Too often in the world today we celebrate great businesses. Too often we idolize great leaders. But the reality is that a great company is only as great as the people who work there...and the approach they take to their work.

Consider Fred. Fred delivers amazing service. But is that because of the policies of the U.S. Postal Service? Or the visionary leadership of the Postmaster General? No, Fred is exceptional because of the relationships he has with the people on his route.

Fred maintains a different level of relationship with all his customers. He sincerely cares about people. He treats them like close friends, and simply does what he believes is "the right thing to do" for a friend.

It's easy to see why Fred makes such a difference. Indifferent people deliver impersonal service. Service becomes personalized when a relationship exists between the provider and the customer. Fred took time to get to know his customers, and understand each person's needs and preferences. And then he used that information to provide extraordinary service.

As an employer, there are a number of things you can do to ensure extraordinary service, including:

• Helping your employees personalize service
• Encouraging employees to develop interests and relationships with others, both inside and outside your company
• Rewarding extraordinary behavior

As Fred teaches us, in any job or business, relationship building is the most important objective because the quality of the relationship differentiates the quality of the product or service.