Maintain Good Customer Service At A Fast-Growing Business

For any startup or small business, developing a standard of top-quality customer service is essential to maintaining relationships and growing a client base that is passionate about your business. However, when new companies become successful and grow from five clients to 50 in a matter of months, the first thing that suffers is often the level of customer service. To keep clients satisfied and happy while continuing to grow your business, consider these tips:

1. When you're developing and refining your strategies for growth and product development, make customer service a top priority. A service-driven culture starts at the top of the organization and is reinforced in every aspect of how you manage your business, including how you treat your employees. As you grow, focus on developing processes and technologies that ensure great service can be offered efficiently at scale.

2. Focus on recruiting. Hiring expert customer service professionals to match your rate of customer growth can be a scary prospect, but since they are most likely to interact directly with customers, it is ultimately a worthy investment. The first lapses in customer service often come from an overstretched staff.

3. Proactively seek feedback. Regularly check in with customers, formally or informally, to get feedback on your product and their customer service contact. The one-on-one time will reinforce your company's interest in your client, and can help address small problems before they become big problems.

4. Innovate for existing clients. New product innovations will help your company appeal to potential clients; offering the innovations to existing clients first demonstrates that you value them and reinforces your relationship with them.

Thanks to Tony Zito, Chief Executive Officer / Businessweek
http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/tips/archives/2011/06/maintain_good_customer_service_at_a_fast-growing_business.html