Strong customer service is one of the most important foundations of a successful business. Whether providing a product or service, clients need to have a compelling reason to continue working with you.  With summer in full swing, it is a good time to think about laying solid groundwork for next year before the busy fall season sets in.  I think it makes great sense to use the month of August to assess your service skills. Once you have an honest understanding of your skills so far, consider ways to boost your customer service this fall. Here are a few easy tips for delivering a positive experience for your clients:

• Make the effort to always answer your phone. If you can’t answer the phone, always return phone calls promptly.  If you can’t return a call within a few hours, consider sending a quick email to that person acknowledging their call and letting them know you will be in touch as soon as possible.

• Only make commitments you can keep. Reliability is one of the keys to any good relationship.  Don’t overstretch what you can deliver or make promises that you can’t keep.  By over delivering, you make a much better impression than by falling short and risk leaving them in a bind.

• Actively listen to your clients and help them in meaningful ways.  Don’t assume that you know what they want or need.  Ask them and then help guide them to realize their goals.

• Go the extra mile.  Thank them for their business, make a helpful connection for them, follow up on a topic you discussed and solve their problems.

There are so many unique ways to deepen the relationships you have with your clients. The only way to know what level of service they value is to ask them. Identify how they wish to conduct business and then find a way to make that work for both of you. Keeping the lines of communication open and honest will help to secure a loyal, long term and meaningful relationship.