The ability to anticipate what your customer wants and needs is merely the foundation upon which you can ensure you deliver on expectation.

Exceptional customer service requires that ability to go further...to read your customer, responding to tone of voice, body language and interaction with others. Essentially your customer must trust you. Using this, your prerogative becomes to surprise and to delight. Delivering what your customer desires before they even realise it themselves. 

Expectations are not only something a customer possesses prior to receiving that service or experience, but these last the duration of their time with you. Expectations evolve and change, the skill is in how you acknowledge, work and adapt with this.

What we often forget is that expectations sit within two realms - That of the customer and that of those delivering the service. What do you want to achieve, how do you want to feel. 

The art of excellence in customer service is having pride and taking pleasure from pleasing, relying on a genuine passion and connection with what you do.