Have you ever been into a business where they seem to read your mind? Just as you have a thought, there is someone standing beside you with the exact item that you were thinking about. Or as you stand looking at shelf upon shelf of products, a knight in shining armour comes to your rescue and hands you the exact product that you need, with a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye.
These businesses are excellent but, unfortunately, they are few and far between. If a family enters a restaurant with small children, there is every chance that they will need a little assistance, but time after time I see families struggling to get seated and they have to ask the staff for this and that, as if they are the first family ever to dine there.
Smart customer service is all about being one step ahead of your customers - knowing them so well that you can meet their expectations without them even having to tell you what those expectations are.
Rather than waiting for the customer to make their request, try to be one step ahead of them. If they have a lot of packages, ask them if they would like them delivered or if they would like help taking them to their car. If the customer is moving house and you are the removalists, offer to give them a printed inventory of their belongings for their insurance company or to call them the day before the furniture will arrive.
If you run a clothing shop and a customer buys some clothes that will need alterations, offer to have them done before the customer asks.
Wherever possible, try to predict your customers' needs and make suggestions or recommendations that will prove useful to them.