Failing to hire employees with the right traits for customer-facing work. How much easier it is for everyone — the customers, the leader, and even the employees — to start out with human material that is most suitable. I know it’s frustrating that not everyone is cut out to work face to face (or phone to phone, or terminal to terminal) with employees, but it is the reality. I suggest the acronym WETCO as your shortcut to the five traits most crucial in employees with frequent customer contact: Warmth, Empathy, Teamwork, Conscientiousness, and Optimism. I discuss customer service hiring, and the details of WETCO, here.