Perhaps--but I like to think that no matter how big or small, a company's first priority is to satisfy its customers.

There's such a thing as "Buffalo Hunter's Syndrome"--the feeling that because there always has been plenty of a certain thing (in this case customers) there always will be plenty. But we need only to look at what happened to once great Buffalo herds of American plains to understand fallacy of this way of thinking (are you listening K-Mart? Ames?).

CUSTOMER DISSATISFACTION IS LIKE A CANCER

No matter how big an enterprise, dissatisfaction can eat away like a cancer. The bigger entity, perhaps longer it takes for "disease" to run its course--but it will run its course!

Large companies often dedicate entire teams and departments to customer service--to studying it, measuring it, and supposedly improving it. But what about small business owners, or even solo-professionals--individuals who are one-person businesses--who either don't have time or lack budget for such an approach? How can they handle customer service?

KEEP IT SIMPLE

As a solo professional, I've kept my customer satisfaction process simple, relying on two main principles to guide me.

Principle #1--It takes less effort and drains less of my energy to be helpful and pleasant than it does to be a "grump." Try it sometime. If you're having a bad day, go ahead and be genuinely nice to next customer who calls, emails or visits--even smile while you're on phone. Dare to laugh! You're bound to get an energy lift, an up-tick on your mood meter. You'll be happier . . . and so will customer.

Principle #2--Role play. Whenever I'm contacted by a customer or potential client, I imagine myself in that person's position. How would I feel? What would my needs be? How would I want to be treated? I then respond accordingly.

One of biggest challenges for small business owners is finding a fast, effective way to bring in new customers. That’s because most owners must wear several hats – bookkeeper, technical support representative, human resources manager and marketer. And, of course, owners must provide quality goods or services. Finding time to market can be especially difficult if you are a one- or two-person operation.

The reality is that spending time to market is essential to maintaining or growing a business. It helps you avoid one of biggest pitfalls in small business: relying on a big client or two for lion’s share of your company’s revenue.

Two things often happen in this scenario. First, business tend to provide preferential treatment to older, bigger client rather than to smaller, new client, which may cost some business. Secondly, businesses find themselves in a tenuous position by putting most of their eggs in one basket. If primary client leaves, company could be economically devastated.

A healthy company always has new clients coming in door as well as happy existing clients. You can rely on word of mouth to get those new clients on board, but usually it’s not enough. Here are three tips to help you stay on top of marketing efforts.

Get organized. Hire someone to create a database of that huge stack of business cards that you’ve been keeping in your top desk drawer. Make sure it’s a database you can easily use for emails or mailings – like your Microsoft Outlook contacts or ACT! Having all your potential customers at your fingertips is money well spent.