Every company talks about how great their customer service is. Put 5 business owners in a room and ask them how they are different and they will probably all say “we provide great customer service”. Great customer service is critical to building a great company but how many of us take the time to quantify what that means? Here are 10 little details that matter to your customers.

1. Do you keep your promises? Do you speak in absolutes and follow through or do you say that you will finish your customers project “in about 3 weeks”? Even if the time line is longer than expected, customers appreciate knowing what to expect. Delivering on time strengthens trust.

2. Do you double-check (and triple-check) your work? Few things are more frustrating and embarrassing than a customer pointing out mistakes in your work. As a customer, this irritates me a great deal because it creates extra work for me and weakens trust.

3. Do you answer your phone? Is your receptionist friendly and knowledgeable? Does every employee answer the phone with a positive attitude? I’m amazed at how many times I call a company the phone is answered by someone who sounds like he or she is annoyed at the interruption. It’s even more annoying when I get an auto-attendant. Your customers want to talk to a person, not a machine.

4. Do you ask questions? Too often we get caught up in all the great things we are doing that we forget that our customers have needs, which is why they have hired us in the first place. How often do you call your customers and ask them what challenges they are facing right now? Not only does it show that you care, but it might also open the door for you to find opportunities to solve more of their problems with your products and services.

5. Do you keep up with the latest best practices? When your customer comes to you and says “XYZ Company is doing this, should we do this, too?”, it erodes trust if you don’t have an answer or appear to be uninterested in evolving.

6. Do you gracefully help customers leave? No company has a 100% retention rate. Occasionally customers leave. When this happens, do you become uncooperative and belligerent or do you politely ask for feedback on how you can improve in the future? Do you assist them during the transition? By behaving in a professional manner when customers leave, you leave the door open for them to remember you favorably when their new vendor drops the ball. Besides, it’s just the right thing to do.

7. Do you send referrals to your customers? Few things will please your customers more than if you send business their way. I love being on the lookout for referrals for my customers. I feel strongly that I should do everything I can do help my customers succeed.

8. Do you believe in your product or service? Your customers (and prospective customers) can tell whether you believe in what you are selling. You must truly believe that your company provides the best solution possible for your customers. You must get excited about what you do.

9. Are you on time for appointments? We are all busy and time is valuable. Your customers will appreciate it when you respect their time and will certainly notice when you are consistently late.

10. Do you admit when you are wrong? Do you make it right? Nobody’s perfect and we all drop the ball at some point. The important thing is that we admit when we are wrong, own up to it, and make it right. Whatever it takes, make sure your customer remembers how you solved the problem with integrity.

When someone asks you about your customer service or how you are different, how specific can you be? Do you know what matters to your customers?