It’s a cliché with Biblical roots, but it has become the gold standard for employers – workers who are willing to “go the extra mile” for their companies.

Inherent in the idea of going the extra mile is unwavering commitment to the mission of the organization and a willingness to put that devotion into practice. It is a litmus test of engagement in the workplace, and businesses that have instilled an enduring ‘extra mile’ culture pay dividends not only in employee loyalty but in productivity and profitability.

What can companies who wish for more extra-mile employees learn from those that have captured that level of dedication? What follows are snapshots of three companies known by customers for going above and beyond obligation. Their success is never a coincidence; these employers have invested significantly in marking out the route of that extra mile:

• At Zappos, front-line salespeople are responsible for making sure their customers are happy. And while that challenge is probably issued in hundreds of companies, few take it as seriously as Zappos. In one case, a customer service rep sent a new pair of boots to a customer after a year because the original boots had started to leak. That decision went against official company policy, but the employee did it in good faith – and sent a handwritten thank-you note to boot – because she had been empowered to do so. “The work environment is script-free and freedom-rich,” according to an article by Tom Davenport and Stephen Harding with Towers Watson.  “Call center staff are trained to use their creativity and imagination to delight customers and to use initiative and discretion in differentiating their services.”
• A  company that frequently gets mentioned in conversations about stellar customer service is Southwest Airlines, and that reputation has been hard-earned through years of coaching employees and instilling a deep belief in the company’s values.  Like at Zappo’s, Southwest managers allow employees a large measure of independence in the belief that free workers will have more resources to serve customers with generosity

Southwest is known for viewing its employees as its ‘first customers’ and its passengers as the second, and this intentional culture has traditionally led to a high level of engagement. And the passengers are the winners when their flight becomes a personalized customer service exercise. For example, a flight attendant might suddenly get on the intercom and announce an impromptu contest with the passengers, offering a free Southwest flight to the winner.

• The third company is far from a household name, but the principles followed within BzzAgent make it a company worth emulating for those pursuing an extra-mile culture. Dave Balter, the CEO of the social marketing company, is fond of promoting “a democratic culture” in the workplace. And he backs it with bold practices like holding an open forum for all employees every two weeks where any anonymous question will be answered. “Many companies will provide a resource for letting people speak their mind, but it’s the reaction to requests that create a true democracy,” Balter told Victor Velasquez, a blogger with the software development company Nearsoft. “A democratic culture creates a foundation of belief and togetherness that allows passion and inspiration to bloom.

Zappos, Southwest Airlines and BzzAgent provide vastly different services to customers, but the underlying themes of their companies are similar. In each case, the desired result is a motivated, energized employee who believes in the company he represents and wants each customer to have an exemplary experience. Each workplace offers generous amounts of freedom and employee input, and the resulting empowerment makes going the extra mile seem like the only natural way to do business.