By the end of the year, J. Corey Oliver, CEO of Traveler Guitar, expects sales to total as much as $1.8 million, a 44% increase over last year’s $1.25 million. In 2004, sales were $450,000. When asked about what Traveler Guitar has been doing differently this year to improve sales, Oliver said that improving customer service has made a difference.

For Oliver, responding to customer concerns and making sure his customers are happy and satisfied, is a main priority.

Customer Service as a Competitive Advantage

Shawn Gray, a Santa Monica musician, was surprised last month when Traveler Guitar offered to fix loose wiring for free, three years after he had bought the instrument. Not only did the manufacturer fix loose wiring, but the nicks were repainted, fresh strings were put on, and the instrument came back with a new case. Shawn thought the manufacturer had sent him a new guitar.

There are other companies that sell traveler guitars but none can compare to the customer service that Traveler Guitar offers. “Your customer service better be rocking,” Oliver said, “and your product better be stellar and your relationships better be fantastic.”

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Wal-mart will open Marketside grocery stores around “premium” offerings such as “meal solutions”. Market side grocery stores will be smaller in size and will focus less on price as opposed to rival Tesco-owned Fresh & Easy chain.

Retail giant Wal-mart has built its business around the low-price strategy. This strategy has been especially successful now during the economic downturn. During this past May, same-store sales excluding fuel rose 3.9 percent compared with the year-ago period. Not bad considering other retailers are closing doors and struggling with sales.

Given the current economic situation, is now the time to open “premium” stores?