Whether you are in a restaurant, at the store or on the phone, you’re dealing with a representative of a company, someone whose job it is to provide a service for you or help you resolve a problem.

Yes, it is the customer service rep’s job to be polite and help you with your request. It is not, however, that person’s duty to walk you through the company’s entire product line, listen to your obscenity-ridden tirade or teach you how to use the Internet.

Just as you hope to find a smart, knowledgeable and friendly customer service rep, these over-worked, underpaid and often unappreciated folk hope to find a smart, friendly customer who knows how to communicate his or her needs.

Believe it or not, good customer service begins with you, the client. In most cases, if you approach the issue with a good attitude, you’ll get what you need in a matter of minutes. If you behave badly, you’ll get as good as you give.

Face it, if you are a horrible customer, the rep will return the favor by providing poor or average service. Follow these steps and you’ll never have to worry about the waiter spitting in your soup.