Every time someone answers the phone seeking assistance, there is a quiet hope buzzing in the background—”I want to be heard.” Offering clients or patients real service beyond a click, a checkbox, or robotic politeness. It is positioned on the front lines of trust. It’s displaying rain or shine even when your coffee has gone cold for the third consecutive morning. For Dr. Zahi Abou Chacra, showing up with empathy—even on the tough days—is what makes service truly special.
Some people think “good service” consists only of problem solutions. Fix the widget, calm the cranky patient, then keep going. Still, band-aids do not heal a wound. Dedicated service calls for more: patience, curiosity, and perhaps a little humor to help to lighten the difficult times.
It starts with listening, more with actually tuning in. Imagine sitting across from someone, putting your phone away, and making eye contact suggesting, “Your words matter now.” People open themselves when they feel seen. Parents in clinics and business owners reporting a glitch—all demand your whole attention, even for a few minutes.
The worst part is that service changes with every individual. No miraculous potion exists that would fit every dialogue. An old patient stopping midway indicates you wait; maybe, you may gently prod with a joke. A disorganized consumer with a problem could require immediate response or simply your assurance that the heavens are not truly falling.
There is never one size fits all. That inquisitive pile of questions patient does not want you to rush through responses as if it were trivia night. Sometimes they want you to stroll along to them, bit by piece explaining things using common language rather than corporate or medical jargon.
Nobody is perfect nowadays. Your fuse runs short on some days. Your enthusiasm may droop from a run of difficult instances or angry calls. Allow yourself grace. Stand back, inhale, then reset. Empathy begins with your own wellness. Consider it as adding oxygen to your own mask before serving others.
Once, I observed a colleague stopping everything for a patient experiencing a panic over a missed appointment. Not sighs or clock-watching; rather comfort, rescheduling, and an honest chuckle about the ups and downs of life. That kind of presence helps people recall an everyday event.
Regarding comments as well That’s golden. Invite it, treasure it, run with it as a compass. While it hurts, constructive criticism stimulates development. Those difficult talks create improved habits, more acute abilities, and closer relationships.
Often in the space of five minutes, committed service involves rolling with the punches—improvising, adjusting, loving, and laughing. It is tough, unexpected, and fulfilling, just as life itself is. The core never dimishes whether by open communication, a listening ear, or quick fixes. Service is a daily commitment woven together with little, honest deeds that change things; it is not a one-time chore.