Quick now. Scour your brain. From what discipline is the following formula derived?

Math? Physics? Symbolic logic? No, no and no. Don’t worry. You’re not the weakest link. It’s actually a formula used by Bill Middlebrooks. “The Customer Service Doctor®,” who’s been an integral part of the curriculum required of BCN leadership during the past two months of intensive training. More on the numerators and denominator later.

Middlebrooks is founder and managing partner of Excellence In Action Inc., a performance enhancement company headquartered in Southfield. His message to companies and their leadership is simple, although not easy: Make client service exceptional by creating high levels of employee satisfaction that motivate employees to produce exceptional results.

“A customer may very well be satisfied,” explains Middlebrooks, “without being loyal. The key is to cultivate customer loyalty through building an army of highly satisfied employees who are consistently motivated and rewarded to deliver exceptional service.”

Middlebrooks uses the “three-legged stool” example to illustrate his point.

“Competitive pricing and solid products are givens in today’s market,” he says. “Service must be the deciding factor. Say you’ve got a three-legged stool, in which the legs consist of product, price and service. Two of the three legs are solid (price and product) but the third is wobbly or shorter than the others. What’s going to happen to that stool? It tips over.”

That’s the basis for the classes Middlebrooks taught to BCN employees over the past two months. His “Superior Performance Series™” begins with a full-day session called the “ABCs of Exceptional Client Service™.” Among its main goals, Middlebrooks points to one – getting people to think differently – as the key to everything else.

“Every employee has numerous episodes – what I call moments of truth – every day,” Middlebrooks said. “A moment of truth may occur via the telephone, face to face or by e-mail, but each is an opportunity to prove how reliable you are, what kind of person you are, how committed you are and how responsive you are. So you may have 25,000 chances a year to send a message that says, ‘No one cares as much as I do’.”

He also is emphatic in distinguishing between customers and clients. A customer, he says, is someone who simply buys goods or services. A client, however, is a person who seeks services from a professional. And what’s a professional? Someone who has advanced knowledge, skills and training. Again, Middlebrooks gets back to the importance of thinking differently.

“It’s amazing that I need to convince some people that they are indeed, professionals,” he says. “Employees will rise to the level of expectations. If employees see themselves as professionals, then you’ve won. Clients already see you as professionals. When I put money into a candy machine, I take my Snickers and leave. I have no loyalty to or relationship with that machine. I’m just a customer. But “client” connotes a long-term relationship, loyalty and commitment.”

Getting back to the formula, Middlebrooks explains that it’s a method of getting people to commit to excellence. The “P2” is promote and praise. The “i” equals inspiration. Small “c” is for challenge. “S” relates to sincerity. The result – “C” – equals a commitment to excellence.

We need to promote the values of BCN – integrity, honesty, accountability, and excellence. People should be praised when they deserve it. Middlebrooks instructs leaders – and everyone – to “catch” three co-workers doing something right, and tell them. Keep it up for 30 days, and it becomes a habit.

Inspiration doesn’t have to mean church or pep talks. The inspiration and challenges must be daily occurrences (? = infinity). All of these efforts must be done with sincerity – or, as Middlebrooks says bluntly, “people will turn you off like a bad channel.” Taken together, these behaviors add up to a commitment to excellence.

The second part of Middlebrooks’ series – a half-day session – addresses “Excellence as a Way of Life Everyday™.” The crux of the class is similar to something that BCN President and CEO Kevin Seitz repeated countless times during the employee workshops: If your personal life is a mess, you’re probably not going to be your best at work. That theme found its way into BCN’s revamped vision, mission and values – family and personal life appears second among BCN’s values. Middlebrooks echoes that sentiment, and provides people with the tools – a “bridge plan” – to accomplish it.

“That half-day session has nothing to do with work directly, but rather indirectly,” he says. “It’s about developing a personal mission statement and code of conduct that enables your success. Companies have them, so why shouldn’t people? A personal mission statement and a code of conduct allows you to realize your goals through actions that represent your values.”

The final piece of the puzzle is the “Personal Power through Inspiration” component, which is a daily plan for renewal. Middlebrooks likens it to going to the gas station to “fill up” your spiritual gas tank.