In light of the 4th quarter upon us, I thought I would refresh everyone on how to maximize our customer service. Most of us in the working world today provide a service or product for the consumers. For some of us, the year is winding down and business is slow. For others, such as retailers, the end of the year is the most exciting and profitable time of the year.

However, no matter what time of the year, we can all slide into a negative grind of “just coming to work.” This doesn’t help you, the consumer, your leaders, your company or your brand. Whether you are the sales representative that answers the phone and greets clients or the CEO of the company, we are all a symbol of the brand for our company. It is very easy for all of us to lose motivation and perform the bare minimum.

If you flip your attitude or goals on a daily or weekly basis, it’s much easier to perform at a high level personally for career growth and to help your company to succeed. Otherwise, one individual’s negative persona can bring down the whole house faster than you know it.

It’s our leaders in life that make sure everyone is motivated, stay on top of their game, and push every day like it’s their risk they are taking. Companies take huge risks everyday on finding the leaders to stimulate their teams for success. Take the time, even though it puts stress on everyone, to make the right selection for your team for the long term.

No matter the time of the year, it should be the busy season all of the time. When it’s slow for business, look to the future on how to better yourself from last quarter. If it’s the busy season, put the extra time in for every client to make sure each individual is 100% pleased with their decision on the product or service they have chosen. Nothing is worse than a bad review! It takes 10 happy customers to equal 1 unsatisfied customer. And remember – satisfied and happy customers are not the same.

Here are some things to keep in mind to help you lead, deliver, and succeed every day:

*Smile!
*Don’t say the word “no.” It’s too easy.
*Listen to your clients/customer’s needs, and then offer a solution.
*Use your vacation time if it’s offered. Nobody likes a stale customer service rep. Shut down the engines, and re-charge the  batteries.
*Post daily and weekly goals for personal achievement.
*Don’t be afraid to learn or to take advice. If you’re not learning, you are in the wrong work place.