Last week I sat on the cold floor of a pet hospital, watching Daisy - my sweet, stubborn little dog - with an IV taped to her tiny leg, wondering if she’d pull through.

I was scared. I was overwhelmed.

And, through it all, the staff at EVE Pet Hospital in Mesa Arizona made sure I never felt alone.

From the moment they answered the phone - “Thank you for calling EVE Pet Hospital, my name is [Name]. How can we help you and your pet today?” - I felt seen and heard.

They offered small comforts: bottled water, warm smiles, updates even when they were busy.

And when it came time to explain test results or give updates, each person sat down on the floor, beside me and Daisy, and calmly walked me through the next steps. (If you've been with a scared pet at the vet, you get how kind that truly is!)

They were still professional. They were still authoritative. But they created an experience designed to lower stress, build trust, and help me actually hear what they were saying.

That’s what I call BrainSAFE™ customer service - even if they don’t use that name.

These small gestures don’t take much - but they matter more than we think.

Beyond the Vet Visit - Kindness in Customer Service

While this was my personal experience at the vet, the lesson runs much deeper - because every industry has moments like this, where stress is high and human connection makes all the difference.

We’re not just talking about veterinarians.

Whether you work in:

• IT support, helping someone through a tech failure

• Auto care, guiding a customer through costly repairs

• Mortgage lending, walking clients through nerve-wracking paperwork

• Healthcare, explaining complex test results or next steps

… you are dealing with human beings who are already under stress.

And here’s what brain science tells us:

• Stress shrinks problem-solving capacity.

• It raises defensiveness.

• It lowers listening and comprehension.

The antidote? Warmth. Calm. Human connection.

It’s not fluff - it’s brain science.

Daisy - not happy with me.

What the BrainSAFE™ Approach Looks Like

I've taught this customer service approach for years. Being on the receiving end of it made me really want to double down on sharing it with others.

For all of us, that few seconds it takes to include a few small, intentional shifts can create massive results:

• Warm, human greetings that establish connection

• Calm, confident tones that signal trust and competence

• Small thoughtful touches that reduce stress (yes, even bottled water matters)

• Framing the interaction as collaborative, not adversarial

These BrainSAFE™ moves reduce resistance, improve communication, save time, and build long-term loyalty.

Your Turn

Where could you apply BrainSAFE™ strategies in your work?

• How are you greeting and connecting with your customers?

• What subtle signals are you sending through tone and pacing?

• Are you creating space for people to truly hear and engage - or rushing straight to the fix?

I’d love to hear your thoughts - or your best (or worst!) customer service story. I'd love to share specific BrainSAFE™ strategies for your industry.

Drop a comment or DM me to explore this in more detail!

Daisy - ready to go home!

Personal Note (Because I Didn’t Know This Either!)

Daisy ended up ok after three nights in the pet hospital.

She ended up there because she got into a bag of raisins. She wasn't fed them - but she did find them. And - something I didn’t realize - raisins are HIGHLY TOXIC to dogs.

Interestingly, NO ONE I've spoken with - and I've spoken with a lot of people this past week - knew it either. So I want to pass it on: raisins (and grapes) can cause kidney failure in dogs, even in small amounts. If you ever suspect your dog has eaten them, call your vet or a pet poison hotline immediately.

Laura Boone - SHIFT Strategist - brings consulting and education services to individuals, leaders, and organizations who want to understand how human-centric, neuro-informed practices make change work.

Need your team to understand the human side of change? Need a coach that "gets" you? Bring Laura in to speak at your event or schedule a time to discuss how she can support your success. Laura@StructuredShifts.com.