6 companies where customers come first

New York, NY

Type of firm: Tech and business consulting

Customer-service strategy: Genesis 10(genesis10.com), devotes much of its time to learning about a client company's culture in advance of new projects, hiring recently departed employees to brief its consultants. Because its team arrives prepared, the firm is able to hit the ground running. CEO Harley Lippman (right) estimates that he beats project deadlines 60% of the time. One secret to success: Lippman ties a significant portion of his team's pay to customer service. Another strategy: The firm says no to many new deals. Lippman explains that while he took on $134 million worth of work in 2006, he turned down gigs potentially worth millions more. He routinely nixes assignments that might stretch his staff too thin, along with jobs that are outside his consulting specialty. That way he avoids diluting his focus. It has paid off. With 120 clients, the firm brought in $134 million in revenue in 2006.