Customer service is very important for any business, it doesn’t matter if you have an online business or a brick and mortar establishment it is the most important part as far as I’m concerned. If it wasn’t for those customers you wouldn’t have that successful business and if it isn’t successful maybe you should check into how that part of your business is being handled.

I’m sure everyone has dealt with customer service at some point whether you dealt with a customer or you were that customer. I know people can’t be pleasant all the time, but if it’s your job and your getting paid you should leave all outside problems where they belong and be professional.

I have to admit I did love the power of being a bartender because people that drink are never right and it’s a tough job being courteous to someone when you’re flagging them and they’re calling you names or throwing things at you. As far as I’m concerned that’s the only job where the customer is not always right.

When I worked at Lowe’s they always had “mystery shoppers” come in maybe twice a month and you stay on your toes when you know you might be written up for something. Of course it’s nice when the reports are good, but believe me they aren’t always and several people were called out for not following Lowe’s policies. They always read these reports at the monthly meetings.

A few things to remember are to always acknowledge your customer and make them feel welcome and appreciated. You should always smile and offer whatever service you provide in a pleasant manner. When I did waitress work I found that regardless of how busy I was if I just took that one second to tell them I would be with them as soon as possible and give them a basket of bread and some water they were usually quite happy with me.

You should also make sure that the people that work for you are informed and know what’s going on. Nothing irritates a customer more than talking to someone that doesn’t know what they are talking about. If you don’t have the answer a customer is looking for then make sure you find someone that does as quickly as possible. Customers have a low tolerance when it comes to waiting and can get quite irritable.

Always make sure you thank that customer, that is very important. These are simple basic courtesies that should always be followed. You are always going to run into some very unpleasant people whether it has been you returning something and you’re upset or the representative that has had a bad day and takes it out on you. That’s simply not good for any business.

Most businesses know that customer service is very important and take steps for proper training, but some sour dour people do slip through the cracks. That was one thing I did like about the Lowe’s I worked at, they did try to make sure they had pleasant and knowledgeable people working for them. I know first hand that it’s not always easy dealing with the public and the idea that the customer is always right can be irritating at times, but it’s a good policy.

You should give your customers the benefit of the doubt even when you believe they are mistaken. You should at least give them the courtesy of listening to their complaint. Then do what you can to resolve it so they go away happy and content and have good things to say about your way of handling the situation instead of the derogatory comments that can really hurt your business. Everyone likes to feel special and appreciated so make sure your customers feel that way and your business will definitely prosper.