The attitude we show toward the customer is closely related to the attitude toward our job. These attitudes are usually  reflected  in  the  work  habits  we  developed without really being aware of them. Even though we may not be aware of these habits, the CUSTOMER IS AWARE  OF  THEM. It is not enough just to exhibit a positive attitude towards our job and customers. We must also consider the customer’s needs. You should refrain from using the following  types  of  comments: l l l l l These Everybody knows that. You came all the way up here for that? You  didn’t  know? You were supposed to be here yesterday. We’ll get to it. types of comments indicate to the customer that his/her request is not important, and that you have better ways to occupy your time. Most often, you will end up helping the customer anyway. In this case, the statement “If you can’t say anything good, don’t say anything at all  pertains. There are several factors that often stand between you  and  the  customer.  These  factors  often  complicate the customer’s problem and your effort to provide a solution. You must be able to analyze the customer in order  to  serve  them.  The  customer  who  is  emotionally upset may have difficulty in stating a problem accurately or  completely.  Significant  information  maybe  omitted; opinion may have been confused with fact; or there may be  a  feeling  that  the  information  you  want  is  too personal. Usually, it will help to first determine the cause of  the  customer’s  emotional  upset  and  sort  it  out.  Ask the customer some leading questions to find out the cause of the problem. A customer who is allowed to “blow  off  steam”  (within  reason)  may  then  become apologetic  and  ready  to  accept  the  help.  A  calm, confident manner is the best approach. When you do not respond  with  anger  or  rudeness  to  a  customer’s emotional outburst, you have taken the first step toward solving the customer’s problem, whatever its nature. Frequently, a customer’s problem will be stated in terms of results desired. It is then up to you to identify the  nature  or  cause  of  the  problem  and  provide  a satisfactory solution. You must be familiar with all areas of your rating in order to identify specific problems. You must also know where to look to find the answers. You should keep the contact as impersonal as possible and concentrate on the problem. Common Errors There are times when you will make mistakes at the contact point while handling a customer’s needs. These mistakes are normally a result of your negative attitude toward the customer, the customer’s problem, the Navy, or your job. This section describes these mistakes. Leaping to a conclusion means that, in your opinion, you already have enough facts upon which to base a judgement.  As  a  result,  you  may  ignore  additional information  provided  by  the  customer.  This  tendency  is often caused by a lack of concern for the customer and the desire to end the contact as quickly as possible. This may also occur because you have abetter knowledge of the supply field than your customer. You may assume that you know the customer’s needs before they are completely expressed. Jumping to conclusions often leads  to  misunderstandings.  As  a  result,  you  may  not provide correct service to the customer. Negative personal reactions may also occur towards the customer. You may exhibit adverse reactions to the person as a result of his/her appearance, speech, or attitude. Because of these reactions, you maybe unable to provide the quality service that the customer needs or deserves.  Attitude  is  probably  the  easiest  cause  of adverse  reaction  to  identify.  When  the  customer  is overbearing, cynical, or a smart aleck, it is difficult to maintain a professional manner. But you have to be professional  to  overcome  the  negative  attitude  and provide the needed service. Personal reactions may be mild  and  caused  by  unconcern  or  lack  of  interest,  but can  be  deadly  to  customer  satisfaction.  Everyone possesses a feeling of self-worth. If you deny this worth by showing a lack of concern or interest, the customer may show the same attitudes toward the department and supply personnel as a defense. Your attitude toward the customer must not be influenced b y opinions formed as a result of the customer’s previous acts or attitudes. Stereotyping  is  forming  a  standardized,  over- simplified mental picture of members of a group. A fixed or  general  pattern  is  attributed  to  all  members  of  the group,  disregarding  individual,  distinguishing  qualities or characteristics. This implies that the person is no different  from  anybody  else  in  the  same  group  or category. This in itself is bad enough. But it is even more offensive when the person is placed in a category that you regard as “inferior,” and then reflect this opinion by your  attitude. Language barriers result in unsatisfactory service to the customer. In a previous section of this chapter, we described the meaning of communication. It involves a 2-15