Small Business For Dummies, 5th Edition

Chapter 13

Keeping Your Customers Loyal

IN THIS CHAPTER

Knowing how to satisfy customers so that they keep coming back

Communicating with unhappy and difficult customers

A huge factor in your business’s long-term success is not only attracting but also satisfying and retaining customers. As a small-business owner, you may be on the front lines of dealing with your business’s customers. However, if you have employees, they’ll likely be dealing with customers, too. Therefore, the importance of providing excellent customer service must be clear to everyone in your organization who has any impact (direct or indirect) on customer satisfaction. This includes the receptionist, the accounts receivable clerk, the delivery truck driver, and many others.

Although the level of customer service in many American businesses falls short, only a foolish business owner would assume that unhappy customers will continue to tolerate poor service or buy products that don’t perform. Consumers generally have many choices, so if you and your employees don’t satisfy your customers’ needs, you’ll likely face these unpleasant results:

• Competitive threats: Now more than ever, customers have many options for buying what your company has to offer. For the vast majority of businesses, competition is intense ...