With many markets across the country finally stabilizing, some communities are actually beginning to gain ground on doing away with concessions. While typically this would be considered great news, for some companies and apartment communities the tightening of the market has created an entirely new problem: convincing leasing teams that they are able to sell their community without offering concessions.

Starbucks. Southwest Airlines. The Ritz-Carlton. Four Seasons. Nordstrom. All five companies are synonymous with great customer service. Books have been written about them, seminars created around them and numerous industries have tried to copy their successful formulas. How do they succeed at the touchy business of customer service?