Customers, not profit, are top priority

11.02.09

Customer relationships are being prioritised over profit by the UK’s small businesses during the downturn, new research has revealed.

A recent poll found the severity of the current recession is forcing businesses to focus on customer service more than ever before.

Nine out of ten small businesses believe the key to success is giving customers a ‘personal touch’, and more than 50% have introduced new measures during the last 12 months to build and retain customer relationships, the poll by Cisco found.

Bernadette Wightman, head of small medium enterprise at Cisco UK and Ireland said customer engagement was one of the few things small businesses were able to control during a downturn.

She added: “Now, more than ever, UK SMEs are devoting time, money and effort to improving their customer relationships, though it is also evident that specific attention is needed to ensure that this resource is not wasted.”

The survey also suggested that businesses owners are willing to take drastic steps to ensure customer service is a top priority.

Three quarters of those surveyed said good customer service was best created by the attitude of their staff. Half of those polled said miserable employees should be removed if customer service was to be safeguarded.

© Crimson Business Ltd. 2009