The process of starting a business is certainly not easy but if you have the right amount of money, it can be done.  The real challenge comes after you open your doors to attract new customers and to keep them coming back for more.  How can this be done?

There is no universal answer to this question, but one of the things I have learned is that providing excellent service and treating customers with respect goes a long way.  This also plays into loyalty: if you are loyal to them, they will be loyal to you. Sometimes it doesn’t even matter what product you are offering, if you make the customer happy, they will repeat their business with you.

Let’s say you are looking to open a business and you call around to many different Consultancies for their assistance but only a few of them called you back right away. Out of the few, one simply directed you to their website instead of answering questions over the phone. The other said to email them any questions you have and they will respond by the “end of the week”.  But the third took the time to discuss the matter with you over the phone, have a conversation with you, and answer any questions you had. In addition, they offered to send you all the information that relates specifically to your questions and offered to meet with you to discuss the matter further. Which option would you choose?  It’s clear that option #3 has provided you with the best service and already is putting you on track to open your business.

When you provide excellent service and treat customers with urgency and respect, they are more likely to do business with you. In today’s world with technology and the ability to research questions at your fingertips, there is no reason to not have answers right away.  When a customer is planning to open a business, there is excitement and a level of urgency on their part.  They don’t want to sit around any longer as they made the decision to open a business and want to get started.  If you offer them a level of service that no one else is offering, they are more likely to choose your services and refer their friends or business partners to you for the same.  It’s a win-win situation for everyone.

What’s your worst experience with the customer service you have received?