When it’s time to get my oil changed, I always go to the little shop across the street. Not only is it close and convenient, but the staff is friendly and they do a complete inspection of my car including checking the air in my tires and topping off all my fluids for no extra charge. It’s the little extras like this that keep customers loyal to a particular company.

My aunt and uncle, both in their 80’s, recently had an HVAC and plumbing contractor out to their home to install two new toilets in their master and guest bathrooms. While the installer did a good job on the installation, he apparently left quite a mess behind for my relatives to clean up. And that’s the first thing my aunt told me — not that he did a good job, but that he left a big mess. She also told me he tracked mud in the house because he didn’t wear any kind of protective shoe covers while he was going in and out of the house.

My aunt is a little bit of a cleaning fanatic. The fact that this employee left a mess and didn’t clean up after himself soured the whole experience for her. Next time they need work done, they will most likely call someone else. Because the little extras matter to customers.