Exhibiting a Customer-Friendly Attitude

One thing all companies and individuals who give great service have in common is that they have a genuine customer-friendly attitude. You view your customers as the most important part of your job and

Communicating and establishing relationships are really the essence of your job. They don't have to take a long time, and they often happen in an instant. The bad news is that making a customer an enemy for life can take just as little time. When you call a company on the phone and the telephone rings ten times before someone picks it up, what kind of connection has that company made with you? More than likely, a negative relationship has been created before any business is transacted. These connections, as simple and quick as they are, are moments of truth for the customer.

Some simple yet high profile opportunities to create positive moments of truth include the following:

• Answer the phone with a greeting before identifying yourself or your company. Doing so starts the conversation out on the right foot.

• Become more aware of your facial expression when a customer approaches you. A smile works much better than a grimace. Customers often judge your mood on how you look when they approach you.

• Don't take it personally when a customer complains. Think of a complaint for what it is, an opportunity to get valuable feedback from your customers. You listen better if you don't feel threatened.