When I was at the doctor’s office recently, I was sitting patiently in the waiting room, starting to form my initial perceptions about the place. Since I arrived, most of what I observed left me with a positive opinion on the place. Immediately when I came in, I was politely greeted and instructed where to bring my paperwork. The staff was friendly as I checked in, even cracking a few jokes with me. The waiting room was comfortable with plenty of interesting reading material and multiple T.V.s available to watch. Minutes later, my impression changed.

 A man came into the office and went through the same check-in process I did. However, I noticed a distinct difference in the way the same nurse spoke to him. Her tone was rude and she barked orders to the man although he had said or done nothing to warrant it.

 At that moment, my entire opinion of the office changed. I went from being a happy customer to a very cautious one. I thought, “If they’re able to talk to this man so disrespectfully, what does that say about the rest of their operations here?”

 Now, I don’t know if that nurse was having a bad day or if she had previous negative experiences with that patient, but her behavior in a work environment was anything but professional.

 We all have bad days now and then—it’s human nature. But as leaders in business we need to be very careful how our bad days affect our work. One rude comment to a potential customer could mean not only losing that customer, but also many others via word-of-mouth. Similarly, one rude comment to an associate can mean losing their respect.

 As Servant Leaders, we need to serve our associates and our customers in the best way we can, even on our bad days. So, this week, when you step into the office, leave your “bad day” at the door. It could mean the difference between keeping and losing your customers.