Golden Customer Rules

First and foremost, treat them as you would like to be treated. 

There was a great article published in the January 4th edition of the Akron Beacon Journal, titled “Customers appreciate Golden Rule”, contributed by Akron Ohio’s SCORE chapter. SCORE is a partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Although geared to small business, the advice from this article is definitely applicable to businesses of all sizes. It provides many valuable suggestions of how to focus on your greatest asset of all – your customers.

Some excerpts of this article are:

• Sometimes we get so caught up in the mechanics of doing business that we forget the reason we're in business in the first place. You need to incorporate customer service into your business culture.
• Customer service should be as routine as paying your bills or ordering office supplies. It doesn't have to be elaborate to make an impression.
• Put yourself in your customers' shoes. Ask yourself how you would like to be treated and then act accordingly.
• Keep your customers apprised of the status of their accounts. If an order is held up, let the customer know as soon as possible.
• When dealing with customers or clients over the telephone, try not to put them on hold for longer than a minute or two. If you expect to be tied up for longer than that, take a message and respond as soon as possible.
• Thank customers for their business. If customers regularly visit your place of business, make them feel welcome. Be sure to introduce them to key members of your organization.
• Finally, when you sit back and ask yourself how your business is doing, be sure to ask your customers as well. Send them postage-paid response cards or make a questionnaire available in your place of business.

Customers are our greatest asset. Without them, there is nothing – companies simply don’t exist.  In keeping with that fact, I would like to direct you to an old post that covers what happens when you don’t treat them like your greatest asset.   

How are you treating your customers?  Are you following the golden rules? 

Comments

[SBA 8a Program]

Thank you for giving all these valuable suggestions. Reading this article will surely help business owners to focus on their customers and get better results.

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SBA Contract

[SBA Development]

You are absolutely right! Customers are the greatest assets of any business. Can you tell us more about Small Business Administration SBA

[GSA Schedule Contracts]

Thanks for providing all that useful suggestions. It will surely help us.

[SBA 8a Certification]

Great article - Please keep on posting.

[Outsource Call Center]

Great post! very informative. I believe that treating the customer so politely makes them so comfortable with your services. Anyway, thanks for the post.

-fern-

[8a certification]

You will find that as a business becomes more established that the business begins to focus less on the customer. It's a good idea for business owners to step back and take a look at how they are treating their customers.