I have worked in customer support for years. I have been called every name in the book. Honestly, it can wear you down, but I love the interaction I get with people. They contact you because they truly have a problem, and I’d like to believe that I can solve it.

There are times when I may not be able to solve the issue, but I do know that I can understand what someone is going through. It was something I learned while working for Apple. It helped me to create my own customer service experience that took me to #1 at Apple. I was able to make it a unique and personal experience to everyone I talked to.

I learned to L.U.V.E.

L. Listen.

U. Understand.

V. Validate.

E. Empathize.

I found that when I followed these simple steps, I could create a personal experience for every person. It didn’t matter if it was over the phone, or in person. I made sure that I could L.U.V.E. everyone that I came in contact with in all aspects of my life.

Each of these steps can be applied at any job, or even a personal relationship. We all have the opportunity to make someone’s experience memorable. A little LUVE can make customer service become a turning point for your agents and business.