Group Of Woman Cleaning The KitchenBy Shawn Conrad, CAE

I was out walking during a recent trip when I passed a car that carried on its door panel the logo, “It’s in the Details.” As the women inside exited the car, I noticed that they were housekeepers unloading their cleaning supplies and vacuum cleaner.

I commented how subtle the name of their company was but how it instantly made the point. “I like the name of your company,” I said as I walked by. One of the women smiled and thanked me for noticing. She mentioned that she and her family had come up with the name when they wanted to distinguish their services from those of their competitors. “After all,” she said, “anyone can clean a house, but deep cleaning involves giving an extra step or two so that when we leave a house it looks, feels, and smells clean.” In the next few minutes, she described in detail the attention to detail they gave their customers.

This friendly conversation has me noticing all the extra things companies do for their customers and also the companies that miss the opportunity to make their customers feel special and ultimately loyal. I see these details at coffee shops, department stores, dry cleaners, and yes, even parking facilities. Do you and your employees have an “it’s in the details” attitude?

Shawn Conrad, CAE, is IPI’s CEO.