It doesn't matter if you own a business that is a large conglomerate or just a sole-trader, if you do not give excellent customer service, your company will eventually fail. That extra personal touch promotes a business because if a client has received excellent customer service then the customer will give the company valuable advertising by referring other people or companies to the business or sole trader who had time to tend to their personal needs as well as providing them with the goods or services they need. My personal thoughts are that presentation, pride and the ability to listen to the customer to ascertain whatever goods or services.

Do not try to force this however, you could try to suggest other services that you could provide that would be more beneficial or would complement the goods and services that the customer could benefit from as well as any special offers that you will have by combining a comprehensive package of goods and services.

This will make the customer feel as if you are caring about them and you are providing quality customer service that is personal to their needs and not just going through the motions. This will prove to be winning customer service combinations in helping a business thrive.

For that vital ingredient for customer service check these suggestions out.

1. Think of yourself as a client in whatever goods or service the client receives. How would you like to be treated?

2. Would you like to have someone friendly and professional on the other end of the phone?

3. This sounds a little crazy but it works for me, the business course I attended at college, I was once told by my tutor to always smile when answering the phone, because as you smile your mood changes and it reflects in the conversation you are having. There is nothing worse than a person who is half interested in listening to what you have to say.

4. Don't interrupt the client when they are requesting the goods or services they require.

5. Have a working pen and a note book ready for taking notes or even open a word processing program on your computer if you can.

6. Take note of the time and date of the conversation and essentially make sure you take a note of the name of whom you are speaking to. So that you can call them by their name, never use the client's first name unless they give you permission to do so, as it is very unprofessional.

7. Next take a note of their company or who they represent. Then the goods or services they require and make sure you find out when they require the goods or services. However, don't make promises you cannot keep. Clients remember when people have a fundamental flaw; they remember when people break promises.

8. Everyone talks in business and they do tell others about individuals or companies who let them down by poor customer service as well as those who did give them that vital ingredient customer service that does an impact on the number of people who are willing to take a chance on your company. So it is essential you listen and get things right.

9. If there is an unavoidable delay in which you cannot supply the goods or services contact the client immediately and again be honest about the time in which you can deliver what you have promised in the beginning. If you can, you are providing a service; you could even give a little discount for the inconvenience which may smooth things over.

10. If you require something from the client, always use the words please and don't ever demand or try to bully. Remember everyone has problems from time to time, so try to accommodate the customer as much as possible.

11. From time to time things do go wrong, goods can become faulty or there could be a misunderstanding as to what service a customer requires. Try to be patient, listen and then try to offer solutions to the problem.

12. If a solution cannot be met, offer a full refund right away and then give them a name and address of an alternative company who could help them so that it will have less impact on your company.

13. Manners and presentation are everything. Please and thank you do not cost anything and they can be very effective in persuading customer service employees and colleagues to help fulfill the client's request.

14. No one likes anyone who demands or bullies in order to get what they want, if you treat your customers, employees or colleges with respect, you in turn will be treated with respect and if you are pleasant with people they tend to try to help as much as they can. However, if you are rude and demanding people tend to think less of you and make you wait longer or do their best not to fulfill your need to fulfill your customer's request.

15. Be fair with your employee's or colleagues, if they do need time off for personal reasons, try to do your best to fulfill their request and if you can't make sure you show them the reason why. Otherwise the employee may think you are being mean and when you really need their help by them working overtime they may refuse.

16. If someone has done a good job praise them however if they have made a mistake, don't shout it a person's mistake, so that everyone can listen. Instead take the colleague or the employee to one side and explain that you feel that they have made a mistake and listen to them. That way the person won't feel humiliated.

17. It might be after you speaking to your colleague or employee; that is you that has made a mistake, apologies immediately, people do respect other people who are willing to admit they are wrong from time to time.

18. Above all, put the needs of the customer, employee's or clients before your own, however, you do have to be careful not to take on too much otherwise you will burn out very easy and become very resentful because you are very tired.

19. Don't try to overcharge, have a good look around and find out how much the item or service is going around the market place, and then make a reasonable offer, customers hate the feeling of being ripped off for a service that they could have got for half the price elsewhere and up to the same quality standards.

20. If you have a bad experience with a difficult customer, don't pick up the phone in a bad mood. Take a little break by having a coffee and chill out for a couple of minutes if you can, and allow your customer service staff to do the same before dealing with other customers.

Remember this:

"The tragedy in life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach." --Benjamin Mays