J.E. Karp, Author, The Power of Service: Service Through the Eyes of Customers

THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT WHILE QUALITY AND VALUE MAY BRING THE CUSTOMER IN, GREAT SERVICE WILL BRING THEM BACK. Aside from increasing prices or decreasing costs, incremental sales increases result from two factors -- repeat business and new customers. The question is, what is it that makes people want to return? The dynamic of the visit is the primary contributing factor. That dynamic stems directly from the quality of their first service experience. A nice smile, strong handshake or some chat about golf, are not nearly enough.

Rick Norris

My uncle Wayne raced Indian motorcycles in the 1930s.  One of his projects was refurbishing a 1936 Indian Scout, though his sons Wayne and Bart ultimately completed the project. To do so, they had to take inventory of the bike and plan the tasks of obtaining the parts and executing the labor.  The end result purred.  However, now built, where was the bike going to take them?

In my experience, small and medium-sized businesses approach their enterprises the same way Wayne and Bart approached their hobby.  They look within their businesses and try to fix what’s wrong in order to get it running smoothly.