The ultimate illustration of perseverance in action took place 31 years ago this month. At the Lake Placid Olympics, a youthful team of amateur hockey players, clad in red, white and blue, skillfully defeated the long-established “Big Red Machine,” the Soviet hockey power. The victory electrified the nation and left observers wondering how the Olympians did the impossible. No one could beat the Russians!

But they had, and not by luck or timing but sheer, repetitive effort. Their savvy coach worked the players so hard, their resentment and desire to “show him” helped them jell into a team. Pride pushed them to display ever-greater effort. Fine tuning their game plan, they didn’t consider the possibility of defeat because they were staying on point, building on each day’s efforts. After the thrill of beating the Soviet team, they remained focused, with a single opponent remaining between them and the gold medal. (Impress your friends by knowing this answer: After beating Russia, the US team beat Finland for the gold!) Their remarkable feat remains unmatched. Today, those former players still cite pure perseverance as the key to their success.

When your customer service efforts seem to be going nowhere, do you refocus like an Olympian on your goal of a better connection? It can be closer than you think.

Customer experiences and breakfast are not usually two topics that I would logically pair, but I have to share the experience I had at a networking breakfast the other morning with a good friend and colleague of mine. We went through the usual mechanics of emailing each other trying to find a day, place, and time that worked for both of our schedules. We finally decided to meet at one of the popular national chains that specializes in breakfast because it was conveniently located at a half-way point for both of us. We had been there before and while we had a productive meeting we found the food to be bland, the waitstaff to be sleepy and disinterested, and the general decor and environment to be “corporate blah”.

At the last minute, something happened that was going to take one of us in the opposite direction after we met for breakfast so we decided to change the venue to a little mom and pop place that serves up breakfast and lunch and a fabulous customer experience.

Here’s how they do it:

This great little cafe understands the value of food that has personality. They have items on their menu that are different, unique, fresh, and fun.

The other thing that the owners of this cafe understand is the importance of having a fun quirky waitstaff. Our waitress, on this particular morning, was memorable in a very good way. Her appearance and personality were fun and funky and her demeanor indicated that she is as definitely a “morning person”.

And the environment…what a great place to hang out! The decor of this cafe is “island shabby chic”. It’s a visually enjoyable environment that invites the customer to chill out and relax.

My friend Jane and I left that cafe and meeting feeling a sense of accomplishment and so much more. It affected the rest of our day. The infusion of delicious creative food, a beautiful environment, and that quirky waitress into my day was so memorable that I can’t wait to go back for more! The choice of the national chain is out and the quirky cafe is in!

So let me ask you…what are you doing to be a little bit quirky in your business? What are you doing to be memorable?

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A pale pink truck glides to a halt outside a downtown building, while a cluster of people push forward, clutching dollar bills.  Eager for an afternoon sugar fix, the office workers quickly snapped up cupcakes, from key lime to plain chocolate, happily parting with $3 for the privilege.  The cupcake craze,  hugely popular in some cities, has a new flavor in Washington, D.C., where one entrepreneur opted to keep it moving  instead of opening a standing-still store. What a nice twist…the product coming to the consumer!

Besides a distinctive truck, this cupcake business relies on instant communication to, excuse the pun,  drive traffic. Tweeting her locations and the day’s flavor choices, adding a personal touch—“don’t cry, Joan, you didn’t miss us and we’ll see you very soon”—the cupcake provider brings her sweet wares to  customers  hungry for more.

They could choose a vending machine,  a nearby coffee shop for a pastry, into a deli or drugstore for a packaged snack—for less cash. Why head for the cupcake van, like kids chasing an ice cream truck on an August day?  “When I want a fresh cupcake, I can tweet her and run out to get just what I need,” said one woman. “I was at off-site meetings last week and felt I really l missed something. Not just my cupcakes, but someone catering to ME.”

There’s the key.  By interacting with customers, making them part of the process—“We’re offering red velvet and vanilla tomorrow, what’s your favorite flavor?”—the cupcake maker pulls in support and enthusiasm.  Advertising reaches out, but the new, two-way connection pulls in, as a speedier way to take the pulse. Need to add stops to your route, or cut a slow-seller? Those tweets and texts will tell you.  Customers may offer suggestions, or place advance orders, and feel you’re doing them a favor.

Tapping a simple want and adding trendy twists baked up in a business boom.

What’s the fresh ingredient in your own taste for success?

You know when you’ve just gotta have it now, whether it’s pizza, a new outfit or an answer? Instant gratification is everywhere.  Why wait, when you want—NEED—it faster than five minutes ago? I spotted a prime example of instant gratification in action just last week.  A new item, advertised as the perfect accessory for spring, created a buzz in the stores that make up a small chain.

The item, a delicate pendant spun from multicolor threads and embellished with tiny silver charms, was a surprise hit for the chain.  The buyer who liked it, underestimated its appeal, so the small order quickly sold out.  The trendy “gotta have it now” item of the moment was on backorder, much to the annoyance of those who fell in love with its design.

“We’ve been to every store,” one customer said. “They all say to place an order and we might get it in a month.” At the store where I stood, one saleswoman wore the necklace, its pastel-toned shadings enhanced by her simple black blouse.  “How many could you sell, if you had them in stock?” I asked, and she rolled her eyes. “No one wants to even look at anything else.  We could move hundreds, along with coordinating accessories. It’s like trying to sell pink flowers for Fourth of July.”

I watched as she patiently explained to yet another young teen that no, there were no more in the back.  “She really wants one,” the girl’s mother pleaded, waving a platinum credit card. “But not for herself.  It’s for her friend’s birthday.” The teen explained, “Jen’s dad‘s been out of work since summer, and she’d never be able to afford one. “

The saleswoman unclasped her own necklace, discreetly placing it in a small box, while the teenager’s face lit up like a sunrise.  When the happy sale was complete, I looked at the clerk, who shrugged. “I really hate disappointing customers,” she said.  “My grandfather ran a clothing store, and he always said, if you make the customer happy today, he’ll come back happier tomorrow.”

True, no matter what you’re selling—even, or especially, when it’s a surprise order of instant gratification.

Have you ever done anything really special for a customer? We’d love to hear about it!

A business acquaintance recently told me she dreaded having to fire an employee.  “She’s the best assistant I’ve ever had,” Leah said. ”Except that she has no business sense. She argues with the suppliers, and tells them they’re overcharging us.  She tells customers to write a letter, or to call back next month.  And two years after I asked her to file our monthly reports in a new format, she’s still using the old one, so I have to go back and correct them all. She wanted more responsibility, so I let her handle two new accounts,” Leah continued. “But she ended up losing both of them. That was right after I gave her a bigger raise than all the other assistants got.”

Wait—this is the best assistant ever? Imagine the worst one! Why did Leah call her “the best”? “Well, she is a very nice person, eager and pleasant to be around” was the answer.  Suppliers and customers might have a different description. “Really, she tries very hard, and I think eventually she’ll learn more about dealing with people,” Leah said. “The other assistants have been there longer and don’t show as much promise.”

I wanted to double over in pain. Leah’s view of her “best assistant” said as much about her as it did the person she needed to terminate.  This was not an unpaid summer intern absorbing life lessons about the workplace, but an employee drawing a regular paycheck—with a recent raise.  Imagine how many suppliers have soured on Leah’s company, or what her former customers say, thanks to her “best assistant.” What about the other assistants—the “internal customers”— who see someone fumbling the job and being rewarded.  Think they’ll embrace a serious work ethic, or start dissing the vendors?

If the customer is always, or often, right, how about those customers closest to home, the employees? They’re the most obvious selling point for any business.  Keeping them in the loop, showing how pleased you are by their effort, reinforces pride and ensures they’ll do it right.  And their positive attitude will attract and bring home those paying customers.

What kinds of behavior are rewarded in your organization?