By Rachel Schwarz

The other day, while studying at a chain coffeehouse, I walked up to the counter to order my drink. “We’ll have that right out to you,” the barista said. I went back to my seat and waited for her to call out my drink. Instead, she personally delivered it to me, told me to enjoy, and flashed a big smile in my direction.

Two parts of this interaction stood out to me. The first was that the barista went above and beyond to provide me with good customer service. Normally, the operation of this specific coffeehouse feels like a corporate machine, so for this particular location to take the extra step and make its guests feel at home made a huge difference.

Next, the smile that she gave me turned my entire day around. “Service with a smile” is an overly used phrase that is extremely undervalued. When employees are happy to be at their job, it shows.

So, the next time you find yourself in a customer service bind, remember this: a little extra effort goes a long way. This speaks to your work performance as well as your attitude when interacting with others.