Highly successful organizations recognize the value ofcontinually providing superior service. Never has this been moreimportant as it is in this economic environment. As customers applymore scrutiny to their spending habits, companies should view thisas an opportunity to clearly differentiate themselves from thecompetition through their service capabilities. How insurancecompanies, agents and brokers respond to customers' quests forvalue in these lean times will be a key determinant of theircontinued successes, and in some cases, their viability. This isnot an easy task when managing one's own expenses is paramount inthe face of shrinking margins. After all, without careful decisionmaking, trimming back in areas that could affect service has thepotential to weaken a company's brand and long-term success. So isthere a way to be prudent in an expense-conscious environment whileproviding superior service to the customer and differentiating afirm from its competition? The answer: Ensure that yourorganization improves its execution at every customer interactionpoint and cost effectively innovates by tapping into the collectiveknowledge and experience of employees and business partners.Improving customer service and flawlessly executing at everycustomer interaction begins with employees feeling connected to theproducts, services and people they serve. The workforce is the faceof the company, supporting the brand and upholding the corporatereputation. Continued investments in learning and developmentprograms help keep employees on the forefront of industryknowledge, while new tools and technology empower them to betterserve the customer. Business partners should be viewed asextensions of the company's workforce. They should be selectedbased on their expertise as well as their abilities to foster anddemonstrate the company's culture, values and service capabilities.As they do for employees, companies need to support and nurturetheir partners. An insurer, for example, can create long-termpartnerships by investing in producer education programs that helpagents and brokers develop the very product knowledge, agencymanagement and other skills vital to business development andcustomer service excellence. After engaging both employees andbusiness partners in the quest for flawless execution, it is vitalto measure the results. Companies can obtain customer feedbackthrough regular surveys, focus groups or other techniques. When acustomer has had a claim, for example, feedback provides aneffective way to help identify and rectify any unresolved issue. Inaddition, it teaches lessons that can be incorporated into trainingand quality improvement programs. The findings also spur thedevelopment of new products, services and processes, which helporganizations excel in responding to customers' needs. Suchinnovation provides another opportunity to engage employees at alllevels of the organization as well as business partners. The moreinclusive the group, the better. Diversity often breeds a broaderspectrum of idea generation. It also creates a belief among thestaff that management expects and encourages the sharing of ideas.Successful insurers, agents and brokers clearly understand that,under any market condition, service remains king. They alsounderstand that does not necessarily mean making largeservice-related investments in these budget-crunching times.Instead, they try to get more out of the investments they alreadyhave made in their people and partners. They continue to nurturethis increasingly diverse base of talent through new tools,feedback and training. They tap into the immense collective brainpower to flawlessly execute at every customer interactionpoint.