Preface

The author refers to a quote from Earl Nightingale: "What separates the winners from the losers is that the winners are willing to do things the losers will not." This is of particular interest to customer service: it's easy to find service that is mediocre or acceptable, but those that provide good service, or "positively outrageous service" are companies that are willing to do what others will not in order to please their customers.

Ask most people about the state of customer service they receive from others, and they will say it's dismal. As the same people about the level of service they provide to others, and they feel it's great. There is an obvious disconnect.

In examining the phenomenon, the author considers three role of the server, particularly as an intermediary between the level of service his boss/organization encourages him to provide and the level of service his customers expect of him.

(EN: The author's writing style is very chatty and full of anecdotes - an easy read, but not very pithy, so there won't be much in the way of notes, I expect.)