A reputation can take years to build but can crumble in a moment.  Every interaction with a customer–past, present, or future–needs to be made with the same level of effort.

How you interact with people is part of the service that you provide.  It helps define the customer experience.  Are you accommodating, entertaining, or informative?  Are you consistent with the way you treat people or respond to their messages?

Maintaining a high level of service requires a lot of work and attention to details.  A lapse of attention that leads to the mishandling of a customer’s experience with your service can change the way people perceive you.

If you want people to spread the word about what your business, then make it easy for them by being clear about what you do.  The stories you tell your customers are the same ones that they will spread to others.  When your stories are aligned with your values it becomes easier for people to see who you are and what you can do for them.

[Photo: The bark of a ginkgo tree.]