How is it possible to stay in integrity with both employees AND customers? And give your employees AND your customers what they deserve?

Chip Bell has devoted his life to helping companies make everyone happy AND making more money in the process. He says, “Imaginative service happens when there is an atmosphere of trust, where people are considerate and supportive. Tough economic times call for value-unique, not value added—service with imagination, not just generosity… imaginative service is not about addition. It’s about creation.”

Although I’ve not had as much contact with Chip over the years as I”ve liked (and as I should have, to be honest – sorry Chip), whenever we’ve connected he’s shown great generosity of spirit, knowledge, heart, and soul. He’s one of the rare folks who puts his money where his mouth is.

Chip Is The Relationship Manager

I suppose you’d consider Chip THE Relationship Manager. Words like Devoted Customer, Genius Leader, Strategically Imaginative are sprinkled through his texts – all focused on helping you help your folks be the kind of employees who are creatively happy and know how to truly serve.

Think about it for a moment: how is your product different from your competitors? You may know the specifics of why and how, but do your customers know? Probably not. What they do know is how you show up. Do your sales folks give just value-add? Or value-exceptional? Are they doing a job? Or passionately serving your customers so well they’d never think of going to anyone else – and they even tell their friends about you?

Chip (and his co-author John Patterson) help you create the “Trustful environments” that  “nurture the appropriate risk taking that leads to novel solutions and refreshing customer experiences.” Because without creating this experience for your own team, they won’t pass on their joy to customers.

One more thing. I came upon another quote of Chip’s (Can you tell I love what he says?) that is quite evocative: I don’t know of any other customer loyatly guru who put as much emphasis on training employees to BE the service you want your customers to receive. This quote is priceless:  “Leaders who trust view error as a learning opportunity and failure as an invitation to try another approach. They empower and encourage. They are open about their own foibles and upfront when they make mistakes.” Make your employees leaders: they can then go on to empower their customers.

I know these time of economic uncertainty make it hard to think about spending money on something so ‘soft’ as Customer Loyalty. But Chip will show you how to make money the right way. With deep integrity, service, and passion. Oh… and lots of fun.

Get his new book: Take Their Breath Away: How Imaginative Service Creates Devoted Customers