“No problem” is almost universal in service industries today.
“Can I get a refill?” “No problem.”
“Could you transfer this money from my checking account to my savings account?” “No problem.”
“Thanks.” “No problem.”
It may seem innocuous, but it probably has subtle, undesirable effects. So much so that some premier brands have forbidden their employees from saying it.
As a customer, what two words do you want to hear least?
“No” is probably number one. If I’m paying you for some service, I don’t want to hear “no”. Think about how aggravated this makes customers. “No, sorry, I can’t do that. It’s against policy.” “No, we don’t offer that service.” “No, that’s only for premium members.”
“Problem” is probably number two. “Sorry sir, there’s a problem with your account.” Problems are never good. The world doesn’t work like Monopoly. Problems don’t ever benefit the customer.
So, if “no” and “problem” are universally loathed words, why the hell would anyone say “no problem”?
Go into any Ritz-Carlton or Four Seasons. Make a normal request of one of their employees. You will never hear them say “no problem”. Instead, you’ll hear “my pleasure”. Make an insane request. They may not be able to meet it, but you won’t hear “no” or “problem”.
So take it from the Ritz: say “my pleasure” instead of “no problem”.
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