Service is helping people; that’s it—nothing fancy or academic, just helping people accomplish things.

For me, it’s exciting when I trip over a company that gets it when it comes to service. They are ones that are clear that they are in the business of helping people. They are clear that they are about making the lives of their audience better.

In his book, This is Marketing, Seth Godin shares the mission of his wife’s business, By the Way Bakery.

“We want to make sure no one is left out. By offering people gluten-free, dairy-free, and kosher baked goods that happen to be delicious, we let the entire community be part of special family occasions. We change hosts from exclusive to inclusive, and guests from outsiders to insiders.”

This is a company that definitely gets it. They have a clear service mission. They want to help everyone enjoy baked goods. It’s also a compassionate mission. They see a group who is often left out, understand their pain, and provide a vehicle to include them. This is the definition of compassion: seeing a need and being moved to help.

It reminds me of something Disney does. Many rides at their parks require riders to be a certain height in order to fit in the seat and not slip under the safety bar. This leaves some children out—typically very young children. So as not to totally disappoint, Disney provides an option so these left-out kids feel included. Near rides like these, there are play areas with signs posted at the entrances that say, “You must be under this height to play here.” By giving these marginalized kids a special place where their diminutive height is valued, Disney sends a message, “We see you, we understand, and this is your place.” Similarly, By the Way Bakery, by giving an often dismissed audience an opportunity they often don’t get, sends their own powerful message: “You shouldn’t miss out; you matter, and we are here to help.” Both of these are examples of what it is to make service the business of your business.

How about your organization? Do you see what you do as service? Are you compassionately seeing the needs of your audience and helping them with creative, inclusive solutions? Have you ever thought this way? Maybe it’s time you did.

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