If you’re like most executives, you scrutinize every dollar your organization spends. Value is critical, and how you’re treated as a client by vendors and partners can make the difference between doing business with someone and seeking more hospitable options.

But customer service goes beyond treating those you partner with well; it means treating your employees with the same level of internal service that you expect them to deliver outside your organization’s walls.

This is why Smart Business is proud to recognize 25 organizations that have demonstrated their commitment to delivering world-class customer service—both internally and externally.

They understand how to go above and beyond for customers, clients and vendors, essentially rendering price irrelevant. They have systems in place that ensure consistency with every encounter. And they know how to make their employees—as well as customers and vendors—feel valued, not awkward.

In good times and bad, your customer service experience is every bit as important as price points and merchandise quality. Those who deliver service well will reap the benefits.

Simply put, this class of 2016 has cracked the code on how to develop company cultures where delivering top-notch service isn’t just an idea, it’s a promise woven directly into the corporate fabric.

Embrace Pet Insurance
Laura Bennett
Co-founder and CEO

Pet health insurance is all about trust, word of mouth and a great experience and superior customer service feeds these pillars of competitive advantage. Embrace Pet Insurance was created by Laura Bennett and Alex Krooglik in July 2003 after they graduated from the Wharton MBA program. The duo spent several challenging years establishing Embrace and laying the groundwork for what the company has become today.

Embrace’s strong commitment to customer service has been recognized by www.petinsurancereview.com, which has consistently ranked the company in the top two. Embrace is also believed to be the only company that asks every pet parent to review the company on every claim – those that get a refund and the few that do not.

As a result, Embrace has the highest number of reviews by far of any company, despite being the eighth in size in the industry.

The company has created the Embrace Customer Bill of Rights, which helps customers understand what they can and should expect in the way of service and how to respond when they have concerns. The demonstration of full transparency provides peace of mind and a standard by which the company expects to be measured.

To read the full story, visit Smart Business.