CHAPTER 6

Killing Yourself for Your Customer

LET ME TELL YOU A STORY. It’s one I tell often because more than almost any other story, it describes why our company became so successful. Through the years, there were many other stories like it, but I’m especially proud of this one because it completely captures the essence of flawless execution.

At 11 AM on a Saturday in 1990, a representative from one of our biggest customers, Disney, called our Orlando branch office. The phone was answered even though the office was closed, because we had twenty-four-hour coverage, seven days a week. A major amusement ride at Disney World was down. Disney wanted to know if we could get them a part needed to get the ride up and running. Our representative on the ...

Get It's All About Who You Hire, How They Lead...and Other Essential Advice from a Self-Made Leader now with the O’Reilly learning platform.

O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.