We all agree with the adage that the customer is king. It is a well known fact that no business can survive without a customer base. Regardless of what business you are in, satisfying customers is really what it's all about. The long term survival of your business will depend on the level of customer satisfaction that it can consistently maintain.

Foster a culture of customer orientation in your firm. Satisfied customers have a nice habit of coming back. This will not only result in larger profits, but more importantly, favorable word of mouth. Make customer satisfaction your business mantra and there will be no looking back.

So what do you need to do to make sure you've done your bit to satisfy customers? Read on....

Under promise and over deliver: Never promise something that is out of your reach. It will make the customer think twice about doing business with you, or worse, you might just scare him off altogether. Remember that negative word of mouth spreads like wildfire and is the fastest way to hit the bottom of the popularity charts. Be careful while making commitments, but once made, do everything to keep your word.

Give more than expected: The best way to win customer loyalty is to exceed expectations in terms of quality and service. Your competitors too will have a tough time trying to lure your customers away with lower prices. Surprise your customers with small caring gestures. A birthday or holiday greeting is a nice way to stay in touch, without giving the impression that you're trying to sell something. It makes the customer feel wanted and valued. Make it a habit of going that extra mile to achieve customer satisfaction. Tools such Quick Books Customer Manager 2.0 available at quickbooks.intuit.com can automate the process of managing voluminous customer databases and generating marketing communication.

Communicate with customers: Let your customers know you value them. Communicate with them on important issues. For example, if you launch a special scheme just for your existing customers, do ensure they know of it well in advance. Also, announce new products or services to them before you announce them to the general market. This will also provide you with an opportunity to convert your customers into pre-launch publicity agents!

Respond Promptly: The most annoying thing for customers is waiting days for a response to an email or phone call. It might not always be possible to deal with all customer queries within a few hours, but an email or call to let them know you've received their message and you'll contact them as soon as possible will do the trick. Even if you're not able to solve a problem right away, let the customer know you're working on it. Books like "Satisfaction: How Every Great Company Listens to the Voice of the Customer", available at amazon.com makes interesting reading.

Customer Service Policy: There's nothing more annoying for a customer than to be passed on from person to person, or not knowing who to turn to for complaint resolution. Make sure they know exactly what to do at each stage of their inquiry. A clearly defined customer service policy is the first step towards ensuring customer satisfaction.

Remember, in any business, satisfying customers takes priority. Answer these questions, "What would you want from a business as a customer? How would you want to be treated?" And you will know what to do.