I have been in customer service related fields for over 20 years and most of that experience is at the front lines. I also have been a customer and knowing both sides of the story I have much empathy for customers and employees alike.

I understand that the customer is not always right, sometimes they are down right nasty and horribly out of line yet in the end I feel that as an agent of an organization it is necessary to step outside and look at things objectively, never letting personal feeling get in the way of providing great service, even too the nasty one's.

There are three key things that can ad up to great service no matter how good the customer or how sour. I am sharing this information as it has served me well in my work and I hope that anyone in customer service or at the front lines gets something out of it too.

First. Have a good attitude:
Greet everyone equally, with a smile. Let them know in words as well as non-verbal ways that you appreciate them and care about their needs. I should hope that this is true of most people that are in the service industry, because if that's not how you feel and you really don't care, then I would suggest perhaps another line of work. Seriously, if only for your own good as it is important to do what makes you happy and enjoying your work is very important since we give more time to that than anything else we get to do our whole lives.

Second. Communicate well:
Listen, I mean really listen to what the customer is saying. Don't jump in with your own conclusions, that will only take you two steps back every time. Part of listening is asking questions and asking the right questions. Clarify what the customer is saying so that you and he know that you understand what the real issues are.

Third. Take action:
Be the eagle that people talk about. It will go a long way in helping you enjoy your work more too, as people will be praising your efforts. Be mindful of your superiors, if any, and explain any limitations with your customer so they understand that you really are doing the best you can. Not following through on what you say you will do looks bad on you as well as the company so only make promises you know you can keep.

Personally when I witness and receive good customer service I notice it, I appreciate it, and I am then very likely to tell them or write to the company about it so that it can be recognized. I enjoy telling others when I am impressed by them, it usually helps foster a better relationship and the service just gets better after that. So don't be shy to tell others that serve you that you appreciate the hard work and attention, and when you're the one giving the great service just watch those compliments come your way too!

There are a few more points, or shall I say agreements I wish to share with you that can help you on your way. These agreements can be applied to every area of your life. They come from a book I have read called "The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom" written by Don Miguel Ruiz. It is on my best reading list and I recommend it to anyone.

Here are the four agreements I like to follow and I hope you can apply them in your life with excellent results too.

Be Impeccable with Your Word
Openly giving opinions about people and things about which you know nothing is gossip.
Your opinion is nothing but your point of view. It is not necessarily true.
Your opinion comes from your beliefs, your own ego, and your own dream.
Your opinion can be black magic, in the form of gossip or you can make it white magic.
Don't create poison and spread it to others just so you can feel right about your point of view.

Don't Take Anything Personally
Nothing other people do or say is because of you, it is about them and their belief system.
Everyone's opinion is their own, your point of view is no one's truth but your own.
If others lie to you, it's okay. They are lying to you because they are afraid.
It is ok, because they also lie to themselves.

Don't Make Assumptions
We see and hear what we want to hear based on our belief system; we don't perceive things the way they are.
The biggest assumption that we make is that we assume that others think the way we think, and feel the way we feel, judge the way we judge.
We believe we are right; then we defend our assumptions and try to make someone else wrong.
To keep yourself from making assumptions, ask questions.

Always Do Your Best
In your everyday moods your best can change from one moment to the next.
Just do your best - no more and no less than your best. When you always do your best, you take action.
If you always do your best there is no way you can judge yourself and feel guilt or blame.
Doing your best is taking action because you love it, not because you are expecting a reward.
Action is about living fully. You can get even more than you would have imagined for yourself without expecting a reward. If we like what we do, if we always do our best, then we are really enjoying life.

As you can see, great service and personal freedom are directly affected by attitude. Our local Toastmasters District # 21 as a little slogan and I feel it pretty much sums it all up.
"Attitude equals Altitude!" It's the only way to get high, on life and your work!

Every room in your home is unique in the way that they contain very specific belongings. For example the bedroom generally holds your clothing and shoes as well as your relaxation and sleeping area. The Kitchen has food storage, utensils and cooking and cleaning areas and appliances. The Garage contains things like sporting gear, tools and perhaps laundry. I think you get the idea.

When you are working to organizing your space it makes it easier to first identify the different activities that take place in each room. This will help you be clear about where your things belong and where they should return should they manage to move out of their area.

Here is a list of the ZONES for each room in your home to help you get started. You can make your own based on what your specific needs are.

Kitchen:
Clean up, Cooking/Baking, Craft Center, Eating, Food Prep, Storage

Living Room:
Collectibles, Games, Hobbies, Media Center, Photos, Reading, Relaxation, Storage

Dining Room:
Collectibles, China, Eating, Linens, Storage, Table Dressings

Office:
Bill Payment, Mail In, File Storage, Computer Work, Supplies

Bedroom:
Clothes, Reading, Relaxation, Seasonal Clothes, Shoes, Sleeping

Garage:
Decoration Storage, Gardening Supply, Laundry, Maintenance Supplies, Sporting Goods, Tools , Workbench

5 Tips to make your spaces easy to maintain:

1. Make sure areas are definable and keep areas clear of items that don't belong.
2. Use labels for storage areas so that everyone will know where items belong.
3. Consider different colored bins for the personal items for each family member.
4. Put bins in each room for items that belong somewhere else. Empty them often.
5. Regularly rotate seasonal items into storage. Mark reminders in your calendar.