Think about your reaction when you receive poor service! How often have you told someone about a bad customer service experience? Often, I bet. Customers have long memories for a bad experience and considering the importance of "word of mouth" marketing it is important to ensure your business is providing the BEST customer service possible.

Your job as business owner is to provide outstanding customer service all the time! Every satisfied customer will become a walking advertisement for your business. The key to customer service is to make it EASY to deal with your company. Make EVERY-thing easy:

Make it easy to find you
Make it easy to contact you
Make it easy to determine what you do or sell
Make it easy to select your product
Make it easy to pay
Make it easy to return product, if necessary
Make it easy to get answers

Put yourself in place of the customer when assessing your performance. Little things make a difference. The following customer service tips are a few elements of a "customer service satisfaction" program - you'll surely find more that are specific to your own business.

1. Make sure that ALL your customer service employees understand that the customers are #1.

2. Never, never, argue with any customer. Even if the customer is wrong, try to turn the situation positive. For example, say the customer wants to return an item and your policy clearly states that the customer pays for shipping. It might be in you best interest to say, "No problem, sent it back - we'll pay the shipping!" That small shipping charge may keep a customer for you!

3. Don't use a telephone answering machine or a voice mail system unless absolutely necessary. Customers like to talk to real people, not machines. Think how irritating it is for you to wade through the typical voice-mail "menu." If you must use a machine, choose one over an answering service. With a machine you know what will be said to the caller.

4. Answer the telephone by the second ring. Here's a neat trick: Before answering, take a deep breath and smile! It's amazing how this can change how you sound at the other end of the phone line!

5. Say "Thank you" frequently ... be courteous.

6. Provide something free (coffee, bagels, pens).

7. ALWAYS return telephone calls promptly.

8. Answer your own telephone.

9. Install a complaint "hot line" for customers to use.

10. Make your product/service easy to purchase - 800 telephone; credit cards; website.

11. Provide free samples.

12. Always go the "extra mile" for your customers.

13. Don't ever blame anything on a "computer problem."

14. Have periodic "preferred customer" sales.

15. If you deal in an expensive product or service with few customers, follow up each sale with a telephone call or written communication.

16. Use customer satisfaction surveys. You will always learn something that is surprising.

17. Provide a money-back guarantee. Make it life-time if possible. (It is amazing how few people actually return products).

18. Periodically remember your preferred customers. Send them all pens or coffee cups but not during the holiday season - you don't want to compete with other gifts and mailings!

Incorporate these ideas into how you treat your customers, your sales literature and website (you do have a website, right?). And speaking of your website ensure that it is included in your "customer satisfaction" program. For example;

1. Make is EASY to contact you directly, if necessary. Include your e-mail address and telephone numbers within the site - on every page is not a bad idea.

2. Make sure your site is not confusing - make it easy to find product, pricing and shipping information. Make it easy to place the order.

3. Provide answers to frequently asked questions.

4. Clearly state your return policy and guarantees.