A couple of weeks ago, I shared some thoughts from a retail worker who was urging people to do their part to ensure good customer service.

I liked his suggestions that consumers should try to be kind, patient and more prepared for their shopping experiences. But I can't resist wading back into this topic, based on some new reader responses.

Wayne sent an e-mail to say he has been in retail for 33 years, 15 of them as a small-business owner. He says he is concerned about customers not only when they are in his store, but also in the future.

"If that means staying late to help a 'five minutes before closing' customer, or probing a little to help the one who hasn't researched their purchase, then that's what I'll do, and it's what I expect my employees to do as well," Wayne wrote. "After all, my employees represent my business.

"You don't have to be a mind reader to help a customer. I want my customers to come because of our expertise. ... In a retail environment, where competition is intense, customer service is the one thing that can set you apart from your competitors and bring them back again."

That is absolutely true — as is the reverse. There are several retailers who will never see me darken their doors again, not because their products aren't good, but simply due to lousy service.

Wayne goes on to say that even an ill-tempered customer should be met with a smile.

"Not everyone shares the same temperament, and most everyone gets moody from time to time," Wayne wrote. "In my opinion, a good retailer is the one who can look beyond the cranky customer's behavior and help them with their needs. It may not be easy but is certainly necessary if you want to have enduring success.

"But really this is about more than business. There will always be rude behavior and people who rub you the wrong way. Customer service is just another aspect of life service. Successful people are those who treat others fairly regardless of how that person treats them. Difficult? Yes, but essential to a well-lived life or a well-run business."

That, Wayne, is an excellent point.

Another reader, Jackie, wrote that she worked retail for many years and has been on both sides of the customer service equation.

"It isn't easy to always provide customer service — people seem to be so much on edge these days," she wrote.

She then related an experience she had with the county library system. She requested a book that her local library didn't possess. They found it somewhere else in the library system and had it delivered to her local library, so she checked it out, took it home and read it one night, returning it the next day.