It’s amazing to see how good manners can open more doors than people imagine. A smile and customer’s face and a thank you when a transaction is done go a long way to keeping that customer as a customer. The problem in our fast-paced world is that we don't believe there is time for good manners and thus what our mothers taught us goes by the by and then we wonder why we never get good customer service.

I am sure that like many of you we have all had our horror experience with customer service. The problem is that most people don't understand that customer service is the result of good manners both from the buyer as well as the Seller. We assume that the Seller will be motivated to be polite in order to complete the transaction. As for the buyer, there is a belief that the buyer need not be polite. As anyone who has been in business would tell you that nothing could be further from the truth. We automatically assume that our money will buy our entrance to whatever our heart desires. Yet what we fail to understand is that the Seller is also human. And being human, we like to be treated as such. To be given respect, and to be treated with decency are normal expectations that humans have. If we deviate from such behavior, why do we wonder why people behave badly with us? Now I'm not saying that all good deeds are recognized. Sometimes even when you are respectful and act with good manners, the Seller, depending on what type of product he or she is selling, will believe that the best way to treat their clientele is by ignoring them all looking down at. They perceive a perverse notion that by denying or denigrating their customer their product or service, causes the customer to want it even more. From a psychological point of view, this is a correct way of enticing people to want something that is beyond them. However, from a humanistic point of view, not only is this methodology wrong but in the long term backfires. Once the customer has gotten the good or service he or she wanted, they begin to resent the way they were treated. So while the first sale might have happened, the second sale is not guaranteed. A better way would be to treat the customer as though one would want to be treated. Courtesy, politeness, and good manners always wins the day no matter what product or service is being provided. The customer always remembers when he or she is being treated well and when things turn sour, are the first to forgive the Seller and laps in form. As for the buyer, he or she must learn that in order for the Seller to go out of their way to help them in their quest to acquire whatever their height desires, a good word, or a friendly gesture, usually goes a long way. As the saying goes, “you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar". How many times have we experienced that proficient salesperson who went out of his or her way to help us find that hard to get product or service that we desired? This did not happen because they were obliged to help us; it happened because we made them feel special and treated them well. This is why certain people experience consistent good service while others don't. There are times when a person needs to be rude. But that only should happen when the person was selling you the product of the service started off being rude to you. A good rule of thumb with the give them the benefit of the doubt for the first time. The second time they act in a rude or ill mannered fashion, then it is time to assert your right to be rude back. I am sad to say that unfortunately there are people who only change the disposition towards others when they are treated in a manner fashion.

What most ill mannered people don't understand is that if you treat people in a rude or bad manner, the chances of you succeeding in closing a sale is minimized. That is bad for business. To treat your customer with respect and courtesy even though you might not be able to fulfill what he or she wants will guarantee future business because people like to do business with those who respect them and treat them well. Businesses that are used to flipping customers, need not concern themselves too much with manners as they do not expect the customer to come back. But those that are looking for a long-term relationship with their customer can do themselves a great service by treating their customers with good manners and courtesy.

Our mothers taught us good manners. Somewhere along the line with time we seem to have lost our way. As usual our mothers are right. It takes very little effort for us to smile and say thank you. Yet in our fast-paced world that seems to be lost. What a shame.