Where is my Service? Published Jan. 26, 2011 By Maj. Benji B. Jackson 375th Force Support Squadron commander SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- I have worked in several different industries in my life: department stores, fast food, university student recreation centers, municipal parks and recreation departments, and private gyms before entering the Air Force. I have a background in Services, and now Force Support in my Air Force career. The common denominator that ties all these together is people--specifically customers. I have worked with customers for the majority of my life. When you interact with people, you have to be very aware of the emotions of the moment. That is the importance of understanding, "Where is my service?" We all have asked that question at one point or another: an incorrect order, lost luggage, rescheduled appointments...the list is endless. There is no way to stop every mistake in the world, but how we react is completely under our control. In every personal interaction, each person has a preconceived notion of either the service they are going to receive or the reason for someone's actions based on that service. Whether it is buying a car, renting a movie, asking someone out, or confronting someone about standards; it doesn't matter what the situation is, but rather what/how each person expects the scenario to unfold. If you believe something negative is going to happen it probably will. And whose responsibility is that? I say yours. Perceptions rule our emotions, which in turn drive the expectations of a scenario. The individual who takes the time and sets a positive personal relationship with everyone else can exceed those expectations and turn a negative situation into a positive one. And even further, they can turn a positive experience into a great or even outstanding experience. How? Simply take your time and assess the emotions of the moment. Why did this person enter my work area, call me, or send this e-mail? Or why am I doing this myself? Do they look upset? If so, why? What can I do to remedy the situation? There are lots of questions to ask, but the bottom line is to be aware of the issues and do your best to assist the other person. This is not just used by those in obvious customer service arenas. We all experience these scenarios each and every day. Everyone is a customer and we are also providers of customer service, several times over in our work centers, driving on the road, completing force protection duty, cleaning up after ourselves, going through a serving line, or riding the bus to the dining facility. It applies to every career field. I challenge every member of Scott to take the time each day to say "Hi," "Thank you," or "I appreciate what you're doing today" to your fellow teammates and most importantly, look everyone you pass in the eye and give them a quick smile. So let me be the first person today to say "Thank you, Team Scott for the wonderful work that you are doing!" Have a great Air Force day.