Of all the things we can talk about in terms of how to improve customer service, getting rid of rudeness is at the top of my list.

By far.

I feel it is critical to eliminate rudeness in all its forms.

There is a huge difference between a staff person not walking a customer to a product and actively being rude.

Not walking a customer to the product may actually go unnoticed by a customer.

It’s not great service but not as damaging to a customer-relationship as rudeness and its friends – indifference, inconsideration or being judgmental.

Everything is impacted by damaging behaviors – sales, reputation, and our goals and values.

A customer will not go home at night and tell folks that a clerk didn’t walk them to the product, but they will go home and complain about a negative experience they had.

This will flow out into the community. People talk.

Now that is real damage.

So, while we all work to strengthen the many ways we can create amazing shopping experiences for our customers our top priority must be to rid the rude and accompanying negatives.

All the smiles in the world will not compensate for someone who speaks poorly in a thoughtless, exasperated, surly, or dismissive manner to a customer.

When rudeness in any form appears, we need to get right on it with training, coaching and providing clarity of what is expected. If an employee’s behavior is still damaging it means correcting, disciplining, or termination.

Somethings have true negative impact to our brand; rudeness is close to the top.

Let’s have a week with many to follow where rude is nowhere in sight.