oving target. Society's ever changing norms, connectivity and things happening so fast, it seems impossible to keep up with every single request or trend in any industry, let alone providing Customer Service. It's people on cell phones and PDA's right in front of you while they are being serviced, conducting two conversations at once and expecting you to know the diffeI entered the brightly lit room. It was stylishly appointed with contemporary paintings on the wall. The long conference table gleamed with fresh polish and there was a smell in the air that reminded me of coffee and bagels with cream cheese. At one end of the table sat two Customers.

I looked at their friendly smiling expressions and wondered how I found myself in this situation. Alone, with two Customers who were ready to talk. I was thinking how lucky I am to have this type of one on one interaction with real live Customers! Soon, all the secrets of the Customer Service Universe will be mine!

WAIT JUST ONE MINUTE THERE BUB!

I think you have gone off the deep end with this one.

I stood by when you wrote about asbestos suits, and breakfast conversations and the difference between value and worth, but I think you’ve gone a little too far. This scene sounds like something out of a movie.

You know what, Customer Service Professional, you’re right. Sometimes I think we feel that Customer Service is like that. It’s almost like a movie scene. It’s disassociated from us. It doesn’t seem real. It’s “over there” service. “They have much better service over there.” It's not us on the phone or standing at the counter. It's like we are watching a movie and everyone has a part and after awhile, we just sit down, grab the popcorn and watch. Forgetting that we have a starring role!

Sound familiar?

Customer Service is at best a moving target. Society's ever changing norms, connectivity and things happening so fast, it seems impossible to keep up with every single request or trend in any industry, let alone providing Customer Service. It's people on cell phones and PDA's right in front of you while they are being serviced, conducting two conversations at once and expecting you to know the differ

in this situation. Alone, with two Customers who were ready to talk. I was thinking how lucky I am to have this type of one on one interaction with real live Customers! Soon, all the secrets of the Customer Service Universe will be mine!

WAIT JUST ONE MINUTE THERE BUB!

I think you have gone off the deep end with this one.

I stood by when you wrote about asbestos suits, and breakfast conversations and the difference between value and worth, but I think you’ve gone a little too far. This scene sounds like something out of a movie.

You know what, Customer Service Professional, you’re right. Sometimes I think we feel that Customer Service is like that. It’s almost like a movie scene. It’s disassociated from us. It doesn’t seem real. It’s “over there” service. “They have much better service over there.” It's not us on the phone or standing at the counter. It's like we are watching a movie and everyone has a part and after awhile, we just sit down, grab the popcorn and watch. Forgetting that we have a starring role!

Sound familiar?

Customer Service is at best a moving target. Society's ever changing norms, connectivity and things happening so fast, it seems impossible to keep up with every single request or trend in any industry, let alone providing Customer Service. It's people on cell phones and PDA's right in front of you while they are being serviced, conducting two conversations at once and expecting you to know the diffe

out asbestos suits, and breakfast conversations and the difference between value and worth, but I think you’ve gone a little too far. This scene sounds like something out of a movie.

You know what, Customer Service Professional, you’re right. Sometimes I think we feel that Customer Service is like that. It’s almost like a movie scene. It’s disassociated from us. It doesn’t seem real. It’s “over there” service. “They have much better service over there.” It's not us on the phone or standing at the counter. It's like we are watching a movie and everyone has a part and after awhile, we just sit down, grab the popcorn and watch. Forgetting that we have a starring role!

Sound familiar?

Customer Service is at best a moving target. Society's ever changing norms, connectivity and things happening so fast, it seems impossible to keep up with every single request or trend in any industry, let alone providing Customer Service. It's people on cell phones and PDA's right in front of you while they are being serviced, conducting two conversations at once and expecting you to know the diffe

. It doesn’t seem real. It’s “over there” service. “They have much better service over there.” It's not us on the phone or standing at the counter. It's like we are watching a movie and everyone has a part and after awhile, we just sit down, grab the popcorn and watch. Forgetting that we have a starring role!

Sound familiar?

Customer Service is at best a moving target. Society's ever changing norms, connectivity and things happening so fast, it seems impossible to keep up with every single request or trend in any industry, let alone providing Customer Service. It's people on cell phones and PDA's right in front of you while they are being serviced, conducting two conversations at once and expecting you to know the diffe

oving target. Society's ever changing norms, connectivity and things happening so fast, it seems impossible to keep up with every single request or trend in any industry, let alone providing Customer Service. It's people on cell phones and PDA's right in front of you while they are being serviced, conducting two conversations at once and expecting you to know the difference.

That’s why it is so important to have the Basics down pat.

Being able to listen effectively, to discern from emotion and fact, to find the "nugget" of information, that is the real skill in Customer Service. And do it while maintaining a GREAT ATTITUDE! If everything ran perfectly we would not have a job. People could just order it over the internet, it would arrive, and work perfectly and there would be no questions. No need for professional listeners or professional diplomats or professional problem solvers of any sort.

But the world does not run that way. Things don’t always go right and are not delivered on time. A Product cannot sell itself and can’t repair itself. It’s not a scene from "Terminator", where machines and things have taken over the earth.

People require Service. We need the “human touch” to make the world go ‘round. We like to have things explained to us in terms we can understand. We like people who are friendly, especially if we have just handed over our trust and our money to them. If we are doing business with someone, we like to be appreciated for that business. Many times a warm "Thank You" and invitation to come back is all we need.

And when we receive the extra little bit, the difference between good service and a GREAT Service, well you can take that to the bank. We will return again and again to do business.

It’s no mystery. There isn't makeup or costumes. No one is going to yell "CUT" whe