Bringing Customer Service Home

There has a lot that has been said about providing excellent service to your clients and customers. One of the areas that never seems to get much attention is the importance of providing outstanding service to your number one clients, your family. Your spouse or significant other, your children or parents, are all members of your “Top Priority club.” The funny thing about family, is that it is too easy to take them for granted. Most people assume their family members will always be there, and that they won’t mind if you have to cancel a planned family activity like:

*Birthday
*Anniversary
*Soccer game
*Graduation
*School play
*Little league tournament
*Vacation
*Wedding
*Family get together


The assumption that it will be ok to miss their birthday party, or to give the excuse you have too much work to do to come to the school play, is not a wise one to make. Missing any of those events, where you promised to be there, sends a subtle, but clear message, that you don’t value them as much as you say you do. You and your family will only be at a certain age when that event takes place and if you miss it, that specific opportunity is gone forever.

No one has ever laid on their death bed wishing they had spent more time at the office. As Marshal Goldsmith says, “You don’t see many people from the office come and visit you when you are sick in the hospital.” The people that usually come to see you are the ones who are closest to you, and that is your family.

I remember reading one bit of philosophy that suggested you treat “your clients like family, and your family, like clients.” That approach would go a long way towards building a happy and fulfilling life for everyone.


Tom Borg is president of Tom Borg Consulting, LLC. He is a business consultant, speaker, coach and author. He helps companies and organization become more profitable by increasing their value and lowering their costs through the professional development of their managers and employees. Please see more of his blogs at csjobsBlog.com and view additional job postings at Nexxt