Customer Perception

In customer service, there are seven deadly statements.

1. "I'm having a terrible day."
2. "We're short on staff today."
3. "I only work here part time."
4. "This job is really hard."
5. "That last customer was really a pain."
6. "This is the third time this week that we've had system problems."
7. "My co-worker messed up."

Reasons being a bad day is never a good excuse to make a customer's day as bad, short-staffed is also not an excuse for not meeting customers' needs, every customer expects excellent service regardless you are a full-time staff or not, one should not make serving customers seem as a burden to themselves, one should gain customers' trust and not lose them, every service personnel should have control over their own attitude and quality of service given regardless of unforeseen circumstances like technical problems, and that it is your job to make it right even if your co-worker has messed it up as customers do not get personal; they see the organisation as a whole.

The link to customer perception is that:

A good customer perception is very valuable. As a customer myself, I like to frequent shops and restaurants for good quality service. At times, I may even find myself purchasing products which I do not really fancy, all because of the good shopping experience the shopowner is capable to give me. In a nutshell, good customer perception drives good sales and ensures return customers.

I am currently taking a Service Methodology Skills module in school. During operation, I get to work at school restaurants and serve real dining customers. And I must say the seven deadly statements are very deadly indeed. Take "This job is really hard." for example... By finding the job hard, I lose confidence in doing my given tasks well as I have already believed that I am incapable of doing them even before I try. Hence, this affects my performance adversely. With this kind of negative mindset, I would not look forward to serving and thus landing myself in a bad mood which will in turn lead to poor service and attitude.

After adjusting my mindset, I find doing my given tasks a lot easier as I gradually find servicing very much enjoyable. Good mood leads to good attitude, and good attitude leads to good service. Adding on, good service, leads to goods sales, and good sales lead to good mood. And it all comes back, it is a cycle. A good start will eventually lead to a good ending if one believes in good customer service.