Small Potatoes Will Grow

Thinkstock single image collectionAs a small business owner, I see customer service from a whole new perspective. When I opened my business banking account, I received exceptional customer service – far better than I had ever received before. Now, it could be this particular bank’s branch, but the cynic in me thinks reps cater more to the business owners than the individual with a regular account.

Businesses tend to prioritize their customers. It’s not unreasonable to think bigger customers get better service, right? But, by providing less-than-stellar service to a smaller customer, are you assuming that that account will always be “small potatoes?”

Not always a good assumption.

Consider this situation: Joe is working with a company – let’s call them Company X – on a project. In the grand scheme of things, it’s a relatively small project for Company X, but for Joe, it’s an important project. So, imagine the frustration that ensues when Joe feels like he’s being treated like a tiny fish in a big sea.

Here’s the kicker: Joe now has the opportunity to bid on (and a very good chance to win) dozens of similar projects for another client. But, you can be sure that he’s going to look elsewhere. If Company X can’t properly support one project, how could Joe assume that they could manage a higher volume of work?

The point is this: Small potatoes won’t always be small potatoes. What may start out as a small piece of business has the potential to turn into a larger client. For those of us on the agency side of PR, how do we know a small retainer won’t grow into a larger one? How you treat someone when they’re “small” will make or break your chance to win this larger piece of work.

The question is: What steps can you take to provide solid customer service to your clients, whatever the size?

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