LOVE THY CUSTOMER  

I once read that business is people. Irrespective of the kind of business you may be in, in the end we all have to deal with the customer. We all have to deal with people. He is the end user. He has to be happy and satisfied. Let me know of one business where we do not need customers or need not keep them happy. We would not find any. Whether you are in Australia or Argentina, Europe or Ethiopia, you have to deal with people. Whether you are selling computers or clothes, hay or helicopters, geese or gold, tables or tarpaulins you have to deal with people. Whether it is a product or service, main supplier or outsourced, have direct contact or not, the end user is an individual. A human being who can think, feel and act.  

Since business involves people it is important that, we love to deal with them. You cannot have the business without the person. They come together. It is a package deal. If you need the business you have to deal with the person as well. In that case why not have a positive approach and love those customers. Also good customer service stems from developing this attitude. Whether in person or otherwise, attitude can be sensed by customers from the moment of initial contact.  

You must love to smile, greet, listen, talk, understand, and solve their needs. I am sure that is what the customer expects as well. Since all people are not made alike you would be dealing with different types of people. Some are good, some smile, some timid, some shy, some shout, some bawl, some whine, some demand, some impatient and some just plain obnoxious. You require a lot of patience while dealing with them. They would not tune to your frame of mind or moods. They don’t have to. In fact it is the reverse. 

Let us suppose that you by nature are the kind who loves people. You love to talk to them, help them and enjoy putting a smile on their faces. You have the inborn capability to see things from the customer’s perspective. You can empathize with the customer. You take successful customer handling as a personal challenge. You consider servicing a customer as a pleasurable experience and not a painful one. If so, you are half way towards good customer service. You have the basic and a very important attribute to succeed in customer service. You could be a winner in your profession or business. While this might sound idealistic it is essential.  

Jack and Jill are both front line sales executives with similar selling skills. In spite of the two at par it was noticed that 3 out 5 customers ask for Jack and preferred to conduct their business with him. A study of their customer handling patterns revealed that Jack always had a smile for the customer; he greeted them well, was very understanding and tolerant with them. He offered suggestions and ideas. He never got flustered or lost his cool. He managed to calm down irate customers. He showed a lot of patience. He accepted the different kinds of customers in his working stride. He basically loved to deal with his customers. These actions obviously elicited similar reactions from customers. This was something that could not be taught to them in their trainings.  

You could give a person all the training and emphasize on various qualities required to render good service, but you cannot train him to love to deal with people. It is a basic inherent nature. Something, that has to come from within.  

Hence if you love dealing with people you qualify to be a frontline service agent or look at it this way, if you want to be a good customer service agent then develop the attitude of loving your customers.  

In simple terms,  

You love dealing with people - You keep them happy - They come back to you - You grow.

You do not love dealing with people - They realize their mistake of coming to you the first time - You will not see them again - You do not grow.  

Think about it