Everyone is a customer. We tend to think that the people who purchase our products and services are our only customers. However, the employees within our organizations who create, produce, support and sell our products and services are our customers. The people in our personal lives are our customers too. Does each person get treated with the same amount of professionalism, maturity and respect?

People want to do business, work and interact with people they like and trust. It is up to you to take the lead and maintain the competitive advantage by creating a pleasant, respectful experience for people. Excellence in customer service requires excellent interpersonal skills. No skill is more important than a sincere willingness and interest in helping others.

People Complain and Leave When:

• No one is willing to take responsibility for a situation.
• They are treated with disrespect and rudeness.
• No one is listening, responding or validating their thoughts and feelings.
• They are being inconvenienced by wasting their time, energy and money.
• Promises and commitments are not followed through.
• They are not told the truth.
• The person or organization is not easy to interact or do business with.

Interacting with people is very challenging, especially in our current fast-paced, multi-tasking society. Developing people skills is complex and possible. It is easier for many people to become great task masters. Great task masters do produce results and excellent customer service does build loyalty, deeper relationships and increase sales. Think about this...what do you value more, your tasks or your customers?