I keep hearing that in Ottawa, we're just a bunch of geeks, focused on technology. People even say we're missing the marketing gene in our DNA.

As much as it hurts, they may be right. Some of the world's most interesting technologies were invented in Ottawa and never exploited. Did you know that the very first DRAM came from our capital? How about the original LCD display – victim of a cancelled project on Corkstown Road. Both became world-changing technologies, exploited globally by companies outside Ottawa.

Maybe the pundits are right. Let's all agree not to have our DNA tested. We wouldn't want our collective marketing deficiency confirmed!

We need to come up with a "workaround" for this problem. Even if Ottawa were crawling with marketing people, most techies couldn't afford them – we don't have big enough wine cellars. You geeks will know what I'm talking about.

Oddly enough, an Ottawa restaurateur may have identified one solution to our marketing woes. I ate breakfast recently with a bunch of technology CEOs and listened to Stephen Beckta, owner of Beckta dining and wine, expound on "remarkable" customer service. Having managed restaurants in New York City and Ottawa, he's witnessed enough customer service triumphs to write a book.

By "remarkable" he really means something more like "remarkcompellable" – a gesture so great your customers are compelled to rave about it to everyone.

We don't often think of customer service as a substitute for marketing, but it is. You may know how amplifiers work – they take a signal and make it larger. Your customers are some of your best amplifiers. They'll extend the reach of your business by telling people about it – sometimes for years.

Mr. Beckta tells the story of a businessman who brought clients to the restaurant for lunch. His briefcase handle broke. Clearly embarrassed, he left the case with the coat check so his clients wouldn't see it. While they ate, Mr. Beckta sent a busboy down the street to have the handle repaired. When the man returned to claim his briefcase, it was fixed, costing the restaurant merely $2 and 10 minutes of a busboy's time.

Remarkable gestures generate remarkable results. Mr. Beckta inadvertently advertised because the customer told his friends about this great restaurant.

In the technology world, customers aren't our only amplifiers. The way we treat individual people has multiplying effects, both good and bad. Think of a happy, current employee and a disgruntled, former employee as amplifiers who spend years telling their friends about you.

Small things make lasting impressions. By keeping the staffroom fridge stocked with food, or inviting employees to a meal at your house, you'll foster better relationships. I also send out cards or personal notes to customers and employees to support them when they are going through a hard time, or to thank them for a job well done.

HR types often say that employees are our greatest asset. It may be overstated, but they're right. Employees are the people who drive a company's success. By demonstrating confidence in people, we motivate them and empower their creativity.

On the flip side, not everyone will mesh in a business and, inevitably, some people will leave. The key is to maintain a positive relationship, where possible. You may find ways to support a person's transition to another job, or you might just like to get together for lunch with a former employee now and then.

The amplification doesn't stop with customers and employees. Think of everyone else you come into contact with: landlord, banker, accountants and suppliers. Business networks are as tangled as a plate of spaghetti: these people also deal with your customers and can spread your reputation faster than bits over high-speed Internet.

Our accountants, for example, speak highly of us around Ottawa, even though I turned their kids' hair green when they were over for a swim at my house. Note to self: I've got to learn how to use those chlorine test-sticks one of these days.

To be frank, it's sometimes a bit of a stretch for us technology types. We start technology companies often because we love gadgets. But a tech company will not succeed on great ideas alone. Market-ready products and expert services will not necessarily equal success. So get ready to put on the hat of hospitality.

Guess what, fellow geeks, we need to develop good people skills. And if that's too hard . . . hire a marketing person.

Michael Wakim is president of Fidus Systems, an electronic design services firm based in Ottawa and Toronto. The company designs electronic products for a range of industries. Fidus has designed and consulted on more than 480 projects for 120 customers across North America and Europe. "Fidus" is Latin for "trustworthy."