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I sat in stunned amazement last week following a service call with an agency management system sales rep. The call pertained to billing, technical support, and user group experience issues for a recently converted insurance agency.

Organizations are comprised of people, processes and technology. Finding the right mix for operational excellence is similar to what any good chef must do to produce an exquisite culinary dish. Managers must understand that communication is more than sharing a thought, idea or opinion. It is the art of interpretation and inspiration. It provides direction for goal attainment or business achievement. It is important enough to demand its place as a core competency necessary for effective organizational management.

There are plenty of books, experts and opinions on leaders today. I'm not going to attempt to join the fray. I would prefer to challenge your ideas and definitions of what constitutes a good leader. Will you follow along for a minute?

Most companies develop tag lines to differentiate themselves from the competition with a catchy phrase or word. Everyone recalls Nike's Just Do It. But I would be willing to bet that most consumers take a cynical view of tag line promises based upon the common service experience that rarely delivers on the promise.

I've said all along that debit card cash rebate programs are the way to go. During my tenure as a regional market manager for Teachers Credit Union I was part of the creative team behind its Debit Card Rebate program. Now at seven years old, the program has continued to grow in popularity.

I confess to high service standards and expectations for any industry. For those service managers who believe mediocrity is the best one can expect, I clearly state my position. There's something about a little process called payment for services I believe entitles me to expect something in return. This removes all doubts related to shared comments about service failure experiences, also known as the "every unhappy customer tells at least 10 others rule. Today I'm an unhappy customer. Let me explain.