By Nancy Friedman, Keynote/Workshop Customer Service Speaker; President, Telephone Doctor Customer Service Training
“Nancy, can you really hear a smile?” Yes, you really can hear a smile. And more important, you can also hear the lack of a smile as well.
If you happen to already be a smiler, you might want to pass this article on to those who aren’t smiling (or not).
SMILE from Webster’s dictionary:
SMILE: To smile, be astonished; to have or take on a facial expression, showing pleasure, amusement, affection, friendliness, irony, etc…and characterized by an upward curving of the corners of the mouth and a sparkling of the eyes
I like the “sparkling” part. And smiling is something most everyone can easily do.
Don’t you wonder why more people don’t smile? Show me a picture of you that you don’t like and I’ll bet it’s a picture of you without a smile.
Say: Eggplant or Cheese? A New York Times review by Roxana Popescu of the book A Brief History of the Smile written by Angus Trumble asks a very good question: “Why do English speaking people say CHEESE to make you smile, but Chinese speakers say Eggplant?” And Trumble continues, “The spontaneous smile of the little child is essentially truthful.”
I’m not sure why we constantly need to be reminded to smile, but there are those that need the reminder. You’d think it was common sense to smile when you’re with a customer on the phone or in person.” Ah, but common sense is not that common now, is it?
Will a smile help? Well, as my mother used to say, “It couldn’t hurt.”
Keep a mirror by your desk. It’s a good reminder to keep a smile on your face when you’re talking with customers.
And I leave you with: “If you see someone without a smile? Give ‘em yours.” And, our Telephone Doctor Motto: “A phony smile is better than a real frown.”
Watch this fun 45-second video on the smile. And share – it’s SO needed.
