Customer Service Etiquette: Back to the Basics
In a lot of ways, the world around us continues to move at an incredible pace, often leaving our plates fuller than ever while being challenged to evolve and keep up—or else. Within the chaos and commotion of trying to stay on pace with what's next, sometimes the fundamentals of doing something truly well can fall to the wayside. One area that still deserves your undivided attention and effort? Customer service.
Let's revisit some points of customer service etiquette that are always worth the extra emphasis.
TIMELINESS IS TRULY TIMELESS.
Whether it's responding to an email, meeting a deadline, or pulling together a quote, replying in a reasonable time window should always be a priority. Of course, life happens, and sometimes your original timeline isn't always feasible. Should that be that case, communicate that! Even just extending a note of acknowledgement that you're running behind goes a long way.
FOCUS ON WHAT'S POSSIBLE—NOT WHAT'S OUT OF REACH.
Your baseline should always be approaching a situation from the perspective of what's possible vs. what's not. If a client comes to you with a request that is outside of what you've done in the past, rather than poo-pooing the idea immediately, consider the possibilities! Can you make it happen? If not, can an alternative with a similar outcome be achieved? Remember to stay creative and flexible—it's often in those realms that innovation blossoms.
KEEP YOUR COOL AND CHUG ALONG.
Much like life itself, stressful situations will often arise when working with colleagues, industry partners or clients. Don't let a moment of frustration or overwhelm manifest itself in your decision making or communication. Do your best to navigate things in the moment, and then reflect on what made the situation stressful in the first place. Is there a way to mitigate that level of intensity in the future?
LISTEN CAREFULLY AND ACTIVELY.
Not enough can be said for remembering the little details of a conversation. As you build your relationships with clients or colleagues, be present and truly listen to what's being shared. Whether it's a bucket list item they've got their heart set on for an upcoming itinerary or simply details about life and family, people feel valued when these finer details are acknowledged and rehashed.
GRACE, TACT AND SELF-AWARENESS ARE NEVER OUT OF STYLE.
Don't come out of the gate too hot! If a previously discussed agreement or desired outcome gets lost in translation somewhere along the way, rather than spouting off what you really want to say ("Hey! That's SO not at all what we talked about. What the heck?!"), take a moment to breathe and think a bit deeper. Formulating a statement that might land a little softer—while still getting your point across and addressing the issue—is bound to be much more effective and well received.
BEING BUSY ISN'T AN EXCUSE FOR GHOSTING.
Yes, there never seems to be enough time to do all the things we need (and want) to do. However, that doesn't mean it's appropriate to ghost anyone. Not only is it bad business, it's also, simply put, rude. Having a sales discussion that doesn't seem to be going anywhere? Be honest! Don't have the bandwidth to participate or contribute your expertise to something extra? Be honest! People won't forget those who wasted their time or strung them along.
Written by Sarah Suydam, Managing Editor for Groups Today.
This article originally appeared in the Jul/Aug '25 issue of Groups Today.
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