Those of you that have been to Japan know that they take customer service to a whole new level. When you go to a gas station your personal attendant washes your windows and mirrors, vacuums your ashtray, even cleans your floor mats while you fill up. Make a purchase at a bookstore and you’ll leave with a book gift wrapped so perfectly (without you asking) you don’t want to disturb the gift paper to read it.

The customer is doted on, even in dollar stores like Daiso (they opened their first U.S. store in Richmond…a good review here). The Japanese approach is revealed in the word they use for customer. The Japanese word for customer, okyaku, is typically ended with -sama (so it looks like okyakusama) instead of -san because the "-sama" ending is the highest, most respectful way to say "Mr. or Ms./Mrs.," usually reserved for teachers, doctors, priests, different Shinto gods and Buddhist bodhidharma’s. (One of my marketing MBA students, who lives in Japan, recently pointed this out to me – thanks Martin).

When is the last time you felt like an honored customer in a 7-11?