I met a new business acquaintance at a chamber of commerce meeting and expressed interest in having her do some accounting work for me. Quite charismatic, she encouraged me to consider her services. We chatted, and she assured me she'd be an asset to my company and would be available to answer questions 24 hours a day. After much thought, I decided to hire her, so I called two weeks ago to set up the arrangement.

My initial phone call to welcome the numbers expert to the world of Le Gourmet was met with disdain. My new friend answered the phone sounding annoyed. I happily told her we had a deal and she dismissed me, saying she "just sat down to lunch" and to expect a return call later.

Her tone was clear and unmistakable. My confidence in her was shattered. I'm involved in a substantial amount of financial transactions in a day and can't imagine we'd work well together. Call me sensitive, but her aura was horrible and, frankly, started my day off badly.

As an entrepreneur, do you let your attitude slip on occasion? Such a mistake can be costly because your clients and customers will remember it. I mentioned this incident to one of our attorneys. She acknowledged that the climate around the country seems volatile, and the "attitude syndrome" could happen to any of us. Maybe so, but shouldn't we be acutely aware of manners, etiquette and common courtesy right now? As I see a steady decline in the economy, I also know the value of customer service.

Curious about the current mind-set of working Americans, I've been studying people more lately. I entered my doctor's office for a late-afternoon checkup recently, happy to cross one more task off my to-do list. The receptionist eyed me and said, "You know, we close promptly at 4:30. I hope your appointment is a quick one." I had been targeted as the enemy just by walking in the door.

What do you and your employees talk about in front of customers? While I was waiting to see the doctor, the employees were making references to the two previous patients. The comments were not flattering. I wished I could hear what they'd say about me when I left, but I realized they didn't have time to lambaste me because everyone would be out the door promptly at 4:30. I felt betrayed when I left, and unhappy that I'd be getting a bill for that betrayal.

Feeling depressed, I went by a coffee drive-thru for some empty calories and an extra shot of happiness and espresso. The barista didn't understand what I wanted and challenged every aspect of my order. She was annoyed when I didn't have exact change, and then chastised me for requesting an extra napkin to clean up the coffee she spilled on the side of my car. It occurred to me that I should have checked my horoscope before departing my house that day.

In my opinion, the key to a successful business is to stay aware of what you and your staff are saying, doing, alluding to and intimating. Be aware of what goes on when you're not present. Realize that every greeting, comment, gesture, whisper, shrug and eye roll will impact your client. Be reasonable in what you expect from yourself and your staff, then strive to exceed those expectations. Make sure your clients remember you for the right reasons.

Survival in this current economic climate is competitive. If you feel no need to deliver a polite greeting, competent skills, empathetic manner and a willingness to problem-solve, maybe you should opt for a job that doesn't require a public demeanor and customer-service savvy.

Think about what you have to offer, what you want to offer--and then consider the outcome if you aren't willing to change or at least strive to be better. Be kind. Then watch your self-confidence emerge and your client list expand.