aura of authoritarianism with what they consider to be “professionalism.”

They almost bark at their clients in the belief that if they don’t come across with gravitas they’ll be taken for lightweights, for amateurs, or GASP! as too young to do the jobs to which they’ve

You wouldn’t expect a funeral director to do stand-up comedy as he’s showing you his line of coffins, would you?

And you wouldn’t want your surfing instructor to be unduly somber as he towed you into shark infested waves, would you?

Of course, not!

We want people to act APPROPRIATELY, given our expectations and circumstances.

This is the key standard to which all of us should aspire if we’re selling or servicing customers.

For instance, if you’re going to an expensive restaurant you expect treatment that will differ from what is being served up at Wendy’s. The host should use your name, if he knows it, and learn it quickly, if he doesn’t.

If a fast-food employee went out of his way to greet you by name, others around you might think you live in the joint, somewhat like that the guy from the movie, “Super-Size Me!”

You’d probably be embarrassed, and slink, or waddle away, as the case may be.

In the upscale place, being recognized and known is an ego boost.

I’ve met a number of customer service representatives who mistake stiffness and an aura of authoritarianism with what they consider to be “professionalism.”

They almost bark at their clients in the belief that if they don’t come across with gravitas they’ll be taken for lightweights, for amateurs, or GASP! as too young to do the jobs to which they’ve

eople to act APPROPRIATELY, given our expectations and circumstances.

This is the key standard to which all of us should aspire if we’re selling or servicing customers.

For instance, if you’re going to an expensive restaurant you expect treatment that will differ from what is being served up at Wendy’s. The host should use your name, if he knows it, and learn it quickly, if he doesn’t.

If a fast-food employee went out of his way to greet you by name, others around you might think you live in the joint, somewhat like that the guy from the movie, “Super-Size Me!”

You’d probably be embarrassed, and slink, or waddle away, as the case may be.

In the upscale place, being recognized and known is an ego boost.

I’ve met a number of customer service representatives who mistake stiffness and an aura of authoritarianism with what they consider to be “professionalism.”

They almost bark at their clients in the belief that if they don’t come across with gravitas they’ll be taken for lightweights, for amateurs, or GASP! as too young to do the jobs to which they’ve

rom what is being served up at Wendy’s. The host should use your name, if he knows it, and learn it quickly, if he doesn’t.

If a fast-food employee went out of his way to greet you by name, others around you might think you live in the joint, somewhat like that the guy from the movie, “Super-Size Me!”

You’d probably be embarrassed, and slink, or waddle away, as the case may be.

In the upscale place, being recognized and known is an ego boost.

I’ve met a number of customer service representatives who mistake stiffness and an aura of authoritarianism with what they consider to be “professionalism.”

They almost bark at their clients in the belief that if they don’t come across with gravitas they’ll be taken for lightweights, for amateurs, or GASP! as too young to do the jobs to which they’ve

from the movie, “Super-Size Me!”

You’d probably be embarrassed, and slink, or waddle away, as the case may be.

In the upscale place, being recognized and known is an ego boost.

I’ve met a number of customer service representatives who mistake stiffness and an aura of authoritarianism with what they consider to be “professionalism.”

They almost bark at their clients in the belief that if they don’t come across with gravitas they’ll be taken for lightweights, for amateurs, or GASP! as too young to do the jobs to which they’ve

aura of authoritarianism with what they consider to be “professionalism.”

They almost bark at their clients in the belief that if they don’t come across with gravitas they’ll be taken for lightweights, for amateurs, or GASP! as too young to do the jobs to which they’ve been appointed.

The problem is that their professionalism seems strikingly similar to anger, meanness, and callous indifference to clients.

It’s the opposite of what most clients consider to be an appropriate “service tone.”

It pays to become sensitive to the tone we’re setting, to monitor, measure, and to actively manage it, because most people don’t have perfect pitch when it comes to setting one.