1.Teach your employees “Everything Matters.” Every interaction they have with your customers affects your reputation – for better or for worse.

2.Give your employees opportunities to make a difference. Ask them to help you analyze how your policies, practices, and processes could be more customer-friendly. This increases the likelihood they'll feel -- and act -- engaged. (By the way, Gallup's research shows that only 26% of employees report feeling engaged -- i.e. caring about helping their company succeed.)

3.Teach your employees to be Customer Service Detectives. Ask them to notice their own experiences as customers, and discuss how to apply what they learned to your business. Make this a regular part of your conversations with your employees.

4. Address poor service quickly and decisively. Would you pay someone to stand out in front of your business with a sign saying: “We don’t like our customers… so enter at your own risk”? Having employees who give poor service accomplishes the same thing.

5.Keep work interesting by giving employees opportunities to develop their skills on the job. Conduct brief, informal meetings that focus on a specific technique or principle. At future meetings, discuss how they applied these and what they learned. Use this blog an a free ongoing professional development tool. Have your service staff read the entries and discuss the principles and techniques illustrated. Encourage them to examine whether they engage in any of the "Don't Do's" illustrated by the vignettes.

6.Have your business Mystery Shopped. Use this both to monitor the service your employees provide and as a coaching tool.

7.Catch your employees giving great service. Make your compliments specific, so they know exactly what you’re looking for. Share these examples of great customer service with all your employees. This not only helps them understand what you want, it shows you notice and value great service.

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