Customer service is one of the pillars on which the success, longevity and goodwill of a company rests. It is not enough to produce quality equipment. It is equally necessary to ensure that the customers, who are the sole reason why the goods are made in the first place, are absolutely satisfied.

The first and foremost requirement of personnel involved in customer service is dedication to serving the customer. Honesty is a must in this field. There is no use of outsmarting the customer into buying something or falsely making him to believe that there is nothing wrong with a product. At one point of time, he or she will find out and nobody likes being duped. This kind of action is most detrimental to a company’s relation with its customers.

It is important to place yourself in the customer’s shoes. Each person might have a unique problem. So, it is important to patiently listen to what he or she has to say and then suggest the course of action. Drawing conclusions before listening to the problem completely is not a wise thing to do. Also, it is important to realize that each customer’s requirement is different.

Good manners and courteousness is an absolute necessity. It is always important to remain humble. Different cultures have different forms of courtesy. For example, while an American would not take to heart on being greeted by a "Hi", an Englishman would rather expect a more formal address. Accent often plays a major role in communicating with the customers.

A good customer care personnel never misses out an opportunity to get close to the heart of a customer. Things like wishing a person on his birthday or congratulating her on having a new born can be very useful if one has access to that kind of information. Often casual discussions regarding family and work during professional meeting often helps to sidetrack the formality of the situation and eases communication. This is extremely important in establishments like banks and consultancies.

However, there is a very thin line in between getting cordial with a customer and intruding into his or her personal life. Here again, it is important to gauge how comfortable a customer is in disclosing personal information. While aged women seem to have no reservations about sharing information about home, younger customers might rather choose to remain discreet and formal. Showing too much affection or interest might irritate the customer in that case.

All in all, customer service works best when one simple principle is followed – you should do that to others which you would expect others to do to you. When serving a customer, imagine yourself to be the customer and then you will know exactly what to do.