Becky Vaughn-Furlow, Business Columnist 5:00 p.m. CT March 4, 2017

The AFLAC duck is seen in an image released by the company. Linda Kaplan Thayer's small advertising firm won the Aflac contract. Aflac contacted her to pitch an idea for an ad campaign because of referrals by influential individuals she had been kind to by taking the time to give them free advice over lunch.(Photo: AP Photo/Aflac)

Being kind or being nice is not being passive or being a pushover. Instead it is the epitome of ethical behavior. Treating other people like you would like to be treated, whether it is co-workers, customers or managers, does pay off in all relationships, including professional relationships, personal relationships, at home and on the job.

It pays off in businesses. If you don't believe it, just check out Chick-fil-A's financial success. Employees of the very successful restaurant chain are trained to say "please" and "thank you." These are simple things that are the secret to the company's success. According to a report, Chick-fil-A employees said "thank you" in 95.2 percent of drive-thru encounters, based on data from 2,000 restaurant visits to 15 restaurant chains. In 2015 Chick-fil-A generated more revenue per restaurant than any other fast food chain in the U.S. Average sales per restaurant were nearly $4 million.

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Superior customer service drives higher sales per unit and far outpaces other chains like KFC, Pizza Hut and Dominos with more than twice as many U.S. locations. One of the big differences is hiring the right kind of employees who embrace the company's culture, followed by the amount of time and money spent on training employees.

Kindness emerges from those who are confident, compassionate and comfortable with themselves. Kind individuals are loving and giving out of the goodness of their heart. It is in their nature to care and exhibit kindness with no ulterior motives. Niceness is being pleasant or agreeable to others, sometimes conforming to what they believe society expects or sees as "nice." The "nice" person is often focused on doing nice things in order to be perceived by others as being a nice person. I think the defining difference is that people can be trained and instructed to be nice but the exhibiting of kindness comes from the heart and is a core value.

The kind treatment of people is unfortunately undervalued in many businesses and other organizations. It is one of the most important qualities of a healthy workplace culture. It inspires a higher level of employee engagement. When the leadership of an organization possesses this quality it filters down through the entire business, enhances teamwork and results in excellent customer service.

Being kind is a trait missing in so many people, being replaced by arrogance and egotistical behavior. It is not a sign of weakness but instead a true sign of strength demonstrated by positive deeds and actions. It shows the deep-down motivation from the heart. No one wants to work in or do business with an organization that is arrogant or ruthless.

An example of how kindness has paid off is the story of the creation of the famous Aflac duck. It was introduced in 1999 by Linda Kaplan Thaler's small advertising firm. As it turned out, Aflaccontacted her to pitch an idea for an ad campaign because of two referrals by individuals who were influential people she had been kind to by taking the time to give them free advice over lunch. Thaler won the lucrative contract, and the Aflacduck has since become a TV sensation allbecause of thekindness being shown with no ulterior motive. The firm now has over 700 employees and accounts worldwide.

To get it down to each of us, think about places you like to shop and go back to because of the way you are treated. On the other hand, there are businesses you avoid because of poor customer service and rude treatment. We often pay more for products and services from the places where we feel appreciated and are treated well. And on top of that, we share with our friends, family, neighbors, anyone who will listen, about the bad experiences at businesses we don't patronize anymore. The referrals we make from being treated well are more valuable to a business than many dollars spent in advertising. There is nothing more valuable as a personal testimony.

Can you make a commitment to altruistic behavior to improve your customer service? We never know how much a customer or person we come in contact with needs a smile, a kind word or a listening ear. A phone call, card, email or text sent to someone who is ill, lonely or otherwise going through difficult times has such a positive impact and it takes so little effort, time or money.

When you are kind to others it will help you with your attitude and somehow lighten the load of your own burdens. Some of the kindest people I know are themselves dealing with inner struggles that most people are not aware of. You have read that it takes more muscles to frown than to smile. Try placing a small mirror in a place you can see yourself as you answer the phone. A smile comes across on the phone in your voice tone even though the customer can't see you.

You have the ability to satisfy the customer and gain satisfaction in a job well done as well asincrease customer loyalty. Keep in mind, customers are the reason you have a job. Enjoy making a difference in the customer experience and increase your value and success of your business.

Contact Becky Vaughn-Furlow at bvaughnfurlow@gmail.com.

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