The term 'Positively Outrageous Service' ("POS") comes from T Scott Gross' book called Outrageous! Unforgettable Service ... Guilt-Free Selling (AMACOM, 1998 USA). The book is yet another marketing book for the shelf but it raises the fundamental question: Why is customer service so important?

I have two recipients for this month's POS Award.

AAP

The AAP sales representative who should NOT remain nameless is Scott Gooley. I was one of the victims of a technical issue suffered by the Inglis server a number of months ago whilst trying to access my pedigree subscription. Not a problem. Scott was on the email letting me know straightaway and when I responded with an "oh NNNNOOOO!!!!!!!" comment he (amazingly) offered to assist with a research project I was working on, he was just as fast letting me know when the server was fixed (he had even checked it twice beforehand to ensure it was working) and to give me that "positively outrageous service" feeling also told me that he had given me some extra subscription time to compensate for any inconvenience I had suffered.

Sky Channel

The second is Brett Gorman, the International Operations Manager for Sky Channel. I'm currently based in Hong Kong and, whilst I appreciate the audio feed I get courtesy of 2KY over the Internet, I miss the live action of watching the horses go round in full colour. Brett may not have been able to provide me with the news I wanted ie. that I could receive a cable link in HK and it not cost me a mortgage on a house but obviously sensing my expatriate dismay at being "a long way from home" he said that if I ever wanted to receive a replay of a particular race just to let him know and he’d arrange it for me.

It's called 'going the extra mile' for a customer.