Manage the Customer,
Manage the Business

Of course, you don’t really manage customers. What you can, and should, manage is your relationship with them, particularly in the area of communication. Here are a few ideas. 

• When I came to Canada from Scotland many years ago, I sailed on a large passenger ship of the Cunard Line. It was an old ship; many things went wrong and the voyage was not a great experience for most of the passengers. Unfortunately, Cunard’s slogan at that time was, “Getting there is half the fun!” I can’t tell you how many sarcastic witticisms that irony spawned during the trip. Make sure your services live up to your promotion, or your credibility with clients will suffer. 
  
  
• Studies have shown that if we have a problem with a company and that problem is dealt with to our satisfaction (or even our delight), we will be more loyal to that company than if we had never had a problem. A client’s complaint is your opportunity to show how much you care, and to go out of our way not only to correct the problem, but to offer the client that little something extra to compensate for their trouble. That client is not only likely to come back, but also to spread the good word that you treat your clients well. 
  
  
• Very few people in business fulfill their promises. Do suppliers, salespeople or professionals call back when they said they would? Do tradespeople come to your home to do the repairs when they promised? Do people return calls when their voicemail messages promise? Rarely. In this service-starved society, just returning calls on time gives you a competitive advantage.

Customer service is accepted as a separate business discipline today, but I don’t see it that way. I believe it is part of everyone’s job, and should be written into job descriptions from the top of the organization to the bottom. Despite all efforts to systemize and measure customer service and satisfaction, it’s really very simple. All people want is to feel valued. Your client is saying, “Don’t do me any favors. I’m paying for this service, so please perform it as if I mattered to you.”