Whether you are running an online business, a service business, or a brick and mortar store selling physical products, practicing and maintaining quality customer service is the key to a successful customer database and longevity for your business.

It is FAR easier to lose customers due to poor service rather than for your product's quality or cost.

Loyal customers are important to your bottom line. Studies show that repeat customers typically spend more money, generate larger transactions, refer more customers, and buy a broader range of products than one-time shoppers.

What determines whether or not a customer will choose to be loyal to your company and keep a professional relationship with you is considered by the practices you as a company adhere to.

In fact, 68% of people quit doing business with companies that have poor customer service.

How can you give great customer service?

Using the following tips will ensure that you provide the best possible customer service you can, and keep your customers coming back for more.

Make the Customer Feel Valued and Not Like Just a Number

This may seem obvious, but you would be surprised just how many companies do not practice this. When you are talking to a customer, address them with their name as often as you can, this adds a personalized aspect to your customer, letting them know you are paying attention to them and valuing them as a person, rather that just a nameless customer who purchased an item or service from your company.

If you find that there is no immediate resolution to their complaint, find another means of creating a satisfactory solution to the matter at hand.

If possible, offer something else of value as an added bonus. Offer to send a replacement of the item, until theirs is fixed in your repair department, or arrange for Fedex to pick the item up from their home free of charge. All of these choices will result in a satisfied customer who will want to continue to purchase from you, and most likely tell their friends and family how wonderful your company is. A satisfied customer spreading a good solid testimony for your company virally can translate into large profits over the long run.

Always Practice Active Listening Skills

When a customer calls, emails or approaches you with a question or concern, make sure you can focus one hundred percent on what they are saying.

It is often easier for a customer service representative who is only on the phone or email support to pay half a mind to the customer since they are not in their presence to gauge any facial reactions; but remember, a customer will pick up on your tone of voice or the way you comment if you do not listen to what they are saying.

The only way to truly be able to resolve your customer's issue is to give all of your attention to the matter at hand, so you can properly analyze and interpret the situation for an accurate diagnosis.

Active listening requires you to ask questions for clarification so to best understand the problem. This in turn let's the customer know you are listening to what they are saying, and doing your best to solve their issue.

Provide Your Customer Service Staff with Updated Training Materials

If you have a staff of customer service representatives who are helping you to run your business, you must provide them with necessary updated tools for success.

If you have a technical support service department, make sure they have the latest training and technology at their disposal. A positive customer service experience can not be achieved with outdated technology.

Employees will not want to work with you if they feel that they can not complete a job as required with the best possible resources available. You will also want to have levels of advancement that are obtainable for the employees who would like to expand and grow within your company.

A happy employee means a productive work environment, which means you spend less time trying to sustain a workforce, and can instead concentrate on improving the aspects of your business you would like to.

Home Based Businesses Need Good Customer Service Too

For a home based business, because the customer cannot see you face to face, it needs to be apparent in some way that you are concerned with their experience.

Try to be very swift with e-mail returns or phone call returns. When a customer has a question or complaint and has to wait for days or weeks for a response, they will most likely go with another company who is more than willing to answer their queries.

Surprise Customers By Over-Delivering

Throw in surprise extras or deals when a customer places a large order. Everyone likes to get something free!

When you throw in a discount or a free item, you show the customer that you truly appreciate the fact that they chose you over your competition.

This makes for loyal customers who are happy to choose you over other businesses they could choose.

Are your customers loyal or simply satisfied?

Make Customers Feel Understood - Even When They Are Wrong

If a customer has an issue with your business - even if you know that they are being a bit too demanding or picky, remember that they are 'right.' Listen to what they have to say, without interrupting.

One of the most common reasons customers get angry or defensive is because they feel vulnerable or misunderstood. They see themselves as small and powerless, unable to control the situation.

They view it as you holding all the keys, because you literally and figuratively are. In an attempt to gain control, they may yell, swear and/or threaten to take their business elsewhere.

Even if you don't agree, simply apologize that your customer feels upset or disturbed (you don't need to imply it was their fault or your fault, simply apologize that they feel upset) and offer to replace, refund or compensate them in some way.

These are just some of the ways a superb customer service experience can be achieved. Practicing and implementing solid, positive work ethics when dealing with your customers will add value to your business in more ways than just monetary.

You will provide a stable, enjoyable place for your employees and customers alike. This in turn will add up to higher production rates, added customer database and a business you can be proud of and carry on for years to come.

Quite honestly, giving great customer service comes down to recognizing how you would want to be treated in the same situation.

If you're struggling to think of what the best way to react to a particular situation is, put yourself in the customer's shoes and ask yourself "What would I want to have happen?" Remembering this will help you achieve the best levels of customer service possible!

1. Listen

Turn on your ears, and turn off your lips. People who are upset tend to blame everything on the first person they talk to. Take full responsibility and say nothing. Never get defensive or interrupt the customer with your version of what happened, as this will only upset them further. It's critical that you remain silent and listen to everything they have to say.

2. Remain Silent

Once the customer is finished their version of what happened, remain quiet for a moment. At this point, the customer might ask whether you are still there.

This is a calming technique. Pregnant pauses are very powerful when it comes to angry people. You have accomplished an important goal with your silence. That goal is to get them from their temporary psychotic episode, back to acting like a normal human being - so you are able to communicate with them.

3. Make Them Feel Understood

Reconfirm what they have said. Tell them "Let me make sure I understand this correctly." Then paraphrase back to them what you have heard them say.

It helps if you were writing down this information while they were speaking to you. Writing down what they tell you makes the customer feel important. In addition, it's another calming technique for customers who are swearing.

When you ask them to please slow down because you are taking notes, they quickly understand that you are writing everything they say. Anything you can possible do to slow the rate of the conversation to between 100-120 words per minute will have a calming effect, not only on you but on the customer as well.

Although you might think you completely understood what the customer is complaining about, take a few minutes to paraphrase what you think you heard. The reason why is because it increases the likelihood of having a more rational exchange of information. While you paraphrase, ask several times if you are correct in your understanding. Tip: Use closed questions so their response will always be "yes." The word "yes" calms people.

4. Apologize

Even if you know the situation was n ot your fault, it is crucial that you accept full responsibility for the situation. You don't have to say it was your fault, but you do need to apologize for the fact that they feel upset or inconvenienced.

Apologize for what has happened, and let the customer know you will help them.

As I stated earlier, customers get angry when they feel afraid and out of control. They attempt to gain control with yelling, swearing and threats.

5. Fix it

Let the customer know what you are going to do to resolve the problem. Tip - the faster you can resolve it the better.

Despite popular belief, 75% of customers prefer staying with a business that resolves their complaint quickly, and would rather not have to look for somewhere else to take their business. Businesses that treat them with respect and honesty will be rewarded with their loyalty.

For more customer service tips, go to: 197 Surefire Customer Service Techniques for People With No People Skills

Have you had any customer experiences you think you handled well?

How about customer complaints you think you could have done a better job of responding to?

Any customer service issues you still aren't sure how you should respond to?

I want to know - share them by leaving a comment below!