We've all had this happen.  You show up to a store, ready to make a purchase that thrills you, and within moments of arrival, all of that great energy you had gets sucked right out of you.  What happened?  More than likely, you walked into an environment that had negativity and unhappiness hovering, and the associate(s) you encountered had bad energy spewing from their pores.  (We can likely assume that these associates are unhappy with their jobs and don't have the tools/training they need to do their jobs well so they feel good.)  This negativity wildfire nearly engrosses you, and that excitement you had about your purchase is depleted.  Think about all that could be done differently by the company/associates in this situation.  Now, take a look at a very funny (very bad!) customer service exchange that takes place during Meet the Parents when Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) is attempting to board a flight.

“Customer Service is not a department…it’s an attitude.”  How true is this phrase? As much as we try to complicate what great service is…it can be pretty simple. Customer Love, by Mac Anderson, is a great book that highlights unforgettable true stories about individuals and companies who have created extraordinary service experiences for their customers. WOW's! Companies like Nordstrom, Southwest Airlines, Starbucks, and others. What makes this little book so good is that the stories collectively inspire and remind us of what great service can look like and that it doesn't have to be complicated. 

A LOT!  For those of you who don't know, K.I.S.S. stands for "Keep it simple, stupid" (not calling you stupid; just don't want you to act stupid).  According to Wikipedia, the meaning of K.I.S.S. is: "The KISS principle states that most systems work best if they are kept simple rather than made complicated; therefore simplicity should be a key goal in design and unnecessary complexity should be avoided."  Now applying this principle to customer service makes a lot of sense, right?  Businesses often neglect to uphold customer service standards since they don't want to put in the work required to train on and maintain them.  This is where businesses go wrong- implementing good, basic customer service practices is not hard, and for many people, it comes naturally once they are given a gentle nudge to embrace these skills. 

From the lyrics of Carly Simon's song, Anticipation.... "is keeping me waiting."   Waiting and wondering are two very dangerous words in customer service, and yet I experience both, often.  How many times have you been in a store, hotel, restaurant, or doctor's office standing in line, where clearly the person behind the counter sees you, but does not acknowledge you?  They can look right at you, but choose to say nothing, and somehow they are comfortable with letting you stand and wait.  Is this a training issue, or an acceptable business practice for some businesses, or are some people wired in such a way that they don't understand or can't anticipate the effects of this on a consumer?

"We wildly underestimate the power of the tiniest personal touch."  -Tom Peters 

Think of your most recent purchases. What were they?  What do you like most about them, or what made you decide to buy them?  Perhaps some of your purchases were things like gas for your car (you appreciate being able to get from point “a” to point “b”), lunch (you LOVE the taste of fresh veggie fajitas), and flip flops (great color and so comfortable).  Now let's go back- when I asked about your most recent purchases, did you consider any that were for intangible items and services?  I bet 90% of you say “no,” and the reason is that for many of these, there is nothing for you to touch, taste, smell, and see; therefore, it’s harder for you to think about these items as actual purchases since you can’t picture them, or their benefits, in your mind (you can't exactly taste or smell what good health insurance is, right?).  If you are in a company that sells services, this should give you pause. With few or no tangible characteristics to what you are selling, it is harder for you to differentiate yourselves from your competition. Your customers instead have to consider price, reliability, customer service, and performance when they decide to buy from you.

Unfairness feels like injustice, and when customers face injustice they are motivated to seek justice.  When customers believe they have been treated unfairly, they are first surprised, then disappointed.  This feeling converts to anger and indignation, emotions that can be held onto for a long time.  Anger wrought from unfairness leads to a desire to punish and is probably the emotional justification for customers who go out of their way to punish an organization.  Trust and fairness are intimately related.  The basis for trust is perceived fairness.  Without trust, a shaky foundation exists for service exchanges.

-Janelle Barlow and Dianna Maul, Emotional Value