Each element of a business has to work seamlessly together to produce repeat and referral business that comes from happy customers. During two recent situations with retailers, I had experiences that can happen across all types of businesses. We recently purchased a new upright freezer from one store, and a washer/dryer pair from another big-box store. In each case, we had a very positive experience with the salesperson in the store. This is very similar to how it might happen with business-to-business customers. Lowe’s Home Improvement delivered a great experience from end-to-end. The other store, despite a great commitment to customer service and sales, delivered the disaster when sales and execution are not aligned. See how these situations apply to your business, and follow the steps I outline at the end of the article to help you avoid your own disasters.