The store advertised the boards on sale and offered a 40%discount coupon. My daughter excitedly selected twoboards however I noticed different manufacturers producedthem, so I asked her to select an extra board just in case bothwere not on sale. She did, and we proceeded to the cashier.With a half hour until closing, we eagerly approached theonly open register, behind which stood two young women.This is when the adventure began, and things took a turn forthe worse.

We saw two store clerks at the check out. Seated on thefloor was one associate who faced the cashier line and theother, the cashier, did not which made it impossible for her tobe aware of approaching customers. When she saw us, theassociate on the floor did cease her end of the conversationand told the cashier she had customers. Unfortunately, thecashier ignored this information because it took her a minutebefore she turned and greeted us with ?Oh, I sorry.? I'm notsure exactly what she apologized for because she thenproceeded to continue her conversation.

I told the cashier we needed to know if all of the items wereon sale. Although she acknowledged the request, she stillcontinued talking to the other associate and proceeded toscan all of the items for purchase. When I pointed out hererror her response was ?Oh, okay, sorry,? and once againshe resumed her conversation. She clearly was not present ?her mind was engaged and committed elsewhere. Heractions communicated her conversation was far moreimportant than this sale.

The cashier did one final thing that was the final straw. Afterthe correct total was tallied, my daughter handed the cashiera 40% off store coupon. The cashier took it and immediatelythrew the coupon away, turned to us with a smile and told usour total. At this point, I thought I was in the twilight zoneor on some really bad reality show.

When I asked why the coupon was thrown away, sheexplained the coupon was only valid on regularly priceditems. After a very deep breath, I proceeded to share fewideas. First, I stated when she threw the coupon away, wewere unclear why. I explained an explanation of her actionswould have avoided any misunderstandings or ill will. Sheapologized once again, and said she understood and agreed.Second, I stated her inattentiveness during the transactionwas inappropriate and did not make us feel like the valuedcustomers we are. Finally, I said during business hours it isbest to remain focused the most important component toretail success, customers. Personal conversations are bestleft for discussion after hours. Her associate must haveagreed, too, because at this point she turned and walkedway.

This shopping excursion caused me to pause and think allservice provider must always exhibit certain basic behaviors- customer service basics. Here are a few:

Basic Rule #1 ? Acknowledge Customer's How many timeshave you walked in a store and you weren't acknowledged?How did you feel? I can't tell you how many times I'vewitnessed service providers who take personal phone calls(or worse answer their cell), speak to other co-workersregarding non-urgent matters, or who simply walk awaywithout explanation. Basic customer service requires anacknowledgement as soon a customer enters yourestablishment ? whether you will be ready to provide servicein one minute or twenty. An acknowledgement says ?I'mglad to see you and value your business. We will help youas soon as possible. Thank you for your patience.? A littleappreciation goes a long way, especially if at the time youfind yourself short handed. As soon as you seecustomers?acknowledge them. Although this soundsobvious, it simply just isn't practiced as it should.

Basic Rule #2 ? Be Present and Listen When assistingcustomers, it is important to always be ?present.? Beingpresent required you to be in the moment ready to provideyour customer with your full, undivided attention from startto finish. It is imperative customer's always feel importantand the center of attention. To accomplish this you mustremain fully focused.

Active listening is a critical component of any customerinteraction. This is a big difference between hearing andlistening. Hearing is the perception of sound. Activelistening requires us to hear, interpret, and then take action.Active listening empowers us to consistently provide ourcustomers exactly what they need.

Basic Rule #3 ? Explain Your Plan Customers need to knowand want to understand the reason for your plan of action.Many times I have returned an item only to have the clerkshove a form and pen in front of me without so much as aplease or explanation. As if I should be know what theywant from me. Always clearly explain each step and thereason for your request.

Apply these basic rules to give outstanding customerservice.

Joy Fisher-Sykes is a professional speaker, author, andsuccess coach in the areas of leadership, motivation, stressmanagement, customer service, and team building. You cane-mail her at mailto:jfsykes@thesykesgrp.com, or call her at(757) 427-7032. Go to her web site,http://www.thesykesgrp.com, and signup for the newsletter,OnPoint, and receive the free ebook, "Secrets, Stories, andTips for Marvelous Customer Service."