How To Become An EntrepreneurLearning how to become an entrepreneur requires a different mindset from that of most employees. If you don’t “do” customer service right, you may as well install a revolving door at the front of your business.

In most cases, proper customer service costs little or nothing, yet it can put you out of business if you don’t get it right. My good friend, Mike Sigers, talks about Customer Service Simplified at his blog, Simplenomics.

While the “How to Become An Entrepreneur” teachers spend lots of time on Profit and Loss forms, mission statements, business plans, and financing, they must miss the customer service chapter.

It’s pretty simple:

1.  Listen.

2.  Don’t assume the customer is wrong.

3.  Check your facts before replying. Do not – under any circumstances – lie to protect your butt. If you made a mistake, admit it.

4.  Your customer is already aggravated. Becoming antagonistic is NOT going to help the situation, but will only escalate it.

5.  If it’s your mistake, apologize.  If it’s someone else’s mistake within your company, apologize.

6.  Don’t ever forget that a PO’d customer will go to the ends of the earth to tell others how poorly you have treated them.

I would gladly pay more to companies that treat me well.

Want to compete with the big boys? Treat your customers like company comin’ to dinner.

Here are some examples of poor – and great – customer service I’ve experienced within the last week.

The winner of the “We just want your money – not your problems” Award goes to United Parcel Service for the two days of our lives LOST trying to recover a stray Christmas present.

  • The first day (Thursday) we waited till 8PM because we were assured it was on the truck and all packages have to be delivered. No package.
  • The second day (Friday) I get a phone call at 8AM saying the package was ON THE TRUCK. They blamed the shipper and said they had the wrong address. “What address do you have?”, I asked. Turns out it was correct.
  • We called 3 times throughout the day trying to find out when they’d be here. Each time we’re told they verified it’s on the truck and they could not check further until 7:30.  Finally at 7:50 PM, the UPS office calls to say the package was NEVER on the truck and that the person calling at 8AM that morning only called to verify the address so they could deliver it on Tuesday.
  • Well, we ended up driving down Friday night and picked it up ourselves.
  • Any apology?  Of course not!

Today I went to the lab for some blood work. The front desk woman:

  • Started SCREAMING at a guy, saying he had 3 types of insurance and none of them were any good so he either needed to give her $100 or get the heck out of there until he could straighten it out. English was his second language so when he kept telling her it didn’t make any sense, she just ignored him.  All of a sudden she says, “Never mind, I typed in the wrong name.” Any apology? Of course not!
  • After waiting 45 minutes (you are usually in and out), I asked her how much longer I could expect to wait. She said, “where’s your name on the sign in sheet?”. Apparently, she had gone to the next sheet, cause my signature wasn’t there. “Well, you apparently didn’t sign in. What do you expect?” she snarled. When I pointed out she had personally verified my insurance 25 minutes earlier, she looked down and saw she had never sent my file back. Any apology? Of course not!

Maybe by now you’re thinking that the problem only rests with large companies and not those who want to learn how to become an entrepreneur or already operate a small or home business.

Sadly, that’s not the case. Rudeness and ineptitude are not tied to company size.

Remember my friend, Mike? Last year, he’d ordered an internet marketing-related product, primarily for the bonuses that were offered. When he never received the bonuses – and contacted the owner – he was called a liar. When he proved what was promised, this marketer not only refused to apologize but he deleted Mike from his list because he didn’t need “his kind”!!  Hmmm….guess how many times Mike has repeated the story….and the number of times myself and others have repeated this. Pretty much every time this guy’s name comes up!

Are you “getting” how the How to Become An Entrepreneur Customer Service Tip isn’t rocket science? Basically, not being a jerk will get you ahead of most companies out there!

Now, let me end with an example of excellent customer service. The other day I got an email from one of my favorite authors, Peter Montoya. While his email was dated January 5, 2006, his offer expired on December 31, 2005. I sent him a quick email pointing out the error.

Today I get a phone call from Mark Montoya apologizing for the error and telling me they were sending the book out free of charge as a thank you.

Tough call….who do you think is going to get my business in the future??