1. "That's Not My Responsibility."

This comment may cause team members to feel as though they've covered themselves, but the guest doesn't care who is responsible. The guest merely wants the question answered or the request filled.

The risk of dropping the ball increases each time a request, question, or need is passed on to another person. This is true whether it's a form, a phone number, an e-mail, or a voicemail message. The person who hears a concern, is asked a question, or takes a request for information should be the one to follow it through to completion. In fact because he or she first heard the inquiry, he or she is responsible for answering it. When this happens, it is a guaranteed "Wow!" for the guest.

Here's an example. A guest walked up to Mike at the guest-services center and asked a question about an online registration process he'd used a few days before. The problem wasn't anticipated, so the answer wasn't readily apparent. Mike took the guest's name and phone number and promised to find the answer. He discovered the answer by the end of his shift on Sunday. Before the afternoon was over, Mike called the guest and resolved the confusion.

The guest would have been happy to have the information from anyone, but Mike's diligence and commitment told him he was dealing with a person, not an institution. Whether they ever speak again, Mike has reinforced our church's core value of relational ministry in the mind of this guest and created a powerful "Wow!"

2. "I Don't Know."

If a team member doesn't have an answer, he or she must be resourceful enough to find it. It's OK not to know an answer; it's not OK to leave it there. The team member must take the initiative to find the answer.

Our responsibility as leaders is to anticipate as much as possible so we're able to inform our teams. Remember, information is empowering. Teams should also note frequently asked questions over the weekend, along with the answers they found. Making this information available fills in the gaps in future services or weeks. "I don't know" must always be followed by "but I'll find out."

3. "No."

Yeah, but, sometimes the answer is "no." Why would we not say "no" if the answer to the question is "no"? Simply because, when you're the guest, you expect the answer to be "yes." You want to be satisfied. When you hear "no" without an alternative or an explanation, you're unsatisfied.

If we've done the work of distinguishing between red and blue rules, we've eliminated most opportunities to say "no." At the same time, saying "yes" every time, even in response to blue rules that are about flow and efficiency, can create problems. Consider these scenarios.

"May I take my coffee into the auditorium?"

Remember, at Granger this is a blue rule. The easy answer is "No, we don't allow it." But how much better the guest will feel to hear "We prefer bottled water in the auditorium. May I get you some?"

In his book Customer Satisfaction Is Worthless, Customer Loyalty Is Priceless, Jeffrey Gitomer suggests we ask ourselves, "What would Grandma think?" If the answer we'd give Grandma isn't "No," "I can't," or "I don't want to," then we shouldn't respond to our guests that way either. As compelling a figure as Grandma is, in the church we have an even better model. Jesus said, "Anything you did for any of my people here, you also did for me" (Matthew 25:40, New Century Version).

Even churches can get stuck in policy ruts. When tempted to say "no" or give the standard response, ask this question: "Would I say ‘no' to my grandma or -- better yet -- to Jesus?"

4. "They," "Them," and "You Guys"

Everyone wants to appear competent. When we don't have the answers or the rule is difficult to explain, the temptation to blame someone else is tremendous. It can be difficult for people to recognize this temptation in themselves. But when the team member says, "They said" or "It's up to them" or "You guys had better," he or she is communicating a lack of ownership. When guests overhear this language or pick up on this attitude, they doubt the church itself.

5. "I'm Just a Volunteer."

I always ask sales associates or clerks, "How are you?"

It's amazing how many times they respond, "I'll be doin' much better when I can leave this place! Only two more hours to go."

I've not done this yet, but I'm sorely tempted to reply, "I feel as if I'm ruining your day. You think your job is punching in, standing all day, pressing buttons on a register, bagging food, and taking money. But the truth is, I'm your job! Making me happy to be here is your job. Thanking me for giving you my business so you can have a paycheck is your job."

Too many people are unhappy working day after day in the same, grueling job. That should never happen in the church. Those who plug in to a ministry should do so because they fully embrace its mission and vision. If they do, no one will ever hear these words from them.

To help ensure that your team members are serving in roles for which they are wired, use the assessment tool "Reviewing My SHAPE for First Impressions Ministry" on pages 140 and 141 (of First Impressions, available at Group.com). It will help team members evaluate their own level of fulfillment and fun in serving on any of your guest-services teams. Working through the SHAPE acronym will help them review each aspect of their serving makeup.