When Your Clients Are Not Your Number One Priority...

If you have been reading the news lately, you are probably familiar with the AT&T mistreatment of one of its customers. If not, you can read the article here: http://www.examiner.com/x-39728-Tech-Buzz-Examiner~y2010m6d3-Cease-and-desist-threatened-over-emails-to-ATT-CEO.

Of course, after the damage was done, the company responded trying to mitigate all the bad press, but it was already too late. The reputation of a company already vilified by many of its customers because of network failures suffered a terrible blow.

If you read my book or just many of my articles or blogs, you'll realize the importance that I give to putting your clients as your number one priority. No other part of your business is as important as having and keeping your clients happy. Nothing else matters, if there are not clients, there is no business. Period.

In this times where bad news spread at the speed of light, there is incomprehensible to me that a large corporation such as AT&T (which, by the way is my phone carrier, but only because of the iPod) still affords to make these mistakes. One disgrunted customer is all it takes to have the blogosphere fuming with negative comments that only help to tarnish the company's reputation.

Your business is not as visible or large as AT&T's but the same principles apply to you. Treat your customers ALWAYS as your number one priority and you will create a loyal base of fans who will promote your business, giving you the best possible advertising (and free on top of everything).

If you forget this simple rule, you will pay the price by having your place trashed in blogs, social media networks and forums all over the place. It is not a good investment and it is not, definitely, a good philosophy to run any business.

Have a great day,

Jose