Scenario: "Dude, we just want people who can fulfill customer transactions at the lowest price possible. Yay!"

You hire distraught dude Bobby for your tea shop.

1. You attract him $9/hour.
2. He's one sad, emo mofo.
3. He's the king of one-time transactions.
4. His customers rarely get awesome experiences.
5. Therefore, his customers rarely come back.

Contrast Bobby with gung-ho-happy-chick Vicki.

1. You attract her with $14/hour.
2. She's one energetically happy mofo.
3. She's the queen of making repeat customers.
4. Her customers frequently get awesome experiences.
5. Therefore , her customers come back as often as possible.

El Resulto?

You profitably win with Vicki, over-and-over-and-over-and-over. That's a reason why customer-centric companies are so-frickin'-profitable even when they pay ridiculous $$$ -- relative to industry averages -- to attract and retain awesome people for their customer service. Happy employees boost customer satisfaction, which increases repeat visits to your joint -- exponentially increasing company profits.

Happier People Profitably Rock

The happier the employee, the happier your bottom line -- according to a joint study by Bowling Green and Penn State professors:

Patricia Barger and Alicia Grandey followed 173 encounters between customers and employees in coffee shops, scoring the employees' 'smile strength' on a scale from 'absent' to 'maximal' (which features exposed teeth) at various points during the transaction. The researchers then intercepted the customers and asked them about their service experience. Indeed, the bigger the employee's smile, the more likely customers were to view that person as competent and the encounter, averaging just two minutes, as satisfying.

Sure, you could try hiring some crazy-sad dude, and try to convert him into one high-flying happy boy. But, you'll manage your customer service much easier by attracting the already-inherently-happy folks.

Hire the happy.