National Geographic-Maintaining the Gold Standard (1,449 words)

This all-or-nothing mindset persists beyond the product sale. "We have a very simple policy: 100-percent satisfaction," says Coleman. "We don't argue [with customers], we just take it back."

Though the catalog's call center operations are outsourced to Keystone Internet Services in Hanover, PA, the catalog's staffers at headquarters often are required to listen to monitored calls. Last year, the catalog also began what aims to be an annual mail survey that asks 2,000 customers to rate their overall product and sales experience. In response to some of these findings, the catalog expanded its variety of lower price point merchandise and children's products.