by Lee Mathews

Created on: May 17, 2008   Last Updated: May 28, 2008

Success in business is just like everything else - mistakes are going to be made, and you've got to do your best to learn from them when they happen. Of course, looking at common mistakes that other businesses make can prove extremely helpful, too. I have a few key rules that I've developed for myself over the years, and I've arrived at them primarily through watching the exact opposite happen right in front of me.

Rule 1: Don't ignore your customers.

Sometimes you just have to stop what you're doing and see what a customer needs. They're the whole reason you have a business, so their needs come before yours (and your staff's). How many, many times I've overheard rambling personal phone conversations continue well after a customer approaches a staff member's desk. If someone approaches you, that means they want your attention, and they deserve it. It doesn't take much to lose a customer, and standing around being ignored can make ANYONE feel like they're unwanted and unwelcome. If you haven't walked into a retail clothing store where behavior like this has made you leave (or want to), you're in a slim minority.

Rule 2: Know your stock.

As a customer, if I approach a staff member who sits immediately behind a display cabinet full of digital cameras, I fully expect that he or she might be the person to talk to about those items. There may be someone in the store who is the "expert," but I don't expect to be told immediately to hang on while someone goes to get someone else. Being able to provide quick, accurate information is imperative in building customer confidence and trust. If you work in a business 40 hours a week, there's plenty of time to get up from your chair and take a walk around to learn where things are and read up on product literature.

Rule 3: Know what you don't know.

If someone asks me a question that I just can't answer, I never waste time dancing around the issue. I can't know everything, and I don't know everything, so I'll politely ask if they mind waiting while I go to find out. I also make a point to let them know that I want to double-check so that I know they're not getting misinformed - that's a quick way to make them feel like they're getting good, honest customer service.

Rule 4: Don't promise if you can't deliver.

Anyone that works in a repair business knows what a killer this can be. It's pretty much a given that a customer feels a bit of let down when they need to have a broken item repaired, and it's natural to try and make them feel good by promising a swift turnaround - so you better come through. Many of my customers come from two hours away, so it would be a massive let-down for them to be promised a repair before they leave town only to find out that it's still not ready when they come back to pick it up. Rely on your past experience and give honest, accurate information! Customers want quality work even more than a quick fix - and 19 times out of 20 they're willing to wait for it.

My rules are all pretty rudimentary, and they're all common sense - and ignoring common sense is a sure-fire way to harm your business. Put yourself in the customer's shoes and think how not following these four rules would make you feel if you were on the other side of the counter, then decide how you can put them into action. The smallest things can determine the success - or failure - of your business!

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