'Handle With Care': customer service is guaranteed at Georges Courier Service.

• Author: Martin, Gary L.
• Position: ALASKA BUSINESS MONTHLY'S 2006 TRANSPORTATION SECTION

Ask any business owner what separates him or her from the competition, and chances are pretty good most of them will say their customer service.

Lisa Howe, owner of the Anchorage-based Georges Courier Service LLC, is no different, and she backs up her words.

The 5-foot-3-inch entrepreneur, with curly red hair that is always topped with a hat, is eager to point out, "I know that every one of my clients is my boss, and I try hard to respond accordingly when they have needs.

"I'll go out of the way to assist them with a problem, and most of them know that, too. For example, our fastest service is the 'Hot Shot' delivery. It offers the option of having a one-way delivery completed within 60 minutes. But if someone calls up and says, 'I know you only guarantee an hour, but I really need it within 15 minutes,' I'll do everything I can to have a driver there to make the deadline in a safe and professional manner."

Another example Howe gives reflects her philosophy on voice mail. When clients or others call the office, they will always speak with a human being. And more often than not, it will be Howe. She has a dislike for answering machines.

"This way," she said, "they also know that they can speak to the boss, someone who will answer questions and solve problems right on the spot. My clients deserve that. We all know how it feels to be in a hurry and end up having to talk to an answering machine."

WHO'S GEORGE

The business was founded in 1973 by George Kocuer; Howe and Kocuer's oldest son, Larry, purchased the business in 1994. Two years later, it became a limited liability company and Howe has since become the sole owner with eight employees.

All new employees undergo an extensive background and security screening. They also are trained and cross-trained to be able to fulfill each other's responsibilities. Since a large number of the company's clients are from the legal and medical communities, each driver is intensively trained in the areas of confidentiality and conflict of interest issues. Security being another major consideration, all drivers are required to wear company uniforms and carry photo identification.

ONLY THE BEST

To make things more convenient for her clients and to help expedite the service, Georges provides the industry's premier online software for delivery requests and tracking. Using the latest hardware and software, Howe can ensure quick load and processing times, along with security protocols to assure clients' privacy.

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