In tough economic times, how we serve our clients is more important than ever. One of the critical elements to serving our clients well is listening to them, not just before they buy but continuously during our relationship.

The suggestions I make below are things that should be kept in mind for all customer touch points whether it be a conversation or a more formal satisfaction survey.

Measure Success, Not Satisfaction

Many formal and informal feedback efforts measure softer metrics, like, “Do you like our staff” or “Are we easy to do business with.” They ignore the primary measurement, that being, did the product or service get the result desired.…

In challenging economic times some businesses cut costs by cutting corners on their customer service. That is exactly the wrong thing to do. In tough economic times, how we serve our clients is more important than ever. Here is why:

1. When people buy during economic hard times they are very conscious of how every dollar is being spent. Clients want more attention, appreciation and recognition for their purchases, not less.

2. Clients want to be sure they get the maximum value for the money they choose to spend. They want easy to use and fast access to support and education about the products and services they purchase.…