At Journey, we take coffee seriously. In fact, I have the sinking suspicion that neither my winning personality nor my dual-major degree and publishing experience were what landed me a job here. Rather, I might owe my good fortune to listing “barista” on my resumé.

In all honesty, some of the simplest rules of coffee-shop service are relevant in my career. Powerfully so.

That’s because at Journey, coffee isn’t the only thing we take seriously. Without our clients, we would be a bunch of creatives with nothing to create. More importantly, we believe that everyone should be treated with respect and given our absolute best. It’s just part of who we are.

So, in honor of clients (and coffee), I’d like to share some basic practices from my espresso-bar-tending days that have stuck with me through the years.

Smile — even if you don’t feel like it.

I’ll be honest: I am not a morning person. So, when those first customers would walk through the doors at 6 a.m., the last thing I wanted to do was smile. But you know what? Our customers didn’t want to be awake either — heck, they had lined up outside in the dark, desperate for caffeine. The least I could do was make their experience a pleasant one.

When clients come to me now with last-minute emergencies or yet another change to a never-ending project, they are probably not enjoying it any more than I am. But the least I can do is make their interaction with me enjoyable. Believe me, you can hear a smile over the phone or sense it in the tone of an e-mail — and it makes a difference.

Ask, “How are you today?”

I still remember my coffee-shop customers: their names, their drinks and other random details. (Joe: venti non-fat no-whip hot chocolate; comes in twice a day — three, if work is stressful.) Relationships matter.

There will always be other businesses that do what you do, whether coffee or custom publishing. Of course, you might do it best, but a big part of being the best is knowing your clients — and making them feel known. So when I ask, “How are you today?” it’s not just lip service. It’s an invitation to share.

Listen, confirm, translate.

Ever wonder how that Starbucks guy or gal can listen to you mumble out a string of adjectives and then repeat them back to you in rapid-fire, uniform order? They can make a tall decaf sugar-free vanilla soy extra-hot latte sound like no big deal.

For one, it takes a trained ear (listening is a skill). But it also takes thoroughness and industry knowledge to make sure customers get exactly what they want. Now, when a client asks for “elegant,” I have to hear them well enough to understand just what that means — and to convey their request clearly and correctly.

Care about consistency.

Occasionally and without warning, my Starbucks manager would steal one of my coffee creations and check to see if it was the correct temperature, weight and taste. A bit too little foam atop a latte meant failure — and I’d have to make the drink again and again, until it was just right.

Part of client service is ensuring a consistently good product. Latte or website, customers shouldn’t be afraid of what they are going to receive. I want them to know that if it comes from me, it meets a standard of excellence.

A good cup of coffee can go a long way — and so can a good story. So here’s to continually striving to serve up the best of both.