Dan T. Cathy on Customer Service de Chick-fil-A Leadercast- Costa Rica

I have been the President and Chief Operating Officer at Chick-fil-A since 2001, but my real job is Customer Service. Regardless of titles and specific job responsibilities, I think all of us at Chick-fil-A are in customer service.

Dan Cathy, President & COO of Chick-fil-A, Inc.

At its core, the word "service" means an act of helpful activity. I would take the definition a bit further to say that service means treating others with honor, dignity and respect and doing everything you can to ensure you are impacting the lives of people in positive ways.

Service is helping. Service is smiling. Service is a handshake. Service is the Golden Rule. Service is not just something we do, it's something we live. Service is encouragement.

My father once said, "the best way to tell if someone needs encouragement is to first check to make sure they are breathing." Truth is, we all need to be lifted up and made to feel special. That's why service is so important at Chick-fil-A.

From helping mothers with children to their tables at our restaurants, to a very simple, but meaningful "my pleasure" from our employees; you never know how you might be able to encourage and bring happiness to others by serving them well.

Several years ago, we introduced "Second Mile Service" to our employees. Going the second mile comes from the book of Matthew in the Bible. Jesus says, "If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles" (Matthew 5:41). In business, as it is in life, there are certain expectations that people have: be nice, work hard, be ethical, say "please" and "thank you." 

Be part of it!

Those are things we should all do because it's "just right." It's the ante. It's expected. It's obligatory and most times a compulsion that takes very little effort. It's the first mile.

The second mile "ups the ante." It's the above and beyond. It's helping mothers with children to their tables, having real pepper grinders at our restaurants, opening doors for customers and refilling drinks. It's an authentic smile, and it is absolutely "my pleasure."

The second mile is a display of love, dedication and loyalty, and at Chick-fil-A, we're trying to make Second Mile Second Nature.

How can you go the Second Mile today?