It seems fitting that the manager of MCI's two super-busy East Coast facilities, Blackwood and Atlantic City, once simultaneously acted as general manager at two other MCI service centers: Loudonville and Orlando. It's no surprise, then, that Walt Novak takes his duties in stride, no matter how fast the pace. Not only does he oversee some 20-odd technicians and other staff, but he serves some of the most demanding customers in the country: New Yorkers and others who ply the Northeast Corridor.

Novak, who, before coming to MCI, spent years in truck leasing management, is ever-conscious of meeting his customers' demands, and he makes sure drivers are treated especially well — at the Blackwood location, there's a big-screen television and several recliners from which to watch it. And as at all MCI service centers, there's usually breakfast or lunch to be had. "All the amenities of home," says Novak.

But good service is what always comes first. "You need to treat the customer the way you'd like to be treated. We want to meet our customers' expectations and give them a reason to come to MCI, with good work at a fair price," says Novak. "If we say the repair is going to take a specific amount of time and cost a specific amount, you can write it down."