The Greater the Leader, the More Accessible He Is.

Find that hard to believe? Spoiling your customers rotten isn't just something you turn on and off like a switch; it's soul-crushingly hard to be a jerk to your employees, a monster to your family, an SOB to your vendors, and then to turn around and give over-the-top service with a smile to your customers.

...It happens. But it's a lot more work. And more stress. I can't imagine how it's worth it.

So, chances are that a person who gives terrific customer service does so from a more comprehensive, global personality trait: they're nice. And they feel pride by being nice.

Alright, so there's that.

I think this next observation is related:

I've noticed this to be profoundly true: petty people are hard to reach. They don't return calls and emails reliably. They're niggardly with a word of endorsement or a recommendation.

I think they're afraid.

People who keep themselves at arm's length do so because they don't want the rest of us to think they're little - unimportant - like us.

Remarkably, the opposite is just as true. People who are truly impressive (as people) are quite often easy to reach. They return calls, even more than once. They hand-write notes.

When I was writing Five-Star Customer Service, I wanted to quote Jack Welch not once but twice - can you tell I'm a fan? So one Saturday I called 411 and asked for John Welch in Boston. I got his home phone number, and reached his assistant. She gave me his email address - "Ask him yourself," she said kindly. I emailed my request, and he replied from his Blackberry within two hours.

Jack Welch. Arguably the most important manager of the Twentieth Century... and counting.

In the time since we still haven't met or spoken by phone, but we've corresponded a couple of times - and I can honestly say, Mr. Welch's handwriting is better than mine.

Once the book was published, I mailed a copy to the top dog at every company we mentioned in the book. I found it interesting that the bigger and more successful the company, the more likely I was to get a "Great book. Thanks for including us."

I kid you not! Some highly successful people wrote or called to say thanks. One of the most gracious letters I received was from George Zimmer of The Men's Wearhouse. He can afford to have people read his books for him, if anyone can. Yet he hand-wrote a note to thank me. George has class.

Sadly, from the heads of at least a couple of small-ish, local-celebrity type firms... nothing. Not a word.

Same thing now as we are gathering reviews for Spoil 'Em Rotten! Ken Blanchard, one of the most successful business writers ever, was the first to get back to us with an endorsement.

Jack Mitchell, a best-seller and very successful business owner, has been so gracious I feel like we're old friends!

So too with Truly Nolen, a gazillionaire entrepreneur with an international empire - he treated me to one of the most entertaining and fascinating breakfasts I've had in a long while.

Jamey Power (of J.D. Power and Associates, author of "Satisfaction") gave us a great plug, too, but what impressed me even more was how this respected business leader took over an hour of his time to chat about customer service and being an author and traveling speaker with... some guy who sent him a book (namely, me.)

Elliot Tatelman of Jordan's Furniture called to say, "I wish I were Mr. Walsh (the main character in Spoil 'Em Rotten!). But we try." In case you aren't familiar, Jordan's is a furniture retailer in the Boston area. Contrary to what Elliott says, their customer service is legendary. Actually, they are the most successful furniture retailer in the world, as measured by sales per square feet - and you should see how many square feet they have! They also just happen to be a Berkshire-Hathaway company, as in Warren Buffett, as in Elliot doesn't owe any phone calls to anybody.

...But that's my point. All of these folks I've named, and more besides, are highly successful. They've "made it;" they're already "there." And not one is too big to take the time to thank someone for including him in a book. Or to say, "I read your book, and this is what I thought."

If you want to fluff this off by saying, "Yeah, but Ted, you're an author. You and Jane are not exactly peons," just think of that first time I tried to reach Jack Welch... and succeeded. Think of how easy it was for me, just some guy, to get through to him. Think of how quickly he replied to my email.

Are you that accessible? Or are you too important to be bothered by the little people?