3 Ways To Revive Lost Art Of Customer Service

Here’s what you can do today (and tomorrow) to make a difference.

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Published November 20, 2025
Boyoun Kim

Remember the good ol' days when “the customer is always right” wasn’t just a slogan but a way of life? Back when I donned a long black apron and waited tables at the hottest spots in Suburbia, Connecticut, if a customer said “jump,” the only acceptable response was “how high?” Principles of good customer service — including things like kindness, courtesy and attentiveness — were etched into my teenage brain. As such, I have always valued good customer service and rewarded it with a generous tip. Speaking of tips, it is said that the word itself is an acronym for “To Insure Proper Service,” suggesting that gratuity is a proactive investment in courtesy and care. I can’t help but wonder, if that is exactly what the hospitality and other customer service industries are missing in 2025. Good customer service is far from ensured these days; in fact, it seems to be disappearing at a rapid rate. Sometimes it seems that even basic eye contact is too much to ask for! So short of bribing our way to decent treatment with prepaid gratuity, what can we lay-customers do to revive the lost art of customer service? As it turns out, there are a few, easy, actionable tasks that collectively may make hospitality great again. Here’s what you can do today (and tomorrow) to make a difference.

Lead by Example

If we want to see change in others, the best place to start is with ourselves. Choose your favorite cliché and apply: “Be the change you want to see in the world,” “treat others how you want to be treated,” “kill ‘em with kindness.” Dr. Chastity Cordova-Heyward, founder of Heyward Marketing Lab, says that “excellent service delivery focuses on authentic human relationships.” It takes two to create this positive dynamic; and so while it may be easier to be impatient, frustrated and quick to complain, it may be more effective to simply model the behavior you expect (and deserve). Cordova-Heyward suggests leading with warmth: “A genuine smile, together with a pleasant tone of voice, has the power to transform the entire atmosphere of any encounter.” Ask your server or customer service rep about their day, offer a compliment or acknowledge him or her by name. Exercise basic manners, using please and thank you generously. Set a friendly, kind and approachable tone and try to let go of any judgements. “Courtesy spreads,” and so does negativity. If we choose wisely, we just may change the world — one smile at a time.

Celebrate Good Service Publicly

Many of us are quick to complain, but slow to praise, and it’s time we flip that recipe. When you do receive stellar customer service, scream it from the rooftops! A thank you or vocal appreciation is great, as is a generous tip, but don’t stop there. Celebrate good service publicly. Cordova-Heyward suggests that we “post it, tag it, talk about it.” Send an email to the manager, provide a handwritten or digital review and mention the employee by name. “Recognition functions as a stronger motivator than any negative feedback or criticism.” People love to be appreciated, and a small pat on the back for great service will likely breed more great service.

Report Poor Service with Grace

Bad service has become an excuse for freebies these days, and that may be causing more problems than anything else. Waitress was rude to you? Cook forgot to take the mayo off your sandwich? Instacart delivered the wrong groceries? Yes, it’s disappointing. And no, you shouldn’t have to pay for a meal that didn’t come out as promised. But it can feel as if everyone is just trying to get something for free, and that has an overall poor effect on the hospitality industry. Mistakes happen and it is okay to report when service doesn’t meet your expectations, but deliver your complaints and negative reviews with grace and without expecting something in return. The goal is to make the management team aware so they can correct the problem. Make a phone call or a write an email and, in the words of Cordova-Heyward, be sure to “give clear, kind feedback and list all problems which occurred.” Do this in a matter of fact, professional manner and allow the manager to offer you a solution. Then give the establishment a second chance, and if things are indeed better during your next visit, follow that up with positive feedback, too.

In the end, the choice is always yours and you can (and should) take your business elsewhere if you are unhappy with the product or service that a particular establishment delivers. Cordova-Heyward points out that “your financial decisions about money placement create major effects. Choose businesses that care and support organizations that provide [authentic] human treatment to their customers.” Offer the same to all who cross your path, and, little by little, one smile and thank you at a time, we just may change the "service" world.

Suzanne E. Hayes is a freelance writer based in Simsbury, Connecticut, where she’s raising three children and finding plenty of real-life inspiration along the way. Her work explores family, identity, and the beautifully messy moments of modern womanhood. Suzanne’s writing has appeared in Working Mother, Woman’s World, Kveller, Guideposts, Under the Gum Tree Literary Magazine, and more. With honesty and heart, she brings stories to life that resonate long after the last line is read.