Proximity in Customer Service Situations

       There are several different ranges of space that surround every person.  Each level of this space is defined by who and in what situations it is appropriate to enter them.  The furthest space is designated as public space - anyone can stand in this space without it being considered inappropriate.  The space that very closely surrounds a person is usually only allowed to be invaded by people who share a close relationship with them.  In customer service situations, what space is considered appropriate to reside in?  If one stands too far away from the customer, they may have to shout in order to assist them, which would be considered rude.  However, if one stands too close to the customer, it is an invasion of privacy and would also be considered rude. 

       Hence, it all depends on what position you are in as the employee and what your relationship is with the customer.  Working in a restaurant, I have been able to observe the way in which the servers interact with the customers.  The bartender has many regular customers with whom she has formed relationships.  When she interacts with customers, she stands close to them, sometimes leaning on the table or over the bar in order to listen to what they are saying.  She listens to their stories, nods, and smiles.  She has very positive feedback from her customers and many people only come in on the nights she is working simply because they have grown to like her.  She has the ability to make the customer feel important by standing close enough without invading their privacy, which has produced plausible reactions from the customers.  As a result, they always leave happy and come back regularly.  

       Not all customer service situations are appropriate for this kind of close interaction, however. It is important to judge each customer and each situation carefully to ensure that you give the appropriate amount of space between the customer and yourself.  In some situations, closeness can produce positive results.  Nonetheless, as an employee, you should generally keep a moderate distance so that you are close enough to talk to them and answer their questions, but not so close that you are invading their personal space. 

-Sabrina

Albada, Kelly. "Conversational Space." Module 4, Part 1 Powerpoint - Proxemics. Raleigh, NC: North Carolina State University, 2014. Web. 2 Dec. 2014.