Customer Service

It's easy to say that customer service is your number one priority when all is going well.  You're really put to the test when something goes wrong or turns out not as it should.  If you sell at all something is bound to go wrong at times.  The most frequent problem I run into - and thankfully it isn't often - is something taking a bit longer to arrive in the mail than anticipated.  I'm in Canada and the majority of my packages goes to the United States, Australia and Norway.  Most of my international customers are aware of the shipping times but not everyone.  Sometimes people don't realize I'm in Canada and that the mail will take a bit longer to arrive.  I do email at the time of purchase to let them know approximate shipping times etc.  It's understandable that some people don't read the messages.  We're so inundated with emails that it's normal to ignore what appears to be just another email.  The best advice I can give when a problem comes up is to communicate and be empathetic to the situation.  My customers are usually really understanding when they realize that I'm a bit further away than they may have realized.  They are also reassured when I let them know that if there should ever be a problem I will fix it.  Just being in contact and responding in an understanding manner goes a really long way.  It may be cliche but treat your customers the way you would like to be treated.  As long as they know you are there to fix a problem should it occur and that you are understanding and responsive they will probably be more than happy to work with you.