Customer Service Vs. Customer Scare

What exactly does customer service mean? Or rather, what do you understand by the words 'customer service/care'? A google search returned well over one million results.

Is it really about satisfying a customer (even when seemingly unreasonable) or about fighting competition or about corporate image/branding or even about the bottomline (books)?
Well, I guess the definition each company gives it whether explicitly highlighted or not (written or culture) goes beyond the boundaries/location of the company and stays with the customer.

At a time when recovery from recession is on-going and there are more technological advancements than ever before, organizations are struggling to be as strong as they can possibly get- pushing customer service is one thing they are into whatever the definition they give to it.

Having been on both sides (service giver & service receiver), can't take a pick on what side is better to be on as humans could be complex.

I'm in no way trying to define what customer service really is but with my own little experience, I feel that companies can do a better job at 'servicing' rather than 'scaring ' customers or would-be customers.

Finally, I dare to say that customer service/care or whatever label it is given transcends a mere department, uniform, desk, call-center or even a live agent........it's an "attitude", more like a culture.

In all, let common sense be put before corporate jargons.

Thank you.