| As a small business owner, you can choose to ignore | | | | very, very important. Why do you think people hate |
| customer service only at your own peril. Customer | | | | the automated messages used by most big |
| service is an often ignored component of doing | | | | companies? Every customer wants and demands a |
| business that can have disastrous consequences. | | | | personalized experience. If you can, avoid sending out |
| More often than not, small business owners have little | | | | mass emails or letters. Make sure that you |
| staff to focus on customer service, and as a result, | | | | personalize it. Even a "Dear Mr. Smith" instead of |
| it gets relegated to the background. | | | | "Dear Customer" can go a long way in registering |
| Remember that your customer is the most important | | | | your business in the customer's good books. |
| part of the business. The supply, logistics, marketing, | | | | A personalized 'Thank You' message can work |
| and accounting infrastructure could all collapse | | | | wonders. It not only shows that you took the care |
| tomorrow, but your business may still survive. But | | | | to create a personalized message, but also shows |
| without customers, you will go nowhere. So take a | | | | that you appreciate the customers' business. One of |
| moment to realize the importance of the customer. | | | | the tenets of customer service is to let them know |
| Once you know his value to your business, your | | | | that they are appreciated. Little gestures like this can |
| attitude to customer service will change too. | | | | go a long way. |
| Some of the biggest business success stories in the | | | | Finally, never make the mistake of treating your |
| past few decades were built on strong customer | | | | customer with disdain, or give an impatient answer to |
| support. The online retail giant, Amazon, prides itself | | | | any of their queries. Patience is key to keeping |
| on being "fanatical about customer service" - a trait | | | | customers happy. Treat them with respect, |
| that has given it a very loyal user base. At the same | | | | appreciate their concerns and business, and let them |
| time, services like AT&T are suffering because | | | | know how much their support means to them, and |
| of poor regard for their customers. | | | | you will have a thriving business. |
| When it comes to customer service, personalization is | | | | |