We get a lot of advice about how to deliver great customer service. Many of the tips are reminders of what we already know (but we occasionally forget). And these are useful. But sometimes, we need more than a reminder. Sometimes it’s helpful to have a system or, at least, some steps to follow.

Here is an easy yet valuable road-map I’ve taught in many of my customer service seminars. It’s easy to understand but it can be effective in keeping us on track so we consistently deliver what our customers want from us.

The fastest way to increase customer loyalty is by improving the quality of customer service you deliver. In fact, I dislike thinking of it as “customer service”. I prefer calling it “Amazing Service”. When you take care of your customers so well they tell others, then you’ve delivered amazing service. When you do that consistently, with every customer, every time, then you’ll see customer loyalty, retention and referrals go straight through the roof.

Several news items today talk about how chip giant Intel has parted company with the innovative group, One Laptop Per Child (OLPC). OLPC is a nonprofit educational computing group. Their mission is to help children have more access to information and opportunities by providing them with low-cost computing capabilities. Their OX laptop is the first step. It’s being sold to governments and other organizations who give them to children who otherwise could not afford them. The price is about $200 per laptop.