Great products are no longer enough. The company that delights with superior service is the company that wins, says Brad Cleveland, an author and senior adviser with the professional services firm ICMI. He contends that no matter how big or experienced your competitors are, quality customer care is an Evergreen business’ most powerful differentiator — and it has to emanate from the top.

Excellent service is expensive when viewed in isolation, Cleveland acknowledges, but leaders who invest in it will see measurable returns in efficiency, low customer churn and strategic value. Cleveland breaks down what matters most in customer care.