A few weeks ago my daughter, husband and I were discussing customer service. My daughter and husband were sharing experiences from their work days of how the customers they were dealing with would ask obvious questions or demand unreasonable requests. My daughter quipped that she had an idea for a comedic handbook on delivering customer service to individuals who test the limits of the customer service professional.

I found all of this conversation interesting because I too have been in the business of delivering customer service for over 30 years and have written numerous articles about the elements of great customer service. What I found most interesting in this conversation was we each had different perspectives. When we are delivering customer service it really doesn’t matter what the giver perceives rather what the receiver interprets.

The more we can put ourselves in the mindset of those we are trying to serve the more effective we will be. How do we get ourselves in the right mindset? We may find some days it’s easier than others. One of the best ways to keep our minds in a positive state is to look for the good in the person we are trying to serve. If we have the assumption that this next customer is going to be a challenge, then guess what? The experience will end up that way.

It is important to remember that this may be the 50th person today you have told the same information to, this is the first time this individual has heard it today. There is an art to staying engaged and pleasant. I find that when I’m taking care of myself, with enough rest, hydration, nutrition and exercise I’m on my game and the game is a positive experience.

For some individuals, keeping your cool or not becoming sensitive may be a challenge. The old saying of counting to ten in your head really works. The more we can keep our perspective as close to the perspective of those we are trying to serve the more successful we will be.

Giving service is something we all do in a variety of ways. On the flip side we are all recipients of service. There have been times when I have been frustrated with the service I am receiving. The more I communicate my position and try to put myself in the position of the individual giving me service, the easier it has been to let go of the frustration and experience a positive outcome. What we perceive becomes our reality. The objective then is to control our perception.

Looking for the win/win to every experience will put joy in our heart and money in our pocket.