.customer feedback23.brand awareness24.online advertising2. Speaking (口语)Part A (第一部分)篇章内容：John: Hi Lisa, have you heard about the new advertising campaign?Lisa: Yes, I have. It’s a great initiative to promote our new products.John: Definitely. The ads are catchy and the message is clear.Lisa: I agree. It will definitely grab the attention of our target audience.John: We should also leverage social media to reach a wider audience.Lisa: That’s a good idea. We can create engaging content and run targeted ads.John: We should also monitor customer feedback and respond quickly.Lisa: Absolutely. Customer satisfaction is key to building brand loyalty.John: I’m confident that this campaign will boost our sales and brand image.Lisa: Me too. Let’s work together to ensure its succe ss.John: Sounds like a plan. Let’s schedule a meeting to discuss the details.Lisa: Perfect. I’ll check our calendars and send an invitation.Part B (第二部分)题目：Discussing New Product Launch篇章内容：Emily: Hi Mike, have you heard about the new product launch?Mike: Yes, I have. The new product looks promising.Emily: Indeed. We need to create an effective marketing strategy to introduce it to the market.Mike: Agreed. We should conduct market research to identify our target audience.Emily: We also need to establish a budget for advertising and promotional activities.Mike: That’s right. We should allocate resources wisely to maximize the impact.Emily: We can leverage digital marketing channels to reach a wider audience.Mike: Absolutely. Social media and online advertising are essential in today’s digital age.Emily: We should also plan a product launch event to generate buzz and media coverage.Mike: I’ll start working on the marketing plan and get back to you with the details.Emily: Great, I’m looking forward to it. Let’s make this launch a big success.Part C (第三部分)题目：Discussing Sales Strategy篇章内容：Tom: Hi Sarah, let’s discuss our sales strategy for the upcoming quarter.Sarah: Sure, Tom. We need to set realistic sales targets to drive performance.Tom: I agree. We should also analyze market trends and adjust our strategy accordingly.Sarah: We need to identify our competitive advantage and highlight it in our sales pitch.Tom: Absolutely. Differentiating ourselves from competitors will give us an edge.Sarah: We should also focus on building long-term customer relationships to enhance customer loyalty.Tom: That’s a good point. Happy customers will recommend our products to others.Sarah: We should also train our sales team to effectively communicate the value of our products.Tom: I’ll schedule a training session to ensure our team is equipped with the necessary skills.Sarah: Thank you, Tom. Together, we can achieve our sales goals and exceed expectations.三、总结本文档为《商务英语视听说教程2: U7U8答案（姜荷梅第二版）》的答案文档，包含了Unit 7和Unit 8的听力和口语部分的答案。
新时代核心英语教程写作1教学课件(U8)
Avoid mixed or awkward constructions
Do not mix grammatical structures
Once we begin an English sentence, our choices are limited by the range of grammatical patterns in English. We cannot begin with one grammatical plan and change to another without giving any hint to the reader.
Do not mix grammatical structures In the mixed sentence, the writer began with a long prepositional phrase that was supposed to be a modifier, but then tried to use it as the subject of the sentence. This cannot be done.
国开商务英语边学边练unit8
国开商务英语边学边练unit8摘要：1.课程简介2.学习目标3.课程内容a.词汇和语法b.听说读写综合训练c.商务场景模拟4.学习方法建议5.总结与反馈正文：【提纲】1.课程简介国开商务英语边学边练unit8 是一门针对商务英语学习者的课程。
通过该课程的学习，学员将能够提高自己的商务英语应用能力，更好地应对商务场景。
本课程采用边学边练的方式，使学员在实际操作中掌握所学知识。
【提纲】2.学习目标通过学习本课程，学员将实现以下学习目标：- 掌握unit8 中的重点词汇和语法；- 提高听说读写综合能力；- 熟悉商务场景，提高商务英语应用能力。
【提纲】3.课程内容【提纲】3.1 词汇和语法本课程的词汇和语法部分包括unit8 中的核心词汇、短语和语法知识点。
学员需要掌握这些内容，以便在实际应用中正确使用。
【提纲】3.2 听说读写综合训练本课程提供了丰富的听说读写练习，帮助学员在实际场景中运用所学知识。
学员可以通过听力材料、阅读材料和写作练习来提高自己的商务英语能力。
【提纲】3.3 商务场景模拟本课程模拟了多种商务场景，如商务会议、商务谈判、商务信函等。
学员可以跟随课程内容进行模拟练习，提高自己在实际工作中运用商务英语的能力。
【提纲】4.学习方法建议为了更好地学习本课程，建议学员采用以下学习方法：- 每天安排一定的学习时间，按照课程顺序进行学习；- 在学习过程中，遇到不懂的问题及时查阅资料或向老师请教；- 多做练习，通过实践来巩固所学知识；- 与同学互动，分享学习心得和经验。
【提纲】5.总结与反馈通过学习国开商务英语边学边练unit8 课程，学员可以全面提高自己的商务英语能力。
大学核心商务英语读写教程4unit 8 BUSINESS ETHICAL CULTURE
Words and Expressions
(2) integrity /in'tegriti/ n. quality of being honest and morally upright诚实而正直 Example: You can trust him; he is a man of complete integrity. 你可以相信他， 他是一个刚正不阿的人。
(3) transgression / træns'greʃən / n. going beyond (the limit of what is morally or legally acceptable) 违法; 违反 道德; 违犯戒律 Example: Every look and word of her father put her in mind of her transgression, and was likely to drive her mad. 她父亲的一言一瞥都使她想起 自己的罪过简直要使她发疯。
（10）unequivocal / ‘ ʌni’kwivəkəl / adj. having only one possible meaning; clear and unmistakeable 只有一种含义的; 清楚 明白的 Example: No published investigation has provided unequivocal evidence. 已发表的研究没有提供明显的证据。
Words and Expressions
（9）compassion/kəm'pæʃən / n. pity for the suhelp them 同情; 怜悯 Example: The nurse had great compassion for her patients. 那位护士十分同情她的病人。
商务英语 案例篇_西南财经大学_8 Unit8CustomerService_(8.1.1) 8.1.1R
来源：杨翠萍蔡莉主编，大学商务英语综合教程学生用书，清华大学出版社2016.8Customer Service ChampsBy Jena McGregor Bob Emig was flying home from St.Louis on Southwest Airlines this past December when an all-too-familiar travel nightmare began to unfold.After his airplane backed away from the gate,he and his fellow passengers were told the plane would need to be de-iced.When the aircraft was ready to fly two and a half hours later, the pilot had reached the hour limit set by the Federal Aviation Administration,and a new pilot was required.By that time,the plane had to be de-iced again.Five hours after the scheduled departure time,Emig’s flight was finally ready for takeoff.A customer service disaster,right?Not to hear Emig tell it.The pilot walked the aisles,answering questions and offering constant updates.Flight attendants,who Emig says“really seemed like they cared,”kept up with the news on connecting flights.And within a couple of days of arriving home,Emig,who travels frequently, received a letter from Southwest that included two free round-trip ticket vouchers.“I could not believe they acknowledged the situation and apologized,”says Emig.“Then they gave me a gift,for all intents and purposes,to make up for the time spent sitting on the runway.”Emig’s“gift”from the airline was not the result of an unusually kind customer service agent who took pity on his plight.Nor was it a scramble to make amends after a disastrous operational fiasco,as JetBlue Airways Corp.experienced recently.Rather, it was standard procedure for Southwest Airlines,which almost six years ago created a new high-level job that oversees all proactive customer communications with customers.Fred Taylor,who was plucked from the field by President Colleen C. Barrett to fill the role,coordinates information that’s sent to all frontline reps in the event of major flight disruptions.But he’s also charged with sending out letters,and in many cases flight vouchers,to customers caught in major storms,air traffic snarls,or other travel messes—even those beyond Southwest’s control—that would fry the nerves of a seasoned traveler.“It’s not something we had to do,”says Taylor.“It’s just something we feel our customers deserve.”As Southwest recognizes,providing great customer service is much more than just a job for the front lines or the call centers.It takes coordination from the top, bringing together people,management,technology,and processes to put customers’needs first.That’s true today more than ever.Technology is leveling the barriers between alpha companies and alsorans,making great customer service one of the few ways companies can distinguish themselves.Retail,online,and phone shopping channels are expanding,increasingly prompting customers to demand a seamless—and painless—experience.Refining time-tested concepts and coming up with cutting-edge ideas is critical for managing rank-and-file workers and measuring what customers think.For most of us customer service is an aggravating maze of automated phone trees and scripted voices resonating from halfway around the world.But while offshoring call-center work is still growing steadily,companies are getting smarter about what they send overseas.“I think we’re seeing some backlash,”says Bruce Temkin, Forrester Research Inc.’s principal analyst for customer experience.“Companies are pulling some(more complex types of calls)back from offshore,and in other cases are recognizing they need to invest more in those facilities to give reps more tools and training.”One encouraging alternative trend is“homeshoring,”in which service agents armed with a broadband line,a computer,and a quiet corner in their spare bedroom respond to calls at their homes.Service can be better for customers because homeshoring attracts more experienced workers with more education than do regular call centers.Stay-at-home moms are a big part of the labor pool and like the flexibility and nonexistent commuting costs of the home-based model.That makes them more loyal,keeping turnover lower and experience levels panies that outsource calls to home-based agents report turnover rates in the10%to30%range,compared with anywhere from60%to100%in the average call center.The home-based outsourcing model,with its more experienced agents working at home in jeans and slippers,fits well with the idea that happier front line folks will make for happier customers.The connection between satisfied employees and contented customers is hardly a new concept:Any business-school student can recite by heart the concept of the “service-profit chain,”which draws the inextricable link between the front line and satisfied customers.But new research from Katzenbach Partners offers an updated metaphor.The firm stresses the importance of an“empathy engine,”which looks at the role of the entire organization,including middle and senior management,in providing great service.If that engine is thought of as a heart,“the whole company has to pump the customer through it,”says Traci Entel,a principal at Katzenbach Partners who recently studied13leading service companies’best practices.“It starts much further back,with how they organize themselves,and how they place value on thinking about the customer.”Helping employees become more empathetic with customers was a common focus.For instance,all front line workers at Cabela’s,the outfitter famous for its massive retail shrines to hunting,fishing,and camping,partake in a free product-loaner program.Staffers are encouraged to borrow any of the company’s more than200,000products for up to two months,so long as they write a review that’s shared via a company wide software system when the goods are returned.That’s not only a perk for employees;it also helps them better empathize with product issues customers might have.But few places make empathizing with customers quite as luxurious an experience as Four Seasons Hotels.At most of its properties,the final piece of the seven-step employee orientation is something the chain’s executives call a “familiarization stay”or“fam trip.”Each worker in these hotels,from housekeepers to front-desk clerks,is given a free night’s stay for themselves and a guest,along withfree dining.While there,employees are asked to grade the hotels on such measures as the number of times the phone rings when calling room service to how long it takes to get items to a room.“We bill it as a training session,”says Ellen Dubois du Bellay, vice-president of learning and development.“They’re learning what it looks like to receive service from the other side.”That’s key when your product is out of range for many employees—a$400 room rate isn’t exactly easy to swing on a housekeeper’s budget.But the perk doesn’t stop at orientation:After six months of service,employees may stay up to three nights a year for free.By10years,they get20free stays.As you’d imagine,“there’s a very healthy uptake,”says du Bellay.Four Seasons’creative but practical approach reveals one of the most powerful secrets of world-class service:helping employees to understand what it feels like to be a customer.Thinking like that distinguishes our customer service champs from the rest of the field.(1175words)From Business Week。