Starting an Online Business All-in-One For Dummies®, 3rd Edition

Delivering On Your Promises

After you establish your basic principles of operation, you have to deliver on them. Executing, or following through, on the policies you create isn't easy, but it's essential for several reasons.

These policies represent promises to your customers and determine what customers come to expect from you. Failing to meet these expectations compromises your reputation and, ultimately, eats away at your sales.

Equally important are the consequences when you fail to deliver and then incur a legal liability. The government mandates and monitors several policies. Even a small oversight can land you in hot water with both your customers and federal laws!

Nobody's perfect, and you might fail to deliver on a promise now and then. If you fail, be sure to follow these steps:

1. Notify your customer immediately.
2. Apologize for your mistake.
3. Correct the problem.
4. Offer a partial or full refund, a free gift, or a discount on future purchases.