The longer I am in business the more I understand that delivering exceptional service, no matter what product or service you may offer, is the most important determinant of long term business success.
By making that statement I am not minimizing the importance of vision, plans, market selection, product development, etc. I have just seen too many businesses be in the right market with the right product/services at the right time only to fail or never achieve their true potential.
My business philosophy is simple. The most important people in any business are the people that touch the customer everyday. The job of leadership in any organization is to give front line people the tools, systems, processes, products, and support necessary to deliver exceptional customer service.
Every employee that touches the customer needs to understand that the customer’s impression of your business begins and ends with them. Every interaction can lead your customer to judge your entire organization from a single point of contact. There is nothing more empowering for an employee to know that you expect them to delight the customer so every customer will tell the world about your great company.