Ten Rules for Great Customer Service

9. Focus on Customers, Not Sales

Salespeople, especially those who get paid on commission, sometimes forget the bigger picture, focusing on volume instead of the quality of the sale. Remember that to keep a customer's business is more important than to close a sale. Research shows that it costs six times more to attract a new customer than it does to keep an existing one, and customers who believe that you have their best long-term interests at heart are more likely to stay with you.

Happy customers are the best and most effective way to find new customers, as word-of-mouth recommendations will bring you more business. To ensure that you accurately track your customers, your business might want to invest in customer relationship management software.