Here we are at the beginning of November. Such a time signifies different things to different people. Some start planning their calorie infused Thanksgiving feasts, others forget about the Thanksgiving period and start their countdown to Christmas; but for children, the first few days of November signify the careful delegation of post-Halloween candy—what to eat first and when, a careful separation of the wheat from the chaff. Most of their concentration goes on the what-to-eat-first. When is somewhat more fluid, unless Mom dictates otherwise. Nonetheless, the first tasty morsel to be devoured is most commonly chocolate, unless some great, benevolent philanthropist of a neighbor hands out homemade cookies.

In the world of business, our customers are the post-Halloween trick-or-treaters going through their candy options, a.k.a. business offerings. They are looking for the tastiest option on the table, and in a world full of the mediocre and the “pretty good,” you need to be better than that. You need to be the exceptional. You need to be the homemade cookie among the chocolate and bubble gum. How do you accomplish this? Amazing customer service.

Great customer service is not just how you deal with the customers when something goes wrong, but it is something that you give at every minute of every day. The customers should have first priority. They need to be satisfied every time they do business with your company. The level of service cannot change if they walk in just wanting to browse or are seriously looking for something in particular. The amount of service and the spirit in which it is offered must be the same no matter what the customers’ intentions are. Whenever they walk through your door, they deserve your utmost attention which should be given with a positive, gracious attitude and a welcoming tone. However, customer service makes the most difference when something goes wrong, which is the prime opportunity to be the cookie.

The first and greatest commandment: give them multiple methods of getting the information they need. No one likes to stay on call waiting for over an hour just to ask a simple question of, “What do I do now?” Should you still offer customer service via the phone? Yes, but give them so many other, better options that a phone call won’t be necessary. Provide a knowledge base online that contains the history of past problems and their solutions. Have an online self-help forum where customers can interact and answer each other’s questions. Those forums can be like a constantly growing FAQ page. Other communication options include e-mail links and live chat rooms with company agents.

In the end, if you want to stand out from the lollipops and peanut butter cups, be the cookie. Give great customer service.