| In business ones reputation is the key to success or | | | | being neat, smart and respectful to customers. |
| failure. The way that your business is perceived can | | | | Whatever the business, money has to change hands |
| stay with you for years. It is important to recognise | | | | for staff to be paid. Sometimes staff can lose sight |
| all the different factors that contribute to your brand | | | | of that fact and they need to be reminded of it |
| being identified as a good, efficient and reliable | | | | regularly. |
| supplier of your goods or services. | | | | - Recognise that whilst price is an important factor, |
| - Be clear as to your niche. Some businesses try to | | | | often reliability, speed and quality of service are |
| be everything to everybody and end up losing their | | | | often equally important, if not more so. Providing |
| way. It is important, especially in the early days, to | | | | what people want, when they want and need it is |
| define your role clearly and concisely. There is no | | | | the most important aspect of building a successful, |
| need to be a jack of all trades. It is far more | | | | long lasting business reputation. Customer satisfaction |
| efficient and effective to form allegiances with | | | | is the key to longevity. |
| associated companies if it appears that that would | | | | - Be inviting. Having the best product in the world in |
| work well for all parties. That way you become | | | | ugly packaging might work well as an occasional |
| recognised as a specialist and can tap into the other | | | | gimmick. But having an inviting looking product with |
| associated businesses leads too. | | | | clear user instructions is an important way to build up |
| - Deal with complaints efficiently. Nothing travels as | | | | product loyalty. |
| fast as bad news. Dealing with complaints and | | | | - Customer feedback is a useful way to get opinions |
| dissatisfaction speedily and respectfully can turn a | | | | and different users viewpoints on your companys' |
| bad situation into a good one. Everyone makes | | | | performance. A short relevant survey can get |
| mistakes and people will accept that, but only if a | | | | specific information about your company that can be |
| mistake is acknowledged and put right quickly and | | | | used to enhance any areas that need improvement. |
| with a good grace. | | | | - Taking customers email addresses is an efficient |
| - Have an efficient answering service. Customers | | | | way to build a useful database that can keep in |
| often get frustrated at having to queue to have | | | | touch with customers, mail shot them about specific |
| their order, query or complaint dealt with. Try to | | | | promotions and provide them with valuable |
| have targets in place where phone lines are | | | | information about developments in their business |
| answered within an allotted time span. | | | | niche. By providing generous informative mail shots |
| - Train staff. Staff are often your customer facing | | | | your customers may well keep them to hand and |
| part of the business. Ensure that they are clear as to | | | | look out for them arriving in their in-box. |
| their roles, the company ethics, the importance of | | | | |