From my mobile office

I'm in between meetings and rather than go back to the office for a brief spell, I decided I'd be more efficient dropping into a coffee shop with wireless access.

I was the only one in the joint when I arrived. I maintained a reasonable distance from the counter as I looked up at the menu and read the dizzying array of gourmet coffee offerings. A loud, teenage barista practically screamed across the cafe, "Do you know what you want?" I responded with an abrupt "No", trying not to reveal just how annoyed I was.

As I learned moments later, this teen was new to the job and still in training. And she deserves patience and understanding.

Still, it's hard to believe someone could be so maladroit at reading customers. Everything about my body language suggested I was not ready to order--my distance from the counter, my intense concentration on the menu board, my lack of eye contact. And yet she forced the issue and miffed me in the process.

As I prepare to head out on a sales call, I'm reminded of the importance of listening intently to your customers--to their spoken language and body language. Customers and prospects give off all kinds of signs--some are even deliberate and take the place of language. And a salesperson who doesn't know how to pick up on verbal and non-verbal cues will not earn that person's confidence and may not get the deal because of it. The best salespeople are masters of human behavior and are entirely focused on reading and understanding everything that a prospect is thinking and feeling.