By my 2nd freelance job, I learned how important #1 and #2 are, and they were raving about me by the time the site went live.

Badger,
Yeah, I would agree with you that prior customer service is not necessary and can be learned. As someone who never worked in customer service though I could see where it would be helpful. Generally it’s just treating clients the way you would like to be treated in their shoes, while of course still respecting yourself and your own time.

Bert,
Thanks for your feedback. The article was written based on my own experience, so it’s always good to hear that someone else agrees with me based on their experience.