Products may come and products may go; yet customers are forever! Customers, you and your firm will always be there. The customers who purchased your products in past are buying your current offering, this process can continue forever, if you have an effective selling process in place. Let us try to clarify our understanding of a few basics by asking some questions.

What our customer means to us?

* He is source of immediate revenue.

* He is a source of future revenue.

* He is a source of inspiration and useful business information for us.

* When he decides to give us business, he decides to start a long relationship based on mutual co-operation, trust and friendship. He even plans to treat us like his family.

So, what do you think are our responsibilities towards him?

* Giving him conviction that his decision (in favouring us) has been correct one.

* Reciprocating his friendship.

It can easily be done by some conscious effort in this direction and by paying special attention to one or all of the following:

* Communication: Customers rate you by their ability to understand you. Improve your communication by making special efforts to improve your overall communication with customers.

* Care: Your actions and expressions can address customer's concerns and problems.

* Clarity: Precise answers and appropriate use of organizational knowledge brings about play of 'Clarity' in customer relationships.

* Capability: Leaving no stone unturned in your effort to find most useful solution for customer's needs.

* Courtesy: Appropriate use of words & expressions like 'please', 'thank you', and resisting the urge to 'cut-him-to-size' ensures this aspect of relationship.