A foundation of my philosophy (in business and in the rest of my life) is that we need to treat everyone well. Another way to look at this is we’re here to serve others. And the best way to serve others (or at least, the best way to start) is by putting others first. This means treating them with courtesy, dignity and kindness. It also means putting their interests ahead of ours.

A key customer service principle is to “deliver on the promise of the brand.” Every organization owns a particular brand image in the minds of customers, and anything out of alignment with the brand creates a disconnect and a disappointment for the customer.

Imagine, for example checking into a Ritz Carlton hotel only be treated rudely or with an attitude of indifference. The contrast between the brand image and the actual experience would be jarring and memorable. But when the experience and an organization’s brand image are in alignment, the result is confidence, trust, and loyalty.

Here is your Daily Dose of Amazing Service:

Do what your marketing says you will

And here are some additional thoughts on this topic…

A few weeks ago I traded in my old iPod for the new Touch 3G.  To keep it clean and like new, I bought a case for it from a company called Riot Outfitters. When I had a question about the case I decided to contact them using Twitter. After I found them on Twitter, I was pleasantly surprised by their Twitter profile which says:

“Made to protect and serve electronic devices. Each RIOT product is loaded with goodness and style. Backed by super responsive customer service”. (emphasis added).

Very cool. Here’s a company

Here is your Daily Dose of Amazing Service:

Be the best at what you do

And here are some additional thoughts on this topic…

Last week a reader shared with me a perfect example of a business that does what they do very well. And they focus only on that. They don’t try to be all things to all customers. The result is, if you want what they offer, you’ll be a loyal customer. If not, you’ll probably never step foot in their business.

Here is your Daily Dose of Amazing Service:

Be consistent

And here are some additional thoughts on this topic…

I’m a fan of the various sub and sandwich shops that have sprung up in the past few years.  They enable me to eat healthy and conveniently. And though the are all different, they all are good enough to patronize. But the shops that get my loyalty stand out in a big way.

They are consistent.

Here is your Daily Dose of Amazing Service:

Make it easy for customers to leave

And here are some additional thoughts on this topic…

Too many companies make it easy to become a customer and hard to leave. Maybe they think people will change their minds if it’s hard to quit. The classic example is this call to AOL that made national news:

We all have bad days. You know them. The days we’d rather just stay home. Or be anywhere but at work. It’s normal for us to be off once in awhile. Even professional athletes have slumps. So don’t deny this. Just accept that it’s going to happen.

But that doesn’t mean you have to let it affect how you do your job. In fact, it does not give you the right to deliver lower quality service. Just the opposite. Being a professional means no matter how you feel (or how bad your slump is) you keep doing your best.

No matter what your situation is, you can always choose to be Amazing.

This video shows us what happens when someone let’s their bad attitude run amok. It demonstrates (in a funny way) how customers see us when we let our slumps affect our work.

Here is your Daily Dose of Amazing Service:

Consistency builds trust.

And here are some additional thoughts on this topic…

Long term, sustainable increases in customer loyalty require trusting relationships between customer and companies. As a customer, I’ll keep doing business with you if I believe your goal is to help me. The more I trust you, the easier it is for me to believe you’re in business to help. The two go together like chocolate and peanut butter.

Jay Leno and I both enjoy Subway. While I can’t speak for Jay, I can tell you why I like it. They offer relatively healthy food fast and at a fair price.  And, usually you get the same experience no matter where you are.The Subway in Montgomeryville, PA offers the same basic experience as the one in LaJolla, CA.

There is value in this.  It brings familiarity and comfort to people. It’s nice to know what to expect and then get it, whether you’re at home or 1,000 miles away. And if you get a little more than you want and expect, the odds are you’ll go back and you’ll tell others about it. The consistency will build loyalty. That loyalty can reinforce the quality and consistency. It becomes a virtuous circle.

But what happens when

Photo Credit: PacificCoastNewsOnline.com

Jay Leno was spotted hauling some subs out of an LA Subway yesterday. It’s nice to see the late night superstar and I have at least one thing in common.

Like Jay Leno, I am a sub shop customer. In my town we have a mixed bag of sandwich shops, from the biggies (you know: Subway, Quiznos, Jimmy John’s) to unique locals, like the Blue Ox (one of my faves).

This variety is good because I tend to get bored easily. It’s nice to be able to shop around. Which makes me wonder, what keeps people (like Leno) coming back to certain sub shops? Why did he grace Subway with his presence? Why not a place with some local flavor? Why not Jimmy John’s or Quizno’s? What do customers look for that attracts them again and again, especially with all the choices they have?

So I did some research. (I talked to some people and went online – not at all scientific.) Here’s what I discovered.

Try to find someone in business who says they don’t value their customers.  It would be surprising if you found one – everyone values their customers.

Or so they say.

However, valuing your customers is little different than loving someone – saying it isn’t’ enough.

The buzz in the world of coffee these days is not being produced by caffeine intake. It’s generated by the swirl of news reports and comments about Starbucks plans to close over 600 stores.

For me this begs the question: Did Starbucks stumble on their vaunted customer service? As Starbucks has become an American icon, as much a part of our landscape as McDonald’s and Wal-Mart, have they lost their customer service edge? Has growth come at the cost of serving their customers in their unique way, the way loyal Starbuckians have come to expect?