Recently, I've been quite taken with reruns of a show called "Undercover Boss." The show follows CEOs as they go undercover to work in their own companies. They invariably discover shortcomings in their firm's operations, such as computer systems that don't communicate and systemic issues that hinder their company's mission. What they also find is employees that magnify their position, making the most out of their time, and cheerfully create an environment that helps everyone around them excel. At first, I found the show interesting because of my own work in helping Grant County businesses succeed. I've realized, after watching a few episodes, that the real reason I'm watching this show is nostalgia.

I feel that we've lost something when it comes to customer service. Maybe it happened when the internet destroyed our ability to wait, or arose from the vapid, shallow cesspool of social media that replaced nuanced civil discourse with memes. Maybe it's just some inevitable evolution that all societies experience. Whatever the reason, at some point we stopped asking "What can I do for you?" and started asking "what do you need?"

That might seem like a small distinction, but I think it marks a shift in how we as a society approach customer service. The first question is open-ended. Contained within that question is the promise that the customer is the primary focus, and that the person providing the service is prepared to do whatever it takes to keep the customer happy. The second question is inherently closed. It assumes that the person serving the customer will do just enough to satisfy the customer's immediate need, and no more.

We don't get ahead by doing just enough. A swimmer who does just enough is only treading water. That might be enough to keep us afloat, but it certainly won't get us anywhere. I hope that we can get back to asking "What can I do for you?" and return to the mindset of putting the customer first. There's no doubt that such a mindset requires effort. It requires each of us to step off our own personal pedestal and keep the needs of other people foremost in our minds.

It isn't the easiest way to operate, but the easiest way is rarely the best way.

At the end of every episode of Undercover Boss, the CEO meets with the employees he worked with, and gives them gifts as a reward for their performance on the job. While most people aren't going to get personally rewarded by their CEO, we all benefit when we adopt the "What can I do for you" mindset.

Good customer service helps a business retain customers and builds a solid reputation for the company. On a personal level, "what can I do for you?" will lead to your knowing that you did all you could to make another person's day a little better. It's a kind of deep satisfaction that you can't buy, and it's a key ingredient in building a vibrant, dynamic community.