This BusinessWeek.com article – How to Avoid the Commodity Trap – caught my fancy but I have to admit, it is a bit short on the “How to” part. The main thrust of the article is to treat your customers with respect. That is solid advice, but I was looking for more.
But what the article lacks in tactical description, it makes up for with anecdotal stories. The article is a fun read. It closes with the author retelling a personal experience:
My last example is personal. Two years ago, I dented my car and took it to a body shop for an estimate. A large tattoo-covered man stood behind the counter. And behind him, on the wall, hung a sign that did not inspire confidence in the respect that this establishment had for its customers. The sign read: “We screw the other guy and pass the savings on to you.” I inquired meekly: “I hope I’m not ‘the other guy’?”
Can you imagine that sign hanging in the lobby of some corporation? Actually, there are a few companies that I can imagine using that slogan.