SmallBusinessNewz

I've been writing a lot lately about treating customers right because I feel that a business that can put themselves in the shoes of the customer, will better be able to serve their own, and ultimately get more business as a result.

I also think we can all identify with how customers are treated, because we're all customers it one capacity or another. Everybody is a customer to someone.

So aside from not annoying them or deceiving them, and trying to ensure that they can shop in a comfortable environment, show them that they are important to you, because after all, they are.

My friend Rafael, recently told me about an experience he had taking his dog to the vet. He said that aside from them being extraordinarily friendly, they were willing to stay with him well after closing hours to explain things to him and answer any questions he had. Basically, they were making sure he was taken care of as well as he wanted to be without trying to hurry him up or force him out.

This is a shining example of what I'm talking about. They went above and beyond the call of duty. They could've just performed their services and told him they were closing, but they wanted to make sure he was satisfied. They probably knew that making him feel important would keep him coming back for future visits.

I am also reminded of my high school days working at a restaurant as a cook. People would often come in to eat just as we were closing for the night, but management would almost always let them come in and order. We as cooks were of course generally annoyed by this, but the managers knew that welcoming their business was in the best interest of the restaurant, and customers are what it is always about.

Even when it is an inconvenience, showing customers that they matter is always the right decision.

I'm sure everyone reading this has had both experiences where they felt that a business was really going out of their way to help them and others where they felt like the business couldn't care less. Which ones do you find yourself going back to?