Source: smithonvoip.com

I do not fly first class very often, but yesterday I was fortunate enough to do so on my way to Miami for the Internet Telephony Conference and Expo. It had been almost three years since the last time I had flown first class and at that time I was not flying enough to truly appreciate what “first class” meant.

My experiences yesterday; the unlimited access to drinks and snacks (not 4 oz and a bag of peanuts), the glass cups (not plastic), the roomy seats (not crammed), the leg room, the polite and speedy service got me thinking about business and why more businesses are not just offering first class, but making every class, first class.

Why should your customers have to pay more just to be treated the way that you would want to be treated?

The first class experience is not specific to the airline industry, either. I get the same first class experience every time I take my BMW to the dealership. Does it cost more to offer a first class experience than an average experience? Sure it does, but it does not cost THAT much more.

And it does not take much to offer customers a first class experience. Honestly, it is often the little things that count. In the grand scheme of your business what is your cost to offer everyone “glass” instead of “plastic”?

In a time when companies in the VoIP industry are facing increased pricing pressures and comoditization, should you be thinking about how you can differentiate yourself by offering a first class experience to every customer, whether they are first class or simply “coach”?