Customer service and your authentic self

We often hear people say that to truly enjoy owning a business, we must be authentic. We also hear that customers flock to us when we are authentic. Well, what does authentic mean? Webster’s Dictionary defines authentic as trustworthy and genuine.

We all want to provide reliable service and our customers expect us to be reliable. However, do they expect us to be genuine? I think the answer is yes and no.

If your business thrives on giving advice and your clients see you as an expert, then you probably get away with being blunt and saying what needs to be said, even though it may not be what the person wants to hear. I think the key is to be tactful and respectful. Don’t embarrass the customer. However, the client is paying you to be the expert and be honest with him or her.

However, if you’re in a business that requires you to adopt the “customer is always right” mentality, you may not always be able to be authentic. The key is to appear authentic when you really don’t want to be. People can see through the BS and fluff and all you will do is annoy them and make them skeptical of your intentions. When you’re trying to appear authentic, you’ll want to make sure your body language matches your verbal language. Don’t say something positive while displaying negative body language.

Business relationships are based on the “know, like and trust” factor. You must establish a good relationship with your customers and clients. You should take the time to get to know their likes and dislikes. None of us like to be around a person who thinks he knows us and is too friendly; it makes us cautious and suspicious of her intentions. Taking the time to set up the report is key. When you know the person and like them, you can use touch to guide the conversation in the right direction. When trust has been established, the customer or client will see you as the expert and trust your opinion. Only when the “know, like and trust” is established can you be your authentic self.

When you are authentic, you will have less stress in your life because you don’t have to pretend to be someone you are not. You will have inner peace and know that you provided excellent customer service.