What a play on words! It may seem like this at first, but I assure you that, in the real world, it is an absolutely true statement that you must memorize and repeat daily.

Reality can sometimes confuse our senses. We’ve all been entertained or confused by optical illusions that trick our eyes into seeing things that may not actually be there. We have witnessed a ventriloquist launching his voice or making sounds that seemed to emanate from a particular source, far from where we could have expected. Have you had the experience where you were not sure if something was extremely hot or cold to the touch? While traveling through a mountainous area, are you always sure whether you are going up or down a slope? If you smell asparagus while chewing green beans, you may think you are eating asparagus. The point is that it is entirely possible to fool our senses.

So what is real? In the hit movie Forrest Gump, he would have been “sworn by oath” that Lieutenant Dan didn’t have legs, but we all know that esteemed actor Gary Sinise does have two. So if what appears to be reality is not actually real, what is? Our perception of reality is what is really real to us.

Perception is more important than reality in many cases. In the business world, especially marketing and advertising, perception is a reality. Marketers spend large sums of money to alter their perception of their product. Their goal is for you to believe that your advertising is real and ultimately to entice you to buy your product, perceiving that it is right for you.

In the active area of ​​providing superior customer service, the customer’s perception of a problem is often a very different matter than actual circumstances might describe. The professional customer service specialist must actively listen to intelligently discern what the customer is actually saying, regardless of what the facts of the matter may want. Often times, a tense situation can be diffused simply by being sensitive to clients’ views and perceptions of problems, and then suggesting solutions based on those perceptions. Callousness and indifference will fan the flame of customer anger and possibly lead to a lost customer.

Knowledge of the facts is necessary, but sensitivity to customer perception is essential. Accelerate your listening and learning skills. Listen carefully to what the customer is really telling you and then take action. Paying more attention to customer perception will increase your customer service reputation and subsequent sales figures.