The customer is always right, right? He had better believe it if he wants to survive in today’s competitive market.

When you follow the money trail to its source, you understand that taking good care of your customers isn’t just important, it’s imperative. More than any other factor, the service you provide to your customers affects the success or failure of your business.

Good customer service starts the moment a potential customer contacts you. Let’s say you have an electronics store. A man walks in looking for a plasma television. The first part of good customer service involves pleasant, helpful workers responding to customer needs with a helping hand to guide them through their experience. With proper customer service, you are able to see your options, find what you need, and leave satisfied with a purchase that you like. But good customer service doesn’t stop there.

Suppose the customer comes home and starts watching his new television. Within minutes, the TV starts to smell funny and make strange sounds. The man calls the store very upset with his new product.

Suppose you come across a useless salesperson who, in a nutshell, tells you “bad luck.” The customer will not only not shop at his store again, but will tell an average of seven people about his bad experience with you. However, if the person on the phone apologizes, takes responsibility, and offers an acceptable solution, he is likely to calm down. By allowing you to easily return the product and get a replacement, this store guarantees your loyalty, future business and positive referrals.

Therefore, good customer service begins at the initial contact point and ends when the consumer is completely satisfied with the product or service, which can be long after the sale has occurred.

While this may seem like a lengthy process, excellent customer service is the most controllable difference between you and your competition. With so many options available, consumers have little to no reason to stay loyal to a company if they are not 110% satisfied with the experience. This brings us to the next important aspect of customer service, the FUBB Factor.

Tracking Beyond Belief – FUBB. This is the most important factor between good and excellent customer service. FUBB refers to the practice of going above and beyond the call of duty to please the customer. In today’s highly competitive economy, it is crucial to keep track of each and every way possible. Follow up to the point that your customers can’t resist telling other people about you.

If a customer makes a suggestion, follow it up. If a customer experiences an issue, follow up and make sure it’s resolved to their satisfaction. If a mistake was made, take responsibility, whether you made it or not. Then ask your customers for feedback to gauge how they really feel about your service.

When the customer is happy, business is good. They tell others about you. Life is good. But if the customer isn’t satisfied, they are likely to face bad reviews, negative word-of-mouth publicity, and a lost customer forever. Make sure great customer service is high on your long to-do list. It’s just smart business. A single client, well served, someone whose concerns you have followed up beyond belief, can pay big dividends down the road.