I've been thinking about love.

OK, so it's February, and the topic of love comes up a lot this month. But that's not really why I've been thinking about it. I heard about a bookstore that also has a cafe (one of the few cafe's in town). Starbucks moved into their town. Engaging in a little friendly retail combat, this bookstore decided to advertise on a roadside billboard. The advertisement said something like this -

"So, what's coffee without love? (Store Name)"

I laughed when I heard this.
But for some reason, I kept thinking about it.

In the meantime, I've been listening this week to a CD from CBA Independants Day, January 2006. There was a panel of store owners talking about their strengths, differences etc. The moderator asked the panel if they read the book, "The Myth of Excellence" and asked the panel which area they excelled in: price, product, access, experience, and service. Most of the panel said that they excelled in experience. They also talked about what made their stores different, and I was hearing a lot of neat ideas. But there was no talk about loving the customer.

So, what's a book without love?
or
So, what's a Christian Bookstore without love?

I serve my customers every day, but not always out of love.

The past couple of days, I've been trying to serve my customers, and love them. I think I've been inspired by Father Tim, from Jan Karon's Mitford series. This guy isn't perfect, but he is always serving and loving. Even when he questions himself and his motives, he's still serving. And, he loves the people he serves.

I've been asking myself, "what does it look like to love a customer?"

One thing I've decided is that I should try to limit multitasking when helping a customer - they get my full attention. This is, for the most part, pretty difficult for me. When I'm in mulitask mode I'm still thinking about what I was working on while I'm pulled away from it. Instead of being totally present with a person, I'm mentally partially there, and partially somewhere else.

I've been reminding myself that customers need and deserve my full attention, so I'm able to serve and love them fully (they have, after all, made time to go out of their way to come visit the store) .

I'd like to say more, but I have to go help a customer.

Shane