Educators in this day and age may have to reframe how they think about interacting with parents, students and community members. Viewing these relationships as 'customer' relationships may seem like a stretch, but it is a reality. Research shows the many benefits of providing positive customer experiences for our stakeholders, and the costs of negative experiences. ÁùºÏ±¦µä is facing the issue head-on with the CARES (Customer-focused, Action-oriented, Responsive, Empathetic, and Service-driven) initiative. In this paper is a summary of the research, and tips to help you show you care about CARES!