AN EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE TIP

So often we forget that our customers are our boss. I think I discovered 
one significant reason why most of us fall into this "rut." The day we 
began our business we were as happy as could be. The customer was king! 
We didn't have many orders so we bent over backwards to make sure that all 
our customers were happy. Some of us might have even went overboard and 
"went into the hole" just because we were so overjoyed that we had received 
a customer order! 

But, later on, we became much more busy. We were putting in long hours, 
neglecting family and social life and realizing that being in business does 
have it's gloomy side. While we tried our best to give each customer personal 
attention, some customers couldn't be pleased if we hung ourself with a new 
rope! Therefore, new policies had to be established. Prices had to increase 
for you to invest into business growth. And somewhere in-between all this we 
lost the zeal for customer satisfaction. Instead of the customer being "king" 
he/she was now a "pawn."

What originally began as a eager desire to please your customers has now 
turned into a daily struggle. But who could blame you? You can remember 
spending $100 and 30 hours of time trying to help a beginner get started in 
mail order. However, after that beginner learned all your trade secrets they 
left owing you money and never giving you the time of day again. This made 
you cautious. Then how about the customer that pretended they were going to 
send you a $500 order, wasted an hour or so of your time (and long-distance 
phone charges) just to get them quotes before they sent in their money. 
Then _ after all the toil and added expenses, you never heard from the 
customer again. How irritating! At least, you thought, they could have sent 
you a "Thank You Note" for all the trouble they put you though.


But 20 minutes later, you get another phone call from a customer wanting to 
put you through the same thing. Only this time _ the guy is serious. Do you 
give this guy the same treatment you gave to the first customer? As a human 
being _ you normally can't because you are ruled by emotion. It takes someone 
with a lot of self-confidence in their own character to treat each customer 
like a big business!
   
Just treat every customer you talk to the same way you would treat someone 
from a big business _ who was getting ready to send you a $10,000 order! 
Unfortunately, some business owners allow owning a business to go to their 
heads. After they start becoming successful, the owner will think he/she is 
"king" and makes all the rules. He/she feels that their reputation speaks 
for itself and customer's are eager just to do business with them.

This normally happens because income increases and you don't "need" 
certain customers who you feel have been a thorn in your side. But although 
it is perfectly fine to do this _ if you dispel a customer solely based on 
the "amount" and "quantity" of orders he or she sends you _ that's a big 
mistake. Those small guys and gals might just grow up and become BIGGER 
businesses than you someday! Wouldn't you rather have them on your side? 
Wouldn't you rather be in a position to work with them _ perhaps on a 
multi-million-dollar contract together? One never knows what the future 
holds so try to BE NICE _ even if you have to grin and bear it!

That's why it's even more important to stop and think again. Are you 
guilty of having a business ownership ego? If you allow it to go too far 
you could lose your business entirely. Egos are a very tricky thing to deal 
with. A hurt ego's downside is normally jealousy, deceit and even criminal 
activity. Rage does nothing but tear you up emotionally inside and always 
erupts in bad behavior and lost relationships. Never, ever, go into a rage 
over the phone. If other people are screaming at you _ you will either calm 
them down by remaining calm yourself or show them up for being emotionally 
unstable. Rage is truly the result of an unstable personality trait. It's 
really NOT normal. So get with the program and be calm (and nice.)