Last year, I wrote an article on a 'rule' in customer service that I called the Reality Rule: Treat customers well, regardless of how they treat you.

This was inspired by a book I read, Give Hospitality by Taylor Scott. In the article, I talked about four rules.

So, first a little review:

The Golden Rule: We all know this one. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. It shows up everywhere, from religion to leadership to customer service training.

The Platinum Rule: My friend Dr. Tony Alessandra came up with this one. Do unto others as they’d like done unto them. I’ve always loved this spin on the Golden Rule, because not all customers want the same experience.

The Employee Golden Rule: I came up with this years ago. Again, it’s a spin on the Golden Rule, but it’s focused on how employees are treated. Do unto employees as you want done unto customers. You can’t expect great customer service to come from employees who aren’t treated well by their managers, leaders, and colleagues.

The Rosa Parks Rule: In Scott’s book, there is a quote attributed to Rosa Parks, who in 1955 refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, defying the racial segregation laws: Nothing in the Golden Rule says that others will treat us as we have treated them. It only says that we must treat others in a way that we would want to be treated. 

I’m bringing all of this up again, because it’s worth doing so. And I have more to say about this.

If Rosa Parks’ words were to apply to business, they remind us that great customer service is unconditional.

By the way, this isn’t easy. I’ve seen great customer service reps go to great lengths to help customers, only to be met with indifference, rudeness, and a lack of appreciation. This can cause even the best of us to think, “Why should I care if they don’t?”

There is an answer: It shouldn’t matter!

How you respond is always your choice. Creating an amazing experience isn’t just for customers who say please and thank you. It’s for every customer, even if they are angry, rude, or difficult to please. By the way, abuse is never acceptable. There is always a line that should not be crossed.

The point is this: when you remove expectations, you stop being disappointed, you stop being resentful, and you start delivering consistent and intentional experiences that get customers to say, “I’ll be back!”

Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops at www.Hyken.com. Connect with Shep on LinkedIn.