He also takes advantage of weekly staff meetings. Each meeting begins with an employee sharing a "win of the week" in customer recovery or discussing an open customer issue so the team can offer help and ideas.

Like LaPlant, Sonitrol employees receive external customer service training, as well. In 1997, the company began sponsoring employees for a three-day, video-based maximum-achievement seminar, led by a consultant from Brain Tracy International, a training and development company. All technical employees are trained in a two-day program faciliated by Raymond Karson Associates called "Excellence in Service."

"The course is designed to educate technical employees that solving the customer's technical problem is only part of their role," LaPlant says. "They also have the responsibility of making customers feel satisfied with the service experience, and by doing this, they can be instrumental in building long-term relationships between the company and its customers."

The last part of LaPlant's program is one of the most important ­ it measures employee perception. For the past three years, LaPlant has surveyed employees about their views of the importance of customer service to the company. Responses have improved each year.

Overall, LaPlant's efforts have combined to result in a noticeable improvement in quality customer service, as evidenced by a decrease in customer complaints, an increase in unsolicited letters of thanks and consistency of satisfaction in surveys.

"Everything counts!" he says. "It takes many consistent little initiatives over time to build a customer-focused organization. The goal is to increase customer loyalty by educating all employees on the importance of each customer interaction. The ultimate result is happier customers."

Reprinted with permission from SDM Magazine. Copyright 1999. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.