If you’re a leader and you want your service interactions to be more relational and less transactional—send this blog to everyone on your team. It’ll take 3 minutes to read and could shift how they show up tomorrow. 

“We’re moving from transactional to relational service.” 

I’ve heard this many times and most companies say it when we meet. 
It sounds great in a strategy deck. But living it? That’s the real work. 

Here’s the truth: being relational is a skill. And like any skill, you need to practise. Often. Dialogue, connection, reading the room, sitting in silence, navigating awkward moments, all of that is gold. It builds self-awareness, empathy and confidence. 

If I were up on my soapbox, I’d say this: 
If you work from home five days a week, avoid people on weekends, text instead of calling, and haven’t been involved in some sort of community group in years, you are dulling your edge. The future of work belongs to humans who stay sharp in the human stuff. 

Get out there. Socialise. Play in conversations. Learn how you show up when you’re triggered, tired, or challenged. Refine your listening. Observe your talk to listen ratio. This is your development work. Get amongst it. 

Because here’s the thing: customers and teams can tell when you’re just ticking the box. They feel when you’re on autopilot. And they notice when you actually see them. 

Yes, relational service is messier. It’s slower. But it’s where trust, loyalty, and leadership live. 

So if you want to future-proof your role and build a service culture that actually feels good—choose connection over convenience. Again and again. 

Because the future of service? It’s still human.