The Collapse of Distinction - Great title. Great book. And never more true than today. My professional speaker colleague Scott McKain has a strong point of view in this book and I really like (and agree) with what I have read so far. My main take-a-way: we’ve so standardized so much of business that the truly distinctive companies (and perhaps individuals) are becoming extinct. McKain writes about customer service. That’s his domain. I write and speak about being RICH in a way I like to think of as distinctive. McKain is in a good space as there will always be a need to point out how important it is stand out. I think I am in a good space too as there are a plethora of books (and motivational speakers) who claim to have the secret to becoming wealthy. But few talk about what it really means to be RICH. As I thought about McKain’s examples and my own experiences the last few days, I have had both RICH examples (people who both get customer service and have figured out the RICH life thing). Executive director Freddie Templeton, and the many of the wonderful audience members from the Colorado State Association for Health Underwriters (my Thursday client) get it. The GREAT team at the Grand Hyatt TOTALLY gets customer service and while I didn’t have conversations about their RICH lives, I am guessing they get that too. The staff at the REI Fort Collins store gets it – they’re living their dream working in a career that keeps them close to outdoor activities that they love. It’s easy to GIVE great service when your passionate about the product or service. Colorado State University business school Dean Ajar gets it . Colin Powell, he’s clearly passionate about making a difference and he is smart and funny too!  Loveland Pass ski area get the RICH part but totally missed the service part today. Finally Delta airlines, whose chair I am sitting in as I write this really miss the mark. Due to a string of poor customer service interactions, Delta has finally motivated me to patronize another major airline. As a company they don’t get it at all.

Being distinctive makes both giving great customer service easier and living RICH more attainable.

Tim Richardson is an inspirational speaker who speaks about how giving increases employee morale, lowers employee turnover, increases customer loyalty and creates higher profits for Fortune 500 companies, healthcare organizations and professional associations. He is president and founder of the Bill Walter Melanoma Research Fund. For more information on Tim, go to www.TimRichardson.com