Small Business Tips and Advice

Research shows that it is less expensive and more profitable for businesses to retain existing customers than to acquire new ones. And one of the simplest ways to do that is by providing great customer service. Following are 12 easy ways to improve customer relations — and thereby increase sales — provided by business owners, CRM experts and marketers.

Note: For a full explanation of each tip, read my article, “A Dozen Simple Ways to Improve Customer Relations.”

1. Take responsibility for problems.
2. Embrace the complaints.
3. Respond quickly to customer queries.
4. Use social media.
5. Add live chat and collaboration tools to your website.
6. Reward good customers.
7. Follow up with customers.
8. Don’t over-automate.
9. Be flexible.
10. Have consistent CRM processes – and monitor what’s working and what’s not.
11. Personalize the online customer experience.
12. Say “thank you.”