Creating a culture of service requires that you do a lot of things consistently right and develop attitudes that govern the behaviors of all your employees. One of the attitudes that is very important is being diligent in dealing with the smallest details of your operation.

A close friend of mine, David Dennis, would frequently say: "If you make a big deal out of the little things, then the little things won't become a big deal!" There are many managers and leaders who have mistakenly confused being involved in the details of their company or department with micromanaging. These are two totally different concepts. One of the challenges with organizations providing exceptional customer service today is that the leadership is too far removed from regular contact with their customers.

You may also have heard a manager make the following statements: "I don't need to get involved in the details. That's why I hired all these employees." While it is true that a leader does not have the time to know every detail and every task others perform, they must possess the ability to quickly identify problem areas. Once these areas are identified, they must drill down to the level of detail necessary to understand the problem, put their finger on the root cause and find a solution to the issue.

For those in a leadership role, this starts by knowing the right questions to ask. The first few times you start asking questions of those in your department, you may receive some negative reactions. This can be perceived by some people that you are micromanaging them or that you do not trust what they are doing.

Over time, your employees will realize that you are simply doing your job and ensuring everyone is delivering services to a high standard. They will become less defensive and learn to be ready for your requests. This also helps the leader remain connected to his or her employees.

To avoid crossing the line into the land of micromanagement, leaders should delegate the resolution of problems instead of feeling that they have to be the one to personally perform every detailed task necessary to resolve each problem.

It is not only leaders who must have a passion for details, but employees at every level in the organization must see the value in doing even the smallest task with excellence. Great organizations are built on the shoulders of employees who do their assigned tasks with precision and passion. This includes the janitor cleaning the floors to the executive negotiating a big deal. Each person can positively or negatively impact customers' experience by the way he or she greets a guest or follows through on a commitment.

In dealing with customers, you never know when you are about to press one of their hot buttons. What seems like a small, insignificant thing to you may be a major issue to them. It may also be the final straw that tips them over the edge into what may appear as irrational behavior.

If an employee develops the attitude to take every task seriously and to perform at a high level of competence, they will have fewer major problems with which to deal.

This article is an excerpt from David's book, A Culture of Service. David Reed has been a featured guest and expert on programs and panels exploring various customer service issues.

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