Have you heard the story of the colossal customer service bungle over the "bedbug letter"?

A guest in a hotel finds himself attacked by bedbugs during his stay. He writes an angry letter to the president of the hotel company. Within days, the president sends the guest a heartfelt apology, which reads in part: "I can assure you that such an event has never occurred before in our hotel. I promise you it will never happen again."

Sounds good, except for one small detail: Included with the apology is the guest's original letter. Scrawled across the top is the message: "Send this idiot the bedbug letter."

So it begs the question, who is sorry now?

There are several lessons to be learned from this tale:

-- Remedial customer service may start with an apology.

-- Never, ever mess up an apology.

-- The apology is almost always the start, not the end, of finishing things.

-- If you think being sorry solves a problem, you will really be sorry.

-- Finally, the cost of the fix is nearly always greater than doing things right the first time.

Start with the premise that everyone makes mistakes. It's human nature. What happens next is what demonstrates the true level of regret. The hotel president likely lost that customer forever. Unfortunately, it doesn't stop there. That customer tells family, friends and anyone who will listen about his experiences -- both with the bugs and the insulting letter. Reputations are ruined in an instant.

Businesses have long understood that bad customer experiences will be reported to family and friends nine times more than good experiences. Misery loves company, I guess.

Even the most sincere apology has limited effect. But if it helps a little, it's worth the effort. So don't blow what could be your only opportunity.

We see an apology from some thoughtless public figure every week: "If I offended anyone, I apologize." "My words were taken out of context." "I didn't realize that my actions would cause such a stir." All pretty pathetic attempts at sounding sorry, in my opinion.

Train your brain to think before you speak, act or tweet. Self-restraint is not old-fashioned. Remember that your private conversations or anonymous postings may be anything but private and anonymous.

The apology is just the beginning. It is critical to get it right. So take steps to be sure you don't disappoint a second time. The shallow "if I offended anyone" indicates that you are only sorry because you were forced into the apology. I'm curious, does anyone take those kinds of apologies seriously? Or do they sound like something your mother made you say when you were a child?

In business situations, apologies are generally related to poor service or defective products or missed deadlines. Those apologies must go beyond words.

First, admit your mistake. Don't gloss over the error or the effect it had on your customer. Get to the point and own the situation. You will not win the blame game.

Next, offer a solution that will demonstrate your sincere desire to make things right. Even if the customer had some responsibility, the cost of fixing one mistake is much lower than trying to repair a reputation after you've been panned on Facebook, Twitter or Angie's List.

Third, express your intention to make sure the same mistake never happens again. Offer the customer an opportunity to make suggestions, and be prepared to deal with critical feedback. Be sure to thank the customer for his input.

Finally, learn from the experience and use the lesson to train your staff. Make sure they understand that even minor mistakes and disappointments can cause major damage to your company's good name.

So my ideal apology might read: "We are so sorry for messing up what could be our only opportunity to serve you. Your disappointment in us is completely justified. We will fix this problem immediately and will not consider the case closed until you are completely satisfied. Here is the name, email and phone number of the person you can contact 24 hours a day to question, complain or check the progress of your situation." Then insert the name of the president of the company. That should let the customer know that you're serious.

Mackay's Moral: Saying you're sorry and showing you're sorry are not the same thing.

What's not to love about a cheerful fellow who arrives with chocolate, heralding the arrival of spring after a long, cold winter? Whether or not you celebrate Easter, everyone can learn some fundamental wisdom from the Easter Bunny.

Much like Santa Claus, whose leadership lessons I wrote about a few years ago, iconic characters espouse many of the values and virtues we share. And although they may be associated with religious holidays, their messages cross multiple faiths.

A friend sent a list of lessons we might take away from spring's floppy-eared rabbit. I'm not sure where they originated, and my research attributes them only to "anonymous." I've plucked a few from the long list she sent, added a few of my own and expanded on all the ideas.

Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Only an extreme risk-taker bets the farm. Develop your talents and skill set so that you are able to adapt. Companies value employees who are flexible and versatile. Even specialists need a broad view to understand how their abilities can best contribute to the organization.

Everyone needs a friend who is all ears. The Easter Bunny knows that we can't go it alone. We all need a sounding board, preferably one or more who will listen to our worries, concerns and crazy schemes and give good, unfiltered feedback. Even if they don't offer any advice, sometimes saying your thoughts out loud helps you sort them out better.

There's no such thing as too much candy. Don't take that too literally. I interpret it to mean you can never have too much joy and happiness in your life. I recommend celebrating everything from a great round of golf to a lucrative business deal. Looking on the bright side doesn't have a dark side. A positive attitude is better for you than sugar -- and not as fattening!

All work and no play can make you a basket case. Take time to smell the roses -- or the lilies, as the season dictates. Balance between work and play improves both. Your job performance will suffer if you never step away and breathe some fresh air. I've gotten some of my best ideas when I'm out for a run, and even figured out some of the mysteries of the universe.

The grass is always greener in someone else's basket. Don't be too eager to give up because you think you are at a disadvantage. For example, when I first started in business, I thought that when I became successful, I could finally coast along much like the hare in Aesop's fable "The Hare and the Tortoise." I soon discovered that the road to success is not a finite journey, but a trip I still look forward to continuing every day. Along the way I learned that the grass is as green as I make it.

To show your true colors, you have to come out of your shell. Have a hidden talent? To borrow a phrase, don't hide your light under an Easter basket. From the help-desk techie who organizes a company softball team to the factory worker who devises a money-saving process, speak up if you have an idea that could make your company work better.

Variety is the spice of life. Some folks like coconut eggs, others prefer Peeps. Check out the candy aisle at the store and try to pick a favorite -- that's what makes Easter baskets interesting. Try something new every now and then just to keep things fresh.

Do the bunny hop. The Easter Bunny knows the importance of exercise, especially aerobic activity. Get moving and you won't have to worry about having some jelly beans every now and then.

You don't have to be big and scary to be effective. Is anyone afraid of the Easter Bunny? He/she is a lovable creature who is universally welcomed. Sometimes a soft approach is most appropriate.

The best things in life are still sweet and gooey. Success is sweet. Life is sweet. Helping others is sweet. Cherish the opportunities you have to enrich your life. You don't need the Easter Bunny to help you appreciate that.

Mackay's Moral: Let positive thoughts multiply like rabbits.

When I went into business many years ago, I told people I owned an envelope company. I had business cards printed that identified me as an "envelope salesman." I described myself as an entrepreneur.

All of those facts are still true, but incomplete. What I and our company really do is provide customer service.

Well sure, Harvey, you say. But isn't that just a part of the whole operation?

Absolutely, positively, irrefutably, NO. I am in the service business, regardless of the product I make and sell. If my service is lacking, my business will be sent packing.

To validate my thinking, I recently visited with John Tschohl, president of the Service Quality Institute. John has spent 33 years focused on customer service. He has written hundreds of articles, as well as seven books on the topic. You've probably heard him interviewed on television or radio. He has been called the "guru of customer service" by USA Today and Time and Entrepreneur magazines.

Even the most successful companies are in constant competition for business. What sets them apart often boils down to one factor: outstanding customer service. John offered up some stellar advice for creating a service culture, no matter what business you're in.

First, you've got to understand you're in the service business. "Most companies think they are in manufacturing and retail; airlines don't know they are in the service business," he said. "Southwest Airlines is successful because they understand they're a customer service company -- they just happen to be an airline."

Second, you have to look at all the policies, procedures and systems you have in place "that make life miserable for customers," John said. "You could have the nicest people in the world, but you could have stupid hours, stupid rules, stupid procedures, that just burn the customer." When you make it that difficult for customers to patronize you, they find someone else who is more accommodating.

Third, you have to have empowerment. "Every single person has to be able to make fast power decisions on the spot, and it better be in favor of the customer," John said.

Fourth, you have to be more careful about whom you hire. "The service leaders hire one person out of 50 interviewed, sometimes one out of 100, but they're very, very, very careful," he said. "Look for the cream, the A players, instead of bringing on B and C players."

Fifth, educate and train the entire staff on the art of customer service with something new and fresh every four to six months. "Let's say you want to create the service culture. No matter if you have a hundred or a thousand or a hundred thousand employees, you better have something new and fresh, so it's constantly in front of them," John said. "So when they wake up every day and they go to work, they say, 'Fantastic, I'm taking care of customers!'"

Finally, measure the results financially so that you know the impact it's making on revenue, sales, profit and market share.

Everything you do, according to John, should be built around the concept of creating an incredible customer experience. He cites Amazon as one of his favorite role models.

"At Amazon, they've got technology, speed, price," says John. "They've got everything. If I'm on their website and I want them to call me, they're going to call me back in one second. That's speed. When you place an order, you can do it 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And 60 seconds later, you get a confirmation."

I realize Amazon is in a class by itself, and most businesses aren't ever going to achieve the growth or profits of that gargantuan company. But John's advice can be translated to companies of any size. A one-person shop can provide great service because it often has personal contact with its customers. Bigger companies have more resources available, which should enhance the service experience.

Perhaps the simplest way of creating a service culture is a variation of the golden rule: Treat your customers as you wish to be treated.

Make your customers excited that you're in business. Make them grateful that they have the opportunity to buy your services or products. Make them feel like each one is your most important client. Make your service so outstanding that they wouldn't think of doing business with anyone else.

And then find a way to make your service even better!

Mackay's Moral: Customer service is not a department; it's everyone's job.