ith them in a courteous, professional manner always gets their attention, leaving them confused and feeling like a jerk. Remember, at the core of basic customer service is treating your customers with respect.

I’m sure you’ve been on the other end of the transaction where you were the customer and say, some credit card representative or the Avon lady was ca

What is good customer service? That’s a question that often haunts both marketers and consumers alike, mainly because their definition of this sometimes elusive concept is at odds with one another. Young people who work the counters will often lament what they consider to be the outlandish expectations of their customers, which they feel are over and above the call of duty.

Meanwhile, the older fold will criticize the service industry workers today for not taking enough care and attention to their needs like they did in “the old days”. Perhaps only the professionals can come up with a firm definition of what customer service is all about.

The bottom-line is that customer service is taking care of the client as best you can, regardless of whether your business is in retail or food service, automotive repair or washing windows. In the service industry, it always pays to work fast because it tells your customers that you are paying attention to their needs. One of the first rules of business is, if you have a customer, don’t make him wait. And if it’s unavoidable that he has to wait (say, you’re working on another customer) then, at the very least, acknowledge his presence so he knows that you care.

A second rule is concerned with attitude. As the saying goes, “kill them with kindness” Certainly, there will be ill-mannered customers who treat you poorly or show disrespect, but refusing to stoop to this level and dealing with them in a courteous, professional manner always gets their attention, leaving them confused and feeling like a jerk. Remember, at the core of basic customer service is treating your customers with respect.

I’m sure you’ve been on the other end of the transaction where you were the customer and say, some credit card representative or the Avon lady was ca

ll of duty.

Meanwhile, the older fold will criticize the service industry workers today for not taking enough care and attention to their needs like they did in “the old days”. Perhaps only the professionals can come up with a firm definition of what customer service is all about.

The bottom-line is that customer service is taking care of the client as best you can, regardless of whether your business is in retail or food service, automotive repair or washing windows. In the service industry, it always pays to work fast because it tells your customers that you are paying attention to their needs. One of the first rules of business is, if you have a customer, don’t make him wait. And if it’s unavoidable that he has to wait (say, you’re working on another customer) then, at the very least, acknowledge his presence so he knows that you care.

A second rule is concerned with attitude. As the saying goes, “kill them with kindness” Certainly, there will be ill-mannered customers who treat you poorly or show disrespect, but refusing to stoop to this level and dealing with them in a courteous, professional manner always gets their attention, leaving them confused and feeling like a jerk. Remember, at the core of basic customer service is treating your customers with respect.

I’m sure you’ve been on the other end of the transaction where you were the customer and say, some credit card representative or the Avon lady was ca

s best you can, regardless of whether your business is in retail or food service, automotive repair or washing windows. In the service industry, it always pays to work fast because it tells your customers that you are paying attention to their needs. One of the first rules of business is, if you have a customer, don’t make him wait. And if it’s unavoidable that he has to wait (say, you’re working on another customer) then, at the very least, acknowledge his presence so he knows that you care.

A second rule is concerned with attitude. As the saying goes, “kill them with kindness” Certainly, there will be ill-mannered customers who treat you poorly or show disrespect, but refusing to stoop to this level and dealing with them in a courteous, professional manner always gets their attention, leaving them confused and feeling like a jerk. Remember, at the core of basic customer service is treating your customers with respect.

I’m sure you’ve been on the other end of the transaction where you were the customer and say, some credit card representative or the Avon lady was ca

e has to wait (say, you’re working on another customer) then, at the very least, acknowledge his presence so he knows that you care.

A second rule is concerned with attitude. As the saying goes, “kill them with kindness” Certainly, there will be ill-mannered customers who treat you poorly or show disrespect, but refusing to stoop to this level and dealing with them in a courteous, professional manner always gets their attention, leaving them confused and feeling like a jerk. Remember, at the core of basic customer service is treating your customers with respect.

I’m sure you’ve been on the other end of the transaction where you were the customer and say, some credit card representative or the Avon lady was ca

ith them in a courteous, professional manner always gets their attention, leaving them confused and feeling like a jerk. Remember, at the core of basic customer service is treating your customers with respect.

I’m sure you’ve been on the other end of the transaction where you were the customer and say, some credit card representative or the Avon lady was calling on you to make a pitch. Remember the amount of self-control that they exercised even when you were sometimes cranky or in a rush. It pays to have a cool head and that’s a big part of good customer service.

Many older folks, my father for instance, believe that customer service has deteriorated over the years. That may be true. However, I also believe that people nowadays expect too much and are sometimes downright rude about getting what they want. I guess patience works both ways. In the final analysis, as long as the employee is courteous and professional, the customer should be happy. And that’s the essence of good customer service.