The art of customer service

I've spent a lot of my life working in the customer service industry. Years cashiering helped me realize how little people care about each other. When I worked at the bookstore people looked down on me for working there, yet it was my second job, and I worked there because I wanted to. I always found it interesting when people would give you attitude, and yet I was always polite and gave good customer service.

I distinctly remember one Christmas a lady coming in and asking for book on Alaska. I asked her if she wanted a travel book or a picture book or what, since there were 42,000 books on Alaska, most not in our store. She yelled at me, "What's wrong with you! I just want a book on Alaska." She went to another store, that later called us asking for a certain book on Alaskan fishing (cause yeah she was so specific, not) and we didn't have it. I asked the other CSR if it was the lady and they said it was. I wished them my condolences.

Now I've experienced some bad customer service in my life. Just recently I was waiting at the cutting counter at Joann's and there were two women at the counter. One who was working, cutting material for a customer, the other talking on the company phone to her boyfriend.

I guess not everyone understands that customer service is an art form and it applies to all aspects of life, not just standing at a counter. As a writer I know it's very important to treat all my readers as valued customers. Listen to what they say, but take it with a grain of salt since you can't please everyone. Really there are some basics of customer service:

1. The customer is always right. Even if they are stupid and obnoxious. Eventually they will leave the store and you will have nicer people to deal with.
2. Be ready to serve. Don't stand there talking to your friend and ignoring a customer. There is nothing that will piss of a person faster. And that's not good if you want them to come back.
3. You attract more flies with honey than vinegar. Be nice, even if they are asinine. As much as you might like to tell them how wrong they are, just smile and say okay. Again they will be gone soon enough.
4. Realize that you only matter as much as you make yourself matter. If you talk to every customer, offer them a smile, a welcome, they are more likely to leave in a good mood and less likely to snap at someone else.
5. Be strong in who you are, but understand when you put on your customer service hat you're serving others first.


In all honesty, customer service is one of the hardest jobs in the world. You have to deal with people. And we all know how moody, stupid, angry, annoying, insert word, people can be. If you can't do the above, stay away from customer service.