I am always on the lookout for examples of outstanding service because it defines you as a company and sets you apart from your competitors. Great service can come from anywhere – from businesses where you expect to be treated special, like Nordstrom's, to businesses where you are thrilled to just to be treated like a human being, like most fast food establishments.

Recently I had the pleasure of having a Chick-fil-A employee deliver food to my table and offer to grind fresh pepper on my salad. Wow! It made me compare what they are doing to the multi-family industry and what we could be doing differently.

In this down market, Chick-fil-A is leading the fast food industry in profits of over $3.5 billion and the company has so little debt that they plan to be debt free in less than three years. I was curious as to what their “recipe” for success is and how we can implement some of those same ideas to make us a standout at customer service. Here’s what I learned:

Hire the Right People

Chick-fil-A is extraordinarily selective when hiring and they put tremendous energy into training and retaining employees. You can teach someone a skill, but you can’t teach them to have a great personality.

Not only are they selective with hiring team members, but they are extremely selective when selecting owner-operators. Out of 22,000 applications in 2009, only 100 were selected.

“Happy employees make for happier customers” Truett Cathy

Up the Ante

Chick-fil-A implemented an employee program called "Second Mile Service", which comes from the book of Matthew "If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles" (Matthew 5:41). This program has not only upped profits, but it has helped to build brand loyalty from its customers.

Whether it is in business or personally, people have these basic expectations: be nice, work hard, be ethical, and say "please" and "thank you."  This is the first mile- things we should all do because it's expected and because it’s "just right."

The second mile "ups the ante." It's the going above and beyond. It's having real pepper grinders, delivering food to the tables, fresh flowers, refilling drinks, opening doors, and walking patrons to their car with an umbrella because it is raining. And people are willing to pay handsomely to experience this service.

In property management this is something we can implement to help us stand out from the crowd. I refer to it as “Up the Ante”. Why don’t you go to the local Dollar Tree and purchase some umbrellas or order customized golf umbrellas? The next time it rains you can “Up the Ante” by giving your prospect an umbrella or walking them out to their car.

What are some other unique things we can do to “Up the Ante” in customer service?

Recognize Your Employees

According to Fast Company, Chick-fil- A creates a sense of competitiveness among its team. One owner erected a big red "drive-through wall of fame" to motivate employees. It lists the current record and the names of the employees who achieved it. Whenever a team sets a new record, each team member is rewarded with $50. By the way, Chick-fil-A strives to complete drive through orders in 90 seconds or less and counter orders in 60 seconds or less!

Be Unique

After placing an order, you don't hear "You're welcome" or "No problem".  You simply hear these words: "My pleasure." Those two words are distinctive and classy, like the Ritz Carlton, which is where Truett Cathy got the idea (Dan Cathy, Purpose Driven).

Cathy loves to add service touches that come from other industries, like hotels. In property management we can do the same.  Have you ever noticed the sheet of toilet paper folded into a triangular point?  I have!   Cathy believes that customers appreciate and notice these special touches.

When he or one of the operators comes up with a new customer service idea, he promptly sends out a voicemail message to all of the owner-operators in its 1,575 locations in 39 states (Fast Company).

Know What Your Customers Think

Chick-fil-A values its customers and puts its money where its mouth is by spending more than a million dollars a year evaluating service by conducting quarterly phone surveys and focus groups.  Customers get a free sandwich (I would participate for one... Yum!) just for participating in the phone survey.  According to Fast Company, the survey focuses on the factors that most affect customer loyalty: taste, speed, attentiveness/courteousness, and cleanliness.   The locations surveyed receive a report detailing how they're doing in each area and how they compare to the chain's top performers.

To improve on performance, it's important to know what's working and what needs improving. Do you know what your prospects and residents think about your service?