Whether they are sales associates, flight attendants, cashiers, hotel receptionists, or telemarketers, frontline employees are central to value creation. As the first interface with the consumer, they can make or break the relationship. From a strategist's perspective, however, it can be difficult to get frontline employees to treat customers consistently the way the business and the competitive environment demand. Faced with an angry customer, many employees crack: they are either too abrupt, too detached, or only too willing to proffer rebates.