3. Provide your customers with a shipping confirmation message and a tracking number. (If you are using a shipping process that allows you to track shipping status of orders).

4. Make your phone number highly visible on your web site.

Many Internet businesses think that they do not have to talk to customers because they have a web site and they do not a physical store. If you think talking to customers, solving their problems and addressing their concerns is not worth your time, you are wrong! Making it easy for customers to conduct business with you, is what building a relationship is all about.

5. Provide details of your customer service policy and response time.

Show your customers that you care about them. Post your customer service policies. "We return all e-mail inquiries within 24 hours". If this is your policy, then make sure you do it. Most consumers on Internet are surprised if a company responds to inquires within 24 hours. If you can do it faster, you can start building relationships faster.

6. Have a process for handling large problems with customer orders.

Make sure your order form requires customers telephone number. If you have a big problem filling a customer's order, have your customer service person call them on telephone. That's right, call them on telephone! If you think it exceeds a customers expectations by responding to their e-mail request within 24 hours, imagine kind of relationship you can build if you call them, instead of waiting 24 hours for them to respond to your e-mail.

7. Technical F.A.Q.'s

Make sure your web site has complete and current technical information. If you want your customer service people off of phone, make it easy for your customers to solve their own technical problems. You can do this by offering easy to read and easy to follow technical advice on your web site. Don't forget to let customers know how quickly you will respond to their technical questions too! Our advice is, faster you can respond better your relationship will be.

Implement these seven easy steps and you will be on your way to building relationship based transactions, that will last a lifetime!

What kind of questions should be listed in your F.A.Q. section? Here are some of most common questions that many companies leave out.

1. Operating hours and phone numbers organized by department. 2. Return policies and procedures. 3. Local Sales Tax. 4. How customers can track their order status. 5. International Shipping policies. 6. How back orders are handled. 7. Expected response time to all types e-mail inquiries. 8. How to return damaged goods received. 9. The types of credit cards accepted and other acceptable methods of payment.

It is virtually impossible to answer all potential inquires in your F.A.Q. section. Once you have a good one set up, monitor new questions that come in and add them to your F.A.Q. section as quickly as possible. Help your shoppers help themselves and you'll retain your customers and you will increase sales!