When you are in business, you read all sorts of articles and blogs about how to better your customer service, marketing, etc.  Well, after reading article after article over customer service, it hit me—superior customer service follows the medieval code of chivalry. So in essence, I guess we can call ourselves modern knights…sort of.

One of the major themes in the medieval chivalric code was that of protecting the weak and defenseless, fighting for the welfare of all.  Today, few customers come into our businesses knowing exactly what they want.  They have a rough idea but when faced with an over-abundance of options their eyes glaze over and their minds go blank. 

Our job is to save them from ignorance and bad buying choices. 

Take electronics stores for example.  Most people who go in have no clue what 99% of the technology within the store actually does... much less how it works.  They just know that they need something that does X-Y-Z but don't know what to get.  If you stand around a make them guess, they won’t get what they need and they will end up making multiple trips back and forth to the store (which sorely resembles what happens when you’re doing a fix-it-yourself project at home).

Defend your customers from ignorance and poor purchases. They will love you for it—ergo a repeat customer.

Another major theme in the medieval code of honor is truth.  Always speak it and never stop defending it.  Lying is the surest route to losing not just one customer, but every other person they talk to, e-mail, text, and/or Facebook.  If you can’t do something for them, tell them so. But also tell them how they can get what they are looking for. Or offer to look into getting what they need and have them stand beside you as you look.  customers will remember the person who is willing to go that extra mile.

Courtesy, honesty, loyalty—all three are very important in business. So here’s to chivalry, long may it live.