Now that the big corporations have gotten yet another hint of how not to do business, it's looking like some good can come out of all this. Greedy companies that have survived their own corruption may not last much longer. The days of a hard working companies who's priority is making their customers happy are making a come back.

It's not about just being pleasant to a customer during their purchase and that's the end. It's about the feeling that someone actually cares about you getting a quality product and/or service that fits your lifestyle and budget. When I walk into any place of business, I don't want to wonder how bad I'm getting screwed. Companies forget how everything got started...word of mouth. There was no internet, no blogs, review forums, youtube videos, nothing to tell you a product or company was good other than your friends, neighbor, cousin, co workers, or sweet ol' Aunt Maude. Companies didn't put out less than quality products because it would destroy their reputation, which was everything back then.

Now I'm seeing more and more companies offering customer service like it use to be. Everyone is stretching their dollar as far as it will go. I don't care how much money you make, you've seen the impact on your bank account, your home's value and investments. Companies going above and beyond are flourishing in these tough times.

I can't do everything online, so when I'm out running errands, a girl has to eat (on a budget). I really only eat fast food every once in awhile, and my favorite place, Chick-fil-A. Their employees are always happy and helpful, each store is kept very clean, their food delicious and cooked right, my order is done in good time and to my specifics, and they even have fresh flowers on the tables. I can't even tell you the last time a really nice restaurant has lived up to all of those standards.

Car companies are starting to offer more affordable prices (HA! I knew the price got even lower than the "sale" price). From offering "family discounts", where you pay the same price as the owner's sister would, to better warranty. Hyundai is offering $1.49 gas for a year, a 10 year/100,000 mile warranty, and Assurance (you lose your job, you can walk away from a loan or lease and it won't impact your credit). Some car companies will even make your payments for you for up to 6 months while you get back on your feet.
***Take a look at BusinessWeek's top 50 "Customer Service Elite"

I think the less tolerant we are of a business that doesn't have their customer in mind, the more we will see better care. Don't let a company get away with bad employees, unclean space, bad customer service, or unnecessary prices. Now that we have all the tools to find out the real details on a company, we shouldn't put up with greed and bad attitudes any longer. We're not dollar signs, we're hard working people. We deserve only the companies who acknowledge that.