In the inevitable moving stuff around during a recent home-improvement project, an envelope addressed to me containing an updated Visa card was misplaced, and I unknowingly carried around the expired card in my wallet for a couple of months. It wasn't until I received a letter from FedEx asking for my immediate attention to a "payment due" that I found out otherwise. Apparently, they had tried to bill my account for a package and the expired card came up as "invalid." I dug through the piles until I found the envelope with my new Visa and began getting the little fiscal glitch sorted out. As I was online, and midway through updating my billing profile at FedEx, it dawned on me that, in spite of getting an "invalid" when they ran my charge card, FedEx had gone ahead and delivered my package first, then set about getting paid. My guess is that any number of other companies thrust into a similar scenario would have held my package pending payment. To be honest, I wasn't really surprised at all, as this was typical FedEx—always putting customer service first.

     When you read the title of this column, you probably thought the only thing we have in common with FedEx is that we are both in the transportation business; however, that would be far from the truth. Read on to learn what other outstanding business qualities FedEx brings to the table, and how we could improve our work by emulating some of the primary elements of their business model.

An Unswerving Commitment to Quality

     When FedEx got into the transportation business, it was by no means the first company to give this a go. Being a Johnny-come-lately, FedEx clearly wanted to get everyone's attention and show the world it was truly raising the performance bar and was a business force to be reckoned with. To that end, FedEx decided to offer an iron-clad guarantee: Your package will absolutely, positively arrive overnight or delivery will be free. That is about as tight as any guarantee I've ever heard of. With its reputation and business model on the line with every delivery, FedEx never blinks when it comes to providing quality service. This exceptional commitment to quality explains why I've had a business account with them for over 20 years.

Willing to Always Do What's Right