Keeping The Brave Face

When times get tough within a company, the rhetoric about the importance of customer service heats up. Companies know that their business depends upon keeping their customers from fleeing to others. It is with that in mind that the buzz words and articles that company officials will start trumpeting to anyone that will listen.

This becomes a tough situation for both employers and employees to work through. When times are good, companies will do what they can to keep customer service a top priority. But it is during those times with expanding labor rolls that not everyone has the same level of commitment to customer service.

So whether business is good or in a down period, you as an employee have to work at keeping your attitude positive. Employers have to keep an atmosphere that enables personnel to excel at this. As humans we tend to put off doing so until it becomes much too late in the game. It is now that you need to take action.

Times are bad at your company...what do you do? Put on the brave face and keep plugging along, keeping your head low hoping to make it through the next round of cuts. That's it, blend in and hope no one takes notice. And the employers...speak loudly about the importance of customer service and how customers are number one. Things will quietly spin in an ever downward spiral until a buyout or shutdown occurs.

Take a bold step, do something different and be the one to stand up. Work to bring customer service to reality, be vocal to others around you. Don't be another of the water cooler complainers whining about how the boss isn't doing enough for you. Be a part of the solution and lift others around you. As an employer, if you state customer service is important then you should be providing your employees the ability to provide that level of service. Don't just state the importance and demand it of emloyees.

What I'm getting at is that all parties involved (employees and employers) have a stake in this. Whether business is good or declining, it takes more then saying the words. It takes stepping out boldly and doing something. Lifting yourself, others around you - your customers will notice the difference between a positive attitude and 'putting on a brave face'.