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Exceptional service is about attitude and empathy, not age or experience.

Active listening is key to understanding and addressing customers’ needs.

Calmness and non-defensive responses can help de-escalate challenging situations.

Genuine enjoyment of helping people sets great service providers apart.

As I was paying my bill at a small business recently (we’ll leave the business unnamed to protect the innocent), I was momentarily surprised when I came to the counter. The young employee behind it could barely see over it.

She was probably 14 (the minimum age for summer-job retail work) and couldn’t have been much over 4 feet tall.

But any temporary uncertainty I may have had evaporated the moment she opened her mouth and began confidently addressing me.

"You’re here to pay?” she said, “well, let’s get you taken care of.”

She navigated the electronic payment terminal deftly, processed........

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