I was flying home from delivering a seminar in Orlando with Co-Managing Director Marc Weiss and affiliate Neal Esserman (Jacksonville, FL) and I was watching an episode of “The Office” when I heard a line that struck me as really funny. The characters were actually offering a coupon to receive “outstanding service” on the next purchase. After I got done laughing, the proposition stuck in my head and got me thinking.

Additional – outstanding – service is a no or low cost value added benefit that businesses can afford to offer in these tight economic times. Across the board, added benefits may not only be cost prohibitive, but also the select group of benefactors may not feel as special if everyone received the same treatment and did not have to qualify somehow.

After flying over a million miles on American Airlines, I was awarded “Gold” status for life. Because of my loyalty to this airlines, they offered me the status that allows me to board early, not pay for luggage and permission to check in at the first class line. Besides the obvious benefits of boarding early, saving money and time, I also feel special and the privileges strengthen my bond to American Airlines – all at a low cost to the airlines.

The first step in developing such a program is to decide how someone qualifies. It can be as subjective as choosing those movers and shakers who frequent your store. It may be based on volume purchases, points for each visit, points for referrals or visits to your website. Make sure you are able to measure your criteria and let customers know that you are taking measurements of such data. Many people respond to being able to amass points.

The next step is to decide what outstanding services you plan to offer to your best and most loyal customers when they qualify. As they receive such things as free alterations, free deliveries, closet reviews, after-hours shopping, access to a password protected link to an exclusive portion of your website, their loyalty to your business will grow and they will choose to patronize your store over others. Get your staff – and maybe even your best customers – to brainstorm to come up with more ideas of outstanding services your business can provide.

These days retail store owners have to think outside the box to keep their customers coming back. Slashing prices is not always the answer. Maybe that free coupon for “outstanding service” wasn’t all that funny after all!