What a play on words! It may first appear that way, but I assure you, in the real world, it is an absolutely true statement that you should memorize and repeat daily.

Reality may at times confuse our senses. We have all been entertained or confused by optical illusions that trick our eyes into seeing things that may not actually be there. We have witnessed a ventriloquist throwing his voice or making sounds appearing to be emanating from a particular source, distant from where we might have expected. Have you had the experience where you were not certain if something was either extremely hot or cold to your touch? While traveling through a mountainous area, are you always certain whether you are going up or down a slope? If you smell asparagus while chewing green beans, you will certainly believe that you are eating asparagus. The point is that it is entirely possible to fool our senses.

So what is real? In the hit movie Forrest Gump, you would have "sworn by oath" that Lieutenant Dan had no legs, but we all know that esteemed actor Gary Sinise does indeed have two. So if what appears to be reality actually is not real, what is? Our perception of reality is what is actually real to us.

Perception is actually more important than reality in many cases. In the world of business, particularly marketing and advertising, perception is reality. Marketers spend great sums of money to alter your perception of their product. Their goal is for you to believe their advertising to be real and ultimately entice you to purchase their product, perceiving that it is right for you.

In the active area of delivering superior customer service, perception of an issue by the customer is often a very different matter than the actual circumstances might describe. The professional customer service specialist must actively listen in order to intelligently discern what the customer is actually saying, regardless of want the facts of the matter are. Often, a tense situation can be diffused by simply being sensitive to the customers' viewpoint and perception of the issues, and then suggesting solutions based upon those perceptions. Insensitivity and indifference will fan the flame of customer anger and possibly lead to a lost customer.

Awareness of the facts is necessary but sensitivity to customer perception is critical. Accelerate your listening and learning skills. Listen closely to what the customer is really telling you, and then act. Paying more attention to customer perception will supercharge your customer service reputation and subsequent sales figures.

Daniel Sitter

Daniel Sitter has been a student his entire life. He continues to assimilate and synthesize knowledge from dozens of sources and a wealth of personal experiences over a twenty five year period into material that he draws inspiration from. He has been fascinated by the workings of the human brain and various learning strategies in particular. He often ponders why it is that some people are more receptive to change, are more productive and earn substantially more than others, even within the same industry. He has observed that many people are frustrated that they find learning to be a difficult and tediously slow process and he seeks solutions to their dilemma.

The author has attended dozens of seminars presented by the foremost authorities on human performance, personal development, psychology, sales, family, manufacturing and business. He enjoys the viewpoints of others and has absorbed their accumulated knowledge at each event. He has read and listened to dozens of books and audio programs in a variety of disciplines. Fueled by an insatiable hunger for knowledge and personal development, Dan continues to apply the principles he has learned into all aspects of his life on a daily basis. The results are continuously evident.

Dan has a wealth of business, sales and marketing experience in the technical fields. He has made a career in the mechanical/electrical engineering industries as an automation/fluidpower specialist. He holds a BS degree from the University of Akron, but he is quick to point out that his real education actually began after his formal education had concluded. An advocate of continuing education, Dan is always feeding his mind with new material that can help him to be continuously growing beyond his current comfort zone. He has designed and written numerous industry newsletters, business and personal development articles, various marketing materials and has authored the popular, breakthrough e-book, Learning For Profit, which teaches principles for accelerated learning and personal growth.

His hobbies are guitars, music, Shotokan karate, computers and electronics. An avid musician, Dan has played in a number of bands over the years and has written and performed dozens of original songs.

A devoted family man, Dan has been married for 21 years, has teenage children, a dog and a cat. He enjoys working out, family dinners on Sunday, relaxing trips to the beach and eating spicy ethnic foo