If you've ever had the pleasure of visiting a BMW dealership or better yet, owning a BMW, you'll know what I mean when I say "it's an experience". There's simply no other way to describe it.

It was my distinct honour to meet with BMW Toronto, located at the foot of the Don Valley Parkway and speak with Bronya Cuddy, the Marketing and Communications Manager to ask her what makes BMW so special. What I soon learned was that aside from the pristine, elegant surroundings, it's really about the people and the way they care about BMW, the product, and the brand.

Your second most important purchase
BMW understands that purchasing or leasing a car is the next most important purchase you make after your home and they make that experience a special occasion for you. When you arrive to pick up your new BMW, it is displayed in a showroom on the 5th floor against a lovely view of the Toronto skyline. Your sales associate spends time with you to make sure you understand how to operate your new car, whether that takes 5 or 50 minutes. It's all about you and the car and making you feel special. Next, you and the sales associate travel in the freight elevator with your new car down to street level for a fond farewell as you drive away.

Every touch point is considered
When you bring your car in for service, you are greeted by a service associate suitably attired in "BMW corporate wear" and a tie who reviews the car with you and goes over any issues or concerns that you have. Next, the car moves into the garage (now I've never seen such a beautiful and clean garage). Large windows allow you to watch the technicians, all dressed in crisp, clean "BMW corporate wear" (others may refer to this as a uniform but not here). There are no secrets here - it's all part of building trust. You can watch them work on your car or relax in the lounge, grab a cafe latte, and watch a movie on the big screen. You can even get your email or finish that report in the work cubicles in the lounge area. And coming soon...wireless Internet access. If you'd like to do a little dreaming, there's the motorcycle floor and another floor with previously owned cars (all displayed just like new cars in a showroom). Finally, if you'd like a little retail therapy on a smaller scale, there's the BMW store.

Great atmosphere, incredible people
The architects and designers have created a masterpiece and it's not just this building. Every BMW building follows the corporate standards. The buildings in fact become landmarks. The Toronto building is truly majestic. And while the glass, concrete and beautiful cars create a contemporary and elegant atmosphere, it's really about the BMW people. They love the brand and what the brand stands for and that type of excitement is hard to contain. Every BMW staff member gets to experience the latest models - how else could they share the BMW story with emotion? The company has a young management team. They are open to new ideas. They are fastidious about the training that all BMW staff receive through the BMW University in Whitby and ensure that there is ongoing continuing education. All staff members are offered training on all products; everyone is involved.

Measure, measure, measure
BMW also measures customer satisfaction through after-sale surveys and follow-ups. They don't settle for anything less than a perfect score and they do whatever it takes to make it right. Staff recognition programs honour those who commit to the BMW model of excellence.

It's all about delivering on promises
BMW understands the importance of creating brand promises and then delivering on those promises. It's a win/win for both the company and the customers. The biggest winners, though, are the customers...that's for sure.

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Carolyn Watt is the founder and president of The Customer Experience Company. She is passionate about customer experience and believes that the experience is formed as a result of three things: processes, communications and people. That means that you must make it insanely easy for your customers to do business with you. Your communications must be written clearly. And, your staff must deliver on the brand promises you've made to your customers.