In a business landscape where customer expectations continue to rise, many leaders struggle to create memorable experiences that drive loyalty and growth. However, for Brad Burns, the solution isn’t complicated formulas or expensive technologies – it’s returning to fundamentals. Through his leadership across multiple companies, Brad has demonstrated that customer satisfaction doesn’t require elaborate strategies, just consistent performance and genuine relationships built on trust.
Setting the Bar for Customer Satisfaction
When asked about the secret ingredient behind truly understanding and exceeding customer expectations, Brad takes a refreshingly straightforward approach. “I think there’s actually a pretty low bar for success. It’s kind of sad,” he explains. “You show up, do what you say you’re going to do, and if you make a mistake (which is inevitable) you say, ‘Hey, I made a mistake. Here’s how we’re going to fix it.'” This consistency, according to Brad, typically leads to relative success.
This simplicity extends to how Brad views leadership in customer-facing roles. He emphasizes transparency as essential both externally and internally. “Being as transparent as you possibly can. That’s both external and with the people that you’re trying to service as a customer and also your internal customers which are your fellow employees,” he notes. Brad believes keeping everyone informed prevents the perception that information is being hidden, which builds trust throughout the organization. 
Leading With Transparency
Brad doesn’t believe he has redefined customer satisfaction – rather, he’s stripped it down to its essential components. “I think I just make it as simple as I possibly can. You try to lead by example,” he shares. This leadership philosophy means never asking team members to do something he wouldn’t do himself. His approach means setting ego aside. “We’ve had clients that don’t even know that I own the company for two or three years. I’m just out there, interacting with them on a job site or whatever as somebody that’s just there from the company,” Brad reveals. This humility allows his team’s work to speak for itself while creating authentic relationships with clients.
Brad recognizes how technology, particularly AI, is changing customer satisfaction. “The biggest thing that AI and those external forces will do to modify the current environment would be speed to market,” he observes. He cites examples of using AI to generate content for his seafood website, accomplishing in seconds what previously took hours. However, technology doesn’t replace the fundamentally proactive approach Brad takes. “We’re really solution oriented as opposed to reactive,” he explains. “Let’s foresee the problem if we can. Try to be as forward thinking as we possibly can to kind of get ahead of as much as we can.” This preventative mindset comes from experience and understanding patterns that might not be visible to newcomers.
Building Partnerships Through Reciprocity
Drawing from his background studying psychology in college, Brad applies his understanding of human motivation to customer relationships. His philosophy centers on reciprocity and going beyond contractual obligations. “We’ve always believed in bending over backwards for customers as long as they give us a reason to because we realize it’s a partnership,” he shares. This partnership mentality extends to helping clients even when it doesn’t directly benefit his company. “We’ll do anything to please a customer, even if it’s something that isn’t even in our scope of work,” Brad explains. “If you’re giving me a lot of opportunities and you believe in me and trust in us, then there’s got to be some reciprocity both ways.”
Rather than promoting his companies as “the best in the business,” Brad lets results speak for themselves. “We don’t push our ego a ton. We just kind of let our work speak for itself,” he concludes. “Sometimes you set high expectations and when there’s a challenge, we just put our head down, go to work, and then just let the end result stand on its own two feet.”
Connect with Brad Burns on LinkedIn to gain more insights into his straightforward leadership approach and customer satisfaction strategies that have proven successful across multiple businesses.
