Here are the ten top tips for improving your Customer Service Skills:

1.  Stay in contact with your customers on a regular basis. Offer then a free eNewsletter, add them to your Social Media outlets, make Customer Care Calls for special events (holiday, new catalog, etc)

2. Create a Customer VIP Program. People want to feel important, and recognized.  Create a Customer VIP Program and give them special discounts, the “first look” at new products, etc.

3. Give Customers more than they expect. There is no such thing as “too much” customer service.  Send “Thank you” notes for no reason other than to say thanks.  Offer discounts at random times throughout the year.  Send free gifts with large purchases with no notice.

4. Resolve complaints and conflicts quickly. Show your customers that you really care by taking care of problems quickly.  Sometimes we have to go a little beyond ourselves, maybe even lose a little bit of money, but good Customer Service does not have a pricetag.  Personally take care of the problem as best as you possibly can.

5. Make it easy for your customers to find you. Offer as many contact methods as possible, so that when a customer reaches out, she feels like she will be able to get to you.  Email, cell phone, social media, etc are all great contact methods.  Also, make your contact methods easy to remember by using a universal business name as often as possible (i.e. www.yourparties.com, yourparties@email.com, etc)

6. Build strong relationships with your Customers. Create special Customer Appreciation events every quarter for your customers like parties, barbeque’s, tea parties, Open Houses, etc. Your customers will feel important when they are included in these kind of business and special events.

7. Make it easy for Customers to use your website. Have a “FAQ” page on you site to explain any questions your customers may have.  If your company only allows you to use their Corporate site, use your blog to house your FAQ’s.  You can even ask your customers to fill out an online survey to find out how to make your site more user friendly.

8. Always be polite. Use the words “you’ve welcome”, “thank you”, “please” etc often.  Be calm and polite even when they are upset.  Be willing to apologize first in the event you make a mistake, and then make up for them in a big way.

9. Create a Product of the Month Club. This is a benefit to both you and your Customers.  Assign a product for each month of the year, and offer it at a flat rate to be billed and auto-shipped each month.  For instance, if you are with a candle company, choose 12 scents to be directly billed and shipped on the 1st day of each month.

10. Make sure your entire team uses the same Customer Service practices. Explain to your team the importance of Customer Service and Customer Care.  By all using the same “policies”, your Customers will always know what to expect in the instance of having to pass along a party or order.

. Lynsey Jones, The Party Plan Coach, is the sole owner and operator of PartyPlanDivas.com, the largest online training community built solely for the Party Plan Professional. As a wife and mother of two daughters and four dogs, Lynsey also runs her own Party Plan Business, staying In The Trenches with the Party Plan Industry. You can follow Lynsey on Twitter at twitter.com/partyplandivas. Read more from this author