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Digital accountability has revolutionized customer service—and it's the best thing that ever happened.
With everyone carrying a camera and a megaphone in their pocket, businesses can no longer hide behind poor service. Yelp scores, online reviews, and viral moments now reveal the true character of an organization.

This radical transparency brings us to what customer experience expert John DeJulius calls the “Service Recovery Paradox”—the counterintuitive truth that customers whose problems are brilliantly resolved often become more loyal than those who never had a problem at all. The formula is deceptively simple: respond quickly, own the issue without deflection, and overcorrect with generosity that surprises and delights.

Take the story of a customer whose suit jacket was ruined by hair color at John’s salon. Rather than argue over responsibility or offer the bare minimum, John immediately sent a check covering the entire suit—and added a complimentary massage as an apology. The result? Not only did the customer continue her patronage, she referred 18 new clients over the next year. All from a $275 investment no traditional marketing could match. As John puts it:
“What advertising could I spend $275 on and get 18 new customers?”

His philosophy extends to the “If it gets to me, it’s free” policy, where his personal cell phone number is prominently displayed in every salon. This creates accountability among managers (since escalated complaints impact their bonuses) and shows supreme confidence to customers. Surprisingly, adding his number didn’t increase calls—it increased email feedback, as customers recognized his genuine commitment to service excellence.

So, are you treating complaints as costly nuisances—or as million-dollar opportunities to create brand evangelists?
Remember John’s advice to skeptical employees:
“Be naive, not paranoid.”
Trust your customers by default, and watch your business transform through the power of exceptional service recovery.

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Hi, I’m Marc Thomas, Founder and CEO of Current TEK Solutions and CYBER GUARDIANS. If you or someone you know could benefit from our cutting-edge IT and cybersecurity services, we’d love to help. Reach out to us today to learn how we can secure and elevate your business. https://www.currentTEKsolutions.com

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The power of necessity as a driver of innovation shines in this remarkable conversation with a tech entrepreneur who turned childhood hardship into business success.

Growing up in foster care and group homes without parents, he faced challenges most of us can’t imagine—where government assistance covered only the bare essentials and violence and negativity were daily realities.

School became his sanctuary. While many of his peers from similar backgrounds tragically ended up incarcerated, addicted, or lost to suicide, he found refuge in computer labs. Compassionate teachers, who stayed hours after closing time, gave him access to technology he couldn’t afford at home. This opportunity sparked not only technical skills but also an entrepreneurial spirit. By age thirteen, he was coding, repairing computers, and finding ways to generate income—sometimes just enough for a t-shirt he otherwise couldn’t buy.

What began as survival tactics evolved into strategic business moves. From swapping computer repairs for home-cooked meals to creating shareware security tools that helped pay for college, every step led to greater success. He pioneered managed services before "MSP" became standard industry language, built custom VoIP platforms before the technology was mainstream, and eventually expanded into cybersecurity and cloud services.

His journey is a powerful reminder that resilience, talent, and determination can turn adversity into achievement—and that innovation often begins with necessity.

Want more stories of transformation and innovation? Subscribe to our podcast and join the conversation about how entrepreneurs are reshaping the tech landscape through resilience and vision.

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Hi, I’m Marc Thomas, Founder and CEO of Current TEK Solutions and CYBER GUARDIANS. If you or someone you know could benefit from our cutting-edge IT and cybersecurity services, we’d love to help. Reach out to us today to learn how we can secure and elevate your business. https://www.currentTEKsolutions.com

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Ever searched frantically for glasses perched on your head or keys clutched in your hand? These everyday moments reflect a deeper truth about human perception: scotomas—cognitive blind spots that hide crucial realities in plain sight.

In this eye-opening conversation, we explore how these blind spots create resistance and limit our potential. We share a humbling personal story—a moment when, despite being “the boss applesauce” with all the trappings of success, failing a simple perception exercise became a spine-straightening catalyst for transformation. It wasn’t a test of intelligence but of awareness—the ability to see what’s right in front of you.

These blind spots often appear where you’re working hard but not breaking through—where familiar efforts yield the same frustrating results. They're usually rooted in outdated beliefs drawn from past emotional experiences and misapplied to present challenges. The good news? You can overcome them—through appreciative inquiry, outside perspective, and targeted exercises that turn insight into action.

We dive deep into practical strategies for uncovering what you can’t yet see—especially in those areas that keep you up at night. By replacing limiting beliefs with liberating ones, goals that once felt impossible become attainable. Just like the story we share—of rising from commission-based sales to CEO—transformation comes incrementally, as you learn to run toward the roar instead of away from it.

Ready to uncover what’s been hiding in plain sight? Listen now and discover how shifting your perception might just be your greatest competitive edge—and the key to unlocking your next breakthrough.

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Links to Follow Empower & Elevate Podcast 24/7:

• https://linktr.ee/empowerelevatepodcast
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• https://www.tiktok.com/@empowerelevatepodcast
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/empowerelevatepodcast

Hi, I’m Marc Thomas, Founder and CEO of Current TEK Solutions and CYBER GUARDIANS. If you or someone you know could benefit from our cutting-edge IT and cybersecurity services, we’d love to help. Reach out to us today to learn how we can secure and elevate your business. https://www.currentTEKsolutions.com