A smile on someone’s face and being greeted with a hello can go a long way.

It can set the tone in how someone is going to react to you.  I know when someone greets me with a cheerful hello it often times turns my not so happy mood into a more positive one.  I often feel being negative or upset completely drains me and exerts so much more energy. Who wants to be left drained and in a bad mood?! So, like they say, turn that frown upside down!

With the new year and seeing that National Customer Service Day is coming up on January 17, I suggest making a customer service or cheerful outlook goal. Maybe you step up your customer service game and instead of just a simple hello you add in, “How are you?” Or you do one or more of the following:

• Be friendly and truly listen when someone is talking.
• If a co-worker does something nice for you, be sure to tell them thank you.
• Respond promptly when someone reaches out.
• If someone’s hands are full, you hold the door for them or offer to help.
• When someone lets you go first at the stop sign, you give them a courtesy wave.
• When you know someone is going through something hard send them a friendly text or give them a phone call.

I feel as if some of the simple gestures above may seem obvious, and often times are skipped over, but I think bringing those back into our day-to-day life can put more smiles into the world. When you smile, your brain releases tiny molecules called neuropeptides to help fight off stress.  Smiling is contagious, so not only can it elevate your mood, but it can change the mood of others.

I sat down with our receptionist, Carol, here at the YWCA to ask her what good customer service means to her. She said, “The willingness to help and going above and beyond shows you care. [I] appreciate being acknowledged and customers responding with a hello makes my day more enjoyable.”

The tone of your voice, whether you are greeting someone face to face, over the phone or via email/text, can also say a lot about you and the service you are willing to offer. The tone of your voice conveys a mood. It can send many different signals, like making your client/customer comfortable enough to further approach you or make them feel like you do not have time for them. The tone of your voice can be welcoming and inviting or simply abrasive, rude, abrupt, and leave an unpleasant experience for the person on the other end.  At the end of the day, the tone of your voice can either be a positive or a negative.

There can be a lot of negative in the world but adding an extra smile or positive energy to the day can ease some of the stress you or someone is having. Hopefully, you chose to make the day a positive experience and wear a smile on your face. 😊

– Lisa Bock, Director, Child Care Resource & Referral