Chapter 20 Customer Support, Communication, and Professionalism 863
✔ Face the customer squarely.
✔ Never look away from the customer or stare off at a distant point while
conversing.
✔ Do not fold your arms across your chest or take a defensive posture.
Always face people directly and squarely. Do not turn away while addressing
a person or engage in other activities when you should be giving your complete
attention to the customer. If you are alone in a shop and must answer a phone,
always apologize and ask if you can return their call at a better time. All
customers appreciate that they are being given fair attention. If you do ask to
return a call at a better time because you are helping another customer, return
the call.
Attitude
Attitude is easily perceived by a customer but is very hard to define in
objective terms. Everyone knows a “good” attitude or a “bad” attitude when they
experience it. It is critical to your success to always maintain a positive attitude
while working with people. Without it, you may not have a job. It doesn’t take
long to earn a reputation for your attitude—good or bad.
For this chapter, the best definition of attitude is a subjective judgment of
character made by the customer based on the perception of how the technician
presents himself or herself and meets the customers’ needs.
Figure 20-8.
By maintaining
eye contact with
the customer while
listening, you tell
that customer you
are truly interested
in helping him or her
with their problem.