CHAPTER 6

Always Satisfy Customers, and Sometimes Dazzle Them

At one company I worked with, a finance department executive said he wanted to give good service but did not want to give away the store. When I asked why he thought a major giveaway would happen, he talked about the time Nordstrom took back and provided a refund for tires when they did not sell tires. Great service is not about giveaways; in fact, giveaways often do not work. Great service is about consistently delivering good service with an occasional flash of inexpensive delight and emotional connection.

Going from good to great service is often almost free. A chemical company delivered its products to customers via tank trucks driven by independent owners. The truckers had appointments ...

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