Some companies are designed to provide great customer service, but any company can emerge a good system by holding person-to-person interaction as sacred. The challenge is for managers to know what's going on, and probably the best tactics are 'management by walking around' and trying to 'be the customer' as realistically as possible. Relying on reports is dangerous. Listening to people telling real stories is the key. Sarah Green of Harvard Business Review recently recounted an excellent story of person-to-person loyalty in an unexpected place.

"Here," she said, immediately extending her hand. "Give them to me. Here's my cell phone number. My name is Joyce. Call your friend and explain where the keys are." I was floored.

"You'll just — do that? Just like that? That's — that's amazing," I sputtered.

"Well, it's the easiest and the quickest," she replied, sensibly, "If someone just takes responsibility for the problem."