Bringing a touch of Disney to security, concierge services.

In a slow-growth economy, where increased competition can cause products and services from airfare to gasoline to be subject to commodity pricing, one way to differentiate yourself from your competition is to offer world-class service. Companies from Nordstrom to Southwest Airlines to Disney have

Whatever the business, you need to be passionate about achieving excellence in customer service. There are five principles that lead to this goal.

Great customer service starts with the hiring process. Employers need to screen potential employees for a positive attitude and enthusiasm. Attitude, specifically the "right" attitude, is something that either a potential employee possesses or does not, and there are ways to determine if it exists within a prospect.

Enthusiasm can be contagious, and a pleasant employee will provide a positive experience for the customer.

In preliminary interviews, the employer should spend the time screening the interviewee for an enthusiastic personality and a positive attitude. The employer should then conduct a variety of assessments to have more concrete evidence on how an employee may perform.

In addition to the protocol assessment conducted by the employer, the prospective employee should also fill out a self-assessment where he/she can judge for themselves how adequate they feel they are for the job, and in essence, determine their own attitude.

Finally, for companies such as Planned that provide crucial Concierge and security personnel, it is important to conduct psychiatric profiles to assure that in a highly stressful crisis situation, the person will be able to respond accordingly and still be able to provide excellent customer service.

The second principle of customer service is training. If an employee is correctly trained the first time, from the onset, the company will know that its front lines truly embody the business strategies and values that it prizes.

Training programs need to consist of more than letting new employees watch a videotape and sign a form saying they're certified. You need to take it a step further and conduct extensive, hands-on training sessions designed to ensure workers are taught and supervised to care and perform well on the job.

The most effective training simulates real world experience to replace the conventional, paper-based methods of training. It is interactive, engaging and fun!

The third principle is supervision. Supervision ensures accountability, and is especially crucial in a field such as concierge and security services, where building and employee safety are imperative. All employees must know their chain of command and be held responsible for their actions.

Employees need to be aware that an inspection/ review of their performance can occur at any time, and "always be on." These visits foster a stronger employer and employee relationship through frequent contact and enhanced training.

The next principle is quality control. Businesses are continuously competing for customers, so a business should never become complacent. In fact, companies should routinely assess whether or not employees are still giving the level of excellence in customer service that is expected of them. This can be assessed through a re-evaluation of each employee on a systematic basis. If an employee's performance is not exemplary, then he/she must complete training courses until they are as capable as when they were first hired. An employee should not serve as a representative of the company unless their own commitment to customer service is high.

The final principle is recognition. While excellent customer service is expected and required from each employee, it is still extremely import to reward them for being an outstanding employee. Rewarding the behavior that exemplifies the correct customer service qualities is the secret to ensuring great customer service.

In a high-turnover industry, it is still possible for a company to achieve a client retention rate of approximately 95 percent, as Planned Companies does, if it treats its employees well.

The rewards do not have to be monetary. Incentives such as giving out awards, holding peer recognition events & dinners, and recognizing people in the company newsletter are all superb ways to show that the company cares.

The secret to great customer service is treating the customer and the employees the way you yourself would like to be treated. Customers remember the way they are treated, as exemplified by the loyal customers who flock to Nordstrom department stores and Disney's theme parks.

If they receive excellent and caring service time and again, accompanied by a pleasant manner, your company will outperform the competition. Customers who understand a company's passion for service ultimately help make the company successful.

BY ROBERT FRANCIS, PRESIDENT, THE PLANNED COMPANIES