Today, I took my son to get a haircut.

The salon we usually go to was closed, and his hair was getting way too long to wait, so I decided to try a random hair salon near our house. Simple errand. Or so I thought.

While one of the stylists was cutting hair, she looked at me and said, “Oh, you look Filipino.” She had been speaking English to me, and when I told her I was Vietnamese, she switched languages. But by then, I was already uncomfortable.

I couldn’t help but think how is that relevant? In the U.S., especially among Asian communities, it’s incredibly difficult (and unnecessary) to guess someone’s ethnicity. Asia is diverse. Unless someone tells you, or you hear them speak a specific language, assumptions are just that—assumptions.

I brushed it off.

Then later, she looked at me again and said, “Oh, you’re a nail tech, right?”

I said no. I work a regular office job.

Her response? “Oh, you have your nails painted, so I thought you were a nail tech.”

That’s when it really hit me.

Whether intentional or not, those comments reflected a stereotype—that Vietnamese people mostly work in nail salons. That assumption is outdated and flat-out wrong. Vietnamese people work across every industry: tech, finance, healthcare, education, entrepreneurship, and more.

What bothered me most wasn’t just the comments themselves, it was the lack of emotional intelligence.

The Customer Service Lesson

In a service-based business, you are not just providing a service. You are building a relationship.

Most service businesses survive because of repeat clients, not one-time walk-ins. Long-term success depends on trust, comfort, and respect. The way you speak to clients matters just as much as the quality of the service you deliver.

As a business owner, there are a few basic principles that should never be overlooked:

• Don’t make assumptions about your customers
• Avoid comments that stereotype or label
• Read the room and understand boundaries
• Treat every client with professionalism and respect

What could have been a neutral experience quickly became uncomfortable. And once trust is broken, it’s very hard to rebuild.

Why This Matters

Customer service isn’t about being “nice.” It’s about awareness. It’s about understanding that your words can shape how a customer feels long after they leave your business.

For me, the result was simple: I won’t be going back.

And that’s the real cost of poor customer service, not just a lost client, but a missed opportunity for a long-term relationship.

I’m sharing this because I hope business owners, especially those in service-based industries, recognize how important emotional intelligence truly is. The smallest comments can leave the biggest impressions.

And not all impressions are ones you want to leave.