"Ask most people what they like about working with [small B2B companies]," says Steve Adams in an article at MarketingProfs, "and you'll hear answers such as 'their personal approach' or 'I'm not just a number to them' or 'I get to work with the heavy hitters instead of some trainee just out of school.'"

These positive feelings can turn negative, however, if you fail to meet basic customer-service expectations. Suddenly, your small business starts to look too small, and clients begin wonder whether they should have gone with a larger firm.

To avoid that fate, consider advice like this:

• A single phone line won't cut it. "Nothing says 'too small' like a phone number that returns a busy signal or a phone that rings and rings until the caller finally gives up," says Adams. If a private branch exchange (PBX) system is too costly, use a virtual service that routes calls to extensions and enables clients to leave voicemail. "Callers will never get a busy signal and won't be stuck in a ringing loop," he points out, "and so they will gain confidence that you have the staff to service their business."

• Neither will frequent technological problems. The occasional glitch is unavoidable. "But if you're constantly apologizing for technology malfunctions," notes Adams, "soon your customers will seek out a competitor whose technology does work."

The Po!nt: Let your customers see the beneficial aspects of working with a small business—not those that are irritating and easily avoidable.

Source: MarketingProfs. Click here for the article.

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