5 Golden Online/Offline Business Rules To LIVE Or DIE By

Whether online or off, if you plan on running or maintaining any type of credibility within your business, there are some guidelines that are safe to say any existing or potential customer expects if they are to do immediate or future business with you.

As an online entrepreneur for over 3 years I have found that even though I don't have the pleasure of meeting face-to-face with my customers, ones perception of you and your business can be viewed as good or bad all depending on the way you handle questions or comments posted by people interested in your product.

Here is a list of 5 MUST DO'S that any one customer will come to expect if they are to do business with you.

(1) Be Prompt ? although it may be an exhausting task to keep up with all the general inquiries or questions about any one product that your visitors have, be sure to respond as soon as possible because the more time it takes for your reply, the more likely a prospect will go elsewhere to do business.

A great way to resolve many questions without having to physically type a letter each and every time is to provide a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page for a potential prospect to view for quick reference.

Sometimes a potential customer may ask questions just to make sure there is a live person ready to assist if there is a need to do so.

(2) Be Polite ? for the online business people, even though your not looking at the person who is requesting information, it is wise to act as if they are standing right in front of you.

The way you word your messages can impact the way you make people feel.

If someone was to send a letter stating that they really didn't like the product they purchased and would like a refund (and sometimes you can tell if they are upset), be sure to promptly honor that refund and just say your sorry that they were unhappy with the purchase.

Being polite can lead to no hard feelings and even produce more sales from this person in the future because they are happy with the way you handled their problem.

If sending a letter, it is good practice to start it with a "Hello" or "Greetings" followed by the customers name and end every letter with a "Thank You", "Sincerely", "Warm Wishes", or "Best Regards" followed by your name.

(3) Be Helpful ? the reason why you are being contacted by an actual or potential customer is because they probably desire something and you'll need to provide a solution for their problem.

After answering a customer question, it never hurts to ask them if there is anything else you can assist them with.

By doing this it shows you are there for them and that you really want them to be happy with the services you provide.

(4) Be Sincere ? when answering question people may have about your products or if your just sending a "thank you" letter, make it sound as if you really mean it (and you should).

This will give people a sense of connection with you and will be less nervous to do business with you.

(5) Be Honest ? of all the golden rules presented to you within this article, this by far may be the most determining factor whether or not your business thrives or suffers a grueling demise.

By being honest about the product or service you offer and what they can expect from such a service, you'll show people you're a straightforward businessperson and someone who really does care about helping others.

This will lead your customers not only to feel comfortable dealing with you now, but most likely in the future also.

The Bottom Line Is...... The way you treat your customers can be more satisfying to them than the actual item your selling.

And remember, with all the competition and choices available these days, you now have the opportunity to stand out from the crowd.

Dan Preston has been in the ebook business for over 3 years and has enjoyed every moment of it. His website "The Online Book Store" offers a variety of ebooks big enough to answer almost anyone's how-to questions. http://online-book-store.net

---

Develop Loyal Customers for a Lifetime ? part 2 (11 ? 20)

Traditional marketing strategies encourage business owners to continually grow their... Read More

How to Easily Increase Your Profits

Do you remember the last time you went into a... Read More

Automating Your Customer Support

My regular readers will know that one of the things... Read More

How To Use Your Current Customers

Jay instructed a customer of his to offer a rare... Read More

Doesnt Anybody Work Here? Nametags Impact Employee Communication

Walmart was the first business to require all its employees... Read More

Customer Service and Call Center Outsourcing, Whats The Buzz?

The buzz is all about customer service and call center... Read More

Is your Online Business Customer-Friendly?

Customer service is increasingly seen as one of the most... Read More

Why You Should Always Honour Your Guarantees - Even When The Customer Is In The Wrong

The Reason Why Direct Internet Marketers Have To Work So... Read More

Dissatisfied or Rude Customers Can Be Satisfied Customers

On a recent airline flight I was an upset... Read More

Customer Service Is Dying - and Im Not Feeling So Good Myself

Have you ever called a company and been greeted with... Read More

Passing the After-Sales Test

Some time ago a major UK food retailer decided to... Read More

Managing Your Business When One Client Takes Alot of Your Time

How often has your schedule been thrown out of whack... Read More

Handling Angry Clients

What do you do when your client gets mad at... Read More

Why Communication Skills Dont Work In Customer Service

Every time my firm conducts communication skills training, we know... Read More

5 Golden Online/Offline Business Rules To LIVE Or DIE By

Whether online or off, if you plan on running or... Read More

Leverage Customer Capital First

If you're still dreaming about raising outside capital for your... Read More

Invalid Excuses for Poor Business Results - The Weather

Note to Kmart: It wasn't about the weatherIn the 1970s... Read More

Customer Service Has Moved Toward Customer Care

As I waited for an answer to my VCR inquiry... Read More

Stand Out in Business the Write Way

When was the last time you received a handwritten note... Read More

Clients - What They Want from You

A growing number of individuals are finding themselves called to... Read More

Find Out Where Your Firm Stands in Today?s Customer

Looking For Ways to Improve Sales and Customer Relationships?Find Out... Read More

How to Walk the Floor and Talk to Customers

This may seem a strange topic to introduce. Yet, it... Read More

Customer Service Tips for Mail Order Businesses

Can we be too good to our customers?... Read More

4 Things Your Clients Want From Your Company

Sure, all clients are different. They have different kinds of... Read More

A New Way To Handle Complaints, Or Is It?

What a lot of money we have been wasting on... Read More

All of the World of Business Is a Stage

One of the basics of acting taught to me in... Read More

What You Need to Know About CRM

1. It's all about the customer. Some companies focus too... Read More

Profit from a Customer Service Recovery Program

A client recently said to me: "Most days things seem... Read More

Customer Service - A Lost Art?

Is customer service a lost art? Before you answer that... Read More

Does Your Customer Talk Back To You?

What is your customer saying about you? Do you really... Read More

How to Deliver Exceptional Customer Service

Having been in business a number of years, I'm amazed... Read More

Raising The Bar For Online Magazine Subscription Services And Customer Service

After years of flying below the radar in the magazine... Read More

Take Care of Yourself Before You Take Care of Your Customer

One of the most important questions people ask when they... Read More