What we're talking about is improving customer service. Virtually any company can benefit from this.

You can't tie employees' hands with cumbersome policies and procedures and expect them to provide exceptional service. It's also important to let employees know that it is OK to make a mistake in the process of working to win customer satisfaction.

They think customers are liars and cheats and, if given the chance, will rip off the company. To prevent that from happening, they develop ridiculous rules, policies, and procedures.

Advertising will get a customer through the door to your business once, but it is service that will keep them coming back. Advertising is aimed at the masses; customer service is aimed at the individual. Service recovery creates word-of-mouth advertising that is 100 times cheaper and more powerful than traditional advertising.

Without empowerment, an organization will never be a service leader. Empowerment is the most critical skill an employee can master and a company can drive in order to lure?and keep?customers.

They are more of a charter company than a schedule service carrier.