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.

Bill/Vietnam

I wish a Happy Veteran’s Day to all that have served before and those serving now, but especially I would like to thank Bill for his service and I’m so happy he made it home. History Of Veterans Day for those seeking more information, they explain much better than I can.

I’ve been online since 98 or 99 somewhere in between and I’ve received many e-mails of course that told me if I didn’t send something some plague would attack me or whatever else they used to frighten poor old souls.

At one point I would send these things back to my friends until I realized it was a bunch of crap, but I kept some because they touched me and this one I really loved and yes I got it in an e-mail back in 2002 and it’s beautiful so I kept the message:

Mark Twain: Some people bring happiness wherever they go, others whenever they go!!

Twinkies and Root Beer

A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of Root beer and he started his journey.

When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old man. He was sitting in the park just staring at some pigeons.

The boy sat down next to him and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the old man looked hungry, so he offered him a Twinkie.

He gratefully accepted it and smiled at him. :) His smile was so pleasant that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered him a root beer. Again, he smiled at him. :)

The boy was delighted!

They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word. As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the old man, and gave him a hug. He gave him his biggest smile ever. :)

When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, “What did you do today that made you so happy? ”

He replied, “I had lunch with God.”  But before his mother could respond, he added, “You know what?  He’s got the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen!” :)

Meanwhile, the old man, also radiant with joy, returned to his home. His son was stunned by the look of peace on his face and he asked, “Dad,what did you do today that made you so happy?”

He replied, “I ate Twinkies in the park with God.” However, before his son responded, he added, “You know, he’s much younger than I expected.”

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.

People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.

Embrace all equally!