One North Carolina software company, SAS Institute, has ranked third on the Fortune list for the past two years. In addition, the SAS compound is home to outdoor tennis courts and a putting green. A swimming pool is in the works. There's a connection between loyal employees and loyal customers. He says that the company's retention rate in both categories is more than 95 percent.
Customers notice that they're dealing with the same tech support people and sales people.
It builds customer confidence when the guy who wrote version one is around to write version two. The same benefits from health insurance to daycare are available for everyone, from CEO to food service people. It heightens morale when the guy punching out code gets the same benefits as the execs with office doors. SAS management didn't just pull their compensation plans from thin air. They were crafted based on employee suggestions and input.