Mos=
t owners
would like to think they and their employees provide excellent customer
service. How many times have you heard the saying, “The customer is
always right”? However, when customers become too demanding, they may=
be
right in principle but most likely they have become wrong for your business=
.
How=
much
quality customer service can you afford to give a particular client?
That’s a question with two dimensions: the financial cost and the ene=
rgy
cost.
Som=
etimes
it’s the smallest clients who expect the most. If yours is a very sma=
ll
business, no doubt you feel a kinship with other small businesses that want
your services, and naturally you want to treat them well. However, small or=
ders
and small projects can add up to a major headache. Let’s say the clie=
nt
wants immediate access to you during non-business hours or under other unus=
ual
circumstances. The solution? If you have any doubts when pricing a job for a
client, build in an extra charge for the “aggravation factor,” =
as
some entrepreneurs have termed it, or simply raise your prices. If you have not already done so,
consider setting and enforcing the minimum order size or fee you will accept
from clients. As a last resort, either decline the client’s business =
or
disengage from the order or project as soon as you can with the least finan=
cial
harm.
Sim=
ilarly,
respect is a two-way street. If a client does not trust you to perform work
competently, that situation will strain your business relationship as you
continuously struggle to understand what the client is really after. Or if a
prospective client has repeatedly asked for quotes or advice without commit=
ting
to a purchase, chances are good that any eventual business relationship wil=
l be
one of frustration at your end. The damage is compounded if the time demands
made by this type of client keep you from keeping your best customers happy=
.
Let=
’s
say you have a customer with a long history of complaints with your product=
s.
You know this because you and your employees have kept records of complaints
made. Now you have documentation of this customer’s history with you.=
By
comparing the number and nature of this customer’s complaints against
other customers, you can easily determine whether this is a customer you ca=
n do
without.
We =
all
believe in the principle of exemplary customer service based on the golden
rule. However, the level of customer service any small business can provide=
is
subject to the need to sustain profits.
One=
more piece
of advice: Do your part to keep the lines of communication open. For exampl=
e,
if clients do not understand the financial strain they cause your company by
making late payments, be proactive in finding out why they find it necessar=
y to
pay late. Clearly, the more information you take in about your customers=
217;
needs, interests and opinions of your product the better your decision-maki=
ng
will be about how much to invest in any given client relationship.
If =
you
would like to discuss this topic or business planning, business growth
strategies or a specific business issue, contact SCORE® “Counselo=
rs
to
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