Introduction

The two cases in this chapter have been selected to illustrate how leadership and values create a passion for customers. The first case focuses on Happy Computers (Overall and Small Business Winner 2003 and Business-to-Business Winner 2002). Happy Computers began life as a small, people-oriented training organisation running hands-on courses in all the popular PC applications. It continues to offer person-to-person training, but has also expanded into online delivery and is now expanding into non-IT topics. The company has grown from one person founder Henry Stewart to 43 staff over a period of 14 years. Happy has more than 4000 customers, over 90 per cent of whom are repeat customers. The company does not actively advertise its services, and has managed to grow on reputation alone. More than 15,000 people learn IT skills through Happy every year. Customers come from all sectors, though the company has a particularly strong presence among public sector and not-for-profit organisations.

There were many aspects of Happy s approach to service excellence that impressed the judges from creating a happy environment for their staff to work in, through to a happy relaxed environment for their customers to learn in. In fact it is fair to say that the Happy philosophy permeates their whole business and every aspect of the Service Excellence Award.

The second case focuses on CragRats, a company founded by a pair of former schoolteachers, specialising in the use of theatre for communication and training for both the...