Devoted to small businesses and those who run them

Whether you are a small or a home-based business owner, it's very important that you understand that good customer service is the lifeblood of your business.  With great customer service (click that link, people; you'll learn a lot!), you will not only keep the clients you already have, you will also earn referrals and great public relations opportunities from them.  Merely mediocre customer service will mean you'd better have a product people can't live without or a service that they need and a price lower than most other folks.

Offering up crappy customer service?  Well, if you've got the absolute rock-bottom prices on earth, you'll probably keep a few people who are willing to deal with surly associates, cranky phone people, and lousy or late deliveries in order to save that last dollar they can.  That's the best case scenario.  Worst case scenario?  Better Business Bureau complaints and a big, fat "Going Out of Business" sign on your front door.

Case in point: my parents (home-based business owners themselves) recently had electrical work done on their home.  The project took several days to complete, partly due to outdated wiring (don't ask) that the contractor had to get parts for.  That's understandable, and it's a delay that is not his fault.  However, the multiple appointments he set and then showed up hours and hours late for...hmmm.  To add fuel to the fire, not only was he late almost every time he was supposed to arrive, he also chose not to call and inform them he'd be late.  The first time was a personal emergency.  Understandable!  Not calling?  NOT understandable.  Another time it was being called to an emergency job where a school or something had a power outage.  Understandable.  Not calling?  Unacceptable.  Luckily for him, my folks were very patient and understanding about it, and they were ultimately happy with the work he did, which did pass muster with the local inspector a couple of days ago.  Me?  I'd have started looking elsewhere the second time I had to hunt him down several hours past when he'd agreed to arrive.  He's lucky, frankly, that they chose to keep him on the job and he got paid.

Tomorrow I'll tell you about the customer service nightmare I am still dealing with from the sale of my former home, which was supposed to take place back in December.  I'd tell you tonight, but I need to censor my own language first!