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The majority of customers will appreciate that you are working hard and doing your best. There may be a few that want immediate service, and while those tend to be the ones we remember the most, they really are in the minority.

When you do have that rare customer who is impatient, don't abandon your good customer service principles. Use your judgment as to when they should be serviced, and always be professional and polite. You will win them over.

If for some reason they are still upset and are vocal about the way they have been treated, simply apologize, take care of them, and move on because you have other customers that deserve your full attention. And, remember that you should not take out your frustrations on the next customer. Don't let one disruptive customer ruin your day and your ability to help other customers in a legendary way.

Another strategy for handling busy situations is to request help. If others are available, ask them to take the call or work with the person at the counter. Store management must be aware of the level of activity in their store and be willing to pitch in and help. If you don't take care of the customer, then one of your competitors will!

While we can't fully predict when customers will call or walk in, we can control how they are serviced. Expect busy periods and step up your efficiency while making certain every customer knows how important they are to you and your business. Remember to smile and to use humor, proper body language and good eye contact. The fundamentals are very important as situations become more hurried and potentially stressful.

While this might seem like common sense and the core of legendary service, sometimes when you are busy, common sense can escape you. Do your best and always remember how you would like to be treated in that situation.

Barry Himmel is a senior vice president for Signature Worldwide, a Dublin, Ohio-based company offering sales and customer service training, marketing, and mystery shopping services for a variety of service-based industries. For more information, call (800) 398-0518 or visit www.signatureworldwide.com.