Earlier this month a fed up and stressed out air steward ranted at passengers for not doing as they were told, opened the door of the plane and used the emergency slide to get off the plane. He'd had enough and this was his way of telling his boss.

Apparently, the passengers did something that is very upsetting to most cabin crew (taking seatbelts off and standing up as soon as the plane lands and removing luggage from the overhead lockers etc), but usually they deal with it in a polite and professional manner. The employee in question probably dealt with this type of problem in the usual manner on a normal day, but on this particular day, he just snapped. Enough was enough for him, so he quit his job in the most dramatic way possible.

He may be the exception to the rule, but every day, employees everywhere are having a bad day and giving YOUR business a bad name.

Every time an employee chooses not to help a customer, it's your name that suffers. Every time they give the customer an unfriendly attitude, it is your bottom line that will feel the pinch.

You can probably think of many examples when this has been the case for you when you are a customer. Have you ever been served by an unfriendly shop assistant and it has put you off that particular store? Have you ever had a customer service query that hasn't been dealt with effectively (or even worse, they have mysteriously hung up on you after you explain in great detail what your query is) and you have vowed NEVER to use that company again?

But your staff are individuals, they occasionally have a bad day, they get stressed and if they work with the general public, there is always the opportunity for them to take it out on the customers. Your customers. So what can you do to ensure that this is not happening in your business?

Here are a few simple tips;

1. Make sure that your employees know that you will not tolerate a bad attitude towards the customers (by email, over the phone or in person). Encourage good customer relations and excellent customer service. Remember - no customers means no job!

2. Reward good customer service. Single out employees that go the extra mile for your customers. Pass on any good feedback you receive from your clients to your staff. Consider a bonus system that will show staff that you value them.

3. Take care of your staff. No matter how many staff you have, they are more than just an employee. They may be going through a very difficult private life such as a divorce, a illness, money problems or just juggling work and family commitments can add it's own specific stress to many working parents. The best way to find out what is causing your staff to be unhelpful or stressed is to ask them AND LISTEN. Many bosses who ask for feedback from their staff, never actually listen to the answers.

4. Give your staff the opportunity to socialise. Encourage working lunches (just occasionally proving some nice sandwiches and drinks in your normal working environment would be appreciated by your staff). Use the opportunity to sit and talk to colleagues in a non-working capacity. Alternatively, if your staff are young or do not have families, they may even appreciate an organised 'works night out' every once in a while. You don't have to pay for the whole evening; this really doesn't have to mean great expense for you, just perhaps a round of drinks as a thank you to your staff.

But most importantly, having an opportunity to just socialise with your colleagues and staff, without talking about work problems, is a great way to build morale in a team.

Lastly, don't forget to listen. I realise that this has already been said earlier in the article, but if you are a typical boss it is highly likely that you didn't listen!

Keep your staff happy and they will keep your customers happy.