This missing link is often not even considered as part of a marketing plan - but it should be! What is secret to repeat business? Exceptional customer service. Are you surprised? You really shouldn't be. Put yourself in "consumer mode" for next minute or two and let's explore power of a solid customer service program.

Think of last time you purchased from a business and had a poor experience. What brought you to business to begin with? Maybe low price. Perhaps it was that company had a product/service you needed immediately. Even selection can play a role in attracting us to a business. But once you bought, what happened next?

When product didn't live up to your standards or when service didn't work as expected, did you get response you needed? Did company show concern for your position? Did they correct mistake or issue a refund? If not, you - like most others - probably left vowing never to buy from them again.

What you experienced was a marketing plan that had no follow-through. They were able to entice you and draw you in. They were successful in getting you to spend your money. However, when it came time for plan to promote "backend sales", it failed. It had no follow-through and they lost remainder of your business for life.

Customer service is foundation on which businesses are created. Unless you understand your customers and treat them with respect, you will go out of business. That is a well-known fact. However, too often leaders fail to see that creating high quality products, or delivering excellent services is dependant on people, not corporations. Individuals within your firm must be treated well and managers must be instilled with a caring attitude toward others in order for your business to function at its maximum potential. How can we expect our people to give customers good service if they are not given that from us – their leaders?

Superior internal customer service has a far-reaching arm. It extends to morale, productivity, profitability, external customer service, and every other area of your business. Those who receive excellent internal customer service exhibit pride, are quick to voluntarily offer assistance to others, and to identify and head of problems.

I have seen this phenomenon work every type of business imaginable. Companies that create a collaborative environment have a drastic reduction in employee and external customer service issues. Companies that suffer in internal customer service usually face more challenges.

Consider this real-life tale. A friend’s husband works for a corporation that recently merged with a former competitor. The previous organization continually took a proactive role in internal customer service; offering bonuses, recognition, surprises, support and a variety of other “perks” to employees. Sick days were taken only when needed, employees were pleased to wear clothing adorned with company’s logo, they constantly volunteered to assist co-workers and proudly offered external customers their full attention when problem solving.

However, shortly after merger, new organization abruptly ended all of these internal customer service programs. Employee attitudes have drastically changed for worse. Sick days are taken whenever employees would like to have an additional day off. The overall outlook of team members now is that there is no team. They have reverted back to stone-age viewpoint of company vs. employee.